My European highlights with Hridayananda Goswami

by Chandrasekhara acharya dasa

Dear devotees,
After four months of myself and other devotees asking the European GBC to disclose
why they banned His Holiness Hridayananda Goswami from Europe after his three-month tour
last summer, two European GBC members unofficially disclosed to a few of us the five reasons
that justified, in their view, the banning of Hridayananda Goswami. In this paper, I will provide
evidence that disproves these five reasons. I will also describe eight highlights of my travels with
Hridayananda Maharaja for his entire European tour last summer, during which time I witnessed
the positive effect that he had on the ISKCON European yatra.
Before going further, I make two caveats:
1) Hridayananda Maharaja does not necessarily endorse this article. My thoughts herewith
are my own views, which I write as a GBC-loyal member of ISKCON who strives to be
independently thoughtful.
2) I am addressing the general ISKCON public because the GBC has showed little to no
interest to hear my testimony of my experience of traveling with Hridayananda Maharaja. Since
September, I have written to the concerned GBC members three times. Only one GBC member
showed interest in my testimony, but he was thereafter soon dismissed from the designated
committee. A fair jury has a solemn duty to gather all possible evidence for a given case in order
to construct a well-informed judgement. Otherwise the jury in question is not performing its
proper function. While my testimony is biased, it nonetheless constitutes a large piece of
evidence for constructing a clear picture of Hridayananda Goswamis summer European tour.
Since the GBC is uninterested to hear my testimony,1 the general devotee public can do so
herewith.
The Five Reasons

The president of the ISKCON Madrid temple, Janardana prabhu, told me that if the GBC permanently
bans Hridayananda Goswami from ISKCON, he will resign from all his administrative services. He wrote
the following question on his Facebook page two months ago: To how many temple presidents and to
how many leaders of ISKCON communities where Hridayananda Goswami travelled in Europe did the
GBC ask to provide them a testimony of their experience with Hridayananda Maharaja? I empathize
with Janardana prabhu for the same reason that he complains about in this quote.

Three out of the five reasons for the GBC banning Hridayananda Goswami make
reference to a 2010 agreement that Hridayananda Goswami signed before his (2010) trip to
Europe. The GBCs now claim that Hridayananda Goswami broke this agreement during his last
2015 summer European tour. I maintain that this claim is false on the following grounds.
1) The first reason for the GBC banning Hridayananda Goswami is stated as follows:
He [Hridayananda Goswami] did not follow the dress code for a sannyasi.
The GBC is here referring to the first point of the 2010 agreement, in which
Hridayananda Goswami writes:
I will follow normal ISKCON standards of dress, and other external behavior, when
participating in ISKCON programs [emphasis mine], either in person, or through any media such
as skype, video conferences etc. Western dress may be used for preaching to non-devotee
audiences, such as at universities etc.
Note the words ISKCON programs. The fact is that Hridayananda Goswami followed
the dress code for a sannyasi throughout his European tour at all ISKCON programs. The
following photos, taken in ISKCON temples in Prabhupadadesh (Italy), Barcelona, Madrid, New
Vraja Mandala (Spain), New Mayapur (France), Radhadesh (Belgium), Vilnius, Copenhagen,
and Oslo, show Hridayananda Goswami wearing sannyasa dress.

In Prabhupadadesh (Italy), Hridayananda Goswami dressed as a sannyasi when he awarded the

order of sannyasa to his Brazilian disciple Yamunacharya Swami. The only places where he did
not wear sannyasa dress during ISKCON programs was at the preaching center in Madrid and at
one Sunday function at ISKCON Berlin. In both instances, the local temple presidents
specifically permitted (and even suggested) that Hridayananda Goswami speak while dressed in
modern clothes.
Here we must raise a question which the ISKCON sannyasa ministry has not yet
addressed: how many hours a day must a sannyasi wear sannyasa dress? Our scriptures speak of
time, place and circumstance, and Srila Prabhupada himself said that if required he would
dress in modern clothes.2 In the Catholic Church (which Srila Prabhupada instructed his
followers to observe), an ordained priest dons his priestly dress occasionally, only for specific
functions. He dons more casual clothes during the rest of the day. What is the rule in ISKCON?
Because the GBC has not legislated a resolution on this point, the act of banning Hridayananda
Goswami on the basis that he did not wear sannyasa clothes all day long is discriminatory. The
bottom line is that Hridayananda Goswami, in accordance with the 2010 agreement, dressed in
sannyasa clothes during practically all the ISKCON functions that he attended. This first
aforementioned reason for banning him is therefore insufficient and unfair.3
2) The second reason for the GBC banning Hridayananda Goswami is stated as follows:
He [Hridayananda Goswami] created controversies such as preaching about Krishna West and
criticizing ISKCON authorities in some places .
The GBC is here referring to the second point of the 2010 agreement, in which HDG
states:
I will sincerely endeavor to avoid unnecessary controversy in ISKCON.
My observation of Hridayananda Goswami during his European tour is that he indeed
endeavored to avoid unnecessary controversy, such as speaking about Krishna West. The proof
lies in all his recorded lectures (which I recorded and which are online for the reader to confirm).
Ninety-five percent of these recordings deal exclusively with the theology and philosophy of
Srila Prabhupadas books. But here the reader (and the GBC) must realize another equally
important fact: at ground level throughout Europe, an overwhelming number of devotees kept
asking Hridayananda Maharaja to speak about Krishna West. For example, the Barcelona
devotees had advertised a three-day seminar that Hridayananda Goswami was to conduct starting
2

I am a sannyasi, but if some important work requires I dress myself just like a smart gentleman, I
would immediately accept it. So it is not a problem.
(Letter to Gopala Krishna Goswami, Hamburg 3 September, 1969).
3

Ironically, one can find images of at least one ISKCON GBC sannyasi on Google Images, dressed in
shorts and teaching yoga to women inside an ISKCON temple room. The GBC has not banned this
sannyasi for this.

the next day after his arrival. The day when we got to Barcelona, I personally witnessed
Hridayananda Goswami asking Gundica prabhu (the temple president), So, what am I supposed
to speak on for the seminar tomorrow?
Gundica replied, The three-day seminar is about Krishna West, Maharaja.
Hridayananda Goswami said, Are you joking?
Gundica replied, No, Maharaja, and showed him the ISKCON Barcelona website to confirm.
A constantly recurring pattern during Hridayananda Goswamis European tour was that ISKCON
devotees themselves kept asking Hridayananda Goswami to speak about Krishna West. He
responded appropriately.
Yes, Hridayananda Goswami did occasionally criticize local management. But he did so
in private. This raises another question which the GBC has also not addressed officially, namely
the question of freedom of speech in ISKCON. To what extent can the GBC expurgate the
opinions of ISKCON intellectuals? One extreme is to adopt an unhealthy laissez-faire policy
whereby anyone can say anything. The other extreme, equally unhealthy, is to adopt a 1984
Orwellian Big Brother is watching policy where the GBC micro-analyses all devotees every
thoughts and movements. Let us not forget that our Vaishnava tradition sets a precedent for
freedom of speech. The Bhagavatam recounts the story of a citizen who publicly complained
about Yudhistira Maharajas alleged defective management because the citizens son had died
before him. The Mahabharata tells us of a citizen who openly criticized the king in the middle of
the town square. In both these cases the government authorities did not censor nor ban these
citizens. Should the GBC ban a senior sannyasi and spiritual master for answering queries about
preaching in the West and occasionally expressing criticism of local management (all the while
repeatedly acknowledging that the GBC is the legitimate authority structure of ISKCON)?
3) The third reason is stated as follows:
He [Hridayananda Maharaja] wasn't submissive to the ISKCON authorities in Europe. He
didn't follow their instructions. For instance, he preached at Gaudiya Matha temples [emphasis
mine] in France against the wishes of the local GBCs.

Here I make a few important points:

A) The GBC makes a huge general accusation (i.e., not submissive, didnt follow the
authorities) and yet provides only one example to substantiate their claim. Furthermore, the one
example that they provide is not accurate. Hridayananda Goswami visited only one Gaudiya
Matha temple and not, as the GBC falsely states, a plural number of Gaudiya Matha temples.
B) I was the one who proposed to Hridayananda Goswami that he visit the Gaudiya Matha in
Rouen (Normandy) because its leader, Yati Swami (ex Vrajasundara dasa, who joined ISKCON
when I did) pleaded that I invite Maharaja to visit his community. Had I not proposed this to
Hridayananda Goswami, he would not have thought of visiting there.

D) Srila Prabhupada gave a direct instruction to Hridayananda Goswami, thirty plus years ago, to
the effect that he should try to harmonize and ameliorate the relationship between ISKCON and
the Gaudiya Mathas. Was Hridayananda Goswami supposed to ignore Srila Prabhupadas direct
instruction?
E) The French GBCs expressed their wish that Hridayananda Goswami not visit the Rouen
Gaudiya Matha a mere two weeks before Hridayananda Goswamis visit there. Hridayananda
Goswami had already committed to his visit at least two months earlier. The Rouen Gaudiya
Matha devotees had already been advertising his visit with posters and online advertisement for
at least one month. Was it reasonable for the GBC to give Hridayananda Goswami a two-week
notice and expect him to cancel his trip all of a sudden? What message would that have sent to
the Rouen Gaudiya Matha?
F) During his two-day visit to Rouen, Hridayananda Goswami repeatedly preached about Srila
Prabhupadas unique and monumental historical importance. He insisted that Srila Prabhupada is
not just an ordinary link in the parampara and that he deserves a position least on the same
pedestal as Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakura. Several devotees of the Rouen Gaudiya
Matha drove four hours the next weekend only to hear Hridayananda Goswami speak in Paris.
Those, like me, who travelled to Rouen with Hridayananda Goswami felt all the more grateful
and inspired, after the visit, to be members of Srila Prabhupadas ISKCON movement.
4. The fourth reason is stated as follows:
He [Hridayananda Goswami] played sports (ping-pong) with a lady, which was broadcast on the
internet.
The GBC is here referring to the fourth point of the 2010 agreement, in which HDG
writes:
Obviously, a sannyasi should not play sports alone with women, embrace women, watch Rrated movies, etc. Every ISKCON sannyasi, myself and all others, should avoid such behavior.
The truth is as follows:
Aside from the fact that Lord Krishna speaks of temperate recreation in the BhagavadGita, Hridayananda Goswami played casual sports on three occasions during his entire ninetyday trip: 1) three times with the devotee families who visited him in Asiago, Italy, 2) once in
Berlin, and 3) once in Vilnius. In Asiago, one afternoon, ten devotees, including five children,
played ping-pong together, taking turns in exchanging rallies with Hridayananda Goswami and
with one another. The alleged lady, Beatrice, is a married woman, a mother, whose two young
children and whose husband (Luigi) were present in that very room, along with all the rest of us.
The atmosphere could not have been more familial. Hridayananda Goswami exchanged a few
rallies with her, as he did with everyone else. One of her children told her father, who later told
me, When I grow up, I want to take initiation from Hridayananda Goswami. The description of
this event by the GBC, namely that Hridayananda Goswami played sports with a lady suggests

private and romantic association. But this description is a far cry from what actually happened,
as I have just described.
In Berlin, Hridayananda Goswami played casual soccer for a half-hour with a handful
of devotees and several children. After his visit, the eleven year-old daughter of Gaura Nataraja
prabhu (a senior disciple of Sacinandana Swami) told her father, who told me (verbatim),
Daddy, Hridayananda Goswami is the most friendly guru I have ever met. I can accept such a
guru. How is the GBC justified in banning Hridayananda Goswami from Europe for
occasionally playing recreational sports to maintain his health and indirectly inspiring ISKCON
families and children?
5) The fifth and final reason is stated as follows:
His [Hridayananda Goswamis] preaching undermines the authority of Srila Prabhupada and the
previous acaryas. For instance, Hridayananda Goswamis opinion that Draupadi was not
disrobed or that Yudhisthra Maharaja was a fallen soul.
While I have heard Hridayananda Goswami say that Srila Madhvacharya states in one of
his books that the Mahabharata text is corrupt, and while I also have heard Hridayananda
Goswami question certain specific details of the Draupadi lila (as the Bhagavatam only mentions
that the Kauravas touched Draupadis hair), I have never heard Hridayananda Goswami claim
that Yudhisthira was a fallen soul, as the GBC claims he did. I highly doubt that Hridayananda
Goswami would ever say this. I have never heard him say so, and this brings us to the next point:
this discussion is irrelevant in the context of the GBC banning Hridayananda Goswami from
Europe. Why? Because I testify to the fact is that Hridayananda Goswami never spoke a single
time about these topics - privately or publicly - during his entire three-month tour last summer.
He spoke on Mahabharata once, in Asiago, but he did not raise these points at all during that
lecture. The GBC allegedly imposed their ban on Hridayananda Goswami solely and specifically
because of alleged wrongs that Hridayananda Goswami did last summer and last summer only.
We may ask why the GBC has the presumption to randomly use this argument to justify their ban
of Hridayananda Goswami when he addressed this hermeneutical issue zero times during his trip.
The act of sanctioning someone for a crime that he or she has not committed is unfair.

The five reasons why the GBC banned Hridayananda Goswami are thus inaccurate, unsubstantial
or irrelevant. If the GBC justifies its banning of Hridayananda Goswami based on these five
reasons alone, I believe that the GBC will have a difficult time convincing the general devotee
public of their analysis.

The Highlights
Based on my three-months experience traveling with Hridayananda Goswami, I am
convinced that he had a very positive influence on devotees throughout Europe. The following
personal anecdotes, I believe, illustrate this fact.
1) Throughout Europe, devotees expressed deep appreciation and gratitude towards
Hridayananda Goswami for visiting their respective communities. In Prabhupadadesh, the
devotees decorated the entrance of the property with balloons and festoons, waiting with a
kirtan party for his long-awaited arrival. While this practice is not unique, I mention it because
it illustrates the devotee enthusiasm and eagerness that I repeatedly witnessed everywhere
Hridayananda Goswami visited. Again and again senior local devotees told me that
Hridayananda Goswamis visit was attracting large number of devotees, including devotees
who had become distant from ISKCON for many years. As I briefly mentioned at the
beginning of this paper, Hridayananda Goswami awarded sannyasa to His Holiness
Yamunacharya Swami (from Brasil) in Prabhupadadesh. This ceremony was one of the
highlights of Prabhupadadeshs summer festivities, with many happy and smiling devotees
present for the occasion.
2) In Paris, after hearing Hridayananda Goswami speak at two home programs in the Latin
quarter and at a picnic at the Jardin du Luxembourg, Madhavendra Puri dasa, one of the most
senior ISKCON devotees in France, confided in me, I think that the only person who can
save the French yatra is Hridayananda Goswami.
3) In Radhadesh, one of the most senior devotees of the community (name withheld) told me,
after hearing two lectures by Hridayananda Goswami, I had misconceptions about
Hridayananda Goswami. I did not realized his stature. Now I am convinced that he should
settle in Radhadesh and should become the leader of this community.
The leaders of the Bhaktivedanta College (in Radhadesh), led by His Holiness Yadunandana
Swami, literally begged Hridayananda Goswami to become the headmaster of the college. I
know this because Hridayananda Goswami shared with me some of his non-confidential
correspondence with them for several months before his visit to Radhadesh.4

Speaking of the Bhaktivedanta College, I have noticed a general pattern: among devotees who possess
some type of higher education, the large majority of them either appreciate or highly admire
Hridayananda Goswami. Conversely, the devotees who oppose Hridayananda Goswami in most cases do
not possess any higher education. Some exceptions to this pattern may exist, but I believe that this pattern
is overall quite accurate (and quite telling as well).

4) Bhakta K [name withheld], a young man from Belgium in his late twenties, had been aspiring
to take initiation from a certain ISKCON sannyasi guru for fifteen years (I know this because
him and I are friends since long back). He had been chanting this gurus pranam mantra and had
a picture of him on his altar for all these years, but still hesitated to take the final step of
commitment to him. Bhakta K accompanied his Italian mother-in-law (who is a disciple of
Hridayananda Goswami) to Asiago. One week after hearing from Hridayananda Goswami daily,
he changed his summer plans in order to accompany Hridayananda Goswami to Spain and
France. Two weeks later, in Madrid, I witnessed Bhakta K fall at Hridayananda Goswamis feet,
tears streaming down from his eyes, begging Hridayananda Goswami to please accept him as a
disciple and as an instrument of your transcendental intelligence.

5) In New Vraja Mandala, a similar event took place. A French older gurukuli couple happened
to be traveling through the farm at the time, with their two little children. After hearing only two
of his classes, the lady in the couple (name withheld) told me, I have finally found my spiritual
master.

6) In Dijon, Hridayananda Goswami similarly inspired a gurukuli lady who had become
somewhat skeptical of ISKCON leaders. At the end of Hridayananda Goswamis visit in her and
her husbands home, I noticed how transformed she had become, smiling and bubbling with
renewed hope and enthusiasm.5

7) In Vilnius, the devotees (who had invited Hridayananda Goswami for their Janmastami
festival) could not get enough of his association. They heard his every words with total attention
(and often with many laughs at his sense of humor), gathering around him like bees in the
hallway lounge long after his lecture on stage inside the rented theatre.

8) As I already mentioned, Hridayananda Goswami had positive influence on devotee children

throughout Europe. In Asiago and in Berlin, children told their parents that when they grow up
they want to take initiation from Hridayananda Goswami because he is the coolest guru I have
ever seen.

Overall, my impression is that Hridayananda Goswami mesmerized devotees throughout

Europe. He made them laugh, he made them ponder. He shared with them brilliant expositions
5

Regarding France, the fact is that aside from Janananda Goswami, practically no visiting sannyasi/
preacher visits France. ISKCON France is weak by all measures. The GBCs for that country, Hridaya
Caitanya and Madhusevita prabhus, visit for a handful of days per year due to their busy schedule. During
his European tour, Hridayananda Goswami visited places in France where no preacher has gone for
decades, if ever. Examples: Toulouse, Nantes, Bretagne, Dijon and Paris intra-muros. To stop any
ISKCON preacher from visiting France at this historical period may be an unwise decision.

on the Gt and on the Bhgavatam. I hope that Lord Chaitanya will fix the current
misunderstanding so that Hridayananda Goswami may continue to contribute to the expansion of
Srila Prabhupadas movement, to which Hridayananda Goswami has already contributed in
rarely matched fashion over the past four decades.

Chandrasekhara acharya dasa

Mayapur
December 29th, 2015
Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakuras disappearance day