Message from Adridharana Dasa, Temple President ISKCON Calcutta:

1. Hare Krishna Explosion Begins In New York as IRM Temple Opens 
2. Puranjana Facilitates Efforts to Stop Anti-Guru Court Case 
3. PADA Supports Defamation of Srila Prabhupada 

Last Weekend New York got a taste of things to come. Devotees who had come from all over the world experienced a bliss that they admitted they had not felt since Srila Prabhupada departed. We had mentioned in our previous newsletter how Krishna had engineered the IRM getting a preaching center in Manhattan. The opening was to be no different, with the transcendental arrangements being made from start to finish.

Though the opening was to be on Sunday, the preparations had begun well in advance. Devotees had flown in from India, England and all over the USA to help at the opening. The devotees felt such inspiration and enthusiasm that they immediately felt impelled to go and distribute books. Madhu Pandit and Adri prabhus, the Temple presidents from Bangalore and Calcutta respectively, went out doing books on the streets with the local IRM devotees. Coming from India to the harsh New York streets was quite an experience for them! However between them they still managed to pass out over 50 books and collect almost $100. They said later that if even they can distribute books in New York - anyone can. 

Seeing this Visvamitra Das, who had flown in from Los Angeles, also felt motivated to go out. He tells the story in his own words:

"I found the opening of the New York IRM temple to be an ecstatic event. In fact it was so inspiring I found myself in New York City's Union Square dressed in a dhoti and tilak, distributing Srila Prabhupada's books. Something I have not done or felt inspired to do in 20 or so years. Infact when I arrived in Union Square at first I was afraid and hesitant and did not really want to do it. I was supposed to meet up with devotees who were already distributing and who were carrying the books. But I could not find them. So there I was all alone without any books. I thought that maya had given me the perfect excuse to avoid doing books. But somehow I felt so inspired that I went all the way over to the temple in Brooklyn and bought a whole stack of Srila Prabhupada's books from the shop there, and then went back to Union Square and distributed them all! The association of the devotees and the worship of Srila Prabhupada as the sole acarya for ISKCON was the magic that inspired me to try and please Srila Prabhupada in a way that was most pleasing to him. Hare Krsna!" (Visvamitra Das, LA)

Saturday was Ratha Yatra day, and 15 devotees had organised themselves to do leafleting and began handing out over 2000 invitations for the opening. However what was amazing was how devotees we did not even know took whole stacks of invitations from us and started to distribute them as well. At one time we had almost 30 devotees handing out invitations. Who they were and where they came from we did not know. In keeping with the spirit of the IRM mission we also had 5 devotees distributing Srila Prabhupada's books on the parade - the only devotees to do so. Between them they passed out over 
200 books and collected $350. The organisors of the Ratha Yatra could only stand by with frowns on their faces as Srila Prabhupada's 'task-force' swamped the festival. Whilst the GBC chairman sat on the cart and waved, we were on the ground building the future. 

Finally after having been unable to take any action whilst we had been distributing the invitations, the authorities finally decided to do something at the end by asking some devotees to go round and ask all the visitors to give their invitations back. We watched as how one person after another simply refused to give back the flyers, saying that not only would they not give their invitations away, but that they would also be attending the opening as well!

A funny story also happened on the Ratha Yatra. A reporter had come from the India News Service to report on the Ratha Yatra parade. He went up to a devotee and asked that he needed to speak to the 'ISKCON Temple President'.
The devotee not knowing the purpose of the query simply pointed to Adridharan das, who was nearby, and said "He is an ISKCON Temple President". So then the reporter ended up interviewing Adridharana about the Ratha Yatra and what it was all about!! He was also told of course about how there was going to be a new temple opening in Manhattan the next day!

Sunday was the day of the opening, and as soon as the doors opened at 3PM, we were inundated with over 100 guests immediately. By the end of the day we had had at least 300 vistors who had taken part in a continuous kirtan, watched Srila Prabhupada videos, and partook of an opulent 10 course feast. The whole day was organised professionally with 15 hosts all with name badges who gave every guest personal attention and service. Since the guests were spread out during the day we were able to ensure that each visitor was given individual attention and personally served prasadam immediately. No waiting or queuing! An internet company that is the world's largest producer of original internet-TV and that gets up to 1 million hits a week had also come to film the opening. They also interviewed Adridharana and Madhu Pandit Prabhus about the mission of the IRM.

All in all it was a great success, with many devotees remarking that it had been the most ecstatic day of their lives. Devotees were so impressed that we collected $10,000 in donations just from new visitors on the day, who were taken aback by the wonderful atmosphere. But you do not need to take our word for it - here are just a few testimonies from visitors and those involved:

"I can not believe you got this place together in 5 months. I have opened many temples in the early days, and to set up something like this would take minimum three years". (Locanananda Das, ex-New York temple president, and famous harinam leader)

"The grand opening of the Sri Sri Radha Govinda was a wonderful experience for me. On occasion, I like to enter a Temple or festival as if it were my first experience there. Trying to see the things that would have an impressionable effect on a newcomer i.e. like cleanleness, friendly devotees, an all-round atmosphere of well being. All of the above things I experienced at the Temple and more. When i entered the Temple i was initially greeted by a mother who directed me to the kirtan. Later, I sat and was served delicious prasadam and got plenty of attention from my gracious host. The mood was positively Krsna Conscious. I cannot thank you enough and the other devotees there, especially Jayananda prabhu ,for creating such a powerful showcase for Krsna Consciousness. Please keep me posted with ongoing events there and i will be happy, Krsna willing, to help as best I can with a little service especially in regards to laxmi contributions. [...] Again,thanks for helping to put Krishna Consciousness back on the map in New York City. I pray to Srila Prabhupada, the devotees ,and Lord Krsna that it is really successful. I would gladly recommend any of my friends, including busy associates, to visit there. (Krsna Bhakta Dasa, Devotee businessman from Ireland, now based in New York City)

"The opening of the NY IRM temple was truly an historical event. A most wonderful experience to have been part of that day. It was like coming to Krsna Consciousness all over again the first time. The program was very personal like the way Srila Prabhupada treated guests in the early days of the movement. IRM member spoke to each every one individually while they ate a sumptuous feast which was in the making for days. Bhajahari Prabhu came all the way from London to cook a first class feast. His enthusiasm to details carried us through the long hours of preparation. The temple was beautiful due to the wonderful service of so many people that Jayananda prabhu engaged. The guests floated from room to room soaking up the nectar of Srila Prabhupada. In every corner of the temple IRM members were engaging and preaching to guests the teachings of His Divine Grace. They were told how this is a temple committed to reviving the spirit of Krsna Consciousness in the way that Srila Prabhupada first gave it to us. This movement within a movement to revive the original movement. Even guests could understand and grasp what was happening as they would say things like: "We never see Krsna devotees on the street chanting and distributing books in NY". [...] Due to a lack of faith that Srila Prabhupada is no longer with us many have seen a need to go to alternative gurus and created many out of His own disciples who were not qualified. Since that time there has been much chaos due to mismanagement of His instructions and finally the loss of his ISKCON body that he created. Today many of those temples have been lost though mismanagement of funds. One such temple was the Manhattan skyscrapper temple that was sold. The IRM is dedicated to reistablishing ISKCON in it's glory with His Divine Grace as the sole Diksa Guru. [...] Srila Prabhupada came so long ago to Manhattan to start a spiritual movement. So this past Sunday in Manhattan devotees again started to revive that movement."  (Vikramini Devi Dasi, Los Angeles)

"I have been going to Brooklyn temple for 10 years but never once felt so close to Srila Prabhupada as I am feeling in the midst of you all". (Congregation member from Brooklyn temple)

"If this is what IRM temples are offering - a total relationship with Srila Prabhupada, very soon the gurus in Iskcon will have to close their business. They can never compete with Srila Prabhupada". (A devotee visiting from Peru)

"I was really pleased to see how well organised the program was. On one of the walls there was a notice that dealt with all the frequently asked questions about the Iskcon Revival Movement. Most of the guests read it and said that it really helped clear up the misconceptions they had about our work to restore Srila Prabhupada as the sole initiating guru for Iskcon. The Prasadam distribution and Book presentation was also very nicely arranged. Everyone seemed very pleased with the grand opening- and promised to visit regularly in the future." (Bhakta Ian, ex-sankirtan devotee from the Los Angeles temple, who came from Miami)

"One of the most interesting things that happened to me during the Official Opening Ceremony this weekend was a conversation I had during the feast with Arundati and Aditi Prabhus. I was explaining how Srila Prabhupada's directive to the whole movement sent out on July 9th 1977 taken together with his last will and testimony could only mean that he wanted a ritvik system to continue for as long as Iskcon existed. Arundati stated that the July 9th letter was only sent because Srila Prabhupada was ill at the time. I responded that the directive itself does not refer to Srila Prabhupada's health at all.  To which Arundati immediately replied that it does. She told me that she was sure that it did because she herself had typed the letter for Prabhupada. I immediately found a copy of the Final Order and looked up the letter. After reading it out aloud to her she replied " WOW - your right - it doesn't." Somehow or other, Arundati dasi (undoubtedly along with many others) had been under the misconception for some 23 years that the directive was only linked to Srila Prabhupada's poor health. She willingly agreed to take and read some of our IRM position papers." (Bhaja Hari Dasa, London)

"From the beginning of Central Park to Wash. Sq. I distributed SP's transcendental books. So many souls curious as to what was going on and what the Hare Krishna's were all about and the chanting. SP would say, what good is your 10 minute talk, just give them a book. Close to 60 books left my hand into other souls who will get this knowledge and I collected 96 laxmi points. Serving Prasadam at the opening was a pleasure and joyful service. Over and over devotees were commenting how delicious the prasad tasted and eating to their full satisfaction. Many, many commented how it felt like the old times." (Vani Devi Dasi, New York)

"The grand opening of the RADHA-GOVINDA TEMPLE in MANHATTAN was so inspiring. Throughout the day I estimate about 300 guests came to the festival. It was such a joy to see so many devotees working hard to make it happen. From the cooks to the cleaners to the preachers. Everyone pulled together and worked as a team to glorify Srila Prabhupada AND Krsna. I am even more convinced now that this mission is about ACTION. Let's do something big for Prabhupada! Turn off those computers and get out on the streets and preach. Every one of my older god-brothers and sisters commented that they 100% felt that what's happening in this temple is the real deal.
Now our meditation is focussed on reclaiming Srila Prabhupada's NYC Skyscraper temple and Restaurant. STAY TUNED!  (Jayananda das, New York)

We pray for the blessings of Srila Prabhupada, all the vaisnavas that the IRM mission in New York will go from strength to strength and we can get Srila Prabhupada's sky-scraper temple back for him. Srila Prabhupada ki jai!

PADA recently posted an allegation of paedophillia against the Calcutta temple that was so patently fabricated one would have thought even PADA would not have repeated it without first checking its facts. 
Particularly as it is so malicious and seems manufactured for the sole purpose of disrupting the IRM anti-Guru court case that has the GBC on the ropes. Knowing they have no answer to our court case, some unknown GBC supporting sources have clearly tried to defame the character of Mahajan prabhu, a devotee from the Calcutta temple who helped file the case. The article in PADA finishes by stating that the number 1 demand is: 

"1. Withdraw Mahajan from the IRG case immediately." 

It is also stated that: 

"We request the supporters of ritvik to make it a point that they should not be defended by a notorious paedophile & a thief as such." 

They know that if I did this the IRM case would be seriously compromised as it would need to be re-filed and we would have to start all over again. And thus it is clear that this is what the REAL purpose of the allegations is. This is a most desperate and transparent attempt to try and stop the Gurus getting the justice they deserve, and being kicked out of their position.
Unless PADA can prove that the names he has assigned to the article are genuine, we do not even have any idea who it is who has fabricated these allegations. They could have come from Jayapataka, the devotees in Mayapur or even PADA himself. That the 'authors' of the article are against the IRM anti-GBC campaign is also evident by the following statement: 

"Of course, Mahajan has rejected JPS now & is the ONLY signer for IRG in the famous law suit filed in the Calcutta High Court by Adri to FORCEFULLY keep Srila Prabhupada as the only disksa guru of ISKCON." 
(As if this 'force' is supposed to be a bad thing. They could just as easily complain that courts also 'forces' thieves to hand back the money they steal!) 

It should be noted that the article in question has a conspicuous absence of any detail - no contact details for the so -called 'authors', no name of the 'victim', indeed we are suspiciously told not even to ask for that, neither are there any precise details regarding the events that were supposed to have happened. Indeed the few details that the article does offer can immediately be proven false: 

So let us get this straight. We have an allegation from an unknown and unverified source on behalf of another unknown and unverified source, alleging child abuse without no supporting details what to speak of any evidence, and what little details have been provided have ALL been proven to be false. And on this basis I am supposed to withdraw the court case against the GBC! Nice try by PADA's new-found GBC friends, but I am sorry to disappoint both PADA and them, whoever they are, that its not going to work.

If they provide some details that actually have some correspondence with reality then I will certainly investigate. But what am I supposed to investigate! Who can I interview? No information has been supplied except to say that the crime occurred in the apartment in which I live, and that I must disrupt the court case against the GBC! These unknown 'sources' also contradictingly state that the 'gurukuli' will only reveal himself to people he can trust - but that they are more than happy to co-operate with the Windle Turley law-suit. Then why haven't they already gone straight to the lawyers and presented the facts and details to them? I am sure they would have been more than happy to assist. Why are they instead more interested in just using smear tactics hoping I would be frightened into dropping the court case against the GBC?

We are sorry to have sullied this newsletter by defending this ridiculous claim - but it is worth it to show the depths that PADA has now sunk to in his desperation to attack the IRM. He will print and make up anything as long as he can attack us, even if it means the GBC escaping justice. Please look out for the following 'exclusive revelations' from PADA:

'Adri was real gunman who shot JFK'. 'IRM sacrifice goats to Goddess Kali During Mangal Arti.' 
Need we say more!

Having seen how PADA is happy to help STOP a court case that is DEFENDING Srila Prabhupada, he is however at the same time more than happy to SUPPORT a court case that ATTACKS Srila Prabhupada. The recent Windle Turley Gurukuli lawsuit contains the following horrendous and most disgusting claim:

Further this charge is listed in section IV B as an an example of the 'Abuse Inflicted' along with anal sex and other horrible crimes. And what does PADA think about this great blasphemy:

If PADA is happy to minimise the charge - that Srila Prabhupada knew about all the horrible abuse that was occuring, and did nothing about it but rather hid it, and that his action is itself an example of the 'abuse inflicted' which therefore would make Srila Prabhupada himself guilty of abuse - as just being 'nominal', I wonder what nasty slander against Srila Prabhupada one would actually have to make in order for him to take it seriously!  Puranjana has not hid the fact that he is happy with the Turley Windle lawsuit: 

So to make Srila Prabhupada the chief accessory to these horrible crimes is a 'good start' according to PADA. Nothing surprising there since we have seen how eager he is to implicate anyone as an accessory just to fuel his own anger, having already accused me of being an accessory to Srila Prabhupada's murder. Thus we can see that in the above two cases, that firstly PADA is more than happy to sacrifice Srila Prabhupada being re-instated as the Guru for ISKCON so that I can be attacked, and now he is happy to sacrifice Srila Prabhupada's reputation just so the GBC are attacked. It seems he is a confused and immoral character who will back any unsubstantiated allegation, be it against Srila Prabhupada or his Godbrothers, simply to give vent to whatever anger he happens to be feeling at that particular time. 

He has tried to justify why the Gurukulis may want to blame Srila Prabhupada for their troubles, but what is HIS excuse for not defending Srila Prabhupada against this horrible blasphemy? Maybe PADA would be better off being re-named the Prabhupada DEFAMATION Association 

Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter, and please keep your letters, and e-mail addresses of other devotees who should be added to our list, flowing in. A hard copy of our main position paper 'The Final Order' is available on request. 
All other IRM papers can be accessed through the EDITORIAL SECTION of the IRM website at http://come.to/irm If you would like to receive any of the back issues of the Newsletter please let me know.

No 1. Invitation to Srila Prabhupada's Vyasa Puja
No 2. GBC Lose First Round of Court Case 
No 3. The Story VNN Refused to Publish 
No 4. Poison Theorists Accuse Adri of Complicity 
No 5. Iskcon Continues to Promote Child Abusers 
No 6. Invitation to Malaysia 
No 7. United World Body Formed 
No 8. Does Srila Prabhupada Support Poisoning Theory?
No 9. PADA Attacks IRM Position 
No 10. PADA Continues to Present False Evidence 
No 11. GBC Funded Video says Ritvik Spiritual 
No 12. Child Rapist Selected by Gurus to Defend their Legitimacy 
No 13. GBC Facing Perjury Charge in Calcutta High Court 
No 14. Sahajiyism Makes a Comeback in Iskcon.
No 15. Govt. Minister Inaugurates Bangalore Rathayatra 
No 16. Iskcon Calcutta Triumphs Following Arson Attack 
No 17. Fighting Lies with Truth Not More Lies
No 18. GBC Resolutions Continue to Provide Laughter
No 19. Indian Leaders Endorse IRM Position That GBC Confused 
No 20. Convicted Child Abuser Officially 'Returns' To Parampara
No 21. GBC Chairman Admits ISKCON 'Disintegrating' 
No 22. Krishna Confirms ISKCON Re-Birth

Your comments, questions and feedback are appreciated. Please write to me at adri@cwcom.net
Your Servant, Adridharan das