Iskcon-Governance on Light of Dharma Publishing

Anatomy of a Psychopath: The Spiritual Predator Behind the Saintly Mask

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Priya had been a devotee for eleven years. Every morning at 4:30 she rose for mangala-arati, chanted her sixteen rounds, read from the Bhagavatam. She had given up a career in biochemistry. She had given up her family’s approval. She had given up the kind of life her college friends were living – the brunches, the vacations, the casual freedoms. She had done all of this willingly, even joyfully, because she believed she had found something rare: a genuine spiritual teacher, a living saint, a soul so surrendered to God that simply being in his presence could purify your heart.

The Custodian's Failure

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In November 2022, a letter by Sivarama Swami — GBC member for nearly four decades, architect of Krishna Valley in Hungary, prolific author, and spiritual master to thousands — surfaced publicly. Written to the GBC body in response to a Child Protection Office (CPO) decision against Bhakti Vidya Purna Swami (BVPS), a guru found responsible for decades of severe physical and sexual abuse of children at the Mayapur gurukula, the letter revealed not a lapse in judgment but a window into how institutional loyalty can colonize moral reasoning.

Institutional Control vs Authentic Discipleship in Modern ISKCON

Sun, 09 Oct 2022 15:01:35 +0300

The guru-disciple relationship stands at the heart of Vaishnava tradition. For millennia, spiritual seekers have approached qualified teachers for guidance on the path to Krishna consciousness. This personal, often intimate relationship has traditionally operated outside institutional structures. Yet in modern ISKCON, the guru-disciple relationship exists within a complex organizational framework that sometimes creates tension between institutional authority and spiritual autonomy.

The Traditional Model

In classical Vaishnava tradition, a seeker approaches a guru voluntarily, drawn by the teacher’s spiritual realization and character. The guru accepts the disciple based on the student’s sincerity and qualifications. This relationship, once established, carries profound obligations on both sides but operates largely independently of external oversight.