“Iskcon Temple at Christchurch: A Sinful City”

Earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, 22nd of Febuary 2011

Srila Prabhupada, Tokyo, January 27, 1975: […] “In Japan you have got many times the experience of earthquake, earthquake. What do you do at that time? Huh? You all Japanese boys and girls, what do you do? Have you experienced earthquake? You have? What do you do at that time? (pauses waiting for an answer) When there is earthquake, what do you do? Hmm? But I have seen in America. They all, everyone, they scream. (laughter) And perhaps they remember about God. Naturally they will remember, “God save us. God save us.” What is your…? That means that we do not wish to die. That’s a fact. You cannot say that death is very good thing. Nobody will say. Death… But we have to die. There is no excuse, that “I shall not die.” Death is “as sure as death,” they say. But you don’t want death. This is suffering.” (Full Lecture : Bhagavad-gita 16.7 — Tokyo, January 27, 1975 : 750127BG.TOK)

Iskcon Temple at Christchurch: A Sinful City.

A Sinful City
by Pancali Devi Dasi
Monday, February 28, 2011

On 22nd of Febuary 2011 Christchurch, New Zealand, endured its 2nd major earthquake in 6 months. The devestating aftermath has left many dead, the City center in ruins and worse Nitai Gauracandra Deities and Iskcon Temple in ruins with no hope of repair.

We all know it is most inauspicous when something happens to the Deity form of our Lord/Lordships etc. I would like to give my personal opinion as to why Nitai Gaura have chosen to leave the association of the devotees. The mood within this temple is simply this “Nitai Gaura are most merciful”. Therfore many offences are caused within and brushed away with “Nitai Gaura is most merciful, and They dont see our faults”. But as we see when Mahaprabhu exhibited His wrath in the case of Jagai and Madhai when Nityananda Prabhu was assaulted even the most merciful Caitanya Mahaprabhu will only tolerate so much, but will never tolerate the offences to His pure devotee. The list of offences caused by the devotees at the temple is long and unpalatable to hear. 

1) Smokers and unqualified people dress the Deities. 2) Methadone users dress Prabhupada. 3)Anyone can cook for the Deities and enter the Deity kitchen. 4) Offerings are cooked in oil. 5) Anyone and everyone sit on the Vyasasana that is only reserved for Prabhupada. 6)Unqualified Gurus get obeisances paid to them in front of the Deities. 7)Those getting married a second time getting married before the Deity. 8)Nonsense discussions before the Deity. 9)Everyone going against the order of Krsnas pure devotee Srila Prabhupada. 10) Unqualified envious people in management. 11) No one rings the bell before entering the temple 12) Physical fights before the Deities leaving blood on the temple floor. 13) Brahmacaris looking at inappropriate pornographic sights. 15) Brahmacaris inappropriately touching young girls, 16) Bhoga being eaten prior to being offered. 17) Nonsense jibba jabba while bathing and dressing the Lord…etc etc. I could go on about the offences but the bottom line is “Nitai Gaura is…?

The Christchurch temple room destroyed after the earthquake.

… is not happy and has chosen to leave the temple.” These offences have been going on for years. It is a double standard establishment. Example. There was 2 different couples getting married. The first couple got married not in front of Nitai Gaura as the Mataji had given birth to a child with another man. The 2nd couple due to popularity had the fire yajna and got married in front of the Deities, however the male had been married previously. But this doesnt matter as Nitai Gaura are most merciful. Depending on who you are or who you know are you accepted by the devotees there. This is not Mahaprabhus mood. Everyone knows about Prabhupadas Guru Acarya order, due to the preaching, but more so due to the previous TP Hanumanji leaving with many devotees taking to the bona fide Rtvik path. Srila Prabhupada was untouched in the devestation and still remains in tact. This alone makes you wonder. This incident should be looked at with knowledge and should be an eye opener for those who disregard the instructions…

…of our Founding Father Srila A.C.Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada. The Radha Sanga Temple and Hare Krishna Cafe managed by Rtviks is still standing. Surrounding them buildings crumbled, people lost their lives, but yet they are standing. …

These comments are not at all glorifying the fall of the Temple but is simply a note to let others see why this has happened. I will make many enemies writing this but someone has to awaken those who cause similar offences. So how to look at this as Krsnas mercy. He wants us all to take shelter of His pure devotee Srila Prabhupada. Hence why He left Him untouched in His murti form. It is disheartening for the devotees who went to this temple, but if I was amongst you, I would certainly questioning why this has happened and look at my behavior. Even Nitai Gaura has become displeased.

Jaya Srila Prabhupada. Jaya Nitai Gauracandra.
Pancali Devi Dasi

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Comment: Many devotees are sad at the destruction of Sri Sri Gaura Nitai in ChristChurch and are asking: “How can Mother Earth bring any harm to her Lord and master?” Well, the answer is given above: “Nitai Gaura is…?  is not happy and has chosen to leave the temple.” To many offenses in the name of god! Something similar to the Christians: “Dear Lord, please forgive our daily sins, so we can continue sinning.”

The wooden altar, which crashed to the floor, just missing Sevananda Dasa.

Ramanuja das, President of the Hare Krishna Temple Christchurch writes:
“The devastating earthquake here in Christchurch has unfortunately destroyed the temple along with our deities Sri Sri Nitai-Gauracandra. The devotees are all safe although some have had significant damage to their houses. The local devotees should refrain from coming to the temple as it is closed and deemed unsafe.”

The temple was badly damaged in today’s earthquake. Multi-story buildings flattened, people dead, temple will have to be demolished and worst of all the deities have been smashed beyond repair. And tragically the temple’s large Gaura Nitai deities, worshipped for 25 years, were broken in numerous places when They fell off the alter during the quake. They had completely shattered, and there was an arm lying here, a foot there, a hand there. Their faces and torsos are intact, but most likely They are beyond repair. The hearts of the Vaisnavas are deeply saddened.

A chimney dislodged from the temple and crashed into a neighboring building.

February 22, 2011
Christchurch Earthquake Destroys Deities and Temple Beyond Repair

On February 22, 2011 another earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 struck New Zealand causing serious damage to the Christchurch ISKCON Temple. Unconfirmed reports describe the temple as being “in ruins” and say that with the exception of Srila Prabhupada’s murti the deities are smashed beyond repair.

Iskcon Devotees in Christchurch, New Zealand are still in shock after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck on February 22nd, destroying their temple building and shattering the Deities of Nitai-Gaurachandra beyond repair. Incredibly, no one was seriously injured. The disaster comes on the heels of a 7.1 magnitude quake in the same city on September 4th last year, which caused flooding and structural damage to the temple, but left the Deities safe. Three thousand continual aftershocks since then, including a powerful one the day after Christmas, weakened structures further and left Christchurch residents tense. Tuesday’s earthquake, although smaller in magnitude, caused far more damage than September’s one, as it hit significantly closer to the main population center of Christchurch, and was at a more shallow depth. Seventy-five people are now dead and 300 missing, with officials saying that the death toll will almost surely climb further. The spire of the city’s stone cathedral toppled into a central square, multistory buildings collapsed, sidewalks and roads cracked, and people were buried in rubble, some crushed to death.

The temple’s glass conservatory smashed to pieces.

Incredibly, no other devotees have received any injuries. “One devotee who had been working in town was rushing down the street to get back home, and saw dead bodies just lying on the street,” Sevananda says. “So it’s amazing that no devotees were hurt at all, considering the many deaths and serious injuries to others.”

The two-storey temple, located in the city, however, is beyond repair. Already weakened from last September’s earthquake, whole walls have collapsed, windows and glass doors have blown out, staircases have been destroyed, and large cracks have appeared throughout the structure. There are piles of rubble everywhere, the conservatory is flattened in a mess of shattered glass, and a chimney on the side of the temple was dislodged and crashed into the house next door, embedding itself in its roof.

According to Auckland temple president Kalasamvara Dasa, both the Christchurch “temple house” — used for accommodation — and another house next door have been rattled “off their foundations” and are likely to have to be razed to the ground due to unsafety. Devotees’ houses nearby have also sustained severe structural damage, chimneys have fallen through roofs, and possessions—bookcases, cooking utensils and appliances, computers—are scattered everywhere.

Temple Deities before the earthquake. They left shattered because they dont like:

1) Smokers and unqualified people dress the Deities. 2) Methadone users dress Prabhupada. 3)Anyone can cook for the Deities and enter the Deity kitchen. 4) Offerings are cooked in oil. 5) Anyone and everyone sit on the Vyasasana that is only reserved for Prabhupada. 6) Unqualified Gurus get obeisances paid to them in front of the Deities. 7) Those getting married a second time getting married before the Deity. 8) Nonsense discussions before the Deity. 9)Everyone going against the order of Krsnas pure devotee Srila Prabhupada. 10) Unqualified envious people in management. 11) No one rings the bell before entering the temple 12) Physical fights before the Deities leaving blood on the temple floor. 13) Brahmacaris looking at inappropriate pornographic sights. 15) Brahmacaris inappropriately touching young girls, 16) Bhoga being eaten prior to being offered. 17) Nonsense jibba jabba while bathing and dressing the Lord…etc etc.

The Radha Sanga Temple and Hare Krishna Cafe managed by Rtviks is still standing.

http://www.krishnacafe.co.nz/

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Christchurch Earthquake Update: The wrath of God

Date: Sat, 5 Mar 2011

Aftermath of the ruins in Christchurch, New Zealand

Most everyone by now has heard about the earthquake that hit the center of Christchurch, New Zealand this past Tuesday and left the town in ruins and thousands of peoples lives turned upside down–including the iskcon devotees who “had” a temple in that city.

One should note however that there are or were two (2) Hare Krsna temples in the same city. One is operated by the deviant cult today known as ISKCON and the other temple is operated simply and purely on “behalf ” of Srila Prabhupada and his orders of instruction. This latter (ritvik) temple had NO substantial earthquake effects shown to its building or occupants which was totally opposite to the “other” temple that was totally and completely, 100% demolished !!

The resident reporter/ writer, Pancali devi dasi of this article above states, “…this should be an eye opener for those who disregard the instructions…… of our Founding Father Srila A.C.Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada.”

The next thing one would ask is OK, if one temple is ruined and the other is still standing, why did Krsna protect one and not the other?? Is Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead playing favorites amongst His devotees, or is He just plain ticked off that some of His devotees are not acting like the devotees they claim to be???

We can see another parallel level of protection in Bangalore India where there is a huge ritvik Iskcon temple complex established only a decade ago where the local devotees have organized a massive civil prasadam distribution network throughout India and are feeding daily over 2 million school children. This figure in itself is mind boggling ! This temple has also seen hundreds of “miracles” as its leader Madhu pandit calls them over the years as they have sustained countless attacks upon themselves by their envious “brother” and evil empire known as ISKCON.

So it seems that Krsna is finally drawing the lines more clearly so that all can see which side He definitely favors. Just like the Kurukshetra battle where King Duryodhana got Krsna’s army ,but he didn’t get Krsna Himself for his protection. So even though Duryodhana had a much superior army in terms of numbers, he still lost the entire battle simply because he did not have the protection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And that is exactly what we are seeing here and now in these two temples, in New Zealand. The last question one could ask is–OK now that the local devotees in Christchurch have seen their temple destroyed and the ritvik temple not destroyed, what should they now do?? Surrender their false egos, fall at the feet of Hanuman and all the devotees there and beg for their forgiveness and then move on nicely, happily, and peacefully in their spiritual lives?? That would be the intelligent thing to do. We shall see….

Hare Krsna
Damaghosa das
DasDasDas@aol.com