Back To Prabhupada, Issue 13, Autumn 2006, Quotes, Notes & News
Meanwhile, you could not get stronger evidence of just how much ISKCON's
leadership really believes in letting people examine the truth for
themselves than the following video footage of ISKCON GBC and "guru"
Ravindra Svarupa Das ('RSD') which can be seen simply by going to the
following web address:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuVVHEl28-c
Here we see how RSD's reputation as a great scholar in ISKCON who
practices academic aloofness is exposed as he reacts aggressively to a
peaceful BTP distributor in the middle of the Detroit Rathayatra
festival. (RSD is seen wearing a red kurta, sun-hat and dark
sunglasses, and trying to lunge at the BTP distributor and intimidate
the cameraman).
What a huge irony that, on the one hand, the GBC presents to the
academic world the following view of the IRM:
| "There is no doubt that both ISKCON's
leadership and the IRM have acted and are acting to establish
what each considers the correct theological conclusion with
regard to the affairs of gurus and disciples." (GBC submission, The Rival Positions in the IRM-GBC Controversy within ISKCON, Martin-Luther University, Germany, 2006). |
While on the other hand, one of its leading
academic scholars, gurus and ex-GBC Chairman is ready to use force to
silence the very same people who are sincerely acting to establish "the
correct theological conclusion".
Doubly ironic is the fact that this supposed "guru reformer" in ISKCON,
whose academic paper on reform has been published by ISKCON
Communications Journal, should turn out to be a classic example of the
two-faced Janus described in the same Journal by another academic:
| "Still there are
sceptical voices claiming that ISKCON, like the famous Janus,
has two faces - the smiling face in dialogues with their
external partners, and the strange, repressive face towards its
own members - preaching wine to the dialoguing world and water
to their devotees." (Prof. Dr. Ulrich Dehn, ICJ, Vol 8. No. 1.) |
UPDATE: Spring 2007 - ISKCON thug tactics video evokes huge response
We had mentioned that we had caught an ISKCON GBC guru and other devotees engaging in thug tactics to prevent the distribution of BTP , and that this was captured on film. At the time of going to press, over 8000 people have so far viewed the film clip in question. It has generated many letters, a selection of which are given below. For those who have yet to see the clip (from which stills are given below), and which shows a “devotee” ripping up a picture of Srila Prabhupada, as well as GBC guru Ravindra Svarupa Das trying to steal the camera that’s doing the filming, please go to the following web link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IShsqg2NlQ
For those who have already seen the clip, please note that this is an improved version with full subtitles for those who may have wondered what all the words spoken were, and so you may wish to view it again!
| Hare Krishna, I actually went to your
site yesterday and saw the video, and I was so appalled by the
fact this young devotee girl was tearing up Srila Prabhupada’s
full page photo I wrote to ‘Dandavats’ (GBC’s website – ed.) and
wrote an article stating that, “Who allows their disciples to
rip apart photos of Srila Prabhupada for all the world to see?”
I am not a Ritvik, I am no scholar and I do not understand the
book philosophy that well. I am going to forward your e-mail and
this one to Ravinda Svarupa if I can find his e mail address. I
am a Srila Prabhupada disciple who has been standing in the
sidelines for the past thirty years watching the show in
disgust.” - Rukmini Priya Dasi, California, USA |
| “Hare Krsna...thank you very much for
sending me this...I know about Ravindra Svarupa, but I have
never actually seen his actions. I can’t believe that one
so-called devotee ripped up Prabhupada’s picture. In all
honesty, they deserve a high drop on a short rope. Your
servant.” - Bhakta Shaun, Ontario, Canada |
| “I was shocked to view the video clip
and wonder how a devotee can stoop to such an ignominious level.
Thanking you for apprising this. I have shown it to my devotee
friends who are also very much pained to see this. Hari Haribol.” - Akrura Krishna Das, Hubli, India |
| “Horrible!” - Sajjanasraya Das, Italy |
| “If you can explain more about this
tragic video, I will be very grateful... for example, I want to have a copy of this magazine that was destroyed. It is terrible see how the image of Srila Prabhupada is insulted by these persons. Please send me a copy of the magazine so I can try and comprehend the fear that these “devotees” have for the magazine.” - Vladamir, Spain |
| “A picture is worth a thousand words
but a video, worth a million. To see a magazine with His Divine Grace’s picture on the front-cover getting ripped was non-different from seeing one’s heart cut in half. Srila Prabhupada’s physical departure from this material realm has clouded the minds of many individuals. It’s a long and at times lonely struggle for you, Krishnakant prabhu, but such is the price one has to pay to stand by one’s convictions. Your noble service to the Krishna Consciousness movement is akin to what Martin Luther once did for the misguided Christianity. Eventually the light will shine; the question of darkness will be moot then. Your mission, however, may remain unachievable during this [material] life if those are the Controller’s -- i.e., Krishna’s -- wishes. Please don’t let that discourage you. Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada.” - Suk Shah, Minnesota, USA |
| “It is SHOCKING that ANYONE, ANYWHERE
who claims to be a devotee of Krsna would DARE to treat a
picture of Srila Prabhupada this way... and assault anyone else!
Srila Prabhupada teaches us that he is present in his photo.
What madness this Kali-yuga brings to us all! SHAME on ANYONE who off ends His Divine Grace in this way! I am fallen and am therefore a great offender... But if I should EVER commit such an offence to Srila Prabhupada in such a way... showing such insane malice toward ANYONE what to speak of a devotee... what to speak of HIS DIVINE GRACE… and at the SUPREME LORD’S RATHA YATRA, may I be struck dead on the spot!!!” - Bhuvana Pavani Devi Dasi, Nebraska, USA |
| “That stupid woman tearing up
Prabhupada’s picture is the Yugoslav refugee who married that
President of ISKCON Detroit (one of the many), just to stay in
the USA and get a Green Card....... Such people are pigs as Prabhupada used to say, and should just be removed from the planet.” - A. Gupta, Detroit, USA |
| “I am very much thankful to you for
your great service to save our movement by exposing the
fake/bogus rascals. These people are the ones who are very well
aware of the consequences of their misdirecting the innocent
public (unaware devotees) for their personal fame, worship and
power. But they have totally ignored that Srila Prabhupada is
watching their every action and they will have to suffer for
their deeds.” - Dr. Rajanish, Udipi, India |
| “I have just viewed your video of
Detroit Rathayatra. No surprise there. Iskcon tactics remain the
same. Intimidation, violence. I joined the movement in the
1970s, and even when Prabhupada was still on earth, the GBC or
the pack of homos Sannyasis kept not only us devotee in
the dark, but our beloved and pure Guru as well. When householders would write to Srila Prabhupada about the nonsense going on, they were being intercepted by personal secretaries. Dont give up!!!” - Mahesvari Devi Dasi, California, USA |
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