05/21/98 - 1810

IVC Reports Poison CD Stolen

USA (VNN) - THE INDEPENDENT VAISNAVA COUNCIL
An Interim Report on the Poisoning Investigation (see also VNN story# 1809)

The possibility that Srila Prabhupada was poisoned appeared as a storm cloud on the ISKCON horizon, where it remains to this day despite all attempts to wish it away. The GBC and ISKCON leaders continue in their attempts to stigmatize any person who suggests that this suspicion should be investigated - a predictable response from the institutional elite.

The Independent Vaisnava Council's initial mandate was to do whatever was possible within legal boundaries to investigate if there is any truth to these suspicions. With this daunting task ahead, a number of avenues were taken. The initial forensic aspect of the investigation had two directions:

1) to analyze the audio recordings in hopes of verifying suspicious "whispers" and to identify any evidence of unauthorized tampering; and

2) to make an expert analysis of Srila Prabhupada's hair samples, looking for traces of poison.These efforts are on-going and the results will be forthcoming.

Another major project undertaken with input from the IVC was the creation of a professional audio CD which would present the up-to-date facts and issues. This project met with a number of difficulties, after weeks of intense effort on the part of Dhanesvara dasa. Dhanesvara had been working at Jagannatha dasa's recording studio in up-state New York, but his diligent work was cut short due to a disagreement with Jagannath. This resulted in Dhanesvara leaving just prior to completion of the project. Shortly thereafter, before departing on a trip to India, Jagannath entrusted the master CD and the working DAT's to a resident devotee Jagannath had sponsored from India. His instructions to this person were to FedEx the completed CD and working materials to Nityananda dasa. Nityananda never received the expected package, however. Jagannatha reports that he returned from India to find that the trusted associate had stolen many valuable items from his ashram, including cash and the CD masters and DAT's. He traced this devotee's whereabouts to the ISKCON Potomac Temple, but says that local authorities refused to assist him in retrieving the stolen property. It appears that this individual presented the stolen CD and working tapes as an "offering" to the ISKCON authorities, in exchange for support and protection.

This deal seems to have worked for the thief, because he was successfully sheltered by the temple leadership. The CD itself, which was a working draft, was never completed before being stolen. The draft version has obviously been circulated among ISKCON leadership, and was recently mentioned in a UseNET discussion group by a disciple of Harikesa Swami. The IVC was interested to read this recent commentary, which was apparently made with the assumption that the stolen version was the complete and final product. It will be interesting to see how ISKCON's response changes when the actual finished product is released. It would also be interesting to hear ISKCON's version of how the IVC's stolen property came into their hands. In the meantime, the FBI has been made aware of these circumstances.

The theft of these materials has been just one of many challenges the IVC has faced in its attempts to further the investigation, not the least of which is that we are attempting to reconstruct events that took place more than 20 years ago. We have been further hampered by the fact that the Council has no authority within the society, and therefore cannot compel reluctant individuals to cooperate by answering the myriad questions that have arisen. While sincere in their efforts, the Council members are admittedly not professionals, trained in the investigation of possibly criminal affairs. Finally, we are working with the usual absence of material resources, and our individual members cannot afford to put their personal and business lives on hold while they dedicate full attention to pursuing the investigation.

While these realities have challenged us, there have been subtle hurdles that are perhaps even more difficult to overcome. They stem primarily from the fact that we are dealing with individuals who have been trained within, and are therefore conditioned by, the ISKCON environment. These issues can be summarized as follows:

1) Constitutional rights is not a familiar concept to most devotees. They are obliviously unaware of the profound principles contained in the need for enshrined individual freedoms and rights. This has resulted in a great deal of systemic abuse, which has proven to be the single most contributing factor responsible for the depletion of the ranks of long time, trained-up participants. The inherent right to have an opinion and express it, even though it may differ from the "divine" institutional authorities, is a little understood principle.

2) Group-think mentality prevails. Self doubt and low self esteem is rampant. The neophyte misconception that blind obedience is synonymous with surrender results in internal conflict. Devotees suffer mental agitation when their intelligence and common sense conflict with "unquestionable orders from the top". The mood of army discipline has it's advantage in times of armed conflict, but in a spiritual setting where we don't have the advantage of direct instructions coming from an undisputed acarya, it is preferable that the sincere devotee should intelligently question.

3) "Aparadha!" There is great bewilderment about what is actually "offensive" and what is the proper utilization of the discriminating powers given to us by the sampradaya. Of course, propaganda has it that the rank and file should hold the GBC and other ISKCON upper echelon leaders in the same esteem as Srila Prabhupada, and they should therefore never be questioned.

4) Absence of an established, constitutionally protected judicial system within ISKCON. This absence, coupled with a depiction of the "karmi system" as being created and controlled by demoniac meat-eaters who are not fit to judge, means there is no available assistance aside from the GBC. When inevitable conflicts arise, the institutionally powerful always easily prevail over their weaker constituents. This inescapable fact pervades all our communities. The vulnerable "small timers" learn quickly not to complain about any abuses when it means coming into conflict with an authority.

This reluctant pacifism about demanding the rights to a fair hearing usually results in un-bonafide "sastric rationalizations" such as "let Krsna take care of them", or "it must be my karma, let me endure it quietly…it will make me humble and tolerant". The karmi judicial system is far too expensive for the penniless devotees, and those who joined early in life may not even be aware of the legal alternatives. Regardless, as soon as this alternative is executed, the abused can forget about being welcomed back home.

There have been, and continue to be, innumerable institution-wide illegal schemes that continue for years without any of the countless well-informed individuals stepping forward to protest, a phenomenon which stands as proof that this mentality not only exists, but is endemic. The average devotee's vulnerability deeply effects their attitude towards any abusive incident, even something as despicable as the poisoning of Srila Prabhupada. The individual's security is jeopardized simply by his speaking out against violations of his own God-given liberties, what to speak of his demanding an investigation into the poisoning of the Spiritual Master, when the suspects are the topmost devotees within the institution!

Taking all this deep rooted dysfunction into consideration, it is no wonder that there is relatively little concerned reaction to the poisoning issue. A neutral observer would expect there to be a major outcry….but there is mostly silence. Srila Prabhupada's clearly recorded statements that he is being poisoned were clearly ignored back when the original words were repeatedly spoken by him, and they continue to be ignored 20 years later. Even now, many who are secretly convinced that there is evidence indicating the possibility of foul play are choosing to remain silent.

So, while the theft of materials and other obstacles have resulted in the IVC's process moving somewhat slowly, we are committed to going forward with the investigation. Not only does the public have a right to know all the pertinent facts, but we also expect that some individuals who are in possession of valuable evidence or information will finally come forward when they hear this presentation of the evidence. In the final analysis, if we determine that there isn't enough evidence to bring this matter before a court of law, then at least each individual who is concerned about this matter can come to their own informed conclusions based on all the revealed information…to the degree that they are personally willing to do so.

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