Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 6, No. 2, 1989, Page 54
popularity (despite or perhaps because of the fact that he was so “fallen”). As John talked,
Ken used what he knew to flesh out some of the latter's story. The tape was stopped, and
the deprogrammers along with Ken discussed how going to India is supposed to be a
purifying experience, yet many Krishnas returned from these pilgrimages feeling and
looking much worse physically. Curt then asked Ken if he had ever read any version of the
Gita other than the official ISKCON version (“related by Prabhupada). Ken stated that he
was aware that five other versions existed, but he had not read any of them. Curt looked
intensely into Ken's eyes: “Prabhupada‟s [Bhagavad Gita] As It Is is all purport..that's all it
is, it's all interpretation.” Curt then referred to a comparative study on the various versions
of the Oita written by a former devotee. Curt quoted at length from the report‟s author: “My
purpose in writing this paper is to get you to look at Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita from
another perspective, to show how Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita is different, and to get to
the root of these inconsistencies.” Ken listened, fascinated, then questioned the background
of the author. In a stroke of great fortune, the author turned out to be a former devotee
with whom Ken had cursory familiarity somehow, this fact made the author (and the
author's opinions) more real, more valid for Ken.
Revelation. Curt continued to read Ken continued to listen. When Curt got to a section in
which Prabhupada‟s Gita states that the true master's spiritual home “is not illuminated by
the sun or moon, nor by electricity ...” he stopped. Again looking intensely at Ken, Curt
spoke softly: “... the word “electricity” did not exist in 400 B.C., nor did electricity [as a
force known to mankind] itself exist at that time.” Curt had inadvertently triggered a long-
suppressed doubt in Ken, and the cultist became almost manic in his response: “I thought
about that! I ...I often wondered about that myself. How could the saints have used that
language ...if the Gita's written 5,000 years ago, how would they write about electricity? It
didn't exist!” This single confirmation of an apparently pivotal doubt, coming when it did,
seemed to be a last straw for Ken. He now had proof that his spiritual master had taken
liberties with the holy text upon which the entire Hare Krishna movement was based.
Totalistic thought systems are based on the premise that their truth is the only truth, and
the entire truth. It is an “all or nothing” mentality, with room for not even one error. Under
the right circumstances, proof of even one such mistake can crumble the entire edifice of
the belief system like tumbling dominoes.
Curt drove the point home: “You see, that's Prabhupada puttin' in „electricity‟.” Even Greg
became incredulous (he had not heard of this inconsistency): “You're kidding.” With a
sarcastic sneer he added: “There's a Sanskrit word for „electricity‟?” Curt reread the quote,
as both Greg and Sandy broke up with laughter. Greg asked if any of the other versions of
the Gita contained a Sanskrit word translated as “electricity ” they did not. Brian added that
the word “Electricity” did not have a Sanskrit or Bengali counterpart Greg remained
incredulous: “I can't believe it! Nobody ever caught that before!” Ken, still reeling from the
intellectual impact of the “electricity revelation,” then recalled another suppressed
discrepancy: he had heard a story about Prabhupada's conflict with his father. It seemed
Prabhupada's father had suggested that the guru take a homely wife in the hope that this
would make his future vow of chastity an easier one to follow. Prabhupada balked at this
notion, as he preferred a highly attractive woman for his wife, this from a spiritual master
who later condemned feminine beauty and sensuality as demonic! Or, as Ken noted, “[if]
Prabhupada's a pure devotee, why was he so eager and ready to marry this ...beautiful
woman? It was her beauty [and not her “spirituality”] that attracted him!” As the
deprogrammers laughed, Curt excitedly replied. “Hey, there you go! You're thinking now,
Jackson!” Ken's smile stretched from ear to ear “It‟s something, a thought that I never
actually, I never confronted the questions in my mind because that would appear as a
blasphemy... [I was caught in] a Catch 22, you know?”
popularity (despite or perhaps because of the fact that he was so “fallen”). As John talked,
Ken used what he knew to flesh out some of the latter's story. The tape was stopped, and
the deprogrammers along with Ken discussed how going to India is supposed to be a
purifying experience, yet many Krishnas returned from these pilgrimages feeling and
looking much worse physically. Curt then asked Ken if he had ever read any version of the
Gita other than the official ISKCON version (“related by Prabhupada). Ken stated that he
was aware that five other versions existed, but he had not read any of them. Curt looked
intensely into Ken's eyes: “Prabhupada‟s [Bhagavad Gita] As It Is is all purport..that's all it
is, it's all interpretation.” Curt then referred to a comparative study on the various versions
of the Oita written by a former devotee. Curt quoted at length from the report‟s author: “My
purpose in writing this paper is to get you to look at Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita from
another perspective, to show how Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gita is different, and to get to
the root of these inconsistencies.” Ken listened, fascinated, then questioned the background
of the author. In a stroke of great fortune, the author turned out to be a former devotee
with whom Ken had cursory familiarity somehow, this fact made the author (and the
author's opinions) more real, more valid for Ken.
Revelation. Curt continued to read Ken continued to listen. When Curt got to a section in
which Prabhupada‟s Gita states that the true master's spiritual home “is not illuminated by
the sun or moon, nor by electricity ...” he stopped. Again looking intensely at Ken, Curt
spoke softly: “... the word “electricity” did not exist in 400 B.C., nor did electricity [as a
force known to mankind] itself exist at that time.” Curt had inadvertently triggered a long-
suppressed doubt in Ken, and the cultist became almost manic in his response: “I thought
about that! I ...I often wondered about that myself. How could the saints have used that
language ...if the Gita's written 5,000 years ago, how would they write about electricity? It
didn't exist!” This single confirmation of an apparently pivotal doubt, coming when it did,
seemed to be a last straw for Ken. He now had proof that his spiritual master had taken
liberties with the holy text upon which the entire Hare Krishna movement was based.
Totalistic thought systems are based on the premise that their truth is the only truth, and
the entire truth. It is an “all or nothing” mentality, with room for not even one error. Under
the right circumstances, proof of even one such mistake can crumble the entire edifice of
the belief system like tumbling dominoes.
Curt drove the point home: “You see, that's Prabhupada puttin' in „electricity‟.” Even Greg
became incredulous (he had not heard of this inconsistency): “You're kidding.” With a
sarcastic sneer he added: “There's a Sanskrit word for „electricity‟?” Curt reread the quote,
as both Greg and Sandy broke up with laughter. Greg asked if any of the other versions of
the Gita contained a Sanskrit word translated as “electricity ” they did not. Brian added that
the word “Electricity” did not have a Sanskrit or Bengali counterpart Greg remained
incredulous: “I can't believe it! Nobody ever caught that before!” Ken, still reeling from the
intellectual impact of the “electricity revelation,” then recalled another suppressed
discrepancy: he had heard a story about Prabhupada's conflict with his father. It seemed
Prabhupada's father had suggested that the guru take a homely wife in the hope that this
would make his future vow of chastity an easier one to follow. Prabhupada balked at this
notion, as he preferred a highly attractive woman for his wife, this from a spiritual master
who later condemned feminine beauty and sensuality as demonic! Or, as Ken noted, “[if]
Prabhupada's a pure devotee, why was he so eager and ready to marry this ...beautiful
woman? It was her beauty [and not her “spirituality”] that attracted him!” As the
deprogrammers laughed, Curt excitedly replied. “Hey, there you go! You're thinking now,
Jackson!” Ken's smile stretched from ear to ear “It‟s something, a thought that I never
actually, I never confronted the questions in my mind because that would appear as a
blasphemy... [I was caught in] a Catch 22, you know?”
