“Anyone who knows Srila Prabhupada even a little either through direct association or via books understands that if Srila Prabhupada knew of any abuse to children he would have been more than furious.”

Regarding Omniscience
By Antardwip das

I wrote a reply about Srila Prabhupada's “omniscience” which I shelved, but having read the ABC report where the ex-GBC also blames Srila Prabhupada, I decided to send it. I liked Yudhisthira's comments also.

Anyone who knows Srila Prabhupada even a little either through direct association or via books understands that if Srila Prabhupada knew of any abuse to children he would have been more than furious.

Some examples: I was in Mayapur when, simply seeing chewed sugar cane in the big building, he exiled all the brahmacaris to the “wall.” He didn't find out about it by tri-kala-jna (knowledge of the three phases of time: past, present and future). Perhaps if he had he would have exiled us two weeks earlier. Rather, he saw the spat-out sugar cane and then became very cross with the devotees. Another example: Someone once painted a picture of Srila Prabhupada with an aura. He commented that he didn't produce an aura, so don't paint him with one. Similarly, now that he is not physically around to deny it, don't ascribe him with powers he did not manifest while he was with us.

We can choose between accepting that we do not understand what tri-kala-jna really is, or that Srila Prabhupada really didn’t know past, present and future. Know that Srila Prabhupada wasn’t a monster who knew of evil and did nothing as some misled people are claiming. Know also that we, his followers, would never have served someone who allowed child abuse.

Someone takes a line from sastra like “tri-kala-jna” and then, in the mood of Lord Brahma who expanded the entire universe from the Gayatri mantra, speculates on the strength of his or her own muddled misunderstanding. Rather than a fully functioning universe, they end up not with a large mess instead. It is outrageous to suppose that Srila Prabhupada knew of the child abuse and did nothing.

Knowing past present and future does not mean Srila Prabhupada was omniscient and thus would be aware of child abuse. Srila Prabhupada was not the sort of person who would tolerate that..

There are those that claim that Srila Prabhupada knew of child abuse and did nothing. Such conclusions demean him lower than the platform of the human race he is supposed to be spiritually leading. Krishna consciousness, Srila Prabhupada said, was 80% common sense. The remaining 20% is rubbish spoken by those without common sense who make such claims about Srila Prabhupada.

© CHAKRA 09-December-2000

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