Page 12 • Issue 11 • Spring 2006 • Back to Prabhupada The twists and turns of His Holiness Sivarama

e start this article with a se- the time, he was already initiated inal 11 guru hoaxers, Bhagavan SRS contradicts official Wries of published statements as his disciple: Das Goswami, fanatically pro- ISKCON GBC publication from an ISKCON devotee: “That was the first person- moting him as a “pure devo- al contact with his Divine Grace, tee” and “guru successor” to Srila “As a final point we would Statement 1: although I had been an initiat- Prabhupada. Yet Bhagavan, along like to give a new definition to “For almost five years I had ed devotee for two years.” (SRS, with the other 10 guru impost- the word ritvik or ritvik acarya seen and known Prabhupada visu- Meeting Srila Prabhupada) ers, was only ever authorised by […] I would propose that any ally from photos [...] But I had nev- Yet for anyone today who ac- Srila Prabhupada in his institu- guru, is an officiating acarya or er seen Prabhupada in person […] cepts Srila Prabhupada as their tional directive of July 9th 1977 to ritvik acarya. That is because he is Then I understood that the spiritu- “eternal spiritual guide”, “spiritu- act as a ritvik priest, not as a guru. acting on behalf of his guru. Like al master is non different than his al master” and “only via media to Bhagavan was later disgraced af- all devotees do. That does not picture.” Krsna” – in the same way that SRS ter being caught engaging in illic- mean that the disciples are his Statement 2: did i.e. if you agree with the IRM it activity and was removed as an guru’s but as a Vaisnava he does it “Srila Prabhupada was a trans- – then we have some bad news “initiating guru”. on the guru’s behalf. “ parent media. He transmitted com- for you as the following letter re- SRS had no hesitation in im- ( , CTP, p.21) plete and perfect knowledge with veals: mediately filling Bhagavan’s shoes no personal slant. I accepted the in- “It is the desire of the lo- as his successor as a GBC-elected “The word ritvik literally means formation I was receiving from the cal ISKCON, UK Charity Board guru. a priest who performs a sacrifice.” book as perfect and yet could not of Directors, chaired by His ( Caru Swami, ISKCON recognise its author as my eternal Holiness Sivarama Swami […] to 1994: ‘Srila Prabhupada no Journal March 1990 p. 13.) spiritual guide.” ban all persons who advocate, longer the current link’ “Fire sacrifice, beads, name Statement 3: assist, organise or help finance In 1994, SRS published a - thenThus while goodbye! SRS bizarrely Prabhupada states “Srila Prabhupada was every- posthumous ritvik theories booklet entitled Continuing the thatauthorised a ritvik it.is the He’s same my as guru. an initi This- thing. He was the spiritual mas- from coming to Bhaktivedanta Parampara (CTP) which was an at- atingother guru, guy this is just is contradicted performing in a ter, visionary acarya, empowered Manor.” (Letter issued by ex-guru and tempt to defeat the ritvik philoso- theceremony! two definitions And that’s given the above actual in preacher, head pujari, expert cook, Temple President Vipramukhya Swami). phy, arguing that Srila Prabhupada anposition official of ISKCON the ritvik GBC. He’s journal, just anin father, friend, and only via media to (“Posthumous ritvik theo- was no longer the current link in whichofficiating SRS himselfpriest.” had another ar- Krsna.” ries” is a rather distasteful term our disciplic succession. Below ticle(Satyaraja attacking Das - ISKCON the ritvikJournal, system. From these statements, we to describe the belief that Srila we will demonstrate SRS’s mud- March 1990, p. 38 ) learn that: Prabhupada is not accessible be- dled understanding, by showing 1) Srila Prabhupada is present in cause he is “dead”). Thus, while how he contradicts both his fel- Furthermore, SRS not only his pictures. on the one hand SRS in his state- low GBC-elected gurus and Srila gives a whole new definition of 2) Srila Prabhupada communi- ments above advocates the SAME Prabhupada himself. meaning to the word ‘ritvik’, but cates through his books as the philosophy as the IRM for himself, then has the audacity to state: transparent via media to . on the other hand he enforces a SRS contradicts ISKCON “Like the word Hindu, the He is therefore our eternal spiritu- ban on any devotees from visit- GBC-elected guru Jayadvaita word rtvik has entered with one al guide and spiritual master. ing Bhaktivedanta Manor should Swami meaning, but is being given 3) Srila Prabhupada, the top- they believe in this philosophy! another meaning altogether.” most empowered acarya (spiritu- For the process described by SRS “My proposal, which I shall (Sivarama Swami, CTP, p.31) al master), is the only via media to is completely independent of Srila show in the following section Krishna. Prabhupada’s physical presence. is that Srila Prabhupada did You could be forgiven for If SRS can be inspired and initiat- complete the training, at least to A clearer case of Orwellian thinking that these statements ed by Srila Prabhupada without his satisfaction, and did choose doublethink it would be hard to emanated from an IRM support- having even seen him, then so some gurus.” find! er or from the BTP editorial office. can anyone else on the planet. (Sivarama Swami , CTP Indeed, we would be happy to en- Unfortunately, by his oth- 1994, emphasis added) SRS contradicts Srila dorse them. But you would be er writings and actions, SRS has Prabhupada wrong. They are in fact the state- demonstrated over the years a re- ments of HH Sivarama Swami markably bipolar attitude towards “Srila Prabhupada did not “In this regards Srila (henceforward ‘SRS’), an ISKCON Srila Prabhupada’s philosophy, as appoint anyone to be guru for Prabhupada clearly states GBC-elected guru, published in we now illustrate. the future, he appointed ritviks that a devotee other than an an article he wrote called Meeting to continue in his presence. That uttama adhikari (pure devotee Srila Prabhupada. In the same arti- 1989: Guru hoax successor much is accepted by everyone.” on the topmost platform of God- cle, we learn that though SRS had In the 1980s, SRS was the ( - San realisation) can initiate.” not even met Srila Prabhupada at right hand man of one of the orig- Diego Debate 1990) (Sivarama Swami, CTP, p.29) please chant Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare , Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare – and be happy! please chant Hare Krishna and your life will become sublime! Issue 11 • Spring 2006 • Back to Prabhupada • Page 13 Swami: A case study

“One should not become a names? […]I think these people banned temporarily from initiat- Spiritual Master unless he has are meeting you every day.” ing and visiting Vrindavana as a attained the platform of uttama- (SRS, Vyasa Puja offering, 1994) punishment! adhikari […]Therefore a disciple should be careful to accept an So in the SAME YEAR as pub- 2003: “Gopi Bhava” deviation uttama-adhikari as a Spiritual lishing a document stating that – part 2 Master. “ Srila Prabhupada can no long- Obviously not taking the (Nectar of Instruction, Text 5, purport) er accept disciples, SRS at the GBC’s Resolution on “the recent “On the whole, you may same time admits that it is Srila proliferation in ISKCON of liter- know that he is not a liberated Prabhupada who is personal- ature focusing on “rasika-bhak- HH Sivarama Swami person, and therefore, he cannot ly meeting people every day ti,” intimate -Krsna lila” very initiate any person to Krsna through his books and making seriously, SRS then proceeded to for it to be withdrawn – which it Consciousness.” them his followers! Such philo- write a book all about – “intimate was that year. TFO is now pub- (Srila Prabhupada Letter, April 18th, 1968) sophical bipolarity continues to- Radha-Krsna lila”! Furthermore, lished as a book free of charge – day, with SRS still insisting that SRS even admits that his book Na please see back page. Srila Prabhupada is not accessible Paraye ‘ham is a work of fiction: 1994: Srila Prabhupada acts as as one’s Guru, but rather one must 2004: SRS brands ISKCON guru a current link surrender to either himself or one “The first poetic license, “sick liar” “What are these books that of the other 80 “ISKCON gurus” in therefore, was to induce the In the same year, seemingly on changed my family so much. How order to receive Srila Prabhupada’s fictional characters Syamalata and some sort of crusade against liars, is it possible that he can speak so mercy. Nava-sakhi. As a consequence SRS was unhappy about fellow powerfully through them? You must of this decision, these literary guru ’s frenzied feel very fortunate to be his disciple. 1995: “Gopi Bhava” deviation characters interact with real ambitions to acquire disciples, How great a man he is! Sometimes – part 1 historical persons such us Radha calling him “a sick person” who is when my Granny chants in front of SRS was one of the mem- and Krsna” “obsessed”, and added for good a picture of Krishna she cries. How bers of the infamous “Gopi Bhava” (Sivarama Swami, Na paraye ‘ham, p.19) measure that Jayapataka’s obses- does Prabhupada do that? I want club, which included ISKCON lu- sion “makes lying or duplicitous to cry like that too. Granny dreams minaries such as Tamala Krishna Such a practise of imagin- behaviour fully reconcilable of Prabhupada and sometimes Goswami, and which for many ing the pastimes of the Supreme with service to Prabhupada.” she talks to his picture. Although it years in the early to mid-1990s Lord is condemned by Srila says on the cover of the book that went to seek “higher guidance” Prabhupada: Conclusion he passed away, is Prabhupada re- from HH Maharaja of In the Introduction to ally dead, or is he still alive? Do you the , on the topics “One who follows his Continuing the Parampara, it is think I can meet him some day?” of “rasika” and “Gopi bhava” (con- imaginations about the Supreme stated: “The proper way to un- This letter, written by a young fidential pastimes of Krishna and Personality of Godhead is derstand these important is- girl about Srila Prabhupada’s His maidservants). In response to condemned.” sues is by open discussion books, formed part of SRS’s Vyasa this activity, even the GBC passed (Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.3.32, purport) amongst Vaishnavas.” Yet it is Puja offering to Srila Prabhupada the following resolution: SRS himself who is overseeing in 1994. The letter clearly dem- 2004: SRS admits GBC “lies” the banning of devotees from onstrates the potency of Srila “The recent proliferation in the temple for putting forward Prabhupada’s books in commu- ISKCON of literature focusing on In 1996, the IRM submitted Srila Prabhupada’s instructions on nicating directly with any sincere “rasika-bhakti,” intimate Radha- its foundational paper The Final ritvik – hardly “open discussion”. soul. In his offering, SRS states: Krsna lila, and other subject Order (TFO) to a select committee We do, however, completely matters suitable only for highly of the GBC. The paper was a spe- concur with SRS when he writes: “This is one letter, from one girl advanced souls, represents a cific deconstruction of the GBC’s “I have reconciled that the who came in contact with you. departure from Srila Prabhupada’s paper On My Order Understood search for Srila Prabhupada How many millions of such souls orders and obstructs the smooth which formed the backbone to is within his instructions, are there who have yet to write, spiritual progress of ISKCON the GBC’s “guru tattva” philoso- his books and within my who are directly experiencing devotees. ISKCON members phy. Supporters of TFO were sub- heart. Gradually I am learn- your mercy daily, who read should therefore avoid collecting, sequently banned from ISKCON ing to appreciate that it your books with implicit faith, reading, discussing, or distributing temples. is vani (Guru’s teachings) whom you talk to in dreams such literature.” In 2004, SRS admitted the which is the eternal link that and pictures, whose lives you (Resolution 73, GBC Resolutions 1995) GBC’s folly by stating that On I am being forced to em- change abruptly and reward with My Order Understood is a pack of brace” (SRS, Meeting Srila Prabhupada) tears when chanting the holy SRS and company were also “lies”, and proposed a resolution WELCOME TO THE IRM.

please chant Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare – and be happy!