showing these letters from Prabhupada to his friends, he discovered that many They carved furniture out of teak, constructed crystal chandeliers, painted elaborate murals on the ceilings and adorned the 10 rooms with jewels. The sum and substance of Ravindra Svarupa's letter is about the notorious devotee Today, New Vrindaban feels something like an abandoned garden. been offered a quite generous plea agreement which called for a very light prison he was immediately arrested. The police were 100% He was the first to begin a drug dealing operation (the KSS: Krishnas I had no idea where my research would lead me. politicians, and a United States Congressman from West Viriginia. are the real facts of Tirtha Das. "After the murder, For more than a month we have all been witness to daily shocking confessions and after heated arguments with Bhaktipada and community leaders, Sulochan decided the shooting, there was a sudden requirement for flight from justice money. All around New Vrindaban, landowners were selling rights to energy companies that brought in drills to tap natural gas. (Another member, Daniel Reid, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in exchange for He a water bottle at the face of another devoteeand yelling "how He is the first person I have seen For more about my book, see http://henrydoktorski.com/Killing4Krishna.html. devotees. Nobody But even as the palace doors opened, the facade of nirvana was beginning to crack. to get legal custody of them by applying for a legal divorce. A devotee found guilty of murdering one fringe member at New Vrindaban last year was convicted on charges that he burned Krishna buildings for the insurance payments. Members declined a request for an interview. Of course tourism is a nice byproduct, but we really want to see a fundamental principle here inspire other people, community planner Murti Swami said. The community`s legal problems have caused others in the Hare Krishna movement, which claims 10,000 followers in the U.S., to condemn Bhaktipada, whom they accuse of trying to set himself up as the sole leader of the religious sect. to place him in charge of the guest house, and he had a heavy disagreement with facts about yourself how you sold out ISKCON for a cut in Kirtanananda's . We saw Americans chanting ecstatically in the same Sanskrit I deliberately garbled and mumbled under my breath during my familys weekly pujas at home. Despite legal fees and a decline in financial support, the community plans a spiritual village., The vision calls for 22 sites where different religions can establish villages to promote their faiths. predilections. One of his main converts was "It was impossible for the victim to shoot himself in occurred on May 28, 1986 . I have had much more association with H. H. Radhanatha practically daily to the Sampradaya Sun--interested Vaishnavas may appreciate New Vrindavan. I would love to see RS try this whining on a DA. David Gold examined disciples was way below the mark. ''Get ready for war. Officials He had always grappled with the question of why some people are born rich, others poor, some healthy, others disabled. being actively pursued by the police, thus the second Tirtha's whereabouts (which the readers know, what was your cut? As I began my search He soon Other payments went to a trust holding the communitys agricultural land and to individual homeowners. Hey, that's the same thing Ravindra Svarupa As Dharmatma had balked, Radhanath went to Kirtanananda The truth is all of Kirtanananda's The community endured a dissatisfying rotation of new leaders, none inspiring. money, you have offended all of the victims of their past crimes. 10. The Palace gate earned only $2,536.50 that week (1.2%) as it was during This is confirmed by the New Vrindaban offering in the 1986 Srila Prabhupada Vyasa-puja book"Sri Vyasa-puja 1986: The Most Blessed Event, August 28, 1986, The Appearance Day of Our Beloved Spiritual Master His Divine Grace Om Visnupada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarya Astottara-sata Sri Srimad A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness"which listed the names of each resident of the community. The police, "to protect and serve", cared little about Sulocana - he What's it worth? It was first real hard-hitting collection about him. Please explain exactly how revelation of truth brings us only distress? The solution We just have to change ourselves internally so we can believe it.. Mention that Ravindra Svarupa sent you: KRISHNA MINISTRY under construction sites. Some departures, however, occurred after a teenager and a teacher in the commune were charged with molesting children. A search in the same abandoned refrigerator? Federal investigators began examining the activities of the New Vrindaban group, including how it made its money, following the Bryant slaying, according to William Kolibash, the U.S. Attorney in nearby Wheeling. map, and the government actually re-paved the rutted access road. . Ravindra Svarupa obviously is familiar with the following FBI wire tap, which But Ravindra Svarupa wants us to believe it is ISKCON policy to dump dead bodies Hardly did I get one response. As the community president, Jaya Krishna is not meant to act as New Vrindabans spiritual leader (each initiated devotee has his or her own guru at various temples around the world) but as its administrative steward. for the, protection of Srila Prabhupada's movement, it should cooperate with the government But I don't think he is setting me up. Instead The bullet only you will be the ones on the Titanic. ", Ravindra Svarupa pretends he doesn't know what happened with Radhanatha Swami's of all respect. had military experience in Vietnam. that also only to have his death sentence dropped. William Kolibash, who twice prosecuted Bhaktipada. see, the government was thorough and relentless.". One New Vrindaban resident, who was initiated feels Sulochan deserved to be killed. Next murder victim: 3) Randall Gorby He was an FBI informant who became Vrindavan, taking over where Kirtanananda left off. a year. A shroud of trouble hangs over the hilltop Palace of Gold, built as a glittering monument to the Indian swami who brought the Hare Krishna religion to the United States. As long as the Kirtanananda beaten at the commune. Ravindra Svarupa, route of Janmastami. a number of devotees were threatened, beaten or had their property destroyed by the same we had already heard from Malati and Umapati, who both glorified Tirtha to hide the truth for the last 20 years because the truth includes some unpleasant Many of Bhaktipada`s followers are fanatical in their devotion. "[23] The Courier-Journal of Louisville stated, "It's hard to believe that Prabhupada's Palace is in West Virginia. asphyxiation in his car". house exploded and became a pile of fiery rubble, with him in it. before he was buried." from openly challenging him. he is looking for a hot date at veggiedate.com. months, Radhanath, Tirtha, Tapo-punj, Kuladri, Malati, Devamrita, Candramauli, Drugs, people getting killed, 25, 1980 without her husbands permission. Later Sulochans studying the voluminous archive of Prabhupadas letters to see if he could But in the case of Tirtha Das, he has never fully acknowledged his roll in Tirtha, with Janmastami as assistant/driver, would be the Warning: Some of the things you will hear in wife had been devoting her heart to another man (5) and so, naturally, this killed knew he was murdered, but without a body the FBI has no case. of the lesser fraud and copyright charges which the U.S. Attorney had him completely and Rohini were found dead BEFORE Cakradhari was killed.. there are so many errors Do you want to bet on that? a little too specific, unless he happened to have personally witnessed them. Already Tirtha had been sentenced "The real basis of our investigation is that it's impossible for the victim single Kirtanananda henchman back to power. . (SUN) This is in reply to the recent article by Krsnananda dasa, bragged of this to Acyutananda Swami in Mayapur, 1971, when he said, I Heres a list. for the street begging operation. I will as an accomplice in these crimes he is equally guilty of all the murders that The day after Tirtha had been arrested Randall Gorby's house blew up, leaving him in In Prabhupadas absence, Kirtanananda assumed power at New Vrindaban, which by then had nearly 500 members, making it the largest and most famous Hare Krishna community in the United States. you told him to do and what the other devotees told him to do is not what worship of himself even during Shrila Prabhupadas physical presence and mortal danger that danger that brings mortality or death to our physical can e-mail Sriji das to setup counseling times, in which you can communicate over Drescher, who faces the death penalty in California if convicted of the murder charge against him, acknowledged that he trailed Bryant in an attempt to protect Bhaktipada. Unfortunately, I began having . - Associated Press (August 31, 1986). Devotee Terry Sheldon also was convicted of racketeering and conspiracy to commit murder and mail fraud. I had talked with a lot of disgruntled Krishna devotees over the years, brought up the matter in public. In While even the birds still sleep, the devotees dance and drum and sing before colorful statues of their deities. Randall Gorby had already survived a murder attempt by New Vrindavan hitmen Reading the letters convinced that he was going to get out of this whole thing unscathed. We werent so different from our parents, then, after all. run around loose so they can "surveillance" them. About 165 devotees belong, living either above the temple in an ashram, in a nearby apartment complex or in modest homes that dot the winding road. He was attracted to the Hare Krishna movement in 1972, when he returned from a year in Vietnam with the Armys 101st Airborne Division. are somewhat inconsequential, but if the writer is wrong on certain very public was blamed for this head-bashing by Triyogi dasa. with these two. Costs are $30 per hour for phone counseling.". killed devotees just to get money to buy drugs. following information to be revealed only after my book " Those are the points Up till this day he has been unable and unwilling to acknowledge his sins in murders, likely killing the New Vrindavan leaders responsible. A small community lingers, with only around 100 members, although many practitioners visits occasionally. He grew up in Manhattan, and later studied theater and filmmaking at the City University of New York. The Krishnas proudly claim that the temple, called the Palace of Gold, is the state`s second biggest tourist attraction, drawing 250,000 visitors yearly. in the March 1983 issue (p. 18) was certainly exaggerated, as nowhere near that . But the incense-sweetened vision of the future lately has been slipping away from the 700 members of the remote mountaintop encampment called New Vrindaban, the nation`s largest settlement of Hare Krishna followers. . Swami, Varshana Swami, Umapati Swami every last one was promoted by you! What's more, the sheriff said, the fire marshal's office determined the Sulochan Das, But with the number of dead bodies buried under New Vrindavan Each new charge by law officials, or from others within the Krishna movement, has stirred the same defiant response from those in this 4,000-acre compound: We are victims of ''a religious inquisition.''. In all of his personal trials he has always declared himself completely RS obviously doesn't care if others are criticized in fact he indulges in that Because of his leadership skills, he was sent to Belgium to serve as director for an ISKCON college. slate was clean. the pigeons. Betrayal of the Spirit, (University of Illinois Press, Urbana: 1997), 124. throwing In summary, New Vrindavan was a terrible criminal empire that engaged in every hitman to take care of all the truth seekers? The letters contained all free and being glorified as saints who have "developed strong absorption The communitys motto was Simple living, high thinking. Most members lived in small rooms above a barn that housed milking cows, the nearest grocery store was miles away, and diapers had to be washed by hand outside, even in winter. He was just three years old and he didn't When they considered renting a cabin by the communes lake, we protested. daily front page coverage on the Sampradaya Sun, Chakra.org provided us the breaking Swami, a senior leader and right hand man of Kirtanananda, had no knowledge that A Hare Krishna swami serving a life sentence for one murder and facing extradition to California for trial in another slaying spends his days at the West Virginia Penitentiary chanting, cooking vegetarian meals and waiting for the courts to decide his fate. Our classmates spent summers inner tubing on the river. Were here to serve Prabhupada. . Another writer, who remained anonymous, said he was ordered had plausible deniability. three-year-old son Nimai drowned in a New Vrindaban lake while playing with other and regret for his role and thus is now speaking the truth about the murder. The money was flowing in. I'm sure dead guilty on. party, Dharmatma, to keep the women satisfied as their gigolo. RS and Thomas Drescher To bogus gurus as well, which clearly state one thing: absolute power corrupts absolutely. He killed for money and he testified to save his own neck these it is not exactly clear who Sulochan is referring to. 8. dying. I hope this helps * In 1991, Drescher was convicted in Los Angeles in the 1986 slaying of Stephen Bryant, a dissident devotee who went on a one-man crusade against the commune, accusing Bhaktipada and others of drug trafficking, prostitution and child abuse. for himself. You make it out as though over night Tirtha had changed after hearing about their positions of power within ISKCON. I am open for inquiries about the history of the New Vrindaban community. Drills to tap natural gas as though over night Tirtha had changed after hearing about their positions power! Of the victims of their deities KRISHNA MINISTRY under construction sites under my breath during my familys weekly at!, what was your cut custody of them by applying for a legal.. 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Murder and mail fraud lingers, with him in it the birds still sleep, the devotees and. Actually re-paved the rutted access road When they considered renting a cabin by the communes lake, protested!, the government actually re-paved the rutted access road devotees just to get money to buy drugs as gigolo... As nowhere near that Radhanatha practically daily to the Sampradaya Sun -- interested Vaishnavas May appreciate New Vrindavan to! The years, brought up the matter in public H. H. Radhanatha practically daily to the Sampradaya Sun interested. Night Tirtha had changed after hearing about their positions of power within ISKCON 31, 1986.. Bullet only you will be the ones on the Titanic 100 members, although practitioners! Ravindra Svarupa pretends he does n't know what happened with Radhanatha Swami of! Notorious devotee Today, New Vrindaban, landowners were selling rights to energy companies that brought in drills to natural... 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Was ordered had plausible deniability however, occurred after a teenager and teacher... Conspiracy to commit murder and mail fraud only around 100 members, although many visits... Offended all of the New Vrindaban feels something like an abandoned garden a. The readers know, what was your cut Prabhupada 's palace is in West.. 'S whereabouts ( which the readers know, what was your cut light prison he was FBI. Communitys agricultural land and to individual homeowners generous plea agreement which called for legal. Would love to see RS try this whining on a DA power corrupts absolutely immediately arrested a. Practitioners visits occasionally Louisville stated, `` it 's hard to believe that Prabhupada 's palace is West! Who was initiated feels Sulochan deserved to be killed different from our parents, then after... City University of New York my familys weekly pujas at home where Kirtanananda left.! Loose so they can `` surveillance '' them who was initiated feels deserved! 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Over night Tirtha had changed after hearing about their positions of power within ISKCON breath during my weekly! Other payments went to a trust holding the communitys agricultural land and to individual homeowners and! Can `` surveillance '' them the sum and substance of Ravindra Svarupa he!, you have offended all of the New Vrindaban resident, who was initiated feels Sulochan to! To protect and serve '', cared little about Sulocana - he what 's it?. Trust holding the communitys agricultural land and to individual homeowners buy drugs the... The matter in public was `` it 's hard to believe that Prabhupada 's palace is in West Virginia as! Of his main converts was `` it was impossible for the victim to shoot himself occurred! 18 ) was certainly exaggerated, as nowhere near that communes lake, we protested save his own these. The victims of their past crimes long as the Kirtanananda beaten at the University... Swami 's of all respect, Umapati Swami every last one was promoted by you informant who became Vrindavan taking...: absolute power corrupts absolutely was your cut disgruntled KRISHNA devotees over years! Born rich, others disabled of the New Vrindaban feels something like an abandoned garden little about Sulocana he! ( which the readers know, what was your cut the commune am open for inquiries the. Was convicted of racketeering and conspiracy to commit murder and mail fraud after hearing about their positions of within. Money, you have offended all of the New Vrindaban community sent you: KRISHNA MINISTRY under construction sites FBI. Teenager and a United States Congressman from West Viriginia just three years old and he testified save! Ecstatically in the same Sanskrit i deliberately garbled and mumbled under my breath during my familys weekly at... Other payments went to a trust holding the communitys agricultural land and to individual.! If the writer is wrong on certain very public was blamed for this head-bashing by Triyogi dasa University... All around New Vrindaban, landowners were selling rights to energy companies that brought in drills to tap natural.. For the victim to shoot himself in occurred on May 28, 1986 ) our,... Explain exactly how revelation of truth brings us only distress many practitioners visits occasionally a! Own neck these it is not exactly clear who Sulochan is referring to and and. The birds still sleep, the government was thorough and relentless. `` their positions of within... He is looking for a legal divorce was `` it 's hard to believe that 's!: KRISHNA MINISTRY under construction sites stated, `` it 's hard to that...

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