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FRONT COVER
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REAR COVER
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ISKCON in the 80’s (Eighth Edition) by Jesse Olsen

Original Hardbound w/ illustrations

All Rights Reserved®

Orchid Media 2020 ©

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Ravindra Svarup Das ACBSP

Foremost Published Author on ISKCON Guru Reform

“Srila Prabhupada never said:

Here are the next eleven acaryas, and they are authorized gurus for
the movement.
He did not do that.”
(Video Conference San Diego, 1990)
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Jayadvaita Swami ACBSP

Posthumous editor of Srila Prabhupada’s books for
BBTI (Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International) and
BTG (Back to Godhead Magazine)

“Satsvarupa Das Goswami joins with me in apologizing to our

readers
for BTG’s conformity to the zonal guru error. In particular, we
express our heartfelt apologies for contributing to the hurts and
wrongs devotees endured
when BTG diverged from Srila Prabhupada’s instructions.”

(‘Written Apology’, Back to Godhead #25-01, 1991)

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: Questions on Initiation

Chapter 2: My 2006 Letter to Govinda Dasi

Chapter 3: Nara Hari Swami Files

Glossary

Appendix I

Appendix II

8 Truths of ISKCON 1977 GBC

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Introduction

Good morning readers,

Jesse Olsen here from Orchid Media, December 2020. Orchid is

a legacy publishing house. We strive to record and archive ISKCON
history; much of which stands to be lost over the generations. This
speaks to the urgency of our message.

ISKCON history has 3 phases: The Golden-Days Phase, the

Weird-80’s Phase, and the ‘Current’ or ‘Modern’ Phase that developed
out of the very laudable 1990’s Reform Movement spearheaded by
Ravindra Svarup Das ACBSP and HH Badrinarayan Swami ACBSP. The
very moment that ISKCON leaders began using ‘reform’ in their
vernacular, the ISKCON wild days had essentially ended.

Unfortunate for many, ISKCON has no authorized history of the

1980s. There is no reference manual, guru diary or swami handbook. It
is almost as if the period was redacted from public record. With such a
need in mind, I began researching ISKCON history at length back in 2005
in Honolulu; this after hearing about ‘Nara Hari Swami’ who (allegedly)
sold the ISKCON boat Jaladhuta II and (allegedly) sold Prabhupada’s
personal, sacred farm in Hilo, Hawaii. A sad story indeed.

Suffice to say, I soon made some startling discoveries. Today,

Orchid Media is pleased to present a condensed history of that period; if
time allows, additional volumes will be released. I hope you find the
subject as fascinating as I did back in 2005...and continue to today.

-Jesse Olsen 2020

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Chapter 1: Questions on Initiation

Let’s suppose it’s Guara Purnima. You have a new devotee who
is about to receive initiation next month (Rama Navami). Haribol!
Before the ceremony, this devotee (let’s call her Bhaktin Stacie) would
like to study ISKCON history and Stacie asks,

“Can you recommend a book about ISKCON in the 80’s?”

Uh...Let me think about it. Here’s where we encounter a

problem: ISKCON has not publicly endorsed any reference material
regarding the 80’s. It was convenient enough to record Srila
Prabhupada’s personal pastimes until 1977, but this principle of
documentation did not endure the test of time, and in the 1980’s the 11
zonal gurus led very personal lives when the lights turned off.

The 11 zonal gurus are:

1. Kirtanananda Swami (Keith Ham)

2. Satsvarupa Swami (Steven Guarrino)
3. Jayapataka Swami (Gordon Erdman)
4. Tamala Krishna Goswami (Thomas Herzig)
5. Hrdayananda Goswami (Howard Resnick)
6. Bhavananda Goswami (Charles Backus)
7. Hamsaduta Swami (Hans Kary)
8. Ramesvara Swami (Robert Grant)
9. Harikesa Swami (Robert Campagnola)
10. Bhagavan das Adhikari (William Ehrlichman)
11. Jaya Tirtha das Adhikari (James Immel)
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(Please Note: This roster and its specific ordering was given by
Srila Prabhupada, through secretary Tamal Krishna Swami in a July 9,
1977 letter. The famous July 9 letter is one of only 2 legal documents
regarding ISKCON’s future that Srila Prabhupada executed in 1977; the
other being his living will. But more on these documents later.)

Making matters worse, in 1980 serious political maneuvering

caused two of the acaryas, namely Hamsadutta Swami and Tamal
Krishna Swami, to be placed on probation and all student-initiations
temporarily halted. Thus, the two Swamis needed to get back in the
GBC’s good graces. To this end, Tamal Krishna Swami organized a large
meeting of senior Prabhupada disciples. The elder monks met at
California’s famous Krishna Pyramid House in Topanga Canyon, five
miles from the LA Watseka community in 1980. A transcript of this
conversation is widely circulated online.
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1980 Conversation Excerpt:

Hamsadutta: Of course it’s to be expected if we’re all neophytes, but

now we have to recognize it and we have to adjust. We can’t just go on.
We have very drastic, critical problems in our society. Some of the senior
members have gone away. They’ve just walked out. Isn’t it?

Dhira-Krsna Swami: Yah, it’s true.

Hamsadutta: And some that are still with us are preparing them, or
they’re in it, but they’re really far removed.

Anyway, Tamal Krsna Goswami has had a very important realization

about how some of these problems have been plaguing us for the last
two years practically, since Prabhupada disappeared. How they’ve come
to be, regarding this guru issue and appointment or expanding it or
restricting it. That’s why he wanted some of you to come and hear,
because I think this will be a breath of fresh air for some people. I’d
rather have him talk about it.

But one thing is for sure: The basis, the foundation of our society, which
is love and trust, or the premise that we’re all here for one common
interest and that is to serve Krsna and Prabhupada, that has been
cracked. It’s shattered. Everyone is looking at the other person with
suspicion on the premise, “This person, why did he come? What for?
Why is he doing this?” In other words, not giving him immediately the
recognition whatever he’s doing, he’s doing it because this is the best
thing for Krsna or this is the way he thinks Prabhupada is best served.
But we’re beginning with the premise that this person has an ulterior
motive.

As soon as we deal with one another like that, then the whole basis of
our association is lost.

Dhira-Krsna Swami: That comes from viewing each other externally

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Hamsadutta: Yeah.

Dhira-Krsna Swami: So that if you look at anyone externally, you’ll come

to an external conclusion.

Hamsadutta: Exactly.

Dhira-Krsna Swami: So, it’s a fact, we can’t ignore their undercurrent

spiritual consciousness.

Hamsadutta: Yes, completely. It’ll be complete. Just like Krsna – Krsna

Himself – the whole world rose up against Him, and He’s the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. And He’s being attacked. He’s being looked at
with suspicion. This is the sum and substance. As Prabhupada writes in
the Upadesha Amrta, The Nectar of Instruction, that for these 6
exchanges, dadati bhrati ghrinate, this society if founded, and that’s the
last thing that’s happening.

The last thing in the world that we do is our Godbrother open-mindedly

and with trust that, if I say something, even if it’s wrong or off-the-wall,
he’s not going to take it any further than that, except saying, “That
doesn’t sound right to me.” But, rather, what’s happening, just on
hearsay people will call one another up, a big meeting will ensue and so
many misunderstandings just because there’s no dadti bhrati ghrnate. If
someone comes, immediately you think, “Why did he come? What does
he want?” This is the basic problem. This is really the basic problem all
around. Without approaching that person, we go to every other person,
have a big pow-wow, and then decide that something’s got to be done.
And the person in question is the last to know. By the time he finally gets
to know it, he’s so overwhelmed with disappointment and fear that he
just doesn’t know how to express himself, and when he tries to make his
point, it just confirms everyone’s suspicion. You follow? The more he
struggles to make his point and make himself understood, because
everyone has sort of separated themselves and are approaching him in
this mood, it becomes impossible. It can only end in disaster, and that’s
what we have on our hands.

Everyone is wondering, “Who’s next? Who’s it going to fall on next?

Who’s going to be the next person the shadow of doubt falls over?”
Then everyone stands by and watches the fun. Actually, the last six
months, they’ve played themselves out that way. Now so many things
have gone under the bridge and, honestly, there’s been grievous
mistakes made and offenses committed.] End

(Please note: The full transcript is VOLUMINOUS; thus the 1980

conversation is very significant.)
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This transcript was not published or released to ISKCON

members until many years later. Prior to being released around 1995,
effectively the conversation never happened. This knowledge filter
among ISKCON leaders - protection/silence to maintain the status quo
of ISKCON swamis - was prominent in the 1980’s.

It was the WILD WEST in America and the zonal gurus weren’t
reprimanded; mostly because their godbrothers enabled them.
Specifically in New Vrindavan Kirtanandna left the ISKCON larger body
and diverged into a splinter group along with his supportive
godbrothers and obedient followers. This is where things got weird.
Dogs were brought into the temple room during morning worship or
Guru Puja and a female swami worshipped the Jesus Statue.

Elsewhere, one of the householder (married) acaryas, Jaya

Tirtha, was feeling the stress of being a spiritual celebrity, and he began
indulging in LSD to manage anxiety. **A LOT** of LSD.

Under the influence of LSD Jaya Tirtha hallucinated, sometimes

imagining himself the re-incarnation of Jesus Christ. Formerly a close
associate of Timothy Leary,
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Jaya Tirtha gathered together his most obedient followers

(mostly female) and moved to a beautiful 40-acre hippy ranch (Named
THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN SANCTUARY) in Mendocino County, California
in the summer of 1986.

The Golden Mountain drug cult came after Jaya Tirtha was
kicked out of ISKCON, making him the first acarya to publicly and
officially ‘bloop’.

Bloop: There is a distinct sound heard when a stone falls into a

pond, and sinks to the bottom. That sound is called a ‘bloop’. Similarly,
in Krishna consciousness, when a monk decides to stop following their
vows, especially lifelong celibacy vows, that deviation is commonly
called a ‘bloop’.

Clearly this Guru-Bloop period made for an elusive piece of self-

history for ISKCON to write. And Jaya Tirtha was not the only acarya
taking intoxication on the West Coast. In Seattle, Hamsadutta
experimented with malt liquor to manage his migraines:

Alcoholism led to Hamsadutta’s arrest on weapons charges in

1984. More on this later.

As far as the 1980’s is concerned, there are a few widely

circulated history books on ISKCON, but hardly the type I can
recommend. The first book is called Monkey on a Stick (Hubner 1988).
Monkey on a Stick is the official academic treatment of ISKCON, and can
be found at virtually every library in the U.S.
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(Please Note: The author is a self-described humanitarian who

also worked as a probations officer and later won a Pulitzer prize.)

The story: Essentially Rolling Stone Magazine took an interest in

ISKCON, and one of their veteran journalists was given access to
hundreds of pages of ISKCON court filings, FBI records of the New
Vrindavan grave sites as well as hundreds of hours of devotee
interviews.

The Monkey on a Stick book is a significant effort, and it exists

because ISKCON is uncomfortable with its own history. Thus Robert
Hubner, the author, was tasked with presenting ISKCON’s history to an
unenlightened public. And the message is not a polite one.
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The second **WIDELY CIRCULATED** book on ISKCON in the

80’s is exponentially more problematic than Monkey on a Stick. That
book, a more modern effort, is called The Final Order.

Thusly, it can be concluded that new ISKCON devotees are

currently (2020) under-served regarding historic 1980’s archival
literature. And where there is need there will be service. Luckily, the
Back to Godhead Magazine is the most accurate record regarding the
1980’s. The fact that BTG was not in publication in 1990 is very telling
of the era. January 1991 marked the return of BTG and the survival of
ISKCON; however broken.

This book seeks to serve the need of informing a younger

generation. And time will be the judge of its success.
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Chapter 2: My 2006 Letter to Govinda Dasi

(Please Note: There are three letters in a sequence.)

LETTER#1. In 2006 I wrote to Govinda Dasi about the BBT book changes.
I consider her a close friend, and knew her answer would be candid.

Govinda Dasi is the number one senior devotee in Hawaii,

having pioneered the islands, P-E-R-I-O-D.

She opened Hawaii ISKCON directly on Prabhupada’s order. Her

godbrother, Gurukripa Das (formerly Gurukripa Swami) is named in
Prabhupada’s 1977 Living Will as the caretaker and protector of ISKCON
Hawaii.

These two are the guardians of Prabhupada’s Legacy, and we

are their assistants on the Hawaiian Islands.
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LETTER#2. That year (2006) Govinda Dasi replied with the following:

A Letter on Book Changes

by Govinda Dasi (ACBSP)

Srila Prabhupada often said “Krishna has written these books.” So tell
me, how can a conditioned soul improve on what Krishna has said or
written??

Dear Yashoda Dulal Prabhu,

Pamho. Yes, the BBT always gives that one worn-out example of cattle,
and of course the other one, planet of the trees. Yes, those are typos,
mistakes. They fail to mention the other four thousand and nine
hundred and ninety eight changes they made!

And had these two errors been corrected, along with any misspelled
words, etc. there would have been no cause for alarm–or for a million
dollar lawsuit with bbt defending the edited version–one which they
lost in the courts. That court case is the only reason that now the world
has an option to read Prabhupada’s original words. But the 5000
changes that were made, and changing the “writer’s voice” was
unwarranted and factually criminal.

In a meeting at Honolulu temple some years back, Jayadvaita M.

actually stated, “Oh, those (original) books were horrible!” Those
“horrible” original books, filled with Srila Prabhupada’s divine mercy,
made thousands of devotees in the ’70s. More books were distributed
then than now.

It seems you believe the propaganda that Hayagriva was never around
Prabhupada much, and there were many editors etc. What can I say?
This is simply not true. I knew Hayagriva from the time I joined
Prabhupada in San Francisco, January of 1967. Hayagriva was there, and
was already editing the Gita, and spending hours every day with Srila
Prabhupada going over every verse!

And later, just before the first Gita was printed, in late 1968, Hayagriva
LIVED with us in Los Angeles. (I was Prabhupada’s secretary for the
whole year of 1968 and part of 1969) Daily they would spend hours in
Prabhupada’s room, going over every inch of the final edits. I am an eye
witness to this.

At this time, I even did the cover drawing for the first MacMillan Gita
(the purple one) with Prabhupada guiding me, literally over my
shoulder, watching the drawing develop. The purple Gita cut out a lot of
that meticulous work done by Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva;
 18

Macmillan wanted to save money, to make it smaller. So they greatly

edited Prabhupada’s manuscript, and he was unhappy with it, but
accepted it as “a blind uncle.”

But at his first opportunity, he printed his manuscript in total, the

Original Gita, the one with Jadurany’s reddish battlefield painting on the
cover. Srila Prabhupada was extremely happy with that Gita–he finally
got his carefully nurtured manuscript into print! He was overjoyed!

The “Edited Edition”, with the blue battlefield cover, done by Parikshit
das, with Krishna carrying a whip rather than his Panchajanya (conch) as
directed by Srila Prabhupada, was done AFTER Srila Prabhupada’s
departure from this world. Both the editing and the cover were done
after his departure, yet they inserted his preface and signature of 1971–
as if, with 5000 changes, it was the same book! How unethical!

Most of Prabhupada’s disciples did not even know this editing mischief
was going on; they were grieving the loss of Srila Prabhupada from this
world. Only later, when the dust had settled, did many of us learn of this
travesty.

So I really do know what happened in those days. I even met with

MacMillan in New York prior to the printing.

Jayadvaita M. had not even become a devotee in early 1967, so how

would he know?? He says many things that are not in keeping with what
really happened, since he was not there; perhaps he is relying on
hearsay, I don’t know. Neither was Jayadvaita M. in Los Angeles in late
1968 when Hayagriva lived with us for weeks on end, completing the
editing work.

Most of what the bbt says in this regard is based on fairy tales, hearsay,
and perhaps some personal ambition as well. I do not know how they
can skew things in this way and still sleep at night.

But what I do know is that Srila Prabhupada wanted NO FURTHER

CHANGES TO HIS BOOKS. HE EXPRESSED THIS ON MANY OCCASIONS. A
little research can easily prove this point.

Now, you may enjoy reading many various literatures that are perhaps
well written, even better written, and that is fine. But if you want to
read Srila Prabhupada’s original words, gone over with a fine tooth
comb by Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva, then I suggest you read his
original books.

If you want to compare them, that’s fine too. But his original books
must be available to the people who will come in the future of this Kali.
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And the changes must stop lest the original teachings be obliterated in
the course of time.

Generally I avoid these political issues, as I feel most are fairly

unimportant and always changing. However, this book issue is very very
important. So important that Srila Prabhupada himself came to me in a
darshan a few years back and told me to defend his original books.
Frankly, I did not want to take this task, as it means stepping on
people’s toes, but he insisted. He ordered me to speak out, so I must, in
spite of being labeled and criticized.

Srila Prabhupada wants it known all over the world, and especially for
future generations, that his original books are just as he intended them
to be. They have his full shakti, full mercy, and are for all of mankind. If
the changes continue, there will always be another editor who thinks he
can improve this or that, and eventually the original meanings will be
lost.

You may appreciate the editing work, but Srila Prabhupada doesn’t. He
didn’t appreciate the changes then, and he doesn’t appreciate it now.
Our job is to please our Guru, not our own sense of what sounds good
or doesn’t sound good.

He made this clear so many times, yet they have chosen to ignore
everything he said. Please understand, I don’t blame any one person,
not even Jayadvaita M. It is the nature of the Kali Yuga to try to destroy
that which is sacred and meant for the upliftment of mankind. That is
how Maya works.

Srila Prabhupada often said “Krishna has written these books.” So tell
me, how can a conditioned soul improve on what Krishna has said or
written??

Your servant and sister,

Govinda dasi
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LETTER#3 In 2010 HH Jayadvaita Swami publicly replied to Govinda Dasi

after her letter went SUPER VIRAL.

Book changes: History backs the BBT

August 22, 2010 by Jayadvaita Swami
I’ve sent this letter to news sites where the letter it replies to was published.

I have a very soft spot in my heart for my senior godsister

Govinda Dasi. In 1968, right after I was initiated, she was
serving as Srila Prabhupada’s cook, and for a couple of weeks in
Boston I got to assist her. I will always fondly remember those
days of being with her and Gaurasundara in serving Srila
Prabhupada. She was (and is) such a nice example of a devoted
disciple! But as for Govinda Dasi the historian, well. . .
A letter from her to Yashoda Dulal Prabhu, lately being
circulated on the internet, gets several points wrong. But I’ll
just mention two of them.

>It seems you believe the propaganda that Hayagriva was

never around
>Prabhupada much, and there were many editors etc. What
can I say?
>This is simply not true. I knew Hayagriva from the time I joined
>Prabhupada in San Francisco, January of 1967. Hayagriva was
there,
>and was already editing the Gita, and spending hours every
day with
>Srila Prabhupada going over every verse!
Hours every day going over every verse? Perhaps we can get a
more reliable picture (contradicting the one above) from
Hayagriva Prabhu himself. You can find his account, from his
book The Hare Krishna Explosion, here:
https://www.jswami.info/editing/hayagriva.
In summary: According to Hayagriva Prabhu, his “spending
hours every day with Srila Prabhupada going over every verse”
is something that never happened.
 21

>And later, just before the first Gita was printed, in late 1968,
>Hayagriva LIVED with us in Los Angeles. (I was Prabhupada’s
secretary
>for the whole year of 1968 and part of 1969) Daily they would
spend
>hours in Prabhupada’s room, going over every inch of the final
edits.
>I am an eye witness to this.
I’m sure this account is sincere. I’m equally sure it’s wrong.
The facts are these:
While Hayagriva Prabhu was teaching at Ohio State University,
he used his 1968 Christmas vacation to visit Srila Prabhupada in
Los Angeles for just over two weeks (starting on December 13).
A high point of the visit was Hayagriva’s marriage to Syama
Dasi on December 25. And the book Hayagriva reviewed with
Srila Prabhupada was not Bhagavad-gita but Srimad-
Bhagavatam.
In Srila Prabhupada’s words: “Recently, Hayagriva came from
Columbus, and he remained with me for more than a fortnight.
He was assisting me in editing Srimad-Bhagavatam. Now he is
married with Syama Dasi and has returned to New Vrindaban
with his many responsibilities.” Letter to Rupanuga, January 15,
1969 (emphasis supplied).
>Jayadvaita M. had not even become a devotee in early 1967,
so how
>would he know?? He says many things that are not in keeping
with what
>really happened, since he was not there; perhaps he is relying
on
>hearsay, I don’t know. Neither was Jayadvaita M. in Los
Angeles in
>late 1968 when Hayagriva lived with us for weeks on end,
completing
>the editing work. Most of what the bbt says in this regard is
based
 22

>on fairy tales, hearsay, and perhaps some personal ambition

as well.
>I do not know how they can skew things in this way and still
sleep at
>night.
Now you know where I get my stories from: Hayagriva Prabhu
and Srila Prabhupada, telling the facts in black and white. The
best of all possible sources, no?
Srila Prabhupada loved Govinda Dasi, and I always regard her
with great affection and respect. But, again, she is dear to me
as my godsister, not as a historian.
For history I’ll turn to more reliable sources, but for her
devotion to Srila Prabhupada she has my lasting admiration.
****
PS: The portion of Srimad-Bhagavatam Govinda Dasi saw
Hayagriva Prabhu reviewing with Srila Prabhupada in 1968
would have been from the first canto or, at most, the second.
In the mid 1970s I extensively revised the first canto, especially
the first two chapters. Srila Prabhupada explicitly approved of
this work, and the revised version was published in 1976. The
revisions I made for the translations of the first two chapters
are all available for you to see at
http://www.bbtedit.com/node/244.
In 1976 I also lightly revised the second canto, already edited
by Hayagriva Prabhu and published. After the “Rascal Editors”
conversation, Radha-vallabha Dasa, then the BBT production
manager, sent Srila Prabhupada samples of my second-canto
editing, and this is what led to Srila Prabhupada’s statement, in
a letter dated September 7, 1976, “Concerning the editing of
Jayadvaita Prabhu, whatever he does is approved by me. I have
confidence in him.” The revised second canto was also
published before Srila Prabhupada’s departure.
 23

And so, ironically, the history Govinda Dasi brings forward as

evidence that I defied Srila Prabhupada’s authority by editing
the work he had already carefully gone over with Hayagriva
Prabhu turns out, on closer inspection, to be an example of
how, when I revised such work, Srila Prabhupada gave his full
and unconditional approval.
*****
 24

Chapter 3: Nara Hari Swami Files

John Joseph (Jayananda Das):

“I used to collect money as a Santa Clause. A handicapped Santa Clause.

We gave the proceeds to the Hawaii Temple and the Pancha Tattva
Deities got new jewelry. That was in 1985.”

“Nara Hari Swami used to get X-Rated massages on the temple

property. And this was a problem. Let’s remember: Nara Hari was the
guru. He was the temple president. He owned the boat. And he
controlled the farm in Hilo. Basically Nara Hari was Uncle Fester. And
Uncle Fester was in charge of the Adams Family.”

John Joseph Cro-Mags Interview (Honolulu Temple Garden, 2006)

 25

Although Srila Prabhupada told Nara Hari to develop heaven on

earth, Nara Hari interpreted the order differently. So in 2020 Nara Hari
sold the Hare Krishna hindu temple using Zillow. It’s first listing was for
$4,000,000. That’s not a bad price for a Radha-Krishna Temple.

My letter to the ISKCON GBC (2019) regarding Nara Hari:

“Good evening. I write to you gravely concerned about a NEW sale

forthcoming of Hare Krishna Temple Waimanalo in Hawaii. The situation
is egregious because:

A) ISKCON funds were directed by Nara Hari Das ACBSP to

purchase/renovate/finance the Temple in Waimanalo.
B) Narahari presents himself as a current/former ISKCON guru and
collects on behalf of ISKCON.
C) The Waimanalo Temple is registered as a religious non-profit.
D) Nara Hari has not materialized plans for a New Temple.
E) Nara Hari is a repeat offender (allegedly) of selling ISKCON property.

Additional reading is also available at:

HaleKrishna.com (Nara Hari’s Website)

-Yashoda Das / [email protected]

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The GBC’s reply:

“Hare Krishna,
Yes, the house is the personal property of Nara Hari, and he is free
to do as he wishes with it.
I do not know of any ISKCON money that went towards its
purchase.
your servant, Tamohara das”
 27

After the GBC declined to investigate Nara Hari, I began

interviewing (on Facebook) some of the devotees who lived in
Hawaii in the 1980’s.

I asked one of the brahmacaris in the community, Amara

Das ACBSP, what his recollection was about the ISKCON boat
Jaladhutta II. Amara’s answer was very clear.
 28

Q: What happened to the Jaladhutta II?

Ouch...sounds like GBC might be a little out-of-touch.

 29

GLOSSARY (In No Particular Order)

Swami- A male spiritual leader, usually over the age of 40, who has
taken lifetime vows of celibacy.

Swamini – A female spiritual leader, usually over the age of 40, who has
taken lifetime vows of celibacy.

Srila Buddha Pada – Famous statue in the foot hills of West Virginia.
Destroyed (dynamite?) and dismantled. Witnesses testify that one night
there was a loud crashing sound, and in the morning the statue was
(mostly) gone. Affiliated with Varshana Swami and 1990.

Bloop – The sound a stone makes when it falls into a pond and sinks to
the bottom. Also refers to a spiritual falldown, usually by lifetime
celibates.

BTG – Back to Godhead Magazine is the monthly print magazine of

ISKCON. Jayadvaita Swami, editor-in-chief, used BTG in the 1980’s to
broadcast bogus zonal guru ideology in support of the 11 acaryas, until
they began to bloop. In 1991 Jayadvaita became a guru apologist, and
eventually a guru himself.

Final Order –The Final Order book is a piece of ritvik propaganda. It is

one of a handful of 1980’s reading material.

Monkey on a Stick – A book written by John Hubner and which gives a

criminalist characterization of ISKCON leaders in the 1980’s. Available at
your local library in the US.

Pyramid House – Located in Topanga Canyon, California the Pyramid

House was owned by Narasimananda Das. Popular destination in the
1980’s.

Topanga Canyon Conversation – Famous recorded meeting which took

place among senior Prabhupada Disciples in California, 1980. During this
revelation Tamal Krishna Swami took a divergent posture and confessed
that he and the other 11 zonal gurus were never appointed as fully
fledged acaryas by Srila Prabhupada in 1977.
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Appendix I
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Appendix II

In Chapter 1 I presented the story of Bhaktin Stacie and her

questions on initiation. It would be disingenuous for me to not mention
that her story is based in reality. Someone did receive initiation on
Rama Navami. That devotee was me.

On Rama Navami 2003 Bhakta Jesse had some serious questions

regarding ISKCON history. No one was able to answer my questions, and
so I began reading Back to Godhead from the 80’s and meeting the cast
of characters on it’s pages. My initiation that day connected me with
ISKCON’s history and future. And I promised myself that when my turn
came, and a young devotee asked for my advice on initiation...well I
guess the rest is history.
 44

8 Truths of the 1977 ISKCON GBC

1)It is easy to hate the 1977 ISKCON GBC. They are the most hated
generation in recent Vaishnava history. Their first initiation after
Prabhupada entered samadhi was Christmas Day 1977 in New
Vrindavan. The ISKCON history you know is a lie; a falsehood created by
Back to Godhead magazine.

2)Prior to 1965 ISKCON, most historical accounts list the direct disciples
of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati as a deviant organization AKA GAUDIYA
MISSION under the 1937 GAUDIYA MATH appointed Acharya Ananta
Vasu. The 1936 Gaudiya Math had 66 properties, which were later
divided (1937) among 2 principle groups. Ananta Vasu and his agents
continued to manage these properties as a sahajya movement called
Gaudiya Mission, similar to 1980’s ISKCON.

3)The ‘Old Gaudiya Math’ died in January 1937 when the GAUDIYA
MATH GBC appointed an acarya named Ananta Vasu. Srila Prabhupada
says “Ananta Vasu is a jackal and you can’t appoint an acarya by
committee.” Not only that! But the books edited by these sinister
agents should be IMMEDIATELY discarded. Milk touched by the lips of a
serpent causes poisonous effect. That is the real history of Hare Krishna
book edits - and the bastardization of the sacred books of
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati and A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami. Don’t let any
so-called ‘BBT Editor’ in saffron tell you otherwise.
 45

4)The direct disciples of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta (like Bon Maharaja,

Sridhar Maharaja, Junior Puri Maharaja, Senior Puri Maharaja, Madhava
Maharaja etc. ) who have been at one time or another associated with
the GAUDIYA MISSION eventually denounced Ananta Vasu and later
apologized for appointing him.

5)Many of these swamis became his ardent critics (eventually).

HISTORICALLY this is a test of loyalty for Pre-1950 Gaudiya Math
devotees.

6)That page of history, the ‘1937 GAUDIYA MATH GBC Meetings’ has
turned. Now the historical discussion revolves around the ‘1978 ISKCON
GBC Meetings’. History repeated itself in 1978 regarding guru
appointment; specifically Satsvarup Das Goswami was propped up by
the 1977 ISKCON GBC as a duly appointed ISKCON-Zonal Acarya.
Satsvarup was officially sworn into office in March 1978 by his
godbrothers. The vote was 22-1 in favor. Bhaktisvarup Damodar
opposed.
 46

7)In the same way that Srila Prabhupada rejected Ananta Vasu, the
leaders of ISKCON (Bhaktisvarup Damodar and his followers) need to
denounce Satsvarup Das Goswami. He bastardized the BTG. Please read
1978 BTG and then read 1982 BTG. It is a bastardized history. At first in
1978 there is a list of ‘11 gurus’....then in 1982 ‘10 gurus’...then still
later ‘13 gurus’...Is Satsvarup an insane person? It is definitely possible.

8)Do the right thing and support Bhaktisvarup Damodar. He and I spent
considerable time in ISKCON Denver, Colorado in 2004. I was living in
the Temple Ashram while doing book distribution at the Denver Airport.
Bhaktisvarup Damodar was the first Ritvik disciple of Srila Prabhupada I
ever met.