10/01/1998 - 2294 (See Related VNN Stories)

Harikesha Becomes Rajneesh Follower

Germany (VNN) - VNN has learned that Monika, the "therapist" Harikesha wants to marry, is currently and has been for many years a follower of "Bhagavan Rajneesh". Rajneesh had become known worldwide for giving "sannyasa" to his followers and advocating free sexuality for spiritual advancement. Rajneesh followers have also been known to recruit new members into the group by offering sex. In light of these facts, the recent statements by Harikesha regarding his promotion of more unrestricted sex can be traced directly to the teachings of Rajneesh via Monika. Harikesha is also said to be sharing Monika with two of Monika's boyfriends, since Rajneesh followers do not believe in monogamous relationships. (see also VNN story #2117)

While Harikesha is vacationing in a top secret location, with money extorted from ISKCON, the former Harikesha zone, which includes most of Northern Europe and Russia, appears to be falling apart. Some reports claim this includes some 7000 initiated Harikesha disciples, which by some estimates accounts for more than half of ISKCON's total membership. For example, after 20 years of preaching in Austria, the ISKCON temple in Vienna, the country's capital, has been closed and the deities moved to Switzerland. The temple building is to be sold to pay off debts to the BBT. BBT debts, that some say, were intentionally created by Harikesha with over-inflated book prices charged to the temples, to milk every last penny out of these temples, to be stashed away in BBT accounts in Switzerland.

Reports of substantial exodus amongst Harikesha disciples could possibly mean the most devastating blow to ISKCON's preaching in Europe. To this day the aftershocks of Bhagavan's and Jayatirta's fall can be felt in France, Italy and England, where ISKCON has not recovered from these fiascos. The New Mayapur temple in France, one of the flagship temples in Europe, once populated with hundreds of devotees, is to be sold, since it can no longer be maintained.

Just weeks ago Harikesha disciples were seen offering Vyasa Puja to Monika's son, after Harikesha told them that he was an incarnation of Srila Prabhupada. This comes as a haunting reminder of other aberrations of vedic tradition in ISKCON's history. Kirtananda disciples eating the remnants of their guru's guard dogs and offering arotika to them, after Kirtananda made statements to the effect they were "great souls" who had come to serve him. Pictures of Kirtananda in jail are circulated today amongst his diehard followers. In other places over-enthusiastic Bhaktins would offer the expelled mucus of ill gurus like Jagadish as nectar to newcomers.

ISKCON seems to get deeper and deeper into trouble with its own legacy, continuing on its course of self-destruction, with its latest attempt to purge the few remaining Prabhupada followers from the society in what is called by many as the latest "ritvik witch hunt".

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