Bhagavat Dharma Prabhu responded to my appeal to avoid the offenses incorporated into the development plans of Mayapur Dham.

I am hereby responding to his points:

I request that he and all other Iskcon leaders be more careful about the feelings and needs of devotees outside of Iskcon. Even though his tone is polite he does not address the crucial issues of the letter. Now by pushing them away as unnecessary points presented to the general body of Vaisnavas he forces me to bring some less palatable details out into the open.

“I personally sent many times all the letters and papers to Iskcon GBC´s and never received even one answer or acknowledgment that they received my messages, let alone dealt with the issues.”

Let us first go through his letter:

BY BHAGAVAT DHARMA DASA

USA, Feb 14 (VNN) – Media Release - 12th February 2000.

From the Sri Mayapur Project Communications Office.

Perhaps the most worrying aspect of the text from His Holiness Paramadwaiti Maharaj, on the subject of the ISKCON Sri Mayapur Master Plan, published by VNN on the 11th Feb (see VNN Story 5455), is that he could have called our managing director Abhirama prabhu at any time and discussed these matters threadbare. Abhirama had already given time to discuss with Maharaj in Vrndavana within the last year, and commented that Maharaj's input was helpful and appreciated.

• Talking with devotees may get you some friendly feedback at the moment, but as the experience of devotees show, GBC´s, and members of the privileged committee hardly answer any written appeals or suggestions. I personally sent many times all the letters and papers to Iskcon GBC´s and never received even one answer or acknowledgment that they received my messages, let alone dealt with the issues.

There were several inaccuracies in Maharaj's statements, and we do not know why he has risked disturbing the minds of the Vaishnavas by broadcasting them without first talking to us.

• Great, inaccuracies. Brush them away. Give the dog a bad name and hang him. But no answer as to what the inaccuracies are. And now they start glorifying Srila Prabhupada as if I may have forgotten his glory.

"Srila Prabhupada's plan was to build a world-class temple 350 feet high to the glory of Sri Panca Tattva, with an integral preaching theme, which establishes the veracity of Vedic cosmology."

Srila Prabhupada's plan was to build a world-class temple 350 feet high to the glory of Sri Panca Tattva, with an integral preaching theme, which establishes the veracity of Vedic cosmology. He wanted to develop a spiritual township around it, as envisioned by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.

He wanted to draw in resources from abroad. Indeed, he wanted to draw the whole world to Mayapur, as did the Thakura himself. Srila Prabhupada hoped to see the message of Lord Chaitanya established in the hearts and minds of all humanity. He spoke of inviting the King of England and the President of America to the opening ceremony of the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium. This was broad and deep thinking, without doubt in the mood of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.

• Not even one word related to my letter. Smokescreening.
• As if only Srila Prabhupada wanted to glorify the holy land of Mayapur.
• I was personally present in the meetings Jayapataka Maharaj which are suppose to relate Iskcon with the Gaudiya Math called Sarasvat Gaudiya Vaisnava Association. Strange enough hardly anyone in Iskcon even knows that this association exists.
• Even in Mayapur when I called in the offices nobody even knew of such a meeting or when it was suppose to be held.
• It is just an effort of some Iskcon leaders to control the other Gaudiya Maths, try to impose standards on them such as do not reinitiate devotees who have left Iskcon in despair etc.
• And the self-appointed conveyor of the SGVA Jayapataka Swami said recently in his recorded speech. Nobody except Iskcon Gurus have a right to initiate people outside of India.
• In those SGVA meetings Iskcon’s masterplan has never been explained, nor presented. All information about the bridge over the Jalangi, the electric train and the hidden agendas came straight out from the mouth of Iskcon members part of the management who do not control the information when talking to outsiders.
• To worry is a great need and if the situation will not change into a favorably working with the needs of other missions this issue will undoubtedly be another food for the Calcutta press to further depress the Bengali audience seeing the poor performance of the "humble Vaisnava" community.

As for illicit activities in the dham, ISKCON, along with other Vaishnavas, has fought a tremendous battle in the courts to get the hotels that were facilitating drinking and prostitution closed down. After a huge fight, during which death threats were made against Dayaram prabhu and other ISKCON leaders, we achieved the complete closure of one hotel, which the owner eventually sold to us. We may now turn that into a medical centre. Other hotel owners are now more careful about their activities.

• Yes, great. That was the hotel which touched right on the side of Srila Prabhupadas Puspa Samadhi. There you did take action showing what you could do if you wanted to stop the whole problem.
• As a matter of fact and very shamefully, a notorious man living at the Ghat under the name Tatpar Maharaj is perfectly aware of all activities on the Ghat including the hiding of prostitutes in some temple under his influence when police comes to search for them. He has been a favorite of Iskcon for years. Iskcon send their car for him, paid his telephone and maintained him in many aspects, knowing perfectly like everyone in the Ghat area that this man works closely with the local Gundhas whenever it suits his or his friends interests. Only recently he was rejected by Iskcon for maintaining a woman with him in his temple.

We also succeeded in getting an unprecedented court order banning illicit activity in the dham. It is an unfortunate fact that liquor stores line the roads as you drive towards Vrindavan, but in Mayapur we have a system whereby every bus is stopped before they enter the dham precincts and if they have liquor on board they are refused entry. This is being enforced by ISKCON and ISKCON alone.

• Very good, you are talking about the busses you bring to your temples.

As 'a rising tide raises all ships', so the development and success of Srila Prabhupada's preaching, on behalf of his spiritual master and the parampara, has brought a tremendous influx to the birthplace of Lord Chaitanya. The number of pilgrims entering the dhama grows year on year. The preaching and facilities of all the Gaudiya maths has increased. We consider that planned future development is of the utmost importance if we wish to preserve this positive atmosphere, and of course we welcome communication with our respected neighbours.

• All Glories to Srila Prabhupada and his Guru Tattva. Now, as far as respected neighbors are concerned this is only wishful thinking. I know the mind of Iskcon devotees and how they are trained even today all around the world. And I know what Gaudiya Math devotees feel about that " respect". I also know the cunning sophisticated way of western competition and diplomacy that most of my Bengali Vaisnava friends have even no idea to imagine.
• I looked through the plan and I wish it would be different. That would be a great victory for our Sampradaya. But Iskcon never even cares to participate through one representative when their "respected" neighbors meet in the World Vaisnava Association to discuss issues of the world preaching of Lord Chaitanya.
• Who do you expect to fool with such a rhetoric as "we love to get some input from others?"
• I do not want to offend you personally. I know that within Iskcon there are many wonderful hard working devotees and they only stay there to because of their means of livelihood or because they want to save the movement of Srila Prabhupada from within.
• If we really care for others we will surely inform them if our plans will have an impact on their existence. When did that take place?
• I just remember this famous statement. "United we stand, divided we fall". At least when it comes to such big issues to coordinate the living of so many maths on such a small place, illicit activities and bad road conditions, our united power will attract help from all sides.
• On the other sides, offenses among us will deteriorate our strength, image and depress our own members. This is going on and will furthermore get worse if no change of heart actually takes place.

We should all be very mindful of the horrors of unplanned development, which we see all around us in India, especially in other places of pilgrimage.

• Wise words from someone who belongs to a mission which is known for their hermetic leadership style and their lack of interest in anything or anyone which happens beyond their controlled area.

Our directors and planning team will all be in Mayapur to make our annual report to the ISKCON GBC, in a weeks time. We welcome input from His Holiness Paramadwaiti Maharaj during this time or indeed at any other time.

• Thank you very much. And this letter is my next input. I would rather see these topics discussed in the appropriate forums such as the World Vaisnava Association or at least in that SGVA if Iskcon still has no manpower or interest to send representatives to the meeting of the World Vaisnava Association.
• For that sake let me take advantage to announce the official invitation to you or other leaders of Iskcon to come to the next meeting of the World Vaisnava Association. It will be held on the 10 of March at 10 AM.
• Venue: Gopinath Gaudiya Math
• Isodyan Mayapur.
• In special memory of the former President of the World Vaisnava Association Srila B. P. Puri Maharaj who left this world in November the day before the Rasa Purnima at the age of 102.

• To discuss such issues in the meetings of any particular institution is out of place. We are all concerned and it would be nice if this topic open our mind to each others missions and needs. Then we would come closer to the spirit of the Samkirtan Yajna the congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord.

bhagavat.dharma.mg@bbt.se

• I also close with the same aspiration. Unfortunately ever since the days of the rule of the previous person in Sweden your address "@bbt.com" has been censored and I could never write a letter to you. You would not even get it because I am on the list of banned senders. (Why? Because I belong to your "respected neighbors") That is the reason, as well as to clarify these topics to the Vaisnava readers why I respond to you again on the pages of VNN.

Your fallen servant,

Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti

For more information on the Vrinda mission and me you may visit our web site:

vrindavan.org

For more information on the World Vaisnava Association you can visit:

wva-vvrs.org