Reflections on the Lokanath Swami Case

[Pratyatosa Das ACBSP]

(Padmapani on the left, with Tribhuvanath)

Reflections on the Lokanath Swami Case

by Padmapani das

Many of you will know me from the Middle East, The Vaishnava Journal, The Prabhupada Connection, and my work on the infamous Mahamantra das abuse case more than 20 years ago.

I joined ISKCON in 1973 straight out of high school at the age of 18. I love ISKCON. I was spiritually born in ISKCON. I met Srila Prabhupada in ISKCON.

When ISKCON was in crisis in the mid-eighties, I started The Vaishnava Journal to help us work through our problems by way of open and respectful dialogue. I still believe in that approach (at least for me personally), and I don’t like fighting and mud-slinging among devotees. That’s not my nature and I’ve chosen to try and spread K.C. in my own humble way over the years and not participate in fratricidal wars.

In addition, I joined Lokanath Swami’s bullock cart program at the Kumbha-mela in Allahabad in 1977. I was probably one of the first (aspiring) devotees from the West who joined that program. I was impressed with Lokanath Swami’s austerities and his attachment to the holy names. Later, Lokanath Swami visited me in Ontario, Canada in 1983 or '84 and we had prasadam together. So there’s no personal animosity here whatsoever. Quite to the contrary.

That being said, I’ve only recently come to know about the Lokanath Swami/Satya dasi episode in detail and have been reading up on it. It’s a tragic story for everyone. There’s no joy in participating in this discussion, but I’m impelled to do so with the hope that I can help to at least present a different perspective for all concerned.

Whatever I write is not a personal attack. What’s being presented here goes far beyond this one incident. It’s really about truth, morality and justice. It’s a matter of principle.

For those who remember the Mahamantra das abuse case, you’ll recall how adamant I was that justice must be served at all costs. It took two years to see that case resolved. I personally went to the police, obtained the services of a top domestic abuse lawyer, and got family services involved. The perpetrator was sentenced and jailed and he has a lifelong restraining order from the Supreme Court of Canada for the protection of his former family members.

Dhira Govinda Prabhu, former director of the CPO, deserves honorable mention for his encouragement and participation in that case.

Under no conditions can I personally tolerate abuse of women and children, and I strongly believe that ISKCON should have zero tolerance for any abuse whatsoever – right across the board. No one should be exempt, period. If this principle was observed in ISKCON, then there would be no need for this discussion. It’s black and white. But now we see that some leaders think that they can stretch the rules for their friends and this is where we have to draw the line. That’s unacceptable behavior in a healthy spiritual society and will certainly lead to its downfall. We’re not mundane politicians, or at least we shouldn’t be.

As everyone knows by now (including the public), the unfortunate history of modern day ISKCON is filled with the monstrous horrors of child abuse which is 100% contrary to the wishes of our Founder-Acarya, Srila Prabhupada.

"These children are given to us by Krishna, they are Vaisnavas and we must be very careful to protect them. These are not ordinary children, they are Vaikuntha children, and we are very fortunate we can give them chance to advance further in Krishna Consciousness. That is very great responsibility, do not neglect it or be confused. Your duty is very clear."

(Srila Prabhupada Letter, July 30, 1972)

But it now seems that we've hit an all-time low. The GBC is now authorizing "gurus" who molest little children, and not only that, they're manufacturing fake investigations to cover for their friends in high places at the expense of ruining the lives of Prabhupada's beloved children and their families, what to speak of the reputation of Srila Prabhupada and his International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

You don't believe me? Then take a look at the following collection of files catching some members of the GBC red-handed in their elaborate cover-up of the facts regarding the sexual molestation of an 11 year-old girl named Satya dasi by Lokanath Swami in 1990.

https://satyavrata.wixsite.com/lokanathswami

GBC Report (1997): "In 1990 while staying at the house of a family for a few days Lokanath Swami (Swami x) touched a young pre-adolescent girl in an inappropriate way by putting his hand on her lap. He was sitting next to her on a couch in a families living room, both were holding the Krishna Book in their hands, the hand holding the book (the back of the hand) rested on her lap as he read the Krishna Book. The hand did not move.

In 1993 when the GBC chairman became aware of the incident and appointed a committee to deal with the issue, Swami x was also told to stop all initiations. The committee conducted a thorough investigation, which included bringing a team of professional experts in New York and involving Mother Yasoda. The cost of the experts exceeded $2,500 for a four day intensive assessment. The experts made an in depth examination Swami x after which they concluded that this unfortunate incident had occurred because of the Swami x's complete lack of prior experience on the matter of dealing with women. Having learned his lesson (the need to follow the proper social conduct for a sannyasi) they were confident that this incident would not reoccur. They also stated that he had the proper nature of a spiritual leader and should be allowed to continue in this role within our society."

Let's hear from Satya dasi herself.

Satya dasi: "I am the girl that Lokanatha touched inappropriately. It did NOT just happen one time in the living room, on the sofa, but rather throughout the week that he stayed he touched me various times inappropriately. I am surprised now (at age 32) that that NASTY, VILE PEDOPHILE did not try to rape me.

He took my innocent father's words of 'she is growing up here in America, why don't you teach her some more Indian culture' and turned into his way of taking advantage of me."

So let’s be clear. Lokanath broke his leg while on Padayatra in 1990. Out of the goodness of their hearts, a pious Indian family invites Lokanath to convalesce in their home. They're thrilled to have the rare opportunity of directly serving a renowned sannyasi in Srila Prabhupada's movement. The father is especially happy that his young daughter, Satya, will receive valuable spiritual instructions and wisdom from Lokanath. But while Satya's mother is cooking in the kitchen, Lokanath is in another room molesting her daughter. In a letter to one of his disciples on June 16, 2017, Lokanath refers to this incident as "a minor mishap."

This is the reason that I’m speaking publicly now and not writing a private letter to Lokanath. There’s no remorse in those words (“a minor mishap”). Not only that, but Lokanath has chosen to go along with the cover-up for some 30 years.

Satya and her family are still suffering while Lokanath is accepting worship. I’m sorry, but devotees should have a conscience – especially so-called advanced devotees.

Interviewer: How would I recognize a true follower of the Krishna consciousness movement by his behavior? What would his traits be? What would his outward expressions be?

Srila Prabhupada: He will be a very perfect gentleman, that's all. You could not find any fault in him.

(Srila Prabhupada Interview, Gainesville, July 29, 1971)

"It is a gentleman’s greatest duty to be compassionate upon a person who is distressed."

(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.27.26)

So let’s hear some more from the distressed victim herself.

Satya dasi: "The next day, he (Lokanath) called me in the living room, and asked me to bring the Krsna book and read it to him. He had me sit RIGHT NEXT TO HIM, leaving no space between us. He PLACED HIS HANDS ON MY CROTCH, NOT ON MY LAP, and said I am keeping the book from touching you there, so just keep reading. He kept his hand there, and any time my mother would walk by the room, he would QUICKLY REMOVE HIS HAND AND PLACE IT ABOVE MY HEAD (around me). He did this several times throughout the course of an hour, and after that sick feeling inside me became the most prominent thing for me, I told him I was tired, and I left the room."

And now from Satya’s mother.

Satya dasi's mother (1993): "She tell me, 'Mommy, I don’t want to read with Maharaja Bhagavd-gita because he is touching my secret part. He is keeping his hand is there and I feel really bad. So I said, 'No, I don’t think you telling truth.' She said, 'No, I’m not going. If you tell me to go read with him I'm not going.' And she crying and she tell me, 'I feel so bad.' Maharaja, I had the respect for him, and since I heard from her I lose respect to him."

It seems that the GBC – or some influential members of the GBC – agreed with Lokanath’s assessment that this incident was "a minor mishap" and a massive cover-up ensued to portray Lokanath as the poor victim instead of trying to help Satya dasi and her family heal from this despicable crime. The following description clearly reveals how the facts were twisted in favor of the perpetrator.

GBC Public Account of Incident (1999): "Although the girl was young, she had begun the transition to womanhood, and Lokanath Swami did not sexually relate to her presence as that of a child… Lokanath Swami had been brought up in a way that kept him entirely innocent of the experience of sexuality… some sexual feelings unexpectedly arose, but these feelings were new to him, and he did not know exactly how to acknowledge them or cope with them… Certain circumstances conspired to disassociate Lokanath Swami from his usual sense of himself and his normal behavior and to make him unusually vulnerable. First, his leg was broken, a serious disability for one's whose main service and raison d'être was Padayatra, walking… a broken leg, an overlong stay in a householder's dwelling, the obligation to the father to have dealings with the girl, and so on, all of which together operated to put Lokanath Swami in a vulnerable state…Lokanath Swami's own inexperienced condition, his unusual sexual innocence or naivete, meant that at the age of forty Lokanath Swami was suddenly ambushed by feeling he had never dealt with before…the GBC could recognize the truth of the psychologists' assessment that Lokanath Swami was eminently suited to his role as a spiritual leader and guide, and that not allowing him to act in that capacity would be utterly devastating to his personal identity, his sense of himself."

Investigating this case is like peeling an onion – more and more layers of deception are exposed.

Yasoda (lead investigator for the GBC, 1999): "The report is inaccurate in two areas. If I recall it correctly, when she played the harmonium he caressed her thigh. He moved close to her on the couch when no one was there and pulled away when someone entered. His hand did not brush against her thigh while reading Krishna book...it was on top of her genitals and I think he pressed down. The girl felt so violated because it was her vagina and also because he pulled away when someone entered and resumed when they were gone. This made her feel dirtier."

Tamohara (former CPO director, 2010): "While the official GBC report is technically correct, its careful wording tends to cast the incidents into a more favorable light. There are at least three specific instances where the wording of report underplays and minimizes the severity of the transgressions.

1) The report says, 'Sometimes he would praise her by patting her and saying "Very good." '

- The reality reported by the girl was that he rubbed her thigh.

2) The report says, 'he said "Go and take your shower!" and swatted her with his hand.'

- The report does not specifically mention that the swat was on her rear end.

3) The report says, 'Lokanath Swami's hand touched and moved across the girl's upper thigh over her clothing.'

- What actually happened was that his hand was resting for some time (possibly up to a half hour) on her 'private parts.' "

OK, enough of the sordid details. You can read more for yourself in the abovementioned link.

My question is, when are the GBC ever going to come clean and do the right thing regarding child abuse in ISKCON? When are they ever going to stop covering up for their friends at the expense of justice for the victims? When are they going to follow the rules?

We've already lost so many beautiful souls – the gurukulis – Prabhupada’s hope for the future of this movement and for the world. Where are those children now? Why have so many committed suicide? Why do so many former gurukulis hate Krishna consciousness when they should be happily chanting Hare Krishna in the association of devotees and putting an end to their material existence, as Prabhupada wanted? Does the GBC care about them?

Enough is enough. It's long past due that we kick out the corruption at the top levels of our movement. Everyone is suffering for it. The GBC have proven again and again that they're unable to police themselves. They've shown wanton disregard for women and children practically since the time the GBC was first formed in 1970. Their conduct has been dishonorable, unbefitting their position in our society.

Dhira Govinda (Director of the Child Protection Office 1998-2004): "When I served as CPO director, the GBC gave specific instructions for the CPO to not address the case of Lokanatha Maharaja. The dealings of ISKCON leadership around the case of Lokanatha Maharaja was filled with concealment, deception, inconsistencies, and lack of accountability."

This case is the straw that broke the camel's back. It's not going to go away and it can't be swept under the rug any longer. The worldwide community of devotees is watching this case, and so is the public. When the people no longer trust their leaders, the society is finished. Hardly anyone wants to live in ISKCON anymore. Mothers are afraid for the safety of their children in Prabhupada's temples. How sad is that?

When Srila Prabhupada discovered deviations in the GBC, he wasn't afraid to disband it.

"What will happen when I am not here, shall everything be spoiled by GBC? So for the time being, let the GBC activities be suspended until I thoroughly revise the whole procedure."

(Srila Prabhupada Letter, April 11, 1972)

I would like to remind the GBC that this is not their movement. It's Prabhupada's movement. Srila Prabhupada worked very hard to create ISKCON, as we all know, and he was deeply concerned for its future.

"We have worked very hard and established a great institution, but if we think for our personal benefit then it will become ruined. This is my only concern."

(Srila Prabhupada Letter, November 1, 1974)

Srila Prabhupada kindly blessed the GBC with temporary stewardship of his society which includes many benefits, but if they're negligent in their duties and offend the Vaishnavas then there are grave consequences.

"Therefore we have created these GBC. So they should be very responsible men. Otherwise, they will be punished. They will be punished to become a sudra. Although Yamaraja is a GBC, but he made a little mistake. He was punished to become a sudra. So those who are GBC's, they should be very, very careful to administer the business of ISKCON. Otherwise they will be punished. As the post is very great, similarly, the punishment is also very great."

(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Geneva, June 4, 1974)

Please watch the following video of two courageous Vaishnavis, Saraswati and Krsna-devata, who offer some practical solutions to help put a stop to the institutionalization of child abuse in our society once and for all. These devotees should be admired and respected for their bravery and for their love of Srila Prabhupada's movement.

Even if you disagree with them, please remember that these young ladies are mothers. They’re speaking out on behalf of Satya and for all of our children. Srila Prabhupada said that child worship is more important than Deity worship. I, for one, admire these young Vaishnavis and their bravery in speaking truth to power. They give me hope for the future of our movement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiLYMxNu0nQ

In particular, these devotees are asking for the Lokanath case to be investigated by the trained CPO for "due process" without hindrance or interference from the GBC. The CPO must be free to adjudicate every abuse case independently, and no one should be exempt from child protection guidelines regardless of their position in ISKCON. I fully support their position and cause.

In addition, I personally recommend that in extreme cases of abuse where life and limb are endangered, devotees should immediately go to the police and press charges.

I would also like to see a review of sannyasa standards in ISKCON. It's a privilege to wear saffron, granted only to the pure at heart. And for goodness sake, it should go without saying that if a so-called "guru" molests an innocent child, they should never be allowed to sit on a high seat and be worshiped.

"No one should be allowed to sit on the vyāsāsana who is not spotless in character..."

(Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.6, Purport)

As for Satya dasi and her family, I think they should be financially compensated for the decades of suffering they've had to endure because of this repugnant episode in their lives. They’re still suffering. What is the GBC going to do about it? What is Lokanath going to do about it? Ignore them? Sorry, but it’s too late. The cat’s out of the bag. The world is watching.

Satya dasi: "We were promised that Lokanatha would be punished. He was NOT.

OUR SILENCE WAS OUR MISTAKE -- OUR SILENCE WAS WHAT ALLOWED HIM TO SLIDE BACK into NORMALCY, GOING UNNOTICED FOR HIS CRIMES that are DUE FOR PUNISHMENT.

HOW DARE HE. AND HOW DARE THE GBC. THEY WILL ALL HAVE TO PAY."

It seems to me that ISKCON leaders should be educated in the long-term negative effects of child abuse, including child sexual abuse. Why are sannyasis dealing with this matter anyway? Many of them have never had children. The GBC should forward all child abuse cases to the CPO and stay out of the way. There must be transparency and accountability from the GBC, especially on such an important issue. The CPO needs to be made completely independent and autonomous from the GBC.

If the GBC can't fulfill their mandate and protect the devotees – and especially the children – from abuse in Prabhupada's own movement, then it's time for them to retire and let someone more qualified and honest do the job.

Srila Prabhupada wanted this movement to save the world, and unfortunately, it seems that the GBC is the greatest impediment to realizing Prabhupada's glorious vision. Let's hope that will soon change.

[Pratyatosa Das ACBSP]

My dear GBC Godsiblings, PAMHO. AGTSP!

ISKCON is doomed until Srila Prabhupada is restored to his rightful position as the ONLY initiating guru within ISKCON. Prabhupada made it perfectly clear that having more than one initiating guru within ISKCON will cause factions and that is exactly what has happened.

PROOF THAT PRABHUPADA SAID THAT HAVING MORE THAN ONE DIKSHA GURU WITHIN ISKCON CAUSES FACTIONS:

PRABHUPĀDA: “I have heard that there is some worship of yourself by the other devotees. Of course it is proper to offer obeisances to a Vaiṣṇava, but not in the presence of the spiritual master. After the departure of the spiritual master it will come to that stage, but now wait. Otherwise it will create factions.” (Letter to Hansadutta dāsa, October 1, 1974)

Actually, there is no such etiquette. Otherwise, why would the GBC allow Kadamba Kanana Swami, a disciple of Jayadvaita Swami, to be an initiating guru? It was obviously just a tactic to get a troublemaker to go on doing his highly conditional service just a little while longer!

Also, it was obviously a trick to prevent anyone else, besides Srila Prabhupada, from ever becoming an initiating guru within ISKCON, because Prabhupada also said, "I will never die!"

But certain self-motivated rascals have the audacity to use the above quoted letter as evidence that Prabhupāda sanctioned the GBC’s concocted, ever-changing, completely unprecedented, completely bogus, multiple initiating guru system!

"Srila Prabhupada wanted GBC members to have lifetime posts." Not true. As Hansadutta would say, Srila Prabhupada didn't run ISKCON through the agency of "hissing tapes." He ran ISKCON through the agency of signed, legally viable documents! Where is one such document saying that GBC membership is for life! Such a document does not exist! However, there is such a document that says that GBCs are to be voted on and off the GBC by the temple presidents every 3 years! Prabhupada said over and over again, "vanaprastha (mandatory retirement) at age 50 (for ALL of his disciples)." (paraphrased)

Your servant,

Pratyatosa Das

[Pratyatosa Das ACBSP]

In 1973, my wife, Urmila Devi Dasi, got 1st initiation from Srila Prabhupada by mail. Prabhupada said that Kirtanananda should chant on her beads. So did Kirtanananda have any special significance whatsoever in her life from that point on? No! That's the way ISKCON needs to be today. Otherwise there are factions, and ISKCON becomes unmanageable.

[Pratyatosa Das ACBSP]

My dear GBC members, PAMHO. AGTSP!

1. Covering up for pedophiles, which you've been shamelessly doing for decades, makes you equally guilty.

2. Ex-president Trump said that pedophiles should get the death penalty.

3. It's not out-of-the-question for Trump to use his vast wealth and power to start his own independent country in order to punish pedophiles, their supporters, and the people who cheat people by pretending to be better than Jesus!

4. Remember what happened to Adolf Eichmann (<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Eichmann>)? Even though Israel has a lot of enemies, she got away with kidnapping Eichmann (from another country), putting him on trial, and executing him! If Trump starts an anti-pedophile country, his only enemies will be pedophiles, who even hardened criminals hate!

Your servant,

Pratyatosa Das

[Pratyatosa Das ACBSP]

Dear members of the GBC, PAMHO. AGTSP!

So you think that Lokanath should be stopped from initiating because he's a "lower than the average karmi" pedophile, but it's OK for the one who covered up for Lokanath, BKG (<https://vediciskcon.wordpress.com/bir-krishna-goswami-exposed/>), to go on initiating? BKG should have been stopped from initiating in 1996 after he was caught trying to turn my wife against me (<https://urmiladasi.wordpress.com/2014/11/18/pratyatosha-reveals-how-urmila-dd-betrayed-him-at-bir-krsnas-urging/>)! Now we know that he had pulled the same "worse than the average karmi" stunt against at least one other Hare Krishna husband!: (See the bottom of the above link!) But you think that it's OK for ISKCON "gurus" to have lower moral standards than the average karmi? How does that work?

Here's proof that I'm not the only one whom BKG has used these "worse than the average karmi" tactics against:

Krsna Das said:

BKG did the same thing with my wife. When we first moved there, he visited her at my house while I was away at work and turned her against me using subtle sex and promises of position and power. I think we would still be together if he had not inserted himself between us. He used my wife to play with as if she was his private toy. Splitting us up was just a way for him to show to himself how powerful he is. If I was to have made a formal complaint, he had already laid the groundwork to put forward a case that I had mental problems. What a liar. I am just another person who has left ISKCON because I could not take the power games, lies and hypocrisy. I wanted spiritual life, not be someone's plaything.

"[BKG] had already laid the groundwork to put forward a case that I had mental problems." This is probably his tactic against me also, but who is actually crazy? His YouTube channel (<https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLiuTwQ-ap30PbKzprrN2Hg>) has less than 400 subscribers. One of my YouTube channels (<https://www.youtube.com/harekrishnaonyoutube>) has more than 42,000 subscribers! Also, one of my websites (<https://causelessmercy.com/>), which is purely Srila Prabhupada, gets 1000s of visits a day! How many people does BKG preach to each day? So who is actually crazy? Do you want crazy pedophile cover uppers initiating on behalf of ISKCON?

Concerning the US$400 million "Children of ISKCON vs ISKCON" lawsuit (<https://surrealist.org/jpgs/complaint_state.pdf>), please note that one of the lawsuit's plaintiffs, "KRISHNA JACOBS," is suing his father, one of the lawsuit's defendants, "BRUCE JACOBS" (Bir Krishna das Goswami), for child abuse! This lawsuit ended up costing ISKCON approximately US$15 million! Shouldn't there be some consequence for BKG's child abuse coverup (criminal neglect), which cost ISKCON such a huge sum of money? If not jail time, he should at least be stripped of all positions of authority within ISKCON and made to pay back some of the money that ISKCON lost due to his criminal negligence!

His latest trick is to make a practicing polygamist (<https://truthseekers108.wixsite.com/home/blog>) the headmaster of a gurukula, "BKG Academy" (<https://www.gofundme.com/f/come-together-for-our-children>)! Please note that the only GBC resolution on the subject (1976) says "No polygamy is allowed in ISKCON." ! But a practicing polygamist is now an official ISKCON gurukula headmaster? How does that work?

Your servant, Pratyatosa Das

[Pratyatosa Das ACBSP]

My dear GBC godsiblings, PAMHO. AGTSP!

"...the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned the 83-year-old's [Bill Cosby's] conviction for sexual assault after finding that District Attorney Kevin Steele, the prosecutor who brought the case against Cosby, violated an agreement to not charge him. (<https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/bill-cosby-prison-treatment-never-visited-wife-camille>)

How similar is Bill Cosby's case to the current case against Lokanath Swami? What was Lokanath Swami promised by the GBC before he wrote his apology letter (<https://satyavrata.wixsite.com/lokanathswami/post/letter-of-admission-by-lokanath-swami-2010>). That this letter would not be used as evidence for future punishment? If so, then it's not fair for the GBC to use it against him now, right? IMHO, this is similar to the promise made by the DA to Bill Cosby: That his testimony in a civil suit would not be used against him in a possible future criminal case. Therefore the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania overturned the case, calling it unfair. Similarly, isn't it unfair to use Lokanath's apology letter against him as is being done now?

Your servant,

Pratyatosa Das

[rainer hahn]

This "Lokanath Swami Case" is a trap for taking up a position either for the Swami or the GBC. However, both parties are disconnected from the current link to the parampara. So this dispute is described in the Bhagavatam as picking out a thorn by using another thorn. Eventually, this happens always with deviants, they finish themselves off by going against each other.  "The action was like picking out the thorn by a thorn although both of them are equal to the controller."  SB1.15.34

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[Pratyatosa Das ACBSP]

Concerning <http://krishna1008.blogspot.com/2021/07/iskcon-india-icc-responds-to-na-gbc.html>:

This is why Indians never win any scientific Nobel Prizes (unless they become professors at a US or UK university): not very much in the way of common sense!

Maybe if the GBC would admit that NONE of their "gurus" are real gurus, but are only ritviks, it would solve the problem!

[Hari Cherupalli]

From Ramanujarcaya's Yati Dharma Samucchaya on the Codes of Monastic order

Book link: http://www.australiancouncilofhinduclergy.com/uploads/5/5/4/9/5549439/the_hindu_monastic_code.pdf

  Chastity — a sannyāsi must completely refrain from all forms of sexual activity. Different types of sexual activity:— 4.1 To think fondly of previous sexual activity. 4.2 To tell someone about previous sexual acts. 4.3 To engage in any form of flirtatious activity. 4.4 To look at an attractive person in an admiring and lustful way. 4.5 To speak in secret to an attractive person i.e. to invite an attractive person into one’s room or any other private or secluded space. i.e. a sannyāsi should never be alone in a room with a young person. 4.6 To formulate an intention to seduce someone. 4.7 To make a resolve and plan a sexual act — inducing another to act as a go-between. 4.8 To actually engage in a sexual act10. All these are the 8 types of sexual activity according to Brhaspati. Their opposite is what is called chastity. (5:66-67)

According to Vayu purana:

If a sannyāsi continues to engage in sexual activity he will be born as a beetle living in dung for 60,000 years. Thereafter he will be born as a mouse living in abandoned houses. And then he will be reborn as a dog for 12 lifetimes, then he will become a vulture for 20 years and a pig for 9. (Satatapa) This hyperbole is meant to stress how disgraceful and wrong any sexual activity is after taking sannyasa.  

The Nrsimha Purāṇa (60. 2-4) requires that before entering upon this order one should perform eight srāddhas. The Nrsimha Purāna 58.36 allows every one who is a Vedic student to become an ascetic if his tongue, his sexual emotions, his appetite for food and his speech are pure (i.e. under strict control).  

SB 3.12.28

Translation

O Vidura, we have heard that Brahmā had a daughter named Vāk who was born from his body and who attracted his mind toward sex, although she was not sexually inclined towards him.

Purport

Balavān indriya-grāmo vidvāṁsam api karṣati (Bhāg. 9.19.17). It is said that the senses are so mad and strong that they can bewilder even the most sensible and learned man. Therefore it is advised that one should not indulge in living alone even with one’s mother, sister or daughter. Vidvāṁsam api karṣati means that even the most learned also become victims of the sensuous urge. Maitreya hesitated to state this anomaly on the part of Brahmā, who was sexually inclined to his own daughter, but still he mentioned it because sometimes it so happens, and the living example is Brahmā himself, although he is the primeval living being and the most learned within the whole universe. If Brahmā could be a victim of the sexual urge, then what of others, who are prone to so many mundane frailties? This extraordinary immorality on the part of Brahmā was heard to have occurred in some particular kalpa, but it could not have happened in the kalpa in which Brahmā heard directly from the Lord the four essential verses of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam because the Lord blessed Brahmā, after giving him lessons on the Bhāgavatam, that he would never be bewildered in any kalpa whatsoever. This indicates that before the hearing of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam he might have fallen a victim to such sensuality, but after hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam directly from the Lord, there was no possibility of such failures.

One should, however, take serious note of this incident. The human being is a social animal, and his unrestricted mixing with the fair sex leads to downfall. Such social freedom of man and woman, especially among the younger section, is certainly a great stumbling block on the path of spiritual progress. Material bondage is due only to sexual bondage, and therefore unrestricted association of man and woman is surely a great impediment. Maitreya cited this example on the part of Brahmā just to bring to our notice this great danger.

SB 3.12.33

Translation

The father of all Prajāpatis, Brahmā, thus seeing all his Prajāpati sons speaking in that way, became very much ashamed and at once gave up the body he had accepted. Later that body appeared in all directions as the dangerous fog in darkness.

Purport

The best way to compensate for one’s sinful acts is to give up one’s body at once, and Brahmā, the leader of the living entities, showed this by his personal example. Brahmā has a fabulous duration of life, but he was obliged to give up his body due to his grievous sin, even though he had merely contemplated it in his mind without having actually done it.

This is a lesson for the living entities, showing how sinful an act it is to indulge in unrestricted sex life. Even to think of abominable sex life is sinful, and to compensate for such acts, one has to give up his body. In other words, one’s duration of life, blessings, opulence, etc., are decreased by sinful acts, and the most dangerous type of sinful act is unrestricted sex.

Ignorance is the cause of sinful life, or sinful life is the cause of gross ignorance. The feature of ignorance is darkness or fog. Darkness or fog still covers the whole universe, and the sun is the only counteracting principle. One who takes shelter of the Lord, the perpetual light, has no fear of being annihilated in the darkness of fog or ignorance.

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[Pratyatosa Das ACBSP]

From <https://www.facebook.com/saraswatidasi/posts/10159417395725218>:

Chaitanya Mangala

Pratyatosa Das Vilas wasn't referring to Nandini. She's talking about another plaintiff. Since she chose not to share the name, I won't either. That person may have read your VNN article before they called the Turley law firm. It's possible!

Pratyatosa Das

Chaitanya Mangala Oh. That makes sense. I expected calls to the law firm. That's why I published their toll free number (with permission from Windle Turley's secretary). But just because someone read my article and obeyed my request to call the law firm, doesn't mean that they "started the lawsuit!" Although gaining dozens of potential plaintiffs, right off the bat, certainly helped. That's what I was counting on!

Here's the email that the Turley Law Firm finally sent me after 1 1/2 years of silence!:

Date: Fri, 05 Mar 1999 10:19:39 -0600

From: Pam Reeves

To: Hb...@hotmail.com

Subject: Hare Krishna

Some time ago you contacted our firm. Have you hired an atty? If not, please contact me asap by e-mail or telephone. (800) 692-4025.

This email was a blockbuster! Myself and the devotee family that I was staying with at the time, who had a beautiful teenage daughter, who was molested by the head pujari at the local ISKCON temple, were ecstatic! It was like I had spent $1 to join the $100,000,000 lottery and said, "If Krishna wants me to win, I'll win!"

At the time, I was obviously the only Hare Krishna contact that they had. There was no way that any other Hare Krishna, except me, and the family that was putting me up, could have known anything about Turley looking into a lawsuit against the ISKCON child abusers. We had to convince them that it was "an open and shut case" in order for them to agree to put the vast sums of time and money into pursuing it. Windle Turley took a huge chance by taking on this case! It probably ended up costing him $100,000s! He probably lost money on the case, because the ISKCON lawyers were very clever. I'm proud of them. But I'm not proud of the fact that the GBC still has not learned their lesson, and is yet again trying to cover up child abuse within ISKCON!

[Pratyatosa Das ACBSP]

Dear Maharajas and Prabhus, PAMHO. AGTSP!

The ICC can openly disagree with the GBC and still be part of ISKCON? Either the GBC must kick the rebellious ICC members out of ISKCON or the GBC must admit that ISKCON has become hopelessly factionallized, and that only Madhu Pandit Dasa has enough power, influence and respect to save ISKCON!

Your servant,

Pratyatosa Das

[Pratyatosa Das ACBSP]

Saraswati Richardson Jones

16h  ·

There is a possible news story in the works.

{ EDIT: Someone else has talked with this reporter, not me. So I'm still trying to get an idea of which direction they are going in. }

What past child abusers in ISKCON currently are respected as leaders and have a prominent role? This will be a very big story.

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Pratyatosa Das

This is great news! Windle Turley didn't take suing ISKCON seriously, until he read about the ISKCON child abuse cover up in the newspaper! After we get some publicity about the fact that the cover up is still occurring and about how bogus gurus, who don't even have the moral standards of the average karmi, are being shoved down people's throats, including children's throats, as "good as Jesus" gurus, it will be easier to get a huge, powerful contingency law firm, such as <https://www.fiegerlaw.com/> in Detroit, to take such personal injury crimes seriously!