ISKCON Files | Concatenation of Crises: The Tumultuous Year: 1970 | Ch 1—Ep 2 | Struggle for Truth

Overview

The episode examines the “concatenation of crises” in ISKCON in 1970, arguing that a coordinated “conspiracy” and an internal “poison” of doubts—linked to Bon Maharaj—were undermining Srila Prabhupada and threatening to replace his leadership.

Key arguments and events highlighted

Prabhupada’s planned participation in the 1970 San Francisco Ratha-yatra

• Brahmananda Prabhu’s memoirs describe attempts to keep Prabhupada away after receiving credible threats (allegedly from the Black Panthers) that the group would attack Prabhupada if he held the festival.
• Despite Prabhupada insisting on attending, the account claims the leaders tried to delay/slow him and later prevent him from boarding the ratha, using earlier disturbances as justification.
• The narration questions the logic of the safety claims: if the danger were directed at “whites,” then blocking Prabhupada—who is not framed as a white American—suggests the motive may not have been genuine protection.

The “poison” of doubt attributed to Bon Maharaj (1970 consequences)

• The episode claims earlier events (1968–69), including Bon Maharaj reinitiating Prabhupada’s disciples, seeded doubts that Bon Maharaj presented as legitimate challenges to Prabhupada’s authority.
• It cites Prabhupada’s writing (Sept. 25, 1970), stating that his “godbrothers” objected to being called “Prabhupada” and wanted to “poison the whole society.”
• The episode argues that this influence spread beyond India, reaching leadership and communities in the West and enabling attempts to sideline Prabhupada.

Leadership interference and “offenses” against Prabhupada

The narration claims Prabhupada repeatedly encountered obstruction, including:

• Withheld letters: Temple leadership allegedly withheld letters deemed “too disturbing,” putting distance between Prabhupada and his disciples.
• Immigration-form questioning: Prabhupada’s secretary is portrayed as asking immigration-form questions in a mechanical way that shocked Prabhupada into concluding he was “surrounded by people” he could not trust.
• Reduced airport support: Expectations of Prabhupada receiving support at the LA airport were allegedly reduced because authorities limited who would see him off.
• Deity installation delays (Hawaii): When Prabhupada intended to install Gaura-Nitai Deities, the temple president allegedly required consultation, delaying or denying the installation.

Institutional power struggle: formation of the GBC

• After these events, Prabhupada is said to have pushed for the creation of the GBC, formed in July 1970, to “tame” or balance internal managerial control.
• The episode claims that although Brahmananda (described as the most senior temple president and president of the New York temple) was prominent, Prabhupada did not appoint him as one of the 12 GBC members—portraying this as a deliberate move to prevent him from taking over ISKCON.
• A San Francisco meeting is described as producing leadership decisions Prabhupada found unacceptable—specifically choosing a single chief representative rather than collective strength.

Prabhupada’s shocks and decision to leave Los Angeles

• The episode argues Prabhupada’s departure from the West was driven by accumulating disillusionment and disrespect.
• A key turning point is presented as a phone call about attending the New Vrindavan Janmashtami festival:
  • Kirtanananda Swami allegedly told Prabhupada he wasn’t required to attend, upsetting him and contributing to Prabhupada announcing he would leave.
• Supporting recollections claim Prabhupada saw a “conspiracy” to take control of ISKCON and told others he would leave, stating he did not need the organization to preach.

Sannyas and removal from management

• After the attempted replacement/insulation, Prabhupada is said to have given sannyas to four devotees (Brahmananda, Gargamuni, Subala, and Vishnujana).
• He is portrayed as directing them to focus on preaching and give up managerial roles, implying Prabhupada sought to remove them from administrative power.

Deeper context: how Bon Maharaj is portrayed

• The narration provides background on Bon Maharaj’s earlier efforts in Europe (including alleged PR successes and associations with political elites).
• It frames Bon Maharaj’s return to India and reinitiation efforts as a mechanism for recruiting influence against Prabhupada.
• Ravindra Swarup Prabhu is cited as describing a chain of events:
  • devotees went to Bon Maharaj’s ashram,
  • doubts were planted,
  • those doubts reached America,
  • culminating in leadership attempts against Prabhupada.

Prabhupada’s “fire” and why he returned toward India

• The episode connects Prabhupada’s worsening condition (described as becoming “like fire”) to multiple blocks:
  • refusals related to deity installation,
  • changes in publishing practices (missing “His Divine Grace” title / Prabhupada’s name),
  • continued management interference.
• Prabhupada is said to have traveled via Hawaii → Japan → India.
• The episode ends by promising that the conspiracy intensified after his departure rather than ending.

Thesis of the episode: internal doubt plus coordinated interference—linked to Bon Maharaj—systematically constrained Prabhupada and aimed to restructure ISKCON’s leadership.

Presenters / contributors (as named in the subtitles)

• Srila Prabhupada (subject of the narrative)
• Kirtanananda Swami
• Brahmananda Prabhu
• Gargamuni Prabhu
• Satsvarupa Prabhu
• Devananda (Prabhupada’s secretary)
• Devananda / Gaurasundara Prabhu (Hawaii temple president)
• Visvambhara (speaker/voice in intro: “Visvambhara Srila Prabhupada ki jai”)
• Tamal Krishna Goswami (mentioned in Prabhupada’s 1977 conversation)
• Ravindra Swarup Prabhu
• Revatinandan Prabhu
• Karandhara
• Uddhava Prabhu (recipient of a July 27, 1970 letter mentioned in the narration)
• Henry Doktorski (Gold, Guns, and God)
• Vishva Guru Srila Prabhupada ki Jai (closing refrain; not a separate person)