Srila Prabhupada's final days

CHAKRA - March 21, 2000: Much of the concern of the poison theorists, relates to the words spoken by Srila Prabhupada and those around him, in his final days. Here are the relevant conversations as quoted in the Powerpoint presentation shown to the GBC Body in Mayapur, this year. Even ritvik theorists like Adridharan dasa reject the poison theory, as will be shown below.

Tamal Krishna: Srila Prabhupada? You said before that you... that it is said that you were poisoned?

Prabhupada: No. These kind of symptoms are seen when a man is poisoned. He said like that, not that I am poisoned.

Tamal Krishna: Did anyone tell you that, or you just know it from before?

Prabhupada: I read something.

Conversation, Nov. 8, 1977

Poison theorists claim that Prabhupada revealed the poisoning to the kaviraja in Hindi but kept it from his disciples.

Adridharan Das, who lived with the kaviraja, refutes this speculation. The point is confirmed by the recorded Hindi conversations:

Kaviraja: Ye Maharaj ye kotha ap kaise bola aj ki koi bola hai ki poison diya. Ye apko kuch abhasa hua hai kya?

[Oh, Maharaja, today, how did you say that someone told you that you were given poison? Did you feel something like that?]

Prabhupada: Nahi aise koi hai bol jo dene se aisa hota hai. Sayad koi kilab mein likha hai.

[No, someone said that it happens (symptoms) if it is given. Perhaps it is written in some book.]

Tamala Krishna: Srila Prabhupada? You said before that you... that it is said that you were poisoned?

Prabhupada: No. These kind of symptoms are seen when a man is poisoned. He said like that, not that I am poisoned.

Tamala Krishna: Did anyone tell you that, or you just know it from before?

Prabhupada: I read something.

Poison theorists quote the conversation of 10th November as proof of a conspiracy. However the Hindi tells a different story when translated accurately:

Bhakti-caru: (Bengali) Srila Prabhupada what were you saying about mental distress?

Prabhupada: (soft giggle or chuckle) Hm, hm.

Kaviraja: Boliye, boliye!

[Please speak! Speak!]

Srila Prabhupada: Vahi bat ... je koi hamko poison kiya.

[That same discussion… That someone has poisoned me. ]

Conclusion:

Srila Prabhupada never specifically said, “I am being poisoned,” in response to the question, “Are you being poisoned?”

However he did directly state that he wasn’t being poisoned, in both Hindi and English.

The kaviraja, Adridharan Das and Bhakti Caru Swami all agree that Prabhupada’s Hindi statements were in line with this understanding.

© CHAKRA 21-Mar-2000

Go to the “Poison Issue Page”