Do You Really Want to Belong to an Organization that Teaches This to Some of its Followers in Private — in Particular Underage Girls and Women?

While the masses who follow Kripalu Maharaj or any of his 28 preachers (current number) naively believe his “spiritual teachings” to be pure, people who orbit in the multiple layers of inner circles around him know better.

What are they taught that you aren’t?

Hari nimitta jo paap kar soi punya kahaya.

It means: “If you do any sin in the name of God, it is a good karma not a bad karma.”

Now stop and think about this for just a minute. Why in the world would a devotee of God need to commit a sin for anyone, let alone in the name of God?

There can be only one reason. The sins they are committing benefits the guru in some way.

Kripalu’s Inner-Circle Secret Mantra Hides His Dark Secrets

Kripalu Maharaj in his bed in Rangeeli Mahal, Barsana India — just one of the scenes of his crimes of having sex with women and underage girls. His female follows tell the women and girls that “doing a sin for God is a good karma.”

In fact, the answers in Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat are much darker than most decent people want to — or can — believe.

The sins that Kripalu wants young girls and women to commit are having sex with him, bringing him sex partners, and hiding the sex acts from everyone else — including their parents (in the case of underage girls), their husbands (in the case of married women), and the authorities, when they conduct the occasional investigation.

The truth is that this lesson is one of the first things taught to innocent young girls who come to his ashrams to live or visit.

Kripalu’s Secret Sins — Known Only to Select Females (and a Few Men)

The higher-up women, like the preachers and ubiquitous females like Hari Dasi (in India) and others, repeat this like a mantra over and over in private to them.

Once someone is indoctrinated into his inner circle secret, then they also start repeatedly whispering it to other females.

And on and on it goes — for the past many decades.

It becomes the experienced women’s “seva” to drill this mantra into the minds of new girls and women, so that when they are taken into Kripalu’s bedroom they don’t freak out when he begins molesting them.

One time one of Kripalu’s main servants walked up to a 12 year-old-girl in India who had not yet been properly prepped, and said told her, “Go make love to Kripalu.”

She looked at the woman in shock and said, “Don’t you think I’m a little young for that?” Then she ran and told her mother.

Naturally, they immediately left the ashram in fear and in horror.

That was at least one girl saved from the clutches of the child sex offender, Kripalu Maharaj.

But the women pimps in Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat don’t make that mistake very often.

I would love to hear from any Hindu to let me know if and how Hari nimitta jo paap kar soi punya kahaya fits into Hinduism.

Fools or Foolish? — While Thousands of Young Girls are Lured or Forced into Kripalu’s Bedroom, this Foundation Hands Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat Another Tool to Play its Con Game

Vishaka Tripathi, Kripalu Maharaj’s daughter, receiving the “award.” She is playing a big role now in winning political influence in India to make all the various criminal charges and complaints go away. Within JKP, she is called a “divine being,” and is said to be the incarnated “Vishaka gopi” — one of the eight personal aids of Radha (of course, Kripalu is said to be Radha Krishna in the flesh).

Why would the Rajiv Gandhi Global Excellence Award give an award to a known child rapist?

For years, Kripalu Maharaj’s bedroom secrets were kept hidden from view.

Then two miracles happened: The widespread availability of the Internet in the 1990s and Kripalu’s arrest for raping a young girl in Trinidad in 2007.

These two events worked together to produce volumes of information previously unavailable to people around the world about the dark secrets of Kripalu and his organization, Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat.

So there is no longer any excuse for claiming ignorance.

A Bright Light Shines on Kripalu’s Dark Secrets

Today a light is shining on Kripalu’s dark secrets. And yet many people look away from the truth.

So it leads me to wonder: Why don’t organizations like this one do their due diligence and find out whom they are giving awards to?

• Why do they exalt an organization with a dark history — thereby, further fooling more people — and risking those people getting conned too — and more women and young girls getting raped?
• Are organizations and awards like this one bought and paid for?
• Are these organizations easily impressed by someone dressed in orange with millions of dollars and scores of followers?
• Are they doing it for political reasons — to get extra votes from the gurus’ followers?
• Or are they just blind to the truth and easily fooled by lies?

Fooled or Foolish? How would you define Rajiv Gandhi Global Excellence Award Foundation?

I asked my questions to some people who know JKP all too well — and here’s what I learned.

There is a devotee in JKP who is an active member of Congress party in New Delhi, and he is the main helper behind getting the Rajiv Gandhi Excellence award.

Further, there are several cunning people in Kripalu’s gang — seven whose names I know (and will happily share with the authorities), plus the three daughters of Kripalu — working diligently to involve more and more party leaders into their organization.

Why is this important to JKP?

Only one reason: To gain influence to get all of the many legal cases and complaints against Kripalu dismissed — including rape cases (that the public does not yet know about) and also Prakashanand Saraswati’s criminal case from the U.S. (He is currently in hiding and under the full protection of JKP.)

JKP ashrams have been raided by the CBI, but everyone living there is well versed in how to make sure nothing bad is found — they lie and (in the case of underage girls) they hide.

The Real Reason Kripalu Started a School for Girls

As regards Kripalu’s “school for girls,” many people who know the truth know exactly why he chose to start a school for girls — he is obsessed with young girls.

He has raped thousands of them from all over the world. (Remember, that the outrageousness of Kripalu’s crimes is one of the main reasons blind people won’t believe the truth.)

It’s for that very reason that, at the last minute, he didn’t go to Fiji and New Zealand on his so-called “World Tour” in 2007, even though he and his whole gang already had plane tickets — because his gang heard that he might be arrested for raping underage girls from those countries.

Having a school has given him easy access to more young girls for years.

Since Kripalu’s arrest for rape in Trinidad (a case that mysterious “disappeared” after Prakashanand Saraswati, Kripalu’s faithful servant of fifty-plus years) flew to Trinidad with several large checks), JKP started saying it was all about “charity.”

However, up until then the only so-called charity it had done was the girls school. And clearly that was for ulterior motives. (Proof of this is that JKP never used to promote it — because why promote something created for the wrong reasons?)

All the Rajiv Gandhi Global Excellence Award Foundation has accomplished is given a very corrupt organization another tool for luring in people and conning them of their money, lives, and dignity. It is helping JKP’s unscrupulous members to collect more cash and its perverted men in orange to have more illegitimate and illegal sex.

JKP Gains Another Tool for Conning More People

JKP wasted no time is publishing the news. Here is how JKP is already bragging about this award from a press release — and using it for propoganda:

“The institution, managed by the followers of Jagadguru Kripaluji Maharaj, was especially recognised for its effort on education in the remote village of Mangarh in Uttar Pradesh that is now an inspiration for many similar endeavours nationally, a statement said.”

Do you know what happens in Mangarh?

That is a village basically owned by Kripalu. And those who know say there is not a single woman or girl living there whom Kripalu has not molested.

Who could stop him in a remote, poor village?

Knowing him as I do, I completely believe this — and feel so sad that JKP has been handed another tool to play its con game and hurt more people.

Shame on you Rajiv Gandhi Global Excellence Award Foundation.

I welcome — and will publish — a response from the Rajiv Gandhi Global Excellence Award Foundation, should they wish to provide the people of the world an explanation for this travesty.

The only way to save more people from the large and long-running con game of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat is to share the truth. Please help spread the truth about Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat. Please sent them a link to this web page — including every college, temple, and Hindu organization near you.

It’s Easy to Learn About Kripalu’s Arrests for Rape — and Prakashanand Saraswarti’s Arrest and Conviction for Child Molestation — Just Google Them!

Why are organizations like the Center for Interfaith Relations and the Hindu Students Association of Austin College still acting like the founders of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat are not child rapists?

After all, the critical information about the true nature of this organization is readily accessible on the Internet for everyone to see — with just a few clicks.

There’s the news about Kripalu Maharaj’s (aka Ram Tripathi) arrest for rape in Trinidad.

And the subsequent sharing of information about his true nature — and his dark secrets.

There’s the information about his arrest in the early 1990s for raping two underage girls.

There are stories on my blogs from girls who were sexually abused by him.

There’s the deluge of news about Prakashanand Saraswati’s (founder of Radha Madhav Dham) arrest and conviction for child molestation in Texas — and subsequent escape into Mexico, then India, where he’s hiding in plain sight today.

And, of course, there’s my book, Sex, Lies, and Two Hindu Gurus, which tells all of Kripalu’s and Prakashanand’s dirty big secrets of sex abuse, money corruption, and typical cult machinations.

No Shortage of Facts Available Online About JKP’s Corrupt History

Maybe the students from Austin College who attended holi at Radha Madhav Dham recently don’t know about the conviction and felonious escape of the founder of Barsana Dham, but the college advisors certainly should.

After all, it was all over the local media during and after the trial.

The Austin American-Statesman covered the trial every single day, and followed up with more stories about Prakashanand’s escape from justice.

The national news also reported the story — as did India news media.

Here’s my post about the many followers of Kripalu and Prakashanand who helped him escape. And there were many others who also helped, but who are not mentioned in the legal documents.

Maybe the organizers of the Festival of Faiths don’t know anything about Prakashanand’s arrest, conviction, and escape, and Kripalu’s arrests for rape and subsequent revelations about his true nature either — but they should have learned before inviting a JKP person to speak, along with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Prior to the mid-1990s, people could be excused for not knowing Kripalu and Prakashanand’s dirty secrets — because they hid them so well.

But today, with the Internet, there is really no excuse anymore, in my opinion.

The Blind Leading the Blind – Why Won’t People Open Their Eyes

Every religion on Earth has its con games, sociopaths, and child abusers. Everyone knows that.

So why wouldn’t people do a few minutes of online research before getting mixed up with and inadvertently supporting a corrupt so-called spiritual organization — especially one that hurts children?

I’m shocked that Austin College didn’t do its due diligence before allowing 15 students to go to Austin and get mixed up with JKP?

I’m even more shocked that the Center for Interfaith Relations is allowing anyone from JKP, let alone Siddheshwari, who has her own personal history of sexual shenanigans that resulted in the closing of her organization, formerly called the Divine Love Mission.

She admitted to a group of her followers that she’d had sex with Kripalu, another JKP preacher, and some of her “followers.”

After the followers kicked her out, the group sent a letter to her newsletter mailing list warning them about her and about Kripalu’s desire to have sex with underage girls.

With all of this information — and more — out there, why would any organization want to risk exposing more people to this corruption and abuse?

Some people have told me that JKP denies everything and says, “It’s a conspiracy” and other such nonsense. Of course, they say that and make other excuses.

Do you really think they want to lose their grand moneymaking and child-abusing scam?

No they don’t! They’ll say anything to keep it running. That’s got to be obvious.

I’m continually shocked by how willing some people are to shut their eyes to the truth — and just blindly accept that anyone wearing the garb of a religious person and claiming to be “spiritual” is given the opportunity to perpetuate their con game — and hurt others.

How spiritual is that?

I welcome feedback from the Center for Interfaith Relations and Austin College.

You Can Help Educate More People About JKP. It’s Easy.

Please help spread the truth about Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat. Simply sent them a link to this web page — including every college, temple, and Hindu organization near you — because it’s the right thing to do to keep people free of JKP’s clutches.

The Nature of Faith Often Causes People to Shut Their Eyes to the Truth — And Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat Has Profited Greatly by this Glitch in Human Psychology and Religion

There is so much proof of Kripalu Majaraj’s criminal and abusive nature and his long-running spiritual con game. I have presented all I have found on this blog and in my book — “Sex, Lies, and Two Hindu Gurus.” But there is no end to the excuses people will make if they don’t want to believe the truth, because they want to believe the fantasy.

Last week, I received another request from someone asking for help to get a friend out of the clutches of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat.

I would love nothing more than to save another soul from this abusive, criminal cult. However, the power of this organization to lure in certain vulnerable people and keep them there, like many other cults, is sometimes insurmountable.

Simply stated, if a person wants to believe what JKP is selling, there is no proof on earth that can convince them otherwise.

Often during a dialogue with a distressed person, who is anxiously looking for a way to save their friend or family member from JKP, they ask me for “proof.”

For example, the person who wrote to me last week at one point wrote:

“I’m helpless at this point because it is very very very difficult to make her understand all this. Can you provide me with any SOLID proof, you can save someone’s life. Please help.”

I hate being in this situation, because I understand this dichotomy oh so well. There is already plenty of proof — but the person simply does not want to believe it.

The Painful Truth — Any Amount of Proof Will Never Be Enough for Some People

I too was once someone who believed beyond a shadow of a doubt that JKP (then called the International Society of Divine Love and Divine Love Mission) was the “only true path to God”  — which is one of JKP’s deceptive catch-phrases.

As I wrote in my book, Sex, Lies, and Two Hindu Gurus, at one point I even saw a letter written by concerned former members of Siddeshwari’s group of followers in Oklahoma. They were trying to warn others about the possibility of their daughters being raped if they traveled to Kripalu’s ashrams in India.

I tore up the letter and tried to forget about it. Why? Because it contradicted the reality that I wanted to believe.

I wanted to believe that I was on a pure spiritual path that would ensure my ascension to God’s divine abode before I died (this is the key promise held out like a carrot on a stick by Kripalu and his gang).

It wasn’t until I experienced Kripalu’s sexual activities in his darkened bedroom, witnessed many other disturbing incidents, and began listening to more and more women’s and girls’ stories of sexual abuse, that I was finally able to open my eyes — and accept the painful truth.

Not only is Kripalu not God, he is the diametric opposite of God.

Once I opened my formerly blind eyes and brainwashed mind, I accepted all of the overwhelming proof that already existed about Kripalu — people’s shared stories, the newspaper articles, and the documentation of his arrests for rape.

How Much Proof Does Someone Need?

On January 12, 2013, someone going by the name “Inquistive Soul” wrote the following comment on one of my blog posts about a woman’s first-hand story of sexual abuse:

There is no proper evidence against shri kripalu ji…… why r u blaspheming him … it is very sinful…. if u have any proper evidence like video then only u can expose….. what happened in the case of Nityanand of south….. but i know u don’t have any… their is no worth of just listening from anyone …..

On January 18, 2013, Sriganesh S. wrote a comment in reply:

Dear inquisitive soul,

Followers will always boost their leaders no matter how corrupt they may be, as far as philosophy is concerned no pious man will claim himself as God as Kripalu does, it’s a very big deviation from shastra and by common sense one can understand that God can not be arrested and taken into prison house. Like above there are many stories from many many people I heard, everything can’t be fake.

I am from South I know about Nityananda and his followers, like you they also say those videos are morphed and fraud videos. For a believer, any true evidence will become fake since he/she is implicated in that way. But those people who were insiders who came out and suffered so much will understand how dangerous cult it was.

Even though for a moment if we assume no cases are there against Kripalu, but still we can’t accept him on the grounds of shastras since he claims himself as God and don’t have any Guru which is mandatory as Lord Krishna Himself said. He proclaims that Kashi Vidvat Parishat has given him Jagadguru title but no one from Kashi Vidvat Parishat came forward and defended Kripalu when he had been arrested.

THERE WON’T BE SMOKE WITHOUT FIRE.

Sriganeshji could not be more correct when he says, “For a believer, any true evidence will become fake.”

Even if I had hundreds of videos of Kripalu engaging in his sexual activities with women and girls, those who don’t want to believe the truth would say all of the videos are fakes.

Or, as in the case of the person I was exchanging emails with last week, at one point the person wrote this about the friend, who said this:

“Even if all what you stated is true she is ok with it, because god cannot be wrong.”

This comment exposes yet another reality of the JKP con game — even with all of the irrefutable proof in the world, a die-hard believer is only going to say, “So what? He’s God. His actions are divine.”

Proof that Kripalu is a Con Man is All Around You

Yesterday, on April 8, 2013, Sobhuji posted the following comment on the same article:

You can’t get any evidence like a Video or something reg So called fake Gurus… Once you enter inside their empire ur trapped. There are thousand numbers few innocent blind follower n few cunning culprits..they wud brain wash you or live u no where. Even politicians, business tycoons, celebrities work and support them.

People should open up their eyes and understand the Indian philosophy, it no where says God demands money for aarati, money for Sadhana, money for everything.. Even a small organisation spend some money for advertising his products to gain more money .. Same way these money making guys do some charity (hospital, school) as a part of advertisement strategy to expand their business, in return make money in multifolds.. And we fools instead of thinking to do something gud for the country continue doing gud for such ‘ money making guys,

…. A visitor of the Ashram.

The reality is that the proof that JKP is corrupt and Kripalu is sexually abusive, a child rapist, a thief, and a con man is right in front of your face — you just have to be able to see it.

UPDATE: Please take a minute to read a new comment on an old blog post. Today (April 10, 2013) Sobhuji wrote a very interesting comment about his first-hand observations in one of Kripalu’s billion dollar ashrams.

Two Years After the Infamous Escape of the Con Man, I’m So Very Happy that He Can Never Ever Again Darken the Shores of the United States

My life is full of light and freedom since my two ex-”gurus” lost their freedom to darken the shores of the United States ever again. It’s a relief knowing that they are forever half a world away from me. I hope India eventually does the right thing to protect its citizens from these highly skilled con men and child abusers.

On Sunday, I attended the Kite Festival in Austin’s Zilker Park on Town Lake.

As I walked the grounds with my adorable dog and watched kites of all sizes and shapes dance in the wind, I couldn’t help but remember the last time I attended this event. It was two years ago — on the weekend before the infamous escape from justice of my ex-guru, Prakashanand Saraswati.

On that day, I met up with two women from the trial and their husbands. There had been sad drama that morning when Adolph Tonnesen called his estranged daughters to beg them for mercy on Prakashanand’s soul.

“Please don’t hurt the person I love most in the world,” he implored them, completely disregarding how much that convicted child molester had hurt them — and how much that he, as their father, was hurting them now.

Later, we learned that Adolph was also feverishly trying to help Prakashanand get a fake passport.

That’s what “devotion” to con men like Prakashanand and Kripalu Maharaj does to a person — it turns them into selfish, cruel, abusive people who are willing to do anything, including abandoning their children and breaking laws.

Prakashanand’s Gang Broke Laws to Help Him Escape Justice

Prakashanand rallied a whole gang of these kinds of people during his nine months on the run in Mexico — until, in November of 2011, he finally got his fake passport. He was able to return to a place where he knew exactly how to navigate the back alleys with black money deals to keep his butt out of jail.

Despite the best efforts of many people to make him pay for his crimes, he is now living freely in India. But, is he really free? Or is he skulking around in different cars traveling from Mussoorie, where he’s likely hiding, to Delhi for medical treatments, and staying at different people’s homes every time to avoid detection?

You see the alleged “saint” is suffering from an all-to-human condition — prostrate cancer. It’s a condition he tried to keep hidden from his followers, because it might break the illusion of his supposed sainthood.

Prakashanand’s Reign of Terror is Over in the U.S.

While it would have been nice to see him in jail, it also would have been frustrating. For one thing, his high-priced lawyers would be filing every appeal known to man on a regular basis. Also, his devotees would have been vociferously fighting his detention. Further, it just might have dredged up a modicum of support in the form of the “martyr syndrome.” This way people can see his true colors.

From my perspective, for my life and happiness, I’m thrilled that his conviction for child molestation and fugitive-from-justice status assures me of one wonderful outcome: Prakashanand can never, ever return to the United States.

And that includes Kripalu, too.

Neither of them can darken the U.S. borders ever again. It’s now up to India to either capture them or let them continue to operate their sex cult.

I am reassured by the fact that every year from now on I’m free to attend the Kite Festival and every other event in this wonderful city and country knowing that I’m as free as the kites dancing in the breeze.

And knowing that Prakashanand and Kripalu are forever half a world away.

Now that is a victory!

New Hit Movie from India Exposes the Fallacy of Con Men and Women “Gurus” — Who are Disgracing Religion in the Name of God

Do these two look familiar? If you are a current or past devotee of Kripalu Maharah and Prakashanand Saraswati — two very fake gurus and business partners — you’ll definitely be saying “Oh My God.” These are characters from a new Indian movie called “OMG! – Oh My God!” It shatters the illusion of guru “holy men” oh so perfectly.

A few months ago, I received two emails from Hindu friends and ex-JKP cult members about a new Indian movie called “OMG! – Oh My God!”

Both people said, “You have to see this movie.”

One added, “Kripalu, Prakash, they’re all in there.”

My curiosity was peaked. I had to see this movie. But it wasn’t easy to find a copy, let alone a copy with English subtitles.

Then I received another email recently with a link to the movie online — with subtitles. I immediately watched it. It was definitely an “OMG! Experience.” And I think it will be for anyone who knew Kripalu Maharaj and Prakashanand Saraswati and their minions from Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat.

For ex-devotees of these two scam artists, the movie brings home one powerful point: These two guru con men are nothing more than caricatures of fake Hindu gurus. The characters in the movie look and act exactly like them.

OMG!’s Cast of Fake Guru Caricatures

Here’s a quick overview of the cast of caricatures before you watch (and I highly suggest that you do, for yet another confirmation of the sneaky tactics of fake gurus and the gullibility of mankind to worship them). (Spoilers Alert — You might want to see the movie first to get the full shock.)

The Spoiled, Arrogant, Sneering, and Bossy “Leader” of the Pack. First, there’s the character who plays a Kripalu-like leader. Not only does the movie’s character almost exactly physically resemble Kripalu, he also mimics his behavior, including charges for things like his footprints and dancing for his blind-faith followers.

The Anger-Spewing, Constantly Consuming, Lackey Guru with a Belly. How many of us have seen Prakashanand blow his gasket? Uncountable, right? And that belly! We all know that Prakash loves his food — which had to be cooked precisely to his specifications, or else. Heaven forbid if his meals were late or not to his liking.

The Pampered and Sexually-Aware “Didies” and Female Preachers. Someone at Barsana Dham once described the female preachers’ lives as “glamorous.” Indeed, they were put on pedestals and treated like princesses. But not as much as Kripalu’s three daughters, who are all about material consumption. All of these women are also sexually charged. How many times have you seen inappropriate behavior between the fake gurus and their women? Uncountable.

The Crowd of Sheep-Like Followers. While there is a large crowd of people following the fake gurus in the movie, you barely notice them. Just like real life. JKP’s crowd of followers are nothing more than a smoke screen for the fake gurus, an important prop in creating the illusion of spiritual superiority. That’s the sole role of the crowd of followers who follow in the footsteps of Kripalu and Prakashanand.

A Pure Spiritual Message that Few Have the Ability to Hear

OMG’s spiritual message is a lot like what I came to believe on my own — after I left my fake gurus and stopped reading all man-made “spiritual texts.”

Free of any negative influences, I naturally began believing that God does not have to appear in any form, because God is already visible all around us in nature.

I related to the conclusion about guru-loving people versus God-loving people: “Faith and belief are very addictive. Once you are addicted to it, you cannot let go easily.”

That statement, in a nutshell, explains how and why so many people will always fall for spiritual con games and guru con men.

For an eye-opening experience, see this movie.

“Oh My God,” Indeed!

Note: If you have any problems with the link, go to this website: http://www.einthusan.com. Push the “Hindi” button. Type in the name of the movie in the search tab.

Author Lawrence Wright Coins the Term “Prison of Belief” — A Chilling Concept for All Ex-Members of Cults

Author discusses the topic of the “prison of belief.” It’s a concept I have both lived — and escaped.

I had the great pleasure of attending a book reading on Tuesday night at Book People for author Lawrence Wright’s new book, Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief.

The question-and-answer session was fascinating. By diving deep into Scientology, Wright exposed many of the realities of all cults. His theory about “the Prison of Belief” is especially riveting — and chilling — for everyone who has ever been involved in a cult.

I think ex-cult devotees will see the many parallels between this cult and their own cults, in my case, Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat.

Here are excerpts from the book reading. Do you see similarities to your cult in Wright’s answers?

1. Was L. Ron Hubbard crazy?

He had mental difficulties, and even asked for help from the military, at one point. But there’s no evidence showing he ever got any help. Some people have called him a malignant narcissist and a paranoid schizophrenic. He was certainly a flamboyant and charismatic character. The legend he created for himself mirrors the concept of a shaman-like existence. In ancient times, shaman were often mentally ill, perhaps even schizophrenics. They are the ones who had the otherworldly visions, which they then shared with their tribes, who viewed them as gifted holy men.

2. Was L. Ron Hubbard a conman?

He certainly made a lot of money out of his venture. He got rich very quickly after publishing Dianetics, which was a worldwide hit. But then he lost his money. That’s when he began creating Scientology. He worked on it until he died. He geared it to be a church and aimed it specifically at celebrities in Hollywood.

3. What happened after his death?

All new religions require both a charismatic founder — and a successor who will keep the founder’s vision going. In Scientology this has been David Miscavige. Under his reign, many things have happened, such as getting tax-exempt status as a “church.” One way they worked to get this designation is by tracking down IRS agents and running smear campaigns about them. The IRS finally caved under the pressure. At that time, Scientology owed over $1 billion in taxes. But it got off with paying only a couple of million.

4. Why are you interested in Scientology?

I understand the incredibly powerful hold religion has on some people. It has the power to transform their lives for good or for ill. It’s a subject of obsession for many people. Every “religion” has it’s own angle. Scientology claims it offers a foolproof technology for personal and spiritual enlightenment. It has aspects that act like a religion and aspects that don’t.

5. How can people fall for an obvious con game?

What defines a community is the idea that “we all believe this,” knowing the ideas seem absurd to “outsiders.” In fact, the crazier the beliefs, the better the believers like it. The fact that others don’t believe provides stronger protection within the community, because they are surrounded and supported by other true believers.

Some religions force members to go door-to-door to evangelize while they don’t get many new recruits, they also don’t get many defectors. The act of forcing members to testify over and over again, making public declarations of their faith, makes it really difficult for them to walk away.

6. How much money does the Scientology have?

It has over one billion dollar, mostly in reserves in offshore accounts. It is gifted in lawyers. They have money, lawyers, and beautiful buildings. What they are hurting in is membership. People are leaving, albeit, quietly.

7. Why do people stay in cults?

Many people feel like they are helped by Scientology. At one time, the government was gearing up for a raid of a Scientology building where “Sea Org” members were reportedly kept in a prison-like environment, enduring extreme human rights indignities. But this is where the “prison of belief” comes into play. If the FBI had raided and told the people they were free, they would likely have said, “But we’re here for our own good.” In fact, some people have escaped, only to return, knowing full well what was in store for them. Many people like living in a totalitarian, circumscribed existence where all of their life’s decisions are made for them.

8. Who joins cults?

People join for different reasons. But there are a few common denominators:

• People are seeking religion and believe they’ve found the answer in a particular organization.
• People have personal problems and think a religion will solve them. What they probably need is therapy.
• Some people are simply born into the religion. In a new religion like Scientology, it’s now into the first and second generation. If they leave, they often lose their families.

I can’t wait to read this book, simply for Wright’s insight into the prison of belief. It’s a concept I have both lived — and escaped. My own book documents my experience in detail: www.sexliesandtwohindugurus.com.

JKP Tries to Spin-Doctor and Distance Itself from People Who Did Nothing But Give — Their Faith, Their Money, and Their Lives

There are so many sad stories that have come out of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat — stories of young girls being raped, people abandoning their families to join JKP and serve the fake gurus full-time, and people giving up their life savings to Kripalu Maharaj’s insatiable corrupt operation.

Among the never-ending trail of stories of exploitation in JKP, some tragic stories get lost. I’m going to share three of the forgotten stories of JKP devotees who suffered greatly at the hands of this dangerous organization.

These are the stories of people who attempted to commit suicide as a result of the actions of JKP. One successfully killed herself. Another is believed to have been successful. And one was not, but suffered tragically for the rest of her life.

These stories are difficult to tell, because they make you realize how different these people’s lives could have been if they had never gotten involved with JKP. But they are important stories to tell because they show yet another side to this greedy, cold-hearted, self-serving corruption factory, which takes people in, chews them up, and spits them out.

Lesley — The Girl Who Wanted to Be a Preacher

A rare photo of the woman believed to be Lesley, who attempted suicide after being sexually abused by Prakashanand and others in India while studying to be a preacher.

When I joined JKP (called ISDL in the U.S. back then), I heard hushed stories about a girl named Lesley who had become a quadriplegic after leaving Prakashanand Saraswati. Like a few other young Western women in his small band of followers, she had been training to be a preacher. Part of the training included a trip to India to study in Prakash’s ashram. Included in the trip Lesley went on was the woman who came to be called Prabhakari (aka Priya Dasi), and the woman who came to be called Nikhileshwari (aka Hari Dasi).

The rumor coming out of JKP was that Lesley had become sexually involved with young Indian men while in India. Allegedly Prakash had called her father and told him to fly her back home. When she returned, she began indulging in the material world. On a skiing trip she had an accident and became a quadriplegic.

However, that was just the spin-doctored story JKP wanted people to believe. It put fear in several devotees I knew, because they believed that Lesley’s indiscretions and spiritual transgressions led to her horrible accident.

Later, when I left JKP, I learned the truth. While in India studying to be a preacher, two men lured Lesley into their beds: Prakash and the father of one of Kripalu’s preachers. (Note: This was the same trip where Prabhakari was infamously lured into Kripalu’s bed and came out of the experienced in shock. She searched her soul to decide whether she should stay or leave. She decided to stay. Her action resulted in the proverbial “selling her soul to the devil.”)

Lesley was so upset by the sexual experiences that she became anxious and despondent. That’s when Prakash set her home, effectively washing his hands of her. Her depression continued when she returned hom to the point that she attempted to kill herself by driving into a brick wall. But she didn’t die. She lost the use of her legs and arms instead.

The last time anyone I know saw Lesley was when she showed up in a wheelchair at a lecture Prabhakari was giving near her home in Central California. Prabhakari barely acknowledged Lesley’s presence.

If anyone knows how to contact Lesley, please let me know.

Atsimba — The Woman Who Loved God too Much

For a period of time, the preacher known as Nikhileshwari was studying Spanish and planning trips to Mexico to recruit followers. During this time, she met a Spanish woman in California named Atsimba. The woman usually accompanied Nikhileshwari on her trips to Mexico, trips which rarely netted any new blood.

The woman was married to a white man and had no children. She was deeply religious and once she got in deep with JKP through Prakash, she brought her mother and friends to him as well. Her husband was slow to get on board, but eventually did — especially after her death.

Atsimba was one of the people who went on several trips to India. I guessed that she was “in love” with Kripalu from a video I saw, in which she was dancing for him in some prayer hall in India.

She frequently visited Barsana Dham, where I lived full-time. When there, she spent a lot of time with Nikhileshwari.

In the beginning, Atsimba was a very healthy woman who could be described as a little plump. She was by no means fat. But she began to drop weight and soon became extremely thin. One day Prakash asked her what diet she was on. When she told him what she ate, which was mostly just beans, he said jokingly he was going on the same diet.

On one trip to the ashram, I couldn’t help but notice how upset Atsimba was. She seemed to be “wrapped too tight,” as they say about people who see to be extremely mentally troubled. At one point, I was talking to Nikhileshwari in her bedroom and there was knock on the door. It was Atsimba. Her eyes were wide and she couldn’t focus. She was visibly upset and seemed ready to jump out of her skin.

“I have to talk to you,” she blurted to Nikhileshwari.

“Karen, please go. We’ll talk later,” Nikhileshwari said abruptly and ushered me out of the room quickly, closing the door after I left.

I remembered this incident clearly the day Prabhakari gathered the ashram devotees together in Prakash’s sitting room for an important announcement. She proceeded to tell us a convoluted story about how Atsimba had been a troubled woman since childhood, because she was a victim of sex abuse.

Then she said that Atsimba had died by the ocean near her home in California. Prabhakari said that Prakash said to tell us she “fell off of a cliff.” But the erratic delivery of the information and several strange comments Prabhakari made, led me to only one possible conclusion. Atsimba had jumped off the cliff and killed herself purposely.

After I learned the truth about JKP, the fake gurus, and their obsession with sex, and after I came out of my cult reality-distortion fog, I could easily see the facts for what they were.

Atsimba had been having sex with Kripalu whenever she visited India. She had lost so much weight because all the women involved with Kripalu know that he prefers skinny women. So she lost weight to please him. He may have even called her fat, since this was a common commentary he would make about women who were not rail thin.

Since she was a good person at heart, Atsimba felt extreme guilt about “cheating” on her husband. Nikhileshwari was in charge of trying to calm her down and make her understand that it was not like sex with a worldly man. It was sex with her “divine husband,” Krishna, who appeared on earth as Kripalu.

Shortly after her death, Prakash convinced her husband to move to Barsana Dham, thereby seemingly making an effort to mitigate any future issues if he were to ever learn the truth about the secrets that drove his wife to suicide.

Abe — A Man Who Placed His Faith in Two Conmen Posing as Gurus

(Note: This story was written by Fionn O Grada, an ex-JKP devotee and a long-time friend of Abe’s, with the approval of Abe’s family members.)

Abe Donovan (in striped shirt) and Fionn O Grada. Abe is believed to have killed himself after learning about Prakashanand Saraswati’s conviction for child sex abuse.

Abraham Donovan (“Abe”) has been missing since April 18, 2011. Many of us will remember Abe as a kind-natured Irish man who loved music and unfortunately put too much faith in the “gurus” of JKP.

Abe had been a faithful devotee of JKP for over 20 years. He was the kindest, most sincere spiritual seeker you could meet. Abe was not feeling well (mentally) in April 2011, right after Prakash’s trial. There is strong evidence to suggest that he took his own life.

Abe’s family and friends believe that the harm caused by his long association with JKP adversely affected his judgment and ability to make sensible decisions affecting his own safety and interest. Like so many others, Abe’s trusting nature was exploited, and JKP fleeced him of his financial resources. When he disappeared in April 2011, he was virtually penniless and in debt to JKP who continued to make utterly irresponsible financial demands of him.

Abe was a highly accomplished classical guitarist. He taught the guitar in many institutions such as Walton’s School of Music in Dublin and in recent years in The King’s Hospital School in Dublin. Due to his skill, wonderful humour, and unique patience, Abe endeared himself to his many students. Abe devised his own method to teach the guitar. Abe was friends with many other musicians and was a member of the short-lived Guitar Orchestra of Dublin in the 1980s.

His own recitals were a joy to attend due to his musicianship, communication skills, and warmth. Abe admired all great guitarists. He attended concerts by great players such as John Williams and Segovia. Treasured memories of Abe include going with him to two Cooney and Begley concerts in the Harcourt Hotel in Dublin. Abe introduced me to the virtuoso guitar playing of Steve Cooney, which enthralled him, and he was also a great fan of Rory Gallagher.

Abe was 50 in 2011. From his 20s Abe was a committed vegetarian. He made the first of many trips to Barsana Dham U.S.A. in 1996, and from 2004 onwards he made several trips to Mangarh, India. On his last trip to Mangarh in late 2010, instead of giving him practical advice to get his life in order, JKP continued to relieve him of his money and to subject him to intense “love-bombing.”

In Dublin, shortly before he disappeared he told his brother-in-law Glen that a visit to a cyber cafe had greatly upset him. In tears he told Glen that he had discovered on the Internet that a lady devotee of JKP, who had been a friend of his, had taken her own life (note: I am not sure who this person is). In March 2011, shortly before he vanished, Abe had become aware of the criminal conviction of Prakash. He made a few comments to a couple of people that indicated his confused state-of-mind.

Abe’s family regrets deeply that he ever came under the influence of JKP. However, his family knows that their dear Abe was a sincere lover of God who never harmed anyone. They are grateful for all the expressions of solidarity and sympathy following his disappearance. They will continue to draw attention to his missing status and are planning to organise a gathering of family and friends at a future date.

Abe has been officially registered with the Irish Police as a missing person. His family and the Irish Police continue to appeal to anyone who might have information on his whereabouts to telephone Store Street Police Station in Dublin at 353-1-16668000 or to send an e-mail to missing_persons@garda.ie.

RishikaXcult.com Delivers In-Depth and Insightful Coverage of the JKP Cult — As Well As Inspirational Essays About Spiritual and Life Transformation

This Rishikaxcult.com blog, along with my book, are now the main sources for learning the truth about Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat. These are more sophisticated information delivery systems than The Truth Project for Barsana Dham and JKP on Facebook (which is now defunct).

In August 2010, I started a Facebook page called “The Truth Project for Barsana Dham and JKP.” I created this Facebook page to share the truth about JKP, Kripalu Maharaj, and Prakashanand Saraswati. Its purpose was to cut through JKP’s ongoing propaganda and lies — and share what was really going on.

I used the word “Project,” because the page was just that: A project to share the truth with those who wanted to know it. The word “project” speaks to a specific task that has a beginning and an end. The beginning of my project was August 2010 and the end was August 2012.

The Truth Project Accomplished Three Significant Results

The two-year project was a huge success — better even that I could have ever predicted when I started it with just a handful of followers. Here is what The Truth Project accomplished in just 24 months:

1. The Truth Project grew beyond my expectations, reaching people around the world who wanted to know the truth about Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat. The Facebook page had many likes, but many more people who regularly read it without clicking the “Like” button. Many of the followers contacted me privately with words of thanks, encouragement, and new insights into the truth about JKP.

2. The information I shared on The Truth Project helped many ex-devotees better understand the spiritual con game in which they had been trapped, and it made them feel less alone in the world. That was one of my main goals when I learned the truth about JKP – I wanted to give ex-devotees a sense of solidarity instead of isolation. I’m happy to report that The Truth Project helped accomplish this goal.

3. Thanks to The Truth Project, I made several significant connections with JKP insiders, who had information to share with me. Some of that insider information changed the course of history at JKP for good – including being able to catch Prakashanand in Austin in early October 2011, when his lawyers were telling Hays County prosecutors that he could not fly from India to the U.S. due to illness. (Note: All of my contacts shall forever remain anonymous, unless they wish to reveal themselves.)

“The Truth Project” Reaches the Next Level — in a Book and a Blog

The Truth Project accomplished so much. However, it was a “Project” as the name implied. And now it’s time to take the Project to the next level — in my book and my blog.

For one thing, while Facebook is an acceptable general social media avenue, it has several serious flaws, including the fact that it is not a dependable vehicle to reach people. This flaw became even more pronounced last summer. Simply stated, Facebook only delivers page updates to about 10% of the people who “Like” a page. The reason for this low delivery percentage is that Facebook wants to charge people a fee to reach 100% of the people who “Like” each page. These costs are prohibitive for the average small business and non-profit, like myself.

A better, and much more sophisticated, way to reach 100% of the people who want to receive specific information is through a blog. The people who sign up on blogs will receive the updates 100% of the time (unlike on Facebook).

After contemplating Facebook’s disadvantages, I chose to move The Truth Project to my existing blog. I own this site, so sharing information is now under my control, versus under the control of Facebook.

My Supporters Stand Up for Me — and for The Truth About JKP

Many of the regular readers of The Truth Project were upset when it abruptly disappeared. I had notified the people who “Liked” the page of an upcoming change, but I had no way to notify the people who had never clicked the “Like” button. (At the time, I was mulling over changing the name of the page, since Barsana Dham ashram’s name had been changed to Radha Madhav Dham after Prakashanand escaped. But then I made the decision that my blog would be a more dependable delivery medium.)

After the page went down, I was very touched when so many people reached out to me, worried about what had happened to the original The Truth Project on Facebook. The primary reason for their distress was that JKP had immediately taken over the name and created a fake Facebook page. My supporters were concerned both about me personally and about the future of The Truth Project. I explained to them individually what had happened.

The bogus Facebook page is administered by someone with a fake name — apparently he or she is too ashamed to use his or her real name. There are allegedly many followers to this artificial Facebook page. However, JKP has another Facebook page, which is in support of Prakashanand. That page is administered by a man in Ireland, named David C., who is in his early 20s. Interestingly, the statistics for that Facebook page reported that the greatest concentration of people who “Liked” the page were people from Ireland in their early 20s. What this tells me is that David himself made up a bunch of fake Facebook pages, which he then used to “Like” his page. I assume the same is happening with the bogus Truth Project.

RishikaXcult.com is Already Attracting Many Followers

Already my blog, Rishikaxcult.com, has attracted many people who have signed up to receive regular updates. I’m hoping to expand membership to others who want to know the truth about the JKP cult, better understand cult tactics in general, and gain inspiration after living through a traumatic experience. The essays about transformation will celebrate our journey on this planet as both spiritual and physical beings.

Along with my blog, I have also published a website for my memoir, www.sexliesandtwohindugurus.com. I also maintain two Facebook pages for people who prefer to get updates on that social medium: Rishika Xcult and Sex, Lies, and Two Hindu Gurus. I know that those who want to find me will definitely find me — and when they find me, they will find the truht.

That is the whole story of The Truth Project for Barsana Dham and JKP — now and forever a book and a blog!

I hope to hear from you on one of my sites. Also, I’m always available by email at rishikaxcult at gmail dot com.

Best wishes to everyone! Thank you for reading and caring.

Karen (aka Rishika)

The Truth About the Accused Rapist’s and the Convicted Felon’s 60-Year Love-Hate Relationship

Photo taken of Kripalu Maharaj and Prakashanand Saraswati when Kripalu visited Barsana Dham in 2007. Prakashanand built the ashram, renamed Radha Madhav Dham after his escape from justice, for Kripalu, his guru for 60 years.

Prakashanand Saraswati is a notorious person among members of the transcendental meditation community who were in Fairfield, Iowa, in the 1980s. That’s when he arrived in the U.S., and tried to recruit followers away from the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, founder of TM. In one infamous advertisement, Prakashanand even equated the Maharishi to Satan and in lectures claimed he was “bringing people into darkness.”

It was a curious comment, since he and the Maharisihi briefly shared a guru in the 1950s — the Jagadguru Shankaracharya Brahmanand Saraswati, known as Guru Dev. He was the Shankarcharya of Jyotirmath, a very prestigious religious seat in India. The Maharishi was his secretary for many years, until Guru Dev died in 1952.

Prakashanand Lies About His Past

As for Prakashanand, according to his official biography, he claims he was offered the guru’s official seat, even though he was only 22 and had known him for less than two years. What’s more, there were several official successors to the seat. Nonetheless, here’s how Prakashanand stated his version of history in his bio:

“At the age of twenty-one, in 1950, he (Prakashanand) renounced the world and went to Jyotirmath in the Himalayas. In 1951 he took the order of sanyas. Seeing his esteem of renunciation and deep feeling of God consciousness, in 1952, he was offered to be the successor of Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Jyotirmath which is one of the most renowned religious thrones of India. He very politely refused by saying, ‘My final desire is to go to Vrindaban. I have given my life for the service of Radha Rani, so I cannot live forever in the math.’”

Four years later, Prakashanand met Kripalu Maharaj and instantly became his devotee. Kripalu welcomed Prakashanand into his fledgling “spiritual” organization, recognizing a fellow conman when he saw one. The two had a love-hate relationship over the next 60 years as they both struggled to build a following. But it was all love between them when Prakashanand began bringing his devotees to Kripalu in late 1999.

Prakashanand had a relatively small following compared to many gurus who come to the U.S. However, most of his “devotees” were ready to hand over large sums of money to Kripalu, who was billed as “God incarnate,” specifically “the incarnation of Radha-Krishna,” but who cared a lot about cold hard cash — as well as the warm bodies of women and girl. Kripalu was nearly salivating as so much Western money began flowing into his coffers (India-based trusts) and helping him build massive temples, along with the many new women and underage girls he welcomed into his bed.

Notable among the most wealthy of Prakashanand’s small group of Western followers were a handful of former TMers, three of whom were minting money in the infomercial trade and giving large sums of it to the gurus: Peter Spiegel, Katie Williams, and Marsha Kent.

The Fake Gurus’ Con Game Grows in the 1990s

The two conmen’s business partnership flourished in the 2000s, culminating with the completion of the largest temple in Vrindaban, India, built by Prakashanand to glorify Kripalu. They spared no expense for the massive structure, importing marble from Italy and emerald pearl from China, among two of the many extravagances. The total bill for the building is estimated to be one billion dollars — all which was collected from followers who were told the money was going to “build hospitals.”

However, their illicit partnership was overshadowed by Prakashanand’s arrest in 2008 for molesting children who lived in is U.S. ashram, formerly called Barsana Dham (the name was changed to Radha Madhav Dham in April 2011). In March 2011, Prakashanand was convicted of his crimes, but before he could be sentenced, he ran for the border into Mexico and escaped from justice with the help of several of his followers.

A recent article in the Austin American-Statesman announced a report filed by the U.S. Marshals in September 2012 about Prakashanand’s escape into India. The details of the report were published on this blog.

Kripalu Lies about Prakashanand’s Past

Twenty days after the article was published, Kripalu’s organization in India, called Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, issued a press release denouncing all association with Prakashanand. The news article stated the following:

Jagadguru Kripalu Denies Link with Wanted Godman Prakashanand Saraswati

New Delhi, Oct.14 (ANI): A trust founded by Jagadguru Kripalu Ji Maharaj issued a statement over the weekend, refuting and rejecting suggestions and allegations of his link with wanted godman Swami Prakashanand Saraswati.

Saraswati has been declared a criminal in America, and a spokesman for the Jagadguru said that the spiritual leader was not in the habit of accepting or making disciples.

‘It is to be noted that Prakashanand Saraswati is a disciple of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Brahmanand Saraswati (a sanyasi). Jagadguru Kripalu Ji Maharaj is a family man and is a Vaishnava,’ the statement said.

According to the trust, several people in India and abroad claim to be their guru’s disciples, impressed by his actions and his ‘irrefutable devotion towards god.’

‘Under such circumstances, creating a misconception, and thereby, deluding the public by saying that a wanted criminal is his disciple or associated with any of the trusts functioning under his guidance, is definitely a condemnable action,’ the trust statement said.

This proclamation is, of course, a complete lie — easily refutable by anyone with an Internet connection. For example, use the Wayback Machine to find all the old website content such as this page.

The only person “deluding the public” is Kripalu himself, who has a very dark history, chronicled in my memoir, Sex, Lies, and Two Hindu Gurus — How I Was Conned by a Dangerous Cult — and Why I Will Not Keep Their Secrets.

Interestingly, but not surprisingly, at the same time as the release of the U.S. Marshal’s statement, the Radha Madhav Dham website deleted the last remaining evidence that Prakashanand had founded the ashram, including removing his books from the online bookstore.

No Love Between Criminals

Kripalu and Prakashanand are notorious historical recreationists — spouting whatever nonsense fits there needs at the moment. What Prakashanand’s devotees think of this latest fraud perpetrated by Kripalu is anyone’s guess. They’ve shown a history of being in lockstep with the utterances of both deceptive and dangerous con men.

And, in fact, they’ve swallowed the new lie hook, line, and sinker as shown on a childish Facebook page where they *suddenly* started announcing that Guru Dev was actually Prakashanand’s guru. This cult would be a complete joke if it wasn’t so dangerous.

Learn more about the truth of Kripalu and Prakashanand — partners in crime for 60 years — in my book www.sexliesandtwohindugurus.com.