Summary of following Hindi conversation: Srila Prabhupada asks Balaram Mishra if he knows astrology. He denies it and the kaviraja confirms that Balaram Mishra is a Pandit, not a jyotishi, whose area of expertise lies in the performance of rituals. Bhakticharu then elicits a response from the kaviraja establishing his credentials as a jyotishi. All this takes place at the top of page 354 in the Conversations Book #36.
101: Kaviraja (to Srila Prabhupada): Apko kisne bataya hai ki kushthi ke andar apko markiz hai. koi jyotish ne bataya tha?
NAV: Who has told you that your end is near? Some astrologer has said that?
HIR: Did someone tell you that according to your astrological chart your death is near? Did some astrologer tell you that?
102: Srila Prabhupada: Balaram Das.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: Who Balaram das is, is not understood. It does not seem to be Balaram Mishra, but another Balaram. END COMMENT
103: Bhakticharu (to Srila Prabhupada, Bengali): Apnar ayu sesh hoy giyeche, apni bolchen, seta kono jyotishi bolechen?
NAV: You were saying that your end is near… Who has told you that, some astrologer?
HIR: You were saying that your life has come to an end. Did some astrologer say that [to you]?"
[No answer from Prabhupada]
104: Bhakticharu (to Kaviraja): Koshthi ka vicar nahin. vaisha tha.
NAV: It is said in his chart.
HIR: This is not according to his chart. It was like that.
105: Bhakticharu (to Prabhupada): Kintu sastriji bolchen seta thik noy.
NAV & HIR: But Sastriji is saying that is not correct.
106: Bhakticharu (to Kaviraja): Ap to bolte hain aur das sal...
NAV: You are saying that he's going to live ten more years.
HIR: You say that another ten years..."
107: Kaviraja: Abhi kya ho to.
NAV: Now what, this…
HIR: Whatever else takes place now.
108: Bhakticharu (to Srila Prabhupada): Sastriji bolchen je apni aro das vatsar amader sange thakben, Srila Prabhupada.
NAV & HIR: Sastriji says that you will be with us for another ten years, Srila Prabhupada.
109: Kaviraja: Vicar to chor dijiye ap bilkul yah ki kushthi men ayu sesh nahin. Sesh ho gaya hai.
NAV: Completely dispel this thought that your end is near.
HIR: Please give up this idea completely that, according to your horoscope, there is nothing left of your life, that your end has come.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: The assumption appears to have been made by Bhakticharu and the kaviraja that when Srila Prabhupada says, "Someone told me", that he is referring to some astrologer. Note that on October 14, a lengthy astrological chart was read to Srila Prabhupada by Pradyumna Prabhu, stating that Srila Prabhupada's life was to end after 81 years. END
(SKIP to bottom of page 354)
201: Srila Prabhupada: Uncut, yes.
202: Tamal Krishna: OK.
203: Indian man: (Hindi: unknown translation)
204: Kaviraja: Yah, maharaj ji, kotha ap kaise bola aj ki apko koi bola hai ki apko poison diya hai. Ap ko kuch abhas hua hai, kya?
NAV: Maharaj, how did you say this, that someone has said that someone has poisoned you? Have you felt something?
HIR: So, Maharaj, what is this that you said about someone telling you that you had been poisoned? Did you feel something?
205: Srila Prabhupada: Nahin, aise koi bola je… debe-sa hi ja hota hai. Shayad koi kitab men likha hai.
NAV: No, not said, but when one is given poison, it happens like this. It's written in book.
HIR: No, some people say like this, that... it is like that when it is given. Perhaps it is written in some [...] book.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: This reference to the symptoms of poisoning justifies the exercise in previous chapters of examining Srila Prabhupada's physical symptoms to determine a correct diagnosis. END COMMENT
206: Kaviraja: Kai karanon se ho jata hai, kacce mercury se ho jata hai, ya aur koi bhi ciz aisha hai vaisha ho jata, lekin apke liye kaun karega ham to yahi samajhta hai. Aise devpurush ke liye koi manasi vicar karega, vo bhi rakshas hai.
NAV: If you take raw mercury, it can happen, or several other raw things. But who would do such a thing to you? For a saintly person like you, even if someone thinks such a thing, then he is a demon.
HIR: It could be for a number of reasons, because of raw mercury, and there are other things which can have a similar effect. But who would do such a thing to you, I cannot understand. Anyone who could even consider doing such a thing to a divine personality like yourself is a rakshasa.
(SKIP)
Page 359, still the 9th.
301: Tamal Krishna: Srila Prabhupada? You said before that you… that it is said that you were poisoned?
302: Srila Prabhupada: No. These kind of symptoms are seen when a man is poisoned. He said like that, not that I am poisoned.
303: Tamal Krishna: Did anyone tell you that, or you just know it from before?
304: Srila Prabhupada: I read something.
305: Tamal Krishna: Ah, I see. That's why actually we cannot allow anyone to cook for you.
306: Srila Prabhupada: That's good.
307: Tamal Krishna: Jayapataka Maharaj was telling that one acharya, Sankaracharya, of the Sankarachary line - this is a while ago - he was poisoned to death. Since that time, none of the acharyas or the gurus of the Sankaracharya line will ever take any food cooked except by their own men.
308: Srila Prabhupada: My Guru Maharaj also.
309: Tamal Krishna: Oh. You, of course, have been so merciful that sometimes you would take prasada cooked by so many different people.
310: Srila Prabhupada: That should be stopped. (pause)
311: Tamal Krishna: Are you feeling any pain, Srila Prabhupada? ...Should we again continue some kirtan...? (Hansadutta leads kirtan)
Page 366. Tape 19, Side B. Afternoon or evening, November 10, 1977.
Summary: There is discussion about Srila Prabhupada's condition. The pulse was strong, blood pressure normal, liver was working, and the kaviraja says that from the pathological point of view, there is nothing wrong. ("General condition good.") This is now the 10th, not the 9th.
Page 367. November 10, 1977.
401: Tamal Krishna: But what did Prabhupada just say?
402: Bhakticharu: Prabhupada just said that I mean, this morning his condition was bad, not now.
403: Bhavananda: Prabhupada was complaining of mental distress this morning also.
404: Bhakticharu: Srila Prabhupada?
405: Srila Prabhupada: Hm?
406: Bhakticharu: Ota ki byapar hoyechilo, mental distress?
NAV & HIR: What was that all about, mental distress?
407: (Some noise)
408: Srila Prabhupada: Hm hm.
409: Kaviraja: Boliye, boliye.
NAV: Say it. Say it.
HIR: Go ahead, say it. (COMMENT: Does Srila Prabhupada not want to talk about it?. It seems that He needs to be pushed.)
410: Srila Prabhupada: Vahi bat... je koi hamko poison kiya.
NAV: That same thing I said, that someone has poisoned me.
411: Bhakticharu: Accha. [not surprised; unclear (Hindi to Kaviraja?)] ... unhi socna...
HIR: He's thinking...
412: Bhavananda: [to Bhakticharu] Hmm?
413: Kaviraja: dekhiye, bat hi hai, ki koi rakshas ne diya ho.
HIR: Look, this is the thing, that maybe some rakshasa gave him poison...
414: Bhakticharu [to Bhavananda and others]: He's saying that someone gave him poison.
415: Kaviraja: Caru Swami, Kisi rakshas ne diya ho, to ho sakta hai. Impossible nahin hai. Vah Sankaracarya je, kisine unko poison diya, che mahinon ke bad, tabhi to taklif paye. Kanc hai na, botal ka kanc, vah pis ke khane men khila diya to. To, usko kya natija hua, barah maine ke bad, uske leprosy hua sab sarir ke andar. To karam to apna ko bhogta hai. Jo medicine ham de rakha hai, yadi koi uska effect hoga poison to reh nahin sakta hai, guaranteed bolta hai. Jo bhi affected hoga, to reh nahin sakta hai. Kintu abhi to ham pakar nahin sakta usko jo diya hua hai. Vahki pakarta hai jiska abhi kidney kharab ho gaya, kisi karan se, bimari se ho jay, kisi greh se ho jay ya poison se.
NAV: It is possible some demon has given it. It is not impossible. Just like Sankaracharya was poisoned over six months with powdered glass, etc. But the poisoner after twelve months got leprosy… one has to suffer one's karma. But whatever medicine I've given will counteract either the effect of bad planets or poison on the body. Now we cannot catch who may have poisoned. And if his kidneys are bad from disease, curse or poison, my medicine will counteract.
HIR: Caru Swami, some rakshasa might have given it, maybe so. It's not impossible. Someone gave poison to Sankaracharya for six months before he started to suffer. [The poisoner] ground glass, you know, bottle glass, and mixed it with his food. So what happened to him [the poisoner] as a result was that after twelve months, his entire body was covered with leprosy. So, you have to suffer the results of your actions. But whatever medicine I have given will, if it has an effect the poison will not be able to stay. That is guaranteed. Whatever it has affected, it will not be able to stay. But we cannot now catch the fellow who gave the poison. No matter what reason his kidneys are bad, whether from disease, planets or poison, my medicine will counteract it."
416: Tamal Krishna: Prabhupada was thinking that someone had poisoned him.
417: Bhakticharu: Yes.
418: Tamal Krishna: That was the mental distress.
419: Bhakticharu: Yes.
420: Kaviraja: Yadi bolta hai, to kuch na kuch sac hi hai, koi sandeh nahin.
NAV: If he says that, there must be some truth to it. There's no doubt.
HIR: If he says that, there must definitely be some truth to it.
421: Tamal Krishna: What did kaviraja just say?
422: Bhakticharu: He said that when Srila Prabhupada is saying that, there must be something truth behind it.
423: Tamal Krishna: Tssh.
HIR: (COMMENT: Surprise and serious.)
424: Jayapataka: What did the kaviraja say about Sankaracarya?
425: (People all speaking at once)
426: Bhakticharu: Someone gave him some poison powdered glass...
427: Kaviraja [to whom?]: (Somewhat unclear.)
HIR: (He appears to be saying that he will give Srila Prabhupada a certain medicine to be taken with pan, cold water or milk and the results will be seen in the morning.)
Continued on Page 368:
501: Tamal Krishna: Srila Prabhupada, Sastriji says that there must be some truth to it if you say that. So who is it that has poisoned?
502: (PAUSE: 13 seconds)
Why did He not answer?
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: Srila Prabhupada never answered Tamal Krishna's question. Why? From November 10 till 14, a total of four days, not one disciple raised the issue again? Why? Did no one take Srila Prabhupada seriously anymore? END COMMENT
503: Kaviraja: Sabse bara poison je hota hai, vah mercury ka hota hai.
NAV: The strongest poison is mercury.
HIR: Mercury is the most poisonous thing that exists..
504: Bhakticharu: [Diya] gaya tha inka oi jo. [?]
HIR: which was given to him [Prabhupada]
505: Kaviraja: Nahin nahin. Swarupa Guha ka... ap parha tha, swamiji? Kalkatta men... Swarupa Guha.
NAV & HIR: No, no. Swamiji, did you read about Svarupa Guha? In Calcutta.
506: Bhakticharu: Unko malum nahin. Unko nahin patta.
HIR: He known nothing of this. He has never heard.
507: Kaviraja: Us ke pati ne diya tha. Uska koi medicine nahin ata. Itne dose de diya jisko ham raskapoor bolta hai.
NAV: The husband poisoned the wife, gave a dose of raskapoor. There is no medicine for it.
HIR: Her husband gave it to her. He gave her a dose of a poison called raskapoor, for which there is no medicine.
508: Bhakticharu: Accha. Mercury is men tha, makaradhvaj men.
NAV: Mercury was in the makharadhvaja.
HIR: Right. Mercury was in this makaradhvaj.
509: ??: Before that.
510: Kaviraja: Uska dusra… Ras kapoor. Amiras.[Beng] tate poison ache.
NAV: No, no. Not that mercury. Another form of mercury.
511: Bhavananda: What did he say?
512: Bhakticharu: He's saying that it is quite possible that mercury, it's a kind of poison...
513: Tamal Krishna (Both NAV & HIR agree this is not Bhagatji): That makharadhvaja.
514: Bhakticharu: No, he's saying not that.
515: Kaviraja: Seta very poison.
NAV: It is very poison.
516: Bhakticharu: Makaradhvaj aisha hota hai, kya?
No translation available
517: Bhavananda: What was he taking, Prabhupada?
518: Kaviraja: Makharadhvaja to amrit hota hai. In ke liye bish hota hai, yah bat dusri hai. Baki vah to sab ke liye poson hota hai.
NAV: Makharadhvaja is like nectar, although not suitable for him. But that (raskapoor) is poison for everybody.
HIR: Makharadhvaja is like nectar, but for him it is poison. The other ones are poison for everyone.
519: Bhavananda: What medicine was he taking before that?
520: Bhakticharu: Kon sa (?)
521: Bhavananda: Jagen (?)
522: Bhakticharu: (repeating Bhavananda) (?)
523: Kaviraja: Kuch nahin.
No translation available
524: Bhakticharu: He was referring to a case, a big murder case, in Calcutta. The husband poisoned the wife...
525: Bhavananda: Guha, yes.
526: Kaviraja: Swarupa Guha, ami uska case...
No translation available
527: Bhakticharu: Sankar Das Banerjee.
528: Bhavananda: Oh, yes. Our lawyer is the...
529: Tamal Krishna: Bhagatji doesn't think...
530: Kaviraja: Yah inka sarir aisha hai jo bajr ki nai hai jo hajar kuto, to kuch nahi hone ko.
HIR: But his [Prabhupada's?] body is such that it is like a thunderbolt. You can beat it a thousand times, but nothing will happen.
531: Bhakticharu: Bhagavan jisko raksha karta hai, vaise to Prahlad Maharaj ko bhi to...
NAV: When the Lord protects, just like Prahlad Maharaj…
HIR: If God protects someone, then just like Prahlad Maharaj..."
532: Kaviraja: Swamiji, mujhe ek sloka alap hota hai, je:
araksitam tisthati daiva-raksitam suraksitam daiva-hatam vinasyati
jivaty anatho 'pi vane visarjata krtaprayatno 'pi grhe na jivati
Ap to siddhang hain, Maharaj, to isliye koi sanka nahi rakhna.
HIR: Swamiji. I know a Sanskrit verse about this: 'Without protection, one remains fixed if protected by fate, whereas one who protects himself but is condemned by fate is destroyed. Without a protector, one person can live carelessly alone in the forest, whereas another takes all precautions in his home, and still dies.' You know this truth, Maharaj, so don't be afraid.
533: Tamal Krishna: No poison is strong enough to stop the Harinam, Srila Prabhupada.
534: Kaviraja: Bas. [in agreement] Harinam ke samne, to Meera ko kitna poison diya gaya tha. Ek bund par jane se admi ka death ho jay. So bhagavan ke prasad lag jata ta hai, na, to poison bhi amrit ho jata hai.
NAV: Don't doubt Meera drank so much poison; one drop could have killed, but because it was the Lord's prasad, nothing happened to her. Even poison when offered to the Lord becomes nectar.
HIR: Right. Before the Holy Name... How much poison was given to Meera, a single drop was enough to kill a man. So if prasad is taken with it, then even poison becomes nectar.
535: Unknown: Prahlad Maharaj.
536: Bhakticharu: Prahlad Maharaj.
537: Kaviraja: Prahlad se jyada poison diya tha halahal iska Meera ko. Itne jabardast banaya lo.
NAV: More than Prahlad, Meera was given such strong poison.
HIR: An even stronger poison was given to Meera than to Prahlad. It was made so strong!
538: Srila Prabhupada: [sighs, breathes]
539: Kaviraja: Jaisha allopathy men ek poison ata jiska taste aj tak koi bata nahin saka.
NAV: Allopathic poison even till today nobody can tell the taste.
HIR: In allopathic medicine there are some poisons that nobody can recognize the taste of.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: Is the kaviraja speculating that an allopathic poison is involved? Tamal then puts an end to these talks. END COMMENT
540: Tamal Krishna: You want some more kirtan Srila Prabhupada? Lokanath can lead. Lokanath, you lead!
Dr. Brzezinski (Hiranyagarbha das) makes these comments: (He studied tapes 18, 19, 20 thoroughly and the previous 17 not as thoroughly):
It is in the beginning of tape #18 in which Prabhupada says both in Hindi and Bengali that he has been poisoned, and later on in the same conversation, the kaviraja asks him to explain what he meant. This is followed by a discussion of astrology in which the kaviraja and Bhakticharu try to convince Prabhupada that he will live for another ten years. This I believe is significant, as it gives a connection between the "I read it somewhere" and what the kaviraja and Bhakticharu believe is going on in Prabhupada 's mind.
There is a short section in which the kaviraja again asks about whether he has had any abhas, or "inkling, hunch, idea, hint, appearance, semblance; impression"; more likely "indication, symptom, evidence" of being poisoned. Prabhupada answers, "no, but that he read somewhere that this is how it happens." The kaviraja is grappling with the idea of possible poisons; he must be thinking in terms of what poisons could be having the effects of which Prabhupada is complaining.
A third portion comes on the next day, (Folio says 8th, tape says 9th, but is really the 10th) This long piece can be divided into two sections, before and after Tamal's significant question. First, Prabhupada says that he is feeling alright. The kaviraja also says that Prabhupada 's body is functioning properly according to pathological tests (heart, blood pressure, etc.). The physical pain was "us samay hua tha" which is unclear. Is he talking about that morning or another time? This leads into discussion of mental distress, which refers back to the morning, confirming that stomach pain was being experienced in the morning.
Tamal asked his significant question which results in a silent pause of 13 seconds; Prabhupada does not answer. Why? The kaviraja then jumps in with a description of the effects of various poisons and the story of Svarupa Guha. When Bhakticharu suggests that mercury was present in makharadhvaja, something which Tamal also suggests, the kaviraja says that he is not talking about that, but about raskapoor which had been used by Svarupa Guha's husband. The kaviraja may have had some involvement with that case. Bhakticharu presses about the makharadhvaja and the kaviraja answers that makharadhvaja is amrita (nectar), but that in Prabhupada's specific case it was poison; but that raskapoor is poisonous for everyone. It is clear that the kaviraja has NOT been giving Prabhupada makharadhvaja and is waiting until the kidneys are stronger before prescribing it.
The conversation then turns again to Sankaracharya not accepting food cooked by others than his own men. Prabhupada makes a noise during the talk about Mirabhai and allopathic poisons, indicating discomfort.
I have gone through the lengthy conversations which precede the Nov. 9-10 period with an eye to important Hindi and Bengali conversations and also to better understand the context of Prabhupada's comments. The following things have come to my attention.
The word poisoning comes up on Oct. 18, when Bhavananda on two occasions talks about infection as poisoning. This is related to the kidney condition and certain symptoms, such as blood and pus in the urine. On Oct. 25, a kaviraja from Delhi, through Chandra Swami, sends 48 doses of makharadhvaja brought by Satadhanya. Tamal Krishna and Bhakticharu take charge of administering this medicine. On Oct. 26, already, Prabhupada says that this medicine is "not acting," and "In this condition I do not wish to live," even though the devotees seem to notice a positive effect.
On Oct. 27, Prabhupada has diarrhea five times. The word poison comes up again. Tamal says: "That medicine turned out to be poison.". They blame the kaviraja for being a Sakta. In connection with this same medicine, Prabhupada uses the expression janiya suniya bis khainu. This is after only having taken two doses. Tamal suggests that Prabhupada "take rest from the other thing that he has taken," i.e., stop taking the makharadhvaja. It is revealed that Dr. G. Ghosh, who is 82, a respected allopathic doctor from Allahabad, had said that any medicine which contains mercury and arsenic is poison to him. So the idea of poison has been floated about by the time of November 9th. (A long Hindi conversation follows that should be translated.)
Tamal says that the problems Prabhupada was having were due to makharadhvaja. Bhavananda reports that in Prabhupada's condition, makharadhvaja would be poison. This is apparently the kaviraja's opinion also. Makharadhvaja is too strong a medicine for someone in Prabhupada's condition and therefore alternative medicines are being given,. such as vrkkasan jivani.
AUTHOR'S COMMENTS:
Some questions naturally arise after hearing these conversations. First, we note that Srila Prabhupada did NOT raise the issue with his disciples, but first Balaram Mishra, whom Srila Prabhupada had probably not seen for many years, and the kaviraja, both outsiders. We must wonder why he didn't take the issue up with His Western disciples? Was Srila Prabhupada deliberately avoiding His own disciples because they were the ones poisoning Him? (Note: the poison whispers occur on the 11th, not 10th)
Srila Prabhupada first says that someone has said that someone has poisoned Him. He then clarifies by saying "all these friends" were saying this, meaning perhaps His disciples or those in the room. Did Srila Prabhupada overhear the same kinds of poison whisperings that we do on the 11th? Asked by Tamal, Srila Prabhupada denies knowing who has done the poisoning. Then, asked by the kaviraja, Srila Prabhupada says that He has the symptoms of poisoning, as may be described in some book. Asked by Tamal again, Srila Prabhupada denied being poisoned and again notes that He has all the symptoms of one who has been poisoned. It is agreed that no one would cook for Srila Prabhupada except His own disciples, lest there be poisoning as in the case of a Sankaracharya guru. This shows real concern about real poisoning, not just an observation of a coincidence of symptoms. Then, the next day, November 10, Srila Prabhupada tells the kaviraja and Bhakticharu in Hindi again, clearly, that He has been poisoned. A long discussion takes place about various poisons and a Calcutta poison and murder case. Apparently Tamal, Jayapataka, Bhakticharu and Bhavananda had previously discussed several poisoning cases with each other, being very familiar with all the details of these cases. Is it any wonder we suspect them?
At the time, Srila Prabhupada's shocking statements created nothing more than a temporary buzz of conversation. It is more than slightly puzzling and rather disturbing how Srila Prabhupada's disciples, particularly the main caretaker and Srila Prabhupada's secretary Tamal Krishna, did not pursue the matter aside from a few questions. No qualified doctor was consulted in the next five days before Srila Prabhupada's departure to check on the poisoning matter, nor was any autopsy or test of any kind (hair, urine, blood, etc) performed before or upon after Srila Prabhupada's departure. Srila Prabhupada flatly stated three times that He was being poisoned, yet no one did a thing to validate that statement, what to speak of protecting Srila Prabhupada. At the end of about fifteen minutes of intense discussion about Srila Prabhupada being poisoned, the conclusion was that Tamal Krishna asked Lokanath to lead another kirtan, since no poison is stronger than the Holy Name. End of discussion, until 1997 and now, in this book.
Questioned by Tamal Krishna Goswami (301), Srila Prabhupada says "He said like that" (meaning the kaviraja ?), "Not that I am poisoned." By this statement to his disciples he sort of denies he is being poisoned. Yet, Srila Prabhupada discusses this with the kaviraja the very next day, and again speaks to him in Hindi, stating very frankly "someone has poisoned me." The fact that Srila Prabhupada spoke openly to the kaviraja about being poisoned and not to the devotees again leaves us to wonder. We see that Srila Prabhupada obviously did not care to speak with his disciples on the matter as Tamal Krishna's last question about his statement is met with a long 13 seconds of silence before the conversation turned elsewhere. Prabhupada obviously could have named his suspects at that time, but he declined, and this mystery can only be answered by a poisoner's confessions. Yet Srila Prabhupada must have intended to reveal the fact that he thought he was being poisoned because it was He who first brought it up.
Today many who hear these statements are shocked, and also by the apparent lack of alarm by those who were around Prabhupada at that time. Some have suggested the idea that Srila Prabhupada's references to being poisoned was a result of senility, dying hallucinations, or incoherent ramblings due to the delirium of pain which may have caused him to say anything. Dying hallucinations? The kaviraja clearly didn't think so. His opinion was that if Srila Prabhupada said it, it must be true. Further, witness the clarity of thought expressed by Prabhupada throughout this time period. Pradyumna das assisted Srila Prabhupada with translation of the Srimad Bhagavatam and he tells of how Srila Prabhupada translated until just days before his leaving. Anyone who reads those final purports can understand that Srila Prabhupada was lucid, and focused. He could understand Sanskrit verses just by listening, and he then spoke the purport into a microphone held by Pradyumna. Yet Tamal and Bhavananda tried to explain away Srila Prabhupada's statements as due to "mental distress," pooh-poohing the seriousness and importance of them.
Srila Prabhupada's statements were ignored and brushed aside, and then covered in the dust kicked up by the mad rush of disciples to divide the world and take Srila Prabhupada's place as absolute gurus. But now, by Krishna's design, this information has re-emerged from 22 years of obscurity, almost lost. Those concerned about a capital crime being committed, including those who have devotion to Srila Prabhupada, His contribution and His movement, would serve their conscience well by participating in the search for the truth about Srila Prabhupada's poisoning. END COMMENT
We conclude with an excerpt from ISKCON's answer to the Poison CD that never was, May 1998: "These translations and transcripts do in any case reveal a confusing scenario. Srila Prabhupada indicates first to Tamal that he had the symptoms of someone poisoned, not that he was being poisoned. Later he states more positively that he thinks he is being poisoned. ...we may never know exactly what was in Srila Prabhupada's mind, or how seriously he took the suggestion that someone was poisoning him..." (see Appendix 21)
CHAPTER 17:
INTRODUCTION TO 1977 HEALTH BIOGRAPHY
On his taped memories of Srila Prabhupada, Tamal Krishna Goswami recalls that Srila Prabhupada developed a "cold" in New Vrindaban during His visit there June 22 to July 2, 1976. Tamal states that this cold marked the onset of poor health, which he observed when Srila Prabhupada came to visit New York on July 9. However, Srila Prabhupada first became ill on May 4, 1976 in Hawaii, the day after Tamal arrived there to discuss with Srila Prabhupada the futility of his directive to go to China. By the time Srila Prabhupada was leaving New York on July 20 for Europe and India, Satsvarupa's biography describes:
"Srila Prabhupada's health was worsening, as often happened when he traveled extensively. Particularly in New York his health began to suffer… Senior devotees entreated him to rest awhile before going to England and India. He had spent a very pleasant day at the ISKCON farm in Pennsylvania, and the devotees suggested he go there for two or three months to rest, recover his health, and write."
Satsvarupa recounts that there were daily pleas for Srila Prabhupada to stay, including on the last day in New York. "…even as he left his room and got on the elevator, a few men followed, still suggesting he not go… Srila Prabhupada had remained jolly so far, despite his physical weakness, and despite his disciples' pleading…" Srila Prabhupada then said, "I want the benediction to go on fighting for Krishna, just like Arjuna." (Sat:6.208)
Tamal states on a tape recording that Srila Prabhupada "never fully recovered" from His New York illness. (Tamal Krishna Goswami was GBC of New York temple at the time.) Hari Sauri's diary better describes the New York illness than did Satsvarupa's biography. Srila Prabhupada became very ill within hours of leaving New York, remaining ill for the next month in Europe. After recovering from the July-August illness, there were no more serious health problems until January 1977. But by the time Tamal went to Mayapur in February 1977, Srila Prabhupada was even more weak than when he had last seen Him in New York.
From Satsvarupa Goswami's biography we read of vague health problems prior to 1977, such as swelling of the hands and feet, that were aggravated by old age and the rigors of constant travelling and preaching engagements. Satsvarupa notes that Srila Prabhupada was supposedly mildly diabetic, although there is no available officially rendered diagnosis to this effect. Perhaps this notion comes from the 1967 visit to Bellevue Hospital at the time of Srila Prabhupada's heart attack. He had no significant heart troubles since the attacks of 1965 and 1967. He had the usual colds and occasional bronchitis, and briefly became very ill in Vrindaban in 1974. Srila Prabhupada was very regulated and deliberate in His eating habits to maintain optimum digestion and health. He received massages daily and took regular morning walks for His good health.
In TKG's Diary, Srila Prabhupada's health and medical condition is not clearly defined, except with vague and contradictory so-called diagnoses, such as "internal fever", which makes no sense whatsoever. At the end of Tamal's book, we are left confused as to what illness had befallen Srila Prabhupada. To illustrate the point, see Chapter 42: Parade of Doctors, Treatments, and Mis-Diagnoses. On November 5, 1997, Abhiram Prabhu published a letter on the internet giving a summary of his knowledge and experience as Srila Prabhupada's nurse, but it also is very limited. The diagnosis therein of dropsy is also completely inadequate. Dropsy is a kidney disease, which we will see only partially explains Srila Prabhupada's medical condition.( See Chapters, 18, 32 )
Srila Prabhupada's 1977 medical history is poorly documented and recorded, and though He was seen by a "parade" of allopathic and Ayurvedic physicians, many of their names and most of their treatments are unknown. Satsvarupa's biography is cursory, giving only the briefest health information. In Satsvarupa's and Tamal's accounts, we read of periodic downturns in health and of general symptoms like swelling and no appetite, of various unspecified pills, tonics and of dark sunglasses. Thus the whole matter seems a little mysterious and more than a little frustrating.
Specifically, what was Srila Prabhupada suffering from? Kidney problems? What was the specific disease or ailment, and what was its cause? To study Srila Prabhupada's physical symptoms and thus be able to diagnose His illness, this author has compiled information from all available sources into one synthesized health biography, contained in the following chapters.
We will see that Srila Prabhupada certainly had kidney problems, but also that He clearly had all the signs of chronic arsenic poisoning. The coming chapters will illustrate the difference between kidney disease and arsenic poisoning, and demonstrate that both conditions were present in Srila Prabhupada's body, judging from the symptoms chronicled in a composite and lengthy health history from May 1976 to November 1977.
A review of the health history of Srila Prabhupada in 1977, presented in Chapters 20 through 31, lends the impression of a band-aid approach to health care coupled with a resolute avoidance of any qualified medical attention or evaluation. There was no coherent or intelligent approach to dealing with Srila Prabhupada's health problems. Understandably, Srila Prabhupada would be cautious in dealing with hospitals and doctors, as the Western medical profession can just as easily ruin one's health as well as restore it. Nevertheless, sufficient funds and contacts were available to procure a wide choice of qualified and cooperative doctors without being subjected to injections and operations. Instead, the horrors and defects of modern medicine were repeatedly described to Srila Prabhupada in what almost seems to be a determined attempt to steer Srila Prabhupada AWAY from any proper medical attention. Why? Was there something to conceal that only modern Western medical techniques could discover? Tamal was especially emphatic is discouraging the use of doctors and medicines, a fact that can be seen clearly in the Conversations Books but not in TKG's Diary.
It is ironic that 22 years after Srila Prabhupada was repeatedly discouraged by Tamal Krishna from availing Himself of proper medical attention that Tamal himself, through modern medicine, was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. On January 26, 1999, Tamal employed the best doctors and surgical procedures in a modern Western hospital in the hope of becoming cured. (it seems he was) Why did Tamal not take the advice he gave to Srila Prabhupada, and go to Vrindaban to chant and die out of distrust in Western medicine and doctors? Why the apparent double standard?
At the best, it appears that Srila Prabhupada's caretakers stood by helplessly, perhaps even somewhat uselessly, while Srila Prabhupada withered away due to misunderstood health problems and a series of contradictory mis-diagnoses. It might seem farfetched that the avoidance of modern medicine was deliberate and necessary to prevent detection of the real cause of Srila Prabhupada's declining health, namely poisoning. Yet, that is what this book is about; and such a conclusion may not be so crazy after all. Indeed, very unfortunately, it appears to be all too true.
From the accounts available, Srila Prabhupada was already in a weakened condition on February 26, when the first and very serious attack of 1977 illness occurred. Thereafter, the grave worsening of Srila Prabhupada's health was marked by a series of abrupt, repeated, and sudden downturns, in May, July, September and October, illustrated in a later graph. Each downturn brought increased weakness and inability to eat or digest food.
We can understand that Srila Prabhupada most probably had weak kidneys, but, as we shall see in the health biography, there were physical symptoms not consistent with kidney disease, diabetes or poor digestion, the 3 ailments offered to explain Srila Prabhupada's poor health in His last year.
Abhiram Prabhu, who served Srila Prabhupada as his nurse from July 25 through October 16, 1977, notes that Prabhupada was actively involved in his own health care. He has said that much to the chagrin of those closely involved, Srila Prabhupada's approach was to accept the help of anyone who came forward with sincere goodwill, apparently accepting that such a person was sent by Krishna for that purpose. Hari Sauri also offers his analysis on this subject in Appendix 21. Nevertheless, it remains clear Srila Prabhupada was serious about restoring His health. This is evidenced by His calling for certain doctors from His past and how He remembered or invented medicines and treatments to use in the pursuit of improved health. He was, though, more inclined towards natural and Ayurvedic procedures and cures.
Throughout 1977, Srila Prabhupada primarily entrusted His health care to His servants, depending on their best judgment and arrangements. Although He would sometimes initiate some action regarding His health, generally Srila Prabhupada abided by the recommendations and decisions of Tamal Krishna, and, to a lesser extent, His other servants and the GBC members. This was especially true later in 1977. The GBC meetings and decisions regarding Srila Prabhupada's health were compliant with Tamal's emphasis on avoidance of doctors and real medical attention.
The summary is that Tamal alone directed to a great degree the course of Srila Prabhupada's health care in 1977. Tamal filtered the news, the letters, the guests. Tamal ruled the situation with a strong hand and he was firmly situated as Srila Prabhupada's guardian, advisor, and personal secretary. Tamal was more or less in control, at least from an external perspective. He had great latitude in charting and steering the course of Srila Prabhupada's health care, travel plans and interaction with the outside world of devotees, guests and doctors.
Aside from the written sources available, further information about Srila Prabhupada's physical symptoms was obtained from the recollections of individual devotees, such as Dristadyumna, Udayananda, Bhagwat, Sura, Pradyumna, and others. Most information was accumulated from the Conversations Books, based on actual tape recordings of Srila Prabhupada. These recorded room conversations provided many details and "the rest of the story" in many incidents poorly or not chronicled by Tamal or Satsvarupa.
Each remedy that was undertaken to restore Srila Prabhupada's health, however, produced no lasting results. Adridharana, in a recorded interview (which was stolen and ended up with the GBC), recalled feeling a mood of frustration with these various and ineffective health care attempts. Some, including Adridharana, had hoped a qualified doctor would be found who would be able to treat Srila Prabhupada consistently until cured. There had already been a parade of various practitioners, (see Chapter 42) some good, some bad, all who came and went, and the treatments and medicines also came and went. Adridharana located and brought the last kaviraja to treat Srila Prabhupada at the end of October 1977. Despite the stellar qualifications of the last kaviraja, his treatments were ineffective, either because he was too late or he had mis-diagnosed the ailment. It was both.
Why was each new treatment soon discontinued, one after another? Why were there adverse reactions almost EVERY time Srila Prabhupada began a new treatment? The result was the repeated rejection of doctors, medicines and treatments, one after another. Bhavananda and Tamal were "relieved" that Srila Prabhupada decided to die peacefully, without further botheration with "the struggle to live." Could something unknown to us have caused those adverse reactions, besides the various medicines themselves? Or is it an odd coincidence? (see Chapter 40 )
Gradually Srila Prabhupada's health deteriorated and He finally decided to finish his pastimes in this world on November 14, 1977. We now know there was a poisoning of Srila Prabhupada, (see Chapter 33 ) which, of course, occurred only by the sanction of the Supreme Lord. Srila Prabhupada may or may not have been aware of it earlier than November. (see Appendix 18 ) We know Srila Prabhupada knew that He was being poisoned because He said exactly that a few days before His disappearance.
The final pastimes of Srila Prabhupada have very much of the flavor of Jesus Christ's crucifixion, where the pure devotee willingly accepts the Lord's arrangement without protest. Srila Prabhupada may have known that He was being poisoned throughout 1977, and the absence of His protest or an earlier acknowledgement to this effect can be understood as His surrender to Krishna's plan, while, out of His boundless mercy, still accepting service from those who were His poisoners.
As stated before, the symptoms of Srila Prabhupada's illness in 1977 are recorded in bits and pieces in various publications. The information from all sources was combined into one comprehensive, synthesized health biography by this author in Chapters 20 through 31. This synoptic chronicling provides a sound basis for evaluation and diagnosis of Srila Prabhupada's illness by symptom analysis.
We understand that Srila Prabhupada had weak or problematic kidneys long before His serious 1977 illness. Did Srila Prabhupada have the symptoms of kidney disease in 1977? Yes. But were there additional symptoms which are not found in kidney disease? Yes, again. Kidney disease symptoms are described in Chapter 18, and upon examination, we can ascertain quite positively that there was more going on with Srila Prabhupada than simply kidney disease. Although the symptoms indicate that Srila Prabhupada had kidney problems, there are many symptoms which must be attributed to some other cause, and this book establishes that other cause to be chronic arsenic poisoning.
The same process used to ascertain the correct diagnosis of Srila Prabhupada's illness by examination of physical symptoms is applied to diabetes in Appendix 7. Diabetes symptoms do NOT match the symptoms that Srila Prabhupada displayed, as there are several diabetes symptoms which Srila Prabhupada positively did not display, such as obesity and excessive hunger. There is definitely some other cause besides diabetes which is producing the kind of symptoms that Srila Prabhupada had. This book shows that cause to be chronic arsenic poisoning.
A complete and summary analysis of symptoms will be made after the health history, in Chapter 32. First, however, we will study the symptoms of kidney disease and arsenic poisoning. In this way, when the reader progresses to the health history in Chapters 20 - 31, he will know what to recognize as attributable to kidney disease, arsenic poisoning, or both.
CHAPTER 18:
KIDNEY DISEASE SYMPTOMS
In studying the various types of kidney disease, it becomes clear that Srila Prabhupada did not display the symptoms of urethritis, cystitis, kidney injury, cysts, tumors, kidney stones, bladder stones, or acute kidney failure. We do see that a general diagnosis of some sort of kidney disease, failure, or malfunction is reasonably synonymous with Srila Prabhupada's symptoms. The types of kidney disease which Srila Prabhupada may have had, judging by His physical symptoms, are as follows:
1. Uremia
2. Pyelo-nephritis
3. Glomerulo-nephritis
4. Chronic kidney failure
5. End-stage kidney failure
(And all of which, it is to be noted, can be caused by arsenic poisoning).
DROPSY
Srila Prabhupada was diagnosed as having dropsy, but this is a very shallow understanding the true nature of His ailment. Dropsy is another name for edema, or the swelling of the body due to kidney malfunctioning. Dropsy is more a symptom than a disease, and, as we shall see from a full examination of Srila Prabhupada's physical symptoms, in no way fully describes Srila Prabhupada's condition in 1977. It should be noted that dropsy can be the result of either arsenic poisoning or kidney disease.
Kidney disease can be caused by diabetes, drug abuse, high blood pressure, and among other things, poisoning by heavy metals. Chronic, or gradual, kidney failure may show few or no symptoms at first. Mild or moderate kidney failure may show only mild symptoms, and much damage usually has occurred before the symptoms become very apparent. The metabolic waste product called urea increases in the blood due to the inability of the kidneys to eliminate it from the body. Nephritis (infection of or damage to the kidneys) causes swelling of the body, called edema.
A list of the kidney disease symptoms that Srila Prabhupada displayed in 1977 are given in the next chapter. Kidney disease symptoms are remarkably similar to those of chronic arsenic poisoning, with one distinguishing feature. That feature is that arsenic poisoning will often produce additional symptoms not reconcilable with kidney disease. Those symptoms unique to chronic arsenic poisoning were clearly observed in Srila Prabhupada's 1977 health history, and are described in Chapters 20-31. Further, when the symptoms of chronic arsenic poisoning are confirmed by an actual hair analysis, as has been done (see Chapter 33), then there can be no doubt of the accuracy of this diagnosis. These two corroborating pieces of evidence, coupled with much other corroborating evidence, leaves little doubt.
What we observe in Srila Prabhupada's physical symptoms is this:
1. All of His symptoms are compatible with arsenic poisoning.
2. Many of His symptoms are incompatible with kidney disease.
If we had found that all the symptoms matched kidney disease and many were incompatible with arsenic poisoning, it would be a whole different story. But that was not the case. Therefore, chronic arsenic poisoning is the correct diagnosis without doubt. Remember, arsenic poisoning causes kidney disease or aggravates it when already present. A good example to keep in mind is a comparison of how high cholesterol foods cause heart disease, and similarly, arsenic will cause kidney disease.
Various types of kidney ailments display symptoms quite different from each other. For example, chronic kidney failure does not produce the swelling or edema characteristic to nephritis. Even so, kidney ailments are often "complex" and more than one disorder is commonly present. We cannot precisely diagnose which kind of kidney ailment Srila Prabhupada may have had, due to the complication of arsenic intoxication and lack of medical tests.
In the next chapter, all the kidney disease symptoms that were observed in Srila Prabhupada are listed in Section One, numbering 24 in total. They are all also symptoms of arsenic poisoning. The truth is that many of these 24 symptoms may have been solely due to arsenic poisoning and had nothing to do with the particular kidney ailment that Srila Prabhupada had. Even though many of these 24 symptoms probably were produced by arsenic poisoning, since they are also synonymous with kidney disease, they do not in themselves establish arsenic poisoning. For example, no appetite may very well have been due to arsenic and not kidney problems. But, to make a conservative scientific presentation, these symptoms have been placed on the list of joint kidney/arsenic symptoms. (namely Section One)
Nevertheless, we still have a separate list (Section Two) of 21 additional symptoms which are unique only to arsenic poisoning. Altogether, therefore, there are 45 symptoms of arsenic poisoning, which makes a very strong diagnosis. We find an overwhelming case for arsenic poisoningwhen we judge from both Section One and Two (listed in next chapter) of the symptoms.
As Srila Prabhupada had a history for years of some swelling in His extremities, it is very likely that He did have some kidney disability or disease, which became much worse in 1977. Abhiram's reference to back-pressure of urine causing damage to the kidneys (Appendix 4 )does not invalidate or contradict an arsenic poisoning scenario; it is wholly compatible with a case of chronic arsenic poisoning. The point is that the condition of His kidneys was aggravated and made worse, if not outright caused, by the arsenic poisoning. Until now it was easy to mis-diagnose Srila Prabhupada's 1977 ailment as simply "kidney problems". However, the new evidence presented in this publication proves it was chronic arsenic poisoning.
CHAPTER 19:
ARSENIC POISONING SYMPTOMS
WHY ARSENIC?
Srila Prabhupada displayed the symptoms of poisoning, as He Himself stated twice. But which poison? There are many poisons which are effective in causing death. The factors which led this author to examine arsenic poisoning as the best match to Srila Prabhupada's symptoms, as studied in His 1977 health history, are as follows:
1. The opinion of an Ayurvedic doctor, Dr. Mehta, detailed below
2. Arsenic is an age-old method of choice for poisoning in politics and intrigue, during the Middle Ages and in India (see Appendix14 )
3. Arsenic is readily available in India
4. The speech reversals (see Chapter 37-38 ) reveal arsenic poisoning
5. It was found that Srila Prabhupada's symptoms were incredibly similar to those of Napoleon
6. Arsenic poisoning is very difficult to recognize, and looks like kidney disease and a normal "old-age" deterioration of physical health
Dr. Mehta, an Ayurvedic physician who lives in Houston, was shown several photographs of Srila Prabhupada during His last days, and he also observed the video documentary of Srila Prabhupada's last months entitled: "The Final Lesson." Dr. Mehta has been a practicing Ayurvedic physician since 1948. His summary comments are:
"The expression and symptoms of the face, the eyes and the manner of speaking indicate to me that Srila Prabhupada was poisoned, most probably by arsenic or mercury. He Himself said that He was poisoned, confirmed by dullness of the face and how the natural color of the body is gone. This is very hard for the average person to understand; only the experienced eye can tell."
Srila Prabhupada, as we shall see, clearly displayed the symptoms of arsenic poisoning, and not simply the symptoms of kidney failure alone. The symptoms of kidney failure were definitely present and are repeatedly observed. There are, however, many other very prominently displayed symptoms which are synonymous with arsenical intoxication, and these symptoms are not found in any condition of kidney disease or diabetes. Let it be stated here again that arsenical intoxication produces kidney malfunction and failure. Thus it is so easy to mistake arsenic poisoning for kidney disease, as many, perhaps about half, of the symptoms are identical or similar.
In consulting with Dr. Stopford of the Duke University Department of Toxicology, it was also confirmed that many of Srila Prabhupada's symptoms cannot be explained by kidney or diabetic diseases, but most surely can be attributed to arsenic poisoning. Symptom analysis is a very critical element of the research into Srila Prabhupada's cause of "death."
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Chronic and acute poisoning differ in that chronic means exposure over a prolonged period of time in smaller amounts and acute is more all at once. Subacute poisoning is in between the two. Because Srila Prabhupada's health declined over ten months, chronic poisoning is compatible with His health history, whereas acute poisoning might apply to the final days and subacute poisoning applies to marked and drastic downturns in His health.
Arsenic is found in nature in low levels, and has been a common environmental contaminant in the twentieth century. In its various chemical forms, it can be highly poisonous and has actually been used for thousands of years for killing others, in political intrigue, revenge, murder, war, and the elimination of perceived enemies. Medicinally, arsenic compounds have been useful in the West at least since the time of Hippocrates in the 5th century BC. In modern times, arsenic has been used to treat skin diseases, anemia, syphilis, and other ailments.
Arsenic is a natural element having both metal and non-metal physical and chemical properties. In its chemical behavior, it resembles nitrogen, phosphorus, antimony and bismuth. In nature it exists as an element, and also in stable compounds, trivalent (-3 or +3) and pentavalent (+5). It binds covalently with most non-metals (notably oxygen and sulfur) and with metals such as cadmium and lead. In biochemical behavior, it resembles phosphorus, competing with phosphorus analogs for chemical binding sites. Toxicity of the various arsenic compounds in mammals extends over a wide range, determined, in part, by unique biochemical actions of each compound, but also by absorbability and efficiency of biotransformation and disposition.
Arsines (gaseous) are most poisonous, followed closely by arsenites and arsenates (inorganic trivalent compounds). Inorganic pentavalent compounds are somewhat less toxic than arsenites, while the organic (methylated) pentavalent compounds incur the least hazard of the arsenicals, with widespread use in pesticides. Inorganic arsenite as arsenic trioxide is the most prevalent natural form and is also the most toxic form of arsenic besides arsine gas. Arsenic metal is thought to be nonpoisonous due to its insolubility in water or bodily fluids. In animals and plants arsenic combines with hydrogen or carbon to make organic compounds.
Pentavalent arsenicals are relatively water soluble and absorbable across mucous membranes, while trivalent arsenicals, having some water solubility but greater lipid (fat) solubility, are more readily absorbed across the skin. The arsenite salts are more soluble in water and are better absorbed than the oxide. Experimental evidence has shown a high degree of gastrointestinal absorption of both trivalent and pentavalent forms of arsenic, most compounds exceeding a 90% absorptive rate. The greatest absorption occurs predominantly in the small intestine and colon.
Goldfrank's text states: "Tasteless and odorless, arsenic is well-absorbed via the gastrointestinal, respiratory, and parenteral routes." Ingestion has been the usual basis of poisoning and gut absorption efficiency depends on: the physical form of the compound, its solubility characteristics, the gastric Ph, gastrointestinal motility, and gut microbial transformations.
Once absorbed, many arsenicals accumulate in and cause extensive toxic injury to cells of the kidney, liver, spleen, lungs, heart, nervous system, blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract, and other tissues. Much smaller amounts accumulate in muscle and neural tissue, but cause great toxic injury there as well. If a victim survives arsenic poisoning after the first few days, the liver and kidneys show degenerative changes.
Two biochemical mechanisms of toxicity are recognized with arsenic:
1. reversible combinations with thiol groups contained in tissue proteins and enzymes
2. substitution of arsenic ions for phosphate in many reactions, including those critical to oxidative phosphorylation.
Arsenic is thought to cause toxicity by combining with sulfhydryl (-SH) enzymes and interfering with cellular metabolism.
Most arsenic compounds are tasteless and odorless. Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) used to be a common cause of accidental poisoning because it is readily available, is practically tasteless, and has the appearance of sugar as a white crystalline powder. Arsenic trioxide, also known as arsenious oxide, white arsenic or simply as arsenic, is extremely toxic as one of the deadliest known poisons, with 60 to 200 milligrams being fatal. This amounts to about 1/300 of an ounce or the weight of one quarter of a 3 by 3 inch post-it note. Arsenic also has been used and is stored around the world for military purposes as a poison gas. Arsenic is extracted from nature by smelting arsenopyrite, found widely around the world.
Children, embryos, the chronically-ill, and the elderly are more sensitive to arsenical intoxication. The type of compound, dosage, health condition and duration of exposure are critical factors. Arsenic compounds are commonly found commercially in treated lumber, wood preservatives, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, dyes, and paints, and is often present in tainted tobacco and some old folk remedies. Tryparsamide, carbasone and arsphenamine are a few arsenic compounds used in medicine to treat ailments such as intestinal parasites, syphilis, psoriasis and dysentery.
In arsenic poisoning, urinalysis may reveal proteinuria, hematuria, and pyuria. Urinary arsenic excretion varies inversely with the postexposure time period, but low-level excretion may continue for months after exposure. In cases of suspected arsenic toxicity in which the urinary arsenic measurements fall below accepted toxic levels, analysis of hair and nails may permit a diagnosis. Because of the high sulfhydryl content of keratin, high concentrations of arsenic are deposited in hair and nails. Chronic ingestion of small amounts of arsenic, as is suspected in the case of Srila Prabhupada's poisoning, result in highest concentrations in hair, nails, and skin, tissues which are rich in cysteine-containing proteins. Chronic accumulation also occurs in the lungs.
Deposition in the proximal portions of hair can be detected within 30 hours of ingestion, and arsenic stays fixed at this site for years (in Napoleon's case, 150 years). Hair grows at a rate of 0.4 mm per day (half inch a month) while nail grows 0.1 mm per day. Total replacement of a fingernail takes 3-4 months while toenails require 6-9 months of growth. Because of its chemical similarity to phosphorus, arsenic is deposited in bone and teeth and is retained there for long periods.
Humans eliminate and detoxify inorganic arsenic by a metabolic process of methylation, yielding cacodylic acid (dimethylarsinic acid) as the chief urinary excretion product. Biomethylation can quickly become saturated, however, the result being the deposition of increasing amounts of arsenic in soft tissues. Otherwise arsenic can be eliminated by many routes (feces, urine, sweat, milk, hair, skin, lungs), although most is excreted in urine. The half-life for urinary excretion is 3 to 5 days, during which time great damage is done to the internal tissues and organs. Another half of the remaining amount is eliminated within another week, the next half-life in another month, etc. Thus after 6 weeks there still remains about 10 to 15 % of the original amount in the urine. Thus repeated doses will begin to accumulate in the body quickly despite the process of elimination. As arsenic takes its toll, the body loses its ability to eliminate it, compounding the toxic accumulation and the rate of internal destruction of tissues and organs.
In single or acute arsenic poisonings, the arsenic is deposited throughout the body in most organs and tissues. If there is chronic poisoning of repeated doses over a long period of time, the efficiency of elimination by the body dramatically decreases and arsenic accumulates much more permanently in the internal organs and tissues. The blood, liver, brain, heart and kidneys are top priority in the body's cleansing, while arsenic is pushed out the urine and into the hair, nails and skin as much as possible. Chronic poisoning gradually takes a serious irreversible toll of damage to the blood manufacturing capability, the kidneys and liver, the brain and heart, the central nervous system progressing from the periphery inwards, and the muscular system, among other areas of acute damage.
Some of the symptoms of arsenic poisoning can be seen with other illnesses, making it very difficult for a doctor to detect it, and it is easily mis-diagnosed as more commonly understood ailments and diseases, such as kidney disease. (see Appendix 13) Chronic (low level) arsenic poisoning from repeated absorption of toxic amounts generally has an insidious (subtle or stealthy) onset of clinical effects and is very difficult for a doctor to recognize.
Arsenic poisoning can be detected by studying the patient's symptoms, or by the testing of tissue samples, hair, fingernails, teeth, or urine. The onset of gastrointestinal symptoms may be so gradual that the possibility of arsenic poisoning would be easily overlooked. Over all, arsenic intoxication has not been extensively studied due to its rarity, and its effects are not fully known.
In observing Srila Prabhupada's stubborn reluctance to take any food or drink for many months, and in light of the fact that Srila Prabhupada Himself stated He was being poisoned, it is interesting to quote Goldfrank's text with this advice:
"For all cases, if homicidal intent is suspected, patients should be advised against accepting food or drink from anyone. Visitors should be closely monitored and outside nutritional products should be forbidden."
SYMPTOM DESCRIPTIONS:
Signs and symptoms of arsenic toxicity vary depending on the amount and form ingested; the rate of absorption, metabolism and excretion; and the time course of ingestion (chronic, sub-acute or acute). The principal manifestations of arsenic poisoning are gastrointestinal disturbances and result in four most common symptoms: thickening skin, discoloration of skin, swelling and muscle weakness. In chronic cases, skin manifestations may not appear for years. When toxicity is more acute, symptoms typically begin with nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea which may be rice water or cholera like. Gastrointestinal ulcerative lesions and hemorrhage can occur.
Arsenic poisoning results in the gradual onset of skin, blood and neuralogic manifestations, and less dramatic gastrointestinal symptoms. Initially patients (or victims) report progressive weakness, anorexia and nausea. With prolonged ingestion of small doses there may be increased salivation, inflammation in the mouth, running nose, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss and many other symptoms. Small and repeated doses of arsenic poisoning may finally result in death or totally broken health after many months or years, as was the case with Napoleon Bonaparte and his son, the Duke of Reichstadt. (See Chapter 34: Napoleon: A Case History)
Cardiovascular instability often accompanies or quickly follows these symptoms. Intravascular volume depletion, capillary leak myocardial dysfunction, and diminished systemic vascular resistance contribute to the hypotension, or low blood pressure, that follows. Patients with severe poisoning may also quickly develop acute encephalopathy with delirium, seizures, coma, dysrhythmias, fever, pulmonary edema, respiratory failure, hepatitis, rhabdomyolisis, hemolytic anemia, acute renal failure, and death. The encephalopathy may develop over several days following an acute ingestion and is attributed to underlying cerebral edema and focal microhemorrhages.
Fever may occur and reinforce a misdiagnosis of sepsis, or blood poisoning from pathogenic micro-organisms. Hepatitis can develop. Acute renal failure has occurred in many cases. The etiology may be multifactorial, including renal ischemia secondary to hypotension, myoglobinuric- and hemoglobinuric-induced failure, renal cortical necrosis, and a direct toxin effect on renal tubules. Glutathione depletion, which can exist in alcoholics and malnourished patients, may enhance the nephrotoxicity of arsenic. Unilateral facial nerve palsy, acute pancreatitis, pericarditis, and pleuritis are also possible. Arsenic will also cause fetal demise in pregnant women.
Arsenic poisoned patients with less severe illness may experience persistent gastroenteritis and mild hypotension, necessitating hospitalization and intravenous fluids for days. This prolonged course is atypical for most viral and bacterial enteric illnesses (flu, etc) and should alert the physician to consider arsenic toxicity, especially if the gastroenteritis recurs. Patients may complain of a metallic taste. The garlicky breath odor of arsenic is typical.
Arsenic irritates mucous membranes. The irritated mucous membranes can appear to be pharyngitis or laryngitis, leading to a misdiagnosis of upper respiratory tract infection. Dry hacking cough and buildup of mucus is common, necessitating further coughing to spit out the mucus. Other respiratory symptoms include rales, hemoptysis, dyspnea, chest pain, and patchy interstitial infiltrates. Again, the possibility for misdiagnosis of bronchitis, viral pneumonia, flu, cold, or persistent upper respiratory infection exists. Usually several hospital visits may occur before a correct diagnosis can be rendered in the case of chronic arsenic poisoning.
Further signs and symptoms may develop sub-acutely in the days to weeks following the acute toxic episode. Peripheral neuropathy due to axonal degeneration typically develops 1-3 weeks after arsenic ingestion. Sensory symptoms predominate early, with patients complaining of "pins and needles" or electric shock like pains in the lower extremities. Early on, there may be diminished or absent vibratory or positional sense in the limbs. As the neuropathy progresses, symptoms include numbness, tingling, and formication with physical findings of diminished to absent pain, touch, temperature, and deep tendon reflexes in a stocking-glove distribution. Obliterative arterial disease may occur in the legs and feet. Blackfoot's disease, a type of gangrene of the extremities, may occur, as is common in southwest Taiwan due to highly contaminated well water.
Encephalopathic symptoms of headache, confusion, decreased memory, personality change, irritability, hallucinations, delirium, and seizures may develop or persist. Cerebral edema may occur. Sixth cranial nerve palsy and bilateral sensorineural hearing loss have been reported during this subacute period. Superficial touch of the extremities may elicit severe or deep aching pains. Diffuse, symmetrical painful neuritis begins in the peripheral extremities and progresses proximally. It also involves distinct muscle and motor weakness and wasting, perhaps manifesting as an ascending flaccid paralysis mimicking Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
In addition, prolonged central nervous system effects have been described. Abnormal electrocardiograms, peripheral blood vessel damage, and liver damage have been reported. Many types of cancer may follow arsenical poisoning: skin, lung, liver, bone, kidney, bladder and others, often as long as 30 to 50 years later. Virtually all parts of the human body are effected by arsenic poisoning. Laboratory tests for diagnosis should include complete blood count, liver and renal function tests, and blood and urine arsenic levels. An abdominal radiograph (X-ray) may well show radiopaque contents after ingestion of arsenic. Keep this in mind when you read about Dr. Gopal wanting to bring an X-ray machine to Srila Prabhupada's room in Vrindaban in October 1977. Such an X-ray could very well have shown a large white splotch in the liver or abdomen, as arsenic is radiopaque.
Dermatologic lesions can include patchy alopecia (hair loss), oral herpetic-appearing lesions, a diffuse pruritic macular rash, and a brawny, nonpruritic desquamation. Mees lines of the nails, horizontal 1 or 2 mm white lines which represent arsenic deposition, occur about 5 % of the time in acute or chronic cases. In those cases where Mees lines are found, a delay of 30-40 days after ingestion is required for the lines to extend visibly beyond the nail lunalae. Facial and peripheral edema may develop as well as diaphoresis. Numerous dermatologic lesions can develop.
Other potential toxic manifestations include pancytopenia, nephropathy, fatigue, anorexia with weight loss, as well as persistence of acute gastrointestinal symptoms. With chronic, low-level arsenic exposure, many sub-acute symptoms may develop or persist, including headache, chronic encephalopathy, peripheral sensori-motor neuropathy, malaise, chronic cough, and peripheral edema. Gastrointestinal symptoms may be absent, although cases with colicky abdominal pain, nausea, and persistent diarrhea have been reported. Other results of arsenic poisoning may be lung damage, eventual atrophy and degeneration of extremities, terminal hypoxic convulsions (in acute poisoning) due to lack of oxygen reaching the body, severe damage of the blood (hemolysis) and bone marrow, resulting in the decrease of blood manufacture and the inability to regenerate tissues.
Slow, partial recovery from peripheral neuropathy most commonly occurs, with mild cases having a better prognosis. In a case series of 40 patients followed for variable time periods, 60 % experienced partial recovery over 5 months to 5 years, 15 % had full recovery from 40 days to 6 years, while 5 % had no recovery over 5 years. The remainder either were lost to follow-up or died. Improvement in the peripheral neuropathy is often accompanied by transient severe pains in the extremities. Patients who develop encephalopathy may recover poorly.
The minimum lethal exposure of ingested arsenic is only about one milligram per kilogram of weight. A dose of 200 milligrams would usually be lethal in an adult, but considering Srila Prabhupada's weight, much less would be lethal. For arsine gas, immediate death has occurred at 150 parts per million. These figures demonstrate the extreme toxicity of arsenic.
As we progress through the health history, keep in mind these descriptions of chronic, low-level arsenic poisoning. A partial review of such general conditions are:
1. The principal manifestations are gastrointestinal disturbances
2. Initially victims report progressive weakness, anorexia and nausea.
3. Small and repeated doses of arsenic poisoning may finally result in death or totally broken health after many months or years
4. The irritated mucous membranes can appear to be pharyngitis or laryngitis, leading to a misdiagnosis of upper respiratory tract infection. Dry hacking cough and buildup of mucus is common.
5. Toxic manifestations include nephropathy, fatigue, anorexia, weight loss
While we see that Srila Prabhupada displayed some symptoms contrary to kidney disease and many contrary to diabetes, we also see that:
SRILA PRABHUPADA HAD NO SYMPTOMS CONTRARY TO THOSE OF ARSENIC POISONING. The consistency of Srila Prabhupada's physical symptoms with chronic arsenic poisoning is quite apparent and amazing. The health history in Chapters 20 -31 is very convincing in demonstrating that Srila Prabhupada displayed the symptoms of arsenic poisoning. It is to be remembered that arsenic poisoning causes kidney disease.
LIST OF SYMPTOMS:
A full list of symptoms variously manifested in arsenic poisoning are:
SECTION ONE:
Symptoms Common to Kidney Disease & Arsenic Poisoning
Those symptoms which are common to both arsenic poisoning and various kidney diseases are marked "AK" for arsenic/kidney. Between arsenic poisoning and kidney disease there may be some subtle differences in some of the symptoms, but are similar enough to represent both.
AK1 LACK OF APPETITE, WEIGHT LOSS, ANOREXIA
AK2 VOMITING, NAUSEA, "VOMITING TENDENCY"
AK3 DIARRHEA AND LOOSE STOOLS
AK4 ABDOMINAL CRAMPS, GASTRIC PAIN due to inflammation of stomach and intestines
AK5 EXTREME WEAKNESS, LACK OF ENERGY, ANEMIA, beginning as a marked general fatigue (low-level doses of arsenic)
AK6 HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE: hypertension
AK7 SEIZURES, SPASMS, and convulsions
AK8 GENERALIZED ITCHING (parethesia): tingling, burning; abnormal skin sensations, especially of the extremities; wanting to rub, brush or massage the body for relief
AK9 STOMATITIS: inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membranes of the mouth and esophagus
AK10 SKIN COLOR CHANGES: Bronzing, yellowing coloration
AK11 PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE WEAKNESS (electromyography)
AK12 MUSCLE ACHING OR CRAMPS, GENERALIZED
AK13 SMALL AMOUNTS OF URINE; infrequently or frequently
AK14 DIFFICULTY IN URINATION: or inability to urinate (anuria)
AK15 KIDNEY MALFUNCTION (renal failure or damage)
AK16 DISCOLORATION OR CASTS IN URINE: hematuria (blood), proteinuria (protein), or oval fatty droplets in urine; cloudy, brown
AK17 EDEMA: the swelling of tissues
AK18 LISTLESSNESS, LANGUOR, LETHARGY
AK19 FEVER
AK20 UNPLEASANT TASTE No taste or metallic taste in mouth
AK21 INSOMNIA OR SLEEPING BADLY
AK22 HEART PALPITATIONS (delayed cardiomyopathy), and heart damage due to direct toxic action and electrolyte disturbances.
AK23 IRREGULAR HEAT BEAT: ventricular arrhythmia, electrocardiographic abnormalities such as a prolonged Q-T interval
AK24 HIGH PULSE RATE: tachycardia: quickened heart beat, and sometimes a slow pulse due to varying amounts of arsenic
SECTION TWO:
Symptoms Unique To Arsenic Poisoning And Not To Kidney Diseases
Those symptoms unique only arsenic poisoning and NOT kidney disease are listed in Section Two and are marked "A" for arsenic.
A1 PHOTOPHOBIA: extreme sensitivity by the eyes to light
A2 HOARSE, WEAK, OR SLURRED VOICE: sore throat,
inflamed pharynx and larynx, thickened vocal chords
A3 MUCUS AND COUGH: discharging mucus, clogged with mucus; inflammation and irritation of the respiratory and nasal mucosa, persistent dry cough, coryza
A4 RESTLESSNESS, IRRITABILITY, TOSSING & TURNING
A5 HYPERKERATOSIS: Abnormal enlargement of thick skin areas
A6 DROOLING: excessive salivation
A7 HYPOTHERMIA: coldness in body, especially limbs: poor blood circulation in extremities due to peripheral vascular insufficiency
A8 CONJUNCTIVITIS: watering eyes, mucus in eyes, tearing eyes
A9 LOSS OF VISION due to brain damage or optic nerve damage
A10 HEAVY WITH SLEEP: sleeping unusually long and deep, or disturbance in sleep rhythm; somnolence alternating with insomnia
A11 BEHAVIORAL CHANGES or changes of disposition such as unusual emotional displays, insecurity, depression, sensitivity, tearfulness, exaggerated optimism. Tendency to periods of emotionalism expressed by tearfulness.
A12 MENTAL DISTURBANCE OR LOSS OF MENTAL FUNCTIONS due to encephalopathy (brain damage)
A13 CONSTIPATION (alternated with diarrhea)
A14 HEARING LOSS: dysesthesia, impairment of senses
A15 INDIGESTION due to bile duct obstruction and intestinal damage
A16 FAINTING, DIZZINESS
A17 SUDDEN WEAKNESS OR COLLAPSE OF LEGS, WEAKNESS IN CALF MUSCLES, especially in early stages, due to fatty degeneration of muscles, difficulty in walking
A18 PAINFUL OR MALFUNCTIONING LIVER OR SPLEEN
A19 LACK OF MUSCULAR COORDINATION (ataxia)
A20 PARALYSIS OF AND PAINS IN LEGS(motor and sensory) due to nerve damage (peripheral neuritis and neuropathy) pains or numbness
A21 LOOSENING & LOSS OF TEETH or nails, bleeding, swollen gums
DECEMBER 20, 1975
"Prabhupada is not feeling well; swelling in his legs, feet, and hands trouble him. To see his body puffed with fluid is very disturbing. During his massage I pressed gently on Prabhupada's foot with my thumb to show him the swelling. It left an indentation for several minutes. Prabhupada said this is due to uremia, a toxic condition caused by waste products in the blood normally eliminated in the urine. It makes it very difficult for him to climb the steps to his apartment when returning from the temple. Yet, he tolerates the inconvenience without complaint and dismissed the sight of the dent with a smile and a shake of his head." (Tran Diary Vol 1)
SECTION THREE:
List of symptoms unique only to arsenic poisoning and not kidney disease which were not exhibited by Srila Prabhupada, as far as we know at present. Further information may verify more symptoms.
1. Garlic odor of breath, perspiration or stool
2. Exfoliative dermatitis: Scaly, flaky, inflamed skin (after about 3 years in low-level arsenic poisoning)
3. Mees lines: Transverse white striae of fingernail arsenic deposits
4. Frequent headache; delirium, coma
5. Nose bleeds (epistaxis)
6. Severe thirst and fluid loss
7. Paralysis of eye muscles (ophthalmoplegia) due to brain damage
8. Blisters and open sores, usually in more acute or prolonged poisonings (Srila Prabhupada had "bedsores")
9. Dysphagia: difficulty in swallowing (from the tapes, it sounds like Srila Prabhupada's swallowing and drinking were difficult).
10. Paresis (partial paralysis) to quadriplegia (paralysis from neck down)
Srila Prabhupada could not move his legs or torso near the end of His illness, but that may have also been due to extreme weakness.
11. Anesthesia: loss of tactile or skin sensation, numbness
12. Disappearance of the fine body hairs resulting in very smooth skin
In arsenical poisoning, or in any medical condition, not all possible symptoms may be manifest, and probably will not be present. This was confirmed again in consultation with Dr. Page Hudson, retired Chief Medical Examiner and forensic pathologist. One devotee said that because Srila Prabhupada showed no obvious sweating (an arsenic poisoning symptom), therefore arsenic poisoning could not be the cause of His ill health. This is not the way to diagnose or understand medical conditions except for those looking to support their conscious or unconscious prejudices. May the reader try to set those prejudices aside in the search for the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Bibliographical Sources: for Ch. 17, 18, 32, 33, App. 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 22.
1. Internet /re: Symptoms of Arsenic and Mercury Poisoning
2. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, McGraw-Hill, 14th Ed
3. The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics: Goodman & Gilman, McGraw-Hill, 9th Ed, pgs 1660-1661
4. Merck Manual of Medical Information, 1997 Home Edition
5. Kidney and Urinary Tract: Diseases and Disorders Sourcebook, Ed. By L.M. Ross 1997
6. Handbook of Poisoning: Prevention, Diagnosis & Treatment, 12th Ed, Dreisbach & Robertson, pgs 221-224.
7. Assassination at St. Helena, Weider & Forshufvud, John & Wiley, 1978, 1995 (Revisited)
8. Hazardous Materials Toxicology: Clinical Principles of Environmental Health, Ed. By Sullivan & Krieger, Williams & Wilkins
9. Goldfrank's Toxicologic Emergencies, 6th Ed., Appleton & Lange
10. Website: http://hammock.ifas.ufl.edu/txt/fairs/15460
11. Poisindex (R) Toxicologic Managements: Arsenic
12. Comprehensive Review in Toxicology, 2nd ed., Peter D. Bryson, An Aspen Publication, 1989
13. The Heavy Elements: Chemistry, Environmental Impact and Health Effects, Jack E. Fergusson, Pergamon Press
14. Comprehensive Review in Toxicology for Emergency Clinicians, 3rd ed., Peter D. Bryson, M.D., Taylor & Francis Publishing, 1996
15. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Poisonings, 2nd ed., Matthew J. Ellenhorn, M.D., Williams & Wilkins
16. Case Studies in Poisoning, Shirley K. Osterhout, M.D., Medical Examination Publishing Co., Inc., 1981
17. Loomis's Essentials of Toxicology, 4th ed., Ted A. Loomis, A. Wallace Hayes, Academic Press, 1996
18. Basic Toxicology, Fundamentals, Target Organs, and Risk Assessment, 3rd ed., Frank C. Lu, Taylor Francis Publishing, 1996
19. Manual of Toxicologic Emergencies, Eric K. Noji, Gaber D. Kelen, Year Book Medical Publishers, Inc., 1989
20. Handbook on the Toxicology of Metals, 2nd ed., Volume II: Specific Metals, eds: Lars Friberg, Gunnar F. Nordberg, Velimer B. Vouk, Elsevier (pub), 1987
21. Case Studies in Environmental Medicine: Arsenic Toxicity, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 1990
22. Handbook of Poisoners, Raymond T. Bond, Rinehart & Co., Inc., 1951
23. Arsenic, Committee on Medical and Biologic Effects of Environmental Pollutants, National Academy of Sciences (pub), 1977
24. Casarett and Doull's Toxicology, 4th ed., eds: Mary O. Amdur, Ph.D., John Doull, Ph.D., Curtis D. Klaassen, Ph.D., Pergamon Press, 1991
25. Disposition of Toxicological Drugs and Chemicals In Man, by Baselt and
Cravey, 4th Ed. published in 1995 by the Chemical Toxicology Institute.
26. Preacher's Girl: Life and Crimes of Blanche Taylor Moore, Jim Schutze
27. Death Sentence, by Jerry Bledsoe (Account of Velma Barfield's crimes)
Instances in which a symptom is unique only to arsenic poisoning and not produced by kidney disease or diabetes will be identified and prefixed with "A". For example, photophobia is caused by arsenic and not by kidney failure, being listed as arsenic symptom (A1), and drooling is marked in the health history with (A6).
In the following lengthy account of Srila Prabhupada's health history, the reader is asked to study the various physical symptoms and compare them to the lists above. You will find a case of chronic arsenic poisoning.
Srila Prabhupada was afflicted with poor digestion, persistent colds, mucus, and cough, and weak kidneys. Was this due to arsenic poisoning or natural causes?
Replies