Dear Brijabasis and all Vaisnavas,
PAMHO! AGTHDG Srila Prabhupada!
I am begging for all the Brijabasis of New Vrindaban, and the Vaisnavas all over the world to put aside any material considerations, criticisms, or judgments, one may have toward Kirtanananda Swami. Please just remember all the service he has rendered to Srila Prabhupada,and to Sri-Sri Radha-Vrindavan Chandra in his lifetime.
Although some may hold to the beliefs that he hasn’t felt deep remorse for his failings and offenses, I know for a fact that he has. He has never stopped serving the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada, and though some may disagree, he felt that he was reconciled in his heart, and especially since moving to India, was trying to stay true to Prabhupada’s instructions to him, and to serve him in the best way possible.
In any case, he now probably has only a short time left on the planet. He is drifting in and out of consciousness, but is mostly unconscious and cannot breathe at all on his own. One lung is completely collapsed, the other one full of mucous. They have moved him back to his home at the temple in Ulnasgar as the doctors said there is nothing more they can do at the hospital.
So the devotees there brought him in his bed to see the Deities of Sri Radha-Vrindaban Chandra II, on Janmastami Day. The devotees are chanting 24/7 near his bedside and there is medical staff with him.
So I am humbly begging everyone to pray to Srimati Radharani to deliver him safely to the Lotus Feet of Sri Krishna, and Srila Prabhupada.
Thank you for hearing my plea, and I pray that you may take it to your hearts.
Hare Krishna
He did tons of service. Srila Prabhupada and Sri Sri RadhaVrindavan Chandra will certainly not forget him. It is a time to comfort him by constant chanting the Holy Names, the only tangible shelter for one’s heart, in this desolate world.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Kirtanananda das was virtually one of the first disciples of Srila Prabhupad in the West. He was about 10-15 years older than the others who came to Srila Prabhupad. He was a soulful preacher in the early 70’s. He early and later demonstrated an affinity for mixing Krishna consciousness with Christianity. It tended to make him lose credibility as a representative of the parampara. He and Hayagriva arranged for the land in New Vrindaban and it was really a rebellious event at first. Later, when Srila Prabhupad was acknowledged properly, and that New Vrindaban would be under the ISKCON banner, the property prospered. Srila Prabhupad was very pleased that cow protection would be undertaken there. Yadubara made a beautiful film about New Vrindaban and showed it at the LA Temple to Srila Prabhupad in around June, 1976. Srila Prabhupad commented that when he was on the Jaladuta ship en route from India to America for the first time, he contemplated that the meat-eating westerners would have a difficult time to understand the sublime Vaishnava philosophy. He remarked that the cow protection in the west was very momentous and pleased him greatly. Naturally, there were some very controversial things including mortal violence to others and child abuse that were linked to Kirtanananda as well.
Here is the point I want to make.
It is not remarkable that Kirtanananda deviated on several planes as he did. What is remarkable is that Srila Prabhupad was able to engage him in service. It is to the credit of the GBC that they were able to deal with the turmoil that was caused. Just imagine if there was no GBC and someone with charisma could try to take over the movement. We do not need Jim Jones type characters to lead in ISKCON, and we can see that this extreme example was dealt with both by ISKCON and by the law. The GBC must learn to be strong in the area of management and not allow such history to be repeated again. No sentimentality is acceptable, but of course, ISKCON must always provide room for reformation of bad character…without allowing such former leaders to again be placed into positions where harm can be done to others. May Krishna watch over the soul of Kirtanananda accepting the good that he did, so that he may progress forward in the plane of devotional service. Certainly, Srila Prabhupad had such a mentality as our “Ever Well-wisher”. Pusta Krishna das