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Someone Has Poisoned Me - Part 8
BY: NITYANANDA DAS
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The Facts About Srila Prabhupada's Poisoning by Arsenic
Part 8 - - Chapter 12 to Chapter 16
"So as Krishna was attempted to be killed... And Lord Jesus Christ was killed.
So they may kill me also." (Srila Prabhupada, May 3, l976, Honolulu)
"my only request is , that at the last stage don't torture me, and put me to death"
(from SPC Vol. 36, November 3, 1977 tape recorded Room Conversation)
SOMEONE HAS POISONED ME
CHAPTER 12 TO CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 12:
WITNESSES
NOTE: Gupta Prabhu, the California attorney who represented Hansadutta in the 1998 BBT copyright case, wanted that the names and locations be changed so that, in his opinion, a possible future criminal indictment would not be jeopardized by early disclosure of information. This reporter apologizes to Gupta Prabhu that his desire is not being accommodated herein. The rationale for this entire publication is to honestly and openly reveal whatever information is in hand because it is believed to be the best approach to instigating a resolution on all levels of this darkest of all secrets. May the truth set us free!
According to Paritrikananda Prabhu, rumors circulated in the Los Angeles devotee community in 1982 that Srila Prabhupada's poisoning had been witnessed by a young Vrindaban gurukula boy. His name was Bhakta Vatsala, he was Mexican and he was about 12 years old in 1977. Bhakta Vatsala had various duties in and around Srila Prabhupada's quarters and supposedly he overheard a group of senior disciples discussing the poisoning of Srila Prabhupada. When Bhakta Vatsala returned to Mexico in 1978, several devotees remember him talking openly about what he had overheard. One devotee who remembers this is Durlab Prabhu, now living in Mexico City and operating an incense business.
Durlab Prabhu was contacted in December 1997 by members of the investigative team, and he forthrightly verified how he and his brother, among others, had heard Bhakta Vatsala speaking repeatedly about overhearing a hushed discussion by eight senior devotees on the poisoning of Srila Prabhupada. The conversation took place in the Vrindaban temple near Srila Prabhupada's room as Bhakta Vatsala heard through the doorway. Durlab also remembered that two ISKCON gurus, namely Kirtanananda Swami and Bhagavan Prabhu, had come to Mexico around 1982 to 1984 looking for Bhakta Vatsala, who had by then left the movement with his family. Whether Bhakta Vatsala was found at thayt time or not is unknown. Durlab believed that Bhakta Vatsala had become unfriendly towards ISKCON and had become an airline pilot.
Various IVC members discussed how Bhakta Vatsala might be located and the story of a witness verified. Rochan called upon Mr. Powers in Seattle, who had long experience with a private investigator's office in Arizona, headed by "Benny". Benny was engaged by Mr. Powers to use his Mexican affiliates to search for Bhakta Vatsala. However, by late March, 1998, Benny reported that the leads provided were inadequate and provided no results. Bhakta Vatsala could not be located. The only lead was that he was employed at a leading hotel in the Mexico City vicinity, but this may have been Gupta's disinformation to this reporter. Gupta refused to share the information he had acquired with this reporter.
It is interesting to note that at the height of the poison controversy in December 1997, Tamal Krishna Goswami traveled to Mexico for about a week. Tamal went with Guruprasad Swami and attended a large festival in Guadalajara, then went alone for "rest and recuperation," as it was described by Bir Krishna Maharaj, to Acapulco on the Mexican Riviera. It was also reported that Tamal stayed with Hridayananda Swami in a four star Mexican hotel for a few days. Did this visit to Mexico have anything to do with Bhakta Vatsala?
In April 1998, Rochan, Paritrikananda, Gupta and this reporter were at a loss as to how to pursue the search for this possible witness to Srila Prabhupada's poisoning, now a grown man once called Bhakta Vatsala. Yasodanandan Prabhu, a former Vrindaban gurukula headmaster, remembers Bhakta Vatsala and has agreed to meet with him for interviewing if he can be located. Rupa Vilas Prabhu, now living in Florida, also remembers well his student Bhakta Vatsala in Vrindaban. The boy was not particularly inclined towards academics, but worked hard. He remained there in school for about five years until about age 14 or so, and then returned to Mexico. Both Rupa Vilas and Yasodanandana have no knowledge of Bhakta Vatsala's witnessing of any conversations as mentioned above.
In the health biography of Srila Prabhupada, November 6, 1977:
Srila Prabhupada: What is that sound?
Tamal: That's one of the brahmacharis shaking out the dust in the rugs. In my office we have some rugs, so he takes them outside and shakes them. He's a nice brahmachari, young boy from the Gurukula, from Mexico.
This boy is believed to be Bhakta Vatsala, who was engaged in menial cleaning tasks by Srila Prabhupada's servants and would have been well positioned to overhear discussions going in those otherwise restricted areas.
Through the years, there have been wispy rumors of other witnesses, two in particular (Yadudharma and Narayan), that saw or heard things in connection with Srila Prabhupada's poisoning This reporter and Balavanta have both noted these leads with no verification to date. It is hoped that this publication will stir the memories, conscience or guilt of persons who have knowledge of the possible poisoning of Srila Prabhupada, witnesses included.
One recent anonymous letter pulled from the internet website called VADA, Allegations of Poisoning, reads:
"I had a conversation with Prabhupada's sister Pishima, just after Prabhupada's passing, in which she mentioned that Prabhupada had called her to Mayapur to cook for him some time before because he was concerned that he was being given poison. Prabhupada wanted her personally to supervise all aspects of his food preparation including purchasing bhoga."
(To this letter's author: please help by contacting this author anonymously.)
The best witness is an accomplice who testifies against the others involved in the crime. Let this be notice to those who were involved in or who know about Srila Prabhupada's poisoning: your days are numbered, and soon the truth will catch up to you. Confess now and Yamaraj will give you some consideration of mercy, or be apprehended and punished anyway, with no consideration of mercy. You will be found and caught sooner or later.
CHAPTER 13:
ARE THERE MISSING TAPES?
It is often wondered if entire tape recordings of Srila Prabhupada's 1977 conversations, perhaps with crucial information or instructions, were destroyed or lost. Paritrikananda did a study on the subject of missing tapes, which is included in Appendix 10 . In the archival library of Srila Prabhupada's tape recordings, there are 75 out of 92 days between July and October for which there are no tapes, including 45 consecutive days from August 18 to October 1. Further, from March 1 to October 1, 1977, there are recordings for less than one of every three days.
That Srila Prabhupada would have spoken less during severe illness is understandable, but that He would have said nothing for such long periods is inconceivable. Were there recordings made during that time? The answer is yes, there was a standard procedure to record everything Srila Prabhupada said, with recorder and operator ready. Judging from the sequence and content of the available tapes, and observing the gaps, it appears very much that a tape here, a tape there, and then a string of tapes every so often were recorded but are missing. It is almost as though someone picked out the ones that should be lost and missing. How else do you manage such a pattern?
It does appear very curious that one of the possible suspects in a poisoning scenario would also be the one person responsible for recording, collecting, labeling and sending to the BBT all recordings of Srila Prabhupada after February of 1977. That person is Tamal Krishna Goswami, who did not attend the GBC meetings in Mayapur 1998 and 1999 and remains quite elusive. However, Tamal made a brief statement in May 1998.
Tamala Krishna Goswami Explains the Missing Tapes:
"We kept a small Sony tape recorder by Prabhupada's bedside and turned it on whenever possible to record whatever he said. Often two or three days or more would pass before an entire tape was filled. The tape would simply be given one of these dates, though in fact what was recorded often represented many days of conversation. This would explain why there appeared to be so many "missing" dates. Furthermore, on August 26, Srila Prabhupada left Vrindavana for London. While in London he underwent an operation due to a worsening condition and became almost entirely bedridden thereafter, seeing practically no one. Although his intention was to travel on to America, he instead returned to India, fearing the worst. Arriving in Bombay on September 14, he entered into a crisis situation. My diary entry for September 15 indicates the situation: "Throughout the day Srila Prabhupada has been lying in bed. He does not speak at all and hardly moves." When I asked Prabhupada how he was feeling, His Divine Grace simply said: "Crisis." On Oct. 1, Prabhupada left for Vrindavana. Obviously, this period represented days and even weeks when no recording was made.
Now, regarding how the recordings were transferred to Los Angeles. They would be sent conveniently with some responsible devotee returning to America. As an example, Isha dasa claims that one batch were brought back by HH Satsvarupa dasa Goswami who turned them over to Isha for sending to the archives. Hari Sauri Prabhu writes that his own experience is that sometimes the tapes were mislaid after reaching the archives. At least that was his experience with recordings he made in Hawaii in 1976; he states that Krishna Kanti, who was in charge of the archives at that time, must have mislaid them. If we look at the above dates, it seems most likely that I would have personally carried whatever tapes I had at the time in Vrindavana with us to London, with the idea of giving them to a responsible person to take to Los Angeles. Although I cannot recall the system of recording Prabhupada in London (I don't have the same type of remembrance of the Sony tape recorder by Prabhupada's side as I do in Vrindavana), I cannot imagine that we did not record him there at least some of the time. And yet you state that there are no available tapes at all within that period of his London visit. I find it hard to believe that there were no recordings because there were some very sweet meetings between Prabhupada and his disciples there.
The question, therefore, is what happened to these tapes. Again, I wish to emphasize that I am only surmising that there must have been some conversations recorded; I cannot state certainly, but it seems reasonable. In any case, if there were such tapes, there would be no point in me bringing them back to Vrindavana. Rather I would have sent them along with whatever I had brought with me from Vrindavana with a responsible person to Los Angeles. Unfortunately, I cannot recall who that person might be. Nor can we be certain what happened to the tapes, if there were any and if they arrived in Los Angeles, once they entered the hands of those in charge of the archives at the time. It is entirely possible that they may have suffered the same fate as those recorded by Hari Sauri Prabhu in Hawaii."
Basically Tamal said he doesn't know if tapes were recorded or lost. But, Tamal was responsible to get these tapes recorded and safely delivered to Los Angeles. Is it likely that the LA tape ministry/Archives would lose so many tapes, especially so many in a row, and then one here and there throughout the year? It is very suspicious. Considering Tamal's history (Appendix 15), how he changed his guru philosophy many times and invariably is at the forefront of ISKCON crises, one naturally suspects tapes were purposely lost to conceal their contents.
In preparing Srila Prabhupada's health biography for this book, this author extensively studied the Conversations Books containing Srila Prabhupada's taped conversations and also traveled to the Bhaktivedanta Archives in Sandy Ridge, NC, to physically examine the 1977 tapes, and hold discussions with Ekanath, Ranjit, and Paramrupa Prabhus. The following information relevant to the issue of missing tapes was found.
On April 18, 1977, Tamal wrote to Radhaballabha stating that he was personally taking responsibility for the tape recordings of Srila Prabhupada. (see Ch. 23, April 14) The tapes were dated with a felt tip pen in Tamal's handwriting. Tamal had an office for secretarial work and arranged for tape batches to be sent to the BBT. Tamal's job was to see that the tapes were properly recorded, labeled, and safely delivered to Radhavallabha's care. Any missing 1977 tapes are ultimately, if not directly, Tamal's fault. There are many 1977 tapes no longer available, either lost by accident or intention.
Some "missing" tapes are explained by tapes covering more than one day. This was confirmed by the content of the tape and comparison to Tamal's and Abhiram's diaries. Thus perhaps a fifth of the missing days in 1977 can be accounted for. However, for the large blocks of missing tapes covering many consecutive days, there is no other explanation than the tapes were lost or destroyed. Was some subject matter contained in those tapes, or instructions Srila Prabhupada gave therein, that someone did not want to be known to other devotees? Trust in Tamal has degenerated to such a point.
For example, on May 28, 1977, Tamal asks Srila Prabhupada, "Is that called rtvik acharya?" The previous conversation in which Srila Prabhupada introduced the concept of rtvik initiation is missing. Tamal wouldn't know to ask this question unless he had already discussed with Srila Prabhupada about rtviks BEFORE May 28. Just as there were rtvik conversations before May 28 that unavailable, there are very likely similar conversations AFTER May 28 which are unfortunately not available either. There are so many questions to ask Tamal; fortunately his recent surgery was successful so that he may perhaps agree or be compelled in the future to answer some of them.
In the foreword to TKG's Diary, Rabindra Swarup, obviously in cooperation with Tamal, makes this statement regarding missing tapes:
"...all the tapes from August 18 to October 3 are missing. TKG supervised the recording, and the tapes would pass out of his control when periodically he would entrust a batch to somebody or another to deliver to the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust in Los Angeles. I have heard devotees recall how the tapes thus sent sat without supervision in an open box, from which community residents felt free to borrow and return at will. We should accordingly be glad to have as many tapes as we do."
In response, one might wonder how TKG could remember or detail in his diary so many minute details of health, banking, and conversation month after month, but have absolutely no details to offer on:
1. who and when he gave "batches" of tapes to for taking to LA?
2. how often he sent tapes to LA, and how they were packaged?
3. what instructions he gave to the carrier; who was the final recipient?
4. why bother going to all the trouble to record Srila Prabhupada's words (lugging a recorder around, finding an operator, turning it on and off hundreds of times, labeling and switching tapes) if there was no method to preserve, protect and safely deliver the tapes to their final destination?
5. Why does Hari Sauri's record of delivering tapes to LA in 1976 not show three major gaping holes in time as Tamal's record shows in 1977? Those holes are 19 days in March, 14 days in June, 45 days in September and August, and 31 out of 44 days between July 4 and August 16?
In conclusion, Tamal's explanations just don't satisfy people. They leave much to be desired. His answers just don't cut it. It all looks too suspicious to think that it was anything but at least partially deliberate.
CHAPTER 14:
RESEARCHING THE TAPE LIBRARY
We must note that the present recorded evidence regarding Srila Prabhupada's poisoning comes just one tape that only a handful of devotees even knew existed prior to two years ago. The 20 tapes which Isha and Mahabuddhi listened to and upon which they discovered the poison whispers are among many scores of tapes that have not been studied except by a very few. These tapes are available from the BBT Archives by special order at $5 each. If any reader of this report would like to assist in this investigation, or if just to listen to new Srila Prabhupada conversations, any of these "unreleased" conversation tapes from March through November 1977 may be ordered from:
Bhaktivedanta Archives
PO Box 255, Sandy Ridge, NC 27046.
or call Ekanath there: 800 800 3284
or email at: archives@earthlink.net
By scouring through these tapes, perhaps specific information relevant to the ongoing poison investigation may be "discovered." Please consider participating in the poison investigation by obtaining and listening to these heretofore unknown tapes. Further, the Hindi and Bengali portions of the tapes need to be transcribed, particularly those of October and November 1977. Please help us find more information from these tapes.
CHAPTER 15:
CHANDRA SWAMI CONNECTION
In India today, and even more so twenty years ago, one can find Ayurvedic physicians, herbal medicines and various drugs or poisons just about anywhere. It is part of the Hindu/Indian culture and an area very loosely regulated by the authorities. Thus, to obtain any of a number of poisons would not be very difficult. On the other hand, it is difficult to obtain high quality and pure medicines.
On October 20, 1977 Srila Prabhupada had a dream wherein he saw a Ramanuja-vaidya preparing makharadhvaja medicine, and he interpreted that Krishna had given some idea of how to be treated. The devotees had already obtained what was supposed to be makharadhvaja from Bonamali in Vrindaban, but he was not a Ramanuja kaviraja. Bonamali gave instructions that its administration be only after the weather had cooled down.
But Srila Prabhupada wanted the makharadhvaja prepared only by the Ramanuja-kaviraja, as He had seen in His dream. On the 24th of October, Smara-hari was going to South India to see the chief priest in Sri Rangam temple. He was going to purchase the medicine's ingredients himself, and then have the Ramanuja kaviraja make it while he watched. He hoped to be back to with Srila Prabhupada's medicine in one to two weeks.
There are three accounts thus far as to how the makharadhvaja was obtained from Chandra Swami: Tamal's, Adi Keshava's, and that of the Conversations Books. First, we quote from TKG's Diary:
October 23: "Gopal Krishna and Adi Keshava went to Delhi for phoning. October 24: "We received a phone call from Delhi, however. Adi Keshava Maharaj had a very prominent sadhu friend from New York who happened to be in Delhi. He had called his friend, Candidas, who knew the best kaviraja available, one of the Ramanuja sampradaya. Candidas phoned the kaviraja, who amazingly had just completed a ten-day preparation of makharadhvaja. Candidas had saved seven tolas and was going to donate them to Srila Prabhupada." October 25: "In the early evening Satadhanya Maharaj arrived with the makharadhvaja. The kaviraja had also treated Morarji Desai, and his office was filled with members of Parliament, etc. There are six kinds of makharadhvaja medicine. He had prepared siddha makharadhvaja. Seven tolas were not required. As it was being made for another, when the kaviraja heard it was needed by Srila Prabhupada, he donated it. It was made from gold, pearls, musk, mica, and other ingredients, and could be taken with milk or honey. The kaviraja had given twelve grams, enough for 24 days at two doses a day, each weighing two ratis. Both Satadhanya and Adi Keshava were very impressed, though the kaviraja was not a Ramanuji but a sakta wearing Siva tilak. Prabhupada heard all this from Satadhanya Maharaj, then said that Bhakticharu Maharaj and I would take charge of the medicine..." (TkgD.293-9)
In March 1999 this author interviewed Adi Keshava Prabhu, who was very forthcoming and informative. Oddly, he now has a PhD in Biochemistry and works in plant pathology research, being very familiar with arsenic toxicity and various testing methods. At the mention of Chandra Swami, Adi Keshava immediately muttered, "Oh, that old rat!" and variously described the "sadhu" as a wheeler dealer, a Punjabi truck driver, a slimey character, etc. Chandra Swami was a fortune teller and his offers of help to people were always very self-motivated. In November 1976 Chandra Swami had come to Adi Keshava in New York to offer help with his court case. Chandra Swami referred Adi Keshava to certain contacts and individuals who actually were of great assistance. Chandra Swami invited Adi Keshava to join him in a meeting with President-elect Jimmy Carter in January 1977, and Adi Keshava provided an oil painting of Krishna as a gift for the occasion. The meeting never occurred but Carter did receive the painting.
Chandra Swami came and went from New York, and Adi Keshava would sometimes visit him at an upper Manhattan deluxe apartment. After winning the court case in March 1977, Adi Keshava went to see Chandra Swami at a house in Delhi, and thanked him for his help. After Indira Gandhi's fall from power, a man came to the Vrindaban temple gate for Adi Keshava with a message from Gandhi's appointment secretary. Chandra Swami was somehow involved with Indira Gandhi's wanting to meet with Srila Prabhupada in Vrindaban, but Srila Prabhupada did not want to meet her. Adi Keshava went to Delhi to decline the offer, and met Chandra Swami at Gandi's secretary's office. Chandra Swami was informed of Srila Prabhupada's ill health, and Adi Keshava never saw him again.
On October 23 Adi Keshava went to Delhi to try to extend his plane ticket, but he could not and would have to fly back to New York within days. Satadhanya accompanied him to Delhi on business of his own. Adi Keshava phoned Chandra Swami's office and a "minion-psycophant" was asked for suggestions on where to find a qualified Ramanuja kaviraja who might have or could make makharadhvaja. The minion called back after apparently contacting Chandra Swami and referred Adi Keshava to a very prominent kaviraja in Delhi who was treating Morarji Desai.
Satadhanya and Adi Keshava went to the Delhi kaviraja's large clinic and described Srila Prabhupada's condition and dream, requesting makharadhvaja. The kaviraja wore Shivite tilak, but knew of Srila Prabhupada and expressed appreciation for His work and stature as a true holy man. The kaviraja had just completed making some makharadhvaja for another person, but scooped out from an apothecary-type jar the sufficient quantity for Srila Prabhupada and donated it free of charge. He said that this medicine should not ordinarily be taken by one as deteriorated in health as was Srila Prabhupada, but who was he to argue with Bhagavan in Srila Prabhupada's dream? He wrote a letter to Srila Prabhupada expressing these serious reservations and giving the instructions for its dosages, etc.
Adi Keshava left from Delhi back to the USA while Satadhanya returned to Vrindaban with the makharadhvaja. Just before his flight, Adi Keshava phoned Vrindaban and was shocked to hear from Gopal Krishna that Srila Prabhupada was taking the makharadhvaja while no one had showed Him the kaviraja's letter. Very upset, Adi Keshava left for New York.
Meanwhile, on the 25th Satadhanya arrived in Vrindaban with the makharadhvaja. In the Conversations Books, Vol. 36, pg. 73, we read:
Satadhanya:I have brought the makharadhvaja from the kaviraja in Delhi. This kaviraja, he's not Ramanuja-sampradaya, but many people say in Delhi that he's the foremost kaviraja in India. He treats the Prime Minister, Morarji Desai, and all the ministers also. So many people trusted him, and he mixed this medicine…He was mixing it for some other person, but when he heard that you were ill, he gave it to us.
Bhavananda:What kind of makharadhvaja?
Satadhanya:There's different kinds of makharadhvaja, six kinds. This is the most potent kind. This is called siddha makharadhvaja. This contains gold and pearl and musk and mica and many other ingredients…
Prabhupada: That's all right. What did he charge?
Tamal Krishna: What did he charge?
Satadhanya: Nothing. We got it for free because we got it through one influential man named Chandra Swami.
Prabhupada: Oh.
Tamal Krishna: Oh, Chandra Swami. That's that person Adi Keshava was always working with.
That same day, October 25, Srila Prabhupada took the first dose of makharadhvaja, and one dose the next day, after which He discontinued its use due to the negative effect of causing loose bowels. Thus Srila Prabhupada only took the makharadhvaja for one day.
In the summer of 1977, Bhagwat Prabhu recalled being sent by Adi Keshava to the New York airport to pick up Chandra Swami, who he thought stayed at the New York temple for some days, but which Adi Keshava denied, saying Chandra Swami had his own accomodations. Bhagwat also recalled that Chandra Swami cured Sudama Maharaj from a very serious illness with his medicines, and that Chandra Swami was a Shivite tantric and very expert in medicines and Ayurveda. Another devotee from the New York temple, Antima Prabhu, also had extensive association with Chandra Swami, but could not be located for an interview.
Lakshmi Nrsingha Prabhu, also from the New York temple, recalled that Adi Keshava and he went to see Chandra Swami at a rich lady's uptown Manhattan apartment, unsure of the date. They met with Chandra Swami for about two hours, when his mind reading abilities were displayed.
Gurudas and Giriraj spoke with Srila Prabhupada about Chandra Swami in December 1976 and January of 1977. Chandra Swami was mentioned as wanting to meet Srila Prabhupada and as going with Adi Keshava to meet the new USA President Carter. Tamal Krishna Goswami was working with Adi Keshava in New York as GBC from before July 1976 until mid February 1977, and presumably could also have met and associated with Chandra Swami, who spent much time in New York. However, Adi Keshava does not recall any meeting of Tamal with Chandra Swami. References to Chandra Swami in the following health biography are found on 12.26.76, 12.27.76, 1.8.77, 2.14.77, 4.11.77, 4.29.77, and 10.25.77.
OK, so what?
So, Chandra Swami is reportedly serving a life sentence in India's Tihar Central Jail for unspecified but numerous and serious crimes. The ISKCON Chakra website posted an internet article in December 1997:
"...so Srila Prabhupada suggested that someone go to Delhi. On October 24, the GBC sent Adi Keshava to Delhi, where he found a kaviraja preparing makharadhvaja. At the time, this kaviraja was not known to be a criminal. He had a reputation for impeccable morality and was even treating Morarji Desai, then prime minister of India."
A little history: Morarji Desai was imprisoned by Indira Gandhi after her proclamation of emergency rule for 19 months from late 1975 until March 1977, along with 150,000 other opposition politicians. Indira Gandhi held elections in March 1977 and was defeated. The jailed opponents were released and the Janata party, led by J.P. Narayan, selected Morarji Desai as the next Prime Minister on March 24, 1977. J.P. Narayan had called for massive civil disobedience in protest of Indira Gandhi's corrupt regime in June 1975, leading to his arrest with others. After five months in prison, however, J.P. Narayan was released to house arrest due to very bad health. There were stories in the Indian press in 1977 that Indira Gandhi had poisoned J.P. Narayan and others in jail. J.P. Narayan was still in a Bombay hospital in April 1977 when Giriraj and Gopal Krishna went to visit him. Srila Prabhupada noted that J.P. Narayan had the same kidney disease as He himself had. J.P. Narayan went to the USA for medical treatment, and died two years later in 1979.
Chandra Swami somehow moved as a favorite from one leader and regime to the next, apparently playing many sides simultaneously. He treated Prime Minister Morarji Desai with his expertise in Ayurvedic medicines, even though he was previously so intimate with Indira Gandhi that he could call her on the phone at any time. Later it was thought he may have been involved with the mysterious prison poisonings where "kidney disease" became a common ailment. Srila Prabhupada was purported to also have the same kind of kidney disease.
Considering his complex history of shady dealings, Chandra Swami was probably never an honest Ayurvedic physician who supposedly only went crooked after Srila Prabhupada's disappearance, as suggested by Chakra. Adi Keshava clarified that even in 1977 Chandra Swami was a crooked, slimey character. We are left to wonder if Chandra Swami was involved in the poisoning of Srila Prabhupada by supplying poison and giving instructions in its use. Considering his rap sheet today, it is not far-fetched to wonder what the Indira Gandhi/ Chandra Swami/ makharadhvaja/ Srila Prabhupada poisoning connection might be. Not only may the makharadhvaja from Chandra Swami have been "tainted," but he may have supplied poison for use against Srila Prabhupada. Enemies of Srila Prabhupada from outside of ISKCON could have hooked up with the poisoners inside ISKCON. The whole Chandra Swami connection smells bad.
Chakra's "brushing-off-as-coincidence" story is stretched even thinner when we read INDIA ABROAD's article of December 12, 1997:
CHANDRA SWAMY'S LINK TO
MURDER IS ALLEGED: (New Delhi)
Controversial religious guru Chandraswamy had links with the alleged assassins of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and had planned to help them escape from India after the killing, OUTLOOK magazine quoted a key witness as saying last week.
The witness, Jayaram Ranganathan, in custody in a high-security prison in Chennai, owned the house in Bangalore in which Sivarasan and Shubha, believed to be members of the assassination squad sent by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), took refuge and later allegedly killed themselves on Aug. 6, 1991. Ranganathan also claimed that a Congress Party leader from Karnataka had provided Sivarasan with details of Gandhi's itinerary.
Gandhi was killed by a woman, Dhanu, believed to be a suicide bomber of the LTTE. Sivarasan, her alleged accomplice, was found dead after reportedly consuming cyanide when the police surrounded his hideout in Bangalore.
"I am the only person alive who stayed with Sivarasan and Shubha (after the assassination) and heard what they had to say about the killing," Rangarathan was quoted as saying. He alleged that DR Karthikeyan, chief of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that probed the killing, had threatened him not to name Chandraswamy or Congress Party leaders. "From what he (Karthikeyan) told me, it was clear that he was shielding Chandraswamy and some key Congress people," he said.
Karthikeyan, who is also special director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and Chandraswamy were not immediately available for their reaction when contacted by INDIA ABROAD.
Rangarathan said Sivarasan was told by LTTE chief Velupillai Phabhakaran that the "Jain Muni" (a reference to Chandraswamy whose real name is Nemichand Jain) would arrange his safe passage to a foreign country.
OUTLOOK had recently reported that crucial files related to the assassination were missing from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) since the tenure of former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao. The magazine said the files included intercepted messages from foreign intelligence agencies, said to be addressed to Chandraswamy.
Complicity in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi? Connections with foreign intelligence agencies? International arms deals? The editor of INDIA ABROAD also told this reporter in a telephone interview that Chandra Swami had been implicated in several Indian administrations as a go-between with bribes, shady dealings, and as a "bag-man." ISKCON COMMUNICATIONS JOURNAL, January-June 1993, contained an interview with a Mr. Vineet Narain, a man who was recently instrumental in weeding out large sections of corruption in India's government as a news reporter and investigator. Mr. Narain, an ISKCON devotee named Vishnumurti, who is now very interested in the poison issue, stated:
"I can give you an example of a person, (Chandra) Swami, you must have heard of him, he is a notorious swami, he is very good at winning people, he is a low-class person, he has no spiritual knowledge, not a fine person, he is not very sophisticated in his behaviour, yet at different stages he has cultivated hundreds of influential people in the world."
VNN posted a story on the internet about how Prithu Prabhu met someone on a plane wherein there was allegedly a revelation about a link between Adi Keshava, his father and the CIA. Adi Keshava explained that his father had retired from Defense Intelligence in 1962 and had taken up farming and engineering consultation work. His father was never in the CIA.
So what is the Chandra Swami connection, if any?
Nara Narayan Vishwakarma wrote to Rochan on 12.29.97:
"During the 'emergency' of Indira Gandhi... she imprisoned most of the important members of the opposition to the Congress party, including the Maharani of Jaipur who wrote a book which exposes Indira Gandhi's excesses. When the prisoners were released, many of them had experienced kidney failure. When I was in India in 1976, many Indian friends of ISKCON whispered about the fact that it was well known that kidney poison was being administered to Indira's political enemies (in jail). In 1977... kidney poisoning of very important men was well documented. (Also)... Vrindaban (and India) was full of enemies of Srila Prabhupada... the obtaining of the correct poison would not be at all difficult for any person close to Srila Prabhupada. At that time, kidney poison was being discussed in the (Indian) newspapers. Anyone who could read would know what to do."
It would be interesting if anyone could provide further information on this aspect of Indian history. Morarji Desai was chosen Prime Minister because Janata leader J.P. Narayan was too ill. On July 15, 1979, Morarji Desai resigned due to dissension within his party and criticism of his government as ineffectual. Desai was in his eighties and in good health, but not the charismatic leader J.P. Narayan could have been. In the January 1980 election, Indira Gandhi was re-elected in a landslide victory. Her son Sanjay died in a plane crash in 1980 and she herself was assassinated by her own military guard unit in 1984. Her older son, Rajiv Gandhi, later became prime minister and was also assassinated in 1990, a crime in which Chandra Swami was apparently involved.
An interview with Dristadyumna Prabhu revealed that he had met Chandra Swami at the New York temple in 1977, and was surprised to hear of his being in jail due to illegal activities. He remembered that Chandra Swami was "guru" for Adnan Khasnoggi, the infamous Saudi Arabian arms dealer, and that Chandra Swami spent time at Khasnoggi's palace in Spain.
In a letter to VNN on December 13, 1997, Bhagavat das wrote "...It was said in certain circles that when Indira Gandhi held Jayaprakash Narayan under house arrest she had poisons slowly administered that caused the deterioration of his kidneys and his death." The entire letter from Bhagavat is included in full under Appendix 18, as it is a valuable essay on the value of Srila Prabhupada's own words that someone had poisoned him, and this information will be presented in the next chapter.
Is there any relationship between Srila Prabhupada's poisoning and the dark and notorious Chandra Swami? Between Chandra Swami and Tamal Krishna Goswami or Jayapataka Maharaj? Many New York devotees and possibly some West Coast devotees also had been acquainted with Chandra Swami for about a year. Considering Srila Prabhupada's enemies in India, and Chandra Swami's connection with politicians and international intrigue, would going to Chandra Swami for medicine not now seem a little suspicious or out of place? There is no solid proof of any wrongdoing in the Chandra Swami connection, but it has the appearance of much more than a series of coincidences. (see also Appendix 20)
What really is the Chandra Swami connection?
CHAPTER 16:
"SOMEONE HAS POISONED ME"
Now we come to the evidence which is to many is the strongest evidence that Srila Prabhupada was poisoned. (see Appendix 18) Srila Prabhupada stated "…someone has poisoned me," found on tape recordings from November 9 and 10, 1977. Some portions were spoken in English and thus have been widely available in the Archives Folio program or in the Conversations Books, but much was spoken in Bengali or Hindi, which was omitted due to not being translated by the Archives or anyone else.
Now, for the first time in 22 years, this report presents newly obtained translations of Bengali and Hindi portions of these same conversations. One version comes from a Hindi devotee, Naveen Krishna Prabhu, a GBC and a longtime Srila Prabhupada faithful. The other translation comes from Dr. Jan Brzezinski, who also gave us the exact Bengali and Hindi being translated. Dr. Brzezinski learned to speak fluent Bengali and Hindi during his eleven years in India. He was seriously injured in the Muslim attack on Mayapur that is mentioned in the health biography. He later received his Ph.D. in Sanskrit from the University of London, School of Oriental Studies. He has taught courses in Hindi at the University of Manitoba, and his current work is translating various Vaishnava literatures. Dr. Brzezinski was employed by this reporter to render these translations.
Much of the Bengali and Hindi conversation regarding poisoning is between Srila Prabhupada the Calcutta kaviraja, also referred to as Sastriji. Dr. Brzezinski has listened to many of the last twenty tapes and has made some interesting notes included at the end of this chapter. It is clear that a full and accurate translation of all of Srila Prabhupada's Hindi and Bengali conversations should be done, as information critical to the poison issue may well be contained therein. Upon inquiry, this reporter learned that the Bhaktivedanta Archives has not had the manpower or funding to undertake this project, although past attempts were made but did not produce results.
In speaking to Naveen Krishna about his translations, he pointedly stated that only a native of India who was born and raised with the language could accurately understand the subtle nuances and meanings contained within these conversations. From his own judgment, he has no doubt that Srila Prabhupada was clearly stating that He was being poisoned. Translations by Naveen Krishna are shown as NAV, those by Dr. Brzezinski (formerly Hiranyagarbha das, initiated by Srila Prabhupada 1970) are shown as HIR, followed at the end by his comments. Thus we have both a scholar and a native providing us with two versions to compare and to be doubly sure of the true meanings, avoiding the curse of the phrase, "lost in the translation." Sometimes we have only one translation version because, simply, that is all we obtained. Bhakticharu Swami has also translated most of these same portions in exactly the same way, and this was posted on the internet in ISKCON's answer to the CD that never was. (see Appendix 21)
[HIR = Hiranyagarbha das (Dr. Brzezinski)]
[NAV = Naveen Krishna Das]
Room Conversation: Vrindaban, November 9, 1977. (Not the 8th)
Srila Prabhupada's Conversations Books, Volume 36, page 354:
Book states: "Hindi conversation between kaviraja, Prabhupada and others."
(Balaram Mishra exchanges greetings with Srila Prabhupada, and asks if he is still recognized since they had not met in a long time; Srila Prabhupada says yes. A few moments later:)
001: Srila Prabhupada: Keu bole je keu poison kore diyeche. Hoy to tai. [(((audio)))]
NAV: Someone says that I've been poisoned. It's possible.
HIR: Someone says that someone gave poison. Maybe it's true.
002: Balaram Mishra (?): Hmm? [(((audio)))]
003: Kaviraja: Kya farma rahe hain? [(((audio)))]
NAV: What is he saying?
HIR: What are you saying?
004: Srila Prabhupada: Koi bolta hai je koi mujhko poison kiya gaya hai. [(((audio)))]
NAV & HIR: Someone says that someone has given poison.
005: Kaviraja: Kisko? [(((audio)))]
NAV & HIR: To whom?
006: Srila Prabhupada: Mujhko. [(((audio)))]
NAV & HIR: To me.
007: Kaviraja: Kaun bolta hai? [(((audio)))]
NAV: Who said?
HIR: Who is saying this?
008: Srila Prabhupada: Ye sab friends. [(((audio)))]
NAV: These all friends.
HIR: All these friends.
009: Bhakticharu: Ke boleche, Srila Prabhupada? [(((audio)))]
NAV: Who said, Srila Prabhupada?
HIR: Who said this, Srila Prabhupada?
010: Srila Prabhupada: Ke boleche. [(((audio)))]
NAV: They all say.
HIR: Everybody's saying it.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: Did Srila Prabhupada overhear "all these friends" (his disciples) whispering in his room about how they gave him poison? Why does Srila Prabhupada state this in Hindi and Bengali, and only later in English? END COMMENT
011: Tamal Krishna: Krishna das? [(((audio)))]
012: Kaviraja: Ao ko kaun poison dega? Kis liye dega? [(((audio)))]
HIR: Who would give you poison? Why would anyone do that?
013: Tamal Krishna: Who said that, Srila Prabhupada? [(((audio)))]
014: Srila Prabhupada: I do not know, but it is said. [(((audio)))]
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: It is puzzling why Srila Prabhupada says He has been poisoned, but twice becomes evasive when asked directly by Tamal Krishna. Could it be that Srila Prabhupada did not want to discuss it with Tamal but wanted to bring it up with the kaviraja? END COMMENT
[NOTE: Did Srila Prabhupada overhear "all these friends" (his disciples) whispering in his room about how they gave him poison? Why does Srila Prabhupada state this in Hindi and Bengali, and only later in English?
"They all say" makes perfect sense, because they were all whispering in the background about poison. And they were talking about how they were going to poison him. Who else are the "they"? Is Srila Prabhupada hearing things? No, he knows what they are whispering about, these "all friends."
If Srila Prabhupada said, "aye-ee", and there was a eye motion or hand motion along with it, then "aye-ee" would mean "These people / that man / so and so (to whom I am pointing)" "boleche - said" ]
Summary of following Hindi conversation: Srila Prabhupada asks Balaram Mishra if he knows astrology. He denies it and the kaviraja confirms that Balaram Mishra is a Pandit, not a jyotishi, whose area of expertise lies in the performance of rituals. Bhakticharu then elicits a response from the kaviraja establishing his credentials as a jyotishi. All this takes place at the top of page 354 in the Conversations Book #36.
(SKIP)
101: Kaviraja (to Srila Prabhupada):Apko kisne bataya hai ki kushthi ke andar apko markiz hai. koi jyotish ne bataya tha? [(((audio)))]
NAV: Who has told you that your end is near? Some astrologer has said that?
HIR: Did someone tell you that according to your astrological chart your death is near? Did some astrologer tell you that?
102: Srila Prabhupada: Balaram Das. [(((audio)))]
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: Who Balaram das is, is not understood. It does not seem to be Balaram Mishra, but another Balaram. END COMMENT
103: Bhakticharu (to Srila Prabhupada, Bengali): Apnar ayu sesh hoy giyeche, apni bolchen, seta kono jyotishi bolechen? [(((audio)))]
NAV: You were saying that your end is near… Who has told you that, some astrologer?
HIR: You were saying that your life has come to an end. Did some astrologer say that [to you]?"
[No answer from Prabhupada]
104: Bhakticharu (to Kaviraja): Koshthi ka vicar nahin. vaisha tha. [(((audio)))]
NAV: It is said in his chart.
HIR: This is not according to his chart. It was like that.
105: Bhakticharu (to Prabhupada): Kintu sastriji bolchen seta thik noy. [(((audio)))]
NAV & HIR: But Sastriji is saying that is not correct.
106: Bhakticharu (to Kaviraja): Ap to bolte hain aur das sal... [(((audio)))]
NAV: You are saying that he's going to live ten more years.
HIR: You say that another ten years..."
107: Kaviraja: Abhi kya ho to. [(((audio)))]
NAV: Now what, this…
HIR: Whatever else takes place now.
108: Bhakticharu (to Srila Prabhupada): Sastriji bolchen je apni aro das vatsar amader sange thakben, Srila Prabhupada. [(((audio)))]
NAV & HIR: Sastriji says that you will be with us for another ten years, Srila Prabhupada.
109: Kaviraja: Vicar to chor dijiye ap bilkul yah ki kushthi men ayu sesh nahin. Sesh ho gaya hai. [(((audio)))]
NAV: Completely dispel this thought that your end is near.
HIR: Please give up this idea completely that, according to your horoscope, there is nothing left of your life, that your end has come.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: The assumption appears to have been made by Bhakticharu and the kaviraja that when Srila Prabhupada says, "Someone told me", that he is referring to some astrologer. Note that on October 14, a lengthy astrological chart was read to Srila Prabhupada by Pradyumna Prabhu, stating that Srila Prabhupada's life was to end after 81 years. END
(SKIP to bottom of page 354)
201: Srila Prabhupada: Uncut, yes.
202: Tamal Krishna: OK.
203: Indian man: (Hindi: unknown translation)
204: Kaviraja: Yah, maharaj ji, kotha ap kaise bola aj ki apko koi bola hai ki apko poison diya hai. Ap ko kuch abhas hua hai, kya? [(((audio)))]
NAV: Maharaj, how did you say this, that someone has said that someone has poisoned you? Have you felt something?
HIR: So, Maharaj, what is this that you said about someone telling you that you had been poisoned? Did you feel something?
205: Srila Prabhupada: Nahin, aise koi bola je… debe-sa hi ja hota hai. Shayad koi kitab men likha hai. [(((audio)))]
NAV: No, not said, but when one is given poison, it happens like this. It's written in book.
HIR: No, some people say like this, that... it is like that when it is given. Perhaps it is written in some [...] book.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: This reference to the symptoms of poisoning justifies the exercise in previous chapters of examining Srila Prabhupada's physical symptoms to determine a correct diagnosis. END COMMENT
206: Kaviraja: Kai karanon se ho jata hai, kacce mercury se ho jata hai, ya aur koi bhi ciz aisha hai vaisha ho jata, lekin apke liye kaun karega ham to yahi samajhta hai. Aise devpurush ke liye koi manasi vicar karega, vo bhi rakshas hai. [(((audio)))]
NAV: If you take raw mercury, it can happen, or several other raw things. But who would do such a thing to you? For a saintly person like you, even if someone thinks such a thing, then he is a demon.
HIR: It could be for a number of reasons, because of raw mercury, and there are other things which can have a similar effect. But who would do such a thing to you, I cannot understand. Anyone who could even consider doing such a thing to a divine personality like yourself is a rakshasa.
(SKIP)
Page 359, still the 9th.
301: Tamal Krishna: Srila Prabhupada? You said before that you… that it is said that you were poisoned? [(((audio)))]
302: Srila Prabhupada: No. These kind of symptoms are seen when a man is poisoned. He said like that, not that I am poisoned. [(((audio)))]
303: Tamal Krishna: Did anyone tell you that, or you just know it from before? [(((audio)))]
304: Srila Prabhupada: I read something. [(((audio)))]
305: Tamal Krishna: Ah, I see. That's why actually we cannot allow anyone to cook for you. [(((audio)))]
306: Srila Prabhupada: That's good. [(((audio)))]
307: Tamal Krishna: Jayapataka Maharaj was telling that one acharya, Sankaracharya, of the Sankarachary line - this is a while ago - he was poisoned to death. Since that time, none of the acharyas or the gurus of the Sankaracharya line will ever take any food cooked except by their own men. [(((audio)))]
308: Srila Prabhupada: My Guru Maharaj also. [(((audio)))]
309: Tamal Krishna: Oh. You, of course, have been so merciful that sometimes you would take prasada cooked by so many different people. [(((audio)))]
310: Srila Prabhupada: That should be stopped. (pause) [(((audio)))]
311: Tamal Krishna: Are you feeling any pain, Srila Prabhupada? ...Should we again continue some kirtan...? (Hansadutta leads kirtan)
Page 366. Tape 19, Side B. Afternoon or evening, November 10, 1977.
Summary: There is discussion about Srila Prabhupada's condition. The pulse was strong, blood pressure normal, liver was working, and the kaviraja says that from the pathological point of view, there is nothing wrong. ("General condition good.") This is now the 10th, not the 9th.
Page 367. November 10, 1977.
401: Tamal Krishna: But what did Prabhupada just say? [(((audio)))]
402: Bhakticharu: Prabhupada just said that I mean, this morning his condition was bad, not now. [(((audio)))]
403: Bhavananda: Prabhupada was complaining of mental distress this morning also. [(((audio)))]
404: Bhakticharu: Srila Prabhupada?
405: Srila Prabhupada: Hm?
406: Bhakticharu: Ota ki byapar hoyechilo, mental distress? [(((audio)))]
NAV & HIR: What was that all about, mental distress?
407: (Some noise)
408: Srila Prabhupada: Hm hm.
409: Kaviraja: Boliye, boliye. [(((audio)))]
NAV: Say it. Say it.
HIR: Go ahead, say it. (COMMENT: Does Srila Prabhupada not want to talk about it?. It seems that He needs to be pushed.)
410: Srila Prabhupada: Vahi bat... je koi hamko poison kiya. [(((audio)))]
NAV: That same thing I said, that someone has poisoned me.
411: Bhakticharu: Accha. [not surprised; unclear (Hindi to Kaviraja?)] ... unhi socna...
HIR: He's thinking...
412: Bhavananda: [to Bhakticharu] Hmm?
413: Kaviraja: dekhiye, bat hi hai, ki koi rakshas ne diya ho.
HIR: Look, this is the thing, that maybe some rakshasa gave him poison...
414: Bhakticharu [to Bhavananda and others]: He's saying that someone gave him poison.
415: Kaviraja: Caru Swami, Kisi rakshas ne diya ho, to ho sakta hai. Impossible nahin hai. Vah Sankaracarya je, kisine unko poison diya, che mahinon ke bad, tabhi to taklif paye. Kanc hai na, botal ka kanc, vah pis ke khane men khila diya to. To, usko kya natija hua, barah maine ke bad, uske leprosy hua sab sarir ke andar. To karam to apna ko bhogta hai. Jo medicine ham de rakha hai, yadi koi uska effect hoga poison to reh nahin sakta hai, guaranteed bolta hai. Jo bhi affected hoga, to reh nahin sakta hai. Kintu abhi to ham pakar nahin sakta usko jo diya hua hai. Vahki pakarta hai jiska abhi kidney kharab ho gaya, kisi karan se, bimari se ho jay, kisi greh se ho jay ya poison se.
NAV: It is possible some demon has given it. It is not impossible. Just like Sankaracharya was poisoned over six months with powdered glass, etc. But the poisoner after twelve months got leprosy… one has to suffer one's karma. But whatever medicine I've given will counteract either the effect of bad planets or poison on the body. Now we cannot catch who may have poisoned. And if his kidneys are bad from disease, curse or poison, my medicine will counteract.
HIR: Caru Swami, some rakshasa might have given it, maybe so. It's not impossible. Someone gave poison to Sankaracharya for six months before he started to suffer. [The poisoner] ground glass, you know, bottle glass, and mixed it with his food. So what happened to him [the poisoner] as a result was that after twelve months, his entire body was covered with leprosy. So, you have to suffer the results of your actions. But whatever medicine I have given will, if it has an effect the poison will not be able to stay. That is guaranteed. Whatever it has affected, it will not be able to stay. But we cannot now catch the fellow who gave the poison. No matter what reason his kidneys are bad, whether from disease, planets or poison, my medicine will counteract it."
416: Tamal Krishna: Prabhupada was thinking that someone had poisoned him. [(((audio)))]
417: Bhakticharu: Yes. [(((audio)))]
418: Tamal Krishna: That was the mental distress. [(((audio)))]
419: Bhakticharu: Yes. [(((audio)))]
420: Kaviraja: Yadi bolta hai, to kuch na kuch sac hi hai, koi sandeh nahin. [(((audio)))]
NAV: If he says that, there must be some truth to it. There's no doubt.
HIR: If he says that, there must definitely be some truth to it.
421: Tamal Krishna: What did kaviraja just say? [(((audio)))]
422: Bhakticharu: He said that when Srila Prabhupada is saying that, there must be something truth behind it. [(((audio)))]
423: Tamal Krishna: Tssh.
HIR: (COMMENT: Surprise and serious.)
424: Jayapataka: What did the kaviraja say about Sankaracarya?
425: (People all speaking at once)
426: Bhakticharu: Someone gave him some poison powdered glass...
427: Kaviraja [to whom?]: (Somewhat unclear.)
HIR: (He appears to be saying that he will give Srila Prabhupada a certain medicine to be taken with pan, cold water or milk and the results will be seen in the morning.)
Continued on Page 368:
501: Tamal Krishna: Srila Prabhupada, Sastriji says that there must be some truth to it if you say that. So who is it that has poisoned? [(((audio)))]
502: (PAUSE: 13 seconds)
Why did He not answer?
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: Srila Prabhupada never answered Tamal Krishna's question. Why? From November 10 till 14, a total of four days, not one disciple raised the issue again? Why? Did no one take Srila Prabhupada seriously anymore? END COMMENT
[NOTE: Did Srila Prabhupada overhear "all these friends" (his disciples) whispering in his room about how they gave him poison? Why does Srila Prabhupada state this in Hindi and Bengali, and only later in English?
"They all say" makes perfect sense, because they were all whispering in the background about poison. And they were talking about how they were going to poison him. Who else are the "they"? Is Srila Prabhupada hearing things? No, he knows what they are whispering about, these "all friends."
If Srila Prabhupada said, "aye-ee", and there was a eye motion or hand motion along with it, then "aye-ee" would mean "These people / that man / so and so (to whom I am pointing)" "boleche - said" ]
503: Kaviraja: Sabse bara poison je hota hai, vah mercury ka hota hai. [(((audio)))]
NAV: The strongest poison is mercury.
HIR: Mercury is the most poisonous thing that exists..
504: Bhakticharu: [Diya] gaya tha inka oi jo. [?] [(((audio)))]
HIR: which was given to him [Prabhupada]
505: Kaviraja: Nahin nahin. Swarupa Guha ka... ap parha tha, swamiji? Kalkatta men... Swarupa Guha.
NAV & HIR: No, no. Swamiji, did you read about Svarupa Guha? In Calcutta.
506: Bhakticharu: Unko malum nahin. Unko nahin patta. [(((audio)))]
HIR: He known nothing of this. He has never heard.
507: Kaviraja: Us ke pati ne diya tha. Uska koi medicine nahin ata. Itne dose de diya jisko ham raskapoor bolta hai. [(((audio)))]
NAV: The husband poisoned the wife, gave a dose of raskapoor. There is no medicine for it.
HIR: Her husband gave it to her. He gave her a dose of a poison called raskapoor, for which there is no medicine.
508: Bhakticharu: Accha. Mercury is men tha, makaradhvaj men.
NAV: Mercury was in the makharadhvaja.
HIR: Right. Mercury was in this makaradhvaj.
509: ??: Before that.
510: Kaviraja: Uska dusra… Ras kapoor. Amiras.[Beng] tate poison ache.
NAV: No, no. Not that mercury. Another form of mercury.
511: Bhavananda: What did he say?
512: Bhakticharu: He's saying that it is quite possible that mercury, it's a kind of poison... [(((audio)))]
513: Tamal Krishna (Both NAV & HIR agree this is not Bhagatji): That makharadhvaja. [(((audio)))]
514: Bhakticharu: No, he's saying not that.
515: Kaviraja: Seta very poison. [(((audio)))]
NAV: It is very poison.
516: Bhakticharu: Makaradhvaj aisha hota hai, kya? [(((audio)))]
No translation available
517: Bhavananda: What was he taking, Prabhupada?
[Original article: Translation Of SP Poison Conversation]
518: Kaviraja: Makharadhvaja to amrit hota hai. In ke liye bish hota hai, yah bat dusri hai. Baki vah to sab ke liye poson hota hai.
NAV: Makharadhvaja is like nectar, although not suitable for him. But that (raskapoor) is poison for everybody.
HIR: Makharadhvaja is like nectar, but for him it is poison. The other ones are poison for everyone.
519: Bhavananda: What medicine was he taking before that?
520: Bhakticharu: Kon sa (?)
521: Bhavananda: Jagen (?)
522: Bhakticharu: (repeating Bhavananda) (?)
523: Kaviraja:Kuch nahin.
No translation available
524: Bhakticharu: He was referring to a case, a big murder case, in Calcutta. The husband poisoned the wife...
525: Bhavananda: Guha, yes.
526: Kaviraja: Swarupa Guha, ami uska case...
No translation available
527: Bhakticharu: Sankar Das Banerjee.
528: Bhavananda: Oh, yes. Our lawyer is the...
529: Tamal Krishna: Bhagatji doesn't think...
530: Kaviraja: Yah inka sarir aisha hai jo bajr ki nai hai jo hajar kuto, to kuch nahi hone ko.
HIR: But his [Prabhupada's?] body is such that it is like a thunderbolt. You can beat it a thousand times, but nothing will happen.
531: Bhakticharu: Bhagavan jisko raksha karta hai, vaise to Prahlad Maharaj ko bhi to...
NAV: When the Lord protects, just like Prahlad Maharaj…
HIR: If God protects someone, then just like Prahlad Maharaj..."
532: Kaviraja: Swamiji, mujhe ek sloka alap hota hai, je:
araksitam tisthati daiva-raksitam suraksitam daiva-hatam vinasyati
jivaty anatho 'pi vane visarjata krtaprayatno 'pi grhe na jivati
Ap to siddhang hain, Maharaj, to isliye koi sanka nahi rakhna.
HIR: Swamiji. I know a Sanskrit verse about this: 'Without protection, one remains fixed if protected by fate, whereas one who protects himself but is condemned by fate is destroyed. Without a protector, one person can live carelessly alone in the forest, whereas another takes all precautions in his home, and still dies.' You know this truth, Maharaj, so don't be afraid.
533: Tamal Krishna: No poison is strong enough to stop the Harinam, Srila Prabhupada.
534: Kaviraja: Bas. [in agreement] Harinam ke samne, to Meera ko kitna poison diya gaya tha. Ek bund par jane se admi ka death ho jay. So bhagavan ke prasad lag jata ta hai, na, to poison bhi amrit ho jata hai.
NAV: Don't doubt Meera drank so much poison; one drop could have killed, but because it was the Lord's prasad, nothing happened to her. Even poison when offered to the Lord becomes nectar.
HIR: Right. Before the Holy Name... How much poison was given to Meera, a single drop was enough to kill a man. So if prasad is taken with it, then even poison becomes nectar.
535: Unknown: Prahlad Maharaj.
536: Bhakticharu: Prahlad Maharaj.
537: Kaviraja: Prahlad se jyada poison diya tha halahal iska Meera ko. Itne jabardast banaya lo.
NAV: More than Prahlad, Meera was given such strong poison.
HIR: An even stronger poison was given to Meera than to Prahlad. It was made so strong!
538: Srila Prabhupada: [sighs, breathes]
539: Kaviraja: Jaisha allopathy men ek poison ata jiska taste aj tak koi bata nahin saka.
NAV: Allopathic poison even till today nobody can tell the taste.
HIR: In allopathic medicine there are some poisons that nobody can recognize the taste of.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: Is the kaviraja speculating that an allopathic poison is involved? Tamal then puts an end to these talks. END COMMENT
540: Tamal Krishna: You want some more kirtan Srila Prabhupada? Lokanath can lead. Lokanath, you lead!
Dr. Brzezinski (Hiranyagarbha das) makes these comments: (He studied tapes 18, 19, 20 thoroughly and the previous 17 not as thoroughly):
It is in the beginning of tape #18 in which Prabhupada says both in Hindi and Bengali that he has been poisoned, and later on in the same conversation, the kaviraja asks him to explain what he meant. This is followed by a discussion of astrology in which the kaviraja and Bhakticharu try to convince Prabhupada that he will live for another ten years. This I believe is significant, as it gives a connection between the "I read it somewhere" and what the kaviraja and Bhakticharu believe is going on in Prabhupada 's mind.
There is a short section in which the kaviraja again asks about whether he has had any abhas, or "inkling, hunch, idea, hint, appearance, semblance; impression"; more likely "indication, symptom, evidence" of being poisoned. Prabhupada answers, "no, but that he read somewhere that this is how it happens." The kaviraja is grappling with the idea of possible poisons; he must be thinking in terms of what poisons could be having the effects of which Prabhupada is complaining.
A third portion comes on the next day, (Folio says 8th, tape says 9th, but is really the 10th) This long piece can be divided into two sections, before and after Tamal's significant question. First, Prabhupada says that he is feeling alright. The kaviraja also says that Prabhupada 's body is functioning properly according to pathological tests (heart, blood pressure, etc.). The physical pain was "us samay hua tha" which is unclear. Is he talking about that morning or another time? This leads into discussion of mental distress, which refers back to the morning, confirming that stomach pain was being experienced in the morning.
Tamal asked his significant question which results in a silent pause of 13 seconds; Prabhupada does not answer. Why? The kaviraja then jumps in with a description of the effects of various poisons and the story of Svarupa Guha. When Bhakticharu suggests that mercury was present in makharadhvaja, something which Tamal also suggests, the kaviraja says that he is not talking about that, but about raskapoor which had been used by Svarupa Guha's husband. The kaviraja may have had some involvement with that case. Bhakticharu presses about the makharadhvaja and the kaviraja answers that makharadhvaja is amrita (nectar), but that in Prabhupada's specific case it was poison; but that raskapoor is poisonous for everyone. It is clear that the kaviraja has NOT been giving Prabhupada makharadhvaja and is waiting until the kidneys are stronger before prescribing it.
The conversation then turns again to Sankaracharya not accepting food cooked by others than his own men. Prabhupada makes a noise during the talk about Mirabhai and allopathic poisons, indicating discomfort.
I have gone through the lengthy conversations which precede the Nov. 9-10 period with an eye to important Hindi and Bengali conversations and also to better understand the context of Prabhupada's comments. The following things have come to my attention.
The word poisoning comes up on Oct. 18, when Bhavananda on two occasions talks about infection as poisoning. This is related to the kidney condition and certain symptoms, such as blood and pus in the urine. On Oct. 25, a kaviraja from Delhi, through Chandra Swami, sends 48 doses of makharadhvaja brought by Satadhanya. Tamal Krishna and Bhakticharu take charge of administering this medicine. On Oct. 26, already, Prabhupada says that this medicine is "not acting," and "In this condition I do not wish to live," even though the devotees seem to notice a positive effect.
On Oct. 27, Prabhupada has diarrhea five times. The word poison comes up again. Tamal says: "That medicine turned out to be poison.". They blame the kaviraja for being a Sakta. In connection with this same medicine, Prabhupada uses the expression janiya suniya bis khainu. This is after only having taken two doses. Tamal suggests that Prabhupada "take rest from the other thing that he has taken," i.e., stop taking the makharadhvaja. It is revealed that Dr. G. Ghosh, who is 82, a respected allopathic doctor from Allahabad, had said that any medicine which contains mercury and arsenic is poison to him. So the idea of poison has been floated about by the time of November 9th. (A long Hindi conversation follows that should be translated.)
Tamal says that the problems Prabhupada was having were due to makharadhvaja. Bhavananda reports that in Prabhupada's condition, makharadhvaja would be poison. This is apparently the kaviraja's opinion also. Makharadhvaja is too strong a medicine for someone in Prabhupada's condition and therefore alternative medicines are being given,. such as vrkkasan jivani.
AUTHOR'S COMMENTS:
Some questions naturally arise after hearing these conversations. First, we note that Srila Prabhupada did NOT raise the issue with his disciples, but first Balaram Mishra, whom Srila Prabhupada had probably not seen for many years, and the kaviraja, both outsiders. We must wonder why he didn't take the issue up with His Western disciples? Was Srila Prabhupada deliberately avoiding His own disciples because they were the ones poisoning Him? (Note: the poison whispers occur on the 11th, not 10th)
Srila Prabhupada first says that someone has said that someone has poisoned Him. He then clarifies by saying "all these friends" were saying this, meaning perhaps His disciples or those in the room. Did Srila Prabhupada overhear the same kinds of poison whisperings that we do on the 11th? Asked by Tamal, Srila Prabhupada denies knowing who has done the poisoning. Then, asked by the kaviraja, Srila Prabhupada says that He has the symptoms of poisoning, as may be described in some book. Asked by Tamal again, Srila Prabhupada denied being poisoned and again notes that He has all the symptoms of one who has been poisoned. It is agreed that no one would cook for Srila Prabhupada except His own disciples, lest there be poisoning as in the case of a Sankaracharya guru. This shows real concern about real poisoning, not just an observation of a coincidence of symptoms. Then, the next day, November 10, Srila Prabhupada tells the kaviraja and Bhakticharu in Hindi again, clearly, that He has been poisoned. A long discussion takes place about various poisons and a Calcutta poison and murder case. Apparently Tamal, Jayapataka, Bhakticharu and Bhavananda had previously discussed several poisoning cases with each other, being very familiar with all the details of these cases. Is it any wonder we suspect them?
At the time, Srila Prabhupada's shocking statements created nothing more than a temporary buzz of conversation. It is more than slightly puzzling and rather disturbing how Srila Prabhupada's disciples, particularly the main caretaker and Srila Prabhupada's secretary Tamal Krishna, did not pursue the matter aside from a few questions. No qualified doctor was consulted in the next five days before Srila Prabhupada's departure to check on the poisoning matter, nor was any autopsy or test of any kind (hair, urine, blood, etc) performed before or upon after Srila Prabhupada's departure. Srila Prabhupada flatly stated three times that He was being poisoned, yet no one did a thing to validate that statement, what to speak of protecting Srila Prabhupada. At the end of about fifteen minutes of intense discussion about Srila Prabhupada being poisoned, the conclusion was that Tamal Krishna asked Lokanath to lead another kirtan, since no poison is stronger than the Holy Name. End of discussion, until 1997 and now, in this book.
Questioned by Tamal Krishna Goswami (301), Srila Prabhupada says "He said like that" (meaning the kaviraja ?), "Not that I am poisoned." By this statement to his disciples he sort of denies he is being poisoned. Yet, Srila Prabhupada discusses this with the kaviraja the very next day, and again speaks to him in Hindi, stating very frankly "someone has poisoned me." The fact that Srila Prabhupada spoke openly to the kaviraja about being poisoned and not to the devotees again leaves us to wonder. We see that Srila Prabhupada obviously did not care to speak with his disciples on the matter as Tamal Krishna's last question about his statement is met with a long 13 seconds of silence before the conversation turned elsewhere. Prabhupada obviously could have named his suspects at that time, but he declined, and this mystery can only be answered by a poisoner's confessions. Yet Srila Prabhupada must have intended to reveal the fact that he thought he was being poisoned because it was He who first brought it up.
Today many who hear these statements are shocked, and also by the apparent lack of alarm by those who were around Prabhupada at that time. Some have suggested the idea that Srila Prabhupada's references to being poisoned was a result of senility, dying hallucinations, or incoherent ramblings due to the delirium of pain which may have caused him to say anything. Dying hallucinations? The kaviraja clearly didn't think so. His opinion was that if Srila Prabhupada said it, it must be true. Further, witness the clarity of thought expressed by Prabhupada throughout this time period. Pradyumna das assisted Srila Prabhupada with translation of the Srimad Bhagavatam and he tells of how Srila Prabhupada translated until just days before his leaving. Anyone who reads those final purports can understand that Srila Prabhupada was lucid, and focused. He could understand Sanskrit verses just by listening, and he then spoke the purport into a microphone held by Pradyumna. Yet Tamal and Bhavananda tried to explain away Srila Prabhupada's statements as due to "mental distress," pooh-poohing the seriousness and importance of them.
Srila Prabhupada's statements were ignored and brushed aside, and then covered in the dust kicked up by the mad rush of disciples to divide the world and take Srila Prabhupada's place as absolute gurus. But now, by Krishna's design, this information has re-emerged from 22 years of obscurity, almost lost. Those concerned about a capital crime being committed, including those who have devotion to Srila Prabhupada, His contribution and His movement, would serve their conscience well by participating in the search for the truth about Srila Prabhupada's poisoning. END COMMENT
We conclude with an excerpt from ISKCON's answer to the Poison CD that never was, May 1998: "These translations and transcripts do in any case reveal a confusing scenario. Srila Prabhupada indicates first to Tamal that he had the symptoms of someone poisoned, not that he was being poisoned. Later he states more positively that he thinks he is being poisoned. ...we may never know exactly what was in Srila Prabhupada's mind, or how seriously he took the suggestion that someone was poisoning him..." (see Appendix 21)
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Srila Prabhupada left this mortal world on November 14, 1977.
But He lives forever in His instructions, and His followers will always live with Him.
"He reasons ill who tells that Vaishnavas die
While thou art living still in sound!
The Vaishnavas die to live, and living try
To spread the Holy Name around"
(Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Thākura)
HARE KṚṢṆA HARE KṚṢṆA KṚṢṆA KṚṢṆA HARE HARE
HARE RĀMA HARE RĀMA RĀMA RĀMA HARE HARE
Kaviraja: speaks in Hindi.....
Tamala Krsna: Put poison in different containers. That's all right.
Audio Clip in MP3 Format - [(((audio)))]
This is not a whisper - these words are clearly audible, spoken by Tamal Krsna. It is interesting to note that even though the transcription of this section of the audio tape was transcribed into the BBT Folio, this sentence was omitted. Why was this sentence omitted? How will BBT / Bhaktivedanta Archives officials explain this mystery?