“Of course, I am always open to constructive dialogue. I would still love to see this movement manifest it’s full glory in this world, but that cannot be done, until ISKCON is purged of this ignorant, callous, and even downright demoniac mentality.”

— RAGHUNATHA STOCKER

Raghunatha Stocker is a former Gurukuli. He sparked off a discussion on CHAKRA with his first letter.

First, I would like to express my gratitude to the many letters of support and empathy that I have received in response to the first posting. It is good to know that one is not completely falling on deaf ears. But, due to some feedback, there are some points that I feel still need clarification.

First, HH Bhakti-Tirtha Swami asks at the end of his response, if I plan to use my experiences to help save the vehicle which Srila Prabhupada built, or use my experiences to destroy it, thereby ruining the lives of so many innocent Vaisnavas. I have absolutely no desire to ruin anyone’s life whatsoever, but I do think that the “vehicle” Srila Prabhupada built, is in serious need of a major overhaul. As I mentioned in the original text, I see that what happened to the women, children, and innocent devotees of ISKCON not as the sole responsibility of the direct offenders, but has a more deep-seated cause than most people are apparently aware. I feel that the root of the problem lies more in the fact that in the name of renouncing material attachments and affections, a deep-seated mentality of general callousness toward Krsna’s parts and parcels has been allowed to develop. I can give just small example of what I mean, just so that there are no misunderstandings.

I have a sister who was born August 19th 1976, in Vrindavana, India. This date just happens to coincide with Srila Prabhupada’s Vyasa-Puja. Three weeks later, Srila Prabhupada himself came to Vrindavan. My newborn sister was taken to Srila Prabhupada, where her head was rubbed into Srila Prabhupada’s lotus feet, and then she was placed on his lap, and received her name directly from him. Taking into consideration the uncommon events of her birth, and that she was conceived with all proper Samskaras, according to KC philosophy, she has by all means taken a very special birth, and should actually be handled with great respect and care. Well, my sister also went to the Dallas Gurukula. They had a system there that you had to write out a new verse of the BG 100x, every single day. Anyone who did not complete this assignment by the next day, had to stand in front of the class, in a bent-over position grabbing the ankles with the hands. The Teacher of course decided how long you had to stand that way. And if you bent you’re knees at all, he would come over and smack on the back of the legs with a ruler. My sister, aged eight at the time, had to once stand in this position for SIX HOURS just so she would remember to write down Krsna’s sweet words in the BG. Now in the words of Srila Prabhupada “Do you think this is a very good situation?”

My sister is manifesting the results of her special birth in ways I cannot begin to describe, but as far as ISKCON is concerned, she wants nothing to do with it. Now how many children do you think there are out there who have been robbed of their birthright because of this callousness? That, my dear friends of the GBC, I consider to be Vaisnava Aparadha of the highest degree. And I hold the GBC highly responsible for these crimes. After all, it was the GBC who were assuring devotee parents that the only option in ISKCON if you were not in MAYA, was to send you’re children to Gurukulas. Fair enough, but then it rests upon the GBC to make sure that the children are very well taken care of. After all, the GBC does claim to represent the wishes and desires of Srila Prabhupada, so parents were sending their children to Gurukulas in good faith, that they would be properly taken care of. So something went very wrong. And that would mean the responsibility for these actions lies with whom? After all, Srila Prabhupada’s teachings on raising children are all recorded, coupled with how Srila Prabhupada dealt with children in general. So the instructions were there. So why were they ignored? Is this not deviating from the orders of the SM?

Speaking of which. My original letter was addressed to the leaders of ISKCON, and although I received several replies of support and sympathy, no GBC member has offered some concrete explanations, as to what can be done to rectify the situation. Or does this all have to wait till the next GBC meeting? Because I was just thinking how drastically and quickly Srila Prabhupada would have responded, could I have sent my inquiries directly to him personally? I can only imagine lightning-bolt heavy, Srila Prabhupada would have been to weed this mentality out at the root. But sadly, the present scenario is such, that pedophiles are still presently receiving a paid salary from ISKCON, and even representing ISKCON in court; and GBC members take it upon themselves to flat out LIE to the open press about the history of past abuse. So therefore, my present stance still is that this court case is the only thing that is going to get anything moving.

Of course, I am always open to constructive dialogue. I would still love to see this movement manifest it’s full glory in this world, but that cannot be done, until ISKCON is purged of this ignorant, callous, and even downright demoniac mentality.

Yours in the service of the Lord, and his pure messengers, Raghunatha Stocker

© CHAKRA 10-Oct-1999

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