Update: November 22, 2025: The Disastrous Decade rises to No. 12 in Amazon’s Best Sellers in History of Hinduism.

Readers’s Letters

December 4, 2025:

Henry,

Today I received your new book, The Disastrous Decade. I read it in one sitting. Please allow me to comment.

Reading your book brought back memories of my time in ISKCON. I knew several of the main characters in your book. I began going to the Dallas temple in 1975. I moved in during the summer of 1976. I lived there and served the temple authorities for twelve years, although I never met an ISKCON guru who inspired me to take diksa initiation.

The ISKCON “Guru” Tamal Krishna Goswami

Speaking of ISKCON gurus, in The Disastrous Decade I notice you give half of an entire chapter, the chapter titled “Two Architects of Evil,” to Tamal Krishna Goswami. Once I gave a nice pocket watch to Tamal Krsna. He and I walked alone and he told me, “It’s obvious that I am your guru.” I simply listened. I had little attraction, whatsoever. I felt he was a bit of a bully.

Once I attended a class that TKG was giving. It was during the time when Bhavananda, another ISKCON “guru,” had been disciplined by the GBC for illicit sex with men and boys. During his class, TKG stood up for Bhavananda, telling the devotees what wonderful classes Bhavananda gave and that none of us measured up to Bhavananda. TKG attacked the listeners as if we were responsible for Bhavananda’s sinful activities. I also bought TKG a grandfather clock!!! He loved it.

Kanupriya, my Bhakta Leader

In your book, you also mention Kanupriya, who in 1981 was the first ISKCON devotee to take sannyasa from Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Maharaja in Navadvipa, India. I knew him. Kanupriya was my Bhakta Leader in Dallas around 1976. He has a checkered past, including allegedly raping a female temple devotee.

I know this from speaking with a Satsvarupa disciple, Narayan Kavacha, at the Dallas temple about 20 years ago. Narayan had just met with his previous devotee wife that had left the movement. She explained why she had left: she had been raped by Kanupriya. The rape occurred before Kanupriya’s infatuation with B. R. Sridhar Maharaja, in the late 70s. I couldn't believe Kanupriya was such a fake.

After his involvement with Sridhar Maharaja, Kanupriya came to the Dallas airport to sell books. TKG sent a couple of devotees to the airport to beat him up. I knew the devotees. They failed in the fight and Kanupriya escaped.

Narayan Kavacha, who was married to the woman who accused Kanupriya of raping her, is a Satsvarupa disciple. He currently has his own program in Mexico. He, too, is a bully. Narayan Kavacha was working in conjunction with Satsvarupa, but ran into a bigger bully (Satsvarupa) and lost. He had to flee Satsvarupa’s presence and went to Mexico.

Here’s another. X dasa (I don’t want you to mention his name) told me his best devotee friend had been a sannyasi. When the zonal acharya frauds took over ISKCON back in 1978, his sannyasi friend was instructed by the zonals that he had to go through the new gurus to connect with Prabhupada. He was a direct disciple of Prabhupada, but now he was told he had no more connection with his guru, he had to surrender to one of the new ISKCON “gurus.” He couldn’t handle that, so he blew his brains out.

On another note, not too long ago, X dasa offered me diksa. He said he wanted to become an ISKCON guru and accept disciples. His plan was to become a guru. During conversation later, I told him I have a wonderful girlfriend. He told me he realized that rather than becoming a guru what he really needs is a good wife!!! Haha!

Bad beef with ISKCON

I have lots of beef with ISKCON. As I mentioned earlier, I began going to the Dallas temple in 1975. I moved in during the summer of 1976. At that time life in the brahmachari ashram was amazingly disciplined. We had sleeping bags and all slept on the floor. I was an innocent kid, never had sex or been intimate with a woman. I recall my Bhakta Leader, Kanupriya, telling me, “Bhakta Mark, if you have to speak to a woman, you should look at her feet.” Also, I had a wet dream one night and mentioned it to the Bhakta Leader. He told me I wasn’t controlling my mind well enough.

In your book, I found it interesting how Ravindra Svarupa, the leader of the Guru Reform Movement, was a protester, until being accepted into the ranks he fought against. Nori Muster, a former ISKCON devotee and author of the book Betrayal of the Spirit, and I talked about that one time.

In your book, you also mention Mahabuddhi, who was the temple president in Dallas for a time. I knew Mahabuddhi. Maha was controversial in Dallas in the following manner: he received a paycheck for his service.

I had dealings also with Dhristadyumna, who was a hard core sannyasi. Around 1986, he had me take him to the airport. TKG was flying in the next day. Dhristadyumna escaped TKG, they no longer saw eye to eye. TKG called me in to see him upon his arrival. I simply told him the truth, that I had taken Dhristadyumna Swami to the airport. TKG found it humorous. Dhristadyumna is part of the Smirnoff family. His sister was a part of the sex cult busted in New York City.

Stolen stereo system

Here’s another incident: I often visited Dhrstadyumna Swami, as he had an open door policy with me. He enjoyed listening to music, so I suggested I loan him my stereo system with ReVox reel-to-reel tape recorder. Loaned! Haha! I mentioned earlier that due to his conflict with TKG, he left the Dallas temple. I found after his leaving he had given my stereo away to another swami, I don’t remember his name. My stereo system ended up at the 1,400-acre ISKCON farm in Oklahoma, located in the Red River Valley.

I, with a friend, drove north a hundred miles to get back my stereo system. I confronted the swami and told him I wanted my stereo back. His response, “Mark, you cannot give to Krishna and then take it back.” I told him I would drive up to the newspaper as well as the police and get their opinion on the matter. I got my stereo back.

Mark’s ReVox reel-to-reel tape recorder.

Mark’s stereo system.

Life Membership Rip Off

During my time serving ISKCON in Dallas, I found the temple authorities extremely ungrateful and even dishonest. For example, my family was invited to become Life Members of ISKCON. It was explained to us that the program had different levels of donation, the more you donated the more perks you received.

My mother donated $1,250 for membership in 1976 or 1977, I believe that was the highest level of membership. For that amount we would receive all of the books as well as be able to travel and stay at different temples. Other perks may have been offered.

A bit of time passed before we called to get our collection of ISKCON books. Upon calling the Los Angeles Office for Life Membership I was told there was no record of our joining. A total rip off. I imagine someone in Dallas just pocketed our money.

Dallas ISKCON Lawn Care Rip Off

In addition, I owned and operated a lawn care business in Dallas by the name of Pro Turf Management. I did the business for 15 years. I spent two days each week, for two years, professionally maintaining the property of the Dallas temple. That comes to 208 days of hard work. I spent at least 8 hours each day. I was stunned, not a single person ever said hello, thank you, nothing. Ever.

Let me explain: In 1986, I approached the temple president of Dallas, Naveen Krsna. I told Naveen I would offer my devotional service to maintain the Dallas community in regards to the lawns. He was delighted with my offer. I told him that we would need to buy a large mower for commercial size properties. We agreed upon that and decided to purchase a Gravely mower. In 1986 the machine cost $3,300. I told Naveen I would pay for half of the mower. Bhakta Rupa used his credit to purchase the mower and we made monthly payments for two years. I am a very responsible person, all of my payments were made before they were due.

I maintained the ISKCON temple property for two years. It was grueling work, in the Texas heat and humidity. I am also responsible when it comes to work and my lawn care work was outstanding. In business terms, I would have charged $30,000 a year for maintaining a property like that. I was there every week without fail, in sickness or in health, for better or for worse. I provided the truck and the other equipment, lawnmowers, weed-eaters, blowers, hedge trimmers, etc. I paid for all maintenance of the equipment.

During those two years of devotional service—tough service—I never had a single person from the temple greet me, say hello, Hare Krsna; nothing. I couldn’t believe it. I felt like a slave toiling for an ungrateful master. It was difficult to finish the two-year task.

I did complete what I had agreed to do, and after doing so Naveen Krsna asked me to come to his house. I went and we sat down. He told me that upon looking he found out that the temple had not made a single payment, their half of the lawnmower. He sat there and asked me if I would pay the other half! I couldn’t believe it. I could not believe it. I told him, “No!” I walked out and left the temple in 1987.

When I mentioned this lawn mower story to my devotee friend X dasa earlier this year, he simply said that that was my karma. That place—Dallas ISKCON—tore my life up: horrid.

A Gravely lawn mower.

ISKCON devotees unsuitable for employment?

Here’s another story which reveals the “exemplary” quality of ISKCON devotees. One time Gopal Bhatta visited the Dallas temple. In fact, I believe he lived in Dallas for a bit. I met him in Los Angeles when he was involved there. He worked closely with Ramesvara. Gopal is a highly successful businessman with retail shops. Clothing, I believe.

On his visit to Dallas, he told the devotees that when it came to his business, he wouldn’t hire a single one of them as employees. Hilarious but truthful! Once, I let a couple devotees work with me in my lawn business. I discovered they would have preferred not working, and me simply giving them money out of my pocket.

I leave ISKCON

Years later, Naveen Krishna left Dallas ISKCON, where he had served as Temple President. At that exact moment when he left, I was walking on the sidewalk. He stopped his car, rolled down the driver’s side window, and shouted to me, “Mark, get the monkey off your back and leave here.”

This is how it happened: Naveen Krishna had been the president of the Dallas temple during the mid- to late-1980s. He had conflicts within the community and, along with his family, decided to move to a Florida temple. As he and his family were leaving the Dallas community, he stopped at a corner and talked to me. He said, “Mark, get the monkey off your back and get out of here.” I did and left ISKCON.

Unfortunately, I returned to Dallas ISKCON 40 years later and found it a mistake. I realized during the second week that I was simply repeating the same mistake over and over. Now I’m back in New Mexico and quite I’m happy.

Transcendental Experiences

Why did I go back to ISKCON? There’s only one reason. I had mystical realizations while chanting the Holy Names. Once, when I was sitting by the small river in Gita Nagari chanting, a veil was lifted momentarily in my mind: the veil of Maya. Schopenhauer, the philosopher, spoke of the veil of Maya. He doubted he could penetrate the veil, but somehow I had surpassed Schopenhauer. At the time, I was super austere. I fasted for a month; pushed myself hard.

At another time, while chanting with a devotee friend, I had another mind-blowing experience: it was as if the mind had dropped off. This was a real experience of being here now. None of the crap people talk about being here in the present. This was the real thing: no past or future—only now. It was a mystical experience.

I had never spoken to anyone of these realizations, but earlier this year told my friend, X dasa. He said I was brilliant.

Update (December 5, 2025): Since you published my essay, my friend X dasa has written to me four times on Facebook Messenger, and I don’t want to look at it. I don’t want to be hearing stuff, such as me being a demon. During my years at the Dallas temple I was never offensive. Never said a bad thing to a person there. I gave a lot of money and labor. One person sent me a friend request from your site. Honestly, I’m not interested in being friends with anyone from ISKCON. I prefer to have ISKCON a part of the past. I never had any friends there, as I mentioned, despite all my activity there I never received even a phone call.

Mark Middaugh, M.L.I.S.
(Masters degree in Library Information Science)
New Mexico

P. S. Good luck with your new book, The Disastrous Decade. It should be in every ISKCON devotee’s library. I will recommend it to everyone I meet.

Mark says: “The last time I had a haircut was 1976. I’ve had a shaved head for 50 years!”

November 29, 2025: Hare Krishna PRABHUJI!

I received your new book, The Disastrous Decade, just now. Thank you. It Looks great! I can’t wait to sit down later in the day to read it. This book is what I’ve been dreaming about for the past 4 years. Finally, it’s here. The size & price both are great. Perfect for mass distribution. I’ll start ordering more copies for distribution here.

One quick question: since majority of people in north India prefer to read in their mother tongue, Hindi, do you have any plans of getting it translated into Hindi for bigger audiences??

All glories to your bold fearless & priceless service to Lord Krishna by educating ignorant fools worldwide about the REAL Hidden History of the Hare Krishna “HEROES”!

Thank you & Haribol🙏

Ram Parashar
Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, India

Ram Parashar

November 19, 2025:

Good cover. The Zonal Acarya period is a nightmarish period every long-time ISKCON devotee will never forget.

Isvara dasa
former disciple of Kirtanananda Swami
Vrindaban, India

Isvara dasa