Govinda Dasa – USA: Dear Jeyanthy das (RNS)
It is very commendable that you are writing in support for your gurudeva, normally I would not say anything to disturb the mind of a disciple of our Godbrother but since you posted this letter I am obliged to reply. I do beat my mind on occasion but certainly not enough to make me concussed. In order for me to believe that what I have said is not true I would have to beat my mind to the point of being disorientated and concussed!

16 days is not 16 years or the 30 odd years that we have recorded history of Radhnatha Swami’s past – find out by doing some research. Research that needs to be done before anyone takes initiation from anyone. Don’t be afraid to look for yourself. We are a Brahminical movement that is based on the truth according to Guru, Sadhu and Shastra, we are not a sentimentalist movement.

Thank you for reminding me about the counseling system. Yet another wonderful system he has introduced into Srila Prabhupada’s ISKCON. Just try and find that system in any Vedic Shastra or works by the Goswami’s or our Archaryas. Sounds more like a behavior modification program to me. I think Skinner was the founding Archarya of that one? Try as you may, you will not find it in any Vaisnava literature.

If anyone says no to any directive then see how that reverberates up and down that graded hierarchical system! They not only don’t get the sugar cube they get the boot. Srila Prabhupada said that this is a voluntary process and so the manner in which we treat each other needs to reflect this and not some structured mundane pop psychological mumbo jumbo. Stay more than 16 days and then you will see it in action as opposed to hearing only the hysterical sales pitches of the guru glee club.

As far as the prasadam service goes have you ever lived in India for more than 16 days? They feed tens of thousand in the traditional way all over India! What’s the difficulty?

Find out also about the Zonal Archarya system that we had many years ago in ISKCON and compare that system to a one that runs nowadays where a guru has a zone and temples which are designed for their disciples. We have many of them around the ISKCON world and they are usually headed up by gurus who believe that that ‘old defunct system’ is still viable. It is not. We threw it out like Buddhism was thrown out of India years ago. If there are some followers of Buddhism left they are living in a time warp where they have not read the ‘Shastra News’ reporting that Buddhism as a philosophy has been defeated.

The fact that the GBC condones by letting gurus get away with this heretical system is because most of them want it back again for it is the only way that they can get a regular income. They all want their own Maths just like the Gaudiya Math gurus wanted after Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja went into Samadhi. Srila Prabhupada knowing that this was a bogus system continued to follow his gurus direction and formed ISKCON. So this system is blatantly against what Srila Prabhupada stood for.

Anyone can cry and shout that they are a follower of Srila Prabhupada but it is only true if they follow his system and instructions not just ones that help them to do what they want. We in ISKCON have seen so many individuals shout and jump up and down crying ‘Jaya Srila Prabhupada!’ while they committed most heinous deviations. This is no claim to being righteous.

Govinda das

(revised by author)