Суд над Бхагавад-гитой / Attempt to ban Bhagavad-gita

Note: Somehow or other, the devotees at the time just couldn't seem to understand that Prabhupada didn't trust Kirtanananda.

"So far your ideas that some of our students have not realized what they are writing, that they are merely repeating the philosophy mechanically, and that Rayarama is more appreciated by you, then you can do it, and give the example as he has done it. But the difference is, that in spite of his becoming a philosopher he could not assimilate and practice the philosophy, and he went away, so you may write like him, but please do not go away. I think others like Kirtanananda may be repeating, but they stay. But I am always wondering, why others do not write, so many big, big, preachers we have got, but none of them write, so if you can inspire them to write in more convincing way, that is great service, do it. (Mandali-Bhadra, 2/2/72)

Note: This is no ordinary comment for Srila Prabhupada to make. He very seldom made such statements in writing knowing that it could fall into the wrong hands. So to criticize Kirtanananda so casually here is very unusual. Prabhupada is coming right out and saying that Kirtanananda has no realization but is merely mechanically repeating. Thus the devotees could understand that despite Kirtanananda's claim of being the greatest devotee, he is not.

"...and I was expecting your check for a long time. I have been dreaming for a long time that you would send something but I didn't get. So now I am coming to Los Angeles by 20th May, and you must come there to meet me. You are the first sannyasin of my institution so I expect greater things from you than the others." (Kirtanananda, 5/2/72)

Note: This shows that Srila Prabhupada and Kirtanananda were not in any mystical harmony. Kirtanananda either could not realize Prabhupada's hopes or simply refused to fulfill it.

"But now you have agreed to give Hayagriva $4,000 dollars per month, that was a great mistake. Now you have to rectify it. Now Hayagriva writes me that he is coming to Los Angeles, so we can discuss. Abruptly if we stop, that will not be good. So we have to rectify by arrangement and agreement. I am simply surprised how you all GBC men agreed to give him $4,000 per month. So the mistake has been made, now it has to be corrected by other ways." (Karandhar, 5/12/72)

Note: Is it possible that the GBC men hadn't realized yet that New Vmdavana was not an ISKCON project? In letter after letter, Prabhupada is stressing the transference of the property into the society's name but they are so dull that they don't comprehend. When Prabhupada says, "I am simply surprised," he often means that the devotees did something stupid beyond comprehension. For those readers who are not aware; Hayagriva and Kirtanananda had been having as "two halves of the same body" for approximately 15 years at the time of this letter and so money given to Hayagriva was the same as money given to Kirtanananda. To this day they are still living together. Hayagriva's son is also very intimate with Kirtanananda as several testimonies have revealed.

"So far your road-show is concerned, we are not meant for giving performances, we are simple kirtan men. There must always be kirtan going on wherever we travel, and nothing else.

"So far your naming of the new initiates, Shyamasundar tells me that there are several duplications, and this is not very much desirable. So in future, better to telephone or somehow contact my secretaries and get the names from them, and in that way there will be no duplication in the future." (Kirtanananda, 6/25/72)

Note: This shows a blasé and careless attitude on the part of Kirtanananda in acting as the representative of the parampara.

"Such a talent (Hayagriva) is not so easily replaced, so we must try to bring him back to the standard for his own benefit. In this connection, I have written his wife, Kirtanananda Maharaja, and the GBC to see what they can do for him. (Jagadish, 3/10/73)

Note: Prabhupada had many homosexual followers and so he seldom condemned homosexuality outright. Homosexuality is not mentioned in any of the personal letters in the archives. Still, in private, Prabhupada was known to have commented about homosexuals on several occasions. It is well known to many of Ws disciples that Prabhupada was not at all impressed by that particular phenomenon. In the relationship between Kirtanananda and Hayagriva, at least one testimony informed us that Kirtanananda was the female part. This letter may well have been referring to this truth.

"Actually I don't want our energy spent in that way, to develop a school at New Vrindaban. Rather, all of our children should go to Dallas when they are four and begin their training program there." (Satyabhama, 3/23/73)

Note: In effect, Srila Prabhupada is ordering not to send the children there either.

"After the shooting affair what precaution have you taken? Bharadraj is here and he gave report that the devotees were very frightened. I further understand that the attack was for the second time. Here in Mayapur there are reports of dacoitry at least once, twice in a month surrounding our place. So we have now taken two guns under regular license from the government. So when New Vmdavana has been attacked twice, thrice, why are you not keeping guns?" (Kirtanananda, 6/22/73)

Note: It remains a frightening place to go for spiritual life to this day.

"Yes! Go on acquiring the surrounding lands and in this way we will establish a local self-governing village and show all the world a practical example of spiritual life as Krishna Himself exhibited in Vrindaban. Agriculture and protecting the cow, this is the main business of the residents of Vrindaban, and above all simply loving Krishna. The cows, the trees, the cowherd men and Gopis, their chief engagement was loving Krishna, and in New Vrindaban we want to create this atmosphere and thereby show the whole world how practical and sublime our movement is." (Kirtanananda, 7/27/73)

Note: In many letters Prabhupada wrote to Kirtanananda about cow protection. Unfortunately, when Kirtanananda began work on the Palace, he lost interest in the cows. Especially in 1980, due to poor feed, at least 10-15 cows were weakened to the point that they all froze to death at one time while attempting to get out of mud. The feed given them was rotten. Kirtanananda had more important things to spend money on than decent feed. Another incident is the killing of at least two cows who got their heads stuck in the feeder. Kirtanananda couldn't spare a man to fix the thing, since they were all welding on the Palace gates. Finally, a non-vegetarian karmi neighbor named Rocky saw the painful condition the cows were in and invested his own time to weld it. And then many cows were killed by the disease mastitis, which is easily cured with basic effort only. But, if left untreated, they die a painful death. Many cows were allowed to die in this way. Kirtanananda had more important things to spend money on than medicine. Even the local authorities attempted to prosecute Kirtanananda for cruelty to animals but they failed. Still the indication is clear. Kirtanananda is no lover of cows. Finally Kirtanananda is now building a huge cow barn since his drug dealing business is doing very well. If the authorities are unwilling to do an audit on New Vmdavana, maybe the society should go through the books to determine the source of all that money.

"So far as the woman distributors who have left New York and Boston Temples and have gone to New Vrndavana, they should return immediately and resume their original service. In Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement, everyone is preacher, whether man or woman it doesn't matter. I do not know why Kirtanananda Maharaja is encouraging our woman devotees not to go out on Sankirtan for book distribution. Everyone should go out." (Karandhar, 10/6/73)

Note: We have a good idea why Kirtanananda was encouraging the women to leave their temples to come to New Vrindaban, for the same reason he attempted to get anyone to New Vrindaban: to exploit them. Today, these same women, if they stay at New Vrindaban, may often be "Dharmattes," (Dharmatma's women)."Come here little muffin..." In other words ladies, real women devotees should not go there. Recently Mother Mahara, New Vrindaban's top collector for years, defected. She was "the" staunch supporter of Dhannatma and Kirtanananda. A very serious collector who went out 7 days a week, 51 weeks a year, she discovered that Dhannatma had impregnated a young girl (under age) and made her get an abortion. Mahara says that Kirtanananda knew and approved it before it happened (See Appendix 12). She reported this to the GBC but then she admits that the GBC snuffed it. And of course everyone knows that Dharmatma has sex with many of the women in the collecting party. In fact he initiated the idea of keeping women pickers satisfied as their gigolo. Jiva was the first to get trained up by Dharmatma in this philosophy (See Appendix 1 1). He passed it on to Udywnanu. We have many testimonies as to Dharmatma's telling women to abandon or neglect their children and husbands and go out picking. And don't fool yourselves-Kirtanananda is the brains behind this philosophy. Kirtanananda often brags that, "not a blade of grass moves at New Vmdavana without my knowing about it." Therefore he most likely knew about the peephole into the ladies toilet of the temple building. Two inmates were caught looking through it but then the incident was covered up fairly well. Kirtanananda's real feelings toward women is further revealed just before women's "darshana" (meeting) night. We have definite testimony as to his joking, "Well boys, get out the incense, it's fish night." Fish referring to what he considers the smell of women. Knowing this and knowing that he is a lifelong homosexual, then makes perfect sense. So does this sound like a healthy, Vedic spiritual environment for raising a family in progressive Krsna conscious household life?

"Now this displeasing of Godbrothers has already begun and gives me too much agitation in my mind. Our Gaudiya Math people fought with one another after the demise of Guru Maharaja but my disciples have already begun fighting even in my presence. So I am greatly concerned about it... Trnad api sunicena... Please try to maintain the philosophy of unity in diversity. That will make our movement successful. One section of men have already gone out, therefore we must be very careful to maintain unity in diversity, and remember the story of Aesop's Fables of the father of many children with the bundle of sticks. When the father asked his children to break the bundle of sticks wrapped in a bag, none of them could do it. But, when they removed the sticks from the bag, and tried one by one, the sticks were easily broken. So this is the strength of unity. If we are bunched up, we can never be broken, but when divided, then we can become broken very easily." (Kirtanananda, 10/18/73)

Note: Kirtanananda does not give facility to any diversity which is not 100% loyal to his air of divinity.

Therefore, there is no real unity at New Vmdavana, just personality cult fascism.

"There is one vacancy in the GBC board, so myself in consultation with Brahmananda Maharaja and Jayatirtha Prabhu, we have decided you can fill up the post. This will be confirmed in the next meeting." (Kirtanananda, 5/10/74)

Note: This is May of 1974 and for the first time Prabhupada was offering Kirtanananda some official responsibility. But shortly thereafter he wanted to be a wild card again.

"If Kirtanananda Maharaja speaks what I speak, then he can be taken as siksa-guru. Guru sastra sadhu. The spiritual master is one, that is a fact. Kirtanananda Swami may be taken as sadhu not spiritual master, or as instructor guru. I don't think he is saying anything against our principles, so what is the wrong?

"You have written that the devotees here say that you cannot know me, but only Kirtanananda Maharaja can know me. But, if Kirtanananda is a disciple and he can know me, and you are also a disciple, why you cannot know me?" (Paramananda, 7/20/74)

Note: Someone was bold enough to tell Prabhupada that Kirtanananda was imposing his personality as the only medium to Srila Prabhupada. More tangible evidence of the oppressive personality cult being unauthorizedly instituted at that place.

This is the heart of his problem. Kirtanananda wants to be the guru, but he's not so stupid as to claim authority over Prabhupada again, like before. Here he is claiming to be the only one who can know Prabhupada. It's the next best thing to being there.

"I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 21, with enclosed photographs. So Kirtanananda Maharaja has installed Deities. But without twenty devotees how you can have Deities? Your men are coming and going so why you are having Deity installation? You must have twenty devotees. Kirtanananda Maharaja, he should supply those devotees since he has authorized the installation. You can name the Deities, Radha-Murlidhara." (Batugopal, 9/7/74)

Note: In effect, these Deities only have Kirtanananda's blessings. The tone of this letter certainly doesn't sound like a blessing from Prabhupada. As such the Cleveland temple never really got off the ground. These Deities are still in Cleveland but there are still not 20 devotees there. Kirtanananda sends his bad devotees there as a type of punishment. Kalpa Vrksa, one of Kirtanananda's most loyal followers, was exiled there recently for stealing morphine from the New Vrindaban resident doc Nick who needed it at the time for a patient. Kirtanananda's intimates refer to Cleveland as the "Bahuka temple"-"Bahuka" being an African race of Negro but used in the derogatory sense by Kirtanananda and his inmates.

"In India ghee is needed in our temples. I want to know if you can supply ghee by exporting it from USA. The quantity is 100 lbs.for Mayapura and 100 lbs. for Vrindaban. I am prepared to pay you for it in dollars at the fair market price." (Kirtanananda, 10/25/74)

Note: Does this sound like the relationship between the Jagat-guru and his obedient, over-loyal, and dedicated disciple?

"Please send the next shipment of ghee immediately, as it takes quite a while for it to reach India. Shipments should be sent regularly every six months. The amount that you sent last shipment was good, send that much twice a year.

You are so humble and so sincere, this is a sign of your success. May Krishna bless you more and more. Krishna has placed you in that position. Now, you should always be fully conscious of your great responsibility." (Madhuvisa, 1/21/75)

Note: This is the relationship between a Guru and his obedient disciple.

"...and I have read the Cintamini poetry book. It is indirect, impersonal and useless. Who will read these things? Krishna's name is only mentioned in two poems in the whole book. What is this? There are so many poems written by great acaryas. Who do you try to concoct something like this? It is not in our line. How is that our Kirtanananda Swami is there and he has approved printing this? It is a waste of time, paper, money, ink, and labor... Who will become attracted by such things as this? You should all spend more time reading my books very carefully and stop all this unnecessary manufacturing." (Vahna, 5/26/75)

Note: Srila Prabhupada had warned previously that Kirtanananda was "polluted with impersonal poison." Well, it hadn't gone away by 1975. Money went out for the printing of Mayavada literature from the press of Kirtanananda Swami. That press is still printing all kinds of rubbish today, also. There is positive testimony by an inmate of New Vrndavana that $100 bills are also being printed there along with Brijbasi Spirits calling Kirtanananda the founder-acarya of New Vrindaban.

"...and have noted the contents. Your report is very nice. It is wonderful to hear that you are distributing 1,000 magazines and collecting $1,000 daily. Now, you have plenty of money, milk, fruits, flowers, grains, everything and you are living in the jungle. What more could you want? I may be coming there immediately after the Philadelphia Rathayatra, and I shall stay until after Janmastami. I hope this meets you in good health." (Kirtanananda, 6/9/75)

Note: This is a very unusual and interesting statement."What more could you want?" Prabhupada often refers to Mayavadis as desiring these things exclusively. One would have to read All of Prabhupada's letter to understand that this letter is very unusual and revealing since Prabhupada seldom spoke sarcastically to his disciples.

"Regarding your desire to be relieved of managing these other centers, I may request you to continue until the next Mayapur meeting and then you can make some other arrangement conveniently." (Kirtanananda, 11/10/75)

Note: So in one and one-half years Kirtanananda wanted relief from GBC duty.