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EDITORIAL September 5, 1999 VNN4660 Related VNN Stories Answer To Puru Prabhu's Submission BY MAHAVEGAVATI DASI EDITORIAL, Sep 5 (VNN) — Hare Krsna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and the assembled Vaisnavas. Please accept my fallen obeisances. Just to clarify a few things with relation to Puru prabhu's post of Umapati Maharaja's letters: According to what Puru prabhu told me, he received a copy of those letters from one of our Godbrothers. As far as Umapati Maharaja's letters themselves go, I would like to clarify a few points: I am not concerned with "persecution, " (the exact word Umapati Maharaj used in his first letter). I KNEW the risk I was taking by posting my letters, "Open Letter to Malati Dasi" and "Malati's Last Letter". I KNEW that I would be "persecuted" for posting them. After all, THAT seems to be THE STANDARD the GBC employs when someone speaks up with the kind of truth which proves to be unpleasant or "embarassing" for the GBC. I took that risk because I felt the matter of concern was important enough to address, and if it meant that I would be "persecuted" I was willing to accept that consequence. I was VERY concerned about my Godsister's spiritual situation as a devotee. Because of her position of leadership, I felt that Malati prabhu was being very negatively affected. I approached her personally many times with this matter. I told her that I felt that she, (like the rest of us), very much NEEDED to start to take a better, deeper look within herself for her OWN sake, but I got practically nowhere with this personal approach. I submitted my posts, (the letters which I originally gave to her, and which she did not answer), to VNN because I felt that putting my letters up publicly, would force Malati prabhu to at least consider what was being said, and thus, possibly make the positive changes. Sometimes we become imprisoned by the image we create of ourselves, (or which can be created by others), and to which we hold on so tightly to. Often, we become so bound up by that image that we can not go beyond that image to see WHERE we REALLY are at. That prison ALONE, of misconceived image, can so much delay, and even STOP our spiritual progress. The whole point of devotee association is so that we can assist one another on the path back home, back to Godhead. A bonafide Godsibling will take ANY, and ALL risks to help another Godsibling who s/he feels is sincere. Thus, I took the risk I did, to try to reach Malati prabhu over the internet, (because I feel that she is sincere and I felt that the truth MIGHT be able to reach her in this way), that she would be able to hear it through this medium. (I tried to speak to her, and submitted my letters to her in Columbus, but they did no good.) Because I lived with Malati prabhu, and saw what I saw, I felt that she was not able to go beyond the image unless and until someone practically "slapped" her in the face with the truth. Thus I spoke it out in a medium which I thought would produce the desired, and NEEDED effect. (I was told by some ladies close to Malati prabhu, that the posts DID have some positive effect.) Srila Prabhupada himself explained that if one sees a situation where ignorance has entered in, if one does not take proper action to address the situation, s/he becomes affected and contaminated by the ignorance. "...anyone who finds a situation affected by the mode of ignorance but doesn't act to correct it is also being affected by the mode of ignorance." (from Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta, Vol. 6, p 160) Thus, it is one's DUTY to address a situation where there is some problem. When Sudama prabhu, (Maharaj at the particular time), was having some difficulty - and he was a leader - the devotees neglected his problem. Finally, Sudama prabhu left the association of devotees. He later came to see Srila Prabhupada. After speaking to Sudama prabhu, Srila Prabhupada turned and chastized the devotees for NOT helping their Godbrother. "This is NOT Vaisnava. You saw that Sudama was in difficulty, and you did not help him...Why didn't you help him?" A devotee is ALWAYS looking out for the SPIRITUAL and material, (in relation to the spiritual), welfare of their Godsiblings. I saw problems and out of my concern and desire to see the problems corrected, I tried to address them in the best ways that I could think of. Leader means servant. Part of a leaders' service, (and anyone else's service), is to give proper example by one's words and actions. Especially from a leader, this consciousness is expected. Krsna Himself says in BG 3.21, "Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow in his footsteps, and whatever standards he sets by his exemplary acts, all the world pursues." Thus, it is the leader's DUTY to deal honestly with the people who are under his/her jurisdiction. (That also means that a leader will NOT try to pretend, and present him or herself to be on a higher platform than what they really are on, (as quite a number of our ITS GON leaders do.) A leader will also periodically, if not all the time, take the time to reflect on his/her own consciousness and question how and where there can be improvement. Whether one has an "official" position of leadership or not, as aspiring Vaisnavas, we are all leaders in some capacity. Therefore we have to be responsible for our actions and words, and they should come from a loving motive, EVEN IF APPARENTLY HARSH, just like the mother that slaps her child, or severely chastizes him/her for going to put their hand in the fire. One should be thinking every time one speaks or acts, "Am I saying, (or doing), this out of love for this person, and GENUINE concern for THEIR spiritual life?" LEADERS ESPECIALLY should question themselves in this way. After all, isn't this what Krsna consciousness is all about? If this is NOT our consciousness, then we are thinking, acting, and speaking MATERIALLY. There are so many problems in present day ISKCON. (It certainly is NOT the ISKCON that Srila Prabhupada INTENDED.) I feel that these problems are there MAINLY due to the various forms of dishonesty that has settled in to the consciousness of the leadership. Because many of my Godsiblings in positions of authority REFUSE to be honest in their interactions with devotees, both on a personal and a general level as leaders, devotees are feeling dissatisfied. Some devotees are even following in this example of dishonesty. I feel that certain leaders are dishonest in their trying to present themselves to be on a level of spiritual advancement that they really are not on, (trying to promote themselves as uttama adhikaris when in actuality, they are not. Some of our leaders and gurus are not even chanting their rounds whereas others have a slip up and/or fall from the regulative principles). Honesty is part of humility. Humility means realizing one's true position in relationship with Krsna, and that humility is so much lacking in many of our ITS GON leaders. Even if that realization is not there, at least we can have the proper understanding and TRY to act on it. Krsna consciousness is about getting RID of the FALSE ego, getting rid of the concept of "image" - the MATERIAL image one has of oneself, or one is TRYING to CREATE. It is THAT "imaging" that is keeping us BOUND to this material world, that is FORCING us to take one material body after another. Do we REALLY want to compromize our chances to attain PURE Krsna consciousness simply for the sake of an image, or for obtaining a position with some TEMPORARY name and "fame"? We have already spent so many lifetimes in this material world, possibly even some where we have attained position, name and fame. Prahlad Maharaj calls it chewing the chewed, punah punas carvita carvananam. Where has it all gotten us other than frustration and distress? (One has to work hard to keep up one's CONCOCTED "image" of oneself, that one has created for oneself, either through one's own creation, or that of others, or both.) It is due to this VERY reason, this lack of honesty, desire for name, fame, and the rest, that there is all of this politics, be it in ITS GON, or elsewhere. If all of us would simply be honest and admit to the FACT that we ALL, (including the leaders), are PRACTICING devotees TRYING to become pure, then we could interact and connect on a proper devotee platform with none of the nonsense that we have brought into our realms. This lack of honesty simply comes from the fact that we are on the bodily platform, EXACTLY the platform that we are SUPPOSED to be trying to get off of, and that we are always preaching that we must become freed from. I met Malati prabhu in 1987 when I was doing Hari Nam and prasadam distribution in Thomkins Square Park at night. Bhaktitirtha Swami placed me temporarily under Kirtanananda prabhu's jurisdiction inbetween my stays in Africa. (I did NOT want to serve under KS, but I just surrendered to BTS's instruction that I do so.) I collected on the subways during the day, and would go to Thomkins Square Park at night, until Kirtanananda prabhu told me to stop the prasadam distribution and Hari Nam, and instead continue my collections into the late night. Thus, it was there that I first met Malati prabhu, and later in 1995, when she was in charge of the temple in Columbus. Meeting her later in 1997, and living in Columbus, I saw some changes, and I became very concerned. I felt that these changes were a result of several factors: biological, neuropsychological, and the pride that resulted from being in the position of leadership, a pride that I personally felt was hurting her spiritual advancement. Therefore, I "spoke" to her through VNN. When one speaks the truth, there is bound to be some reaction. After all, Srila Prabhupada himself quoted the Bengali saying, sach bale tomare latha jhuta jagat mohaye; "When one tells lies, everyone is enchanted, but when one tells the truth, he is beaten with sticks". Chanakya Pandita has said, "One should humor a sudra. To a vaisya one should give gifts. To a ksatriya one should offer flattering words, but to a brahmin one should speak the truth." The reason for this is obvious: The brahmins are searching after the Supreme Truth. Only a brahmana can appreciate the truth even if it is bitter, no matter HOW bitter it may be. He prefers to accept the bitter truth even if offered the sweetest of illusions, because brahmanas are searching after the Supreme Truth. The FIRST quality of the brahmana is TRUTHFULNESS. Srila Prabhupada HIMSELF said that he was trying to CREATE brahmanas. Thus, we should ALL be willing to hear, and deal with the truth. dharmo raksati raksitah; the protector of dharma is protected by dharma. Thus it is our DUTY, ESPECIALLY as REPRESENTATIVES OF SRILA PRABHUPADA AND THE GAUDIYA VAISNAVA GURU PARAMPARA to institute, abide by, serve, and work for protecting dharma, sanatan dharma. That also includes coming out with the bitter truth that may be sometimes involved in exposing and addressing the problems that need correcting within ISKCON. Just like Arjuna: If given the choice, he would have preferred NOT to fight, but he HAD to; Krsna told him to. In a certain sense, it would have been easier not to fight, but he was meant to do so. Krsna was using him as an instrument. Similarly, sometimes we are put into a situation where we may WANT to take the easy path and NOT get involved, but we KNOW that we MUST reject that, and instead, act according to the NECESSITY of the situation. As far as Umapati Maharaja's use of the word "anger" in his letter, I was angry that Malati prabhu had gone that far as to 1) lie in her letter to me, and 2) authorize the stealing of my Silas - as I was told she did - but the main reason I posted my letters to Malati prabhu publicly was because I felt that those posts would help her. Umapati Maharaja's second letter submitted by Puru prabhu, (where Umapati Maharaj says, "I will have to retract my support for Mother Mahavegavati considering what she is now writing"), was a letter sent out in response to my post on VNN called "Moral Standards". The letter was sent to the NA GBC, with specific copies sent to Jaya Pataka and Vipramukhya Swamis, Mother Malati and Madhusudani Radha prabhus. I sent several emails to Umapati Maharaj after his second letter of a "change of heart" where I submitted some questions to him, but he did not answer any of my emails. I personally feel that his second letter was one of compromization with the political interests of various ITS GON leaders, rather than one of addressing the truth. Until this time, I have had great respect for Umapati Maharaja's simplicity and honesty - those qualtities which I felt were present in him when I knew him in 1986 and the time spent with him in Ivory Coast. From this second letter of his, and to which he would make NO replies to ANY of my subsequent emails to him, DESPITE his saying, (in his second letter), "I also offer my dundavats to Mother Mahavegavati and beg for forgivenenss of my own inability to help her", I feel that Umapati Maharaj has also become affected by this disease of compromization. The posts that I have submitted to VNN, I wrote out of GENUINE concern for my Guru Maharaja's INTENDED ISKCON movement, and out of concern for certain individuals who have lost - if not all - at least some of their sense of discrimination. Believe it, or don't believe it; that is your choice. Ultimately, Krsna KNOWS the facts. I will agree, bodily speaking: I AM the "fat", "tattooed", "shaven-headed", "saffron clad" "crazy" "freak" that some, (if not many devotees), see me as, and refer to me as such, but BEYOND that bodily conception, I actually care VERY MUCH about my Guru Maharaja's ISKCON movement and HIS desire to see everyone become Krsna conscious. That is why it is SO frustrating for me to see our leaders cheating themselves and others out of the REAL "thing", and thus, I have spoken up. SATYAM EVA JAYATE Like it or don't like it, but THAT is the FACT. Submitted below, are two emails sent to me by one of the ISKCON temple presidents. (For obvious reasons, I will NOT include his/her name.) ---.com wrote: Dear Mahavegavati dasi, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Although you don't know me (which is neither important nor required anyway), I just wanted to thank you for your well-written letters regarding the Columbus situation. As a long-time TP I tried to get some of the points you made across to Malati some time ago but she simply ignored them. I think that your letters are the Lord's arrangement and they will be beneficial for everyone involved. Besides that, I want to give you at least my moral support since you may have to go through all sorts of further tribulations in your KC for having been so outspoken. If I can ever be of any service, please let me know. Y.s. ...da /TP of... --- .com wrote: Pamho. AGTSP. I would just feel sorry for Umapati Swami and forget about him. He has chosen to be another loyal clique member of a system that simply fools itself. Especially since he is running Chakra, he has become heavily implicated in politics and offenses, apparently without even noticing it. Chakra is simply using everything that serves their purpose. They have to look good in the eyes of the GBC and therefore they are ready to do anything in order to please the GBC, even if it is nothing but dirty politics sold in the garments of pc language. Umapati is just as enthusiastically involved in this embarrassing and pathetic web site as he was when he was following Kirtanananda fanatically. It is really his own problem. You don't need their evaluation to prove to the world who you are. Maybe no one in this world will understand how advanced or not you are, but Srila Prabhupada knows and the Lord knows, so what need is there to worry about others opinions? Its a long race and those who are judging today are judged tomorrow, those who are offending today are the ones who will have to pay for it tomorrow. USwami is already paying for having compromised his integrity while posing as an advanced soul. The rest is between him, SP and Krsna. Y.s. ... SATYAM EVA JAYATE!!! Humbly submitted for the sake of truthfulness. I remain your servant, Mahavegavati Dasi Hare Krsna About the Author  Other Stories by this AuthorRelated VNN Stories Comment on this storyContact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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