I read the article by George Smith, Radhanath Para Paksa, and though I agree in principle with a lot of it, it really does not explain any of Radhanath Swami's current situation. In my article, Serving an Asura, I also question marked his past involvement, but "giving the dog a bad name and hang it" is dangerous, especially when we are talking about a Vaisnava like Radhanath Maharaja. I don't know Maharaja that well, but I'd just like to share a few thoughts.

I guess the first time I got some personal association with Radhanath Maharaja was in January 1991 in New Vrindavan. Devamrita Swami had invited me to visit and arranged for a ride from Boston temple. I spent a day with Maharaja in the hodge pot of New Vrindavan, without devotional dress and tilak. He was the only one besides myself with devotional dress, and he gave a nice Bhagavatam class. He was very friendly, kind and warm and showed all the symptoms of an advanced devotee.

After that time I met him on a few occasions in Varsana, where he had some devotee doctors treating the cataracts of many local Vrijabasis. I really appreciated this, as I know this service is very dear to Srimati Radharani. And this has been going on for a long time. In 1996, when I was temple commander in Soho Street temple in London (Radha -Londonisvara temple) and trying to assist there, Radhanath Maharaja would often come with us on our Saturday evening Harinama when visiting the UK, and the devotees just loved it.

There was only one problem once when he tried to separate a couple, where the male devotee was twice as old as his future wife. I had seen this once in the past and what havoc it caused, so I advised them both against it. And they where very happy and thankful but at the same time angry with Radhanath Maharaja for interfering in this way. But that is part of temple life, don't expect every little move you make to be not looked upon with critical eyes, even if you mean well. I have often mentioned that sannyasis should better stay out of these things, in either case he will not gain anything but disrespect.

However judging from Radhanath Maharaja's preaching in Bombay and the many nice disciples he has, he is a very successful preacher and is widely respected in ISKCON. I recently met some of his disciples in Philadelphia and they where young devotees but very sincere. Anyone that likes to know about Maharaja's success should go see his temple in Mumbai (Bombay).

As to what extent all the devotees that used to be with Kirtanananda are guilty, we will never know anyway. So maybe they where on the wrong side of the fence for a while. Even Akrura got on the wrong side of the fence for a while in regard to Satyajit and the Shymantaka jewel.

It is a fact that this outcry is caused by Radhanath Maharaja visiting a convicted murderer of Sulocana, Tirtha das, that we in ISKCON have no sympathy for. It would be proper for the GBC body to ask him to please not visit this professional killer. The whole idea that a "so-called guru" (Kirtanananda) has another devotee killed is the ultimate abuse of power.

Radhanath visits Tirtha das, and Narayana Maharaja innocently embraced Kirtananada this summer. Maybe these fallen souls are still getting some mercy from the Lord's devotees. But the rest of us, we have a hard time to forgive and forget, especially since Kirtanananda has not faced penalty for this crime in this world. But it is maybe one of those things it seems we simply have to leave up to Krishna?

Your servant,
Payonidhi das