12/13/97 - 1349

Boston Temple President Issues Threats

USA (VNN) - VNN has received the following email from Pratyatosa Dasa, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada:

Dear GBC Godbrothers,

PAMHO. AGTSP!

Since when is reporting something that I'd heard, to the appropriate GBC men call "spreading nasty rumors"? The so-called rumors were told to me by the man that wanted to marry a woman from the Boston temple. She tearfully told him the whole story of her on-going affair with Sadhusangananda, the saffron wearing TP (temple president) of Boston. Why is he still in that position? A situation such as this would not have been tolerated when Srila Prabhupada was here!

I don't think that threats such as the following are proper behavior for an ISKCON TP either. I was just trying to do my duty.

Your servant,
Pratyatosa Dasa

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 97 00:02 +0100
From: "COM: Sadhusangananda HKS" <Sadhusangananda.HKS@com.bbt.se>
To: WWW: Pratyatosa (Dasa) ACBSP (USA) <ptd@com.org>
Subject: Your spreading of nasty rumors

After hearing about your spreading nasty rumors about me to various N.A. GBC's I just wanted to mention to you that you better don't ever come to the Boston temple anymore as long as I am around.

------ End of forwarded message -------
(end quote)

In a statement regarding this matter Sadhusangananda das, a disciple of Harikesa Swami, states: "My mail was obviously not a threat but a straightforward statement to a low class person. People of his nature don't seem to understand any other language."

Sadhusangananda das seems to believe that this kind of statement is not a threat and is normal in ISKCON.

In recent months Harikesa Swami disciples have made headlines in Europe involving threats (see VNN story #1027).

Harikesa Swami seems to have some history in connection with threats himself. VNN has learned that Harikesa Swami openly encouraged his disciples in 1984 to issue threats to his godbrothers, like Vegavan das of Sweden, that disagreed with him on certain issues.

VNN has learned from Prithu das that in 1978 he was banned from Germany and given 24 hours to leave the zone by Harikesa Swami, after Prithu had made a comment to the effect that: "Harikesa Swami was not a loving spiritual master to his disciples".