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EDITORIAL August 15, 2000 VNN6153 Related VNN Stories Gurukuli Lawsuit BY MAHAVEGAVATI DASI EDITORIAL, Aug 15 (VNN) — Dear Assembled Vaisnavas and Vaisnavis, Hare Krsna. All glories to our beloved eternal father and well wisher, His Divine Grace, Nitya lila pravistha om vishupad astottarasata Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. I have been the recipient of some newletters over the past few weeks, and I sent in my response to the devotees sending out these newsletters. Obviously the Gurukuli lawsuit has stirred up many waters of varying opinions amongst devotees, and between that suit and other factors there are many different "camps" of devotees along with different opinions of how particular issues should be seen. Without going into the various issues of contention, different guru "camps" etc., I would just like to take some time to send in some points I presented in my letter of response to the strong "hardcore" views expressed by these devotees who sent out their newsletters in which they condemn the Gurukulis who are choosing to join in on the suit against ITS GON as well as their condemning those devotees who are not finding fault with these Gurukulis for choosing to take such action. I think if one is possessed of practical logic - and just out and out common sense - s/he would easily be able to understand why it is that some of the Gurukuli alumni would be filing a suit against ITS GON, and why they would even be thinking Srila Prabhupada to be part of the "blame" for their abuses. (Often enough, When Kirtanananda was busy molesting the children, he would tell them that their giving him sex "was pleasing to the guru." So only Krsna knows what else these Gurukulis were being told by their molesters. "Srila Prabhupada wanted us to..." Or "Srila Prabhupada said...") It is VERY EASY for someone who has not experienced such abuses and who is possessed of such a hard heart, to hardheartedly (and with NO feelings of compassion and/or empathy) say to the victims, "It's your karma." Granted, karma may be there, but the point is that EVEN IF IT IS someones "karma" for one to just shove that line down a victim's throat with NO sense of compassion and with NO empathy whatsoever, that person is possessed of a very SICK consciousness oneself, being devoid of the VAISNAVA (and even HUMAN) quality of compassion: para dukha dukhi I would think at this point that people who DO have this IMpersonal and NON-compassionate attitude, should take a second, (third, fourth or even fifth), look at themselves to ask WHY it is they are NOT able to feel at least SOME sense of compassion and/or empathy. Is this inability to feel any empathy due to some defect in our own heart? Is it that we are not able to properly understand and apply the Vaisnava philosophy? How often did we see Srila Prabhupada - the PURE Vaisnava - express his compassion and empathy for others, EVEN animals. So what to speak of those family members among us who have been the victims of abuse from those other family members among us who were, (and some of them STILL ARE) VERY SICK. On a practical level, with regard to the stance taken by Mr. Turley in the suit, I had suggested that devotees who are in possession of the Vedabase as well as those devotees who have had personal experiences of demonstrations of Srila Prabhupada's love, compassion, empathy, and purity, etc., make a compilation of such letters, experiences, purports from the books, etc., as EVIDENCE to SHOW EXACTLY who Srila Prabhupada was, and WHAT was REALLY the LOVING consciousness possessed by our loving, compassionate, magnimous, well-wisher Srila Prabhupada. Are we REALLY to EXPECT the Gurukuli alumni (all of them) who were VICIOUSLY abused in so many ways, to be possessed of such ADVANCED consciousness that they are NOT going to be negatively affected by such abuses? In reality, HOW MANY of US would react (or not react) on such an advanced platform as to NOT be affected, to just "see it as our karma" (tat te nukampam), and just "simply see such things with 'proper' Krsna conscious vision?" Come on; LET'S BE REAL!!! Even if we are able to understand that we are supposed to be receiving things with the vision of tat te nukampam... HOW MANY of us in reality WOULD accept such abuses with THIS advanced level of Krsna consciousness? So I think we have to start getting REAL with one another. The FACT that we DON'T is one of the MAJOR reasons why there are so many problems amongst devotees. And it ALL STARTS with the leadership, (liarship) of ITS GON. Our ITS GON leaders, (liars) are NOT being REAL with the devotees, (and or themselves). We can ONLY help one another in our progress in Krsna consciousness when we are honest and NON-pretentious. I think someone should... Dear Mukunda and Sanat Prabhus, Hare Krsna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada who is that supremely merciful personality who has delivered Krsna consciousness all over the world, being completely empowered to do so by Lord Nityananda and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to do so. Please accept my fallen obeisances. I think that someone should approach Mr. Turley to see exactly where he is at, and why he has arrived at his conclusions. It is very possible that Mr. Turley is not the demon some of us are thinking that he is, and in his faulting Srila Prabhupada with the abuses that he in actuality does not know all of the facts, (that Srila Prabhupada indeed was NOT behind ANY of the abuses that occurred in the Gurukulas). It may very well be that Mr. Turley genuinely believes that Srila Prabhupada is behind the abuse due to what he may have been told. Thus, someone should compile all of the letters, and personal experiences that devotees have had with Srila Prabhupada, which would prove to Mr. Turley that Srila Prabhupada is a personality who in NO WAY would support anything like child abuse, etc. THEN if after Mr. Turley's receiving such proofs, he continues to persue his case, (trying to fault Srila Prabhupada as part of the case), he can be called the names you call him (demon, and the like), and action can be taken against him. But as of now, it is very possible that Mr. Turley's only experience is based upon what he has heard from those Gurukulis who are filing the suit. (Obviously Mr. Turley is not a devotee and he probably has no knowledge of Srila Prabhupada or the REAL movement that Srila Prabhupada intended. Thus, if he is only hearing of such abuses, it is only natural that he will be thinking Srila Prabhupada to be part of the "blame." And can one who is possessed of a practical understanding of things in general, one who is possessed of common sense; can that person in all fairness fault those Gurukulis who are thinking that Srila Prabhupada is to blame? After all, often enough it is only logical that someone will think that the actions of a servant are approved of by the master since the servants are seen as representing the master, and are seen as carrying out the master's instructions on whose behalf he appears to be serving.) So can one blame a nondevotee for NOT knowing Srila Prabhupada to be the pure devotee that he we know him to be? (Even some older devotees, Srila Prabhupada's OWN direct disciples, due to the atrocities committed by their Godsiblings in position of authority, have rejected Srila Prabhupada, thinking him to be at "fault" for these atrocities that were INdependently committed by these persons in positions of authority. Giving it ALL some logical thought, I think we also have to be very careful in hurling names (and threats) at various devotees for the positions that they are taking in the matter, including the Gurukulis who are filing the case. I personally think it is very easy to understand WHY (at least some of) these Gurukulis would be thinking that Srila Prabhupada was behind the abuse. After all, how many of them actually KNEW Srila Prabhupada as a person? How many of them KNEW that Srila Prabhupada would NEVER tolerate or sanction ANY abuse of ANYONE, in any way, shape or form, be that person, (devotee or non-devotee), young or old. Being under the jurisdiction of such abusive persons (who were REGULARLY RAPING them and were committing so many other abuses), and who they THOUGHT were devotees and most probably they also THOUGHT these people were representing Srila Prabhupada, I can understand why these Gurukulis (the ones who do) would be thinking in this manner, (that Srila Prabhupada was approving of the abuse. They may EVEN be thinking - not knowing the REAL Srila Prabhupada - that he was INSTRUCTING the abusers to perform such abominable actions). How do we know that these abusers were not telling their victims, "Srila Prabhupada said that we should do this because..." Generally a servant represents his master, and often enough the mood the servant exhibits is that of his master; thus, it is easy to understand WHY these children would be thinking in this way, (thinking that Srila Prabhupada was responsible). And Krsna only knows WHAT these insane so-called "teachers" (demonic and SICK abusers) were telling the children WHILE they were abusing them. SO MANY things they could have been telling the children to fill in after saying, "Srila Prabhupada said..." So I think these things MUST be considered into the matter. I can not begin to tell you how many times I got those lines, "Srila Prabhupada said..." One so-called ITS GON liar, (leader) said, "Srila Prabhupada said" and in his OWN vulgar language said, "that women are for beating and f__king." And he CONVINCED MANY of his men to do EXACTLY THAT, and NOT only to their own wives, but to OTHER women as well. (So can you BLAME the Gurukulis for feeling as they do?; even some - if not many - older devotees have problems discerning between the REAL Srila Prabhupada, and the "Srila Prabhupada" these DEMONS used when they were saying "Srila Prabhupada said..." Thus, I CAN understand the views of those of devotees who are not reacting negatively to the Gurukulis filing the case even though somehow, our beloved Srila Prabhupada's name is being brought into the matter, even though these devotees love Srila Prabhupad very much and KNOW that Srila Prabhupada has NOTHING to do with such abuses. For all we know, KRSNA HIMSELF may be arranging this case, not only to chastize the GBC and to bring to light HOW NEGLIGENT, DEVIANT, and UNconcerned the GBC (as a general body) REALLY are, (and were), but Krsna may be arranging this suit to ALSO GLORIFY Srila Prabhupada to SHOW the world what a GREAT spiritual leader and pure representative of Krsna ("God") that Srila Prabhupada really was. This is how I am seeing this suit, this is how I am taking all of these things into consideration, and I am feeling that maybe the two of you (and other devotees who share your strong feelings) should step back a little and also give some consideration to these matters. I CAN understand why you would be reacting so strongly against the accusations being made against Srila Prabhupada, but at the same time, TRY to understand the WHYS of the matter. Thus, in that sense, it IS quite understandable. I feel that I DO love Srila Prabhupada. (I feel that my actions in the past and even now PROVE that, for those devotees and even non-devotees who know me.) I also react with great intensity to hear Srila Prabhupada's name being lumped into this suit, and his being faulted with such atrocities, yet at the same time, I can also understand the views of other devotees, both young and older, who are lumping Srila Prabhupada into this case, and WHY they are doing so. I think though in all fairness, if anyone wants to point fingers, we should point them at the abusers AND at the GBC people who did NOTHING to address the atrocities back then AND now, and who STILL DON'T REALLY give a damn. WHY haven't they come forth with some proper statements EXHONORATING our Srila Prabhupada. (And I HOPE that when the case comes to issue, they will NOT stand behind the IMproper accusations against Srila Prabhupada to try to make it look as if they were not responsible when (in actuality) they REALLY WERE. Sad as it is, that is the case, (that Srila Prabhupada and his good name is being dragged in, and lumped into the case), ONLY due to the fact that the GBC was, (and STILL is) SO DIShonest in so many ways. (But the fact that Srila Prabhupada and his good name are being dragged into the case, may be KRSNA'S arrangement to GLORIFY His pure devotee in the end.) It is the GBC who, in their deviating from Srila Prabhupada's expressed desires and instructions have MISrepresented Srila Prabhupada; thus, ALL of the fire for this case, (and SO MANY other issues), should be directed against THEM because THEY in actuality (along with the abusers who they have NOT brought to task) are the CULPRITS. The GBC have known about these abuse atrocities. They have been given so much opportunity to do something to correct and address such issues, but WHAT have they done (in terms of something REALLY substantial)? Somehow, I was very fortunate; I did not get to meet Srila Prabhupada personally although I am his direct disciple. I myself have gone through so much abuse (and downright HELL) in this movement, both physical and other abuses, and although I was subjected to such abuse(s) I do KNOW that Srila Prabhupada would NEVER have sanctioned, condoned, approved of, or caused ANY form abuse, be it physical, emotional, etc., on any devotee be they children or on older devotees. So somehow or other, Krsna protected me from that form of scarring, (attributing any fault of abuse on Srila Prabhupada), but other devotees were NOT as fortunate as me in this regard. And believe you me, (from practical experience, and simply just COMMON SENSE), abuse can take a VERY HEAVY toll on a person and their consciousness, (unless they are on such an advanced level of Krsna consciousness as that of Prahlad Maharaj, etc.). So I think before you both continue to bash different devotees for their views on this issue which are different from your views, (Gurukulis who are involved in the suit, and devotees who are supportive of their taking this action, or who are just not condemning them), you should take the time to FIRST have some private dialogue with these devotees to find out exactly what and WHY they feel as they do, before you start speaking so heavily against these persons, and end up possibly committing some very grave offenses. Abuse is a VERY HEAVY thing, and it is VERY POSSIBLE had you been in these children's places, that you ALSO may have attributed the abuses, either directly or indirectly to Srila Prabhupada as being the cause, and you may have said A LOT WORSE than any of these children. I am saying this in concern for EVERYONE involved. I hope all is well. I remain your servant, Mahavegavati Dasi Hare Krsna I ask ANY and EVERY devotee in this movement who is NOT a pure devotee, "Do you think that you are THAT advanced in your consciousness that you can SAFELY say that if you suffered abuse to such a high level degree of abuse, that you would be able to 'rise above it all' as you are EXPECTING others to 'rise above it'?" Submitted for the sake of thought amongst the devotees. I remain your servant, Mahavegavati Dasi Hare Krsna About the Author  Other Stories by this AuthorRelated VNN Stories Comment on this storyContact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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