PRABHUPADA - "A SENILE OLD MAN"
TAMAL CALLS PRABHUPADA SENILE OLD MAN
By: Nara Narayan Vishwakarma
das (NNV)
Date:15 Oct. 1999
>From VNN Forums "Srila Prabhupada Poisoned" more food for thought:
Dear Vaikunthanantha das Kaviraja Member,
PAMHO, AGTSP!
I want to thank you for your comments and concerns re my evaluation of Tamal Krishna
Goswami's posting. One point that I would like to make clear is that other than
the poison issue and the fact that Tamak KG said that
Srila Prabhupada was "senile" within my hearing, that I have NO NEGATIVE
PERSONAL ISSUES WITH TAMAK KG WHATSOEVER.
Tamal joined the movement with Vishnujana approximately six months before I did
in 1968. It was his preaching that convinced me that Srila Prabhupada's teachings
gave us all access to the SUPREME ABSOLUTE TRUTH. I was (not surprisingly) an
impersonalist philosopher living in San Francisce. Tamal peresonally preached
to my brother Makanlal and myself during a series of evening meetings that resulted
in my being completely and irreversibly drawn to surrender to Srila Prabhupada's
Lotus Feet.
Just as Yudhisthir Maharaja could not understand why he automatically gazed respectfully
at the feet of Karna (until he found out that Karna was his older, therefore worshipable
brother) in a similar manner, I could never seriously fault Tamal, as I (as a
matter of affection and honor) held him to be responsible for my causeless good
fortune in joining Iskcon.
Over the years it was impossible not to notice Tamal's
"scary" shortcomings, his violence, his blind fanaticism, his assumption that
he was Srila Prabhupada's "MOON" and that all else wre mere stars.
His obssessive compulsive "love" for Srila Prabhupada often seemed to me to be
more "homoerotic" than devotional in the "Master, disciple" sence of the word.
Even in 1968 and 1969, he continuously and obliviously
would overturn and overide Srila Prabhupada's direct instructions, and would never
ever seem to be aware that he was doing so. In 1989, Tamal brought
an article to Srila Prabhupada which described a man in India who had chopped
off his manhood as an act of renunciation of sex. Tamal was beside himself with
exitement! He excitedly asked Srila Prabhupada if this was not indeed a wonderful
thing. Srila Prabhupada replied with curled lips,"IT IS DISGUSTING!" He went on
to explain to Tamal that our process is to surrender our senses to Lord Hrishikesha,
who when sincerely asked, would kindly control them for us so that our minute
free will could then be used fully and without distraction to serve Krishna.
Later, when I learned that Tamal had had his male member
"disabled" in China by a Chinese doctor, I realized that Tamal had
never forgotten that article, but had evidently forgotten Srila Prabhupada's comments
on the matter. So, one may ask why I did not "do anything" when
I overheard Tamal and Shayamasundhara describing Srila Prabhupada as "old and
attached" and a "Senile old man" etc, regarding the purchase of the
Bombay Juhu land. (Tamal was arguing that we would never be able to build there,
and it was only Srila Prabhupada's "senility" and "attachment to that land" that
kept Him from selling it back to the Nair's who had owned it.
It is interesting that less than five years later(a few days after Srila Prabhupada
had left His body) Tamal had taken over Srila Prabhupada's
quarters in the HUGE MARBLE TEMPLE IN JUHU BOMBAY, (The same one that
Tamal said "would never be built") and declared those
rooms as "his own personal quarters" and that no one else could sleep in them
(on Srila Prabhupada's bed) except him! His outraged
godbrothers "kicked him out" shortly thereafter, but it was clear as
to what he had done. (At this time, Srila Prabhupada's in all Iskcon temples are
considered to be HOLY TIRTHAS, and are not lived in by any disciple or anyone
else, for that matter)
So I did not attack Tamal, and the reason is simple: HE HAD BROUGHT ME TO KRISHNA
CONSCIOUSNESS, AND THE TRANSCENDENTAL LOVE THAT I FELT FOR HIM FOR HAVING DONE
SO, OVERODE A NORMAL DISCIPLE'S REACTION TO THE WORD THAT I HEARD HIM UTTER.
If it should turn out that Tamal had even a small role to play in a poisoning
of Srila Prbhupada, then I will have to live with the cruel realization that of
all Srila Prabhupada's disciples, that I had been in a unique position to prevent
that from happening by following the Instructions in the "Nectar of Devotion"
on how to deal with accute blasphemy of a Pure Devotee of the Lord.
I find your own questions valuable, and I can only pray that THE TRUTH EMERGE,
and that we will all have the character to not "frame" anyone simply because we
do not personally like them, or excuse them on the basis
of false "awe and reverence" of their "exalted" position. Just as the
Demigods Prayed to Lord Vishnu on the shore of the Ocean of Milk for Krisna's
Advent, so let us pray that LORD PARAMATMA will guide us to a FINAL SIDDHANTA
on this disturbing set of questions and bits of evidence that CALL FOR A COMPLETE
AND WELL FUNDED INVESTIGATION to either implicate or exonerate those who were
with Him in His last days.
Your eternal servant,
Nara Narayan Vishwakarma das
PS. Tamal
Krishna and Shayamasundhara das held a conversation in Bombay that I personally
overheard in which Srila Prabhupada was described as Old
and attached, a senile old man, senile etc. Tamal BLASPHEMED
Srila Prabhupada in my hearing whether he remembers or admits it himself or not.
This is no fiction. I am the witness. I call upon the Akashic record as my authority
of verification. In the Court of Yamaraja, it will all come out. That is what
was said. If Tamal Krishna believes in life after death and the judgement of Yamaraja,
he will have to agree that what I say is the truth.
Tamal made many statements within the hearing of devotees that reveal his utter
lack of respect or belief in Srila Prabhupada.
IRG - USA - (24-1-99)
(Letter taken from IRG)
Letter from
Nara Narayan Vishwakarma das:
Dear Prabhus,
PAMHO AGTSP!
This communication is in response to what appears to be Rabindra Swarupa's letter
in which he expresses his incredulity that Srila Prabhupada could possibly have
been poisoned. He makes broad assumptions on the matter:
The writer seems
to be amazed that a saintly person could be given poison. Has he forgotten Haridas
Thakur, Sri Krishna shot in the foot by an arrow, The Pandavas beating each other
to death with cat-tails that had turned to iron, of Grandfather Bhishma on the
bed of arrows, What to speak of the crucifixion of Jesus and the martyrdom of
practically every holy person that Christiandom has produced. Was Bhaktisiddhanta
not poisoned? Lalit Prasad claimed to have been poisoned by Tirtha Maharaja. The
entire family of Bhaktivinode Thakur fell ill due to the mystical spells of a
demented yogi thrown in jail.
What about the men that the writer supports in the "guru" system of ISKCON?
Shall we mention Jayatirtha being protected by Krishna? or Jayapataka' throat
being protected not by Krishna but by fat? Kirtanananda's head? Satsvarupa's migraines?
Harikesh's vertigo? Kavichandra? These so-called absolute personalities...are
they not protected by Krishna?
What the writer has apparently not understood on the subject of the Maha Bhagawata
what to speak of the fallen souls parading as gurus in ISKCON is that in the case
of Srila Prabhupada that poison is not what would cause Him to leave his body.
A Pure Devotee is held in place not by mortal issues, but by his value to his
faithful followers as the ultimate Resource in accessing the Causeless Mercy of
Sri Sri Radha Krishna. While His body remains stationary among us, He is actually
fully active on the Spiritual Platform, in the transcendental world to which He
is the unique exclusive bridge.
If He is subject to disrespect, then by what mechanism might He stay among the
offenders? More importantly, even showering those about Him with his Causeless
mercy, at what point is He facilitating the disasterous reaction resulting from
the Mad elephant offence?
HE WANTED TO GO TO GOVARDHAN HILL! WHAT MORE NEED BE
SAID!
Hansadutta Prabhu is recorded (VNN) as arguing with Tamal that it is a choice
of to follow the Kaviraja or to follow Srila Prabhupada. Apparently unable to
break the inertial regarding the COMPETE AND CALCULATED DISOBEDIENCE of SUPERSOUL'S
DIRECT ORDER through the via medium of Srila Prabhupada he nonetheless argued
to follow that order. A weak but correct voice in a sea of disobedience.
Hansadutta reports that at one point Srila Prabhupada after days of making His
ONE CONTINUOUS REQUEST finally asked for all of the devotees to assemble.
He asked them to vote; "Shall I be allowed to go to Govardhana" or "shall I not
be allowed to go to Govardhana". Only two hands raised for our Transcendental
Master to be "allowed" to go to Govhardhan Hill: Hansadutta and Giriraja. When
Giriraja saw only two hands in the air, he prudently lowered his. Then there was
only one hand Hansadutta's.
Stop and ponder the theological implication of this vote. Compare it to the time
that Pontius Pilate washed his hands to absolve himself of what he had come to
consider an unjust verdict.
Can you see the single plea of our kindly merciful Master to be obeyed; not because
he wanted obedience, but because by obeying Him we could avoid the offense of
minimizing His Direct Order. HE SAID THAT HE WOULD BE CURED IF HE WENT!
...Godbrothers, accepting this as a PIVOTAL MOMENT in the destiny of this
world, THOSE PRESENT VOTED HIM TO DIE!
The conclusion cannot be escaped except by a faithless person. THEY DID NOT
BELIEVE THE "WORDS EMANATING FROM HIS LOTUS MOUTH" that clearly stated that
if he went to Govardhan He would LIVE!
Godbrothers, please do not commit the mad elephant offense by saying that they
were sentimentally feeling that "it would be best for Him to stay in Vrindaban."
That is not the Theological issue. If you argue that their fear of Him going was
justified, then you will have fallen prey to those, who like Tamal Krishna were
sick of Srila Prabhupada and called him a "Senile Old Man". With such an attitude
by his so-called "intimate disciples" why look to mercury or arsenic for poison?
Those poisons, (If actually administered) were only symbols of gross disobedience
and what Srila Prabhupada politely referred to as "discourtesies" in the context
of the New Vrindaban "Prabhupada is God" coup in 1970.
Let us say that during His last days he was surrounded by the exact individuals
who had been proven time and time again (through letter, room conversation, morning
walks etc) to have tried the patience of a Saint.
Amazing that such Saint-baiting types should then announce themselves to be His
True, pure, acharya
successors only months after He had held them very much to task for offensive
behavior.
The writer refers to my statement that Tamal Krishna and Shayamasundhara das
held a conversation in Bombay that I personally overheard in which Srila Prabhupada
was described as Old and attached, a senile old man, senile
etc.
This is no fiction. I am the witness. I call upon the Akashic record as my authority
of verification. In the Court of Yamaraja, it will all come out. That is what
was said. If Tamal Krishna believes in life after death and the judgement of Yamaraja,
he will have to agree that what I say is the truth.
He made many statements within the hearing of devotees that reveal his utter lack
of respect or belief in Srila Prabhupada.
Perhaps you need to know that I owe a deep and eternal debt to Tamal Krishna.
I have no direct motive to degrade him or create any offense toward him. It was
he who preached to me in 1968. It was his irrefutable arguments that caused me
to renounce my mayavadi conclusions and to embrace the Vaishnava path. I have
never had a cause to dislike Tamal or to envy him. He was my mentor in the early
days of the movement. I have never aspired to be a "guru" or GBC, and have seldom
served as temple president. My work was to build Vyasasanas, Carve Deities, build
Rathayatra cars, decorate temples, and to manage the BBT art department and design
the paintings from 5th canto to the middle of 10th canto Srimad Bhagavatam. I
was art editor for Back to Godhead and designed the masthead currently in use.
FOR THIS REASON, MY WORDS RING FROM THE OCEAN OF TRUTH. Tamal BLASPHEMED
Srila Prabhupada in my hearing whether he remembers or admits it himself or not,
and HE WAS THE STRONGEST ALL-PRESENT ALL-DOMINATING PRESENCE during Srila
Prabhupada's last days. WHAT MORE POISON DO YOU WANT? Or don't you believe
such things are true.
IN THE END, YOU WILL EITHER ACCEPT OR NOT ACCEPT WHO SRILA PRABHUPADA REALLY
WAS. That will be your only test. The line is drawn irrevocably in the sand.
WHICH SIDE OF THE LINE DO YOU BELONG?
Your eternal servant,
Nara Narayan Vishwakarma das