In this second part of my refutation of the GBC paper “The Last Conversation” I will establish that the GBC are purposely misleading in their presentation, harboring what is obviously willful intent to make a pure unalloyed devotee of the Lord a great Mahabhagavat, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaja appear as if he were the one giving misinformation.
The GBC body published this paper titled “The Last Conversation”. The fact is stated at the very top of the second part right after the transcription of the conversation:
“Issued by the Governing Body Commission of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness 24 March 2010”
Thus it is absolutely clear that the issued paper is comprised of their collective words. This means that every GBC member is held accountable for the offense committed in their shameful misrepresentation.
It is in the second paragraph after this heading that the GBC makes the first of its false statements.
“On the 8th of the month, Srila Prabhupada asked his attendant disciples to arrange for several of his Godbrothers to come and meet with him. That afternoon, Bhakti-caru Swami, Bhakti-prema Swami, and Sridhara Swami went to Mathura to consult with Prabhupada’s Godnephew H.H. B.V. Narayana Maharaja; they were to get directions for the conduct of last rites for a great soul. That same evening, Narayana Maharaja, accompanied by a few men, arrived at Krsna-Balarama Mandir to see Prabhupada in person. Srila Prabhupada and Narayana Maharaja conversed at some length, almost entirely in the Bengali language; their words were recorded. This would prove to be their final conversation—one that took place not on Prabhupada’s ‘last day,’ as Narayana Maharaja frequently states, but over a month before.”
Note for the record, what the GBC body states in this official paper regarding the October 8th conversation: This would prove to be their final conversation—one that took place not on Prabhupada’s “last day,” as Narayana Maharaja frequently states, but over a month before.”
So, practically from the beginning of their paper, they have made a false statement and a false accusation. They clearly state that the October 8th conversation “would prove to be their final conversation.” In the first part of my refutation, I pointed out that according to the Veda Base record of conversations I arrived in Vrndavan on the 8th of October and I personally saw Srila Narayana Maharaja come and meet with Srila Prabhupada at least twice after that date. My godbrother Pita Das has also given testimony that he saw Srila Narayana Maharaja speaking with Srila Prabhupada and Bon Maharaja only a day or so before Srila Prabhupada left. Subsequent to the publication of my first refutation, another godbrother Damodara Pandit Prabhu has stated that after October 8th he was told that Srila Prabhupada requested to see Srila Narayan Maharaja. He was then asked to pick up Srila Narayan Maharaja in the car and bring him to see Srila Prabhupada. Therefore based on the authority of the above mentioned eyewitnesses who saw Srila Narayan Maharaja have meetings with Srila Prabhupada and engage in conversations with him after the October 8th conversation we can conclude that the statement in the GBC paper: “This would prove to be their final conversation” is totally false.
The second transgression is the false accusation against Srila Narayan Maharaja that he did not communicate with Srila Prabhupada on his last day. This is based on the false statement that the October 8th conversation was the last conversation.
Contradictory to false GBC propaganda, when Srila Narayana Maharaja states that he spoke to Srila Prabhupada on his last day, he does not refer to the October 8th conversation but a later conversation altogether. As confirmed by numerous eyewitness accounts, Srila Narayan Maharaja did in fact have a conversation with Srila Prabhupada most likely the day before Srila Prabhupada departed from this earth. Furthermore, although Srila Narayana Maharaja did not have an extended conversation with Srila Prabhupada on the last day he verbally communicated with Srila Prabhupada and received a blessing in response sometime within the last five hours of Srila Prabhupada’s manifest presence when no one else was able to communicate with Srila Prabhupada.
Seeing both a false statement and false accusation in the second paragraph of the paper we can understand that the entire document is based on a false premise with the willful intent to mislead people into thinking that Srila Narayan Maharaja has not been honest in his descriptions of his relationship with Srila Prabhupada.
In the beginning of the third paragraph, the GBC make the following statement: “In subsequent years, Narayan Maharaja has often referred to this last conversation.” The GBC then present a cut and paste selection of quotes from Srila Narayan Maharaja and subsequently claim that these statements by him are not reflected in the above conversation. Because the October 8th conversation is not actually “The Final Conversation” between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja this entire approach is willfully misleading. Several people presently on the GBC were there in the room with Srila Prabhupada during the months of October and November 1977. They know very well that October 8th 1977 was not the last conversation between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja. However they allowed this paper to be published with blatantly false statements. This clearly indicates their willful intent to mislead the public.
The GBC provide five quotes they have selected to convince the devotees that Srila Narayan Maharaja is misleading people about the timing and content of his meeting with Srila Prabhupada. If we examine these five quotes carefully, we will note that only once does Srila Narayan Maharaja say “on the last day.” He says “in his last days” and “in the last days” and “at the time of his departure” in 3 of the other five and makes no mention of timing at all in one of them but only about content. These general statements indicate that, as the eyewitnesses have confirmed, there were several meetings between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja between October 8th and November 14th and that Srila Narayan Maharaja is speaking about a recurring request by Srila Prabhupada to him during the course of several conversations over the last five weeks “in his last days” and “in the last days” and “at the time of his departure”.
According to Pita Das, he personally heard Srila Prabhupada ask Srila Narayan Maharaja to please take care of his disciples and guide them in a meeting that took place in mid-November. Pita Das recalls that this meeting took place around the 10th or 11th of November. In the Veda Base conversations we find not mention of this. However, Pita Das mentions that Srila Bon Maharaja was also in the room during that meeting and the Veda Base conversations has Bon Maharaja in the room with Srila Prabhupada on November 13th the day before he left this world, hence the oft made statement by Srila Narayan Maharaja “the night before he entered Nitya Lila”. Although there is no tape recording of Srila Narayan Maharaja in the room on that day the tape recording we have obviously picks up in the middle of the conversation and the Archives has over 500 sound files that it has not published yet. It appears that since we have a witness placing Srila Narayan Maharaja in the room with Srila Bon Maharaja on that day that the sound file is missing.
By starting the paper on the false premise that “this would prove to be their last conversation,” The GBC has tried to create the illusion that Srila Narayan Maharaja is the one making false statements about the timing and content of his conversations with Srila Prabhupada. However, the quotes themselves make it clear that Srila Narayan Maharaja is speaking about several conversations over the course of the last five weeks “in the last days”, “in his last days”, and this is corroborated by witnesses. Therefore, as I already stated, it is clear that this paper has been concocted with the willful intent to mislead devotees about the timing and the content of the conversations as well as the relationship between these two great Mahabhagavats.
Thus far, I have been recapping in detail what I spoke about broadly in the first part of my refutation. Now I would like to address some of the insinuations made by the GBC in their interpretation of the first part of this conversation between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja.
To begin, let us first consider a conversation between Srila Prabhupada and his disciples regarding the arrangements for Srila Prabhupada’s Samadhi ceremony. Srila Narayan Maharaja’s participation in that ceremony is discussed. For the record, here is the conversation.
Tamala Krsna Maharaja: I think it [parikrama] would be difficult. Better that we go parikraming around our temple, Krsna-Balarama Mandira. That's a little easier. Don't you think that's better?
Srila Prabhupada: Hmm.
Tamala Krsna Maharaja: If you get a little stronger, then it may be possible. That will depend on Krsna. So Krsna Das, we should bring him here. Anyone else you want to see? Narayana Maharaja?
(Srila Prabhupada confirmed with his head)
Tamala Krsna Maharaja: Yes. We went to see him just to inquire about the necessary ceremony, and he gave us instruction. I sent Bhakti-caru Maharaja and Bhakti-prema Maharaja, and they wrote down everything. But Narayana Maharaja was very concerned. He said he's going to try to come to see you tomorrow. That's all right, isn't it? So Krsna Das can be called for. Anytime? Okay. He stays at Radha-kunda? Does he stay at the Gaudiya Matha here? He does—we’ll inquire.
Srila Prabhupada: Narayana Maharaja comes, then everything will be all right.
Tamala Krsna Maharaja: So if I call Narayana Maharaja, is there any need for Krsna Das to come?
Srila Prabhupada: He can arrange.
Tamala Krsna Maharaja: Narayana Maharaja. Actually, he wanted to do that. He gave us instructions, but he also wanted to take part. So better I call Narayana Maharaja, then Krsna Das. Okay. I'll send the car for him tomorrow morning. He was saying he would like to come tomorrow, so I'll send a car and say that Prabhupada requests that you come this morning, if it's convenient. Is that all right? Jaya, Srila Prabhupada.
Regarding this conversation, the GBC makes the following insinuation:
“It is important to note that the central concern here is how to conduct the samadhi ceremony, and Prabhupada thinks that it will not be necessary to confer with Krsna Dasa Babaji if Narayan Maharaja is consulted for directions: “Everything will be all right,” and, “He can arrange.” Tamala Krsna Maharaja then observes that Narayan Maharaja is not only eager to be consulted but to personally participate as well: “Actually, he wanted to do that. He gave us instructions, but he also wanted to take part.” Thus, it appears that the idea of Narayana Maharaja’s participation in the ceremony originates from Narayana Maharaja himself, not from Srila Prabhupada.”
Here the GBC endeavors to make it look like Srila Narayan Maharaja invited himself to participate in the Samadhi ceremony. However, if we listen to the conversation that occurs prior to this and after this, as well as examine the structure and sequence of all these conversations, we will readily see yet another willful attempt made by the GBC to mislead the public.
First of all, this conversation begins at 37:36 on the MP3 sound file that accompanies the paper sent out by the GBC. Just prior to this, at around 36:20, we can hear Tamal Krsna ask Srila Prabhupada, “So should we bring Krsna Das?” So, Tamal Krsna initiates this discussion asking if he should bring "Akinchana Krsna Das Babaji", who is Srila Prabhupada’s godbrother. After a lapse of approximately one minute the conversation provided above begins. Again, Tamala Krsna asks about making arrangements to bring Krsna Das Babaji to see Srila Prabhupada. If we listen to the tape we notice that Srila Prabhupada has failed to respond to both inquiries of Tamal Krsna to bring Krsna Das Babaji. In contrast, the first time Tamala Krsna mentions Srila Narayan Maharaja’s name he immediately responds with a nod of his head, giving approval to the idea of bringing Srila Narayan Maharaja.
Tamal Krsna recognizing Srila Prabhupada’s desire then explains that he sent two sannyasis to learn about the Samadhi Ceremony from Srila Narayan Maharaj. The truth is that Srila Prabhupada had ordered them to go to Srila Narayan Maharaja to learn about the ceremony. This alone demonstrates Srila Prabhupada’s desire to involve Srila Narayan Maharaja in the ceremony. Tamal Krsna then informs Srila Prabhupada about Srila Narayan Maharajas mood when the sannyasis were learning from him. He states: “But Narayan Maharaja was very concerned. He said he's going to try to come to see you tomorrow. That's all right, isn't it?” This statement does not indicate that Srila Narayan Maharaja had a desire to perform the ceremony but rather that he was concerned for Srila Prabhupada’s well being.
Srila Prabhupada has sent them to learn about the Samadhi ceremony from Srila Narayan Maharaja and has immediately responded by saying yes with a nod of his head when Tamal Krsna asks if he should call for Srila Narayan Maharaja to come. Srila Prabhupada has not responded to two requests for Krsna Das Babaji to come. Yet for some reason Tamal Krsna again brings up the idea of bringing Krsna Das for a third time. In response to this request Srila Prabhupada emphatically states, “Narayana Maharaja comes, then everything will be all right.” Srila Prabhupada makes this favorable statement after three inquiries by Tamal Krsna to bring Krsna Das and only one inquiry to bring Srila Narayan Maharaja. All of this is ample proof that Srila Prabhupada was placing his trust in Srila Narayan Maharaja not Krsna Das Babaji.
Moreover, Srila Prabhupada further reinforces his desire when Tamal Krsna says: “So if I call Narayana Maharaja, is there any need for Krsna Dasa to come?” Srila Prabhupada then replies: “He can arrange.” Tamal Krsna then wants to clarify whom Srila Prabhupada meant when he said “He” can arrange, so Tamal Krsna asks in a questioning voice “Narayan Maharaja”. We do not hear any response but based on Tamal Krsnas immediate response in his next statement we get the idea that Srila Prabhupada has nodded yes, indicating that it is Srila Narayan Maharaja to whom he was referring when he made the statement “he can arrange”.
Thus it is clear at this point in the conversation that it is Srila Prabhupada’s desire and choice that Srila Narayan Maharaja that he not only instruct his disciples about the Samadhi Ceremony but that Srila Narayan Maharaja comes to see him and that he also arranges the ceremony. Most importantly Srila Prabhupada has not yet heard from Tamal Krsna that Srila Narayan Maharaja actually wanted to participate in the ceremony. The statement by Tamal Krsna about Srila Narayana Maharaja’s interest in performing the Samadhi ceremony happens subsequently to Srila Prabhupada’s statement that “he can arrange”. Tamal Krsna asks about Krsna Das Babaji coming three times and mentions Srila Naryana Maharaja only once. However, Srila Prabhupada not only requests that Srila Narayan Maharaja should come, instead of Krsna Das Babaji, but that “he can arrange” the ceremony as well. It is at this point that Tamal Krsna responds by confirming the earnest request of Srila Prabhupada with the statement that: “Actually, he wanted to do that. He gave us instructions, but he also wanted to take part. So better I call Narayana Maharaja, then Krsna dasa.” Hence Tamal Krsna is now confirming by this statement that Srila Prabhupada’s desire to have Srila Narayan Maharaja not just teach them the ceremony but to actually come and do the Samadhi Ceremony is in fact Srila Narayan Maharaja’s desire as well.
At time 49:21 on the MP3 that has been provided with the paper by the GBC Srila Prabhupada again asks if Srila Narayan Maharaja is coming to see him. The conversation is as follows:
Srila Prabhupada: [Speaks to Tamal Krsna Maharaj:] Narayana Maharaja --he'll come tomorrow?
Tamal Krsna Maharaja: [First discusses with Bhakti-Caru Maharaja, then speaks as follows:] If we pick him up, he'll come tonight. If we go just now with the car, if Bhakti-Caru goes just now with the car, he may come tonight --Narayana Maharaja.
Srila Prabhupada: Hu. [Go on Kirtan]
Tamal Krsna has not yet arranged to bring Srila Narayan Maharaja to see Srila Prabhupada. So again Srila Prabhupada asks him, “Narayan Maharaja—he’ll come tomorrow”. Here we see that Srila Prabhupada has an earnest desire to see Srila Narayan Maharaja--a desire which the GBC is trying to tell you did not exist by willfully misleading the reader with false statements and innuendos that have nothing to do with the actual facts of the conversation.
Finally in the main conversation that is the topic of this paper there is a section in which Srila Prabhupada gives a direct order to his disciples to follow the instructions of Srila Narayan Maharaja in terms of performing the Samadhi Ceremony and also to “let him do” the ceremony.
Hari-Sauri: Jaya Srila Prabhupada. Tamala Krsna.
Prabhupäda: You have consulted with Narayana Maharaja?
Tamala Krsna: Yes. This morning Bhakti-caru Swami, Bhakti-prema Swami and Sridhara Swami went to see him, and Narayana Maharaja described the ceremony for the departure of a Vaishnava, great Vaishnava soul.
Narayana Maharaja: I have told them everything that is needed to be done. I told them, "Whenever you need me, I'll come here." I would do all, being personally present.
At this point in the conversation Srila Prabhupada has only asked his disciples if they have consulted with Srila Narayan Maharaja. This proves that he had instructed them to go in the first place to learn how to do the Samadhi Ceremony from Srila Narayan Maharaja. Therefore Srila Prabhupada is checking up on them to make sure that they have followed his instructions. This begs an important question: Srila Prabhupada has so many god brothers there in Vrndavan who are technically senior to Srila Narayan Maharaja but he has chosen Srila Narayan Maharaja to teach them the ceremony, why? The answer is because of the intimate siksha guru-siksha disciple relationship between Srila Prabhupada and Srila Narayan Maharaja which is made apparent in the body of the October 8th conversation that is presented in the GBC paper.
However, getting back to the immediate part of the discussion at hand, after Srila Prabhupada checks to see that his disciples have consulted with Srila Narayan Maharaja as he has asked them to, there is some discussion on the location of the Samadhi, covering the body with salt, and saving flowers for a Pushpa Samadhi in Mayapur. Then, the following conversation takes place wherein Srila Prabhupada orders Srila Narayana Maharaja to be present and instructs his disciples to let Srila Narayan Maharaja perform the ceremony because he knows:
Srila Prabhupada: Apni dariye theke
Srila Prabhupada: You be present there.
Srila Narayana Maharaja: Ami thakba okhane. Apanara amake khabar diben.
Srila Narayana Maharaja: Yes, I will be there. You all should notify me.
Srila Narayana Maharaja: [Speaks to Tamal Krsna Maharaja in English] You should call me, and I will come.
Tamal Krsna Maharaja: Yes. He described the entire ceremony in detail, Srila Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada: So he knows. When you are ready, let him have it.
MY NOTE: I spent a considerable amount of time reviewing this statement on the sound file. I had the sound file cleared of some background noise and had the voices enhanced by a recording specialist. What I obtained from this was as follows:
Srila Prabhupada: Hmm so he knows-- when I reach the time.
Tamal Krsna: yes
Srila Prabhupada: “he will reach let him do” (Please click here to listen.)
This statement is referring back to his order to Srila Narayan Maharaja “you be present there” and Srila Narayan Maharaja’s response “yes I will be there, you should all notify me” in Bengali and then in English Srila Narayan Maharaja says “Your should call me, and I will come” So Srila Prabhupada is now recapping the conversation and giving the final instructions on the matter “So he knows—when I reach the time, he will reach---let him do” this is a clear instruction by Srila Prabhupada to his disciples that Srila Narayan Maharaja should perform “let him do” the Samadhi Ceremony. Even if you are to accept the version of the conversation as given by the GBC “So he knows. When you are ready let him have it.” It is again crystal clear that Srila Prabhupada is instructing them that Srila Narayan Maharaja “knows” so “when you are ready” or “when I reach the time” you should let Srila Narayan Maharaja “have it”, that is perform the Samadhi Ceremony.
Considering all of these points, it is very clear that Srila Prabhupada wanted Srila Narayan Maharaja to not only instruct his disciples about the Samadhi Ceremony, Srila Prabhupada actually wanted Srila Narayan Maharaja to participate in and to perform the Samadhi Ceremony. In fact it appears that this was Srila Prabhupada’s intention all along by sending his disciples to learn from Srila Narayan Maharaja in the first place. Knowing that his disciples were not capable of doing the Samadhi Ceremony themselves he sends them first to learn from Srila Narayan Maharaja and then instructs them to ‘let him do”. Furthermore, we have witnesses that saw Srila Narayan Maharaja in the room with Srila Prabhupada receiving further instructions about caring for his disciples and no doubt further instructions about performing the Samadhi Ceremony. As these conversations were mostly in Bengali and/or Hindi only parts of the conversations were available to the English speaking witnesses.
Therefore when the GBC makes the statement: “Thus, it appears that the idea of Narayana Maharaja’s participation in the ceremony originates from Narayana Maharaja himself, not from Srila Prabhupada” they are again willfully misleading the devotees who are reading their official GBC paper into wrongly believing that Srila Narayan Maharaja’s participation in the ceremony came from himself. Even though Srila Narayan Maharaja had earlier expressed his desire to participate in the Samadhi Ceremony, Srila Prabhupada was not informed of Srila Narayan Maharaja’s desire to participate in the ceremony until after he expressed his own earnest desire to have Srila Narayan Maharaja perform the ceremony by the statement “he can arrange”. Srila Prabhupada later confirms this by saying “So he knows when I reach the time he will reach let him do”
The GBC has demonstrated their willful intent to mislead the readers into believing that it was Srila Narayan Maharaja, who initiated the desire in Srila Prabhupada to have him do the Samadhi ceremony, by use of false accusations, insinuations, and innuendos. This false conception is manufactured by the GBC writers to make the reader believe that a great Mahabhagavat is ambitious and untruthful. Actually, it has been historically demonstrated that within the GBC body there have been many members who were most unfortunately decorated with the above mentioned qualities of material ambition and falsehood. In fact, as I have proven in this paper they are speaking falsely even now. The GBC’s woeful misbehavior in this regard has been a matter of past public record in their consistent abuse of power, fiscal malfeasance, exploitation of women and children, and inappropriate behavior with senior Vaishnava’s.
This ends part two of my refutation. In part three, I will further expose the hypocrisy of the statements the GBC has made in this paper about Srila Prabhupada’s request to preach together with his godbrothers and their complete and utter failure to follow this instruction.
Your Servant
B.V. Bhagavat Maharaja
Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Srila Bhakti Vedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaja
