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Foreword to Gold, Guns and God, Vol. 10

Letter to Bhaktipada from the Author (June 19, 2004)

“Do The Right Thing,” a lecture by Swami Bhaktipada (June 25, 2004)

Gold, Guns and God, Vol. 10: No. One in Amazon Hot New Releases

SUMMARY: Volume 10—THE FINAL PASTIMES

Volume 10 of Gold, Guns and God covers a fifteen-year time span roughly from 1996 to 2011. Chapter 103 discusses the return of New Vrindaban to ISKCON, and some of the demands ISKCON placed upon the West Virginia Krishna community in order to once again be part of ISKCON. Chapter 104 deals with Kirtanananda Swami Bhaktipada’s eight-year prison term, and some of the difficulties he and his disciples endured during that time.

Chapter 105 tells of Bhaktipada’s release from prison and his return to his joyous disciples at the New York City Interfaith Sanctuary. I attended this festive event; but also observed that not all the relations between my godbrothers and sisters were joyous. Bhaktipada himself helped create more chaos when he was accused of attempting to fondle the genitals of a visiting young man. The temple residents split into two camps: those who believed the allegation to be malicious rumor and those who believed the allegation as fact. Those latter devotees attempted to evict Bhaktipada from the building.

Chapter 106 describes Bhaktipada’s abandonment of the United States, where most of his formerly-loyal disciples and followers had deserted him. Bhaktipada and his sycophant Radha-Vrindaban Chandra Swami emigrated to India where they were greeted by thousands of adoring disciples and followers, who believed the accusations against him were lies and falsehoods. Their faith in their “spiritual master” was firm and their conviction that he was a divine being who could save them from material calamity was fixed.

Chapter 107 describes Bhaktipada’s last three-and-a-half years of life, living as an honored guest of his disciples in India, until his death on October 24, 2011. Yet his adventure was not finished, as Chapter 108 describes the mis-adventures his deceased body endured while his disciple and followers attempted to find a suitable resting place (samadhi) for their master’s corpse. For a time, Bhaktipada’s body lay in an ice-filled plywood coffin at a cow shed, as the Vrindaban Radha-Gokulananda Mandir (where his well-meaning but ignorant disciples hoped to construct a samadhi for their deceased master near the samadhis of the great Vaishnava acharyas Lokanath Goswami, Narottama dasa Thakur and Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur) refused to grant them permission.

Finally a property was found for sale and purchased to protect the remains of the Founder/Acharya of the Eternal Order of the League of Devotees Worldwide for all eternity, but it was hardly an auspicious site, as the property was situated between the Yamuna River and the Parikram Road and the property sometimes flooded during the monsoon season. In death, as in life, Bhaktipada was plagued by setbacks, many created by his own activities.

TABLE OF CONTENTS—VOLUME 10: THE FINAL PASTIMES

Chapter 103: New Vrindaban Readmitted to ISKCON

New Vrindaban hosts ISKCON festivals
Radhanath Swami returns to ISKCON
Radhanath accused of conspiring to murder Sulochan
Kuladri returns to New Vrindaban
Two child molesters living at New Vrindaban
ISKCON pressures New Vrindaban to expel Sri-Galim
Sri-Galim leaves New Vrindaban
Prabhupada’s Palace in disrepair
Gas drilling at New Vrindaban
Fracking controversy
Bhaktipada’s interfaith “friends”

Chapter 104: Behind Prison Bars

Bhaktipada’s cell mate accuses him of making sexual advances
Bhaktipada transferred to Springfield, Missouri
Bhaktipada’s judge has heart surgery; dies
Bhaktipada remains upbeat
Bhaktipada’s sentence reduced
New York City Interfaith Sanctuary remains loyal to Bhaktipada
Interfaith guest rooms
New Vaikuntha: Upstate New York retreat
Bhaktipada transferred to North Carolina
Bhaktipada’s disciples visit him in Butner, North Carolina
Bhaktipada’s acronyms: TYKPMAII and WCP
RVC Swami evicted from Brooklyn ISKCON temple by abused former gurukuli boy
Inter-Vaishnava harinama
ISKCON Child Protection Office brands Kirtanananda dasa: confirmed pedophile

Chapter 105: Return to New York City

I visit my former “spiritual master”
Bhaktipada seeks forgiveness
The greatest disease: tasting absolute power
Bhaktipada finally admits
Bhaktipada continues to inspire hundreds of loyal disciples
Indian and Pakistani disciples remain faithful
“Saint Bhaktipada”
Vyasa-puja book homages
ISKCON devotees invited to live at Interfaith Sanctuary
Bhaktipada accused of attempting to fondle a visiting male guest
Most of Bhaktipada’s New York disciples abandon him
ISKCON takes over Interfaith Sanctuary
ISKCON take over contested in court

Chapter 106: Passage, O Soul, to India!

Bhaktipada visits Rishikesh
Bhaktipada visits Ulhasnagar
Bhaktipada moves to India permanently
Reactions mixed
Bhaktipada retires completely
Bhaktipada’s “Palace of Love”
Bhaktipada in Ulhasnagar
Bhaktipada resumes writing books
Humbler than a blade of grass
Bhaktipada’s most obsequious sycophant
Bhaktipada visits Nagpur
Bhaktipada’s 72^nd birthday celebration in Rishikesh
Bhaktipada visits Ambajogai, Parli Baijnath and Majalgaon
Vrindaban pilgrimage
Bhaktipada in Pakistan
Bhaktipada attends Rishikesh Ratha Yatra
Bhaktipada visits Shangri La Resort and Water Park
Bhaktipada visits Badrinath
Bhaktipada’s disciple accused of scandal
Bhaktipada’s 73^rd birthday celebration
Bhaktipada visits United Arab Emirates
Bhaktipada’s young servant passes away
Bhaktipada visits Goa

Chapter 107: Last Days

Bhaktipada diagnosed with cancer
Bhaktipada’s last days
Bhaktipada back in Jupiter Hospital
The “spiritual master” departs—permanently

Chapter 108: Six Feet Under

Radha Gokulananda Mandir
Bhaktipada’s corpse refused at Radha Gokulananda Mandir
At the Mohini Gosala cowshed
Burial plot purchased
Radhanath Swami offers respects
Bhaktipada is buried
A temporary samadhi erected
Bhaktipada’s successor continues his lineage

Images

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the Founder/Acharya of ISKCON, seated under a maple tree, surrounded by Tulasi plants, outside the Bahulaban temple, New Vrindaban (August 31, 1972).

ISKCON sannyasi and guru Bhakti Caru Swami leads kirtan at Prabhupada’s Palace. New Vrindaban at that time inquires about returning to ISKCON (June 8, 1994).

Kirtan at Prabhupada’s Palace with Radhanath Swami, Bhakti Caru Swami, Nityodita Swami, and Brijabasis (June 8, 1994).

Bhaktipada in prison.

Bhaktipada with disciples and followers at the entrance to the Interfaith Sanctuary at 25 First Avenue, New York City.

Bhaktipada and the author at the Interfaith Sanctuary (June 17, 2004).

Bhaktipada during a visit to Pakistan (c. December 2007).

Bhaktipada at the Interfaith Sanctuary holding his newly-published book, Humbler than a Blade of Grass. (March 4, 2008)

Cover of Bhaktipada’s book, Humbler than a Blade of Grass. (2008)

The author, Adi Purusha, and Bhaktipada at the Interfaith Sanctuary (March 4, 2008).

Bapuji honors Bhaktipada in India by offering him pada puja.

Bapuji and Bhaktipada. (publicity photo)

Bhaktipada passes out cookies to his disciples and followers.

Bhaktipada’s three right-hand men: Bapuji, RVC Swami and Bhakti Yoga Swami.

Bhaktipada at the altar of Gaura Nitai.

Bhaktipada and RVC Swami.

Bhaktipada wears a flower-adorned crown.

Bhaktipada and disciples on excursion.

Bhaktipada and his personal servant, Satyavrata.

Satyavrata cries tears of joy and sorrow while embracing his beloved master during a visit with Bhaktipada in the hospital.

Bhaktipada, back at the Ulhasnagar temple.

Bhaktipada and disciples in Ulhasnagar. Mother Steady is at top left.

Bhakti Aloka Paramadwaiti Swami, holding a charango (and Andean string instrument), offers respects to Bhaktipada’s body in a small house on Radha Gokulananda Mandir property.

A mourner gerts a close up photo at the Mohini Gosala cow shed.

At the Mohini Gosala cow shed.

At the Mohini Gosala cow shed.

Mourners pay their respects at the Mohini Gosala cow shed.

A steady stream of water flows from the melted ice in Bhaktipada’s coffin into a stainless steel bucket at the Mohini Gosala cow shed.

RVC Swami at the Mohini Gosala cow shed.

Gopal Krishna Goswami, Radhanath Swami, and Panchagauda dasa offer prostrated obeisances to Bhaktipada’s body at the Mohini Gosala cow shed.

Radhanath Swami offers a flower garland to Bhaktipada’s body at the Mohini Gosala cow shed.

Bhaktipada’s tomb in his corrugated tin “samadhi” in the Radha Bagh section of the Parikrama Marg.

Bhaktipada’s corrugated tin “samadhi” on the Parikrama Marg.

Bhaktipada’s corrugated tin “samadhi” on the Parikrama Marg.

Bhaktipada’s billboard on the Parikrama Marg.

Bhaktipada’s “samadhi”-under-construction on the Parikrama Marg.

This appears to be a clay model for the murti (statue) of Kirtanananda Swami Bhaktipada.

Murtis (statues) of Kirtanananda Swami Bhaktipada and Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada at Anand Vrindavan Dhama in Ulhasnagar, India.

Marble monument at Radha Damodar Mandir commemorating Bhakti Yoga Swami (1950-2017) and Kirtanananda Swami Bhaktipada (1937-2011).

Bhaktipada’s “samadhi”-under-construction on the Parikrama Marg.

Bhaktipada’s “samadhi”-under-construction on the Parikrama Marg.

Bhaktipada’s “samadhi”-under-construction on the Parikrama Marg.

Bhaktipada’s “samadhi”-under-construction on the Parikrama Marg (July 1, 2023).

Bhaktipada’s ashram-under-construction adjacent to his “samadhi” on the Parikrama Marg (July 1, 2023).

Aroti at Bhaktipada’s “samadhi”-under-construction on the Parikrama Marg (July 1, 2023).

READER’S LETTERS

June 23, 2023

I highly recommend Gold, Guns and God, Vol. 10. Although Henry Doktorski proclaims his appreciation for [fine] whiskey, his writing is both sobering and insightful.

Gold, Guns and God, Vol. 10, explains that Srila Prabhupada promised to rescue Kirtanananda: “Regarding Kirtanananda, I cannot allow him to become Keith again. He is my spiritual son and I shall never allow him to fall down. When I return I shall drag him forcibly and make all right again.”

The statement quoted above reveals Srila Prabhupada’s good intentions, but I do not literally believe he could forcibly make Kirtanananda “all right.” Srila Prabhupada was not in a position to take away Kirtanananda’s free will. Kirtanananda was messed up, and it was his own damn fault that he was messed up. Obviously, I do not agree with Srila Prabhupada’s decision to reinstate Kirtanananda because I studied Doktorski’s history of New Vrindaban. In my view, Kirtanananda did not properly use the spiritual opportunities Srila Prabhupada gave him. I have the benefit of hindsight.

I don’t want to give away the storyline, but I must mention that Doktorski’s February 22, 2003 letter to Kirtanananda is one of the more fascinating aspects of Gold, Guns and God, Vol. 10. I also learned quite a bit from reading about Malati and Tirtha’s defense of Radhanath when he was accused of conspiring to murder Sulochan.

When Kirtanananda died, he was surrounded by loving disciples. In sharp contrast, it is likely that Srila Prabhupada’s “followers” poisoned him. Is it correct to say that Kirtanananda was somehow more virtuous than Srila Prabhupada because the former died under better circumstances? No, I do not believe that is a correct inference.

Is it possible that Kirtanananda, in his last dying breath, truly surrendered to Krishna? We will never know for certain, but we can assess the likelihood, beginning with the grotesque information given in Doktorski’s first volume of the Gold, Guns and God series. Gold, Guns and God, Vol. 1 reveals the filthy lifestyle of Kirtanananda with disturbing clarity. Depravity and perversion were deeply ingrained in the psyche of Kirtanananda to such an extreme degree as to make it impossible for him to suddenly renounce his twisted sexuality. In my view, the man described in Gold, Guns and God, Vol. 1 is the same man presented in Volume 2 (Gold, Guns and God, Vol. 2) and all of the remaining volumes. Deeply embedded wickedness, such as the kind chronicled in Gold, Guns and God, Vol.1, does not suddenly vanish.

Gold, Guns and God, Vol. 9 explains that Bhaktipada Kirtanananda “did not adopt an attitude of sincere humility and true contrition after he was discovered having sex with teenagers because he had absolutely no intention of restraining his sexual enjoyment of boys and young men. He had become addicted to sex, just as he had thirty years earlier in New York City in the early 1960s.”

Gold, Guns and God, Vol. 10 reveals how Bhaktipada Kirtanananda, with help from his loyalists, engineered a situation that allowed him to keep on sinning while being revered as the holiest of the holy.

It seems unlikely that Bhaktipada Kirtanananda ever truly surrendered to Krishna. But I will never know for certain his consciousness at death, nor can I predict my own when that moment comes. Hare Krishna.

Chand Prasad (Suresh Persaud)
Maryland, USA

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June 30, 2023

And so, the story and life of Keith Ham finally comes to an ignoble end.

For the eleven previous volumes (counting Killing For Krishna and Eleven Naked Emperors) the reader is taken through quite a spectacular story worthy of a Netflix documentary. Through this Decalogue-plus-two, we are offered a front row seat to the tragic life that was Keith Ham’s along with the community he helped build (and eventually destroy in the cruelest fashion) in West Virginia.

With this concluding volume to the saga I find myself reflecting on so many questions. Most of them have been answered in these volumes. The author has helped me better understand that this tragedy called New Vrindaban is still a human story, which implies endless contradictions, dramas, and imperfections. The subject of accountability has always fascinated me.

As I read each volume I wondered what real accountability looks like for leaders in any capacity and for ourselves. The answer to that question came as a most pleasant surprise in this volume. The author shares a letter that implores Keith Ham to consider holding himself accountable for all the pain he has caused. In a spectacular and direct message, the author offers a blueprint for what holding anyone accountable entails. It suggests coming clean about all his deeds and who he is as a person to all he had offended. After all, Keith preached to “do the right thing.” Apparently, this did not apply to him. Considering his crimes, being a hypocrite is probably one of the more flattering adjectives he earned in his lifetime.

In the larger context that is ISKCON, here I was naively thinking (I consider myself extremely naive) that since child sexual abuse was so rampant in the gurukulas of the 70s and 80s, the problem today would be totally under control and children fully protected within the ISKCON Society. To learn it continues is baffling. But, is it really? Many times Prabhupada suggested that the spiritual master is beyond scrutiny. The alarm bells went off immediately after reading this. “Even if your spiritual master goes to a liquor store, he must have some purpose in going there.” Are you kidding me? This sets up a horrific precedent and a framework Keith Ham used to perpetuate abuse, criminal activities, and sexual deviance. Never mind seeing a “Swami” go into a liquor store; let’s use a real life example from New Vrindaban’s unfortunate history—how about watching Keith Ham performing oral sex on your husband? What should this devotee’s wife think? She saw it with her own eyes, but has to assume Keith Ham must have a good purpose for blowing her husband? Disturbing.

I relate to Suresh Persaud’s sentiment of sadness after reading Volume Ten. After Keith departed the USA, he left a legacy of crime, corruption, divisiveness, pain, deep emotional wounds, and a spiritually devastated community. Yet, he retired to a life of comfort and adoration. Spending his remaining days in prison would have been more fitting for this character. However, that he still had blind followers in India and Pakistan speaks volumes to what fanaticism looks like.

The similarities of this story to that of Osho, Jim Jones, Fidel Castro, Keith Raniere, Hitler and others makes for the compelling observation that they all used the same playbook. Create an infallible image, an environment where the leader cannot be questioned, and if you challenge the leader, there is something wrong with you (gas lighting anyone?) This playbook is old and well-known, yet Keith Ham is proof of its effectiveness.

The Director of ISKCON Communications recently stated that “ISKCON devotees need to quit thinking they’re immune to the same frailties, sins, and corruption that tempt every person and plague every community. It’s time to wake up.” This urgent message is equally applicable to child protection issues as well as dealing with corrupt leaders. Turns out, to the disappointment of many, ISKCON is equally susceptible to the same con employed by leaders all over the world. Sadly, not only was the same playbook used by leaders, the responses from Keith Ham loyalists also regurgitate the same ideas as others who support their corrupt leader: “People who do great things always attract criticism, the critics are just envious,” “look at all the good he did,” etc.

I will always wonder two things—how ISKCON would have fared had Prabhupada not accepted Keith Ham back in 1968 after Keith got the boot the first time. Also, how New Vrindaban would have turned out if Keith Ham would have put God in the center instead of himself.

Pedro Ramos
Atlanta, Georgia

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July 1, 2023

Hi Pedro,

All of your reviews are brilliant, especially your review of Gold, Guns and God, Vol. 10.

The standard playbook works because human nature does not change. The leader-follower dynamic is intrinsic to human nature, in my opinion. Charismatic individuals will, for the foreseeable future, continue to shape reality, as they have throughout history.

If ISKCON never existed, people might have just joined a different cult—some other cult(s) would likely have come into existence to fill the void in people’s lives. Individuals such as Kirtanananda rise to power because of enabling environmental factors. Does the man make the times, or do the times make the man? A combination of the two it seems, although intelligent observers of the human condition will always debate which predominates.

How would ISKCON have fared if Srila Prabhupada had not reinstated Bhaktipada Kirtanananda (Keith Ham)? Based on my interpretation of Eleven Naked Emperors, my guess is that ISKCON would NOT have been significantly better. ISKCON’s problems are systemic in nature. And Kirtanananda was just one of the naked emperors. Also, besides the 11 self-effulgent expansions of Srila Prabhupada, ISKCON had plenty of other ambitious megalomaniacs who would have filled the power vacuum if Kirtanananda never existed.

Henry Doktorski cast me into a mild misanthropic depression when he published Gold, Guns and God, Vol. 10. But I will try to pull myself up a bit by recalling something I wrote for Gold, Guns and God, Vol. 9. Studies of corrupt, authoritarian regimes have dissuaded countless numbers of individuals from putting their trust in ideologies that discourage critical thinking. People who refuse to surrender to cult-like groups (because they have indeed learned from history) are rarely publicized in the media, meaning that their rational decisions almost never become part of recorded history. And historians such as Henry Doktorski who publish cautionary treatises are not properly credited for steering individuals away from blindly accepting authority.

Hare Krishna.

Chand Prasad (Suresh Persaud)
Maryland, USA

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July 1, 2023

While I’m visiting Vrindaban India, even though I’m sick this late afternoon, I decided to go out and find KEITH’s samadhi. I went to the Radha Damodar temple and looked around and found Hansadutta’s little [puspa] samadhi [monument]. In the room that Prabhupada used to occupy before coming to America, there was there a devotee who knew where the samadhi was. It cost me a thousand rupees for a riksha and 500 rupees for a guide, and I finally found it just before sunset. It’s not just a samadhi, but they are building a temple over it and rooms for his devotees to stay. I gave a 500 rupees donation to the disciple of Keith, a nice man called Raghunath. He let me film and take pictures. What I would not do for you my brother Henry! I will look and send pictures when I get home. I am still sick like a dog.

July 1, 2023

I am in the Delhi airport. It was a very weird feeling to be in this unfinished temple with Keith’s samadhi: full size 6 feet long, 3 feet wide. They ran out of money, his disciple Raghunath told me, but they are planning something grand: marble exterior. Hope your books will be printed in Hindi. It would be a shame to see ignorant pilgrims lining up to offer obeisances to this murderer and vile pedophile.

Other ISKCON gurus have small samadhis, but Keith’s disciples are planning a full temple for health with a few dozen guest rooms.

Keith’s disciple Raghunath met Keith in Pakistan many years ago. A very very sweet guy, but also brainwashed and totally uninformed. Do you have any HINDI BOOKS as yet? Looks urgent to me to inform Indian people.

Anyway, I had a very strange feeling to have finally got to his samadhi and Raghunath telling me: “Please let’s walk three times around the samadhi.” Naturally, it was impossible to PISS ON IT! (like I hoped).

July 5, 2023

I will be making a personal video about this, when I feel better. I am outraged that they are trying to build such a grand samadhi for this murderer, monster pedophile. SO sad it would be to see people worshipping him in death.

I think that you should write a book, or booklet, about a RESUMÉ of Keith’s crimes: The murders, the pedophilia, the racketeering, misuse of women, lettng the cows of New Vrindaban die of starvation, on and on, and find a person that can translate that book into Hindi.

You might be missing your biggest market: INDIA. When I was in South India, I watched a documentary in HINDI (but could understand the basics). It was about Swami Bhaktivedanta possibly being poisoned by his own disciples. Many HINDUS do not like ISKCON. As I said, YOU MIGHT BE MISSING YOUR BIGGEST READERS by not publishing in HINDI.

That KEITH samadhi should not be allowed to open and mislead ignorant Indians who will worship any samadhi if they are told this GUY WAS A TRUE SAINT.

July 11, 2023

Just got out of hospital (was in for 6 days). Had a very bad pneumonia, still weak.

July 24, 2023

Here’s a link to my new video about Keith’s “samadhi.” THE SCANDALOUS KIRTANANANDA SWAMI (Keith Ham ) SAMADHI IN VRINDAVAN INDIA.

Henri Jolicoeur
Montreal, Quebec

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