12/25/97 - 1429

Letter from Janahlada Dasa

USA (VNN) - Letter from Janahlada:

Dear Howard,

I couldn't find your spiritual name on your letter.

Please accept my obesciences. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

The lack of response, and poor response you've received at voicing your concerns to ISKCON authorities and forums is a result of the pride and arrogance of the current leaders of our movement. I am sorry to see it happen to someone as clearly sincere and honest, and diligent as your are.

Even if Srila Prabhupada was not poisoned, I am only 60% sure that he was, he was clearly kept a prisoner during his last days, in that little room in Vrindavana. One can hear the sorrow in his voice. It is clear. His disciples were speaking to him in an offensive, condescending way. He was not allowed to go out, etc. It was with pride and arrogance that our spiritual master was treated so badly and my heart is broken by it.

I have always seen this kind of behavior coming from our leaders. For twenty eight years I chose to ignore it. Four years ago I found out that Srila Prabhupada wanted all of his disciples in Vrindavana when he was leaving his body. That I (we) was (were) not told this was an important personal wrong; the first clear evidence that my godbrothers and sisters and myself were being treated by our movement's leaders in a way which was detrimental to our spiritual life, and the intentions of Srila Prabhupada.

Up until then my observation of the pride and arrogance in some of our leaders could easily be attributed to my personal enviousness. Now, after hearing the tapes of Srila Prabhupada's last days, even if the poison issue is false, the misguiding influence of ISKCON's leaders, bloated with false pride: criminal pride that is vivid, and has to be changed. It will be!

"Pride goeth before the fall!"

We must be clear Prabhu. We must look closely and decide who amongst our associates and amongst our current leaders sees that the leadership of our movement is decadent and self-serving, and who wants to clean things and start afresh, and help direct our movement in the way that Srila Prabhupada desired, including the initiating of others by his disciples as Srila Prabhupada's disciples, for the new devotees coming into our movement.

We have a fight ahead of us. Our strength lies in good sadhana and being concerned with the strength and determination of our movement to follow Srila Srila Prabhupada's instructions. The old gaurd, in their stagnant self-serving positions, must be moved aside. It's the only way. We can't change them. Nor, clearly, as you can see, can we deal with them.

Hare Krishna.

Your servant,

Janahlada Dasa [ACBSP]