What I learned from Srila Prabhupada's disappearance pastimes article, may be freely reposted
Some of the Things I Learned from Srila Prabhupada's Departure Pastimes
I've believed that Srila Prabhupada was poisoned by his caretakers for some years now, but recent new evidence has made the fact of his poisoning indisputable. Srila Prabhupada is the acarya and everything he did was a lesson for us to use to grow spiritually. His disappearance pastimes are no exception. Here are a few of the things I've learned from this pastime:
The poisoners were people who were very close to him and had done a huge amount of valuable service. Yet the desire for profit, adoration and distinction was so strong that they were able to commit the heinous act of murder and compound the crime by lying that they were appointed as pure devotees. I have not done nearly as much for Srila Prabhupada as the poisoners, so I have to assume that I'm also capable, under the right circumstances to be as overwhelmed by the illusory energy. This is a very clear lesson that I need to get serious about developing love for Krsna, which is the only protection from the Illusory Energy.
There is no limit to Prabhupada's ability to forgive: Hansadutta Prabhu was one of the 11 who committed the Big Lie (telling his godbrothers that Srila Prabhupada had appointed him as a pure devotee diksa guru). But he apologized and I have to assume the apology was accepted by Srila Prabhupada because Hansadutta is still able to remember Krsna and is still doing devotional service. I've also made blunders, and I now have the confidence that Srila Prabhupada, while he might sometimes be disappointed with me, will always forgive me and welcome me back.
I should never, ever presume to know or understand Krsna's plans. When I close my mind to the truth, I put myself further from Krsna. I've learned so much about Maya's formidable weapon of cognitive dissonance. Strong beliefs such as: “no one could ever poison Srila Prabhupada” or “the GBC are advanced devotees who only want what is best for Prabhupada” become like armor to the truth. If we cling to any belief, other than what Srila Prabhupada has told us to be true, we run the risk of being completely unable to see or hear any truth that contradicts that belief.
I have a tendency, when I read some things written by Srila Prabhupada, to think that they don't apply. For instance when he wrote about non-devotees in the garb of vaisnavas, I'd assume that he was speaking of a former era, or perhaps later in Kali Yuga. I couldn't imagine any of my own godbrothers or godsisters pretending to be devotees. When he writes that the “sinister movement” is within our society, I tend to think that he is writing alogorically. From his disappearance pastimes, I am coming to take what he writes very literally.
I have learned about psychopaths and sociopaths, people who have no conscience. These people comprise up to 5% of the population and appear to be normal human beings. It is only by their behavior that they can be recognized. And they are very careful to disguise their behavior and make use of our tendency to fall prey to cognitive dissonance to mask their diabolical goals.
When I first heard the theory, more than a dozen years ago, that Srila Prabhupada had been murdered, I immediately dismissed the preposterous idea. The pure devotee is under Krsna's protection, and Krsna would never allow such a thing to occur. I never made any effort to look at any of the evidence to support the murder claim, because the idea was too absurd to give any serious consideration.
Then one day, years later, I decided to just give a cursory glance at the so-called evidence of the murder and found myself reading a book on the matter. Whoa! It wasn't just a few oddities and questionable statements, it was a whole book worth of collaborating evidence, not the least of which was the suspicious disappearance of tape recordings from Srila Prabhupada's last months in Vrndavana. Something very sinister was going on as Srila Prabhupada was getting ready to leave his body. And the fact of the disappearance of the tapes explained why the devotees didn't have clear guidance regarding how Srila Prabhupada wanted initiations to continue.
About the same time I found out about the July 9th letter and the crime committed by the “devotees” (actually Kali-chelas in vaisnava garb) who lied and claimed that Srila Prabhupada had appointed them as pure devotee gurus. I call this the “Big Lie”. While both realizations naturally saddened me, they also enlivened me spiritually. Prior to knowing about the July 9th letter I'd thought that Srila Prabhupada had appointed pure devotees who were in fact conditioned souls. I thought Srila Prabhupada had made a mistake and that offense or lack of faith stole my enthusiasm to spread Krsna consciousness to others. What joy would there be to tell someone who was interested in the philosophy that the only way to achieve Krsna's mercy was to please someone who was likely to turn out to be a pedophile/homosexual/pervert/murderer? Now I could freely tell people about Krsna and try to bring them to the pure devotee directly.
While the evidence of the murder at that time was refutable, the fact of the Big Lie is indisputable. What is incomprehensible is that many devotees continued their lives as usual within ISKCON, even after learning about the indisputable Big Lie. No accounting was demanded and only a weak apology was ever offered by any of the 11, except for Hansadutta Prabhu. To some devotees, this lie was unacceptable and they demanded justice. The ISKCON management responded by booting such devotees out. Some devotees continued their service under the management of the Big Liars, never demanding that, at a minimum, those involved in the lie step down. Because of this shameful complacency from the godbrothers and godsisters who made no objection, the Big Liars were able to tweek the philosophy more and more until today many/most devotees believe that it is good sadhana that will deliver one from the cycle of birth and death, rather than the mercy of the spiritual master. Of course that has to be the philosophy in an organization where it is likely that the spiritual master has very unsavory behavior.
Srila Prabhupada has this to say about keeping quiet: “A person who knows things as they are and still does not bear witness becomes involved in sinful activities.” (CC Madhya 5.90) And: Prabhupada: But one who tolerates mischievous activity, he is also culprit. If you are mischievous, you are criminal. But if you tolerate mischievous activities that is also criminal. (Conv, May 3, 1973)
Did Srila Prabhupada want the fact that he was poisoned to be secret, or did he want it revealed?
In the book, Kill Guru, Become Guru, Nityananda Prabhu does a very thorough job of taking us through the day by day events leading up to Srila Prabhupada's passing. He uses diary entries from Tamal's diary (what Tamal would release, anyway), notes or recollections from people who where there and transcripts from the few tape recordings that didn't go missing. From this it is very clear that Srila Prabhupada wanted it known that he was being poisoned. He even, in his very last days, called for a kaviraja who resided in Vrndavana and immediately told the kaviraja that he was being poisoned. He evidently wanted the knowledge to be known to the inhabitants for Vrndavana.
Anuttama may be reached at: anuttamadd@gmail.com
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