Two More Old Scammijis In the News: Kreepalu and PrakashakaBOOM

File under: Backroom Gurudom and Gurubusting

[Ed.note: We fear this fine effort by our Barsana Dham correspondent about yet another two gurus in trouble with the law, Kripalu Maharaj and Prakashanand Saraswati, might get lost in the haze of exploded guru mist floating over India right now.]

By a former resident of Barsana Dham

Is it karma, or kaliyug, or simply the tipping point of a growing intolerance for the overabundance of fake Hindu gurus?

My bet — and hope — is that it is the tipping point: And that the intelligent people of the world will rise up and kick these fake holy men to the curb — that is if the cowards don’t run into hiding first, as is the case with the dastardly duo: Kripalu Maharaj and Prakashanand Saraswati.

Along with all the other intriguing scammiji scandals making the headlines these days, it’s interesting to find that these two partners in crime hit the news within hours of each other (Kreepalu in a BIG way). We’ll start with Prakasha-boom.

Prakasha-Boom Gets Criminal Trial in Texas Delayed — Again
It was never a question of IF Prakashanand would pull a last-minute health crisis to evade justice for 20 counts of indecency with children in Texas: It was always a question of WHICH “health crisis” he would choose. Now we know. “Back surgery.” As reported by the Austin American-Stateman, a “doctor” in India claims that Prakashanand “shouldn’t sit for more than a half-hour at a time.”

As such, his lawyers asked the Hays criminal court for a delay, which was granted Wed.

Awwwwww. Poor guy. Darn the luck. And all he’s ever wanted was his day in court.

But, seriously, I don’t understand the problem. It’s not like he ever SAT for very long anyway. He does most of his work lying down (if you get my drift). Also, the guy flies first-class. I never have, but I’ve seen photos. Don’t you like get a bed and five-star treatment in first-class? Sounds pretty comfortable to me. Also, I’m sure the Hays County Court would have no problem bringing a bed into the courtroom. I’m just saying, there are ways around this “health problem” if you just think outside the box a little.

Curiously, for 20 years Prakashanand received the vast majority of his medical care in the United States — from dental care to neck surgery. Call me skeptical, but it just seems a tad strange that now, at this time, he would receive such major medical care in India. I mean, his “doctor” didn’t even have the wherewithal to say it was “emergency” surgery. Hmmmmmmm.

The fact is, this guy is never coming back to U.S. soil. I know it. You know it. He knows it. So let’s just end the farce: Let the Hays county court collect its $10 million bond, let Prakashanand be labeled a fugitive from justice, and let the world know he’s a lying coward.

Kripalu Shows the World His True Colors — He’s an Orange-Bellied Coward, Too
Speaking of cowards, they must run in packs: Because Kripalu showed himself to be the jagadguru of pathetic cowards.

This is actually a very sad story. If you haven’t heard, approximately 65 people died and dozens more were injured in Kripalu’s main ashram in Mangarh India this past week. They were all women and children who had gone to receive free food and handouts. The ashram had announced the event to all villagers in the surrounding area. The turnout was huge, as expected. News reports conflict a bit, but the bottomline is that Kripalu and his people did not plan for proper crowd control. Something happened to scare the crowd (either the gate collapsed or an electrical wire fell), creating a stampede. Dozens of people were crushed and some killed.

While the world’s heart was breaking for the innocent victims, Kripalu and his organization, Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat (JKP), were blaming the victims.

JKP-Barana Dham in Austin Texas released a statement on Friday saying: “unruly crowd causes injuries and death.” One word: Pathetic!

Interestingly, Kripalu went into hiding two hours after the disaster, according to several news reports: “Kripalu Maharaj, whose ashram witnessed a stampede killing 63 people, fled from the complex two hours after the tragedy and is untraceable, a district official said today.”

In a telephone statement from an “undisclosed location” (who is he Vice President Cheney?), Kripalu tried to say that he never invited any of the people to his ashram. Which is, of course, ludicrous.

The ashram has claimed it is going to give some money to the victims: But it’s a pittance compared to how much they spend on cars, homes, food, and other luxuries for their own comfort and desires. It’s a disgrace that they have the nerve to call themselves a charitable organization.

The local police are hoping to lodge an FIR against Kripalu or his organization under Section 304 (A) of the IPC that covers charges of causing death due to negligence.

In a press conference yesterday Kripalu finally appeared, but said nothing: “Claiming he was ill, Maharaj appeared before mediapersons but did not answer questions fielded by them.” This is a man who normally will not shut up.

Meanwhile, his ashram spokesperson admitted Kripalu was guilty: “The spokesman of the hospital at the ashram, K.P. Singh, said God was responsible for the deaths.” Ummm, hello … Kripalu says that he himself is God!

All I can say is that the real God will bless the poor women and children — who are only the latest, and most visible, victims of this particular fake Hindu holy man. And now, at least, the world is seeing Kripalu’s true colors.

[Ed.note: Our sincere thanks to our correspondent for taking the time to put this hard-edged piece together. It's just the way we like it.]

Kreepalu's Protegé Busted!

File under: Gurubusting, Gurus Doin' Time and Hands Where They Don't Belong

Remember "Jagadguru" Kripalu Ji Maharaj, aka Kreepalu, the gopi-grabbing Krishna impersonator who skated rape charges in Trinidad/Tobago last year? His main man at his Texas temple, Prakashanand Saraswati, just got busted for the same sort of thing, but this time with underage girls:

A Hays County grand jury indicted Saraswati, also known as Shree Swamiji, on 20 counts of indecency with a child/sexual contact earlier this month. The investigation began last August.

According to the Associated Press, Saraswati is accused of groping two girls were under 17 on several occasions between 1993 and 1996.

Get ready for another barrage by the Kreepalu Kool-Aid Brigade, a sizable force of shallow-minded followers who are sure to flood the net shouting about an imagined anti-Hindu conspiracy, the better to distract you from the possibility that these rather creepy-looking old men may have been raping and molesting in the name of Krishna for years.

Mckayla Does Not Approve

File under: Gurubusting

1000th Post! Crooked Christ Still Crooked

File under: Gurubusting, Satscams and The Siddhi of PR

[Ed.note: For those who care, this is the 1000th entry on this blog.]

Today, a Kaleshwar insider sent a revealing comment about this notorious satscammer:

Kaleshwar knows little humility himself anymore. Last year he told many of us that he has now achieved greater power than Kali herself.

He's praying upon those who are desperate to believe in something. His teachers will eventually relate to you that he, (or deferentially Shirdi Sai Baba), chose you to become a student through some divine knowledge of your soul's readiness… but really this is psychological warfare against your natural doubt.

You are meant to think... "What if he's right? What if I am special. I will miss something."

…and suddenly, you'll be spending another $1008.00 for a process, or a useless blessed trinket.

Wackadoo guru, scheming flimflam man, or both? Whichever, he's not worth your time, and most definitely not worth your money.

How To Be A Bigtime Guru

File under: Gurubusting and The Siddhi of PR

Step 1: Make up a fanciful mythology about your youth:

Kaleshwar did not speak for the first seven years of his life and would often accept only a single drop of water as his daily sustenance. When asked years later the reason for this unusual behavior, he said, simply, that he was absorbing cosmic energy. Miracles occurred around him: once his grandfather observed the divine appearance of the Goddess Saraswati standing guard over him while he slept; another time, it was a king cobra, its mantel spread, that shaded him as he napped soundly on the ground in the backyard at his grandfather’s farm.

Don't be fooled, folks. This guy is a crook.

(Thanks, Semblanceji!)

Our Man In The Garage With The Goods

File under: Gurubusting, Gurus Doin' Time and Hands Where They Don't Belong

For those still interested in the ever-increasingly sordid affair of Swami Nithyananda, we would like to point out that our man in a parking structure somewhere deep in Bharat, Deepam Throat, just keeps coming up with the goods in the comments section of this blog. Here's a sample of some of today's latest:

The State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) sleuths have stumbled upon a personal bank account of self-styled godman Nithyananda with a leading private sector bank in Bangalore in which he has a whopping total deposit of around Rs 32 crore.

The bank has frozen the account at the behest of the CID which is looking into all the financial transactions –– accounted as well as unaccounted –– of the godman who is now under police custody for interrogation.

At least three other bank accounts where two trusts run by Nithyananda maintain a deposit of around Rs 20-25 crore have already been frozen. The CID is analysing these accounts and the sources of the funds. Efforts are also on to trace whether money from these accounts has been transferred to undisclosed banks abroad.

While we were overcome with Nithy fatigue weeks ago, DT is still going very strong, so keep your eyes on the comments section here for the latest in the saga of the sex tape swami.

Deepam From The Garage

File under: Gurubusting

[Ed.note: This was slipped into our email box late last night. Just when you thought it was over, the Nithyananda onion gives up another layer.]

Dear Friends of Guruphiliac,

In the interest of truth, I am coming forward as a source of information on the empire that was Nithyananda. My name is Deepam Throat, and I suggest you follow the money with me. All of those flimsy charges of "corrupting the minds of believers" are really nothing compared to the possible violation of Indian, International, and U.S. financial and tax laws. Here is the information I have found easily on the web:

According to Lenin Karuppan, who broke the scandal wide open:

The Nithyananda Dhyanapeetam, fugitive godman Nithyananda's so-called abode of healing and spirituality, was also the centre of a thriving business which his younger brother, Nithyeshwar Ananda ran. The Nithyananda Imports & Exports company is "registered in the name of Nithyananda's brother and another ashram member."

Nithyeshwar, who is believed to have fled the Bidadi ashram along with Nithyananda on March 2 when the scandal broke, is in charge of all accounts for the Dhyanapeetam's India operations since 2004. According to Karuppan, who was a Dhyanapeetam insider since 2006, "all books, gift article, statues (made of wood, stone, marble and metal) etc are sent to the United States and other countries through this company."

Karuppan admitted he did not have access to all financial records of the Dhyanapeetam. "But I have firsthand information with regards to Galleria department accounts, of which I had direct knowledge, and through my close association with other top department heads and inner circle members I have indirect knowledge.

(Mangalorean April 4)

By doing a simple search, I found a bill of lading for a shipment totaling 17,031 kilograms from Nithyananda Exports & Imports to "NITHYANANDA DHYANPEETAM TEMPLE & CULTURAL CENTER." (This confirms what Lenin was saying.)

The Temple is a non-profit corporation which is not required to file tax records. The weight of that one shipment was over 17,000 kg! This is a shipment from one company registered in India to a non-profit in the U.S. A tunnel, so to speak, of tons of tax-free goods that was resold at exorbitant prices.

There are at least 7 corporations in the US, in California, associated with Nithyananda. A simple search on the California web site resulted in this list:

INTERNATIONAL GOVERNING BODY COMMISSION OF NITHYANANDA DHYANAPEETAM AND NITHYANANDA MISSION

NITHYANANDA ANNA MANDIR

NITHYANANDA DHYANAPEETAM OF SAN JOSE

NITHYANANDA DHYANAPEETAM TEMPLE & CULTURAL CENTER

NITHYANANDA FOUNDATION

NITHYANANDA YOGA & MEDITATION UNIVERSITY

NITHYANANDA YOGA FOUNDATION, INC.

Why does a simple monk need so many corporations? Even SYDA has only one!

As you can see from this investigation of public records, Nithyananda, Inc., was doing a brisk and lucrative business for at least 6 years. This may be just the tip of the iceberg. Or perhaps the tip of the Himalayas, if you prefer.

Just follow the money. That is all. Meet me here again in the future. I will contact you. Until then, be blissful!

Regards,

Deepam Throat

Swami Nithyananda Down For The Count

File under: Gurubusting and The Siddhi of PR

We have to admit a tinge of sadness for the guy:

The 32-year-old said in a statement that he was resigning as the head of his organisation, Dhyanapeetam (Knowledge Centre), and from all the trusts associated with him.

His organisation has branches in several countries, including the US and Europe.

"If required, I will return and talk about all that had happened as an independent witness to my conduct with a clean heart and pure soul and in a less prejudiced atmosphere," he said.

He said he had decided to live a "life of spiritual seclusion for an indefinite time".

We don't think for a minute that it's over. These kind of conditions are perfect for generating a phoenix.

Nithy's Naughtiness Reaches California

File under: Gurubusting

The sky keeps falling on Swami Nithyananda's head. Now it's a case filed in California by another of the now many disgruntled devotees:

In his complaint to California state Attorney General Jerry Brown on March 25, McKellor [former Swami Nithya Praba] has brought serious charges of sex, fraud, financial irregularities and physical abuse of devotees in the US against Nithyananda. Copies of the complaints are in the possession of Deccan Herald.

Like Lenin Karuppan, who exposed the sex videos featuring Nithyananda and a Tamil actress and also accused him of "raping" or having sex with other women in his Bidadi ashram, McKellor has claimed that at least on one occasion he "was placed as a guard in front of the door to make sure that no one, repeat no one, disturbed him and his lady guest".

While McKellor has not disclosed the date when he was asked to guard Nithyananda's room, he does mention that it took place when the godman headed a two-day workshop in a Sanatan Dharma temple in Norwalk, California. McKellor, who is a Hindu, alleges that Nithyananda "ate his meals or rested alone with young attractive (women) followers" in his private quarters at the cult organisation's Norwalk and Montclair ashrams.

Wow. Like Elin Woods or Sandra Bullock, the bad news just keeps coming for those devotees who gave their all to Nithyananda. It now seems all he really ever had to offer was a booby-trapped bhakti. May their pain soon resolve itself into wisdom.

An "American Guru's" Sleazy Steering

File under: Gurubusting and The Siddhi of PR

It is being alleged that Andrew Cohen is using sleazy SEO tactics to divert folks from William Yenner's American Guru page.

Excuse us for a sec so we can suddenly fall out of our chair in disbelief.

The Wages Of Sin

File under: Gurubusting


link

Cohen Leaves Lenox For A Less Spoiled Pasture

File under: Gurubusting and The Siddhi of PR

Apparently, some folks in Lenox, MA are pissed off that Andrew Cohen is shipping out with his EnlightenNext org, and they've got fingers pointed at American Guru author William Yenner. But based on Yenner's 13-year sojourn as an inner-circle member, Cohen has no business teaching nondual realization at all:

During my 13 years with Andrew Cohen, as a member of his inner circle of students, manager of Foxhollow, and a member of the Board of Directors, I was witness to countless instances of abusive behavior toward students on a regular basis. The strategy at EnlightenNext has always been to "destroy the ego", believing it to be the main obstacle to spiritual "evolution". Andrew's tactics are largely based on ever increasing levels of demands and psychological pressure on the "ego", which is often how the abuse results. I have witnessed such treatment escalate in some cases to emotional, financial and even physical abuse. In far too many cases students were coerced to behave in ways that violated their own dignity, privacy and good sense, all in the belief that only a self-limiting ego would resist their guru's instruction.

Can you say ego-fixation? And that whole idea of destroying the ego is so 2000 and late.

Not that it's going to stop everyone from going. Cohen has rendered himself a star, and there will always be folks who want to catch some of that "shine." His being an asshole isn't likely to hobble his appeal to that reflex. In fact, it's just as likely to enhance it with some folks.

70,000 Miles Of Nothing: Nithyananda Caught In Huge Lie

File under: Gurubusting, Satscams and The Siddhi of PR

Nithyananda claimed to wander for 6 years between 1994 and 2000, covering over 70,000 miles of India. It turns out he spent at least 5 of those years as a failed novice monk of the Ramakrishna Order in Chennai and Belur Math:

"Nithyananda probably joined the monastery in Madras (Chennai) in 1994 or 1995... He attended the monastic training college in Belur Math in 1999 (or 2000), and left the Order from there within a few months."

The other shoe just dropped, and it's a size 108. The man is a fraud, it has now been proven. Buyer beware.

Kudos to the folks at The Truth About the Cult of Nithyananda for launching this nuclear fact missle. The cold hard truth of this lie exposes a seamy underbelly to the enterprise of Nithyananda's satsang. Nor does it bode well for what seemed a guaranteed future as a great satguru and possible avatar, unless folks are willing to accept the advent of the Lying Avatar.

And while the spinners have undoubtedly already begun to spin these facts to preserve their personal delusions about their space-daddy, it's now too late to stop the clear light of honest truth from piercing this fraudster's back-story for good.

"Holosync" Harris Holohammered On Twitter

File under: Gurubusting, Gurus Clockin' Dollars and The Siddhi of PR

As the regular reader of this blog knows, we generally go after spiritual teachers who claim to be God and use this claim as their primary marketing conceit. Woo-woo noise peddler and "The Secret" star Bill Harris doesn't appear to quite fit that bill, but like most others who make your spirituality their business, it has become quite clear that he's all about the money. At the moment, he's threatening legal action against Gp pal Duff McDuffee, a personal development industry critic and partner with Eric Schiller in a blog called Beyond Growth. A post McDuffee made on November 13 this year criticized the way Harris markets his "Holosync" sound meditation cds, also noting that up until the Death Lodge incident of October 8, 2009, James Arthur Ray was an enthusiastic endorser of Harris' products, (as well as being his ex-partner.) [Ed.note: As it turns out, James Arthur Ray had Holosync sessions scheduled during the days leading up to the Death Lodge tragedy.]

The result of all this is now a cease-and-desist letter demanding the removal and retraction of McDuffee's blog post, all at the approval of Harris and his lawyers. The heavy-handedness of the move belies a man desperate to protect a shaky business, and while it's definitely not pleasant to receive a letter like this, its claims appear to have more holes than a 20-year-old tin pail at the bottom of Lake Erie. [Ed.note: According to those in the know, Harris did about 20-million last year, so the shakiness isn't preventing him from getting his grind on.]

Since this gauntlet has been dropped there has been a Kelvin wave of support for McDuffee and against Harris on Twitter. The viral nature of this bad PR has the potential to do a lot more damage to the claimant than the defendant, but somehow, we don't think Harris has enough of a view around his own self-image to recognize bad PR if it took him out to an expensive dinner and then back to a hotel room for an all-limits-transgressed romp.

Another AoL Inner Circle Defection

File under: Gurubusting, Satscams and The Siddhi of PR

A few days back, we were notified about this fine work: Confessions of a Guraholic, the stories of an inner circle follower of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar who just got fed up being fed horse manure by Sri Sri, in what is apparently an ever-increasingly desperate effort to keep people from leaving him. We'll let these words speak for themselves:

Sri Sri taught one had to transcend the intellect in order to reach the Self. It is in all the Hindu scriptures. However, unlike the scriptures, the AoL regarded the intellect as the cookie monster. If one questioned or doubted anything regarding the movement or the Master, one was accused of being “too intellectual. Drop the intellect!,” or “too in the head.”

For example, if someone raises questions about something that makes no sense, that person is considered to be "too in the head, too intellectual!" The person would be told to drop the mind. "You think too much. You have such a big ego. You will never transcend the ego like that.”

In fact, Ravishankar accused me several times of many things I did not do, not even in my dreams! He even accused me of encouraging a “poor boy” leave the organization when in fact the boy was encouraging me to leave!

In one occasion, I confronted him about these false accusations, without any hold back. He got violently upset (he does not like to be confronted). It became “bloody”. Someone else who was in the room, later confessed he wanted to hide under the table. He could not understand how I could speak to him that way. I gave him a dirty look. He instead laughed and said, “Don’t you see? I know it is all lies! He knows they are lies! Don’t you see? He just wants you to agree with him!”

The Kracki Hive Thrives Despite Clouds

File under: Gurubusting, Gurus Clockin' Dollars, Gurus Doin' Time, Satscams, and The Siddhi of PR

India's best newspaper dishes the dirt on the Bhagavan Kalki's money habits, which are largely about siphoning off donations to buy things like cars, houses, and dummy companies for your progeny in the States:

The report dated January 24, 2003 states that MM Giri alias Acharya Anandagiri, who was a student at the Jeevashram School where the ‘godman’ was earlier employed as the administrator, admitted in his fund flow statement (from 1998 to 2001) “that he had made gifts of Rs 2.53 crore” to Krishna and Preetha, Kalki’s son and daughter-in-law

Of course, the Kracki and his wife/co-conspirator are doing better than ever as a result of this latest brouhaha. There's definitely something to be said for the power of denial as a zeal-inducer in the empty-headed. Apparently, the authorities have been less than anxious to investigate the Krackster. Who is surprised about that?

Whatever, we're bored of the lame huckster and his faux goddess sidekick. Let those who believe, have them. Maybe a glimmer of civil responsibility does exist somewhere within India that can be brought to bear on their operation. It doesn't hurt to hope, as long as you don't expect. The turban is tipped to Tehelka for putting it out there.

The Twisted World Of The American Guru

File under: Gurubusting and The Siddhi of PR

We received a copy of American Guru a few months ago, but have slacked at actually opening it. That said, this review reveals the gist of it, that Andrew Cohen gives every appearance of being yet another personality-disordered, adoration-addicted control-freak cult leader:

Cohen mandated – directly or indirectly – actions such as slapping the face of someone for showing too much ego or pride; banishing followers, at least temporarily, for alleged misbehavior; or requiring followers to shave their heads as a form of humility. In one incident recounted in the book, Yenner says a woman who spoke up to Cohen had red paint thrown in her face as punishment.

Yenner himself kept coming back for more, getting fleeced in the process:

In 1998, he says, he gave Cohen a gift of $10,000 to thank him for being his mentor. A year later, Yenner, told that he was exhibiting too much pride, says he was banished from Foxhollow for betraying Cohen and his teachings.

Increasingly exhausted, desperate, and almost mentally broken, Yenner says, he sought to regain favor by offering EnlightenNext an $80,000 inheritance from his father. Things got only more bizarre after that – Yenner was told to go to Australia to stay with another out-of-favor follower. Six days after his arrival Down Under, Yenner says, Cohen ordered him to return to the United States.

After another cycle of banishment and forgiveness, Yenner was told he was no longer welcome at Foxhollow. “I felt nothing,” he writes. “I decided to leave the community for good.” That night, he stayed in a hotel in the tiny town of Florida in the Berkshires. “I could see for miles,” he writes. “I began to feel joy and liberation.”

Playing God takes two, someone to be God and someone to believe in them. This provides the glue that holds a cult together through each successive episode of the leader's pathological narcissism. What appears to be insanity from an outsider's perspective gets filtered as God's tough love within the group. Yenner and others were paying a lot for that love. Here's to hoping they finally get to see that they got their money's worth for having survived such a towering example of enlightenwrong.

More Online Trouble For Nithyananda

File under: Gurubusting and The siddhi of PR

Some of the best comment battles on this blog have occurred with Nithyananda devotees. But we're beginning to see the defenders become exposers, as the folks who get close can now see behind the curtain, providing the information they need to opt out of the charade, as this brave soul has done with his blog, The Truth About the Cult of Nithyananda:

For all you sweet devotees of Nithyananda's La-La Land, those who believe in this illusion and falsehood, you must read the book, “The 48 Laws of Power” by Robert Greene. Pay particular attention to 217-218 on cults psychology that is applied on you by your loving master, Nithyananda.

A disgruntled ex is no big deal, but we know of three very inner-circle devotees who've split like this. It only reinforces what we saw from the start. Nithyananda's oversized personality isn't divine, it's just persuasive. Instead of a saint, he's at best, a deluded con man, and at worst, a knowing one.

The Criminal Trial Of Prakashanand Saraswati Delayed — What A Surprise!!

File under: Gurubusting, Gurus Doin' Time, Hands Where They Don't Belong and The Siddhi of PR

[Ed.note: Our Austin correspondent and former member of the tainted temple in Texas where little girls allegedly got groped and diddled, comes through with another fine report on the ongoing legal saga of the God-faking Kreepalu protegé, Swami Prakashanand, known fauxfectionately to us as Swami Prakashaka BOOM!]

By a Former Barsana Dham Ashram Resident

October 6th, 2009 — As Eric Cartman on “South Park” might say: “Well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well, well” — if he heard that the trial has been delayed in the case of The State of Texas vs. Prakashanand Saraswati on 20 counts of indecency with a child. Originally set to start on November 2, 2009, the trial was reset today to commence on January 11, 2010, as reported by the Austin American-Statesman.

Truth be told, many who know Prakashanand are not surprised. We expected the trial would be delayed all along.

I’m mean, after all, if you were an 80-year-old man who has had hundreds of people licking your heels and kissing another body part for the past several decades, would you be looking forward to standing trial for crimes you knew you were 100 percent guilty of committing?

Before you answer, consider the fact that you most likely would have squirreled away a significant amount of cash in places law-abiding citizens would never think to look in a country half a world away. I know that I would much rather live off-the-map in some remote village in India for the rest of my days on earth than in the Texas State prison system (where, if I were a “guru,” the other inmates might not treat me with the respect to which I’ve become accustomed).

A great deal of legal paper filing occurred over the past couple of weeks preceding today’s notice of the trial delay as stated in the Statesman. Here’s a little more insight:

• Prakashanand’s high-priced lawyers motioned for, and were granted, discovery evidence in the form of the testimonies of the two female witnesses in the case. This, presumably, is the first time his legal counsel has had a clear view of the victims’ side of the case. I can only imagine the laundry bill after that shoe dropped.


• Next Prakashanand’s lawyers requested to subpoena another person whom they claim “is material to the pending criminal prosecution” and without whom they claim “the Defendant in this pending criminal prosecution will in all reasonable likelihood be denied his rights of compulsory process.” Meanwhile, the lawyers had not yet seen this particular person’s personal report to the Hays County Sherriff’s office. Once they did read that report I can only imagine it was another “spit-hit-the-fan” moment.


• Finally, yesterday the Hays County Public Access Website reported that the District Attorney for the case filed an application for 14 (yes, that’s fourteen! subpoenas). The motion cited eight people from the Barsana Dham ashram, located southwest of Austin, including four members of the five-member JKP-Barsana Dham management team.

The only member of the management team not on the subpoena request list is Prakashanand himself. After all, he doesn’t need to be subpoenaed. He’s the Defendant. He’ll be there on January 11th, 2010, to have his day in court and prove to the world that he is innocent of child molestation. Right? I mean he will, won’t he? (I kind of like the reporter’s commentary: “If the trial does get underway then …”)

Perhaps Prakashanand will even perform a few divine miracles for those of us in the courtroom to prove once and for all that he really is a God-realized Saint. Lord knows, he hasn’t performed any miracles yet surrounding his arrest and the nearly year-and-a-half drawn out legal battle!

Defined: Hands Where They Don't Belong

File under: Gurubusting and Hands Where They Don't Belong

A reader sent us an interesting photo this morning:


Now you know what we mean when we say "hands where they don't belong."

Source. Original source.

Update: According to a commenter, this is a photo of the mostly well-respected, recently-deceased yoga guru Krishna Pattabhi Jois of Ashtanga Yoga. That being the case, this is still wildly inappropriate, in our opinion.