BY RAMACANDRA DAS
This is a story which had its beginnings many many years ago. It was told to me by Sudama prabhu who left the planet in 1995. His leaving was most auspicious with devotees having 24 hour kirtan. Garlands and Tulasi were placed upon his body and he left to the chanting of the Holy Name. Immediately upon his departure, an unknown Indian brahmin came into the room, looked around, and then left. (It is said that if someone leaves their body and an unknown brahmin comes to the room, then that person has gone back home to Godhead.)
I was Sudama Maharaja's personal servant off-and-on in NYC for five months in 1975, and I later served him in Badger, CA for two months before he left his body. During that time, Sudama prabhu revealed to me something very intensely shocking and distressful.
We were talking about ISKCON in general, and after some time I then told Sudama prabhu about a conversation that I had with Satsvarupa Maharaj. I explained that I told Satsvarupa Maharaj at one point that I felt Srila Prabupada was my spiritual master. (I joined the movement in 1975, got the opportunity to see Srila Prabhupada, and I felt a very strong spiritual connection with Srila Prabhupada. I was amongst the second group of disciples to take initiation from Satsvarupa Maharaj in 1978.) Sudama asked me why it was I didn't get initiated by Srila Prabhupada even though I was supposed to. After giving Sudama prabhu my explanation, he angrily answered, (referring to Satsvarupa Maharaj), "He's no guru anyway." Then he went into the explanation of why he did not feel that Satsvarupa is a guru.
Sudama prabhu revealed to me that the day before Srila Prabhupada departed from us, all of the ISKCON leaders, including Satsvarupa Maharaj, the other original ISKCON gurus and other leaders met together to discuss how to divide up the world. Sudama prabhu told me that Tamal Krsna Maharaj and another sanyasi - whose name I cannot remember - approached him and said, "There is going to be a meeting in which we are going to divide up the world. Don't go anywhere, you should be there." (This was the exact statement used.)
Sudama prabhu attended the meeting horrified at what he was hearing. Tamal Krsna started off asking who wants to be guru. Sudama explained that there was some hesitation and then Romesvara answered, "I do, I do." Others raised their hands also. Sudama was shocked. Sudama was then told, "We'll give you Japan and make you a guru later." Sudama prabhu completely horrified asked, "Srila Prabhupada hasn't even left the planet yet. How can you be even thinking like this?" Sudama prabhu went on to say, (speaking to his Godbrothers), "I would rather bloop and falldown then to commit the sins that you are about to commit." (These were Sudama prabhu's EXACT words to them as he himself told me.)
After the meeting, when it was concluded who was to be guru, Sudama prabhu, (who explained that he was present throughout the whole meeting), said that Satsvarupa Maharaj then addressed the assembly: "Before we go back, we had better conclude on one story to tell all of the devotees. The devotees are very smart, and if we have different stories, they will know something is wrong."
Satsvarupa Maharaj along with Tamal Krsna then put together the story that these leaders would tell the devotees. Satsvarupa Maharaj wrote it all down and he and Tamal conferred back and forth with the other leaders in terms of answering all questions to make sure that there were no "loopholes" - the EXACT word used by Sudama prabhu - in the story, and that nothing could go wrong.
Sudama prabhu stayed on to the next day when Srila Prabhupada actually left. (This was the day immediately after the meeting in which our GBC leaders divided up the world.) After Srila Prabhupad left the planet, Sudama prabhu immediately left the movement, knowing what had transpired in that meeting, and the material ambition and viciousness of these men. He could foresee the destruction of the movement.
The assembled Vaisnavas may be wondering why it is that I never came forth with this information at an earlier date and am now speaking this out. The reason why I did not speak up earlier was because of how our guru and GBC leaders have so much indoctrinated the devotees that I did not think that anyone would accept this truth. I also have never used a computer before, and had no opportunity to be able to get this information out. I am also seeing that the situation in ISKCON has become so bad that I am feeling COMPELLED to speak out with this truth. I feel it is my duty to bring out this truth which was given to me by Sudama prabhu, for the devotees to hear it, whether they choose to believe it or not.
Your servant,
Ramacandra Das
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