Kṛṣṇacandra Dāsa – Śrī Vṛndāvan Dhama: Śrī Vṛndāvan Dham is the Holiest of Holy places within this material universe and is the residence of not only Śrī Kṛṣṇa it is also His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda’s home. Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted only the highest possible standard of Kṛṣṇa consciousness practiced in the Dham by his disciples. Therefore the Temple President and other senior men and women of the Holy Dham must lead by their personal example of honesty, integrity, strength of personal character and above all spiritual acumen.

The two senior men in leadership positions, namely the Temple President Pancagauda Dāsa (aka Peter Nicoloff) and the Chairman of the MVT and onsite Manager Abhirama Dāsa (aka John Sims) were recently the subject of intense media coverage for behavior unbecoming of Spiritual Leaders of our ISKCON Society. The details of which will be given below.

Leadership positions within our ISKCON institution must occupied by Brahminically inclined devotees who have demonstrated a deep understanding, appreciation and practical application of śāstra and leadership as taught by Śrīla Prabhupāda. This is especially so with regards to senior leadership positions in Śrī Vṛndāvan Dham for the consciousness of the leaders here will affect the consciousness of the followers which will be reflected throughout the ISKCON international society. If the consciousness of the leaders here is of low moral character and spiritual realization then what can be expected for the Yatra, what to speak of what will this portend for the greater ISKCON society?

The role and function of the GBC of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s ISKCON society is to manage his Society in such a manner that ensures that the spiritual and organization standard of our society is in keeping with the aims and objectives as given by His Divine Grace. Therefore the onus is on them to maintain a high spiritual standard of all appointed officials within our society in order to aid and assist in the growth and development of our Voluntary International Vaiṣṇava Devotional Community.

Any official member of the International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness represents His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda and it is imperative that they must have sufficient spiritual adhikāra in order to not embarrass and/or bring disrepute to our Vaiṣṇava society. This is especially true of senior management who must necessarily be above and beyond reproach and be of impeccable character and integrity in all aspects of their life, at the very least.

Śrī Vṛndāvan Dham especially must be high priority for the GBC to make sure that the spiritual standard is of the utmost level and therefore it should not be the place for businessmen; as the qualities of deceit, ambitiousness, greed and lust are not qualities for leadership in our Vaiṣṇava society. We must understand that such qualities do not exist in the kaniṣṭha adhikāra devotee of the Lord so what level of consciousness must one be on when one exhibits such base qualities?

Following is a report of the current situation in our ISKCON community in Śrī Vṛndāvan Dham that is the direct result of the Businessman consciousness of two of ISKCON’s senior most devotees in the management leadership of this Yatra Abhirama Dasa [John Sims] the MVT Chairman and onsite Manager of the MVT Vṛndāvan Ashram and Pancagauda Dāsa [Peter Nicoloff] the Temple President of ISKCON Vṛndāvan.

These two due to avarice, lust and greed have disgraced our ISKCON society in Śrī Vṛndāvan Dham perhaps more than any other devotee has in our sordid past. This has been done with the sanction of the GBC and MVT Trustees and particularly the VEB [Vṛndāvan Executive Board] who only close ranks and attempt to cover it up as if it never happened.

Meanwhile behind the scenes they, the GBC, are furious, not at these two shameless devotees antics, but at the fact that they cannot keep everything covered up and info seeps out like puss from a festering abscess. Of course even though there may have been some anxiety of being charged and/or imprisoned by these two they should have had no concern at all given the fact that this is FISKCON where the guilty party is always protected and the victim and truth is rejected.

Of course fear would be there and perhaps remorse at being exposed however anxiety would have to be the most prominent emotion for them as the monetary rewards of being a Temple President or an ISKCON Leader in India can be a very lucrative position for the deceitful businessman.

I could have exposed it from the very beginning but I chose instead to pursue the proper channels to demonstrate that this ISKCON institution and in particular the GBC have no interest in the truth, the law and dharma. The cover up began immediately by the GBC instead of doing their duty to maintain the spiritual standard of their appointed leaders culminated in the inevitable which meant simply determining how best they could staunch any leaks of information and cover up the incidents while solidifying the debauched and criminal behavior of one of their own.

Both of these individuals bathed our ISKCON society in inglorious publicity in the Media across the Uttar Pradesh state and local media by both TV and Newspaper coverage of the multitude of disgraceful situations that they dragged our ISKCON society into, due to their desperate greed, lust and ineptness at management of a vital spiritual institution as is ISKCON Vṛndāvan.

More importantly the degraded state of mind of the ISKCON leadership here in Śrī Vṛndāvan Dham could not be made more obvious when Pancagauda Dāsa, Gopal Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja and Radhanatha Swami officially paid their respects – at his funeral here in Śrī Vṛndāvan Dham – to the most heinous monster to have ever worn the cloth of an ISKCON devotee and Sannyāsī guru – Kirtanananda Swami… This singular act of dishonor to His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda displays their lack of ability to discriminate both materially and spiritually.

The fact our senior most men in ISKCON Vṛndāvan have caused such a widely publicized fiasco in the Indian Press and TV and not a word has gone out to the various ISKCON and ISKCON related websites is rather disturbing to say the least.

It is a very sad indictment on our society as a whole that such immoral and criminal behavior by our so called leaders goes unnoticed. How can we as a religious society abide by such behavior in our leaders and turn a blind eye? What value system do we as a devotional society desire to acculturate into our lives and the lives of our children when we sit back and allow such people to be the leaders of our society?

Consider that Abhirama Dasa  [John Sims]  [John Sims] had his ex girlfriend dragged down a flight of stairs by his assistant managers wife and physically restrained. Then pursued and leapt upon, when she broke for freedom, and tackled to the ground having her hands bound in order to illegally restrain her. Please remember that this is Śrī Vṛndāvan Dham…

This all happened on MVT property in front of many witnesses and the GBC has turned a blind eye to such a disgraceful spectacle conducted by ISKCON devotees in management positions in our Śrī Vṛndāvan MVT project.

After fruitlessly bringing these issues up on the local front with both the devotees concerned I eventually made a submission to the GBC Executive and I have included some of their follow ups communications which clearly demonstrate how they are more interested in passing the buck than acting with professionalism and integrity.

Below are some of the more important email exchanges that I have had with the various officials of this FISKCON society. I have other exchanges with the culprits Abhirama Dasa  [John Sims] and Pancagauda Dāsa [Peter Nicoloff] and will, if necessary, include them in follow up articles on this untenable situation in Śrī Vṛndāvan Dham.

It also must be noted that the Ex Girlfriend of Abhirama Dasa [John Sims] is preparing legal cases against many devotees involved in her assault on MVT property by MVT staff. I have been kept abreast by her regarding her dealings as the situation unfolded and I am also in possession of Medical and Police Reports to prove her accusations are not baseless.

The present state is the after math of the last two months and now these two so called leaders and the VEB are engaged in damage control and dealing with the various devotees who have spoken out against them or who they believe are the troublemakers.

However as Leopards never change their spots these two so called devotees will keep on degrading themselves and Śrīla Prabhupāda’s good name further if not stopped and the apparent calm may only be the calm before the storm…

 

From: Krsnacandra Dasa

Sent: Monday, September 26, 2011 6:23 PM

To: [email protected]

Subject: Vrndavan Situation

 

Dear Bhima Prabhu

I am writing to you in your position as a member of the Vrndvan Executive Board [VEB] regarding the present situation with in ISKCON Vrndavan.

As you would have been briefed already we have been having quite an extraordinary month.

First with the Temple President Pancagauda Dāsa [Peter Nicoloff] with the problems in the Temple and the FIR that was placed against him and his ensuing FIR and the subsequent banning of the Brahmacaris involved. Along the rumors of extramarital affairs etc make for very bad publicity for our Temple.

Then with the recent well documented assault on a ex girlfriend of Abhirama and the ensuing fiasco. The rumors of property dealing involving Pancagauda and Abhiram…

In both cases FIR’s were submitted by the Temple and MVT authorities respectively which had dozens of names as witnesses which in light of the friendship between Pancagauda and Abhiram, it would be interesting to note how many names are similar in both the FIRs????

If in case you don’t know I have a website http://prabhupadavision.com/

I am preparing a article regarding the present situation in ISKCON Vrndavan for publishing and circulation as I believe that the general devotee needs to be informed about the situation here.

Since its inception the VEB has without fail failed to provide proper leadership for this community and this present scenario is perhaps the worst in regards to bad publicity. Although your personal choice to install Devakinandan as the TP here would be very hard to beat!

Can you please tell me what the VEB is willing to do about this fiasco? For it needs to be resolved fast.

The decision to have Pancagauda and Abhiram as the senior men here is perhaps a catastrophic error on the part of the VEB.

I strongly advise that action be taken before this situation spirals out of control, if it hasn’t already.

Perhaps you need to come here and deal with this situation personally? This must not be ignored or covered up for these two individuals are nothing but disaster waiting to happen. For their own benefit they must be stopped.

Anyway before I publish anything I shall wait till I hear some positive news from the VEB.

Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada

Krsnacandra Dasa

 

—–Original Message—–

From: Bhima (das) ACBSP (BBT India, Juhu, Mumbai – IN)

Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 6:35 AM

To: Krsnacandra Dasa

Subject: Vrndavan Situation

 

Dear Krishna Chandra Prabhu

Please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Some time ago the different services in Vrindavan were divided up amongst the remaining VEB members.

I was specifically given the legal cases to look after by overseeing the legal department.

Gopal Krishna Maharaj took charge of the temple and its internal workings as his area of concern.

I share with you the present concern regarding the temple situation. Most likely this will come up in Mumbai during the GBC meeting.

Regarding the MVT trustees choice of Abhiram Prabhu being hands on in MVT that had nothing to do with the VEB.

I hope this meets you well.

Ys Bhima das

 

—–Original Message—–

From: Krsnacandra Dasa

Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 6:35 PM

To: Bhima (das) ACBSP (BBT India, Juhu, Mumbai – IN)

Subject: Re: Vrndavan Situation

 

Dear Bhima Prabhu

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

I have written to Gopal Krsna Goswami…

I am sure that he has ‘his ways’ to make this ‘go away’ so I do not hold my breath for any positive result.

What has our great Vaisnava Society become? We will all have to face Srila Prabhupada or Yamaraja in the end…

Srila Prabhupada simply cannot be happy with what his direct disciples have done to his glorious movement…

I am ashamed to be seen as a Hare Krsna nowadays.

Prabhu I once told you that I pray to Srimati Radharani that all the VEB members get their just rewards… I no longer pray for that. It is not up to my prayers it is up to Srila Prabhupada and Krsna what happens to you and your team.

I do pray that as you get older that you begin to do what is right more and what is wrong less. You may think from your perspective that what you do is right but what you have overseen in Sri Vrndavan Dham cannot be good…

You have a very responsible position but for the sake of illegal gain of money all this nonsense is going on in Vrndavan Dham.

I do my duty to warn and caution but it is ultimately up to you the leaders who bear the responsibility and blame and all its subsequent reactions to eventually learn to act responsibly.

Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada

Krsnacandra Dasa

After various exchanges with Gopal Kṛṣṇa Goswami and Bhima Dāsa who are members of the Vṛndāvan Executive Board [VEB] which had no effect and in particular none of my exchanges with Gopal Kṛṣṇa Goswami were replied to as is typical of this man’s ‘hands off’ behavior in any situation in Śrī Vṛndāvan which requires him to act with integrity and moral/spiritual maturity.

 

GBC SUBMISSION – RE: Abhirama Dasa  [John Sims]  & Pancagauda Dāsa [Peter Nicoloff]  

From: Krsnacandra Dasa

Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2011 2:58 PM

To: [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected]

Cc: [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; Juhu, Mumbai – IN) Bhima (das) ACBSP (BBT India ; [email protected] ; [email protected]

Subject: URGENT ATTENTION REQUIRED -ISKCON VRNDAVAN CRISIS

[Please see attachment for full document with pictures]

 

Dear Mahārājas and Prabhus of the ISKCON GBC Executive.

Re: THIS MATTER REQUIRES YOUR URGENT ATTENTION

Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

I am writing to you regarding the most regrettable situation in ISKCON Vṛndāvan and in particular the ISKCON Kṛṣṇa Balarama Mandir and the Māyāpura Vṛndāvan Trust [MVT] Complex. The situation here requires your urgent and immediate attention.

It must be noted that I have gone through the proper channels first by corresponding with both Pancagauda Dāsa [Peter Nicoloff] and Abhirama Dasa  [John Sims]  and when they failed to act appropriately to resolve the situation I corresponded with the Vṛndāvan Executive Board and when they too failed to take the appropriate action to resolve this matter I am now approaching the GBC Executive Committee.

As Śrīla Prabhupāda mandated in his Will “The executive directors who have herein been designated are appointed for life. In the event of death or failure to act for any reason…” The “failure to act for any reason” is particularly important when attempting to understand how you as the GBC should act in this situation. Please remember that this above mandate does not only refer to the executive directors, it is a general principle for all devotees who represent Śrīla Prabhupāda in an official capacity.

I have attempted to deal with this matter internally as I do not wish to take this untenable and embarrassing situation to the public arena but I am willing to publish a more in-depth article on my website http://prabhupadavision.com and other such sites, if the GBC fails to act appropriately in this regard.

In this regard, I have a considerable amount of documentation on both the Temple and MVT incidents including police and medical reports, email correspondence and Newspaper articles.

As you know, the Kṛṣṇa Balarama Mandir is the topmost Temple in our ISKCON society and the home of His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda and lastly the Holiest of Holy Dhams. However, it has also been a very controversial Yatra with a very sordid past and so we should be very considerate when dealing with any matters that bring ill repute to the good name of Śrīla Prabhupāda and our ISKCON Society.

Prabhus we are currently facing two major volatile and what to speak of utterly embarrassing situations that require your direct and immediate action.

Synopsis:

The Vṛndāvan Executive Board or the VEB has been responsible for the overall management of our Vrndavana Yatra for nearly ten years now. In this time they have been responsible for many bad decisions with regards to the management of this Yatra. It appears that their intention has not been to assist in the growth and development of this Temple and its devotional community, but to neutralize or remove any perceived opposition to their rule. The first stage of their reign was to destroy any semblance of a devotional community by appointing Temple Presidents, Devakinandan Dāsa and Bhrihat Mrdanga Dāsa, who set about to fiercely downsize the Temple by rooting out all perceived opposition.

In their time they created havoc within the Vṛndāvan Community which included a violent riot and hunger strike. [see photo]. Devakinandana Dāsa also had a western woman beaten and imprisoned which I had to take great lengths to free her with the help and assistance of the FRO and CBI.

Hunger Strike Protest ISKCON Vṛndāvan – 2004

This of course gave our ISKCON society a terrible name and a great deal of bad publicity in the public media and greater Indian community.

We are now facing an even worse situation. I have informed the VEB on several occasions as well as informed Gopal Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja as he is both a VEB member and an MVT trustee. To date there has been no positive action taken and a distinct failure to act appropriately.

The devotees responsible for the present problems within ISKCON Vṛndāvan stem from the main ISKCON leaders; Namely Pancagauda Dāsa [Peter Nicoloff] [Temple President ISKCON Vṛndāvan] & Abhirama Dasa  [John Sims]  [Chairman and onsite Manager] of the Māyāpura Vṛndāvan Trust [MVT] and so the resolution to the current poor state of ISKCON Vṛndāvan is hugely problematic due to the fact that they are not only the senior most devotees here but they are also fast friends.

Pancagauda Dāsa [Peter Nicoloff] Temple President Kṛṣṇa Balaram Mandir Śrī Vṛndāvan Dham

Pancagauda Dāsa  [Peter Nicoloff] as the senior most official representative of ISKCON has “failed to act” to meet the proper standards for an ISKCON leader as established by His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda and has therefore brought ill repute and embarrassment upon our Society.

Following is an outline of the present predicament at our ISKCON Yatra:

  1. At this present time there is a sit in protest by several devotees who were recently thrown out of the Temple by the Temple President Pancagauda Dāsa [Peter Nicoloff] after an argument between differing parties which culminated in physical assault and one side of the party being evicted. It is claimed by the ‘evicted’ party that Pancaguada Dāsa slapped one of them. This account has been substantiated by reliable sources.

a)     If this is the case then the use of physical violence by a senior Temple authority what to speak of the Temple President is totally unacceptable. The Temple President must set the perfect example.

  1. This failure to act appropriately has created a public spectacle as is evidenced by this photographic record. There is presently a sit in ‘fast until death’ demonstration directly outside the Temple by the disaffected party who were evicted, and believe they were victims of unfair and unjust treatment by the Temple Authorities. This alone is a very embarrassing situation for our ISKCON Society especially as we enter into the Holy month of Kartika and the consequent influx of pilgrims to Śrī Vṛndāvan Dham.

a)     The devotees involved in the hunger strike till death claim that there is large scale corruption regarding the Temple authorities in relationship to finances as well as manhandling of devotees etc as evidenced in the placard below. They claim that they were manhandled because they spoke out against the problems they are protesting about and the Temple authorities acted in response to their claims.

Sit-in Protest Outside ISKCON Vṛndāvan Oct 2011

“Against corruption of the Temple and Public money by the ISKCON Temple Administration and the torturing and mishandling of devotees by the Temple Administration, Navneet Dāsa is going for an indefinite hunger strike till death.” [translation of the above sign]

3) The grievances of the above mentioned devotees are that they believe that there is financial corruption inside the Temple Management which they want investigated.

5) As per local News reports the several members of local Political parties have voiced their support the protestors which has the potential of leading to implications that do not warrant the protection of the GBC and VEB.

4) There has been well substantiated rumours of sexual impropriety by Pancagauda Dāsa  [Peter Nicoloff] with various women. This makes for a considerable amount of negative rumours and bad press for the public, what to speak of the bad example set for our ISKCON devotional community here in Śrī Vṛndāvan Dham.

5) There is also the claim that Pancagauda Dāsa  [Peter Nicoloff] and Abhirama Dasa [John Sims] have been involved in business dealings both here in Vṛndāvan and in the States. The most prominent case being the claim that Abhirama Dasa [John Sims] , as Chairman of the MVT Fund has given an illegal business loan to Pancagauda Dāsa [Peter Nicoloff] for his private business. For more details refer to: http://prabhupadavision.com/2011/08/mvt/

As you know, this is Śrī Vṛndāvan Dham and so the standard set by the leadership of such a vital Yatra must be of exemplary standard as established by His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda which, by the above reports, the present situation fails miserably to attain.

Abhirama Dasa  [John Sims]  – MVT Chairman & Onsite MVT Vṛndāvan Manager

The situation involving Abhirama Dasa  [John Sims]  and an ex girlfriend of his [Chandra Tara] when she was brought as his guest to Vṛndāvan to stay at the MVT is the other hugely problematic affair for our ISKCON Vṛndāvan Community.

1) During that time the situation of their relationship degenerated to the point where many of Abhirama Dasa [John Sims] ’s women friends became hostile to her which escalated to an apparently unprovoked physical assault on Chandra Tara perpetrated by one of them [an MVT resident] and an FIR was submitted to the police.

2) The second incident involved MVT staff after Chandra Tara returned a second time, by senior MVT staff on MVT property who attempted to restrain, beat and bind her under the order of Abhirama himself.

Both cases were witnessed and documented as well as given media coverage which brought into play government officials, police, SSP and FRO. She was also treated in hospitals for various injuries sustained by the successive assaults for which she has medical reports.

3) I have well documented evidence by Chandra Tara regarding the assault cases including FIR’s and Medical reports etc should you require further evidence. I also have email records from both Pancagauda Dāsa [Peter Nicoloff] and Abhirama Dasa  [John Sims]  regarding these matters.

Chandra Tara – MVT Gate 2011

 

Following both events both parties were involved in seeking police and legal advice which has resulted in the present situation.

1)     Abhirama Dasa  [John Sims]  failed to act appropriately and maturely by dealing with his extramarital and amoral personal affairs by using staff and residents of the MVT to hide behind and to protect him from facing responsibility for his reprehensible behaviour problems instead of dealing with them maturely by taking responsibility for his amoral treatment of a woman. After all, all she wanted was an apology for his un-chivalrous behaviour.

2)     Abhirama Dasa  [John Sims]  failed to act appropriately by taking irregular police action against Chandra Tara. In some instances signing as a member of the ISKCON Temple and not a representative of the MVT.

3)     I informed both Abhirama Dasa  [John Sims]  and Pancagauda Dāsa [Peter Nicoloff] that she needed and wanted medical assistance and an official apology for her maltreatment at the hands of ISKCON devotees. I have emails to support this statement. Yet they both failed to act appropriately by attending to her needs as a private citizen who was attacked and abused on MVT grounds by MVT and ISKCON staff and residents.

It appears that yet again the GBC and the VEB are not able to control their senior men in Vṛndāvan and we are facing yet another embarrassing situation.

The VEB and the MVT Trustees are passing the buck to the devotees who are the main cause of these problems and so there will be no resolution in sight for they continue to protect each other’s back. What statement is this making to our devotional community? The statement is that the leaders can engage in any amount of amoral scandal and low class behaviour and still remain in position without reprimand.

Yet should one of their wards cause trouble, they are treated with extreme prejudice and incur the full wrath and extent of institutional punishment up to and including physical assault.

The above sign was placed in prominent public view on the gate to the ISKCON property stating to the public that our Temple is experiencing disciplinary problems. How embarrassing is this? Is this not a childish thing to do for an International Religious Society in 2011?

The irony is that charge Number 4 states that these devotees were not following Śrīla Prabhupāda’s rules and yet they themselves [Pancagauda Dāsa [Peter Nicoloff] and Abhirama Dasa [John Sims] ] are guilty of failure to act by not following the teaching of His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda. For example their own promise to His Divine Grace to follow the four regulative principles…

  1. Therefore the onus is on the GBC to intervene and seek resolution to these problems which should initially take the form of the resignation [forced or voluntary] of both Pancagauda Dāsa [Peter Nicoloff] and Abhirama Dasa  [John Sims]  from their respective positions.
  2. The above mentioned incidents require immediate and URGENT action. The VEB appears to not interested and the Pancagauda Dāsa [Peter Nicoloff] and Abhirama Dasa  [John Sims]  are the causative factors in these incidents so locally we cannot expect an appropriate response. Therefore the GBC needs to act immediately to seek a solution to these problems.
  3. The composition of the VEB needs to evaluated and inactive or problematic devotee representation must be removed with an attempt to procure more qualified and spiritually senior men to take their place. Which, in all honesty, means that they all should be removed for the ‘failure to act’ in accord with Śrīla Prabhupāda’s standard of management both spiritually and managerially.
  4. It is also a good practice that ISKCON leaders are trained to act to solve a problem internally with care, affection and maturity and not to respond with or overly involve ourselves with police action. We should also never be involved in any activity to thwart the justice system or pay bribes to police officials.

It is simply not acceptable if – as it has been claimed, the senior most official representatives of ISKCON in Śrī Vrndavan Dham are involved in sexual improprieties / improper business dealings / physical assault / police cases and bad media coverage – that the GBC takes no action.

If this situation occurred with any CEO or Director of a private organization or business, what to speak of a Religious institution, then they would have been instantly removed until an investigation exonerated or convicted them.

In the case of the Temple President, that the position may be impossible to fill for no one even remotely qualified will take the post due to the terrible reputation of past Temple administration, however this current situation only makes it even more difficult to find a qualified replacement.

Śrī Vṛndāvan Dham is an extraordinary Yatra and should be of prime concern to our international society and so the onus is on the GBC to make sure that it is managed in strict accord with the wishes and instructions of His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda in order to set a good example for our international community.

The establishment of the VEB has failed to achieve stability and positive growth and development of this vital centre as evidenced by their poor choices for Temple Administration and their lack of supervisory discretion. The prime cause of this lies in the VEB membership; who have relentlessly demonstrated their inaptness in managerial skills and spiritual maturity to be able to successfully guide this vital community.

So please do the needful in an expedient manner to alleviate the present unacceptable condition and utter embarrassment with regards to our spiritual master His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda’s home and Temple.

Yours in the service of Śrīla Prabhupāda

Kṛṣṇacandra Dāsa

Editor: Prabhupāda Vision Website

[See: http://prabhupadavision.com/]

After no response I decided to send a follow up as the GBC and VEB were due to meet in Mumbai for their strategic planning seminars where the plot how to protect their greedy ambitious plans with the aid of Gopal Bhatta a debauched Businessman Fringe Devotee. Apparently the buck was passed there by the GBC EC again to the VEB who have been purposely avoiding dealing with this matter at any level and working desperately behind the scenes to pay off Police and hire Lawyers to protect their personal undisclosed interests.

 

From: Krsnacandra Dasa

Sent: Saturday, October 08, 2011 5:09 AM

To: [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected]

Cc: [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; Juhu, Mumbai – IN) Bhima (das) ACBSP (BBT India ; [email protected] ; [email protected]

Subject: Re: ISKCON Vrindavan Situation

GBC: Executive Committee

Vṛndāvan Executive Board

 

Dear Mahārāja’s and Prabhu’s

All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

You have duly received my submission regarding the situation here in Śrī Vṛndāvan Dham on the 5th October 2011. To date I have not received any communication in reply or an acknowledgement of receipt of the submission.

This is not acceptable given the seriousness of the situation.

It is not appropriate that you do not respond to such a submission. Śrīla Prabhupāda would respond to any correspondence from members of his society. This is not too much to ask.

Due to the failure of management to respond in an appropriate manner to such situations infers complicity.

It is this failure to act or behave in a morally responsible manner that has landed ISKCON Vṛndāvan in such a most unfortunate and regrettable situation.

I do not need to remind you of your duty as Managers of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s ISKCON society to do your duty.

Due to my role in Śrī Vṛndāvan Dham I receive information from various sources and so I am well informed.

It has been brought to my attention that both Pancagauda Dāsa [Peter Nicoloff] and Abhiram Dāsa have been aggressively bad mouthing me, blaming me and my friends for their being exposed. Blaming others for one’s own sins is not the behaviour of a responsible or mature leader or adult in anyone’s books.

I want you to think about this for a moment please. This is Śrīla Prabhupāda’s ISKCON. This is Śrī Vṛndāvan Dham. Is this how you expect the devotees that you have appointed to lead this community to behave?

The futility in this is that they are trying to cover up internally what has been exposed in the local and state media and is common knowledge out in the street? I have given you merely one copy of an article from many more such articles. The community here is up in arms and you sit on your hands and allow the situation to worsen?

I am not the one in charge. I am not the one responsible for the violence, moral turpitude and management issues of ISKCON Vṛndāvan – both the ISKCON leaders here are entirely responsible and subsequently by your lack of professional supervision and failure to act appropriately you are also responsible.

Both of these individuals are the ones out of control and misbehaving. You turned a blind eye and the Vaiṣṇava community suffers from their aggressive reaction to being exposed.

The obligation and duty is on your shoulders to act in a responsible and expedient manner to protect Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Temple and the community of devotees.

After all are we a Religious Organization that supposedly represents the absolute truth and the highest religious principles? Do I need to remind you that amoral behaviour and violence should not be condoned in our ISKCON society which is especially so when the leaders are the one who perpetrate the violence and moral turpitude?

So please do the needful and act quickly to remove these individuals who have brought nothing by aggression, violence, amorality, shame and disgrace to our ISKCON Vṛndāvan Temple and the MVT.

They are not able to control themselves so the onus is on you to control them.

Yours in the service of Śrīla Prabhupāda

Krsnacandra Dasa

 

—–Original Message—–

From: Secretary (of the) EC (Executive Committee of the GBC)

Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2011 7:01 PM

To: Krsnacandra Dasa

Subject: Re: ISKCON Vrdnavan Situation

 

Dear Krsnacandra Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

The GBC EC is in due receipt of your letter dated October 7th, 2011. The

concerns listed in your letter should certainly be investigated and

addressed. We therefore request you to contact Gopal Krsna Goswami, the GBC

representative for Vrindavan. He is in a position to better understand and

work on the issues locally.

 

Thank you very much.

Hare Krsna,

Your servant, Radha Sundari devi dasi

 

Following is a similar response from the GBC EC to a submission from Chandra Tara regarding her treatment by her ex boyfriend Abhirama Dasa [John Sims].

On Tue, Oct 11, 2011 at 1:57 PM, Radha Sundari (dd) RNS (Secretary GBC EC) <[email protected]> wrote:

Dear Chandra Tara Mataji,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Your letters have been received by the GBC Executive Committee. We are sorry
to hear of the physical and emotional distress you have experienced.

Every area has a local GBC representative to deal with issues that the local
management is not able to resolve. His Holiness Gopal Krishna Goswami is the
GBC representative for Vrindavan. I have copied him on this email and you
may contact him for assistance.

Hare Krsna,

Your servant,

Radha Sundari devi dasi

 

—–Original Message—–

From: Krsnacandra

Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2011 7:25 PM

To: [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected]

Subject: Fw: ISKCON Vrdnavan Situation

 

Do you seriously believe that an automated reply is anything less than an insult to Srila Prabhupada and his sincere followers?

“The concerns listed in your letter should certainly be investigated and addressed”

What is happening in Sri Vrndavan Dham is a disgrace and you pass the buck to Gopal Krsna Goswami who is already so entangled in this mess that he is certainly not the one to deal with this very serious matter.

Why is it so hard for you people to do the righteous and decent thing?

 

—–Original Message—–

From: Secretary (of the) EC (Executive Committee of the GBC)

Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2011 8:16 PM

To: Krsnacandra

Subject: Fw: ISKCON Vrdnavan Situation

 

Dear Krsnacandra Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

The method of processing concerns related to the local ISKCON management is that one first brings them to the local GBC representative, who is in a better position to practically assess the situation.

If you are not satisfied with the way in which the local GBC deals with the concern, you can take up the matter with ISKCON Resolve. They can help to mediate between the parties to come up with a solution.

If these steps do not lead to a satisfactory conclusion, the matter is then brought to the GBC Executive Committee. It is naturally more difficult to understand and assist in resolving a complaint from a distance, so it is always more practical to first go through the local GBC.

Please don’t take this as an automated response meant to dismiss your report of the issues in Vrindavan. We are only trying our best to serve you in the most practical, efficient way possible.

In the case that you have already brought this matter to Gopal Krsna Maharaja and are not satisfied with the result, please let me know and I will can put you in touch with ISKCON Resolve.

Hare Krsna,

Your servant, Radha Sundari devi dasi

 

—–Original Message—–

From: Krsnacandra

Sent: Thursday, October 13, 2011 8:43 PM

To: Secretary (of the) EC (Executive Committee of the GBC)

Subject: Re: ISKCON Vrdnavan Situation

 

As I have already stated Gopal Krsna Goswami is already well briefed on the situation. This is not a small matter it is serious as I have stated in my submission.

This is not a personal matter to be lost to such a bureaucratic wrangle that is ISKCON Resolve.

This is precisely what Srila Prabhupada did not want for his society to be trapped in bureaucratic procedure.

As I have already stated I have already worked through the TP and MVT Chairman asking them to act in such a manner that is appropriate to Srila Prabhupada’s standard and what is considered a moral and decent manner. They

are not able to comply. I then approached the VEB GKG included. They did not reply. I have made a submission to the GBC Exec and this is what happens. This matter gets passed off to Braja Bihari’s brainchild ISKCON Resolve? Are you serious?

I am sorry this is entirely unacceptable. I am sure that you have heard what is happening here in Vrndavan? If not then read the papers. You cannot sweep this under the carpet by passing the buck.

When I say automated I mean your reply says that your reply is scripted to pass the buck in an endless circle of bureaucratic process. Which is if you have worked in the outside world means that you are working for a company that is involved in unscrupulous activity.

The GBC are meeting in Mumbai they are all privy to what is going on in Vrndvana Dham. Their duty to serve Krsna and Srila Prabhupada with integrity and respect. The reaction to not doing their duty to Srila Prabhupada is self evident in sastra.

In this case they have a moral duty to act to remove these errant devotees who have besmirched Srila Prabhupada’s name and our glorious ISKCON as would any half way decent organization especially an allegedly Religious one.

Anyway I have done my best to warn you and the GBC the rest is on your shoulders to resolve this in a satisfactory manner that will please Krsna and Srila Prabhupada.

Krsnacandra Dasa

 

—–Original Message—–

From: Krsnacandra

Sent: Saturday, October 15, 2011 4:55 AM

To: Secretary (of the) EC (Executive Committee of the GBC)

Subject: Re: ISKCON Vrdnavan Situation

 

Dear Radha Sundari Devi Dasi

Thank you for your assistance and your reply.

I am sorry to put so much pressure on you please know it was not personal but positional and practical.

Historically in ISKCON the GBC and various peripheral committees and trusts associated with it have sought to cover up rather than deal with such situations appropriately.

You may believe that they mean well or that they are so busy running an international organization to act in an expedient or practical way but we are not that large of a scale organization no matter what you may think.

In a professional sense if even if a official is found engaged in a amoral act for example a counselor has an affair with one of his clients, the counselor is not only fired immediately but they may have their professional license revoked so they may never be able to act in that role again.

We have a much higher standard for our leaders. I pray that you can understand this simple fact.

The leaders of our Vrndavan community must at least be able to demonstrate a high moral standard. In this they have historically failed to maintain.

You may not be aware but the exiting Temple President before this present one was also accused of amoral behavior. This must not become a trend.

Anyway thank you for your involvement.

Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada

Krsnacandra Dasa

 

—–Original Message—–

From: Krsnacandra

Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2011 1:44 PM

To: Secretary (of the) EC (Executive Committee of the GBC)

Subject: Re: ISKCON Vrdnavan Situation

 

Dear Radha Sundari DD

Well I would like to say all glories to Srila Prabhupada but it seems that he lost today in Sri Vrndavan Dham and Business Sex Power Lies and Deceit won…

Not only did the so called leaders here win but it seems there was a landslide victory for them. ALL GLORIES TO FISKCON! Now they will seek retribution I would imagine…

Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada

Krsnacandra Dāsa

 

—–Original Message—–

From: Secretary (of the) EC (Executive Committee of the GBC)

Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2011 3:52 PM

To: Krsnacandra

Subject: Re: ISKCON Vrdnavan Situation

 

Dear Krsnacandra Prabhu,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

> Well I would like to say all glories to Srila Prabhupada but it seems that

> he lost today in Sri Vrndavan Dham and Business Sex Power Lies and Deceit

> won…

>

> Not only did the so called leaders here win but it seems there was a

> landslide victory for them. ALL GLORIES TO FISKCON! Now they will seek

> retribution I would imagine…

 

Did something happen today? Sorry, I am not aware.

I also apologize for not being able to answer your letter as yet. We just

returned from traveling yesterday and I want to confirm a couple of things

to assure that I reply to you correctly.

Hare Krsna,

Your servant,

Radha Sundari devi dasi

 

Here is the only response that I received from Gopal Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja on this matter…

—–Original Message—–

From: Gopal Krsna Goswami

Sent: Saturday, October 15, 2011 3:25 PM

To: Krsnacandra

Subject: Sri Vrndavan Dham

 

Dear Krsnacandra,

Hare Krishna. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

If possible please send me your phone number and I will try to talk to you.

Gopal Krishna Goswami.

 

—–Original Message—–

From: Krsnacandra

Sent: Saturday, October 15, 2011 7:21 PM

To: Gopal Krsna Goswami

Subject: Re: Sri Vrndavan Dham

 

Dear Gopal Krsna Goswami

All glories to Srila Prabhupada

Thank you for replying to my email.

I don’t actually have a personal phone as I use email only for communicating with others.

The point is Maharaja this is really your area of responsibility and your duty to resolve.

I understand that due the fact that the VEB is comprised of different factions any solution is extremely problematic but I also know that you are the senior devotee in both the VEB and MVT.

My role is incidental meaning that I am reporting a need. You are very well informed on the situation in Vrndavan and you also know very well that you must make sure that this situation is rectified without engaging only in damage control.

The only honorable solution is to first have Pancagauda and Abhirama prabhu resign before their immaturity causes more ruination to our standing in the community what to speak of for their own good.

Then you will have to seek their replacements.

I sincerely pray that you make the righteous decision here and further that any replacements are for the best and for a better future.

Maharaja you are under quite a deal of pressure from not only your various responsibilities but you are also under medical pressure as well. Life is short and your Krsna consciousness should be your prime importance.

I sincerely pray that you take time to think about what you do from now on in your life to make sure that you will sincerely please Srila Prabhupada.

What you do with regards to your service and therefore responsibility with Sri Vrndavan Dham should be your first and foremost concern… to please Srila Prabhupada in his home and where he sits in Samadhi.

Yours in the service of Srila Prabhuapda

Krsnacandra Dasa

 

Conclusion:

From the above exchanges nothing was said by the GBC or done by the GBC except to ignore my submission and cover up the incidents and bolster the standing of the two devotees concerned. As usual I will be labeled as the trouble maker and critical devotee for speaking up even though it has been said in the TV and Newspapers across India…

The ISKCON institution claims to represent His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda and Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and what have we become under the leadership of this GBC is nothing short of low life criminal organization.

It is most starkly obvious that the GBC’s value system is based on; lies, deceit, retribution, greed, lust, sexual and moral impropriety whereas the truth and spiritual standard lies bleeding in the gutter.

Any law abiding organization in possession of even a modicum of righteousness would have had the situation here investigated and had both Pancagauda Dāsa [Peter Nicoloff] and Abhirama Dasa [John Sims] removed immediately if even for their own good.

We are not simply a law abiding organization, we are an organization which claims to be a religious [sanatana dharma] organization which stands for the absolute truth under the teaching of His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda. Therefore our standard of morality and spirituality must be higher than other organization; however under the leadership of the GBC we are now no better than an amoral criminal organization that is more interested in feeding the leadership’s greed, lust and ambition than doing what is right.

With a morality that is less than even a law abiding citizen of secular society how is that we can expect any good to come from our leaders? It is not possible. If no good comes from our leaders then how are we expected as a society to please His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Śrīla Prabhupāda and it goes without saying, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa…?

Because if the king is educated nicely in spiritual affair, if he knows what is the purpose of kingdom, what is the purpose of ruling, then all the citizens automatically become religious, purposeful. And if the king is a rascal, the leader is a rascal, naturally all others will follow, and they will become rascals. [Bhagavad-gītā 2.32 London, September 2, 1973]

When the GBC values corruption, lies, deceit, avarice and moral turpitude and devalues the truth, honesty, care, compassion and protection of its members; then we as a society are being fast tracked to HELL.