Post Gurukula Survival In The Dawn of Kali Yuga
(A Follow Up Essay to: Dhanurdhara Swami and the Gurukula Faustian Bargain. (DSGFB))

Thank You for Helping Me Understand Better

It is appropriate to start this 2nd article related to Dhanurdhara Swami by first thanking Kapila dasa, Koi Kuli Chuha dasa, Chaitanya Mangala dasa, Pandu Das, and Lalita D.D. for their heartfelt and persuasive response to my first commentary. Thank you all for your thoughtful and well thought out comments. After reviewing your letters carefully I have gained a much greater understanding of some of the horrible things you had to endure, as well as a genuine appreciation for how the Vaishnava Youth feel about this issue. I have also realized that amidst all the bravado that has come out of this brouhaha, there is a mutual desire for maturity and honest cmmunication. Thank you for demonstrating those qualities with your very well written and convincing responses.

Continuing Education Is Imperative

"Beauty is spoiled by an immoral nature; noble birth by bad conduct; learning, without being perfected;and wealth by not being properly utilized.” - 8.16 Chanakya Niti Shastra 

I absolutely agree that ISKCON needs to remain vigilant about honing management from the best candidates available to lead our organization. In that regard I provided my comments on that subject in the article I was requested to submit to the North American Temple Presidents meeting in May of 2003. It was called: Astika-instika (Eight Inquiries) and can be found at:

http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET0305/ET12-8063.html

Those who read this paper found it to be inspiring, hopeful and healing but despite those accolades it is important to remember that it is just a very small nudge in the arduous process of trying to move a monolithic mnagement system into a new dimension of effectiveness. History confirms that under normal circumstances change tends to be glacial and requires patience. The exception to that rule is when there is a major catastrophe that accelerates the process like the ones on September 11, 2001 and December 07, 1941. It took nearly 100 years before our nation corrected the hypocrisy of Thomas Jefferson’s declaration that “All Men Are Created Equal” and the abolishment of the slavery. I am willing to concede that perhaps the lawsuit was the catastrophe way to expedite the changes that were required for ISKCON to grow into the future as costly as it may be.

I also agree that when there are significant reasons, such as those that surround the Dhanurdhara Swami controversy, the person under investigation should be relieved from any position of leadership. In fact, most of what you all said in that regard I concur with! The point we all need to look more closely at is what drive the repeated and ceaseless vilification of Danudara Swami after all that he HAS done to correct his misdeeds of the past. The fury of revenge can never be satisfied and in the end it brings down the one who cannot tame it. Therefore it behooves everyone to be vigilant about not slipping into the savage practice of “Gang Justice.” We are Vaishnavas, not Romans in the coliseum 200 years ago where the plight of the accused was determined by the direction their thumb pointed!

In 1215 the Magna Carta was written to protect commoners from the whims of corrupt despots like Cesar. From that historic document, our current system of law and justice evolved into a careful study of the evidence, which goes beyond the expression of feelings, allegations, or assumptions to convict someone of a crime.

Censored by Group Thinkers!

The evidence of "Aready Always Gross Prejudicial Thinking” that I am talking about popped right up when I originally submitted the (DSGFB) commentary to the Chakra Website August 22, 2006. Instead of simply publishing my article so readers could consider the points I made for themselves, it was censored and berated for implying that ISKCON was: “… so hard-up for gurus and sannyasias that we have to lower our standards and accept child abusers into those positions.”  No-where in my paper did I advocate that Dhanurdhara Swami be allowed to continue initiating or accept a position of leadership… Yet that was all that the screener of the Chakra website could conclude from what I wrote due to the same non-discretionary tunnel vision that lies at the root of all prejudice.

My plea was that we call off the attack dogs that are intent of driving Dhanurdhara Swami away regardless of what he does to atone. There is such a frenzy about how people feel about this issue that any sober consideration contrary to popular opinion can’t even get published on some Vaishnava web sites! To those individuals I recommend that they go see the 1957 Henry Fonda Classic Movie called: “Twelve Angry Men”.

I admit I did not engage in an exhaustive investigation to fully understand how ALL the Vaishnava Youth feel about this issue. The collective descriptions that have been provided dramatically illustrate the terrible things that had to be endured and there is no argument from me that they were outrageously inappropriate. I again apologize for not having been more astute about which way things were heading in 1980 when I could have done more then I did, but I already explained how I got trapped in hesitation. One thing I did do, albeit not much, was that after leaning how students were forbidden to send un-censored letters to their parents, I put the word out thru the grapevine that I would mail any letter home that a Gurukula student “slipped” to me with no questions asked. Many did, but shortly after I began that policy I was unceremoniously kicked out of Vrindaban for no fault of my own which closed that relief valve. (That is a completely different story I will save for some other time!)

Two Points of Concern

The purpose of my article was primarily to address two particular issues that have spun out of the Dhanurdhara Swami issue. The first point was in regards to how the collective body of Vaishnavas should deal with a devotee who has done something wrong but demonstrates a repentant mood. The second point is in regard to how an individual devotee should respond to an injustice that has been done to them, regardless of who that person is or if the wrongdoer ever apologizes. I think we all agree that it is important to maintain an environment in ISKCON which is conducive to allowing someone to apologize for wrongdoing and atone for them. So this paper will focus on the second point which seems to still be an issue at least in the minds of some Vaisnava Youth.

The Privilege of Leadership

I do not know how well Dhanurdhara Swami satisfied the terms of the conditions that the GBC issued and perhaps that is where I am going to get myself into a lot of trouble. My position is that if he did, then so be it. However just for the sake of clarity I will unequivocally state that I do not personally feel that Dhanurdhara Swami should be allowed to continue in his role as an ISKCON guru for all the reasons that have been given. Koi Kuli Chuha made the following excellent point and I agree with it 100%:

“…what about the philosophical principle that desire for status and clinging to position is probably an indication of qualities that disqualify one from being a guru?”

Although I don’t think it was an institutional policy I recall that at least for some time circa 1975, before an individual was recommended for Brahminical Initiation, one would meet with their regional authority to state why they deserved to sit in that fire arena. What the senior person was looking for in the answer to that question was a sign of humility that sounded something like: “Actually I have no good qualities. It is only by the mercy of His Divine Grace that I could possibly be given this opportunity to wear the sacred thread.” If within all the other bravado about memorizing slokas, selling books, or keeping a pucka dothi that mood was not forthcoming, then theoretically their opportunity for Brahminical Initiation would be postponed until they realized this most important point. Unfortunately, I don’t think this simple test was practiced much during the days where carrying a dunda became the symbol of the maha-prasadam entitled elite instead of the servant of the servant.

Splitting the Masses

Those of us who have been in the Hare Krishna movement for any length of time know that not all Vaishnavas think the same way. This principal also obviously applies to the Vaishnava Youth. I recognize now that it was a mistake in my previous article (DSGFB) to not more carefully distinguish between the radical, militant Vaishnava youth, who have mixed agendas and may be flagrant cheaters, from those who were abused and rightfully deserve help or simply moved on with their lives on their own without suing Srila Prabhupada.

I attribute that mistake to the fact that over the last several years I have heard many young Vaishnavas say some very alarming things like: “The Gurukula kids that were mistreated by Dhanurdhara Swami should beat him to a pulp now that we are older and can do so!”  Or: “I want to rub my own stool into his face.” Or: “He is such a demon breaking his neck would be a benediction to ISKCON!” Etc. These type of comments are not easily forgotten, especially when they were received by an audience of other “Group Think” bobbing head Vaishnava Youth on the sidewalks of Watseka Avenue late in the evening. Those are the individuals who I am referring to with the not so flattering description: “Hate-filled vigilante lynch mob” and “Salem Witch Trials.”

In contrast to that I am actually quite relieved and happy to learn that at the reunion in West Virginia earlier this year, the 600 former Gurukula students that got together to support each other were described as: “…  doctors, lawyers, accountants, entrepreneurs, psychologists, teachers, military men and women, singers and entertainers, and a great variety of professionals and students.” I bow to the feet of those great personalities and apologize for the mistake of implicating them in the actions taken by those in their generation who are less conciliatory, openly defiant, and continue to act from a mood of revenge instead of sober understanding. So to those great souls, you need not read the rest of this commentary. You have already assimilated the objective of this paper. The remainder of this article is addressed to those who are fence sitters or still feel it would be appropriate to instantly rearrange the teeth in Dhanurdhara Swami’s mouth. “If the shoe fits, where it,..” and continue reading.

Not Convinced

The irony here is that if the above reported facts are accurate, then the primary allegation which the entire lawsuit rests on falls apart. Apparently there were not massive numbers of students that were so terribly traumatized that they could not integrate successfully into society and provide for themselves. If that is true, then why the class action lawsuit?

This circumstantial testimony indicates that many of the plaintiffs were therefore cajoled to joint the lawsuit even thought they were not abused. This is consistent with the word on the street that some youth joined the lawsuit in order to: “ …save(ing) money from the clutches of those who do hate the movement.” On the surface this reasoning may seem logical, but if given more thought it falls apart and reveals itself to be one of the ugly by-products that gain strength from the ominous “Group Think” sophistry I have been referring to. Increasing the wattage of the Lawsuit under the guise of: “Helping ISKCON” makes not sense. It appears to be a disingenuous way to rationalize the cheating that has caused yet another pound of flesh to be cut out of Lord Caitanya’s Sankirtan movement.

All things being equal the compensatory fees that can be expected from the settlement will be directly correlated to the scale of the damages that were done. It’s not as if there is a predetermined amount of $10 Million set aside for all those who jump into the feeding frenzy. No. The $10Mil is based on say 400 plaintiffs that have been aggressively solicited by the lawyers who are interested in escalating this case as large as they can for prestige and enrichment, not philanthropic reasons. When we use the amount of $10Mil to satisfy 400 plaintiffs the cost to ISKCON per plaintiff is 10Mil /400 = $25,000 each.

If only those students who were inappropriately abused joined the case, it might realistically bring the total plaintiff count down from 400 to about 50. Using that revised and more accurate number to recalculate the financial burden on ISKCON, with the same approximate computed amount from above, reduces the total damages from $10Mil to $1.25Mil. (50X$25K)

Anything over a million dollars is large enough to get the attention of GBC. But because the settlement fees are ten times that amount, now the GBC must put all their attention into how to fund such a huge wave of costly litigation, instead of focusing on the few devotees who really deserve to be helped. If the attorneys take $3.5Mil for their services, and we estimate that there are ten attorneys working the case, then they will each get approximately $35K. But the average Gurukula student will be lucky if they get even 10K depending on their particular case. So who really benefits? Only a handful of lawyers! Who foots the bill? Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya.

Corrective Actions

If my critics read my first article carefully they will find that nowhere did I suggest that Dhanurdhara Swami should continue as an initiating guru.Nor do I think he should hold some “High” position in ISKCON for all the reasons that have already been expressed. If the GBC did not put these constraints on Dhanurdhara Swami then I think that was a grave mistake on their part.

Why Dhanurdhara Swami was apparently allowed to do things the GBC specifically ruled against is an example of bad GBC enforcement policy not a matter of principal. That is a separate serious problem that still begs to get resolved. Another example of where the GBC has enforcing good policy is in regards to protecting Srila Prabhupada’s work from copyright infringement. In that case I was informed that not all members of the GBC felt they should legislate heavily against all those who flagrantly bootleg BBT intellectual properly. For those who wish to revisit that controversy I offer my 1997 paper called ; “Supporting The Legacy Of Bhaktivedanta Swami.”  

http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET0105/ET26-6770.html

My first paper (DSGFB) also addressed the difficult situation regarding how we should approach the problem of integrating Dhanurdhara Swami’s current disciples. I gave my reasons why I felt that those who are already initiated by him should be given the freedom to decide for themselves how best to proceed. I don’t feel it would be right for either the GBC or the Vaishnava Youth to interfere with those decisions unless his current disciples requests for such advice on that delicate subject individually.

Although I do not know all the gruesome details, I am some-what familiar with the reasons that have been given for why many of the younger devotees chose to join the lawsuit. I accept that many felt backed into such an ugly corner that the Law Suit was a path of last resort, but that wasn’t the primary reason why I wrote the article. My intent was more in regards to trying to find the closure” we all want.

The Cost of Cheating

Some Vaishnava Youth no doubt deserve more attention and support then others, but the propensity to cheat is one of our natural flaws and it shows up everywhere. In Kali Yuga, the only leg of dharma that continues to stand partially, is the principal of Truth… but it is a very shaky leg! Does anyone disagree that it also showed up in the actions of those who joined the class action lawsuit against ISKCON but were not abused? My concern is the paradox related to cheating is that it appears to provide an immediate benefit, but it comes only at the cost of a much more severe long-term price.

The local Government offers assistance to those people who legitimately need it and insurance companies sell policies to help those who are injured and cannot work for medical reasons. Yet due to the propensity to cheat, many take advantage of these programs and some go to great endeavor to exploit them. That is why there is a whole industry of private investigators employed to seek out and expose those who commit fraud to collect fees they are not entitled to. When that happens, the apparent initial benefits are far outweighed by the consequences that come from cheating.

If this principal can be so easily observed in the realm of mundane activates, then why should we expect anything different from the flawlessly tuned laws of karma?  That is the basis of the caveat I expressed in the first article. I am simply not persuaded that it was wise for those who were not significantly injured to jump onto the lawsuit bandwagon regardless of who convinced them to do so or how fashionable it seemed to be among their peers.

Don’t Make It Worse

After reading the response to my first article I absolutely agree that: “… routine slaps and ear-pulling on a daily basis… beating and even punching. Etc” goes way beyond acceptable disciplinary measures and it pains me to hear such strong testimonies. Yet as disturbing as all this is, I am equally concerned about slipping into the precarious habit of negating Krishna’s straightforward opinion expressed clearly in Bhagavad Gita 9.30. I am well aware of the contents of that purport, 80% of which strongly reinforces a literal understanding of what Krishna said. It is only in the last paragraph that Srila Prabhupada restates essentially the same thing we are warned about daily when we recite the seventh offense to chanting the Holy Name.

“The seventh offense is to act sinfully on the strength of chanting the holy name of God”

Nobody disagrees with the contents of the last paragraph of the purport:

“No one should take advantage of this verse and commit nonsense and think that he is still a devotee. If he does not improve in his character by devotional service” – Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Chapter 9 “King of Knowledge”, Text 30, Purport - Last 20%

The question being debated here is does this paragraph refer to someone like Dhanurdhara Swami or does what Srila Prabhupada described in the first 80% majority of the purport sound more like it fits his circumstance?  There His Divine Grace writes:

“Sometimes, however, it may be seen that a person in Krishna consciousness commits some act which may be taken as most abominable socially or politically…. The material contamination is so strong that even a yogi fully engaged in the service of the Lord sometimes becomes ensnared;… They are a warning to the nondevotees that because of an accidental fall down a devotee should not be derided;… The only qualification of a devotee is to be unflinchingly and exclusively engaged in devotional service.” – Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Chapter 9 “King of Knowledge”, Text 30, Purport -Top 80%

If this doesn’t apply to Dhanurdhara Swami then what type of fallen devotees is Srila Prabhupada referring to?   My premises is based on personal observation that Dhanurdhara Swami was never “Purely Demonic In Nature” and did not intentionally “Commit(ting ) Nonsense” or knowingly engage in “… wholesale rape, vicious and brutal beatings,” for the purpose of “…destr(oying)uction (of) love for Krishna at a psychological level.”   That may have been the most unfortunate outcome of his bad management and idealistic ways, but I am not convinced it was his intention.

I am also under the impression that Dhanurdhara Swami did do all he could to “…improve in his character by devotional service.”    However I realize now that some feel he didn’t follow the “Letter of the Law” in regards to what the GBC instructed and could have done more then he did. The question then becomes just how much must Dhanurdhara Swami do to appease ALL his critics?  Before anyone jumps to answer that question consider the sagacious advice that Lord Christ used to admonish his contemporaries. “Let he among you without sin cast the first stone!”

The Source of Forgiveness

It’s too late to change what happened in to the Gurukula Children of the 80’s and it too late to stop the subsequent high stakes litigation settlement. But it’s not too late to learn from these collective troubled burdens and push on. Those who are still fighting to get more justice and a definitive closure on this matter should keep reading because the statistical reality is that satisfactory “closure” may never come.

Apparently those who continue to create agitation in relation to Dhanurdhara Swami feel it is appropriate based on the principal that: “The victims as a group have not stated that they are satisfied.”

I agree with the general principal that when someone does something egregious and wants to rectify their offense, it is incumbent upon them to approach those they have wronged to demonstrate their remorse and seek forgiveness. This happens to be one of the principals found in steps 7-10 in the twelve steps to recovery that are lauded by every mental health professional and especially those that concentrate on substance abuse and issues of denial.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-step_program

On this point there is no dispute and the same principal is confirmed by Srila Prahupadas’s in his purport regarding the exchange between Durvasa Muni and Maharaja Ambarisha:

“The conclusion is that if Krishna consciousness is covered by material sins, one can eliminate the sins simply by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, but if one pollutes his Krishna consciousness by offending a brahmana or a Vaisnava, one cannot revive it until one properly atones for the sin by pleasing the offended Vaisnava or brahmana. This was the course that Durvasa Muni had to follow, for he surrendered unto Maharaja Ambarisa. A vaisnava-aparadha cannot be atoned for by any means other than by begging the pardon of the offended Vaisnava.”  – Srimad Bhagavat Purana Canto4, “The Creation of the Fourth Order,”  Chapter 26, “King Puranjana Goes to the Forest oto Hunt and His Queen Becomes Angry”, Text 24. Purport.

However in this case it is not merely one individual, but a collective group of individuals who have suffered in varying degrees and have different temperaments, agendas, education anger and experience. That’s where the GBC must be accepted by all parties as a neutral mediator. It is my understanding that Dhanurdhara Swami has personally apologized to as many individuals he could find. It also sounds like due to numerous reasons we are all responsible for, he is at this time no longer active within ISKCON. Therefore all the demands that he not initiate, receive homage or act in a management capacity is now moot. At this point it seems that Supersoul has taken over and has worked out all the final details for all of us be they for the better or worse. We can continue to debate about the pro’s and cons of how this chapter of ISKCON’s history should have ended, but one thing we should all be diligent about remembering is summarized in the following scriptural injunction:

“The duty of a brahmana is to culture the quality of forgiveness, which is illuminating like the sun. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is pleased with those who are forgiving.”  – Srimad Bhagavat Purana Canto 9 “Liberation,”  Chapter 15, “Parasurama, The Lord’s Warrior Incarnation”,  Text 40.

Fundamental Attribution Error

The most insidious characteristics of the “Group Think” phenomena is that it can easily snowball out of control and before it’s too late, reason becomes eclipsed by emotion. Our nature as insecure conditioned souls is to ride the wave of “Popular Opinion” which is often shaped by what is referred to in the workplace as “Corporate Culture.” Our ability to think without biases is further tinged by the: “Fundamental attribution error” which is the fancy term psychiatrists use to describe the blinding braggadocios nature of the false ego.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_attribution_error

This term reminds us that when evaluation oneself we tend to rationalize away our less then admirable acts as the consequence of bad luck or situational conditions. Once that is don, we clear the way for the False Ego to bask in it’s own self-righteous. However when others, such as in this case Dhanurdhara Swami, does something wrong it’s not due to unfortunate circumstances. No! When someone else does something wrong we are quick to conclude it’s because they are a “Bad Person.”   Any good thing they might have done is trivialized as the boon of good luck. Or it is dismissed because he was in the right place at the right time, or what one would expect for a person in his position! The Fundamental Attribution Error suggests that when we evaluat others, we tend not to be generous in that critique by magnifying the bad and resist the conclusion that they might actually have some skill or talent for doing something well!

The thrust of my first article (DSGFB) was based on my own personal dealings with Dhanurdhara Swami which reach back over 25 years ago. I have had virtually no dealings with him since then, hold no position in ISKCON and have nothing to gain and a lot of time to loose by writing these long commentaries. My motive for writing is strictly based on the personal obligation I feel as a disciple of His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada to do what I can to fulfill his vision in creating a class of well-trained Brahmins.

Yes, Dhanurdhara Swami apparently did some serious injustices. But it is my understanding that he apologized in some capacity, albeit not well enough for some. He asked to be forgiven from those who he wronged and was eventually relieved from management. All he wanted to do was stay in the association of Vaishnavas but it sounds like it’s too late for that.

The Lesson to be Learned

The point is that based on what I was privy to from my young adult perspective 25 years ago, I did not perceive Dhanurdhara Swami to be “Evil.” Idealistic and authoritarian yes, but not reprehensible, and that is the fulcrum all the controversy that orbits around Dhanurdhara Swami rests upon.

This is not a problem exclusive to our community. Even the secular legal system has a great deal of difficulty winnowing good intent from wanton disregard when someone does something that leads to a tragic outcome. There is so much confusion and debate surrounding issues of abuse, conscious intent and what constitutes evil, that psychiatrists are attempting to come up with a type of psychological “Richter Scale” for identifying different degrees of odious behavior. One of the leaders in that field is Dr. Michael A Stone from Columbia University. After studying 500 of the worst criminal types, he compiled a newly released and very controversial paper that delineates the: “22 Levels of Evil.” I would request that before anyone dismisses  the GBC as being incompetent, insensitive, out of touch, or ineffective they spend a few minutes reviewing the contents of the following link. Doing so will help them understand just how difficult it is to distinguish between consciously evil behavior meant to hurt, and well intended behavior that unfortunately ends up being harmful.

Click here for an article titled "For the Worst of Us, the Diagnosis May Be 'Evil'

I realize that if I continue to pursue the main theme of this article I run the risk of sounding callous about the pains suffered due to egregious mistakes made by the first generation Gurukula system. Those who interpret the rest of what I have to say with that response will have failed to understand the more serious point I am trying to make. Perhaps the very effort I exert is only due to my idealistic stupidity? I prefer to think I do so as a genuine concern for all those to whom it may apply.

More Ugly Reality

We need only occasionally peek at the news to realize just how bad the state of the world is in today. Domestic violence has risen to epidemic proportions. Many suffer from fear of abandonment, personal insecurity or low self-esteem. The family structure has crumbled and often only one parent is left to raise the children. Nearly everyone is emotionally scared by some one, some thing, or some event. It is not unusual for children at very early ages to be exposed to drug and/or sexual abuse. Kali yuga is well underway!

There are individuals who were raised by alcoholic parents who beat them, while others don’t even know who their father is. There is also the plight of children who get dumped into orphanages like recycled aluminum cans. Those who work for social services not only have to extract children from bad homes, but they must also track down and retrieve children who took to the streets, joined violent gangs, or ran away from home and took up a life of prostitution.

Some are traumatized by relationships that fell apart because their spouse was incapable of holding down a job, managing money, refraining from substance abuse, cheating or unexpected mental disorders. Others have been burned by bad business partners, poor contracts, exploitive freeloaders, con-artists, narcissist “Takers” or the intellectually challenged.

Still others carry the emotional burden of illegal job termination, racial discrimination, false legal accusations, robbery, assault, rape, or bodily injury that occurred because of someone else’s recklessness behavior.

The nasty fact is that the whole material world is filled with seriously conditioned souls often leading not so quite lives of desperation. This is just one of the many harsh facts that Srila  Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvate is referring to when he describes this world as: "…not fit for a (lady or) gentleman." The purpose of the Krishna Consciousness movement it to help us better understand how to navigate thru all these upheavals without letting them loose our focus on the goal of life which is to restore our lost relationship with Krishna. It is our consciousness that will determine our future transmigration and that it is the only thing Krishna gives us the freedom to manage on our own.

Where is the Closure?

When looked at from this perspective every upheaval, regardless of who caused it or why it occurred, becomes a much greater challenge if we become obsessed with looking for a “closure” event that often never comes! The CEO of ENRON, Ken Lay, was convicted of shamelessly stealing $187 million of retirement funds from the same people who entrusted him with their future. Shortly after he was found guilty, before he could pay back those funds, he died. Lawyers will attempt to recover what they can from his estate, but nothing can restore the damage that has already occurred. In the end, ENRON employs will never have complete “closure” with the man who stole their retirement years!

Overwhelming evidence indicates that O.J. Simpson apparently killed his former wife Nichole Simpson, but due to influence, financial strength, and a crafty manipulation of racial prejudice he was able to avoid a guilty verdict. Where is the “closure” for Nichole’s family?

How much “closure” can the victims of Hurricane Katrina expect to get?  They didn’t do anything inappropriate, but their homes were wiped out, their communities dispersed, loved ones died, and their lives were traumatically changed literally overnight. A FEMA trailer can never compensate for the loss of their brick hearth, a dead dog, and all the heirlooms handed down for many generations of Cajun immigrants. Who will provide them the “closure” they deserve?

Where is the “closure” for the 3000 families that lost loved ones on 9/11/01?

One of the ugly realities of this world is that regardless of the origin of the trauma one is forced to endure, adequate emotional “closure” often not forthcoming.

The Freedom of Self Determination

"As a man thinketh in his heart so is he,"

“Although sandalwood is cut, it does not forsake its natural quality of fragrance; so also the elephant does not give up sportiveness though he should grow old. The sugarcane does not cease to be sweet though squeezed in a mill; so the man of noble extraction does not lose his lofty qualities, no matter how pinched he is by poverty.” 15.18 – Chanakya Niti Sastra

We are designed to see only that which we set out to look for and that is one of the few things we have the freedom to choose for ourselves. But because we inherited an untrained inflated ego, we are more inclined to seek out the faults in others then acknowledge their talents. Srila Prabhupada dealt with our flaws when they interfered with our Krishna Consciousness, but for the most part he focused his attention on what each of his disciples did well and he nurtured that energy. That is the way of the Vaishnava.

“He by whom no one is put into difficulty and who is not disturbed by anyone, who is equipoised in happiness and distress, fear and anxiety, is very dear to Me.” –Bhagavad Gita As It Is,  Chapter 12, “Devotional Service”, Text 15.

The only thing we have control over is the attitude we bring into any given situation. Sometimes controlled anger is appropriate and sometimes suspicion is prudent. At this point it appears that the saga of Dhanurdhara Swami is now over. Resolutions have been made, notes have been recorded, protective services have been set up, corrective procedures have been put in place and Dhanurdhara Swami is no longer active. Now ISKCON devotees have to pay this huge bill and the plaintiffs must forge on with their lives. The most prudent thing we can all do at this point is turn our focus forward and make the best of it.

We all know individuals who continue to carry karmic wounds and they make sure others don’t forget them. Many play the “Victim Role” although they often perpetrate injustices that are far worse then what they ever suffered. The refrain “Woe Is Me,” finds its way into every one of their conversations and these chronic social parasites expect endless sympathy from others, all the time, because they attribute every misfortune they encounter to their particular flavor of unresolved “Trauma.”

Just Blame Someone Else!

Statistics show that 20% of the general population is considered medically handicapped in one way or another, but only 8% percent of the population remains unemployed. Those with “Victim Mentality” don’t like being reminded that the difference of approximately 12% of those individuals choose not to collect funds from the government even though they are entitle to do so. Instead they have the personal integrity and self esteem to earn their own way thru life.

Those who fall into the “I’ve been Damaged” entitlement mentality don’t want to hear about successful people who were handicapped by physical shortcomings, economic hardships, emotional abuse, or intense social discrimination because it exposes their lethargy and overused appeal for sympathy in the form of charity, special privilege or endless favors. Instead of learning from and admiring the determination of individuals like: Benjamin Franklin, Fredrick Douglas, Abraham Lincoln, Booker T. Washington, Andrew Carnegie, Oprah Winfrey, and Arnold Schwarzenegger (to name a few), they prefer to dismiss them as arrogant, proud or lucky. (More evidence of the: Fundamental Attribution Error!)

It’s not just the first generation of disenfranchised Gurukula students who run the risk of falling into their own self imposed handicap vortex. There are many disciples of Srila Prabhupada from my generation who have already fallen into that deadly spiritual trap. Those individuals expose their own spiritual entombment by repeatedly saying things like: “I Got Ripped Off,”  “I had an incompetent lawyer”, “The Judge was corrupt.”, "ISKCON Owes Me!”, “I wasn’t treated fairly!”, “SoAndSo Swami Did Me Wrong!”, “The GBC is Useless,” “I gave ISKCON the best years of my youth" etc.

Individuals who are unable to deal with the crummy fact that “Dung Happens,” often at no fault of anyone, sometime become so myopically obsessed by their own personal grief that it completely distorts the way they interact with the world. At that point they run the risk of living into a “Self Fulfilling Prophecy.”

Or Blame Your Genes…

On of the most frightening examples of how devastating a self-fulfilling prophecy can be is actually promoted by the mental health industry gone awry. Therapists are too quick to slap the term Attention Deficit Disorder on someone and parents are too quick to accept that diagnosis. We must ask if the one they stigmatize with ADD is in a social orbit that may just be inconsistent with their dharma?  Not every student can be expected to sit in a chair and do academic work, but that does not mean the same person is incapable of offering some valuable service to society.

How did the rest of the world every survive for so many hundreds of years without the ability to diagnosis ADD and the litany of addictive drugs prescribed to chemically manage depression and mood disorders?  Recent research indicates that when the use of drugs like Valium, Xanax, Klonopin, and Ativan are prescribed but later discontinued the results can lead to an unpredictably dangerous lethal consequences.

The relevant point here is that I personally knew one young man who became completely despondent about life because he was diagnosed with ADD. He felt overwhelmed because he convinced himself that he was incompetent, out of place with the rest of the world, and absolutely could not compete. Instead of being encouraged to find out how he could fit in and what he could do, he spent way too much time dwelling on why he couldn’t fit in and after struggling with this for a long time he committed suicide before the age of 20.

When a group of individuals sustain their grief together it gets projected beyond the locus of their control and the fire-breathing dragon of deceptive “Group Think” takes birth. It is deceptive because it appears to be a unifying force but it leads to a blind allegiance that causes yet even more havoc. One of the most common examples used to illustrate the serious consequences of “Group Think” is in relation to the 1986 explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Some engineers had reported there concerned about the possible substandard performance of the “O” rings that were later identified as the cause for the explosion. But because there was so much pressure from management to get the mission launched, the content of those technical reports were rationalized away by their peers. The mood was so “Pro & Go” that the appropriate cautionary procedures were compromised and the consequences were not only one of our nations greatest embarrassments but fatal for eight astronauts.

http://www.afirstlook.com/archive/groupthink.cfm?source=archther

The above link provides some very dramatic examples of the sociological problem called “Group Think.”  Militant devotees from any generation that fall into the trap of believing ISKCON, or the GBC in particular, is a unique group of bumbling fools should review the contents of this site to see how difficult is to achieve an excellence in management. The point is that Vaishnavas especially need to be vigilant about objectively looking at all sides to every story and be ever on the look out for the dark ominous alley of “Group Think.”  As difficult and rare as it that might be, it is how we need to groom ourselves for the dynamic leadership required to steer the Gaudia Vaishnava movement thru the many new tumultuous issues we have yet to encounter.

Get Over It

OK. I hope I made my point in such a way that those who need to hear it will realize that no matter what the GBC does, what Dhanurdhara Swami does, or what anyone else does: “Everyone must fly his own plane…” as Srila Prabhupada would say. Some will criticize me for being too aloof from the problems they have to face. To them I say I have also had to bear my own injustices and outrageous reversals in life just like many others have. It took me awhile to learn that following the advice of the AA serenity prayer is very helpful in knowing when to put things behind me and when to turn my energy and focus forward.

"Dear Krishna; Please grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference between the two." – International Serenity Prayer

The choice is always ours. We can mope around and wine about how: ”I was done wrong” and the fruit of that will be a life of self-pity and mediocrity at best. Or we can follow the example of the Dalai Lama. In 1940 he was enthroned as the most powerful worldwide leader in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. When he was 25 years old he witnessed the Chinese government brutally crush the will of his people and the years of work he had done to find a peaceful solution to the Sino-Tibetan conflict. Shrines were burned, people were killed and the end result was that the Dalai Lama and 120,000 other Tibetan refugees now live in exile from their homeland. For the last 45 years the Dalai Lama has watched the Chinese systematically dismantle the Tibetan culture by severely oppressing it’s religious practices and aggressively moving Chinese nationals into Tibet. He has also been incapable of preventing the Chinese from turning his nation into a place for nuclear waste disposal while the rest of the world stands by and does little more then just watch.

Dalai Lama Bhudi

“Even from poison extract nectar, wash and take back gold if it has fallen in filth, receive the highest  knowledge (Krishna consciousness) from a low born person; so also a girl possessing virtuous qualities  (stri-ratna) even if she be born in a disreputable family.” 1.16 – Chanakya Niti Sastra

The Dalai Lama has every reason to utterly despise the Chinese government. Even though he won the Nobel Peace Price and got worldwide praise for his exceptional work in 1989, the Chinese government still opposed his peace overtures. He has been prohibited by them from visiting his homeland since 1959 even though his peaceful efforts for reconciliation are exemplary. What we can learn from this impersonaist Buddhist is the way he assimulated his plight. When a reporter wanted to know how he sustained his cheerful and pleasant demeanor the Dalai Lama was asked: “Why aren’t you furious with the Chinese for all they have done to you and your people?” His response was that if he harbored such hatred, it would have no effect on the actions of the Chinese, but it would certainly have a big impact on him!

That is the moral of this story. Regardless of whatever kind of trauma gets dished onto our banana leaf, how we deal with it is up to us. If we are actually able to see “Happiness and Distress, heat and cold honor an dishonor” as all the same, even the Vaishnava Youth, the assembled devotees, the Temple Presidents, sanyasis, gurus the GBC, and Dhanurdhara Swami himself will be able to find their own tranquility.

“For one who has conquered the mind, the Supersoul is already reached, for he has attained tranquility. To such a man happiness and distress, heat and cold, honor and dishonor are all the same. –Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Chapter 6,“Sankya Yoga”, Text 7.

Post Conclusion ie: Just For the Record

Those of us who write know how much work goes into putting together a readable article of substance like I hope some will consider this piece. I had to sacrifice many hours of my time to present this information in a way where I could communicate what I have learned from the tribulations I experienced in 53 years of life. (And No, for those who may be wondering; I have never struggled with drug, alcohol or substance abuse. Nor do I have anger problems, violent tendencies or strange sexual fantasies. Much of what I share here has been gleaned from educational institutions, managing others, a lot of personal studies and sharing in the lives of co-workers and devotees.) This collection of condensed experience is the amagalamation of the spiritual guidance in Srila Prabhupada’s books with practical experience working as a professional Database consultant to the United States Navy for twenty years. It is a sincere offering of pragmatic advice to those Vaishnava Youth who are still struggling with the terrible things that they had to endure. .

It is true that in some places I am:  “…show(ing) what mistakes the gurukulis are making…” In that respect I can only hope it is possible to advise “Push On” without being criticized for belittling or minimizing the impact of those events which is neither my mood or intent. Those who do not know me may incorrectly conclude that this is all I “ …focus my (your) intellect, spiritual understanding, and energy…” on, but that conclusion would be incorrect.

I have been challenged: “…to consider helping those of us who are committed to this movement.” That is a very reasonable request and my motive for writing this long article. But this effort does not stand-alone. For those who do not know me, I have included below some of the things I have done in an attempt to help the future Vaishnava leaders of the world inherit the movement Srila Prabhupada asked us to build. It is a little embarrassing to present this information because there are many devotees of my generation who have done so much more then I can ever claim to have done, but just for the record…

1) I began mentoring Vaishnava youth in: Mayapur (1978) and continued doing so in Vrindaban (1979), Bombay (1980) and Los Angeles. (1983 onward). Those who know me know I strive to have healthy relations with the younger generation. On many occasions I am pleasantly surprised to meet a younger devotee who steps out from the crowd and re-introduces themselves to m, usually at a major festival, with the opening comment: “Do you remember me…?”

2) Starting in 1993 I began hosting the Vaishnava Youth bus tour at my home in Ojai California which not only included giving them a safe place to bath and rest, but also by ensuring that they got well fed and re-supplied when they got back on the road.

3) In 1994 I accommodated 120 youth at my home as described above. (Later the scope of the bus tour was refined and now consists of about half that number of participants.)

4) Although I dare say I am anywhere nearly close to an ideal devotee, I do strive to set a good example in my personal life by modeling how one can work on the perimeter of ISKCON and still be very involved. Years ago one of the visiting Vaishnav’s mentioned above went out of their way to thank me for allowing them to come in and see how I live. Apparently prior to coming to Ojai, the only devotional future they had been exposed to was life in the ashram, apartment dwellings, part time jobs, or an international transitory lifestyle. They were quite inspired to discover that one could hold down a professional job, purchase a real home, drive a good car, and still done a dhoti, put on tilok, wear a brahmin’s thread and chant hare Krishna and stay in good standing with ISKCON!

5) I stay in touch with Manu Dasa, one of the significant heads of the Vaishnava Youth. I continue to offer my home and facilities as a resting place for the Bus Tour whenever he travels thru Ventura county and needs a place to stay with the large group he leads.

6) After learning that the Vaishnava Youth take the time to produce a very nice dramatic Play for performance at Rathayatra, I suggested to Manu that if the bus tour were to stop in Ojai on the way to San Francisco, I might be able to help them co-ordinate a performance in the city of Ojai as well.

7) Several years ago I contacted Annutama Dasa of Child Protective services in Florida to let him know that I might be able to help a young devotee get his career going in the High Tech world if the candidate had the minimum requirements. At that time I was in a better position to influence hiring then I am today, but I was informed then that there were either no interested parties at that time or those who sought the opportunity did not have an American citizenship and technical degree required for an entry level position.

8) Devotees who know me know I am always available by phone, email or in person to hear their words. I frequently take the time to talk with others and exchange what I think is relevant to improving their situation in the matter of either their career or devotional service.

9) Most recently I made out my last will and testament endowing the Vaishnava Youth 25% of whatever wealth I accumulate in this life to their benefit. (The other ¾ is being left to: ISKCON Archives, ISKCON BBT, ISKCON New Dwarka)

10) I remain committed to do whatever I can to: “empower(ing), excit(ing), inspiring and engaging the talent…” of the Vaishnava Youth.

Those who wish to debate the value of my observations are welcome to do so but I wrote this paper in the hope that it would be received by the disenfranchised Hare Krishna youth as helpful. I apologize to those who interpret the contents expressed as sophomorically obvious or sentimentally paternal. Perhaps they are, but if even one person benefits from what I have expressed herein, then I will consider my efforts worthwhile. Maybe someday that person will step forward from the crowd and confirm the utility of my effort.

Thank you.

“One should feel satisfied with the following three things; his own wife, food given by Providence and wealth acquired by honest effort; but one should never feel satisfied with the following three; study, chanting the holy names of the Lord (japa) and charity.” – 7.4. Chanakya Niti Shastra