BRAINWASHING OR HEARTCLEANING

When Çréla Prabhupäda asked for news of ISKCON's activities in the West, Rämeçvara gave
the latest details of how the Kåñëa consciousness movement in America was being attacked in
the courts and press as a psychologically dangerous, brainwashing cult. Çréla Prabhupäda was
already aware of this; it was, in fact, the “conspiracy" he had referred to on his morning walk.
An anticult movement was now aggressively active and lumping the Hare Kåñëa movement in
with other new movements. Çréla Prabhupäda was well aware of the “deprogrammers'"
kidnapping of devotees and intensively coercing them, and he had shown that he was not
intimidated by the attack. He assured the devotees that Kåñëa would protect them and that
the outcome would ultimately be in their favor.

The most significant battle, one that had concerned Çréla Prabhupäda for several months, was
a legal case in New York where the temple president, Ädi-keçava Swami, was being charged
with employing mind control to keep the devotees in the temple. The parents of two adult
devotees had pressed charges after hired deprogrammers had failed to break the two devotees'
determination for Kåñëa consciousness. In a spirit of anticult crusade, an assistant attorney
general was prosecuting, using all legal and governmental facilities at his disposal. Although
civil libertarians were outraged and assured the devotees that the opposition could never win,
the implications of the case were fearful nevertheless. The case challenged the very right of
the Hare Kåñëa movement to exist as a bona fide religion and challenged the right of adult
devotees to remain in the movement against the wishes of their parents. Also at issue was
whether members of the Hare Kåñëa movement were members by their own choosing or were
being kept in the movement by psychological manipulation, “brainwashing." When Çréla
Prabhupäda had first heard of this case, his reply in a letter from Våndävana had been like a
clarion call to battle against the forces of illusion.

Regarding the point about whether our movement is bona fide, you can use the following
arguments. Bhagavad-gétä has got so many editions. Our books are older than the Bible. In
India there are millions of Kåñëa temples. Let the judges and juries read our books and take
the opinion of learned scholars and professors. Regarding the second point about the parents'
jurisdiction over their children, here are some suggestions. Do the parents like that their
children become hippies? Why don't they stop it? Do the parents like their children to
become involved in prostitution and intoxication? Why don't they stop this?

They are now feeling the weight of this movement. Formerly they thought, “These people
come and go," but now they see we are staying. Now we have set fire. It will go on. It cannot
be stopped. You can bring big, big fire brigades but the fire will act. The brain-wash books are
already there. Even if they stop externally, internally it will go on. Our first-class campaign is
book distribution. Go house to house. The real fighting is now. Kåñëa will give you all
protection. So, chant Hare Kåñëa and fight.

Sitting with Çréla Prabhupäda in Bombay, Rämeçvara Swami informed him that a nationwide
committee of professors and theologians had come to the defense of Kåñëa consciousness in
the New York case and that many lawyers and psychologists were sympathetic.

“It is so much mercy from Kåñëa," said Çréla Prabhupäda. “Kåñëa wanted all these things to
happen. Kåñëa Himself became important when He killed so many demons, not simply by
lying down in the lap of mother Yaçodä. When He was on the lap of mother Yaçodä, from that
day He began to kill. Therefore Kåñëa established that He was the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. So even Kåñëa was not exempted, what to speak of us. Prahläda Mahäräja was not
exempted. As soon as you speak of God, this opposition will come. Jesus Christ was crucified.
They are so kind they have not crucified me or my men. But you have to expect all these
things. Nityänanda Prabhu was personally injured. Haridäsa Öhäkura was beaten in twenty-
two bazaars. This task is like that."

“They are getting everyone in America to ask the question, “What is Hare Kåñëa?'" said
Rämeçvara.

“That is our gain," said Çréla Prabhupäda. “They are chanting Hare Kåñëa."

“We still have to work very hard to defeat them," Rämeçvara added. “Oh, yes," said
Prabhupäda. “That is necessary. You don't sleep. Never did Kåñëa say to Arjuna, “I am your
friend. I am God. You sleep here. I'll do everything.' No! You must fight! That is wanted.
Kåñëa said, “You fight, and remember Me. Then I'll do everything.' This is an opportunity of
remembering Kåñëa always."

Prabhupäda explained that the greatest shock for the materialists was that the Kåñëa
consciousness movement strongly opposed illicit sex, meat-eating, and intoxication. To them,
for a person to give up these things was so shocking that they could not accept it was
happening because of a genuine spiritual experience. Referring to a previous case,
Prabhupäda said, “In Germany they also accused that the old man is sitting in Los Angeles,
and he has engaged all these boys in collecting money for him. They are thinking that way,
that I have some mind control power, and I have engaged these men—they are getting the
money and I am enjoying."
Çréla Prabhupäda recalled how, as early as 1969, when his temple in Los Angeles had
purchased a few cars and the number of devotees had begun increasing, the neighbors had
become envious. Prabhupäda said that he had invited them to also come and live in the Kåñëa
consciousness community, but that their reply had always been no. Prabhupäda said that the
more the opposition created turmoil, the more Kåñëa consciousness would become famous.
He also reasoned that people were reacting to his very strong preaching.

“I condemn everyone," he said, “that they are all dogs and hogs. And the United Nations I
called a pack of barking dogs. It's a fact.

Çréla Prabhupäda concluded his meeting with Rämeçvara by saying that the devotees should
be very alert and intelligently defend the Kåñëa consciousness movement; but they should
also understand that a higher principle was operating This opposition indicated the
genuineness of ISKCON. Even Kåñëa Himself was sometimes the center of calamitous
activities, such as when He fought with Käliya and other enemies or when, as an infant, He
fell into the Yamunä river.

In the afternoon, more devotees gathered in Prabhupäda's small compartment, and he

continued preaching, mostly in reply to points Rämeçvara Swami raised.

“In regard to brainwashing," said Rämeçvara, “they claim that our lifestyle tends to take the
devotee and isolate him from the world."

“Yes," said Prabhupäda, “we hate to mix with you. No gentleman tries to mix with loafers.
Crows will not like to live with the ducks and white swans, and white swans will not like to
live with the crows. That is natural division. Birds of the same feather flock together."

Rämeçvara: “They have a list of five or six conditions, and they say if all these conditions are
present, then it is a suitable atmosphere for brainwashing. They say we are imposing those
conditions on our members."

Prabhupäda: “Yes. We are brainwashing from bad to good. That is our business. We are
washing the brain from all rascaldom. Your brain is filled up with all rubbish things—meat-
eating, illicit sex, gambling. So we are washing them. Ceto-darpaëa-märjanam. Çåëvatäà sva-
kathäù kåñëaù puëya-çravaëa kértanaù hådy antaù-stho hy Abhadräëi. Abhadrä ëi means
“bad things.' So the bad things should be washed. Don't you cleanse your home? Don't you
cleanse your room? Is that brainwashing? So if you wash your room very clean, who blames
you? But you are so rascal that you charge us, “Why are you washing away this garbage?' We
are washing out the garbage, and you are protesting. This is your intelligence. But intelligent
men wash away the garbage. That is the law of civilization, to cleanse. That we are doing.
“According to Vedic civilization you are actually untouchable. Now we have come to touch
you. Therefore wash—first you must wash. According to Indian civilization the dog is
untouchable, but he is your best friend. So you are untouchable. Therefore, we have to wash
your brain. Unless your brain is washed, you cannot understand Kåñëa. Man is known by his
company. You sleep with dog, you eat with dog, your best friend is dog, so what you are? You
must be washed, scrubbed."

Rameçvara: “But this is their argument, that the standard in America is that you become
learned in different fields—science, music, art, and literature. This standard of culture and
education is coming from the idea of the Renaissance in Europe. But in our Hare Kåñëa
movement we are isolating ourselves from these things and simply reading one set of
literature—Kåñëa."

Prabhupäda: “This other is not culture. As soon as you change, that means it is not culture. It
is mano-dharma, mental concoction. Yes, we want to stop your nonsense. That is our
mission. Those who are intelligent, they have taken. And you also take."

Rämeçvara: “They say that if we claim our members are gentlemen, they why is it that they go
to the airport and bother so many people?"

Prabhupäda: “They are not bothering. They are educating. When a thief is advised, “Kindly
do not become a thief,' he takes it as botheration. But it is good advice."

Rämeçvara: “They say it is invasion of privacy. Every man has the right to think the way he
wants."

Prabhupäda: “Yes. Therefore I have got the right to think like this and sell books."

Rämeçvara: “So if I do not want to hear your philosophy, why do you impose it?"

Prabhupäda: “It is not imposing. It is good philosophy. We are canvassing: “Take it. You will
be benefited.' And they are being benefited. Those who are reading, they are being benefited.
And why are you advertising—big, big signboards: “Please come and purchase'? Hmm? Why
are you imposing your so-called goodness on us? Why you are doing?"

Back and forth the battle went, hour after hour, Rämeçvara unleashing all the arguments
against the Kåñëa consciousness movement, and Çréla Prabhupäda defeating them.
Prabhupäda called the arguments “childish" and “foolish," and he strongly criticized the
materialistic demeanor from which they sprang. By çästra and logic he proved that the
nondevotee has no good qualities and is less than an animal because of his lack of God
consciousness. Such a person, he said, was in no position to criticize, and such criticisms
only showed ignorance of the real purpose of human life.
“Very often," Rämeçvara said, “they will say, “It is not religion that we are concerned with,
but it is brainwashing and mind control. You are chanting so many hours a day… ' "

“What is it to you!" Prabhupäda interrupted sharply. “That is my business. Why do you

bother yourself?"

Rämeçvara: “But you are not giving these young people a chance to think when they chant for
so many hours."

Prabhupäda: “You are thieves. You are coming to kidnap. Why shall I give you a chance?
They are chanting, but you are charging brainwash. You ask them don't chant—that is your
business. But that you cannot do."

Rämeçvara: “But they say that takes away freedom to think."

Prabhupäda: “That is controversy. But you want to take his freedom, and still you are
accusing us."

Prabhupäda said that first there should be a test of what is genuine religion. “We say," said
Prabhupäda, “that the law given by God is religion. And it does not matter what name is
given to God. If we say “Kåñëa,' that does not mean that He is not God. So before there is a
challenge to Kåñëa consciousness, there should be an assembly discussion and decision as to
what is genuine religion. We say that God is one, and whatever He has given as law, that is
religion."

Rameçvara: “But the Christians say that according to the Bible, if God wanted us to believe in
Kåñëa He would have told us on Mount Sinai, and He would have told us through Jesus
Christ. Jesus said, “I am the only way.' "

Prabhupäda: “That's all right. But Jesus Christ did not explain more to you because you are
rascals. You cannot follow even his one instruction, “Thou shalt not kill.' It is not the
foolishness of Jesus Christ. But because you are so rascal, you cannot understand him.
Therefore he avoided you rascals. Because whatever he said, you cannot follow. So what you
will understand? Therefore he stopped speaking."

Rämeçvara: “They also say that you are ruining family life."

Prabhupäda: “That's all right. We are entering Kåñëa's family."

Hari-çauri: “But if you are actually followers of God, why are you breaking up the families?
Shouldn't you have love for everyone?"

Rämeçvara: “One of the commandments is that one shall honor thy father and mother."
Prabhupäda replied that a devotee loves his mother and father by teaching them Kåñëa
consciousness.

Hari-çauri: “My mother testified to that. When I was at home she said I was impossible to live
with. When she saw me afterwards, I was very nice."

Prabhupäda: “Many. Hayagréva's father and mother also."

Rameçvara: “My parents think like that too. I could have no relationship with them before,
but now that I am a devotee, I actually want to help them."

Prabhupäda: “There are so many fathers and mothers who appreciate. None of our disciples
are disrespectful to mother and father. Why? I never said you become disrespectful to your
father and mother. At Brahmänanda's initiation, his mother was standing there and I
instructed Brahmänanda, “Take the dust of your mother's feet first, then you offer me
obeisances.' So first of all he offered his obeisances to his mother. I told him, “You have got
good mother. Otherwise, how she has got a son like you?' I always say like that. I never say
disrespect. In a particular case, if the father and mother are demons, he must give up their
association. But we never said break up the family."

Rämeçvara: “I think we've used up all our arguments."

Prabhupäda (still eager to argue): “First of all you said that we are depriving of food. Where
is this?"

Rämeçvara: “Yes, this is their argument, that we only let devotees eat twice a day. And there is
no meat and very little protein."

Prabhupäda: “That depends on him. If he likes to eat that kind of food, you have no right to
force. Then you are turning to force. There are different persons, and they like different types
of food. If he likes twice a day, why do you insist thrice? That is his choice."

Rämeçvara: “And sleeping only four or five hours—very little."

Prabhupäda: “Yes, because it is a waste of time."

Rameçvara: “But this makes his mind very weak."

Prabhupäda: “You rascal! You have nothing to do—you sleep! Napoleon used to sleep for one
hour, two hours—he was such a busy man. So they are so busy in Kåñëa consciousness. Every
great man does not sleep very much. Sleeping is simply a waste of time. If he does not sleep
more, it is a sign of greatness."
When Rämeçvara Swami argued that the opposition has psychologists to testify against us,
Prabhupäda replied, “We have got our psychologists."

After talking all afternoon and into the night, Prabhupäda told the devotees to rest. At ten
P.M. he lay down, and Hari-çauri massaged his legs. “Actually," Çréla Prabhupäda concluded,
“their arguments are not very sound. Therefore it is simply a plan of Kåñëa's to help give us
some prominence. It will make us more well known." Opposition, he said, was just an
opportunity to preach. But to deal properly with the legal cases and other serious opposition,
the devotees would have to know how to preach. And they would have to be spiritually
strong.

HARE KRISHNA MOVEMENT IS BONA FIDE RELIGION

Washington, March 18

The Hare Krishna movement was called a “bona fide religion" yesterday by the New York
High Court Justice who threw out two charges against the officials of the movement of
“illegal imprisonment" and “attempted extortion." The charge had been preferred by an angry
parent that his son, as well as another disciple, had been held by the movement illegally and
that they had been brainwashed. “The entire and basic issue before the court," said the Justice
in dismissing the charges, “is whether the two alleged victims in this case and the defendants
will be allowed to practice the religion of their choice and this must be answered with a
resounding affirmative." Said Mr. Justice John Leahy, “the Hare Krishna movement is a bona
fide religion with roots in India that go back thousands of years. It behooved Merril
Kreshower and Edward Shapiro to follow the tenets of that faith and their inalienable right to
do so will not be trampled upon. The separation of church and state must be maintained. We
must remain a nation of laws, not of man. The presentment and indictment by the Grand Jury
was in direct and blatant violation of the defendant's constitutional rights." The Justice said
that it appeared to the court, “The people rest their case on an erroneous minor premise to
arrive at a fallacious conclusion. The record is devoid of one specific allegation of a
misrepresentation or any act of deception on the part of any defendant." The Justice said,
“The freedom of religion is not to be abridged because it is unconventional in beliefs and
practices or because it is approved or disapproved by the mainstream of society or more
conventional religions. Without this proliferation and freedom to follow the dictates of one's
own conscience in this search of approach to God, the freedom of religion will be a
meaningless right as provided for in the constitution. In the attempt, be it direct, well
intentioned or not, presents a clear and present danger to this most fundamental basis and
eternally needed right of our citizens—freedom of religion." The Hare Krishna movement has
been under pressure from various groups and this judgment is expected to stop some of the
harassment in which it has been subjected in recent months.

A long-haired girl sitting close to Swamiji's dais raised her hand and asked, seemingly in
trance, “When I am chanting, I feel a great concentration of energy on my forehead, and then
a buzzing comes and a reddish light."

“Just keep on chanting," Swamiji replied. “It will clear up."

“Well, what does the chanting produce?" She seemed to be coming out of her trance now.

“Chanting produces chanting," he replied. “Just as when you are calling the name of your
beloved. If there is someone you love very much, then you want to repeat his name again and
again. It is out of love."

A man spoke up without raising his hand. “But isn't it just a kind of hypnotism on sound?
Like if I chanted Coca-Cola over and over, wouldn't it be the same?"

“No," Prabhupäda replied, “you take any word, repeat it for ten minutes, and you will feel
disgusted. But we chant twenty-four hours, and we don't feel tired. Oh, we feel new energy."
The questions seemed more relevant today. The guests had all been chanting in the park, and
now they were probing philosophically into what they had experienced. The Swami's
followers marked this as a victory. And they felt some responsibility as hosts and guides for
the others. Swamiji had asked Kértanänanda to prepare some prasädam for the guests, and
soon Kértanänanda appeared with small paper cups of sweet rice for everyone.

“The chanting process is just to cleanse the mind," said Prabhupäda. “We have so many
misunderstandings about ourself, about this world, about God, and about the relationships
between these things. We have so many misgivings. This chanting will help to cleanse the
mind. Then you will understand that this chanting is not different from Kåñëa."