A Technical Question for the GBC
BY: NAVADVIPCHANDRA DAS
Dec 8, USA (SUN) — After hearing about the attempt of Radhanatha Swami to meet with notorious devotee murderer Tirtha Das in prison, I decided to look into the matter a little bit to find out what is the official connection of Tirtha Das to ISKCON at present. Amazingly, he is a leading preacher in ISKCON Prison Ministries, and many articles written by him can be found on the ISKCON Prison Ministries website.
On the top of ISKCON Prison Ministries official website there is a request and link for you to visit Tirtha Das' personal website: http://www.tirthainprison.com. The website probably should have been named:
www.TirthaInPrisonForMurderingDevoteesOnTheOrderOf Kirtanananda.com
...but for some reason he chose to leave the name a little vague, just tirthainprison.com.
If you go to Tirtha Das' personal website (as advertised in the ISKCON Prison Ministries website) you will see he has written a book on practicing Krishna consciousness in prison. The introduction to this murderer's book is written by an ISKCON guru and sannyasi, Candramauli Swami. The introduction can be read here.
Candramauli, a former leader under Kirtanananda Swami, also happens to be the leader of ISKCON Prison Ministries, as their official website states under their logo: "Under the Guidance of His Holiness Candramauli Swami".
Also on the ISKCON Prison Ministries homepage it states: "The ISKCON Prison Ministries (IPM) is part of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness' (ISKCON) Congregational Development Ministry." If we go to the official website of this ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry (namahatta.org) there is also an article by Tirtha Das, along with a picture of him.
In fact, Tirtha das' book was actually published by ISKCON, as stated in an Ebay auction selling the book:
"The Definitive Guide to Practicing Krsna Consciousness in Prison "
By Tirtha dasa
Published 2005 by The Prison Ministry of
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (New Vrindaban Office).
67 pages. Color cover painting and 22 pencil illustrations by Brian Babinski. Soft cover. Book measures 5.5 x 8.5 inches. Introduction by Candramauli Swami, an ISKCON Sannyasi and Initiating Guru.
So in summary, this is what we have found:
1) Tirtha Das is a leading preacher of ISKCON Prison Ministries
2) ISKCON Prison Ministries is a branch of ISKCON Congregational Development Ministry (run by Jayapataka Swami)
3) ISKCON guru Candramauli Swami has written the introduction to a book written by the murderer Tirtha Das and published by ISKCON.
4) This same Candramauli Swami is in charge of ISKCON Prison Ministries.
5) ISKCON gurus Candramauli Swami and Radhanatha Swami both tried to visit this murderer in prison numerous times, but have been identified by a drug-sniffing dog, and subsequently banned from entry to this prison.
Now this brings me to my technical question for the GBC:
Why is it that...
1) If you believe Srila Prabhupada is your direct living spiritual master, you are immediately banned and kicked out of ISKCON…
2) but if you kill a devotee... and are convicted of it in a court of law... you can still be a leading preacher in ISKCON, still get ISKCON gurus to write introductions to your books and endorse them, have ISKCON publish the book, and still have ISKCON gurus visit you numerous times in prison?
