(CHAKRA) - Isa das has recently sent out e-mail to advertise his tapes of Srila Prabhupada's conversations. These tapes, he claims, reveal what the Folio transcriptions do not: that Srila Prabhupada's own servants plotted to kill him, thinking him old and of unsound mind. But Isa, in his advertising zeal, has unknowingly revealed that it is not the servants but Isa himself who thinks Srila Prabhupada was old and senile.

Isa begins his latest letter with a transcription: Tape 46

Long pause I'll drink milk what about strength is optional (then a strange noise as if Srila Prabhupada is being mocked) this sound clip can be found on the VNN.

Isa admits he does not know what the strange noise is but suggests that someone is mocking Srila Prabhupada.

Would that be possible? Here are some facts:

Srila Prabhupada's senses were amazingly sharp. He could hear the slightest noise in another room and notice the smallest change of expression on someone's face. Anyone who associated with Srila Prabhupada can attest to this, and witnesses say that Srila Prabhupada's sensory acuteness did not wane in the last days.

There were many devotees in Vrndavana at that time, and they often went to see Srila Prabhupada. When these conversations were recorded, there were more than just a few devotees in the room, so it would have been impossible for someone to mock Srila Prabhupada without being noticed.

Furthermore, there is no question that Srila Prabhupada himself would not notice it or that he would not notice loud whispers about poison.

Isa das, in his haste to paint a picture of wicked disciples, has unwittingly painted Srila Prabhupada as a feeble old man, helplessly manipulated by evil-minded, murderous servants and not even smart enough to call on the many loving disciples around him for help. Isa das tells us that Srila Prabhupada, the emblem of spiritual strength, had been reduced to a weak, foolish old man.

In fact, Isa das is saying that Srila Prabhupada had lied to us all along and that Lord Krsna abandons his devotees in their old age and lets them dwindle like atheists. True, other great saints in our line also became old, but they did not become foolish. Even at the point of leaving his body, Srila Madhavendra Puri had the presence of mind to chase away Ramacandra Puri for preaching impersonalism. How is it, then, that Srila Prabhupada would not have the presence of mind to chase away killers of the guru?

Isa tells us that Srila Prabhupada lied when he said that the spiritual master is never lame, although he may appear to be. Srila Jagannatha Dasa Babaji seemed old and weak, and his disciple Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur carried him in a basket. Yet when they arrived at Lord Caitanya's birthplace, Srila Jagannatha jumped to the ground and danced.

Of course, these are examples of spiritual strength, not the strength of the material body, but Isa das wants us to believe that Srila Prabhupada did not have that strength. Srila Prabhupada, it seems, passively let people murder him when he could have saved himself.

Isa das was not in Vrndavana at the time. He did not see the situation for himself. He is either guessing and showing his lack of faith, or lying and shamelessly blaspheming Srila Prabhupada.

The witnesses who were there say that Srila Prabhupada was as powerful as ever, a fact that is obvious from the recorded conversations. The witnesses say that Srila Prabhupada was in control of the situation the whole time, as always, and was being served by loving and devoted servants. These accounts fit in with what everyone already knows about Srila Prabhupada, but unfortunately, Isa das would have us believe that Srila Prabhupada suddenly became an ordinary old man.

And all of this can be found on Isa's tapes.

But then, the question comes up, Why are Isa das's tapes different from the tapes in the archives? When Satsvarupa Maharaja returned to the United States from India, he gave the orginal tapes to Isa to deliver to the archives. Isa ostensibly made copies for himself and sent the originals, as directed. Then why the difference?