BY: B. RADHA-GOVINDA
Apr 26, Gita Nagari, Port Royal, PA — I was given the opportunity to receive Sri Sri Radha-Damodar’s darshan via the mercy of one devotee who brought me to Gita Nagari. We arrived just in time to hear the conch blow announcing Sri Sri Radha-Damodar’s Sandhya arotik, this arotike very intimate as only three “visible” earthlings were gathered there; the pujari, the other devotee, and me. Sri Sri Radha-Damodar, in Whose temple I hadn’t been present in 15 years, were most gorgeous, Their overflowing sweetness and love for One Another, love, sweetness and compassion for all jivas radiating from Them.
Damodar had a golden luster which I had never seen Him manifest before, His bodily hue this day exactly as Srimati Radharani’s. (Devotees who know Sri Sri Radha-Damodar from “way back,” know His body was bluish-silver in color.)
Srila Prabhupada conceived of and wrote His vision in regards to Gita Nagari as an ideal Vedic community many years before leaving India to bring Krsna consciousness around the world; thus, Srila Prabhupada’s vision, desire and instruction regarding Gita Nagari’s establishment began very early. (Srila Prabhupada left an indepth treatise concerning His vision and implementation of this – to my knowledge, two copies – in Gita Nagari, in the 1970s, but I was told the devotees don’t know where the copies of these papers are now.)
ISKCON Gita Nagari was started in 1974, Srila Prabhupada’s going there in July 1976, at that time Gita Nagari considered to be the NYC temple farm. Under the presidency of Paramananda prabhu, Gita Nagari was flourishing, with abundance in milk and vegetable production: The NYC, West 55th St. temple received (all of) its milk from the cows at Gita Nagari.
During the days while Srila Prabhupada was present on the planet, when Gita Nagari was founded, whenever we would mention the name of any ISKCON temple or farm community, the devotees would immediately think of the presiding Deities Who were there: Gita Nagari, Sri Sri Radha-Damodar; Mayapur, Sri Sri Radha-Madhava; NYC, Sri Sri Radha-Govinda; Dallas, Sri Sri Radha-Kalacandji; LA, Rukmini-Dvarakadish; Delhi, Radha-Parthasarathi, etc.
Things in present-day ITSGON, starting with the zonal “acarya” system, have become so convoluted that when one mentions the name of a temple or ISKCON community, we do not always think of the presiding Radha-Krsna Deities there (or Their names), but rather, the name of the presiding GBC and/or guru (as if it is “their” domain), including in some cases, when that GBC and/or guru has left the planet; i.e. – Dallas, Tamal Krsna; N. Vrndavan, Malati (and Radhanath, even though he supposedly isn’t there, but in actuality is still “all-pervading” in NV); NYC, Romapada; Gita Nagari, Bhaktitirtha; Mayapur, Jayapataka; Delhi, Gopal Krsna; etc.
Many of us consider certain jivas baddhas to be pure devotees despite their having broken regulative principles, and for some, doing worse; putting in an order for devotees to be beaten and/or murdered. When an ISKCON sannyasi leaves his body regardless of his activities, if he’s still recognized as an ISKCON sannyasi, a samadhi is built for him in ISKCON Mayapur, even if/when he has deviated from the regulative principles, or the worse above mentioned.
When I went to Gita Nagari, I was shocked to find that a samadhi had been built for Bhaktitirtha Swami, yet, no samadhi was given for Srila Prabhupada. This was a farm community and temple which was founded by Srila Prabhupada during His manifested presence, yet despite the presence of a samadhi built for Bhaktitirtha, who the GBC knew had (at the least) deviated from his sannyas vows, there no samadhi there for ISKCON’s Founder-Acarya, His Divine Grace, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Srila Prabhupada.
If BT had started the Gita Nagari project, or rendered noteworthy service in Gita Nagari, (and was following his sannyas vows), one can accept a samadhi built to him, (providing one was offered for Srila Prabhupada, Gita Nagari’s and ISKCON’s Founder-Acarya. (If nothing else was to be taken into consideration, based only on nitti, what bona fide disciple would want a samadhi built for him in a temple or community his Guru Maharaj had founded, when there was no samadhi given for his Guru Maharaj? It would only be understood by nitti, that there would be a samadhi dedicated to Srila Prabhupada within that temple/community as well. (By dint of heart, what (real) disciple would ever want a samadhi to be built for himself in any of Srila Prabhupada’s temples/communities without there being a samadhi for Srila Prabhupada?)
Thus the question comes regarding the legitimacy of samadhis built to sannyasis in ISKCON temples or communities started by Srila Prabhupada, where such a sannyasi has not done or contributed anything of great magnity, where things may have even (and in the case of Gita Nagari, when BT was GBC there) deteriorated under his management – what to speak of the added factor that the particular sannyasi (in this case, BT) was not adhering to all of the regulative principles, and doing worse things.
Some devotees may say I’m writing this “because she doesn’t like BT”: No, this is not the reason. (I see BT as my Godbrother who rendered the services he did, but due to getting caught up through his own narcissism, made the horrific blunders he did.) My question regarding the samadhi made for Bhaktitirtha Swami in Gita Nagari is based on taking all factors on all levels into consideration. Although BT’s disciples have built a samadhi for him, despite Srila Prabhupada’s founding Gita Nagari while on the planet, Gita Nagari’s flourishing at that time, there is no samadhi for Srila Prabhupada in Gita Nagari: BT did nothing special for Gita Nagari, and, in fact, Gita Nagari deteriorated under BT’s GBC jurisdiction.
I would question the placing of a samadhi in any of Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON temples for any ISKCON sannyasi who has not done something specifically outstanding with regard to that particular temple or community at which that samadhi has been (or is going to be) made for him, especially when no samadhi has been offered there for Srila Prabhupada.. Unless the sannyasi has started or done something outstanding regarding that temple or community, gave upliftment to it, etc., what would be a legitimate reason for constructing a samadhi for a (bona fide) sannyasi in one of the ISKCON temples founded by Srila Prabhupada? (unless in Mayapur).
And why would a samadhi be placed for a sannyasi when it is known by the GBC that they have 1) broken one or more of the regulative principles, (have done worse things than breaking the principles) and 2) have not made any notable contribution (as a GBC or in any other capacity) for the development of that temple or community (and in fact, have added to its deterioration)?
So although Srila Prabhupada is ISKCON’s Founder-Acarya, and it was during Srila Prabhupada’s physically manifested presence Gita Nagari was first established and was very productively being run (under Paramananda prabhu’s presidency), Srila Prabhupada’s also going to Gita Nagari in 1976, amazingly – or rather not amazingly; who can be amazed anymore by what these people in charge of ISKCON do, directly or allow to be done by others? – a SHAM or SHAME-adhi was constructed in Gita Nagari for Bhaktitirtha Swami, though, there is no samadhi for His Divine Grace, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, ISKCON’s Founder-Acarya, and the founder of Gita Nagari.
I call it a sham or shame(adhi) for various reasons:
Bhaktirtha Swami did not start Gita Nagari: He had nothing to do with its founding. Becoming Gita Nagari’s GBC more than 20 years after its founding, and although GN’s GBC for ten years BT did nothing special for Gita Nagari. There was no upgrade for Gita Nagari under BT’s GBC jurisdiction, and in fact, things deteriorated in Gita Nagari under his GBC authority. (Under the GBC of Satsvarupa Maharaj, things were going better at Gita Nagari.) On that basis alone, there is no legitimate reason for building a samadhi for Bhaktirtha in Gita Nagari.
There are these other considerations (of which the GBC was fully aware, but took no action due to the political situation within their own GBC body).
1. BT’s philosophical deviations
2. BT’s breaking two of the four regulative principles
Thus, (in review), Bhaktitirtha Swami did not start the Gita Nagari farm and temple, nor did he make any notable contribution to it. (It became further deteriorated under his GBC jurisdiction.)
The general GBC body was fully aware that Bhaktitirtha Swami was faulty in not following his sannyas vows; that BT was not following all of the regulative principles, (and worse…) His philosophical deviations were also known by the GBC. Between this and other reasons, they wanted to kick him out of ISKCON, but due to political considerations, did not (could not) do so.
There is no samadhi in Gita Nagari for Srila Prabhupada. (Again the question, What bona fide disciple of Srila Prabhupada would want a samadhi to be built for them in a temple or community their Guru Maharaj, Srila Prabhupada, has founded, where there is no samadhi for Srila Prabhupada there?, espeically when they have done nothing tangible in regards to that particular temple/community?)
Amazingly (or not), no one within ISKCON questions that although a samadhi has been placed in Gita Nagari for Bhaktitirtha Swami, (though he’s done nothing special with regards to Gita Nagari – other than allow for its further deterioration), there is NO samadhi for the founder of Gita Nagari, Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Who is also ISKCON’s Founder-Acarya.
Because I went to Gita Nagari, saw this directly, know the facts and the character of the person to whom this building was built I’m writing this article. It’s a sham or shame-adhi that is there in Gita Nagari due to the various reasons given above, what to speak of the fact that no samadhi has been given in Gita Nagari for Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON’s Founder-Acarya, Who we know was the topmost pure devotee, Srila Prabhupada’s having started Gita Nagari when He was personally present on the planet, Gita Nagari’s flourishing in these earlier days. I feel it is a sham and a shame to Srila Prabhupada and His ISKCON that this sham/shame-adhi has been placed there, (and as said, I would be writing in this same regard if a sham/shame-adi to anyone else was erected in another ISKCON temple/community if there wasn’t good reason for doing so).
This sham/shame-adhi in and of itself gives a perfect example of what is the mentality of present-day ITS GON, ITS A CON, I(nvisible)SKCON, (and all the other applicable names) how things are SOOOO off!!!
Srila Rupa Goswami (BRS 1.2.101) quoting from the Padma Purana states:
sruti smrti puranadi pancaratra vidhim vina aikantiki harer bhaktir utpatayaiva kalpate
“Devotional service that ignores the authorized Vedic literatures, like the Upanasads, Puranas and Pancaratras, causes unnecessary disturbance in society,” and this is what has happened within present-day ITS GON: It has caused disturbance to many serious practicing devotees and to other people who have had connection with ISKCON. Included is its misrepresentation of Srila Prabhupada.
Although the first time I was told the following story, I was totally floored to hear it, (but did accept the possibility that there could be truth to it). I was told the same story again by three other devotees at different points in time. In my questioning, I found that these devotees had received the information from different GBC members. All of these devotees were initiated prior to 1975, are still connected with ISKCON, and have direct ties with devotees in GBC (and/or guru, and sannyasi) positions.
The exact same story was told. It was also explained that the sannyasi who had told this to his sannyasi, guru and or GBC friends was not joking either. I’m including this story into this submission to show the extent to which our consciousness can be overcome by material ambition thrown at us through Maya Devi’s delusions, and reasoning behind certain devotees desires for these positions:
One (NA) sannyasi who hadn’t as yet “become guru” explained to some of his GBC friends that he was aspiring for such position. When asked “Why do you want to become a guru?,” his reason given was, “So after I leave my body, they will definitely make a samadhi for me.”
Although the ABCs of Krsna consciousness are that we are not these bodies, we can see how attached we are to the body itself, and to the glorification of the (concocted) name and fame that we think “goes along” with that body, both in life, and for some, even in terms of thinking about after leaving the body; wanting the name of that body we’ve passed out of to be continued to be glorified through a samadhi, the continued words of others, or by other means. This shows the insanity through which we are overcome, (and sadly, such is possessed by so many of those in ISKCON leadership position.)
Your servant,
B. Radha-Govinda
Hare Krsna
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