Book Reviewed: Killing for Krishna: The Danger of Deranged Devotion by Henry Doktorski

Hare Krishnas and the New Vrindaban community “Killing for Krishna” is an intelligent and impeccably researched work on the early events of ISKCON - New Vrindaban, a rural community of Hare Krishnas in Moundsville, West Virginia. The author who lived and witnessed events during his stay acknowledges ambiguity in this inherently complex narrative. He offers clarity to the history of one of the major temples in the United States. The main character of the story is Swami Kirtananda also called Bhaktipada, the charismatic man who was the first disciple of Srila Prabhupada. Kirtananda helped build the very first temple in New York City before he moved to Moundsville. He was primarily responsible for expanding the spiritual movement of Hare Krishnas in the United States. The major event in the history of the commune was the 1986 murder of the devotee Steven Bryant (Sulochan Dasa), and the involvement of senior disciples of Swami Kirtananda in this crime. Bryant was a resident-devotee of New Vrindaban and worked for Kirtananda at the temple for few years before the relationship soured. The hostility of Bryant towards Kirtananda became personal when he blamed Kirtananda for breaking his family and separation from his wife and children. His first book, “The Guru Business,” attempts to exposes illegal activities at New Vrindaban and put the blame on Kirtananda, but his attempts fail. He refuses to give up, upon more research at Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT) in Los Angeles, California, he digs more dirt on Kirtananda and start campaigning with devotees at various American temples. The close followers of Kirtananda become involved in the murder of Steven Bryant. ISKCON leaders denounce the murder and distance themselves from New Vrindaban. The ISKCON Governing Body Commission (GBC) urges Kirtananda to resign from the GBC if he is indicted. Kirtananda agrees, but when he is indicted, he refuses to resign. In September 1986, New Vrindaban lays off their entire work force of 187 employees. All money at New Vrindaban goes to Kirtananda’s legal fund. All projects are neglected, including the dairy, and many protected cows at the New Vrindaban community die from starvation. The closure of New Vrindaban Elementary School directly affects forty children of the devotees. Kirtananda Swami inaugurates a year-long “First Amendment Freedom Tour,” during which he appears on ninety radio shows and sixty television shows, including CBS Evening News with Dan Rather, Larry King Live, and the Sally Jesse Raphael Talk Show and West 57th Street. In April 1987, Rolling Stone publishes an article entitled “Dial OM For Murder,” about the murder of Steven Bryant. The authors claim that Kirtananda ordered the assassination of Bryant to silence him from sharing information about Kirtananda’s illegal and immoral activities. Most New Vrindaban devotees believe the charges against their spiritual master are “rumors and hearsay.” The book offers a one-sided look at the dark history of the temple, but several things written in this book are unsubstantiated from independent sources. Despite all the ills, the New Vrindaban at present is a prosperous community for a large population of devotees in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Over the past twenty years, this temple has emerged as one of the important spiritual centers of ISKCON organization that has lived up to the teachings of Srila Prabhupada.