The Speech Reversals of Srila Prabhupada

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    Srila Prabhupada's speech reversals significantly contribute to our understanding of his treatment and care in these last days, as well as his passing away. These speech reversals will show his loss of control of his disciples, his frustration at being kept locked up in his room and not allowed to go on parikrama, his awareness that they were after the assets of the movement and of course confirmation of the poisoning. We will also see Prabhupada's forgiving and magnanimous nature, and his complete surrender to the Lord's will.

    The quality of Prabhupada's voice in some of his speech reversals is sometimes very rough, but you will note that it matches exactly the quality of his voice in his forward speech. These words are being spoken by a man on his death bed and understandably they may not be of the most legible quality. Nonetheless, given allowance for the circumstances, they are reasonable.
 

Here are three different reversals on the words "Tamal Krishna" spoken by Srila Prabhupada. I have grouped them together to give an example of how the sounds heard in Reverse Speech are not simply coincidental with the forward sounds, but have everything to do with what is on the mind at the time the words are spoken.

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["Tamal Krishna?"]

This reversal is a reference to Krishna Das, Srila Prabhupada’s friend, who is always joking and laughing. He is in the room and has been speaking in Bengali with Prabhupada just prior to this. The reversal is spoken as Srila Prabhupada interrupts their conversation and addresses Tamal Krishna who is also in the room.

A comment on his disciples’ way of living, either on their hygiene or how they are following his instructions and practicing Krishna Consciousness.

This reversal shows Srila Prabhupada’s consciousness of the fact that he is being poisoned, the plural pronoun again referring to himself alone. It is in conversation with Tamal whom he asks how dare he do it! Tamal immediately replies to this with two reversals: "here’s the rub" and "I muck on thee." See the chapter on Reverse Speech Conversations below.

This indicates that Tamal had sold out his spiritual master. This reversal follows one by Tamal in which he acknowledges being "snared" or observed by Srila Prabhupada. With this reversal Prabhupada confronts Tamal.

There are several reversals which indicate Srila Prabhupada’s frustration with his disciples, this one of Tamal Krishna not listening to him. I take this more in a general sense that he does not have Tamal’s cooperation. The reversal on the very next words indicate the unconscious attempt to motivate or persuade Tamal by bribery. For a better perspective on this series of speech reversals please see the Conversations In Reverse Speech.

In this reversal Srila Prabhupada offers Tamal to name his number or price, indicating that if he can’t have Tamal’s cooperation in any other way he is willing to buy it. Although this conversation is going on on the subtle level the communication is nonetheless exchanged and understood. This may come to us as "feelings" or "intuition" or a "hunch."

This is a Link Reversal formed by both speakers to make the reversal: "what love is this?" This follows Tamal’s reversal of "that’s a shame but your life’s up."

Srila Prabhupada here exposes Tamal and the fact that he (Prabhupada) knows what is going on. Prabhupada has let Tamal know and speaks to his embarrassment.

There are a number of appeals of Srila Prabhupada to Tamal and the others to save him. Until the very end Srila Prabhupada does not give up on his desire to live and carry on his mission of spreading Krishna Consciousness around the world. In one of the last reversals he appeals that "they offer another body, make me want it." He doesn’t want it, but realizes that it is his choice. If he wants it he can take it, but he is so intent on serving Lord Krishna in spreading Krishna Consciousness that he does not want to leave this world in another body, he really wants to recover his health and continue his mission.

   In the Preface I have mentioned the recently discovered taped conversation wherein Tamal tells Satsvarupa that at times Prabhupada had actually requested that they procure some "medicine" which would quickly end his life. Tamal offers how they would not do such a thing. This statement was most likely made as a cover in case an investigation were made into Prabhupada's death, and/or the poisoning were to be found out. Of course we know from this work that there was deliberate intention to kill Prabhupada. Now Prabhupada's own words, in this speech reversal and the next, we again hear proof that this was no mercy killing.

Here Srila Prabhupada tells Tamal that when he (Tamal) saves Prabhupada’s life, he can be done. Done with what is not clear, but the point is that Prabhupada is continually appealing to him to save him, despite the fact that he knows that he is being poisoned.

The action of making a Reverse Speech metaphor "white", as is done here with the word "lily," causes it to take on an entirely different meaning. To make something white is to deify it to the exclusion of everything else as if it were God, and in the process it becomes thought of as being something far more than it is. Therefore to say "lily liars" means that the disciples have made lying their deity as they take shelter of it, using lying too much, as a means of dealing with everything. This reversal greatly condemns Bhakti Caru, Tamal and the others who are engaged in so many lies.

Srila Prabhupada repeatedly expresses his great, unconditional love for his disciples regardless of the fact that they are trying their best to kill him.

Humor in Reverse Speech? Srila Prabhupada speaks of not being able to eat more than a sip of fruit juice, and calls this his "Love Feast." We would take this to be joking words, but to Prabhupada everything he consumed was the Lord's prasadam, or mercy. His little sip of fruit juice is hardly a feast, but with this reversal he suggests that to be the case.

   He instructed his disciples to hold delicious multi-course "Love Feasts" every Sunday in every temple, and the Hare Krishna’s have become famous for their sumptuous vegetarian feasts.

As noted earlier, "snared" means to be fouled up, tripped up, stuck. This reversal means that he has been snared in his attempt to rectify his health problems. The attempts to get better are not working.

Again Srila Prabhupada appeals to be saved. This is a leading speech reversal forming the phrase "Come save me, it is not working."

And yet again. His words are falling on deaf ears—they continue to poison him.

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"No, no why don’t you consider. In [case it is not] successful."

He comments on the behavior of his disciples. Similar to the above comment "and messy they live." To me his forbearance is simply amazing. They are poisoning him, yet instead of being critical or condemning his comments are all too compassionate.

An observation of the devotees present there.

Srila Prabhupada was a self-realized soul who was in direct contact with God. This reversal confirms that the Lord revealed Himself to His pure devotee.

Srila Prabhupada for some time had been taking fresh neem leaves as a regular part of his diet. This speech reversal indicates that it was helpful. It is a leading reversal which would form the phrase "fresh neem may be success." Neem is a tree which grows in India which has many wonderful qualities and healing abilities.

Here Srila Prabhupada himself gives one of the motives for their attempts to kill him. They want his money, meaning that they want what he had established. By now ISKCON had become a world-wide organization which had a cash flow of more than eight million of dollars per year. Beyond that there were many expensive properties. Yes, they did want what he had created, and what he had willingly given them, position, power, and property, yet rather than waiting for their inheritance they wanted to kill him to get it.

Srila Prabhupada appeals that he should have no milk—it is poisonous. And/or this is self-talk in which he admonishes himself not to take the milk.

Another of the reasons that his leading disciples want to do him in—they are envious of him.

Although Srila Prabhupada says forward that he is a practical man, the reality is that he is a very saintly man, and that correction was made by the speech reversal. He is without a doubt the most saintly man to walk the earth in our lifetime.

Srila Prabhupada is starving as a result of being given poisons which diminish his appetite. The reversal indicates that this is sinful, and this sin must be borne by those responsible. Tamal however is of the opinion that this sin can be shed if it is kept secret.

Prabhupada was talking of going to Mayapur, and at other times he was petitioning his disciples to take him out of the Vrinadavan room, on tour of the holy places of India. However they would not and did not. Therefore Srila Prabhupada says that he was abducted, held against his will, where they could more conveniently carry out their sinister plot.

This reversal refers to his friend Krishna Das who has come to visit him. Prabhupada had a close relationship with him, and they had an affection for each other as revealed in this speech reversal.

A broad statement which shows the nature of his love. Srila Prabhupada repeatedly appeals to them to save him and they don’t. But he tells them that his love is merciful, and he undoubtedly would have forgiven them if they would have desisted.

This is directed at Krishna Das, and is a friendly farewell that we often hear being used at a final parting.

This is a reference to Srila Prabhupada’s knowledge of his imminent departure from this world. Krishna Das responds in reverse speech by acknowledging with "I know."

Krishna Consciousness teaches that we all have an individual relationship with the Supreme Lord, and that the purpose of our human life is to develop that relationship. In this reversal Prabhupada calls out to the Lord to enter into that relationship, to go on a honeymoon, a time that they can spend together. Undoubtedly Prabhupada had that honeymoon after he left this world.

Prabhupada acknowledges that he will not successfully recover similar to the 2nd reversal above.

Again appealing to Tamal to save him, Tamal responds with a speech reversal that says "look, maybe now is the time to know you’re only dead." Tamal thereby acknowledges that he has no intention of saving him.

This reversal comes in a conversation with Tamal. If the verb is "made" then this is yet another confirmation from Srila Prabhupada that Tamal & Co. actually made him sick and that his illness was not a result of natural causes or old age.

    If the verb is actually "make" then I do not take it that it is meant in the casual way, as it is sometimes said as a personal dislike or disgust, because Prabhupada, as we have already noted had great love and mercy. Personal likes and dislikes did not figure into his character, he was far, far beyond that. As he said above his "love is merciful," and below he is "like the sun." Rather, this reversal is meant in the literal sense of the words: Tamal, by giving him poison, was making him sick. This reversal is an acknowledgment of fact, just as the Kaviraj said in reverse "they create your dying problem." Whether the verb is make or made the meaning is the same.

Just as the sun offers light to every place without discrimination, Srila Prabhupada also gave his mercy without discrimination. He was indeed as munificent as the sun and gave his mercy to everyone. It is yet there, available to everyone through his writings. I appeal to my reader to taste this wonderful love by reading the writings and teachings of His Divine Grace.

A very interesting reversal. One can hear this as some comforting words coming from the elderly man as though it were something less dramatic, such as "Now, now, I’ve lost a job before, everything’s going to be all right." He faces death with the greatest nonchalance as though it were nothing at all. For the Krishna Conscious person, of which Srila Prabhupada was a living example, death is a servant and not master.

They did give him milk which they had made. A straightforward, congruent trailing reversal which forms the phrase "Last night you gave me milk? And they made this their self."

Without reference to the forward words it is difficult to say exactly what it is that looks like sin. It can be understood however by considering the other speech reversals.

In a Hindi conversation with his friend Balaram Misra, Prabhupada had just finished telling him that poison was being given, and the friend asks who is being poisoned. He answers "mujko" which is Hindi for the word "me." The reversal on mujko is poison, and as a lead reversal forms the phrase "poison me." The explosive "p" sound on the reversal is very light and one must pay close attention to hear it, but it is definitely there.

    This reversal confirms that Srila Prabhupada was being poisoned. Why? Because we know that the speech reversals always speak the truth and they are created in such a way as to communicate that truth. This reversal by itself is enough to satisfy an experienced Reverse Speech investigator that such is the case, but this reversal coupled with the dozens of other confirming speech reversals leaves no doubt whatever.

Again the word poison comes up in reverse about one minute later in the same conversation, this time on an entirely Hindi phrase. The blowing conch shell in the background interferes somewhat with the legibility but "poison" can still be clearly heard.

Srila Prabhupada again expresses his unqualified love for his friend.

This and several other reversals are included because they give a clear understanding of the congruity of Reverse Speech. The forward and reverse phrases are exactly the same. Given very clear examples such as this can there be any doubt about the validity of Reverse Speech?

The poison is in the milk and he says "remind me now." He is aware of it. Why then does he drink it? Because he is a fully surrendered servant of the Lord. The next reversal indicates Prabhupada’s willingness to follow the Lord’s direction.

In this conversation Tamal is relating to Srila Prabhupada that because some other saint was poisoned by the wives of his disciples, that they are being very careful not to let just anybody cook for him as formerly was the case. In reply Srila Prabhupada agrees that "that should be stopped" (meaning the cooking by just anyone). This reply has a reversal admonishing him to "watch" or "take note of" illusion. The reason why only a few selected people were now cooking for Srila Prabhupada is that they were poisoning him, and to say that it was another reason was not only a lie, but a process of putting themselves in illusion.

These very significant reversals demonstrate clearly to us that Srila Prabhupada followed the Lord’s direction at all times, and we therefore can understand that what happened was a combination of Prabhupada's surrender to the Lord, as well as Tamal's sinister efforts. As a pure devotee Prabhupada always followed the direction of the Lord, and there is no question of his being duped by Tamal & Co.

     This reversal has no apparent connection with the forward speech, but is a comparative reversal—it has the same mood. This conversation is about how it is suicide to travel by a bumpy bullock cart to the holy places, and Prabhupada says that it is also suicide to stay in that room. To travel in the bullock cart in his fragile condition seemed to be suicidal, yet to stay in the room and knowingly drink the poison is also certain suicide. Srila Prabhupada is willing to do either as directed by his Lord. Note that these 2 individual reversals are joined in the wave file with the word "and" removed.

In conversation with the Kaviraj Srila Prabhupada explains that as ill as he is he has no life, meaning no ability to act. A very congruent reversal.

This particular section is one of the first cited as proof that Srila Prabhupada was being poisoned when the controversy erupted in October of 1997. How do we know that he was poisoned? Because he said so, and that remains sufficient evidence alone for some of his followers! The speech reversals of all the parties confirm this undoubtedly. An interesting reversal on this section of forward speech where Prabhupada first reveals the poisoning "Maya is now real." Maya is a conceptual twin of the Christian’s devil, with the difference being that Maya is a devoted servant of the Lord whose job it is to test people as they progress in spiritual life. This testing insures that souls will show themselves for what they truly are when tested. Those who pass and are qualified can enter into the spiritual realm, while those that fail will become trapped by their karma and remain in the material realm. This reversal, showing up where the forward speech is of Prabhupada telling of his being poisoned, indicates that Maya has offered a big test to Prabhupada’s leading disciples to see if they would remain humble servants of their guru or attempt to usurp what he had created. They have obviously failed.

Here Srila Prabhupada acknowledges that he will not recover and asks the GBC to take over management. The reversal coupled with the forward speech could construct two meaningful thoughts "manage very nicely (I) just can’t beat it," or "(I) just can’t beat it, and consider that I am dead."

This reversal is an excellent example of the congruity of speech reversals. A second time we hear the exact same thing said both forward and reverse.

This is a trailing reversal which coupled with the forward speech states: "consider that I am dead and the worst was just you kill." It is a direct confirmation by Prabhupada that he was being killed! Prabhupada admonishes his followers (the worst that thing that they could have done) for having done it. Again, this speech reversal indicates that this was no mercy killing.

This reversal indicates Prabhupada’s frustration in trying to convince them to let him travel to the holy places. They all obstinately argue with him to keep him in his room.

Another confirmation of the killing. Again Prabhupada instructs them that he should not be killed. Remember, in Reverse Speech it is common for a person to refer to themselves with a plural pronoun, we or us.

This reversal may be a continuation of the one above, which together would make the phrase "We shouldn't be killed, it is a sin." However, the second reversal occurs almost two minutes after the first and it is difficult to connect them definitively, although it is possible. Otherwise, it is a sin for all of them to be using their time waiting for Prabhupada’s passing away, and even more of a sin that they have to be there at all since the impending death is contrived by poisoning.

In this conversation with Jayapataka Srila Prabhupada offers his frank opinion in this reversal. Either he thinks Jayapataka or the Kaviraj, or both, are liars.

This reversal clearly indicates that mercury or mercury compounds were being given, and in this reversal his higher self asks humbly that they not give him any.

Srila Prabhupada is petitioning the devotees to allow him to go on pilgrimage, to leave the room in Vrindavana, and he even petitions them in Reverse Speech. We read in Tamal Krishna's reversals why Prabhupada was not allowed to leave--the venue was valued for the poisoning business. As Prabhupada pointed out in an earlier reversal, he was effectively abducted by his "servants" and kept trapped in his rooms in Vrindavana.

This reversal reveals that Srila Prabhupada could have regained his health had he been allowed to leave the room, get free air, movement and sunshine: "I leave, be healthy, if I have free air." Unfortunately they would not and did not let him go.

The Srimad Bhagavatam, one of the most important works of all the Vedas, was Srila Prabhupada’s magnum opus. He spent hours every day translating this wonderful scripture for our benefit. The Bhagavatam is full of stories of the Lord and His devotees, explaining how the devotee would simply depend on the will of the Lord for everything he needed. Such surrender is the zenith of spiritual advancement. Prabhupada was the embodiment of spiritual realization for all of his followers, and from him we learned what it meant to actually be a devotee of the Lord. In this final chapter of his life Srila Prabhupada gives us the greatest lesson—he was simply depending on the Lord whether he would live or die. His desire was to live, but if the Lord wanted he would leave this world even by poisoning. He has appealed to the devotees to save him, and to the Lord. But if he wasn’t to be saved that was the Lord’s decision and he accepted it with all humility, and followed the Lord's direction.

The Bhagavad-gita explains that death is nothing more than the soul’s changing of bodies. When the soul, or life-force, leaves, the body appears as dead. Actually the body is always dead but when the soul is present within it is filled with life. Here Prabhupada reveals that he is offered another body. Unlike the vast majority of people in this world who are forced to leave the body at the time of death, Prabhupada apparently has a choice as to whether to accept another body or not. He apparently doesn’t want it and he appeals to his higher self, or "disciples" to make him want it.

    Another greatly significant feature of this statement is it's factual significance to the facts of the situation. Prabhupada is referring in the forward sentence to the episode in the Ramayana of Marici's dilemma, that he would be killed by Lord Rama if he carried out the instruction of the demon Ravana, and that he would be killed by Ravana if he refused his order. Marici concluded that it is better to be killed by Rama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

    Prabhupada offered to the devotees that he wanted to go on parikrama, traveling to the holy places, but they protested that the difficulty of the journey would kill him since he was in such a weakened condition. He countered that it would be better to be killed by "Rama," that is in traveling to the holy places, than it would be to be killed by the "Ravana," meaning his own "disciples."

    Heretofore in reference to these statements devotees have not taken this to be a direct allegory, but the speech reversals disclosed herein indicate that it was a direct comparison of staying in Vrindavana with his "disciples" to being killed by the demon Ravana.

    On a technical note, this wave file has two reversals in it. The result is that you will hear them out of order when reversed (played forward). The forward speech of the second reversal will be heard prior to the first. Just a technicality.

This reversal confirms that everything Prabhupada ate was poisonous. He was literally feeding on death.

This is a leading reversal which together with the forward sentence forms the phrase "Oh, you are here, I shall be cured!" Srila Prabhupada continues to hope against hope that he may be cured and carry out his mission.

This reversal indicates that he was aware that he was being poisoned.

Srila Prabhupada was a soul surrendered completely to the will of the Lord, and this reversal gives confirmation of that fact. He was following the Lord's will at all times.

This is a reference to Lokanath Swami whom Srila Prabhupada had selected to lead the parikrama party. Lancelot is a Reverse Speech metaphor which refers to a hero, a knight in shining armor, a person who could be counted upon to do the right thing. It is pleasing to see Srila Prabhupada refer to him in this way. In the Reverse Speech Conversations below you will find Lokanth’s reversals which prove his innocence of this crime, as well as his internal anger upon his unconscious realization that the poisoning was taking place.

An indication that Srila Prabhupada will be taking another body. In the service of the Lord the pure devotee is willing to accept any condition. This reversal does not indicate what the next body will be, but simply that he will be changing bodies. He may return to Vaikuntha to render service to the Lord directly, or he may accept another material body and render service to the Lord in this material realm. For the devotee there is no difference, for he is fully conscious of the Lord in any condition.

    The forward speech in this section is difficult to understand and may not be an accurate transcript.

This reversal is totally congruent, and the third time that the same thing is being spoken both forward and in reverse. It should be noted that such exacting reversals are rarely found in most people. A person must have great integrity to display such congruent reversals.

A comment on the brashness of Tamal Krishna in his dealings with Prabhupada. This may appear to be an extremely casual reference to Srila Prabhupada, but we are reminded that Reverse Speech is very direct and even unabashed. Polite conversation is not a feature of Reverse Speech.

All three of them acknowledge "seeing" the Starship which will transfer Srila Prabhupada to the spiritual world, Goloka Vrindavana. About 3 minutes later Tamal Krishna also notes the Starship in a reversal. Apparently all people have subtle senses by which these things are observed unconsciously. Prabhupada’s time has come. Within days Srila Prabhupada finished his pastimes in this world and left for the Spiritual Sky aboard that Starship.

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    Without having read the writings of His Divine Grace or having heard his lectures it will be difficult for most people to fully appreciate the magnificent character of Srila Prabhupada. The fact is that he alone was chosen by the Supreme Lord to spread the glories of the Lord throughout this entire planet, nay the Universe, and he was completely successful in the task. The scriptures that he translated for us, the Bhagavad-gita, the Srimad Bhagavatam and the Chaitanya Caritamrita offer us the most highly developed understanding of the Godhead, and offers us the simple process for re-establishing a loving relationship directly with God. The Bhagavatam itself states that there is nothing more sublime in all existence, and it is ours if we but take it. This was Prabhupada’s gift to everyone in this world, both in his own time and for all posterity. Although Srila Prabhupada wanted to continue his mission it wasn’t necessary—his work was done and the Lord was calling him back for a reunion, indeed, a honeymoon.

    Understanding his sublime character we naturally wonder why his departure should have taken place through such an outrageous scheme. In answer we can simply offer that the Lord accomplishes many things through every action. He wanted Srila Prabhupada back home, and at the same time others were desirous of killing him and usurping what he created. These two desires were combined to serve both purposes.

    Rather than being unusual, it is rather common to witness the killing of the Lord’s servants by the mundane people of this world. Unable to appreciate the factual position of  these saints and the blessings they bring the people of the world, foolish and envious men can only see them externally through the filter of their envy, and by their own lust of power or position come to the point of killing them. And while it may appear so, the fact is that the agents of the Lord are fully protected by the Lord until such time as He wants them back, and then He allows the killing business to go on.

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