A RESPONSE BY THE HARE KRSNA SOCIETY AGAINST THE FALSE STORIES PROPAGATED ON THE INTERNET AGAINST MANY SINCERE AND DEDICATED PRABHUPANUGA DEVOTEES
June 10, 2012 in Articles, Damaghosa Dasa by Damaghosa dasa
A RESPONSE BY THE HARE KRSNA SOCIETY AGAINST THE FALSE STORIES PROPAGATED ON THE
INTERNET AGAINST MANY SINCERE AND DEDICATED PRABHUPANUGA DEVOTEES
After the recent flurry of offenses cast by certain “devotees” against Yasoda nandan, Puranjana, Krsnacandra, and many others aligned with the Prabhupadanugas , I felt, while I was taking lunch prasadam today, that a short, but specific letter was in order to try and help those who seem to relish finding fault– where there is no fault.
Basically the problem, if you want to call it that, is this– some people who like to think of themselves as Vaisnavas, but who are far from that standard, continually thru the internet spread malicious lies about the above devotees. They think for some twisted reasons that one Srila Prabhupada disciple named Tattva Darshan who successfully founded and maintains the Bhaktivedanta Eco Village (BEV) in Karnataka India over 20 years ago- is a child molester. And they further think that the above named other devotees are of the same mentality since they and myself are giving him (Tattva) spiritual backing in his attempt to reform and continue to render service to Srila Prabhupada.
For those of you who love to hear this kind of smut, I will tell you the real story.
WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED– In Cambodia everyone knows there is a lively sex trade going on.
Tattva darshan (from BEV) used to go there and other places to collect money for his project back in India. (He personally told me that he has spent around a million collected dollars thru very hard work on this Varnashram project)
Somehow or other, he got involved in some sexual affair with a young woman, not a child mind you, and was caught in a sting operation by the local police. He went to jail for around two years and was eventually released. There never was any child sex going on, as was falsely reported by some agencies, it was simply a sexually agitated man who wanted some sex while he was far away from home. He is not a guru,or a sannyasi or anybody posing to be some renunciate. He is a very hard working married man with a wonderful family and a very understanding wife.
That is what happened. However these certain “devotees” seem to think that Tattva Darshan was some kind of pervert looking only for small girls for sex. This is totally wrong and false. The Hare Krsna Society let me say here, does not condone this kind of activity but when it does happen (regular prostitution amongst adults) then devotees who are mature should see if as it is. A temporary falldown which should be excused-especially in light of all the tremendous devotional work Tattva darshan has done in a very difficult country, foreign to natural birth.
At this point let me ask our readers this-
Have you ever committed any sinful acts? NO?
Then you shouldn’t even be reading this.
If you have done any sinful things, then you should understand and know that if God Himself forgives you for such things, then why would or could any ordinary mortal find fault with you? The answer is simply– envy.That’s all. (See full philosophical explanation by Visvanatha Chakravarti at the end)
Every devotee knows the story of Putana the witch who tried to kill Krsna with poison on her breast.
Krsna took her demoniac act as a service to Him and gave her the liberated position of a mother in Vaikuntha!
So any common and reasonably thinking non envious person should conclude from this one episode alone (and there are hundreds of others) that if God Himself forgives a demon who comes to Him for killing Him and not only forgives him but promotes him, then what to speak of forgiving our lowly selves engaged in simply ordinary sinful acts. This is what it means that God is all merciful.
Yasoda nandan told me a story once that someone in one of Prabhupadas Indian temples was caught in the act of child sex and the catching devotees asked Yasoda nandan what to do? Should they beat him up and kick him out?
Prabhupada personally told Yasoda in 1977 at the Kumbha mela in Prayag- that if he was to kick out any devotee ever doing any sinful acts, then he would have no devotees left in the movement !!! The devotees involved with the capture of this person Yasoda conjectured, probably beat the person up and threw him out. But that was not the attitude that Srila Prabhupada took about anybody who wanted to do some service for Krsna. He considered him not an ordinary soul and should be encouraged and corrected- but not banned or kicked out.
Again the Hare Krsna Society does NOT condone child sex, but on a practical level sometimes must deal with these incidences when they happen. So Tattva darshan after suffering thru two years in a Cambodian jail no one ever wants to have to go to, got purified by Krsna Himself, lost his reputation, respect from his Godbrothers, family and friends and more. And he is still paying for this today !
So our position as devotees when we see some devotee fall from the standard, our business is not to throw more dirt upon someone already covered in dirt by his own acts. Our position should be to forgive one-following in the holy footsteps of our Acarya Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krsna Himself !!
If anybody wants to know the full details by those who were there-personally-then they can contact Jitarati or Maha srnga prabhus.
The “devotees” who are throwing out all these false stories were given the chance to personally talk with Jitarati about what happened-invited several times, but each time refused to come and listen to him. So if somebody feels so strongly about this episode, a reasonable person would want to talk with those who had to deal with it. But these detractors never took the opportunity to clear their doubts and instead are in the process of destroying what is left of their own devotional creeper- by these lies.
And for those doubting Thomas’s out there who still don’t believe this–then consider this writing by Visvanatha Chakravarti thakur. The Thakur explains in great detail how a great person thinks about these kinds of incidents when they happen, and he also explains how a cripple minded person thinks about the same incidents.
Hare Krsna
Damaghosa das
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Faultfinding explained in detail
In his Sārārtha-darśini commentary on Śrīmad
Bhāgavatam 4.4.12, Srila Viswanath Chakravarti
Thakur has described four types of saintly persons
according to how they see good qualities and faults:
Bhāgavatam 4.4.12, Srila Viswanath Chakravarti
Thakur has described four types of saintly persons
according to how they see good qualities and faults:
1) Mahat (“great person”) — A mahat has the
ability to see some good in everyone. They also perceive
faults in others, but they consider that those
faults can be eventually transformed by certain
methods into good qualities. Thus, if they feel that a
person may be benefited by discussing that person’s
faults, they may, under appropriate circumstances,
speak harsh words. Neem juice tastes very bitter,
but it can cure diseases when administered appropriately.
It should be noted that a mahat will never
reject or condemn a faulty person, but thinks only
how that person may be benefited.
ability to see some good in everyone. They also perceive
faults in others, but they consider that those
faults can be eventually transformed by certain
methods into good qualities. Thus, if they feel that a
person may be benefited by discussing that person’s
faults, they may, under appropriate circumstances,
speak harsh words. Neem juice tastes very bitter,
but it can cure diseases when administered appropriately.
It should be noted that a mahat will never
reject or condemn a faulty person, but thinks only
how that person may be benefited.
2) Mahattara (“greater person”) — A mahattara
also sees good and bad qualities in others, but
focuses on and praises the good qualities. Seeing
a materialistic merchant, a mahattara will think,
“Although he is a sense-gratifier, he takes good care
of guests and is worthy of deliverance.”
also sees good and bad qualities in others, but
focuses on and praises the good qualities. Seeing
a materialistic merchant, a mahattara will think,
“Although he is a sense-gratifier, he takes good care
of guests and is worthy of deliverance.”
3) Mahattama (“especially great person”) — A
mahattama sees whatever good qualities others
have and magnifies them, not seeing even the
smallest fault. Viswanath describes their attitude,
“This person has stolen my cloth because he is cold,
and though he has a weapon, he doesn’t attack me
because he is merciful. He is virtuous.”
mahattama sees whatever good qualities others
have and magnifies them, not seeing even the
smallest fault. Viswanath describes their attitude,
“This person has stolen my cloth because he is cold,
and though he has a weapon, he doesn’t attack me
because he is merciful. He is virtuous.”
4) Ati-mahattama (“extremely great person”) —
An ati-mahattama sees good qualities in others
even where there are none. Their attitude is, “In this
world there are no bad people. Everyone is good
An ati-mahattama sees good qualities in others
even where there are none. Their attitude is, “In this
world there are no bad people. Everyone is good
In the same purport, Viswanath also delineates
four types of asādhus, wicked or bad persons,
who are characterized according to their propensity
for fault-finding:
four types of asādhus, wicked or bad persons,
who are characterized according to their propensity
for fault-finding:
1) Asādhu (“wicked person”) — An asādhu sees
some good qualities in others but presumes that
eventually those good qualities will be overshadowed
or spoiled by some fault. For example, upon
seeing someone working for another person’s benefit,
the asādhu will conclude that eventually he or
she will want to exploit the person whom they are
helping. Simply put, asādhus are not gentlemen.
some good qualities in others but presumes that
eventually those good qualities will be overshadowed
or spoiled by some fault. For example, upon
seeing someone working for another person’s benefit,
the asādhu will conclude that eventually he or
she will want to exploit the person whom they are
helping. Simply put, asādhus are not gentlemen.
2) Asādhutara (“very wicked person”) — An asādhutara
is even more improper. He or she sees only
faults in others and overlooks others’ good qualities.
“This sannyāsī eats ghee rice to fill his stomach. He
is lusty and should be considered fallen.”
is even more improper. He or she sees only
faults in others and overlooks others’ good qualities.
“This sannyāsī eats ghee rice to fill his stomach. He
is lusty and should be considered fallen.”
3) Asādhutama (“especially wicked person”) —
An asādhutama takes small faults and magnifies
them, seeing no good qualities at all. Viswanath
gives an example: An asādhutama will criticize
and condemn a renunciate as being a “bogus rascal”,
for the fault of giving up the forest and living
in the house of a married man. The asādhutama
will conclude, “His obvious motivation is only to
steal the money of that householder.”
An asādhutama takes small faults and magnifies
them, seeing no good qualities at all. Viswanath
gives an example: An asādhutama will criticize
and condemn a renunciate as being a “bogus rascal”,
for the fault of giving up the forest and living
in the house of a married man. The asādhutama
will conclude, “His obvious motivation is only to
steal the money of that householder.”
4) Aty-asādhutama (“extremely wicked person”)
— An aty-asādhutama sees faults in all others,
even where there are no faults. “In this world, or
in this society, no one is good. Everyone is evil.”
They are the very worst.
— An aty-asādhutama sees faults in all others,
even where there are no faults. “In this world, or
in this society, no one is good. Everyone is evil.”
They are the very worst.
OR AS JESUS CHRIST ONCE SAID-YE SHALL KNOW THEM BY THEIR FRUITS !!!
