September 16, 2024
From:
Naveen Krsna dasa (Naveen Khurana, MS/MBA)
ISKCON Temple President and Assistant GBC: Detroit, 1978-1982
ISKCON Temple President and Assistant GBC: Dallas, 1985-1990
ISKCON Foundation: Founder, 1992
ISKCON GBC Minister of Management and Finance: 1992-2000
GBC Acting Chairman- late 1994- early 1995
Dhira Govinda dasa (David Wolf, Ph.D.)
ISKCON Tel-Aviv Temple President- 1987-1988
Book Distribution, Sankirtana Party in Arabic Villages in the Middle East- Leader, 1988- 1990
ISKCON of Alachua (New Raman-reti) Board of Directors- Member, 1995-2001; Chairperson for five of those years
ISKCON (International) Central Office of Child Protection- Founder, Director (1998-2004)
To: Members of ISKCON GBC Executive Committee, all Members of the GBC, Members of ISKCON India Continental Committee (ICC), ISKCON India Bureau, ISKCON Temple Presidents, and all followers, supporters and well-wishers of Srila Prabhupada and his movement,
Subject: Vital New Information that Srila Prabhupada was “Assassinated” by His Caregivers
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura on the auspicious occasion of his Appearance Day.
First, we express our thanks to you for the wonderful and diverse ways you’ve served and supported Srila Prabhupada and his mission in all parts of the world for many years.
We wish to share with you in this letter and accompanying documents and files vital information regarding the amazing disappearance pastime of Srila Prabhupada. Our perspective and experience, as also confirmed by sastra, is that this knowledge is uplifting and inspirational, as it reveals the distinctive glories of Srila Prabhupada in ways that, till now, have not been understood.
We humbly request that you give careful attention to the contents of this letter, as well as the attached documents and the 22-23-minute audio-video-text presentation prepared by Truth Labs Forensic Services. Our stance, on behalf of Srila Prabhupada, is that these files are of momentous import for understanding the history of Srila Prabhupada’s movement, as well as a practical and philosophical vision for the future of Srila Prabhupada’s authentic mission. We trust that sincere followers of Srila Prabhupada who seriously examine and consider this information will likely experience a potent, albeit perhaps uncomfortable, transformation of heart, energized by enriched personal affection for and relationship with Srila Prabhupada.
We understand that some or many of you may be incredulous about the possibility that Srila Prabhupada was given poison with homicidal intent by persons close to him. To consider that such an event may actually have happened could naturally be a source of much pain, confusion, and disturbance. We, too, were quite dubious that the “poison rumors” had any validity when they first came to our attention in 1997.
Legal and Media Action
We take this opportunity to bring to your awareness that litigation in multiple jurisdictions and media campaigns have been proposed and are being planned in connection with the rigorously validated scientific findings related to the realities of Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance pastime. These findings confirm Srila Prabhupada’s own words about the circumstances surrounding his departure.
Brief History of GBC-Led Efforts
In the 1990s the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) Archives released audio recordings of Srila Prabhupada’s conversations that were not previously available. Listening to a few of these recordings from November 1977, some members of Srila Prabhupada’s movement heard statements from Srila Prabhupada and background whispers from those who were with him at the time that aroused suspicion that Srila Prabhupada was being poisoned.
In 1997, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) Governing Body Commission (GBC) requested Balavanta Prabhu (William Ogle, Esq.) to lead a forensic investigation into the allegations that Srila Prabhupada was poisoned. Page 311 of the GBC Ministry for the Protection of ISKCON’s book Not That I Am Poisoned includes a letter from Balavanta dasa to His Holiness Bir Krishna das Goswami. That letter is dated Feb. 12, 2000, and states, “On September 23, 1997, you wrote as Vice Chairman of the Governing Body Commission and representative of its Executive Committee. Your concern was that some members of the society had raised questions about recorded statements of His Divine Grace, Srila Prabhupada, which they believed indicated that he may have been given poison. You asked that I conduct a forensic investigation…”
In 1992, the ISKCON GBC requested one of the writers of this letter, Naveen Krsna dasa, to serve as GBC Minister of Management and Finance. After serving in that capacity for several years, Naveen Krsna, dissatisfied with the persistently incomplete and deficient efforts of the GBC regarding truths related to Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance, resigned from the GBC in the year 2000.
GBC Invites Further Investigation and Cooperation
GBC Resolution 617 from the year 2000 states, “There is no evidence at this time to support the allegations of poisoning of Srila Prabhupada.” That remains the official GBC stance. Also, the 2000 GBC resolutions state, “The GBC Body requests Naveen Krishna Das to give careful and dispassionate consideration to the case presented in the book Not That I Am Poisoned, and, after doing so, to enter into discussion with the Executive Committee for a resolution of this and any related issues.”
On page 319 of its publication from 2000, Not That I Am Poisoned (NTIAP), the Ministry for the Protection of ISKCON expresses that it “extends an open invitation to anyone” who would like to pursue the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged poisoning of Srila Prabhupada. NTIAP continues, “We will fully cooperate by providing full details of the specimens….If there are some devotees who feel so strongly that this investigation should be done, then they are more than welcome to come forward and meet the costs associated with it”. Naveen Krsna dasa and others cooperating with him did pursue the investigation, investing substantial energies and resources, and that has resulted in the ample evidence summarized in this packet.
Why Did Krsna Allow This?
It is, of course, vital to understand that Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance pastime is transcendental in the same way that Sri Bhismadeva left his body at will, in a cocreated pastime with Sri Krsna. Thus, we use phrases such as, “Srila Prabhupada was given poison with homicidal intent by persons close to him”, and in the subject line we place “assassination” in quotes. The more we delve into the details of Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance pastime, the more we’re moved and awed by the compassionate Jesus-like qualities he showed, fully aligned with saints in our line of bhakti, such as Sri Prahlada Maharaja, Sri Vasudeva Datta, and Srila Haridasa Thakura.
Often during the past 27 years or so, we’ve heard things like, “Srila Prabhupada couldn’t have been poisoned because he’s a pure devotee”. While we certainly appreciate the recognition of Srila Prabhupada’s pure, divine, and fully transcendental nature, there doesn’t seem to be much of a logical or sastric argument in the statement quoted above. Sri Krsna and His pure devotee can arrange disappearance pastimes through, crucifixion, a bed of arrows, apparent physical disease, or in so many ways. So, we ask rhetorically, how is it that Sri Krsna and His pure devotee are not capable of enacting transcendental disappearance pastime through apparent homicidal poisoning?
It might seem unfathomable to even conceive that Srila Prabhupada could have been poisoned by persons close to him who rendered him so much service. We empathize with those feelings, and simultaneously, it’s true that studying Srila Prabhupada’s words, it’s actually not especially surprising that such a horrific event could have occurred. Srila Prabhupada often used the English expression, “Familiarity breeds contempt” (for example, April 20, 1972 Room Conversation; Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (CC), CC Antya-lila 13.39 purport; CC Madhya-lila 12.212 purport). Let’s hear further from Srila Prabhupada.
“So as Krsna was attempted to be killed…And Lord Jesus Christ was killed. So they may kill me also.” – Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, May 3, 1976, Honolulu.
“…in this Age of Kali, there are many mundane persons in the dress of Vaisnavas, and Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has described them as disciples of Kali. He says, kali-cela…” – Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 1.220 purport
“There are many jealous people in the dress of Vaisnavas in this Krsna consciousness movement, and they should be completely neglected. There is no need to serve a jealous person who is in the dress of a Vaisnava.” – Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta (CC) Madhya-lila 1.218 purport
“The poison is personal ambition.” Letter from Srila Prabhupada, Nov. 1, 1970
Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.28.48 purport – “Whenever an acarya comes, following the superior orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative, he establishes the principles of religion, as enunciated in Bhagavad-gita. Religion means abiding by the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Religious principles begin from the time one surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is the acarya’s duty to spread a bona fide religious system and induce everyone to bow down before the Supreme Lord. One executes the religious principles by rendering devotional service, specifically the nine items like hearing, chanting, and remembering. Unfortunately, when the acarya disappears, rogues and nondevotees take advantage and immediately begin to introduce unauthorized principles in the name of so-called svamis, yogis, philanthropists, welfare workers and so on. Actually, human life is meant for executing the orders of the Supreme Lord… The main business of human society is to think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead at all times, to become His devotees, to worship the Supreme Lord and to bow down before Him. The acarya, the authorized representative of the Supreme Lord, establishes these principles, but when he disappears, things once again become disordered. The perfect disciples of the acarya try to relieve the situation by sincerely following the instructions of the spiritual master. At the present moment, practically the entire world is afraid of rogues and nondevotees; therefore, this Krsna consciousness movement is started to save the world from irreligious principles. Everyone should cooperate with this movement in order to bring about actual peace and happiness in the world.”
(((The writers of this letter have emboldened two segments from Srila Prabhupada’s purport above.)))
Let us support each other in relieving “the situation by sincerely following the instructions of” Srila Prabhupada. In humbly aspiring to be worthy disciples of Srila Prabhupada, there is great hope for us as individuals and for “saving the world” towards a personal and planetary situation of “peace and happiness.”
On Feb. 19, 1977, in Mayapur, India, Srila Prabhupada stated, “If Christ was not crucified, then his cult would not have spread so much all over the world. The Christian cult was spread all over the world after demise of Christ, not during his time. Is it not?… Because he was persecuted, his cult became so spread.”
If You Tolerate Mischievous Activities, That is also Criminal
We trust that with increasing revelation about the truth of Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance pastime, Srila Prabhupada’s amazing, unparalleled transcendental qualities, including his limitless compassion, will be known throughout the world a millionfold compared to now. We encourage you to share this letter and the documentation in this packet with others for their benefit, the auspicious welfare of the world, and the expansion of Srila Prabhupada’s movement.
In a spirit of courageously standing for the truth in relation to Srila Prabhupada’s departure, we can note Srila Prabhupada’s statement on May 3, 1973, during a morning walk in Los Angeles- “…one who is mischievous, he is culprit, but one who tolerates mischievous activity, he is also culprit. If you are mischievous, you are criminal. But if you tolerate mischievous activities that is also criminal….” And Sri-Caitanya-caritamrta (CC) Madhya-lila 5.90, “A person who knows things as they are and still does not bear witness becomes involved in sinful activities.”
We know that some of the readers of this letter are members of the ISKCON GBC. We earnestly request you to publicly distance yourself from the GBC’s ignorance related to Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance pastime. We write to you in a spirit of cooperation with each other and, together, in service to Srila Prabhupada. Honestly and openly distance yourselves from the GBC’s erroneous statement, “There is no evidence at this time to support the allegations of poisoning of Srila Prabhupada.” Cooperate with Srila Prabhupada and his sincere followers to reveal the truths related to his glorious disappearance pastime.
And the above applies also to everyone serving in leadership positions in the ISKCON organization and to all sincere followers, well-wishers, and supporters of Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada’s words and an abundance of forensic, scientific evidence point to the unavoidable conclusion that Srila Prabhupada was administered poison, with murderous intent, by some who were serving in the role of Srila Prabhupada’s caregivers in 1977. Stand for truth. Stand for Srila Prabhupada.
Many sincere followers of Srila Prabhupada, who till now have chosen to remain anonymous and who have closely studied the evidence, are clear beyond doubt that Srila Prabhupada was given poison with homicidal intent and that the GBC has strenuously endeavored to cover up this most ghastly crime. Hundreds of earnest members of Srila Prabhupada’s movement, including many current and former GBCs, Temple Presidents, and other organizational leaders, have participated over the decades in this effort to uncover the truths related to the homicidal poisoning of Srila Prabhupada.
All of the evidence that inarguably points to the assassination of Srila Prabhupada has been carefully examined by seasoned legal professionals, teams of world-class forensic scientists, and teams of media experts. They have no doubt that the ISKCON GBC has been covering up and benefiting from the assassination of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. We share all of this in the well-wishing hopes of genuinely benefiting you in your efforts to increase your capacity to serve Srila Prabhupada and his authentic mission.
What Good Will Come from Pursuing Truth?
Some might wonder or question what good could come from understanding Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance pastime. We assert that little good can emerge without such understanding. Our view is that there is tremendous opportunity for clearing anarthas from our hearts and for expanding genuine, clean, and pure service to Srila Prabhupada by recognizing the truths regarding his departure and that there will continue to be grievous consequences for betraying Srila Prabhupada and denying him and his words. Foremost amongst such consequences may be our heavy hearts and alienation from self, truth, Supersoul, and Srila Prabhupada as we participate in the coverups.
Advances in Technology and New Incriminating Evidence Reinvigorate Investigation
Naveen Krsna dasa and others continued to keep alive investigative efforts through 2015 by exploring leads for possible paths forward toward an enhanced understanding of what happened in 1977 in connection with Srila Prabhupada’s departure.
In 2015, forensic toxicology discoveries by Dr. J. Steven Morris, senior researcher with the University of Missouri Nuclear Research Reactor, related to the alleged poisoning of Srila Prabhupada, reenergized and rejuvenated investigative efforts. A few years later, Truth Labs Forensic Services dedicated hundreds of hours to analyzing the November 1977 audio files provided by the Bhaktivedanta Archives, using the most advanced audio forensic technology. We emphasize here “most advanced audio forensic technology” and “2015 forensic toxicology discoveries”, to highlight that the information in this packet is new. That is, it wasn’t known or available in the 1990s or the 2000s. The technology that the Bhaktivedanta Archives used to produce the audio files and the technology utilized by Truth Labs to analyze the audio files is significantly more advanced than the technology available twenty-five or even ten years ago.
State-of-the-Art Audio Analysis Confirms that Srila Prabhupada Knew He was Being Deliberately Poisoned and that He Informed Others About It
For viewing and listening to the 22-23-minute audio-video-text presentation (Link), we recommend that you arrange for a quiet place with no distractions, including no interruption or diversion from phone, email, engagement in other activities, scrolling on internet, etc. We encourage you to give complete presence and attention to this audio-visual-text presentation. Absorb yourself in being with Srila Prabhupada in a caring and loving way, there in Vrndavana in November 1977. Directly hear from Srila Prabhupada, about his disappearance pastime. In this way, you give yourself an opportunity to strengthen and deepen your personal connection and relationship with Srila Prabhupada.
And you’ll get to hear Srila Prabhupada repeatedly stating that he’s being poisoned and to hear his caregivers acknowledge and confirm that Srila Prabhupada was expressing that he was being deliberately poisoned. The audio forensics from Truth Labs confirm what Srila Prabhupada knew: that he was being given poison with malicious intent. Also, you’ll hear Srila Prabhupada’s Rama-Ravana analogy, wherein Srila Prabhupada likens at least some of his caregivers to Ravana.
As mentioned above, this video-audio-text presentation is from Truth Labs Forensic Services. Starting at about the 20:30 mark, a few of the “whisper” sections from the forensic audio analysis are looped several times to enhance the listener’s capacity to discern what is whispered. After that, in the final section of the presentation, after the looping sections, starting at about 22:15, are excerpts spoken by Tamal Krsna Gosvami from a conversation between Tamal Krsna Gosvami and Satsvarupa Gosvami that took place shortly after Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance.
Tamal Krsna Gosvami tells Satsvarupa Gosvami that Srila Prabhupada, “a number of times,” said, “Can you give me medicine? Please give me medicine that will allow me to disappear now”. No one else heard Srila Prabhupada ever say such a thing, and neither are there any indications on any recordings that Srila Prabhupada said anything resembling “Please give me medicine that will allow me to disappear now.” And in fact, such statements would be completely out of character for Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada expressed that he wanted to remain, live, not depart, and in this connection he said that he’d be cured by going on parikrama, away from his Ravana-like caregivers. Of course, Srila Prabhupada lives, and is fully present and alive, in vani and vapu forms. And here, we’re focusing on attempts by persons close to Srila Prabhupada to kill Srila Prabhupada by deliberately poisoning him. This denial of Srila Prabhupada’s request to go on parikrama closely relates to ISKCON leaders causing heartbreak for Srila Prabhupada by thwarting his humble and loving request, in October 1977, for all of his disciples to visit and be with him in Vrndavana.
Tamal Krsna Gosvami also expresses, “…on one hand, we could take it, and give him that medicine…we could have done that…”. Such a statement, “we could have done that,” could be regarded as implicating, in the sense that the speaker acknowledges that he and others were in a position to give poison, “medicine,” to Srila Prabhupada. Credible legal authority has expressed their opinion that this statement in itself, by Tamal Krsna Gosvami, constitutes sufficient evidence to prosecute them (Tamal Krsna Gosvami and his assistants) for voluntary manslaughter.
Authoritative Toxicology Reports
Attached to this letter is a summary of the Truth Labs report on the toxicology evidence. This summary, with the title, “Salient features of the Forensic Evaluation…” is six pages. We can note that the entire forensic file on this case is voluminous.
The report conclusively states “that the cause and manner of death of Srila Prabhupada was the result of a well-planned homicide by using the toxic metallic poisons, mainly cadmium and interspersed with arsenic and antimony, without arousing any suspicion, that caused the resultant signs and symptoms mimicking that of natural chronic illness…” Let us consider this statement from Truth Labs in the context of the GBC’s claim, “There is no evidence at this time to support the allegations of poisoning of Srila Prabhupada.”
Leaders of the forensic team include Dr. Gandhi PC Kaza, founder of Truth Labs and Chairman and Senior Forensic Expert of Truth Labs, Hyderabad, for Forensic Evaluation on Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) Reports, Dr. D. M. Ravichand, Professor & Consultant of Pharmaco-Pathology of Truth Labs, Hyderabad, and Dr. M. Narayana Reddy, Professor and Medico-Legal Consultant of Truth Labs & Professor of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Hyderabad.
Is There a Connection Between the Homicidal Poisoning of Srila Prabhupada and Child Abuse in ISKCON?
ISKCON’s disgraceful history related to child maltreatment and extensive coverup of child maltreatment, including child sexual abuse, is well known. Also, at least somewhat well known is that the most egregious child abuse in the history of ISKCON has taken place in ISKCON Mayapur, dating back at least 45 years and till the present day. Leadership in ISKCON Mayapur has been for decades notorious for the coverup of child abuse and, in many instances, for directly perpetrating violent, abhorrent child abuse.
Perhaps worthy of note is that the four prime suspects in the murder of Srila Prabhupada have also been four of the most prominently influential members of the ISKCON Mayapur leadership team. These four, and we realize that two of them have departed, one in 2020 and another in 2002, have all served in GBC positions in Mayapur for extended periods of time and have been perhaps the four most powerful and influential leaders in ISKCON Mayapur. Maybe there’s no connection between the homicidal poisoning of Srila Prabhupada and the ongoing, inveterate, wicked, criminal abuse of children in ISKCON Mayapur. Then again, some thoughtful observers might connect the dots in such a way as to conclude that there’s a very clear and strong connection.
Legal Opinion
Mr. Ajay Garg, Advocate of Garg and Garg Associates, in a brief opinion, asserts, “…we are of the firm opinion that the enhanced audio recordings and the forensic report on the same are a vital piece of evidence, and can be helpful (along with other evidences discussed above) in initiating criminal investigation against the culprits, who were involved in committing the heinous crime of poisoning Srila Prabhupada and to unravel the larger conspiracy behind this.”
GBC Executive Committee Response
The GBC has failed to refute the obvious truths, as the GBC has not provided any substantive response to the authoritative evidence that Srila Prabhupada was administered poison with homicidal intent. Our hope is that the GBC and all entities and individuals connected with ISKCON leadership will honestly accept the reports and documentation from Truth Labs as valid and professional depictions of the realities surrounding Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance and that they, and whoever reads this, will cooperate with the Justice for Srila Prabhupada team, towards revealing the truth about Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance. These reports and documentation confirm Srila Prabhupada’s own statements that he was homicidally poisoned.
We ask that the ISKCON GBC Executive Committee acknowledges receipt of this letter and packet before October 2nd, 2024, and responds to this letter before November 1st, 2024. We request that you, the GBC Executive Committee, cooperate with the efforts of the Justice for Srila Prabhupada Foundation towards uncovering and revealing to Srila Prabhupada’s followers and the world the facts regarding Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance pastime. Please let us know before Nov. 1, 2024, whether you, the members of the GBC Executive Committee, are ready to meet and discuss with our team about the subject of this letter and future course of action related to the contents of this letter.
For those interested, we will continue to send you updates with details regarding action on many fronts, including legal and media. We welcome your comments, questions, and feedback. To communicate with us, write to info@justiceforsrilaprabhupadafoundation.org. Visit our website Justice For Srila Prabupada
Hare Krsna. Jaya Srila Prabhupada.
Hoping this meets you in good health and inspired in Krsna consciousness,
Your servants,
Naveen Krsna dasa (Naveen Khurana, MS/MBA)
Dhira Govinda dasa (David Wolf, Ph.D.)
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