“Concerning Satsvarupa Maharaja” (A respeito de Satsvarupa Maharaja): declaração do Comitê Executivo do GBC, com a carta de Satsvarupa dasa Goswami de 1º de maio de 2004 (Chakra, 11 de maio de 2004)

Concerning Satsvarupa

                       Maharaja

                       GBC Executive Committee Statement

                       Posted May 11, 2004


                       Dear Devotees,


                       Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to Srila
                       Prabhupada.

Chakra
                       The following statement from the GBC Executive
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                       Committee represents ISKCON's official position on the

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                           At the end of this posting you will find a candid letter
     Statement
                       from Satsvarupa dasa Goswami about a falldown that
     Events
                       occurred in his spiritual life about a year and a half ago.
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                       This took place within the context of his ongoing
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                       endeavors to serve while struggling with debilitated
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                           The GBC Executive Committee would first like to
                       express its deep gratitude toward Satsvarupa das
                       Goswami, a much loved devotee in the Hare Krsna
                       movement, and acknowledge his career of dedicated
                       devotional service, exemplary sadhana, and inspired
                       literary preaching on behalf of Srila Prabhupada.

                           As a GBC Emeritus, Satsvarupa Maharaja holds no
                       official position in the management of ISKCON and is
                       unlikely ever to do so.

                           In consultation with the GBC EC, he has agreed to
                       retire from initiating; he will not initiate any more
                       disciples.

                           His present disciples are encouraged to go on steadily
                       in their devotional service to ISKCON and Srila
                       Prabhupada, and he will continue to offer guidance and
                       care as they so desire.

                           As Srila Prabhupada writes in Bhagavad-gita (9.30):
                       "Sometimes. . . it may be seen that a person in Krsna
                       consciousness commits some act which may be taken as
                       most abominable socially or politically. But such a
                       temporary falldown does not disqualify him. The material
                       contamination is so strong that even a yogi fully engaged
                       in the service of the Lord sometimes becomes ensnared;
                       but Krsna consciousness is so strong that such an
                       occasional falldown is at once rectified. Therefore the
                       process of devotional service is always a success."

                           Satsvarupa Maharaja has re-dedicated himself to his
                       vows and asrama and is committed to his full recovery
                       and service to Srila Prabhupada. We offer him our
                       wholehearted affection, encouragement, and support.

                           Out of respect for Satsvarupa Maharaja, we request
                       all devotees to give him the time, space and privacy he
                       requires to recover fully. Out of respect and honour for
                       the sacrifices he has made on behalf of Srila Prabhupada
                       and ISKCON these many years, we encourage devotees
                       everywhere to offer him their support, prayers, and good
                       wishes.

Your servants,
GBC Executive Committee



Letter From Satsvarupa Maharaja

May 1, 2004
Dear Maharajas and Prabhus,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila
Prabhupada.

There has been gathering exposure that I, Satsvarupa
Maharaja, and a female therapist had a short-lived
romantic involvement about one and a     half years ago. As
many of you may know, I have tried many therapies over
the years to try and cure what is a severe case of
"anxiety disorder anticipatory migraine." In one such
effort a Godsister was helping me as a counselor, and
regrettably I held sessions alone with her. And so the
relationship developed.

    I certainly committed a mistake, and I felt relieved
whenI wrote a letter of confession to the ISKCON
sannyasa minister. He asked me if she and I had sexual
intercourse, and I honestly said "no." Krsna saved us
from that.


    I feel like I want to explain what steps I've taken to
protect myself from further problems. The saying "once
burnt, twice shy" certainly applies to me. In addition to
any consequences endorsed by the GBC, I feel great
personal shame. On the other hand, this has increased
my intimacy with Krsna in prayer. I know, for example,
that a sannyasi should never be alone with a woman. I
am suffering third-degree burns by disobeying this simple
first instruction for sannyasis. I'm determined to never
make that same mistake again. I am praying constantly
to Prabhupada and associating with my Godbrothers in a
humble mood.

    My health is not good, but I don't wish to dwell on it
here. I'm under the care of an expert psychiatrist MD and
an authorized counsellor who is helping me with my
anxiety issues. I consider my status to be semi-retired. I
will not be initiating any new devotees. I am serving the
devotee community by writing books and also answering
letters. I served in an active capacity for almost 40 years
and I can't keep it up. I am not avoiding the society of
devotees. I simply can't travel in cars or planes to go to
temples or festivals, to sing or dance or give lectures.
Maybe each of you will reach that stage sooner or later.

    Iam profoundly sorry that I slipped and fell on the
road this way, a 64-year-old sannyasi who had no other
brush with a woman. I thought for sure I'd get through to
the end with a perfect record. Krsna must have seen I
was proud. I pray He allows me to remain in ISKCON and
follow the rules and regulations to my dying day. I heard
that Sridhara Swami told a Godbrother
                                  just before he
passed away, "Be who you are and make a contribution."
I think I have written this same sentence in my books. I
fall at the feet of all devotees and ask their forgiveness.

Yours in the service of Prabhupada,
Satsvarupa das Goswami