12/01/97 - 1303

"Better Kill Me Here"

USA (VNN) - Questions are mounting why Balavanta das still has not released the lab report. Information fragments are coming forward but VNN is waiting for the release of the report to give complete coverage.

In the meantime the search for a possible motive gives rise to much speculation. Assuming that some kind of poisoning has occurred, the search for the motive for such a ghastly act is one of the questions any investigator must face. The simplistic scenario of Srila Prabhupada being surrounded by "sinister demons" in his inner circle of followers is difficult to accept even for the most cynical devotee. Therefore several theories of a possible motive have recently surfaced.

There is the most obvious motive of greed. The sons that can't wait to take over the inheritance of the father. Then there is the motive of the disciple who may have fallen down and fears to be removed from the "successor guru list" in the last minute.

Another theory surfaced when the following document was discovered:
Room Conversation - Vrindaban, October 22, 1977 (BBT Folio)
Svarupa Damodara: One of the medicines is that Isotoxin. I asked...
Adi-kesava: That is a very, very strong drug, very, very strong. It has a very heavy effect.
Svarupa Damodara: Isotoxin is also called Isonayazid.(?) It's the chemical name. I know that, I discussed with...
Prabhupada: Then he'll say, "Remove to the hospital."
Bhavananda: Then they'll say move to the hospital.
Prabhupada: Then who will take care of me? Hm?
Bhavananda: We will never allow them to remove you to a hospital, Srila Prabhupada.
Prabhupada: You'll have to, gradually, according to his advice.
Bhavananda: Therefore we asked you yesterday for your guidance.
Prabhupada: No, I'll guide. Don't move me to the hospital. Better kill me here.
Svarupa Damodara: We won't, Srila Prabhupada.
Bhavananda: Never.

Could some over-enthusiastic or deviant disciples have taken this as a final order or wish from their spiritual master? Or could they have used this to justify their conspiracy? Could the alleged conspirators have plotted to end Srila Prabhupada's "suffering" in an act of "mercy killing"?

Another devotee writes: "The motives of any possible poisoners might make a far deeper field of investigation than the poisoning itself. My understanding is that if there was a conspiracy to poison Srila Prabhupada (which may or may not have been the case), it could only have come from the involvement in ISKCON of the international intelligence community. If you were to open an inquiry into this matter it might bear some very interesting fruit indeed."