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| EDITORIAL November 17, 1998 VNN2513 See Related VNN Stories Let Us Cooperate! BY GAURIDASA PANDITA DASA EDITORIAL, Nov 17 (VNN) — An Appeal To Jayapataka Swami Dear Jaypataka Maharaja, Nov.16, 1998 Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! I was inspired to write you after reading your interesting report on VNN this morning about your last meeting with Harikesa Prabhu. I want to thank you for trying to help in this regard. This is the mood that I saw in His Divine Grace. Whenever he heard that a devotee had left the movement he tried to get them to come back as far as possible. I am sure Srila Prabhupada is pleased with your efforts to help Harikesa Prabhu and I hope you maintain his trust and friendship. I want to respond to a few of the things you wrote in your report on your last meeting with Harikesa Prabhu; specifically points 7, 8, 11, 13, 16, 20, & 22. I hope this is acceptable to you. [Jayapataka Swami Writes:] from [Text 1851416 COM] Harikesa Meeting Report: [ 7. ABOUT DISCIPLES: I mentioned how Annapurna dd from Sweden had asked me whether Harikesa Maharaja still really cares about them since they had offered him so much devotional service in love and felt there was a relationship, but now they didn't know whether it means anything to him. Harikesa Maharaja said that off course he cares about them. I mentioned how his disciples would like him to come back and be with them in ISKCON. He said he wouldn't be a member of an organization anymore. He didn't want to be controlled by an organization. He didn't want to be controlled. When I mentioned how his disciples have been serving him and loved him. He said he didn't want to be controlled by love either. He didn't want to be controlled any more. Therefore he was out of the institution. He would try to help individuals but he didn't want to be part of any institution. I mentioned how his disciples loved him and cared about him. He said that they had drained him and depleted his ethereal body and that it was too much for him to sustain.] Harikesa Prabhu doesn't want to belong to ISKCON as it is today. So many hundreds maybe thousands of devotees have similar experiences and feelings. That is why Jagadish Prabhu left also; to experience feelings, love and emotion etc..that was/is lacking in ISKCON today. We need to go to the root of the problem. That is the guru issue. He should not have taken on the position of a diksa guru when he was instructed to be an officiating acharya or ritvik. If we follow the orders of Srila Prabhupada these problems could be avoided and spiritual life could become a joy again in the house where we are all supposed to be able to live. We need therapy. That starts with talking. United we stand; divided we fall! I hope you live up to your name and help in bringing the victory flag to Srila Prabhupada's mission. Harikesa Prabhu is revealing his heart. He admits that he cannot 'sustain' his initiates. That's because he was never meant to. Srila Prabhupada can and will take away that burden, if we let him. I hope all of the devotees take complete shelter of Srila Prabhupada by following his instructions in the books and from you and the other devotees. [ 8. CARING ABOUT DEVOTEES: Harikesa Maharaja preached on how he wants to see the devotees in ISKCON happy and cared for. How he wants to see things improve in "our society". That there needs to be a lot more of caring and loving amongst devotees. I mentioned that I had been preaching this for a couple of years and he admitted that he appreciated that. That was one reason why he was talking to me. I also explained to him how we could use his help for expanding the congregational preaching and he could come back and help with that. He liked congregational preaching and thought it was a brilliant idea.] The same plea for personalism here. Why are so many of the leaders in ISKCON so impersonal? I had an exchange with Jayadvaita Maharaja the other day at the Temple. I was standing there with my children as Jayadvaita Maharaja was talking to Ram Parashar Prabhu. He was speaking loud enough for everyone in the area to hear him and when he mentioned Krsnakant and 'holes in the philosophy' and rascal a few times I felt I had to defend my Godbrother Krsnakant Prabhu, compiler of "The Final Order". I asked Jayadvaita Maharaja to kindly explain the 'holes' he was referring to. He responded in an angry tone saying that he would not talk to me because I was not humble enough. I said all devotees should be humble and treat all devotees respectfully; not just the Sanyasi's. I thought I was pretty humble. One of the woman there said that the Brahmacharies were upset with the Maharaja because they had to do his laundry etc. on demand and even iron his underwear. Anyway, he continued to talk saying that in the beginning of the movement we all agreed on the philosophy. I couldn't help asking him at that point, that if we all agreed on the philosophy and Prabhupada as our guru, as he said, then why does he need to make so many changes now? He became very upset and walked away and yelled, OK we'll just make the changes that Gauridasa says!". I responded by saying, not what I say, "what Srila Prabhupada says." A few other comments were yelled by Jayadvaita Swami as he walked away about going to Pitri loka. My daughter became nervous as the 'Swami' lost control and yelled at me. I had to comfort her. This is one reason why it is so hard to make progress on initiation reform. None of the leaders, especially the GBC; will discuss this issue openly and honestly. [11. ABOUT SRILA PRABHUPADA: ...I had prayed to Srila Prabhupada what could I do for Harikesa Maharaja which would please Srila Prabhupada. It seemed that Srila Prabhupada wanted me to get him to admit that Srila Prabhupada had no ill intention and everything he did was for Harikesa Maharaja best interests. So I asked Harikesa Maharaja what he though Srila Prabhupada's intentions were. Harikesa Maharaja said that Srila Prabhupada was a pure devotee and his intentions were the best: "To spread love of Godhead all over the world." I thought it was nice that he at least admitted that.] Yes, I agree that was very nice and fortunate for him that he said this. I hope he continues in this mood. [ 13. ABOUT SANNYASA: Harikesa Maharaja explained how he never wanted to take Sannyas. He gave a history which I don't know if it is true, but it is what he says. That Srila Prabhupada preached for him subtly for a week about Sannyas. Then Harikesa dasa asked Srila Prabhupada for sannyas thinking it is what Srila Prabhupada wanted. Harikesa Maharaja told me that Srila Prabhupada asked him why he wanted to take sannyas. Harikesa Maharaja feels it was some kind of reverse psychology being used. But then Harikesa Maharaja finally said he didn't want to take sannyas at the end of the discussion. Then at 2AM Tamal Krishna Goswami woke him up and told him Srila Prabhupada wanted to speak to him. Harikesa dasa went to see Srila Prabhupada and Srila Prabhupada told him he would give him sannyas.] Maybe you or someone can get Tamal KG to comment on this one? [ 16. REGARDING RETURNING TO ISKCON: Last time when I met with Harikesa Maharaja he had told me three times that he might come back to ISKCON if things were better. I asked about that and why the changes after our meeting. He said that he liked me and that is why he was giving me an interview. That he didn't give interviews to others since they didn't deal with him nicely. That he was totally convinced that he could never have anything to do with ISKCON after the way that Naresvara das dealt with him. He said that Naresvara das and Abhirama Das came to see him after I left and told him that he was not getting the money he asked for. He said initially he was very angry, but then after 20 minutes he became detached and didn't care any more. That actually his threats were just a bluff and he told that to Lochan das or someone (can't remember for sure who he told). That he couldn't do anything against ISKCON. He told me the German detectives wanted him to make a complaint against ISKCON, but he realized they were demons and he didn't do it. He said he couldn't do anything that would harm ISKCON. I said that in Russia so much harm had been done to ISKCON. He said he couldn't do anything about that. That people left ISKCON because they didn't like it.] I'm glad he does not want to harm ISKCON's public image. We should do everything possible to resolve our problems together so they don't fall into the public. Harikesa Prabhu says that he can't help the situation with the Russian public relations but I think he can. If he comes out as an officiating acharya, as Srila Prabhupada said and preaches properly about Srila Prabhupada's position things will work out well. [20. LEAVING GERMANY: He told me he was leaving Germany. Eventually he was still planning to have a Healing Centre. That he wanted to train devotees to do healing. That devotees had less false ego so they were natural healers. That before someone could come up to Krishna consciousness they first needed to reach the mode of goodness. That all the GBC Rules were of no use. That Laws like not to steal and lie were needed to guide people in mode of goodness. Once they reached goodness then they could only go higher. That devotees were not even on the platform of goodness so how they could go higher. He wanted to provide free or as inexpensive as possible training for devotees to do healing. He would have professionals also to do psychiatric checks. He said he was able to do healing now but that Monika was more powerful than he was.] Harikesa Prahbu's idea to open a healing center is very good. If he comes to LA I can take him to a healing center in the mountains near here and would be glad to work with him or you if you become humble officiating priests for Prabhupada. You will become healthy and happy and have more cooperation from us your God-brothers and sisters. Together we can do so much more for Srila Prabhupada and Krsna! I am ready to cooperate with and serve even Tamal K.G. if he tells the truth about Srila Prabhupada's last instructions on the initiation issue for ISKCON again as he did in Topanga talks of 1980. [22. ADDITIONAL POINTS: Harikesa Maharaj didn't want to take the cake since he thought it might have some drugs in it, but when Nanda Kumar das, my travelling secretary, told him how good it was he ended up eating one and a half pieces of cake with relish. We talked for many hours, maybe four hours in total. So many things were said. I can't write down everything. I wrote some of the highlights. He said he prayed to Radha Madhava when he was collapsing. He said he wouldn't go back to Mayapur until it was cleaned of all child abuse. He said he wanted to maintain personal relations with devotees, but not to be part of the institution. At the end of the day he seemed happier than when I came. Although I didn't have any breakthroughs or big changes to report. Many things were confirming the continuing problem and route that he has been on. Still I felt somewhat happier that I had spent the day with him. It seemed good that he could talk with someone openly in confidence. He said I was welcome to come again after he gets settled down wherever he moves to.] It's too bad devotees are concerned about being poisoned. To not be able to enjoy Prasadam because of a threat of poison is very unfortunate. I hope we can deal with these matters quickly to avoid future problems. Harikesa's concern for ending any child abuse in Mayapur or anywhere is commendable. I am on his side here! Our schools are lacking to say the least. What about high school and college level? Our future is with the kids so we need to improve our schools so even karmis will want to join. [ He didn't want to say where that was at since he wanted some time in peace before he reveals where he is newly situated. Yours in service, Jayapataka Swami] This report is a 'breakthrough'. I hope you continue to engage in these activities. You said it seemed good that he could talk with someone openly in confidence. I would feel the same way. Although I am a 'little' devotee will you grant me a favor. I know you are influential at the highest level of our movement and I want you to sponsor or allow an open meeting on the initiation issue with the GBC as soon as possible. Maybe at the Mayapur 1999 Meeting? Please allow me this one benediction before I die. I ask you to allow a GBC meeting on the guru issue in the same format as the one we attended in San Diego in Jan. 1990. Or any format of your choice would be better than nothing as has been the case since 1990. The unanimous decision of that North American GBC meeting was to have another meeting in Mayapur. That was canceled in 1990 and we really need to address this most important issue. This 'Maha-istagosthi' on the ISKCON Guru, is the solution to any misunderstandings on the issue which is the source of ISKCON's disunity today. The meetings are happening more and more around the world and it's time to answer the questions of the devotees. The GBC really need to act positively on this soon. Since Srila Prabhupada asked us from the transcendental core of his heart to cooperate, I ask you to cooperate to communicate nicely and please put a meeting on the 1999 Mayapur GBC Meeting Agenda. Let us cooperate! Devotees all over the world are all concerned and want us to meet and unify the mission for our ultimate good and the good of the fallen souls. This will please Sri Sri Guru and Gouranga and all of us. We will all advance if we can sacrifice our egos for Srila Prabhupada. Then we will be truly glorious and command the respect we now demand. Please forgive me if I've been too 'preachy'. It is not my position as your junior God-brother. I only take concern because it is my duty to our spiritual master and you can make a difference. I hope you get this message and kindly respond. Hoping this meets you well, Your servant, Gauridasa Pandita Dasa Click here for the Haribol Home Page See Related VNN Stories NEWS DESK | EDITORIALS | TOP |
