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Dandavat pranams. In light of the recent resignation from CHAKRA by Umapati Swami I have decided to post my letter of resignation to CHAKRA from last year. as well as my last personal letter to its former editor in chief, Umapati Swami. These letters are a year old, and I have learned a lot since I wrote them . My attitude toward VNN has changed and I have found even more important information on guru Tattva than in Sri Guru Ashraya, and Sri Krsna Bhajanamrta, which were a good beginning. Of course CHAKRA never did publish them, or the UK Forum discussion of the topic from BBT.com.se, but no surprises. PRAVDA never printed anything about Capitalism, or General Motors ever offered its customers any of Ralph Nader's studies on auto safety. either. As the titanic of iskcon sinks I am confident to be on dry land, and not caught in her undertow. The death throws of a sublime spiritual movement, degraded into a destructive cult of brainwashed thoughtless blind followers is apparent.
ISKCON still serves some purpose. as long as young devotees do not get cheated and accept an un bona fide spiritual master and become intelligent enough to leave before they are serious enough to take diksa. The Deity worship which is so nicely done by kanishta adhikari mentality -Thinking the Lord is alone, "worshipping Him very wonderfully but not knowing how to treat anyone else." Deity puja is supposed to serve two purposes. One for the people in general, which is still does, and the other for the heart felt practitioners. Such heart felt practitioners have to find shelter, service and association elsewhere, but no harm and no loss. Where are all of the god brothers? Conspicuous by their absence, or corrupted by their presence. Better for them to have left, though some still can't quite understand why they were asked to leave. ISKCON,leave it to love it.
Your servant,
Puru Das
N.B. At the point of writing these letters I was hoping to re-locate to New Vrndavan and establish a second branch of The Bhaktivedanta Memorial, but needless to say that did not happen. Nityodhita and Chandramala threw me out of there last summer for daring to speak my mind about the GBC the same week that New Vrndavan re-joined ISKCON. In fact they are celebrating the event this Memorial day weekend. I will not attend.
New Text 1342 (142 lines)
From: Puru ACBSP
Date: 02-Mar-98 05:47
Bcc: "Ralph H. Somershein new account"
Subject: for posting on wstrat
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Dear Wstrat Prabhus,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
For anyone who wants to deny that there is something amiss in our organization, since there are so many gurus an disciples doing so nicely around the world. Just keep in mind Srila Prabhupada's example of Alexander the Great. As he conquered one front another left behind him would weaken and fall. He could not fight on all the fronts himself. We cannot stop maya as effectively without the participation of all of Srila Prabhupada's initiated disciples, as long as they are still alive and still want to serve. They do not have to offer diksa to be worthy of our consideration. Follow Srila Narahari Sakara Thakura's advise and value their participation whatever level it can be offered. Eventually, if they are qualified, they should all offer diksa anyway. They have diksa from a pure Vaisanva, they can give it as well. Who will pass a law to stop the parampara from expanding?
If Maharaja doesn't have the time to read these two papers and all the other UK material that I sent in, then I propose we take a straw poll and all vote if CHAKRA should post Sri Guru Ashraya, Sri Krishna Bhajanamrta and the UKForum Discussion. Then if wstrat is willing,our editor does not have to be bothered and I will thank you all for helping us save ISKCON from deviating from the guru parampara. If you are unwilling then I will pursue the matter elsewhere, but I will not stop.
One other small point. KBD told me that Umapati is fighting a ritvik war in China. To be able to soundly and incontrovertably grind Ritvik misinformation into dust all one need do is simply read Sri Krsna Bhajanamrta and Sri Guru Ashraya, and follow the ongoing discussion of the UK Forum about who will give diksa and why he is authorized. To do this effectively requires putting aside all the institutional considerations. These "official " policies offer some god brothers an active role in preaching and deny it to others, who are also duly initiated and just as bona fide as anyone else who is "sanctioned" by the GBC. When such broad minded brahminical understanding manifests in ISKCON we can re-engage many disenfranchised and alienated devotees who have left our Society. They should all be preachers of Krishna Consciousness.
I am not doing a "with all due respect here" and this is not, I repeat this is not an example of "I am not stealing." I do respect the older devotees in our Society, but many of them are caught up in ISKCON fever or GBCitis. GBCitis means a psychological condition which forces you to believe:
1.The GBC can do no wrong.
2.The GBC is the position to aspire to, not prema bhakti, that is less important.
3.The GBC rules and regulations are my life and soul and I can ignore the guru parampara and just surrender unconditionally to ISKCON Law which is the fifth Veda.
4.The Hari Bhakta Vilasa of Srila Rupa Goswami, the Bhakti Rasamrta sindhu, the Upadesamrta and hundreds of Srila Prabhupada's Purports and the principle of Krishna instructing Arjuna and becoming his siksa, not diksa mind you, guru in the second chapter of Bhagavd gita are all less important than some legislated mental speculation, (which "re-initiation" is, by the way)
Whose photo is on every ISKCON altar next to Srila Bhaktivnoda Thakura?
Who did Bhaktivinoda take diksa from? Do you even know his name?
I am simply amazed, mortified and in a state of absolute shock that such a glaringly obvious 2+2=5 formula that has practically destroyed ISKCON is still, still, being ignored, put on the back burner and we don't have time or interest to see it posted. Reading these papers is more important than anyone's eating and sleeping. Since I recived them I have been up all night many times. Ask my wife, (718-961-7409) She will confirm it. My children are all complaining I do not feed them enough. I told them all that I will drop dead at the keyboard, but I will not rest until Sri Guru Ashraya and Sri Krsna Bhajanamrta are read far and wide. I am not a Puranjana clone. This is the truth I am trying to distribute not the poison from PADA Netroplex.
I should have some credibility with this wstart board. I have been posting on it almost since its inception. My letter in defense of TKG was one of our first articles. My remarks about VNN were put up right away because they were accurate and perceptive. My articles are posted on wstrat. I asked the question what happened to guru Asharaya, in "ISKCON as a Cult." Now I have the answer. Why won't you allow it to be read by everyone?
Shoot me now. Take me to the temple, place a gun to my head and blow my brains out, because there is no hope for our Movement if it keeps going on the way it has for the last 20 years. By remaining silent on "re-initiation" and guru tattva this way CHAKRA is allowing strong personalities on the GBC to overlord others.
Fault finding and undue criticism of others is not our real engagement. Our prime duty is to understand what Srila Prabhupada wants. He wants us to become lions among men not paper tigers. This is my last request of you to post the articles and the UK forum discussion. If you cannot understand the urgency of why I feel it is so crucial to our Mission to do this then I just walk away from wstrat and let you do whatever you want without any input from me as it is useless to try and have any. I am not a little crybaby prabhu, kicking and screaming because I cannot have my way. Not one of you except Mataji Madhusudani, and Arjunanatha and Kesava bharati have even bothered to discuss with me why these papers are so important.
The house is on fire, the earthquake is tremoring, and we are publishing nice little articles about Ganges water sports, and mud baths for the GBC chairman, and Sri Guru Ashraya and Sri Krishna Bhajanamrta sit in the in basket of email just rotting, when they could be read by everyone. We can pulverize the twit witts with one blow. We can set ISKCON back on track with the same blow. We can silence the likes of Pancha Tattva, Kamsa Hanta, Krishna Kanta and Puranjana with the same blow.
Sri Guru Ashraya and Sri Krishna Bhajanamrta understood by the devotee population at large will arm them with enough transcendental knowledge to never ever again be influenced by the Ritvik camp. I can only imagine its shabda just like Pancajanya forcing them all to cover their ears when we force them to hear it. I can see them runing away from anyone who has the information at his disposal and knows how to use it. The same way the mayavadis used to flee in the face of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Maharaj, our eternal grandfather, or great grandfather as the case may be, I would like to see them all, reduced to cowering babbling idiots sitting in the corner afraid to speak. Let's use this information to smash them and send their asara mentality to cyber oblivion.
I don't say another word. Not one letter will I type, not one keyboard character from me. I am on strike, You read that however you like, until some attention is paid, and some notice is given to this text, and no editorial mumbo jumbo either, No saffron police if you please. Read the papers, and if you object to them then speak from shastra or don't speak at all. That is our modes aperende on UK Forum and CHAKRA should do the same. I will wait until you all have time to read the papers and make a rational and mature KC decision based on what you read.
I give you till the ides of March, the day they murdered Julius Ceaser. Or how about until March 12th, instead of the 15th? March 12th is Gour Purnima, a quite suitable date for publication. We can time it that way to offer Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's' Movement a second birth.
Until then I applaud your efforts to silence the lunatic fringe. I offer you the solution for many of our problems. The GBC ignored it once and look at what happened.
You want to repeat their mistake, then I will be no part of it. I will die happy and content that I did my level best to serve His Divine Grace and try and save His Preaching Mission with information from His books, the predecessor acaryas, the Six Goswamis and the revealed scriptures. If I am fortunate enough to see our guru maharaja again I will hand him a copy of this letter, Sri Guru Ashraya, Sri Krishna Bhajanamrta, UK Forum discussions and tell him I did all I could. I will not be embarrassed one inch by anything I have said or how I genuinely feel.
Your Servant,
Puru Das
(Text 1342) ---------------------
Answer 1402 (697 lines)
From: Puru ACBSP
Date: 04-Mar-98 10:42
To: Umapati Swami
Cc: Vipramukhya Swami
Cc: "Gaura Kesava Pandit"
Bcc: "Ralph H. Somershein new account"
Cc: Radhanatha
Dear Gaura Kesava Prabhu,
Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I do not know whether this message will be of any interest to you, as it is simply a long tit-for-tat answer to Puru's letter, but your name comes up in many places. Feel free to read it or ignore it as you like. My obeisances to you and your good wife.
Your servant,
Umapati Swami
********************************
For clarification Umapati's remarks are in light type face and mine are in bold type.
This letter combines my replies to two of his, and was done netiquette style.
The name of the writer follows each section in ( ).
Answer 1402 (697 lines)
From: Puru ACBSP
Date: 04-Mar-98 10:42
To: Umapati Swami
Cc: Vipramukhya Swami
Cc: "Gaura KesavaPandit"
Bcc: "Ralph H. Somershein new account"
Cc: Radhanatha Swami
Reference: Text COM:1143763 by Umapati Swami
Subject: Re: Answer to Puru's letter
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AGA=Sri Guru Ashraya SKB=Sri Krsna Bhajanamrta UKForum=com from England where some discussion of SGS, SKB and the GBC took place over about one week. UKForum /com.bbt.se
Dear Umapati Swami,
Please accept my obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I don't expect an answer from you. You do not have to read my answer now or ever, as you chose. I am writing for the benefit of anyone else who might read this letter. If you chose you can look at my reply or hit delete. It is less hot than my last letter which was written with a different goal in mind.
I am now less concerned with what CHAKRA does or doesn't do. They could still help a lot to clear up ritvik, poison, and other nonsense. By posting SGA and SKB and UK Forum. They will either use the tac that Gaura Kesava and myself feel will work most effectively or they won't. That is their choice.
Wstrat means strategy board. So whether to post or not is the real bottom line of that com's reason for existence, isn't it? For now I am only cc ing to Vipramuhya and Gaura Kesava. Radhanath Swami as well and I will explain why later in this letter. Just to let you know, so you are not disturbed by such trust I have for their discrimination to keep the matter between the five of us for now. Whether it goes further will be decided by the course of events, as they unfold. (Puru)
Dear Puru Prabhu,
Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Thank you for your letter. I would like to clear up some points.(Umapati)
Thank you for yours. I would also like to clear up some of your new points. First let me say that there was no subterfuge intended or back room politicking in my sending Gaura Kesava your wstrat communication so that he could answer your questions. My little click click finger has some discrimination and I don't believe I have abused the privilege of wstrat information to try to wield my own way on the com. (Puru)
Gaura Kesava Prabhu already knows my opinions on these matters, but if I had known that you were going to send him the message, I would have preferred to offer my obeisances first. Is there some fault in that? (Umapati)
(Remember when you made that remark about how you wouldn't like it if I advised one of your disciples, and you clearly inferred interference between myself and BVM when it was not true?) (Puru)
It was your fault for writing something that you did not mean. (Umapati)
This is a dead issue. You do not have a high opinion of me.That is clear. You rushed to judgment and condemned me publicly on wstrat re/interference between diksa guru & a disciple. From 6 or 7 letters sent to you, you took 3 or 4 sentences of bad English (which I re posted and corrected) out of context and made a value judgment based on some unclear writing and not my intent. You never later made any mention that you had miscalculated. Even to this day you continue to say I did something that I really did not. So you won't change your behavior, what can I do?
So unlike yourself, as you chose to voice your dissatisfaction with my behavior on the wstrat com, and you have done it again, with regard my forwarding your remarks and questions on Sri Guru Ashraya to it's author,' making another clear inference that I took an unusual liberty to offer it to him, when I asked you first what to do to get it to him, you did not reply and I did not see any harm in forwarding it as it was not a private letter to me but a wstrat communique and everyone else on the com read it anyway? (Puru)
WSTRAT is a private conference. If there had been a discussion Between Gaura Kesava and me on the subject, I would have mentioned these points ,but I did not like the idea that it was sent to him by a third party. (Umapati)
If you were unhappy about my forwarding this letter then you should have said so to me personally. I could have easily given you time in future to re-phrase any communication to Gaura Krsava. You don't communicate with me this way. You never give an instruction even when ask (as was the case here) and then expect it to be followed. I am not psychic. You want something of me you must state it clearly or simply ask, not assume.(Puru)
My frustration in dealing with you as you have still not posted Sri Guru Ashraya, Sri Krsna Bhajanamrta and UK Forum discussions on CHAKRA Is not a hidden fact and I have been yelling bloody murder on the com, accusing you and Virpramuhya of complicity with the saffron police, calling you cardinals,and telling you not to act like the pope. (Puru)
Chakra is not my private web site. I work cooperatively with Virpramuhya Swami and Mother Madhusudani Radha. If Virpramuhya Swami does not want to publish something, then I enter into a discussion with him and talk about it. (Umapati)
Also, Chakra is not a forum. It is a newspaper. What you need is an open forum, where anyone can say anything he wants. Maybe you can convince Virpramuhya Maharaja to open a Chakra forum. That would be fine with me.(Umapati)
Gaura Kesava and myself are certainly trying to do this, on the basis of guru, sadhu and shastra. What he will do I cannot say. I am going to offer the same information (Sri Guru Ashraya, and Sri Krsna Bhajanamrta) to as many god brothers as I can and let them decide for themselves which siddhanta they want to accept, the present ISKCON GBC Law or our proposed alternative based on the guru parampara of our Brahma-Madhva Gaudiya line. You have the same choice. (Puru)
This Bg. purport tells you why it is your brahminical responsibility as the editor of CHAKRA to ignore Virpramuhya's sensitivity and Ravindra Svarupa's psychological veto over all philosophical books he does not understand or agree with and not be an agent of the saffron police(blind followers of the GBC) (Puru)
Ravindra Svarupa Prabhu is my dear friend, but he does not control Chakra. In fact, believe it or not, no GBC has tried to control it. (Umapati)
This may be logistically true. But the fact remains that his philosophical choices are accepted by yourself and many other GBC and tp devotees because it is easier for you all to let him think for you, instead of carefully scrutinizing the shastra yourselves. This is called laziness, and Srila Prahupada explains it in Caitanya Caritamrta Adi lila Ch.2 Text 117. Please take the time from your busy day to at least read this one verse and Purport. It is written by your spiritual master, and not name calling Hellish email from me. Whatever you think of me you should still be able to hear from Him. (Puru)
The verse says "A sincere student should not neglect the discussion of such conclusions ,considering them controversial, for such discussion strengthens the mind. Thus one's mind becomes attached to Sri Krsna."
So strengthen your mind and become more attached to Sri Krsna. Don't do it on my word but the word of Srila Krsnadas Kaviraja Goswami, the author of Cc. (Puru)
Now, you speak of blind followers of the GBC. So what becomes of blind followers of the GBC? Do you know? I will tell you. They become great book distributors like all those devotees in northern Europe. Can you deny that these blind followers of the GBC are pleasing Srila Prabhupada? So it is not such a bad thing to be a blind follower of the GBC. And they are certainly not blind. (Umapati)
Sankirtan book distributors are glorious. All glories to their service. What also happens to many of them is that if they simply distribute these books but neglect to read them, after some time they burn out, ,or they stop distributing, or we lose them. Tripurari Swami was our biggest book distributor. What happened to him? (Puru)
Number of books distributed by any one prabhu is not a barometer for his realization of KC. It might indicate his sincerity to render service, but can he give a lecture or speak on what he is distributing? Shouldn't he be able to? Wouldn't he sell more books if he knew better what he was selling? Srila Prabhupada thought this to be the case. You don't believe me consult the folio with regards to book distribution. I am not making this up. (Puru)
Now the real topic of this letter is not that, but the fact that you obviously felt you committed a Vaisnava aparahda to Gaura Kesava in your post which I had the unmitigated nerve to send to him without permission. (Puru)
Generally, one takes permission before forwarding private correspondence, and the conference is a private one. I was not afraid to let Gaura Kesava see my opinions, but I was afraid that the forwarded message might give a wrong impression. (Umapati)
The conference may be private, but a letter posted on it hardly is as it goes to more than 10-15 other prabhus. What kind of private is that? I appreciate that you thought the letter might make a wrong impression. You did not have to correct that impression on wstrat for all 15 to see. You could have mailed a truly private letter to Gaura Kesava with a cc to me and that would have made it perfectly clear. wstrat is not one on one. (Puru)
I mentioned this in my letter to Gaura Kesava because I thought he should know what happened. I cannot imagine why you are so upset about my posting this letter on the conference. You have criticized me any number of times on this conference, so I do not see why my letter should bother you so much. (Umapati)
I was upset for the same reason you assumed my tacit agreement and posted my letter to Sura for 4000+ people to see without consulting me. I would have also preferred to have written it differently. You want one consideration for yourself but won't offer it to anyone else. My letter went to thousands to see(no harm done, it was ok ,not the point) and yours went to one prabhu. Quite a difference. I later voiced my objection, you responded and the matter is dead. The principle, though was communication, and this is the same point here. And also here there was no harm done that I can see. (Puru)
I am more concerned to see SGA, SKB and UK Forum on CHAKRA, but I tell you now privately that I don't appreciate your duplicity. (Puru)
Can you tell me where I have been duplicitous? (Umapati}
You wrote one way to wstrat, would have apparently preferred to write differently to Gaura Kesava directly and chastised me for not understanding this, when you never made it clear or established any policy. The policy you did establish for wstrat said to indicate NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION on any letter that was sent in to wstrat the author did not want sent around. Your letter to wstrat w/re to Sri Guru Ashraya was not labeled that way, not that I can remember anyway. This is your fault not mine, and I don't like taking the blame for something I have not done. That you are willing to shift blame to me I find duplicitous. (Puru)
My return post explained why I sent it on to him and I am only telling these things privately to you. I could post this on wstrat. Click Click it's there. (Puru)
Feel free to do so. (Umapati)
I won't do that. You keep your credibility there. Wstrat must have respect for your discrimination even if I do not. In matters English usage and news content your discrimination is spot on. In matters philosophical it is lacking. So what? Chakra is basically a newspaper, so do your job. You are good at it. Credit where credit is due. As far as interpersonal dealings that is another matter, and that is why I write to you privately when such things occur. don't please blame your attitude concerning Gaura Kesava's scholarship on me if you please. (Puru)
Sorry, but you have lost me here. (Umapati)
I think I have already explained this point. It means you shifted blame to me for neglecting to write NOT FOR PUBLICATION, or any other message with regard that letter so someone would know clearly not to forward it. (Puru)
Don't vindicate me on wstrat, and I might feel forced to post this entire letter for wstrat devotees to look at and put in all over the net like anything. That is not blackmail either. (Puru)
Fine with me. (Umapati)
Well I may just do that, and I will make a judgment later if it is necessary to embarrass you in order to help save the guru pramapara of our line from self destruction by continued deviation. We shall see. You will be informed. (Puru)
You violate that trust and I will make it known. As I will also make it known if you do not post SGA,SKB and UK Forum, and you can decide whose anger you would rather face. The anger of the saffron police or everyone else in ISKCON, because they will find out.
*Note: SGA= Sri Guru Ashraya
SKB= Sri Krsna Bhajanamrta of Srila Naraharai Sakara Thakura
UK Forum= United Kingdom Forum discussion of guru tattva from
Com.bbt.se. (Puru)
Do as you like (Umapati)
You said it not me. I will act with a free hand and use my own discrimination. Thank you for trusting me this much. Hare Krsna. (Puru)
You wrote: Does Gaura Kesava still support the no-fall theory? If so we leave ourselves open for future difficulties by citing him as an authority on the literature of the six Goswami (Umapati)
I answered: Whether he does or not, and how can you call it a theory if it is in the teachings of the acaryas, what does that have to do with Sri Guru Ashraya? (Puru)
I base my opinion on a letter from Srila Prabhupada (Umapati).
You did not say which letter, written to whom, and what it says inside. You should not accept one letter from SP in place of thousands of other words He has written in his books, the other acaryas and all the shastr as.If you accept guru, and not sadhu and shastra you will not get the whole picture. Don't be lazy again. You are a sannyasa 3rd initiate. You have disciples. Clear understanding of the books is not an option for you. Without it you will not be able to either preach, manage or understand how to advise your followers. Neglect this and sooner or later when they read the books they will accept them and reject you. Do you want this to happen? It already is all over the world.Many grand disciples are not all blind followers. You cannot fool them with sentimental Prabhupada stories forever. You must learn to offer them substance not just fond reminiscences of SP, wonderful as they may be. Give them both. Do not cheat them. (Puru)
Gaura Kesava and I discussed this topic for several hours one day in New Vrindavan, and I remember this discussion with pleasure because of Gaura Kesava's gentleness and humility even in the face of disagreement. (Umapati)
This remark by your good self is egregious and shameful. It smacks of envy and institutionalized thinking. (Puru)
Envy, no doubt. I am a conditioned soul, and I thank you for reminding me of it. As for institutionalized thinking, if the institution is ISKCON, I take that as a compliment. (Umapati)
The ISKCON institution you speak of I am also a member. If you cannot understand that the face of that institution is quite different today than when Srila Prabhupada was its CEO then I can say nothing to you in this regard. You stay as clueless as you want. I will not try and take your head out of this sand pile you are putting it into. (Puru)
You will give the benefit of the doubt to the GBC, which you did in your next com. (Puru)
"Why do we automatically assume that what the GBC says is wrong? It t would only be fair to investigate the GBC's point on this matter." I am not giving the benefit of the doubt to either side by saying that we should hear both. (Umapati)
Hearing both is what I suggested. You talk about even exposure for a paper that was suppressed, hidden away and ignored for 10 or more years, and has most likely not been read or scrutinized carefully by the GBC of today. Just what do you think I have been trying to see happen? I would welcome they all read it and re think their present policy. If you were less concerned with "news" consideration and posted the material that might spark this very thing. You can get whoever you want to read and respond. Ask Ravindra to do it, you have so much respect for his theology. Get him to engage in direct discussion with Gaura Kesava and put in all on CHAKRA. Go right ahead. Please! (Puru)
Once again you condemn Sri Guru Ashraya, which you have not really read with great care.
I said that I had no problem with the paper's conclusion. (Umapati)
But you have a big problem letting it go on CHAKRA without Virpramuhya agreeing to it. This is foolish. (Puru)
Now on the basis that you do not want to give it's author credibility in the Vaisnava community, when you yourself are clearly concerned about not offending him and offered missing damndests from the wstrat post. You are a duplicitous saffron policeman of the highest order prabhu. (Puru)
I consider Gaura Kesava Prabhu to be an authority on some things but not on others. I feel that his understanding of the conclusions of Srila Jiva Gosvami on the jiva question is, if not incorrect, certainly not absolute. He knows I think this, and I know he thinks the same thing about me. But this does not stop us from being affectionate god brothers. Is this duplicity?)
Is it duplicitous to say to someone, "I do not agree with you, but please accept my obeisances"? When we start thinking that this is duplicitous, then we are in big trouble (Umapati)
We are already in big trouble. We don't see eye to eye on that. There is no point arguing it. It is not duplicitous to offer and accept obeisances. Please accept my obeisances prabhu. That is not what I complained about. Forget it anyway. I am a big boy. I can take a little slap. I just thought you should know that I won't stand for injustice and that is why I even bothered pointing it out to you. You won't change on my word. But if enough other prabhus refuse to let you be abusive then one day you will have to change or you will be all alone prabhu. No one will want your association, not even your disciples and eventually even Ravindra and all your GBC friends. They will desert you as well. (Puru)
Where is Kirtanananda? Have you even written to him in prison? I have? When he fell did you just wash your hands of him because he was no longer "good company." Don't think if you have any serious problems in the future the rest won't do the same thing to you. But I tell you something. I won't. I will write to you and try to help you whatever way I can, even you treat me with such personal contempt today. (Puru)
You need help. You have GBCitis of terminal proportion. (Puru)
Thank you. I agree. (Umapati)
This is the problem prabhu. I think it is a disease (blind following of the GBC) and you think it gives you credibility. What a disappointment to me. (Puru)
In his case (Gaura Kesva's) you are at least intelligent enough to only criticize behind his back,
I did not say anything behind his back that I have not already said to his face. (Umapati)
Let's just drop it ok. If Gaura Kesava wasn't offended then I can't take any. I didn't like the way you behaved. That is all. I am straightforward and honest with you (Bg 10.4-5) I said so, and you still haven't heard me. Hare Krsna. If the three of you do not act like adults, and insist on being saffron policeman after I have made private attempts to influence you to show more rational and KC behavior then I will let it be known. Click Click, and it will happen. (Puru)
Feel free. (Umapati)
satyam eva jayate
Now let us go to another matter, and that is your treatment of Srila Prabhupada' god brother Narayan Maharaja. I gave a short answer admonishing you not to indulge in any undue criticism of him. (Puru)
For the record, Narayan Maharaja is not our uncle but our older cousin. But that is a detail. (Umapati)
Thank you for the correction again. This is the second time I made that detail error. Uncle or cousin, no matter the same principles apply. On this we both agree. Thank you for the information again. I am not always precise. That is my failing, but I don't lack in sincerity. (Puru)
I do not deny that he has helped ISKCON in many ways, but right now there is a misunderstanding, so I feel it is best to leave him out. (Umapati)
I agreed with you. I just think the larger picture of how other GBC men have mishandled the association of other senior Vaisnava is worthy of some discussion amongst god brothers so we don't keep making the same mistake, which we apparently are. Just see how foolishly Prahlandananada acted in Houston. That business he innocently pulled with offering his garland to NM like he was a peer (got it right this time) was egregious violation of etiquette. And this is the man SP said to consult in such matters. Wow!
Talk about an error in judgement. Such events just make ISKCON look ridiculous in the eyes of other Gaudiya Vaisanvas. All the more reason that Sri Krsna Bhajanamrta should be read and understood by everyone, including the sannyasa and GBC men of our society. (Puru)
Now, my dear Puru Prabhu, this will have to end it. I hope that my answers will have helped to explain things, and I will not answer any more of your e-mail. You have succeeded in burning me out. (Umapati)
Thank you over much for touching the flame of my indignation prabhu. You have also burned me out quite effectively. When I first got this letter I stayed up all night to answer it. I lost it in the computer and the file was replaced with Mata's admonition to me not to complain so much and that you were not uncooperative just overworked. Tribangananda in UK also told me the same thing. I thanked him. They both stopped a car out of control. No doubt. But this reply is carefully constructed and more suitable to send to you. It is much freer of any attempt on my part for" getting back" or knee jerking. Only to clarify as yours was as well.
Most likely in this case I have misjudged you as well. Your simple remark to offer obeisances to Gaura Kesava and the mention that your letter about Sri Guru Ashraya was sent to him by me was probbably no more than that.
My violent reaction to it, which you could not even continue to comment upon is a result of:
1.done burned twice shy (you have done this to me before) this means you rushed to judgement and humiliated me on wstrat first with/re Ram Prasad and BVM and now this letter to GKP 2.I am still in anxiety because you won't post SGA or SKB and did not tell me the reasons until now. 3.I am a very volatile camper. I told you I was a brassy NY conditioned soul, and you said you were a Chicago gangster.
So you stop playing Al Capone and I will stop laying Lucky Luciano and you can still come to NV and have chinese food prasadam at my griha if you will. I would much rather interact with you as Gaura Kesava Prabhu has been able to. I learn from his example with/re the jnana of our siddhanta and I will try to learn about the vijnana as well. What do you say? Spring rolls, fried rice w/tofu, shaka with soy protein and no fortune cookies, they have eggs in them.
So I will also cc this letter to Radhanath Swami, who will be my GBC if they are not already thinking to recind their offer to me because of my recent in your face of the GBC activity. I have sent him many copies of letters over the last 2 weeks because he will be my spiritual authority if I can still move there this summer.. I pretty much accept his siksa in most matters. He helped me hone the "FAQ Sheet Does the Guru Cult Dynamic Fit ISKCON of 1998?" article for CHAKRA you re named "ISKCON as a cult." After recent experiences with grand dsicples in UK I am starting to think that your title is better, and that the answer to the question in my original title is affirmative.
He has to know that I am gunning for Pavana and the ritviks in W.Va. I have the ammo to shoot their philosophy dead. I intend to use it. He offered "re-initiation" to many of Kirtananda's followers. He did so on the behest of the GBC. I think you guys steered him wrong. You did the same thing to Bhakta tirtha, the other co-GBC man. He has "re-initiated" disciples as well. One of them read Sri Guru Ashraya. He wants his old name back that Bhavananada gave him. What am I suppposed to do? Defeat the ritvik madness and ignore the other defect in ISKCON's present application of our siddhanta. Impossible. How else can they be defeated? That is why I proposed my great debate. Whoever wins it should establish our policy and maybe even be accepted as brahminical advisors to the GBC.
What do you think of that? Gaura Kesava Prabhu is certainly qualified. Here is an advisor that the GBC summarily ignored. They insulted him.
They mistreated him. And you wonder why I use the term "saffron police?" They have done worse to Sridhar Swami, Narayana Maharaj, and even Gour Govinda. I was told by a god brother that he was instructed not to preach about the jiva falling in Mayapur a few years back before his departure because it was controversial. He was a magnanimous advanced devotee. He complied because he was willing to cooperate with the GBC. Well they did him wrong also, and they were coming gunning for him over other issues just before Krsna saved him and took Him back to Home.
Take your head out of the sand Umapati. Too much is at stake here. Did you know that about His Grace Gour Govinda Swami? That is how far the institutional philosphical terrorsm has gone. This has to stop
So you finally offered me some practical alternatives,and I am grateful and I will let you know how things are going. (Puru)
I suggest you take one of the following courses of action:
a. Convince Virpramuhya Swami to publish GA. (Umapati)
I am doing my best. And I will offer it to every god brother I can and ask them to request it of him as well if they agree with the siddhanta based on guru, sadhu and shastra. (Puru)
b. Convince Virpramuhya Swami to start a Chakra Free Forum (Umapati)
That is up to him. Unless such a forum is completely free to every Prabhupada disciple, even the ritvik lunatics and especially Kundali Prabhu, who sits in the social ostracism of Vrndnavan. sent there by Ravindra, Hrydayananda and the rest of the GBC men who failed to defeat him in philosophical debate, then I am not interested. You also rushed to judgment on him in the past calling his writing less than stellar when I doubt you have even read any of it, for the same reasons you agree to accept anything the GBC says.
Now your position is that, that is fine. That is what SP wanted us to do just work cooperatively with them. My point is that whenever I hear either you or Vipramukhya respond to these discussions I never see any quote from shastra or even specific references from guru, just vague mention of some letter somewhere. Or Virpramukhya is already over engaged and can't come to the phone to talk with me. This leads me to conclude the "laziness" remark I made earlier. And that is not meant to insult you, just wake you up a little.
You disagree with Gaura Kesava about jiva. He offers me lots of proof directly from Srila Prabhupada's purports. You and Vipramukhya tell me he is wrong and just listen to your good friend Ravindra. No way prabhu.I am not fooled that easily any more with institutional loyalty. You cannot use it on me any more to tell me I am disloyal to Srila Prabhupada because I don't accept your siksa or that of Ravindra's or that from the GBC ISKCON law.
That is the game they play with Kundali. They don't either understand or appreciate his books, so they say he is disloyal to his guru maharaj. That is character assasination. That is unfair. That is power politics . That is the same thing as anti-semitism, or scape goating of any kind. The easiest way to discredit someone in the minds of the other party members is to say that he is disloyal to the party. Do you wonder why I call this the actions of a "safffron police?"
Do you and Ravindra and the GBC men think ISKCON is just like Nazi Germany or Communism? Then keep it, and turn on each other one day. The deputies in Mayapura are already manifesting these symptoms. They want to fire this one and that one and take their place. Did you read Animal Farm prabhu? Doesn't this look familiar. Hasn't history taught us anything? Or is the society in so much maya that it can't see the forest for the trees.
The whole GBC charade smacks of a scene in "Brother sun Sister Moon." film when St. Francis appears before the papal board dressed in rags to plead his case and they are all sitting around in their finery, with gold rings and smug arrogant expressions. I don't want any part of that any more than I want the CHAKRA wstrat com to act like the Brd. of Directors of Ford Motor Co. discussing Ralph Nader's book about auto safety.
c. Open your own web site. (Umapati)
I am already working on it. Thank you. Arjunanath has his and he posted SGA, I am linking one myself soon and it will get out with or without the help of CHAKRA. If you want the urls let me know. I wish you the best. (Umapati) And the same to you. We part friends not enemies. I hope you will some day appreciate what my effort has really been all about.
Your servant,
Puru Das Adhikari
My apologies in advance to my dear God brother Gaura Kesava prabhu, who is mentioned in these letters. He has nothing to do with their release, and will mot likely suffer some embarrassment to have the matter so publicly displayed. I could have masked his name, but what purpose is served to hiding the truth of the matter. He is yet another god brother mistreated for his honesty and I hope he will forgive me for thrusting him in the forefront without his permission or any consultation . His paper Sri Guru Ashraya, which VNN posted some time ago, though not the complete understanding of guru tattva, is still worthy of consideration. We can simply keep in mind that it was written to guide institutional policies that I have since decided to reject. Guru has nothing to do with any election, rubber stamp or gbc policy. For anyone who still considers ISKCON a viable entity, then the recommendations in that paper could certainly be heeded without any harm. For myself gbc and any other three letters of the alphabet have no great significance or importance, any longer. "Therefore I am of no faction." (Cc. Adi lila, Ch. 12, text 8)
Om tat sat!
Your servant,
Puru Das Adhikari
[Originally published 05/20/99 on VNN]
