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WORLD  Brahmananda's Illegal Pirating Condoned! BY NRSIMHANANDA DASA INDIA, Aug 30 (VNN) — After months of writing to ISKCON authorities including the entire GBC, Mahaman, TP of Vrndaban, and numerous devotees coming forward to express their frustration with their works being pirated, Brahmananda and Gargamuni have increased their sales and snuffed the legitimate competition. Distributors can't compete with people who don';t have to pay any royalties and can sell for less. Just in from Vrndabana: "It is really a big headache with Gargamuni and Brahmananda Prabhus. It seems that no matter what you do or say about them, they will never stop. They are more determined about it. Another problem I am facing is them sabotaging my sales. They easily convinced innocent devotees to buy from them rather than from me, and luring people with lower rates, they do that however, because they can sell their other pirated expensive products. One of the merchant in Loi Bazar told me that he would only buy from Gargamuni and Brahmananda because according to him, they are the highest authority in ISKCON. They told this merchant they he should buy the VCD's from them only and not from me. This merchant is a supllier that sells to devotees from all over the world. Younger devotees are guillible. They easily get swayed by them, being the seniormost ISKCON devotees. This episode is the biggest misuse of one's seniority in a religious organisation. They are using their seniorities to further their own ends. The fact is they have the support of most ISKCON leaders, or maybe ISKCON leaders just don't have the stomach to face them. I guess it is kind of natural for people to adopt that kinds of attitude because of natural respect that people have for seniormost persons of a religious organisation. A good example was Gargamuni Prabhu telling me how he was selling the pirated folios for 10 dollars in Malaysia, and few GBC men were there and they were appalauding him." The GBC has a resolution on their conference banning Brahmananda and Gargamuni from any ISKCON temple or related property. It has the support of many devotees who are "in the trenches." The question is, will the GBC vote to support their own resolutions? This issue is a litmus test of the future of the leadership. If ISKCON is not a society built on laws, then it will continue its slide into anarchy. This proposal has been reviewed by Sesa prabhu (you can ask him directly whether he endorses it or not; I encourage you to). Giriraja Swami supports it. Jayapataka Swami wrote a letter to many of the GBC and his disciples instructing them to prohibit Gargamuni and Brahmananda from being able to distribute at temples under his influence. Adwaita Candra (Torchlight), Ekanath/Dulal Candra/Ranjit (Archives), Visnu Murti (BLS), Priyavrata, etc. - all persons who are carrying out services that have been ripped off by the actions of Brahmananda and Gargamuni. If only they had the common decency to have made royalty arrangements with all these sincere souls who dedicate their lives to propagating and preserving the legacy of Srila Prabhupada. But, instead, they thumbed their noses at their fellow godbrothers and godnephews, and lined their own pockets. This mentality must be stopped. As leaders, you must lead the charge against such corruption and abuse of power - the power of "established, older Srila Prabhupada disciples" who command automatic awe and reference from younger devotees, but who, in reality, are ignoring GBC resolutions, international law, and common moral behavior. Submitted by Nrsimhananda dasa (ITV)  Comment on this storyContact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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