2016 ISKCON GBC Mayapur Meetings

[Pratyatosa]

Dear Prabhus, the Annual Mayapur GBC meetings were supposed to have started 3 days ago. However, I've heard on Facebook that Sadbhuja and Bhavananda were physically attacked, that Praghosa, the GBC chairman, was forced to leave Mayapur under threat of physical attack, and that this is all part of a plan by the Bengali workers to kick all Westerners out of ISKCON Mayapur!

Ys, Ptd

[Pratyatosa]

From Malati Devi Dasi (GBC):

Re: 2016 ISKCON GBC Mayapur Meetings - 1:37 AM

Hare Krishna.

Point of information: The meetings are not three days late to begin. The slated start date for the meetings since long time back has been Feb. 22nd.

There was disruption last night. Some persons did evacuate due to threats. Praghosa has long been under threat due to revealing criminal activities within ISKCON Mayapur and exposing those involved. Ring leaders are largely former employees/devotees who were released from employment due to these reasons.

Opportunistic persons/devotees are taking advantage of this unrest to make grabs for power. There are threats of violence/even death.

It's not a healthy situation so prayers are requested that a harmonic convergence descends upon all devotees and a peaceful resolution is invoked.

Sent from my iPhone

[Mario Pineda]

Hare Krishna. good time to expose all to the top of Indian government and explain about the false guru regime and have mayapur be taken by the government and have it managed by the Prabhupadanugas. 

On Thu, Feb 18, 2016 at 10:56 PM, Pratyatosa <praty...@gmail.com> wrote:

From Malati Devi Dasi (GBC):

Re: 2016 ISKCON GBC Mayapur Meetings 1:37 AM (13 minutes ago)

Hare Krishna. Point of information: The meetings are not three days late to begin. The slated start date for the meetings since long time back has been Feb. 22cd.

There was disruption last night. Some persons did evacuate due to threats. Praghosa has long been under threat due to revealing criminal activities within ISKCON Mayapur and exposing those involved. Ring leaders are largely former employee/devotees who were released from employment due for these reasons. Opportunistic persons/ devotees are taking advantage of this unrest to make grabs for power. There are threats of violence / even death.

It's not a healthy situation so prayers are requested that a harmonic convergence descends upon all devotees and a peaceful resolution is invoked.

Sent from my iPhone

On Fri, Feb 19, 2016 at 12:55 AM, Pratyatosa <praty...@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Prabhus, the Annual Mayapur GBC meetings were supposed to have started 3 days ago. However, I've heard on Facebook that Sadbhuja and Bhavananda were physically attacked, that Praghosa, the GBC chairman, was forced to leave Mayapur under threat of physical attack, and that this is all part of a plan by the Bengali workers to kick all Westerners out of ISKCON Mayapur!

Ys, Ptd

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[Melanie L Nagel]

Hello. You are clueless. Sorry. 

Sent from my iPhone

[rainer hahn]

When things get  out of control the government is always offering to take over temples and manage all affairs. Of course temple staff doesn't like this very much, see link, but better have an interim management than riots and fight? 

http://www.hinduismtoday.com/blogs-news/hindu-press-international/vrindavan-priests-oppose-government-control-of-temples/14763.html 

On Fri, Feb 19, 2016 at 7:56 AM, Pratyatosa <praty...@gmail.com> wrote:

From Malati Devi Dasi (GBC):

Re: 2016 ISKCON GBC Mayapur Meetings 1:37 AM (13 minutes ago)

Hare Krishna. Point of information: The meetings are not three days late to begin. The slated start date for the meetings since long time back has been Feb. 22cd.

There was disruption last night. Some persons did evacuate due to threats. Praghosa has long been under threat due to revealing criminal activities within ISKCON Mayapur and exposing those involved. Ring leaders are largely former employee/devotees who were released from employment due for these reasons. Opportunistic persons/ devotees are taking advantage of this unrest to make grabs for power. There are threats of violence / even death.

It's not a healthy situation so prayers are requested that a harmonic convergence descends upon all devotees and a peaceful resolution is invoked.

Sent from my iPhone

On Fri, Feb 19, 2016 at 12:55 AM, Pratyatosa <praty...@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Prabhus, the Annual Mayapur GBC meetings were supposed to have started 3 days ago. However, I've heard on Facebook that Sadbhuja and Bhavananda were physically attacked, that Praghosa, the GBC chairman, was forced to leave Mayapur under threat of physical attack, and that this is all part of a plan by the Bengali workers to kick all Westerners out of ISKCON Mayapur!

Ys, Ptd

[Pratyatosa]

Dear Mother Malati Prabhu, please forgive me. I mistakenly assumed that you wouldn't mind. I didn't see that there was anything in your email that should be considered confidential. I mistakenly assumed that you would want as many devotees as possible answering your request for prayers.

I will immediately delete both copies of your letter that I posted on Facebook.

Ys, Ptd

On Fri, Feb 19, 2016 at 6:02 AM, 'Melanie L Nagel' via Prabhupadanuga <istag...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Pratytosa. As an Internet savvy person, one would expect you to know basic Internet etiquette.  Posting letters from a non public forum such as this on to Facebook, which is by and large public, is a violation and enormous breach of confidence. Kindly remove my letter that you posted on fb. thank you. 

Sent from my iPhone

[Pratyatosa]

Mayapura Bengali Revolt against Foreigners (?)

[Mario Pineda]

Hare Krishna. The corrupt ISKCON which is every corner of it and even the "non" corrupt, try to keep all secret and silence prevails! KC is not secret or silent. It is about openly practicing chanting loudly the names of the Lord and to have unity and cooperation, trust and love among all. The only time that the corrupt break the silence, is when someone who they have hurt is denied any communication about the pain, speaks out in public after years and years of tolerating the rascal non caring mentality. Then only the silence is broker to try to silence those who are exposing the stone like hearts deviants. It is simply incredible how low class the so called sadhus are!!!

--

[Pratyatosa]

A majority of those on the ISKCON GBC do not have college degrees, were born and raised in meat-eating families, fried their brains with LSD and other mind-altering drugs, and have been extremely offensive to their guru, to their godsiblings, and to the 2nd generation. The LSD, etc. that they used/abused has caused them to suffer permanent brain damage. This brain damage is currently being manifested as abnormal paranoia, abnormal enviousness, delusions of grandeur, and the tendency to be control freaks. Not only that, but these deluded rascals are running around thinking, "I am a guru! Bow down and worship me!" Knowing these things, even a karmi child can understand that things are not going to go very well for ISKCON as long as these defective rascals are running things.

Ys, Ptd

Copy/pasted from Facebook:

Sattvic Das: THIS IS WHY I THINK THEY ARE PLAYING IT DOWN Mahabhuj prabhu. "Unless Kṛṣṇa saves, who can? So I had the experience of riot in Calcutta in my childhood." ~ January 3, Bombay 1977, Srila Prabhupada.

"The local Bengali agitators at the Maypur Candrodoya Temple are planning a huge disruptive action for Monday. We should know what comes of it by Tuesday, but the GBC must involve the police for protection this coming Monday."

The Bengali agitators have allegedly bribed all of the Police to evict the western devotees so that they can take over their offices.

What's Going On? There's A Riot Goin' On!

When Marvin Gaye wrote his song, a few months later Sly Stone responded with his, and now some disgruntled Mayapur residents are responding with theirs.

"Unless Kṛṣṇa saves, who can? So I had the experience of riot in Calcutta in my childhood." ~ January 3, Bombay 1977.

Just as the GBC Meetings are beginning, the local Bengali agitators at the Sridhama Maypur Candrodoya Temple are planning a huge disruptive action for Monday. We should know what comes of it by Tuesday, but the GBC must involve the police for protection this coming Monday. The Bengali agitators have allegedly bribed all of the Police to evict the western devotees so that they can take over their offices.

One of the main leaders in Mayapur, Jayapataka Swami, who has thousands of disciples in Mayapur, is in New Delhi hospital on a respirator fighting to keep himself alive.

There are many factors that have contributed to the present riots that are going on in Mayapur which I will address later, such as the investigations that have gone on regarding criminal activities being performed there, those actvities being exposed and the retaliation of those engaged in those activites losing their positions seeking vengeance.

Hostility by the Bengali / Bengladeshi devotees is also said to be due to how the western devotees serving receive larger pay than Indian bodied devotees do for services performed. There may also be the element of envy where some of the Indian devotees see western devotees on laptops and cell phones all day while they are working hard.

Another consideration is the initiation of en masse thousands of Indian bodied devotees that do not receive proper training, or have any conception of accepting siksa from anyone other than their guru.

Another consideration is that western devotees are not always kind in how they deal with the Bengali devotees, or even know ow to relate to them, lacking empathy, thus inciting them to hit back.

Perhaps some of the lack of accountability and impersonalism that has contributed to the uproar at Radha Govinda's Temple in New York is a factor.

These are some comments that have been shared with me from various godsiblings that know the situation in Mayapur:

"A group called Mayapur Vedic Development Sevaks Trust - MVDST - who are a group of Indian National land developers here in Mayapur. They started going door-to-door drumming up support after some of them or their supporters within Mayapur management were removed from their positions one by one for corruption or collusion or involvement in covering-up.

One of Mayapur's GBC looked the other way for years so he was on suspension. The mood continued to build with Praghosa (SDG and Mayapur Chairman GBC) and Hansarup as their primary targets as they opened the office that investigated into their crimes or neglect.

Jayapataka Swami has asked his disciples to stand down until after the GBC Meetings but they didn't listen to him. It has not been uncommon in meetings where he has ordered these same "devotees" to do one thing, he walks out, and they vote the other way!.

One god brother’s view is that “ Very few Westerners have learned a single word of Bengali. They treat these India citizens as servants. The western devotees get fat salaries....the Indians minimum money. This has been a long time coming. Western devotees in India do not embrace simple-living-high thinking.

I have spoken to a Bengali devotee. He says the Bengalis want to see the back of Pragosh the GBC Chairman.....this will most prob happen. Radha Jivan is not a refined person. In addition he is very Indian-body conscious."

Another inside scoop: "Praghosa and Hansarupa created a department, ESCO - Ethics, Standards and Compliance Office - who job it was to address corruption within Management. They busted a lot of managers who just happened to be Bengali or Bangladeshi. That includes Naru Gopal, Bhakti Purushottama, Nitai Karuna and many more. These guys were also involved in allowing other managers, again generally Bengali and Bangladeshi, to do the same. Bhakti Purusottama Swami was the latest to go down after it came to light that he covered up a long history of homosexual abuses in Habibapur temple within the Brahmachari asharam that included dozens and dozens of young men, even young teenagers.

Eventually those who were removed from their positions came together, created a trust and along with other "businessmen/devotees" went around door knocking and involving other Bengalis who are very simple and believe anything you tell them. They were convinced that the foreigners were mistreating the Bengalis and treating them like their slaves, etc.Just last week Bhavananda mistreated, verbally - typical Bhavs - one of his Bengali staff and they are very sensitive to harsh words. So he skipped off and joined the B Team and one thing lead to another that ended in this incredible mob scene of over 150 Bengalis last night during Sandar artik where devotees were punched, etc and the GBC were actually hiding in their rooms particularly Praghosa and Bhavs.

Now they want revenge in a big way and more than that - they want the temple. ALL of it. They want the GBC removed and a new one with Naru as the GBC chair, (caught embezzling funds) and only Bengalis and JPS etc. But he is really" ~ END.

"What about the safety of the rest of the caucasian devotees there, as well as their children?.

I wrote to Ambarisa prabhu to make sure that he was safe, and he wrote back to me:

Prabhuji, PAMHO AGTSP.

No worries, Svaha and I are back in Gainesville. There is a war going on for the soul of Mayapur. Hopefully the combined efforts of the GBC and Bureau can restore sanity and international mission to Srila Prabhupada's dear most project. Thank you for the offer of support. I hope all is well. ys ad.

Just in from Adikarta Das Das prabhu: "Hare Krishna dear devotees. We here in Alachua just spoke to Ambarish about this, and he said that the problem was caused because Radhajivan, the fund raiser for the TOVP, had an idea to build a block of apartments for selling to fund raise, but when he was told that the place he wanted to build on was not available he freaked out, and decided he wanted to get rid of Ambarisha, and be the big shot. [all this from someone who joined another camp for many years and who struggles to chant any japa} Then he incited a number of local devotees to get violent, they went after Bhavananda prabhu, because Radhajivan had some grudge against him, Bhav had to leave".

From Gopal Cohen:

"Many of the western devotees' offices are in non-ISKCON buildings, like their homes or even they run their departments from different parts of the world. IMHO, that's one of the problems. Also, it looks like more and more Bengali devotees and locals are starting to support diverse devotees and are refusing to back their own countrymen under the influence of "skin disease." It's going to be an interesting week."

If anyone has any current updates or other insights to the situation in Mayapur Dham, please keep us informed. many devotees are very concerned."

[Pratyatosa]

http://krishna1008.blogspot.com/2016/02/from-braja-sevaka-dasi-in-mayapura.html

[Melanie L Nagel]

Point of information:  GBC members are not paid for our services as asserted in the article. 

We are responsible for our own air fare & travel expenses, etc. 

yrs, Malati 

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 22, 2016, at 11:18 AM, Pratyatosa <praty...@gmail.com> wrote:

http://krishna1008.blogspot.com/2016/02/from-braja-sevaka-dasi-in-mayapura.html

[Pratyatosa]

"Red Alert! Mayapur under Bengali siege! Italian GBC hung over balcony." (<http://iskcon.us/paul-pavamana-mccloud/mayapur-red-alert/>)

[Pratyatosa]

Copy/pasted from Facebook:

THE MAYAPUR MANAGEMENT SPEAKS OUT ON THE ONGOING SAGA

Dear Vaisnava Community,

Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

The Mayapur Management would like to report to the community regarding the recent disturbances. As you are aware, tension has been building up over the past number of weeks and boiled over on the evening of the 18th February, Ekadasi.

It is true that our community is going through a difficult time and there is a need to resolve some deep-seated problems. The majority of the problems are management related, but they have been fuelled by passionate and offensive behaviors between devotees. Some of the deep hurt has resulted in further volatile and extreme actions. These have saddened us all.

At this point, we feel that it is important to report on the events of the 18th evening—as best we understand them—to quell any further speculation or rumours and to restore calm among the devotees.

On the 18th, a devotee lady who felt herself compelled to address what she considered to be recent offensive actions of a male devotee was heading toward the Conch Building with a stick. By the time the first devotee arrived she had been convinced to not follow through with her intention. Instead, she entered the temple.

However, information of the impending assault had gone out. As nerves are already on edge, the news provoked a group of devotees who intervened when the first devotee was leaving the temple to return home.

At this point a [GBC] devotee arrived and stepped in to protect the lady, and was set upon by the crowd. Both were eventually shuffled away to safety. The overall mood was aggressive and tense and a fair size crowd congregated in front of the Conch Building. Our temple security, the head of security, and a number of cool-headed devotees stood firm and held back the angry crowd while protecting other senior devotees present, and sending them to safety as well. Bhavananda prabhu was confronted with great agitation. He was pushed and jostled about but not injured nor hit.

Eventually the crowd moved to the Lotus Garden where one by one they expressed their agitation to some members of ISKCON Management who were there to calm the crowd. Complaints and anger were directed towards devotees in various senior management positions.

At that time, a devotee was seen taking a video of the crowd. This sparked anger in some and was set upon by a large group. He was rescued and taken to the Long (Chakra) Building for safety. By that time, local police and government enforcement agents intervened to keep peace. Some of our Deputy Directors and other devotees also stepped in and tried to calm the situation.

Later, various leaders and managers present met with the police. The police and government officials requested that the devotees maintain social decorum while trying to sort out our internal problems. Together all present promised to endeavour to hold the peace.

Mayapur Management would like to reassure all the devotees that the management is working very hard to navigate through these turbulent waters in an effort to reclaim unity and harmony amongst the devotees here in ISKCON Mayapur. We have to all work together in an effort to heal from such hurt and avoid committing further offences.

Sincere desire to maintain the appropriate Vaisnava etiquette is essential for our advancement in devotional service. We therefore beseech the devotees to remain calm and be extra patient and respectful to ALL devotees, both resident and visitors, including pilgrims, especially during our Mayapur Festival.

We also request you to please refrain from spreading rumours without first confirming the authenticity of any information. Otherwise we risk instigating further reactions or aggression.

And let us remember that we are in the Holy Dham to fulfill Srila Prabhupada’s desire for us to join together to peacefully glorify the Holy Names:

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

your servants

Mayapur Management

[tim lee]

krishna1008: ISKCON Mayapura Management's Clarification

				krishna1008: ISKCON Mayapura Management's Clarifica... So that is the root issue in my opinion, there is the perception that the Mayapura management overlooks all sorts of deviations, including sexual predators, crimina...
				View on krishna1008.blogspot...	Preview by Yahoo

[Mario Pineda]

Hare Krishna. The problem is that around 80 crazy people with most serious mental issues (I am as good as Krishna and should be worshiped as such) are promoted with their followers. As good as Krishna. REALLY? This is totally against Srila Prabhupada;ss teachings. Srila Prabhupada is the only absolute diksa and siksa guru of ISKCON and the rest are all mad men and women. So until this is rectified, the rogues and thiefs and their violence will continue.   

[Pratyatosa]

From: <https://sg-mktg.com/MTQ1NjQxMTM4NnwyMVhoaTJVY185UTkzcnM2WXZwZVUtc3hXNlpSdFEyUmhGd2F1OXZVV2pPRFlxczV0bXNLd3JTZFZsMXFfaFN4ODZmNmdTdHZ5TUR1eFh5YVoxWDRvYmdPYmxiakZ4R0hhOU5TcVUzaEI1Q1J5eFZxeWRJOVBMc04tS2ttSVluZHpDNG8zV01SUGVjWkQ3M1F5V0N3UjVBdXQ3c3ktd053a01ObmZxMGJhYnF4Uk54M2pIUzJiVXQwbWdoR19JdFotU2xhbmxNam5KUU53OE9KR0R0aHMzckdfSUZmVEZsNzdUazFZNFBRWlFVQ2Y0RHdFNXYxNG9OR2owMWlGa1VKbjRRPXyqxVycZinaxTio1xgIESftzyx5sOOJpzK8Q2f79D5wNw==>:

AMBARISA:

Please rest assured that the project is in good hands. There is an extensive TOVP Team throughout the world headed by myself, Vraja Vilas Prabhu, Sadbhuja Prabhu and our beloved Jayapataka Maharaja, and the construction and fundraising steadily proceed.

 Please note that Bhavananda is not mentioned.

Here's the letter that Ambarisa Prabhu referred to: <http://iskcon.us/radha-jivan-das/bhavananda-attack/>.

[Pratyatosa]

Pratyatosa Dasa My theory is that Lord Sri Krishna wants Bhavananda to work on the TOVP project. That's why He arranged for him to stop wasting his valuable time/talents on being a "sannyasi"/GBC man/"guru!"

Like · Reply · 3 hrs

Jagadambika Dasi All glories to TOVP! Project must continue in spite of the unfortunate recent incident and upheaval created by one person. He could have taken a leave of absence, until some compromise was met without the public show; Bringing all these people into your business. Seems so simple to me. People all over the world are becoming aware of TOVP. It really is a high honor and once in a lifetime opportunity to serve on this project, in such an awesome position. Wow! I feel that when in Leadership positions and representing Srila Prabhupada, we don't need to bring shame on Srila Prabhupada's Holy Name by such an action, outburst etc. in the Holy Dham of all places. Do it privately and behind closed doors if needed at all. Be more patient. Remember who we are doing this for. Remember we are servants of servants of servants of project. I really like His Grace Radha Jivan Das Prabhu, have the highest respect for him (still do) and his sweet loving, chaste, good wife. She's amazing! I wish only the best for them. But this was carrying it too far in my opinion, creating a riot mood. Sometimes when things are boiling inside us like this, and you're seeing red, we have to step away, pray long and hard for months about it etc. Focus on being the servant of servant of servant etc. Remember who we are tolerating things connected to our service for. If I'm not getting along with my co-worker, then figure out a way the two of you can continue working together, but separately without the mudslinging and bringing outsiders into the mix. Sad. Seems like it was just one of those "Oops!" moments, but look at the damage that has been caused. I'd die (not literally) to be able to serve under the guidance of His Grace Ambarisa Das Prabhu. You couldn't have a better boss. He's intelligent. Whoever he puts in what position is what he feels will push on the building of this project. What a Saintly devotee and sincere soul. Don't expect him to get in the middle of your personal vendetta against another. Even if the other person is partly the blame. But uproar in Holy Dham takes it to a whole other level. (PS. So far it appears to me that His Grace Bhavananda Das Prabhu, although having his idiosyncrasies about him, (we all do) has rectified his past misdeeds. I mean atonement. Give him the chance to quietly continue with his service people. Be nice. Everyone deserves a chance and forgiveness. (in this case) Please forgive my offenses if I've offended anyone. Don't mean to. I like everybody. Whoever comments and try and get into any other talk with me about this, I'm not responding or answering. Have no time for blah blah blah. Your servant All I can say is His Grace Ambarisa Das Prabhu Ki Jai!! What a saint!

Unlike · Reply · 1 · 4 mins

[Mario Pineda]

Hare Krishna. The "saints" elbow to elbow with suspects of poisoning Srila Prabhupada!! Hmmm!!

[Pratyatosa]

Bhavananda poisoning his beloved Srila Prabhupada? That's absurd! (See: <http://pratyatosa.com/?P=2v>.)

[Pratyatosa]

Nityananda Prabhu, who's probably done more research on the poison issue than anyone, said that there's not enough evidence to accuse ANYONE. To falsely accuse someone of such a horrendous deed is extremely offensive! Why take a chance?

In any case, no one gets away with anything. It's not possible! Have faith. Krishna is in complete control.

(Please don't reply to this message until you've carefully read the very short <http://pratyatosa.com/?P=2v> web page.)

Ys, Ptd

[Pratyatosa]

Anyone who lived at ISKCON Detroit during the 80s can very easily understand why Ambarisa Prabhu insists that Bhavananda be part of the TOVP project. For everyone else, please check out my 2 comments on <https://www.facebook.com/pratyatosa/posts/10207932169078590?comment_id=10207932183838959> which I've copy/pasted below. If you go there and check, you will see that Ambarisa clicked "Like" for both of them.

Dhanur Dhara Dasa Ignorant manangement. Bhavananda is a fraud.

Like · Reply · 2 · February 22 at 8:01pm

Pratyatosa Dasa ISKCON Detroit, during the early 80s, was like a ship without a rudder until Bhavananda came along and straightened everything out.

Like · Reply · 5 · February 22 at 8:04pm

Pratyatosa Dasa He saved Ambarisa Prabhu's money from being wasted.

Like · Reply · 7 · February 22 at 8:09pm

MadhavaLata Devi Dasi The management issues are not with the TOVP managers but with the incompetency of the GBC

Like · Reply · 1 · February 23 at 2:23am

Dhira Lalita Why bash Bhavananda prabhu! At least he is taking on responsibility for Srila Prabhupada.

Unlike · Reply · 1 · February 23 at 8:25am

[Melanie L Nagel]

On 3/5/16, 12:17 PM, Pratyatosa wrote:
> The management issues are not with the TOVP managers but with the
> incompetency of the GBC

What management "issues?" The management issues are not about the
TOVP. The person who is screaming was one of a 50 person team. The
other 49 are doing fine and work is continuing.

--
I will no longer be using my AOL account, please use: malati...@gmail.com effectively immediately.

[Pratyatosa]

Dear Mother Malati Prabhu, thank you very much for your valuable input, but please be a little more careful with your copy/pasting. You made it seem like I said that. Here it is again, this time copy/pasted correctly:

MadhavaLata Devi Dasi The management issues are not with the TOVP managers but with the incompetency of the GBC

[tim lee]

Well Rupanuga as well as many ex-kulis want Bhavananda removed, sorry, he is just not popular. 

[Nori Muster]

http://www.surrealist.org/gurukula/timeline/docs.html#30

The following letter was published at chakra.org, a GBC-approved Internet forum for discussing controversy. According to Dr. Ekstrand's witnesses, Bhavananda first began hitting devotees' children in 1970. He became a guru in 1978 and remained in good standing until 1986-87, when the GBC suspended and later expelled him for carrying on homosexual affairs and violating GBC orders. Throughout the 1990s, Bhavananda has tried to win his status back and he has many supporters throughout ISKCON, especially in Australia, his former zone. 

The Past is Not Done With
by Maria Ekstrand, Ph.D. 

Dear Nrsimha Kavaca Prabhu, 

After reading your letter about Bhavananda, I can only hope that you are completely ignorant of the severity of Bhavananda's past or of the psychology of trauma. You wrote "the past is done with," which shows that you know nothing about the long-term effects of abuse. I'm sure that the victims of Bhavananda's abuse pray that the past could be over for them. Unfortunately, it cannot, and they have to live with it every day and night, probably for the rest of their lives. Many still have nightmares from the beatings and other mistreatment they received from Bhavananda and others like him in ISKCON. 

If Bhavananda has truly had a change of heart, then let him show this by apologizing to his many victims and offering them restitution. You are probably mean well, but you are not helping either Bhavananda or his victims by telling us to forgive and forget. It is not up to you or me to forgive him. He has to go straight to his victims. You stated that we all may one day be in a similar position. I certainly hope that this is not true, but if it is, may Krsna spare me from well-meaning but misguided individuals such as you. I would hope that instead, someone would have the sense and guts to sit down with me and tell me what I really needed to do to save my spiritual life. 

Account #1. This occurred in 1970 in the New York temple. There were about a dozen children present (this was before the Dallas gurukula had opened), and someone had broken a minor rule. Bhavananda was very angry and wanted to find out who was the guilty one. All the kids were afraid and no one confessed or told. So he marched them all down into the basement, made them all pull down their pants (so that all the boys and girls were naked in the room together). Then he beat everyone hard with a stick. As you can imagine, this was both physically painful and extremely humiliating for them. 

Account #2. A boy ate a couple of unoffered raisins. Bhavananda saw this and decided to teach him a lesson. So he forced the boy to keep eating piles of unoffered raisins until the child finally threw up. This was Bhavananda's way of teaching the boy that it's wrong to eat unoffered food. 

Account #3. In Mayapur 1975. During japa, Bhavananda used to circumambulate the temple with the kids. Every time he passed some of them, he'd punch them hard on the arm. The person who told me said that he used to have black-and blue bruises all over his arms. Another japa memory involved Bhavananda's walking around the temple room with a "gong stick," whacking the kids on the head if they were "spacing out" or not chanting (usually because they were tired). The person who told me this said that he used to have welts on his head, and that other kids did too.

Account #4. Also in Mayapur. The gurukula was run "like a prison" and one of Bhavananda's favorite sayings was "no work, no food." So many of the kids were walking around in constant fear that they wouldn't get anything to eat. 

Account #5. Later in Vrindavana, this boy was getting so tired of being in gurukula that he wrote to his mom that he wanted to come home. So his mother wrote to the school. When Bhavananda found out, he came after this boy (with two to three other men in tow), grabbed him by the shirt and completely intimidated him. He yelled at him that if he ever had a problem, he had to come to Bhavananda in the future. 

Account #6. "Yes, I also remember for sure how he used to beat the kids. I got a little personal taste of it the very first day I joined the Vrindavana Gurukula. It was during arati, and because I wasn't jumping up and down in ecstasy, I got his fat fist hammered on my head from behind. Boy, was I shocked! What a sweet beginning." 

Account #7. "He used to sometimes call the boys over to his room. Then we all had to sit there while some teacher (usually Dhanurdhar or Raghunath) used to tell all the bad things so-and-so did, and then that boy had to come up and get a good smack across the face. If you ever got one from him, you know what it means. It was about three times as strong as any other maniac would ever hit a kid." 

Account #8. This female ex-gurukula student reported that Bhavananda's mistreatment of children was not confined to boys: "Bhavananda didn't limit his attention to gurukula boys. I remember when I lived in Vrindavana when I was four, he used to take special delight in lifting me up by my pony tail." 

Account #9. "I want to confirm that story about how he use to bring up the boys to his room and smack them around. I was one of those boys."

Account #10. "Something else I just remembered today that I'd like to tell: Bhavananda used to take special interest in the punishment of the kids in Vrindavana when he was there, especially if some infraction was committed in his presence. I remember one time during his Vyasa puja [guru's birthday] I wasn't adequately enthusiastic. He pointed at me and signaled that he'd seen me. After it was over, he had me and a few other kids come up to his room where he gave us a few of his patented smacks. He would smack harder than anyone else. After a few of his smacks my ears would ring, I'd see stars, and would be so disoriented that I could barely stand up. Needless to say, we were all crying when we left. I think he liked to hurt kids and make them cry.” 

[Pratyatosa]

My wife and I ran the gurukula at ISKCON Detroit during the 80s, and every weekday morning all of the gurukula kids, supervised by my wife, would participate in the morning program at the temple.

During the early to mid 80s, Bhavananda Maharaj was also there as the GBC rep./"guru." Sometimes he would even visit the gurukula. During that entire time, he never once abused any of the children in any way.

Ys, Ptd

[Pratyatosa]

It's not, however, that Bhavananda didn't (indirectly) cause any child abuse. At one point, he ordered two of his "disciples" to take their son out of our gurukula and send him to the Lake Huntington, New York gurukula. My wife and I were very upset with Bhavananda for doing this because he didn't even bother to consult with us before taking this drastic action, and because it left our oldest son with no friends his age in the gurukula! Therefore, we sent our oldest son to the gurukula in Vrindavana, India, where he was sexually abused! 😞 Not only that, but our son's friend was sexually abused at the Lake Huntington gurukula! 😞

Ys, Ptd

[tim lee]

Right, well we have reports from victims that Bhavananda's "Bengali boys" were being sent into these schools where they created rampant child abuse. The GBC removed Yasoda and Dr. Sharma, the people Prabhupada wanted, and they made Bhavananda in charge of the gurukulas in India. I have a photo of what looks like Bhavananda at the filming of Andy Warhol's "Chelsea Girls," clearly a man wearing a dress. We reported these child abuse things to the GBC countless times starting in the early 1980s, they not only did not care, they told me to watch my back (I'd be attacked or killed). ys pd   

[Nori Muster]

I was sorry to have to bring it up, and I don’t care what ISKCON does with Bhavananda now. I just needed to speak up for the children when I saw that post by Tim Lee.

Bhavananda, Charles Bacis, had accusations against him. He was one of the individuals named in Children of ISKCON v ISKCON: http://surrealist.org/jpgs/complaint0606.pdf 

As we all know, ISKCON went into bankruptcy court rather than risk what could come out in open court.

I didn’t personally know Bhavananda, but from my research I can tell you child abuse perpetrators are considered sociopaths, known to lie and manipulate others. They need to maintain a public profile so they will have continued access to children. 

[Pratyatosa]

I don't know about Chelsea Girls (1966) but if you go to <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068379/> and scroll down, you'll see that he was in Ciao Manhattan (1972), which has a strong Andy Warhol connection.

Ys, Ptd

[tim lee]

Correct, Tamal used to say in lectures that Bhavananda was his best friend who would often bloop, and Tamal would have to go fetch him back, and he knew right where to go to find him, Bhavananda was always over at andy warhol's house. Yes, there was a strong connection, and chelsea girls is all about homosexuals dressed as women doing obnoxious things, what else? So this is why the GBC made a big mistake taking out Yasoda and Dr. sharma and making this guy the new leader of their schools ... of course it was not exactly a mistake, they knew Bhav was an andy warhol disciple ...

[Pratyatosa]

Isn't it a fact, though, that some people might be using Bhavananda as a scapegoat because they're too cowardly to go after the others who were named as defendants in the Children of ISKCON vs. ISKCON lawsuit because many of those others are still in positions of power?

Ys, Ptd

[Melanie L Nagel]

Give names. The CPO does not work under the authority of the GBC and is dedicated to live up to its mission of Child Protection. If names aren't named, there is nothing that can be done.

Sent from my iPhone

[tim lee]

As far as I can see, hundreds of kids were molested, some of the victims say thousands were molested, and yet we have not seen hardly anyone prosecuted, including the people who were the ring leaders of the whole regime like Satsvarupa, Jayapataka, Hari Sauri, Bhavananda etc. ys pd

[Pratyatosa]

Anyone who was part of the cover-up, and especially anyone who was on the GBC at the time of the cover-up is obviously guilty of criminal negligence. To see who the most guilty of the guilty parties are, read the list of defendants on the Turley lawsuit. They admitted their guilt by settling out-of-court. (Mother Nori Muster Prabhu already gave us the URL of the original lawsuit document, but it wasn't the latest version. Here's the latest version: <http://surrealist.org/jpgs/complaint_state.pdf>.)

Ys, Ptd

On Sunday, March 6, 2016 at 9:43:19 AM UTC-5, pada wrote:

As far as I can see, hundreds of kids were molested, some of the victims say thousands were molested, and yet we have not seen hardly anyone prosecuted, including the people who were the ring leaders of the whole regime like Satsvarupa, Jayapataka, Hari Sauri, Bhavananda etc. ys pd

On Sunday, March 6, 2016 4:23 AM, Melanie L Nagel wrote:

Give names. The CPO  does not work under the authority of the GBC and is dedicated to live up to its mission of Child Protection. If names aren't named, there is nothing that can be done.

Sent from my iPhone

[Pratyatosa]

BTW, two of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit are actually the sons of two of the defendants! Therefore, we have two members of ISKCON's 2nd generation suing, for $400,000,000, their fathers, who are/were members of ISKCON's GBC body!

Ys, Ptd

[Nori Muster]

Where are they now?

Here's a list of the individuals named in the lawsuit. Please add your feedback to confirm or correct.

Four are dead:

THOMAS HERTZOG and THOMAS HERTZOG, Individually / Tamal Krishna Goswami

KEITH HAM / Kirtanananda Swami

JOHN FAVORS / Bhakti-tirtha Swami

BRUCE SCHARF / Brahmananda 

Two were named for using images of the children to promote ISKCON, and are outside of the leadership now:

MICHAEL GRANT / Mukunda Goswami

ISKCON TELEVISION, INC. / Nrsimhananda

These four left ISKCON:

CHARLES BACIS / Bhavananda Goswami

ROBERT GRANT / Ramesvara Swami

HANS KARY / Hansadutta Swami

WILLIAM EHRLICHMAN / Bhagavan Goswami

Remain as officials in ISKCON:

GOPAL KHANNA / GOPAL KHANNA, Individually / Gopal Krishna Goswami

HOWARD RESNICK / Hridayanana Swami, and GLEN TETON / Giriraja Swami, as Executors of The Estate of A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA / HOWARD RESNICK, Individually

FARAMARZ ATTAR / Atreya Rsi Swami

ROBERT CORENS / Rupanuga 

STEVEN GOREYNO a/k/a STEVEN GUARINO / Satsvarupa Goswami

WILLIAM OGLE / Balavanta

These I'm not sure:

THEODORE RICHARD HARRIS / Pancha Dravida Swami

GREGORY GOTTFRIED Gurukripa Swami

WILLIAM BERKE / Bali Mardan

JEFFREY HICKEY / Jagadish Goswami

DEFENDANT DOES 1-30

[Nori Muster]

Thanks for the info. I changed the link at my site to the newer PDF.

The new one includes two more names, so here’s the updated list:

BRUCE JACOBS / Bir Krishna

JOHN PATANE / Ramai Swami

DEFENDANT DOES 1-30

[Nori Muster]

ISKCON’s worst tragedy.

[Nori Muster]

From my research, I believe it was approximately one thousand children maliciously abused between 1970-1990.

Yes, very few prosecutions. 

I believe the lawsuit settled it for the victims and may have prevented many suicides, and any murder-suicides (like we saw in the Children of God).

[Pratyatosa]

1. Bir Krishna and Gopal Krishna are still sannyasis, "gurus," and GBC men.

2. Atreya Rsi was never a "Swami," but he was a GBC approved "guru." However, he never accepted any disciples and he left ISKCON.

3. Bhavananda is no longer a sannyasi, a GBC man, or a "guru," but he is still active within ISKCON.

4. Rupanuga (no longer a sannyasi or GBC man), Jagadish (no longer a sannyasi, "guru," or GBC man), and Balavanta (no longer a GBC man), last I heard, were part of the Alachua, FL devotee community but have no official positions within ISKCON.

5. Hansadutta is no longer a sannyasi, "guru" or GBC man, but is part of the Berkeley, CA devotee community.

6. Bali Mardan is no longer a sannyasi or GBC man, but, last I heard, is part of the Brooklyn, NY devotee community.

7. Ramesvara (<https://www.facebook.com/robert.grant.522>), and Bhagavan (<https://www.facebook.com/bhagavan.acbsp>) are no longer sannyasis, "gurus" or GBC men, but they may be part of devotee communities.

8. Mukunda, Hridayanana, and Satsvarupa are still sannyasis and are still "gurus," but are no longer GBC men and, as far as I know, have no other GBC approved leadership positions within ISKCON.

9. Nrsimhananda is part of the Topanga Canyon, CA devotee community, and is still the head of ITV.

10. Gurukripa is no longer a sannyasi or GBC man, but may be part of a devotee community.

Ys, Ptd

[Nori Muster]

Dear Devotees,

Here’s the list with input from Pratyatosa. Corrections, more information welcome.

Anthony Storr (author of “Feet of Clay”) proposes that guru-types generally spent childhood without normal interaction with other children, either raised around adults or neglected. Thus as adults, they tend to relate to people only from a pedestal of self-importance. I would consider it a step forward if former gurus and GBC members could become ordinary members of a community, and let go of their image of specialness when none exists.

If any of the people on this list physically or sexually abused children, I pray that they never again have any contact with any children anymore. Pedophilia a disease that never goes away, so the best they can do is prevent spreading it.

A side note: regrettably, as a member of the ISKCON pr department, I used images of the children to produce pro-ISKCON propaganda. I never had an official position in ISKCON, left for good in 1988, and never joined any affiliated community or other organized religious group after leaving.

- Nori

 

Individuals named as defendants in Children of ISKCON vs. ISKCON, in 2000

Where are they now? 

March 2016

 

GBC

GOPAL KHANNA / GOPAL KHANNA, Individually / Gopal Krishna Goswami –  guru, sannyasi, GBC.

BRUCE JACOBS / Bir Krishna – guru, sanyassi, GBC.

STILL INVOLVED

CHARLES BACIS / Bhavananda Goswami - no longer a guru, sannyasi, or GBC, but is back as a part of the Detroit and other ISKCON communities.

HANS KARY / Hansadutta Swami - no longer a guru, sannyasi, or GBC, but is part of the Berkeley devotee community.

HOWARD RESNICK, as Executor[ ] of The Estate of A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA / HOWARD RESNICK, Individually / Hridayanana Swami - no longer a sannyasi or GBC, but remains a guru and part of the ISKCON community.

JEFFREY HICKEY / Jagadish Goswami - no longer a guru, sannyasi, or GBC, but part of the Alachua ISKCON community.

ROBERT CORENS / Rupanuga - no longer a sannyasi or GBC, but part of the Alachua ISKCON community.

ROBERT GRANT / Ramesvara Swami - no longer guru, sannyasi, or GBC, but back as part of the Los Angeles ISKCON community.

WILLIAM EHRLICHMAN / Bhagavan Goswami  - no longer a guru, sannyasi, or GBC, but back as a part of the devotee community.

WILLIAM OGLE / Balavanta - no longer a GBC, but part of the Alachua ISKCON community.

MICHAEL GRANT / Mukunda Goswami – guru, sannyasi, lives in Murwillumbah ISKCON community.

ISKCON TELEVISION, INC. / Nrsimhananda – ITV head, lives in Topanga Canyon ISKCON community.

 

LEFT ISKCON:

FARAMARZ ATTAR / Atreya Rsi – was guru, never accepted disciples; left ISKCON.

 

DECEASED

BRUCE SCHARF / Brahmananda – remained affiliated with ISKCON.

JOHN FAVORS / Bhakti-tirtha Swami – remained guru, sannyasi, and GBC.

KEITH HAM / Kirtanananda Swami – excommunicated in 1988,  in prison 1996-2004, returned to New Vrindaban.

THOMAS HERTZOG and THOMAS HERTZOG, Individually / Tamal Krishna Goswami – remained guru, sannyasi, and GBC.

 

UNKNOWN (if you have information, please send it)

GLEN TETON, as Executor[ ] of The Estate of A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA / Giriraja Swami

GREGORY GOTTFRIED Gurukripa Swami - no longer a sannyasi, or GBC, but may be part of a devotee community.

JOHN PATANE / Ramai Swami

STEVEN GOREYNO a/k/a STEVEN GUARINO / Satsvarupa Goswami

THEODORE RICHARD HARRIS / Pancha Dravida Swami

WILLIAM BERKE / Bali Mardan - no longer a sannyasi, or GBC, may be part of the Brooklyn devotee community.

DEFENDANT DOES 1-30

 

 

[Pratyatosa]

Dear Mother Nori Prabhu, what you are doing here on this thread is very important.

Bhavananda has nothing to do with ISKCON Detroit anymore. He is currently helping to build the TOVP in Mayapur.

Ys, Ptd

[Nori Muster]

Hi you guys - fun exercise. Good to learn from the past, right? Otherwise we’re doomed to repeat it, right? No way, I’m not coming back for anymore of this. Krishna’s good name was defiled enough as it is. I say keep the memory alive of what happened.

Thank you for your kind words and help.

I posted my letter and the results to the lawsuit timeline: http://surrealist.org/gurukula/timeline/lawsuit.html#2016

I changed the Bhavananda listing. Yikes, he’s like the Donald Trump of ISKCON. They don’t want him back. LOL

If anybody else sends updates, I will update the webpage. 

me

[Joel Fairbank]

I read on a Facebook "private" ACBSP disciple group that Ron Marinelli (Uttamasloka) stated that he has personal, first-hand knowledge that "the CPO is not doing their job and there is abuse continuing". He did not provide any names in the allegation.

[Mario Pineda]

When Dhira Govinda das was placed in charge of the CPO, he was responsible about it, but he told me he got death threats! How can the CPO be doing it's job when Bhavananda das is one of the most powerful leaders in ISKCON now. Not possible!

--

[Pratyatosa]

From <https://www.facebook.com/sambhu.das1/posts/10209127957744418>:

URGENT MESSAGE TO ALL OF SRILA PRABHUPADA'S DISCIPLES IN MAYAPUR .

(I have just received this message from Mayapur at my time 8:45 EST and have been asked to post this re. an emergency meeting)

The local management in Mayapur has decided to mutiny against the GBC decision and have created a new managerial body to assume control over Mayapur. They have removed Praghosa as the chairman of the GBC of Mayapur and created a new body comprising as JPS, BCS, GKG, PBS, and Hrydaya Chaitanya das (SDG) as the new Mayapur Governing Board to replace the GBC of Mayapur, which is against the GBC decision just taken.

This meeting is for SP's disciples and other leaders in Mayapur to give the truth of what happened in the GBC meetings, what lead up to this mutiny, etc.

it is in defiance of the other meeting that is being held this evening by this new MGB which will present the lies that had them mutiny against the GBC vote for Mayapur.

The MAYAPUR GOVERNING BOARD's intention is that it will replace the GBC of Mayapur.

it is an URGENT meeting to give the history and background to the meeting that the MGB are holding tonight. It will give the truth as to why they have chosen to go against the GBC's decision. Devotees didn't think it would turn into an out-right mutiny against the GBC.

There will be a meeting this morning for all SP disciples and other senior devotees interested to attend.

[Mario Pineda]

We should not give too much time and energy to the folks that are veda vata ratas and those who are humble servants of the veda vata ratas who will in time become full flesh veda vata ratas themselves.

Prabhupadanugas or Bhaktivedanta Rupanugas, should mainly focus on Istagosthi and not competing and fighting, but on our unity, cooperation, trust and love among ourselves, since this is what Srila Prabhupada wants.  This will also help us all be stronger, so we can defeat the self made "gods" and those in training for the same. Jai Srila Prabhupada!!

--

[Pratyatosa]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: mahasrnga dasa
Date: Thu, Mar 10, 2016 at 5:12 PM
Subject: Mayapur
To: (long list of receivers)

As of yesterday:

The Bureau took the GBC to task and said they were the problem not the solution.  Dioram spoke strongly saying they couldn't even control their own people, Pragosh, and could also not identify he was the problem. Pragosh continues his asinine tantrums and his embarrassment to the boys club. The GBC agreed to let the Bureau run India although there are a few GBC's on the board.  Bhima didn't even show up but Basu Gosh, JPS and BCS also spoke strongly.  Seems they've removed the Directors & co directors, dissolved the "investigation team" and are looking into all accounts from the TOVP to the Pizza shop.  No reports of anyone being stabbed.

Mahasrnga dasa

[Pratyatosa]

"Bureau Mayapur Resolution" (<http://krishna1008.blogspot.com/2016/03/bureau-mayapura-resolution.html>)