11/18/97 - 1237

Audio Clip of 2nd Whisper and Updates

VNN had raised the question of a potential conflict of interest that could arise from Balavanta prabhu's role as head of the "Prabhupada Poison Investigation" and his role as former, current or future legal council for ISKCON:

His reply was 11/17/97:

I have not directly represented ISKCON in the time frame mentioned (currently, previous and next 6 months) except as consultant in the Murphy case in Boston which is not related and is now settled. In any event, I see no conflict in an internal investigation such as this and my own complete loyalty to ISKCON which has been demonstrated over the past 27 years.

My investigation is completely independent although I was asked by the GBC to investigate. My insistence on the distribution of the preliminary whisper evidence was a product of my independence. I expect word from the more advanced labs any day. In fact I thought I would have had it by now.
I hope it will turn out to be an audio illusion and I can be merely criticized for pushing the panic button while the society breathes a collective sigh of relief. If not, then the matter is certainly serious. Rest assured that I will communicate the results as they are available.

Your servant,

Balavanta das

Letters 11/17/97:

Bir Krishna Swami writes:

"I still hear the same thing: "That's not part of the treatment."
I only hear the poison thing when I am some distance from the speakers. When I am up close or use good headphones (I have top of the line Sennheisers) I hear the statement about treatment.

What can I do. I have tried my best to hear the poison statement but it disappears when I listen closely as above mentioned."

Letter by (author's name withheld on request):

"(author) was in Vrindavan and often in Prabhupada's room during his last days.

As far as someone poisoning Prabhupada, I don't know. I did hear him say something to that effect but remember that he was about 80 lbs when he died and was in excruciating pain. Although for someone in his condition he was unbelievably calm, pain can make a person say just about anything. There was no doubt that the man was suffering intensely not only in body but in spirit too.

His doctor was a very kind man who in my estimation would not ever harm the hair on anyone's head and he predicted to the second when Prabhupada would die so I think he would be aware of anyone poisoning him. Has anyone contacted him? He wasn't that old then and could be still alive.

One thing that crosses my mind is that the cause of death given at the time was kidney failure due to an untreated diabetic condition. I know that kidney failure causes one's body to blow up like a balloon legs first. I didn't see that with Prabhupada. He really exhibited the symptoms of severe mercury poisoning. He was so emaciated that I couldn't believe he could hold on as long as he did. His limbs and muscles would spasm and when I touched him, he was cool and clammy sometimes and hot and dry at others. His muscle pains were severe and required constant massage. I'm no doctor and realize that his symptoms could have been caused by a myriad of things. The way he looked when he died brought the victims of the Minamata mercury spill to mind.

Narayana Maharaja was there and he had a calming influence. They consulted in Hindi and Bengali and the only thing that I remember hearing was that Prabhupada said, "I created a monster but it's too late to do anything about it." Narayana Maharaja told him not to worry, that he had done his best and now it was Mahaprabhu's responsibility. Has anyone asked Narayana Maharaja what his opinion is about the poisoning theory?"