Accountability in ISKCON with money.

[Paramananda das]

Dandavat pranams

All glories to Sri Guru and Gauranga,Jaya Gandharvika Gridhari

Jaya Srila Prabhupada

When reading Praghosh Prabhus article about managing money in ISKCON ,I want to share my experiences.

http://www.dandavats.com/?p=10947#more-10947

 

he quoted:

Yes, the accounts must be kept very clearly. Then everyone will be pleased with us. Not a single farthing should be wasted. That will be our credit.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => How to Keep Accounts

Here in ISKCON Potomac a trained accountant devotee was let go for keeping to strict account.So many experiences are there

Our sannyasis, they work very hard, preach, they collect money – but not a single farthing for himself.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sannyasa Initiation Lecture, November 18, 1975

Yes I have seen an ISKCON sannyasi collecting money with great agression for himself from the Indian congregation.

Sometimes ISKCON managers run businesses that uses ISKCON devotees where the GBC's and TP make personal profit this was never Prabhupadas intention .Also salary system ,was not something Prabhupada favored for devotees.

Tamal Krsna asked a strange question in one discussion with Prabhupada: So devotee should grap what they need?

When Maharaja died in a car  accident (Krsna bless his soul) He was fabulously wealthy .Sannyasis living in wealth is nto sannyasa.

Nor is the many businesses that  some ISKCON sannyasis have engaged in .Like some time back Bhakti Caru Swami was critizised because he encouraged some devotees to invest  in a certain company and then they lost money.Harikesa gambled on the Russian stock market and left ISKCON will million of dollars. I knew since many years he was corrupt with money.( Of course he also would never attend even mangal artik but just try to control and manipulate everyone.This is a commont ISKCON business practize, of course not approved by Srila Prabhupada.After Harikesa left many of his leading disciples stole money from ISKCON, even during his presence Harikesa allowed the wealth of some devotees. Once Brahma Muhurta the BBT in charge hired a limo to go on Harinama with other BBT devotees.This is the kind of arrogance goes on.

Ramabhadra as soon as he became TP started to chase women and secure his position and runs everything tightly according to his false ego.He also has a Bingo hall at ISKCON Brooklyn.

In LA when I was sankirtana leader there for some months devotees complained that Svavasa was running the giftshop for personal profit.Svavasa pushed Sesa out as the BBT chairman and there was so much bitterness on the part of Sesa .

Another TP ran a jewlery business in ISKCON Denver for great personal profit.It was illegal too.

The list goes on and on.

Hrdayananda: Prabhupada, generally  in in the  West, they charge some fee for going to the college. What  is our position?

Prabhupada: No, we  don't charge any fee. There is no question of money. Because the brahmanas, they'll teach free. They require money because  they have to give fat salary to these rascals.

Morning Walk "Varnasrama College"- March 14,  1974, Vrndavana

"Brahmana cannot accept any salary.  Just like you have accepted me as your acarya, but you do not pay me any salary. This is forbidden. The teacher will not accept salary. Then  he comes down to the sudra platform. The sudra accepts  salary. I serve you, you pay me. And the brahmana will distribute  knowledge freely, and the ksatriya will give protection to the brahmana.  This is the Vedic system. Even in fifty years ago, education in India, there was  no charges. A learned brahmana will sit down in corner of a neighborhood and all  the children will come there. They will learn primary education. And the parents  of the children will send, somebody will send rice, somebody will send dal...  Just like we are maintaining, by collecting. Not here, but in Bombay, our centre  is collecting and distributing.

"The whole system was that. Love  exchange. I give you some service; you give me something, out of your  love. Dadati pratigrhnati. Love means six . I give you something, you give me something. I  give you something for eating, you also give me something for eating. Dadatipratigrhnati bhunkte bhojayate, guhyam akhyati prcchati. If I am in trouble, I  express my mind, I open my mind before you, and you also try to help me. These  are the six signs of love. That is Vedic civilization.Everything exchange of love. No business, mercantile. All  right, let us have kirtana. Hare Krsna."

Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.24-Los Angeles, June 22,  1972

But ISKCON is paying salary now ,this is against Prabhupadas clear instructions as ISKCON is a monastary (supposed to be at least)

vaisnava das anu das

Paramananda das