Lokanath Swami Initiates Child in ISKCON Alachua Temple Room
August 2019
This is a video of child molester Lokanath Swami initiating a child at the Alachua ISKCON temple (largest ISKCON community in North America) in 2019, while the community cheers him on. In the video, Lokanath says to the temple president Mukhya before she makes a speech, “You demanded that I come.”
In Mukhya’s speech, she praises the female initiate for being “chaste” while she is getting initiated by a self-admitted child molester.
Mukhya says to the child initiate (12:02), “You’ll be a good example for your brother, and for all your friends at school. This is something that everyone in our gurukula will see is happening and say, I want this for my life also.”
In 1993, CAP Behavior Associates evaluated Lokanath and “strongly suggested” that he never be alone with a woman or child – not because he was a sannyasi, these were professionals, unaffiliated with ISKCON – but because of what he might do to the woman or child. (Portion of that psychiatric report at the bottom:
https://lokanath.net/gbcs-untruthful-account-of-incident-february-1999 )
In 1990, the same year Lokanath sexually abused a child, the ISKCON GBC resolved:
“e) Any confirmed child abuser may never again serve in association with children in any ISKCON project. The Board will also make available to all ISKCON educational projects and temples the names of all accused, admitted, confirmed or convicted child abusers.”
Except… Lokanath’s name was never added to the list of abusers. Badrinarayan said in 1998, “I just cannot see listing his name along with all the other offenders.” https://lokanath.net/emails-showing-gbc-members-blocked-cpo-investigation-of-lokanath-in-1998
After the GBC was done investigating Lokanath in 1993, his name was never added to the list of abusers that the ISKCON Child Protection Office keeps, even though he was a confirmed child abuser. For the last 24 years, the GBC has been blocking their own ISKCON Child Protection Office from handling the Lokanath case.
Per the GBC Resolution above, Lokanath falls into the category of “confirmed child abuser serving in association with children.” Not just serving, but giving spiritual guidance to a child, formally accepting the child as his disciple. The GBC resolved that confirmed child abusers can not serve with children. So how is it that Lokanath is initiating a child? ISKCON leaders are endorsing behavior that goes exactly opposite of what they have written into their Resolutions. ISKCON is endorsing a self-admitted child molester as an initiating guru.
From the same 1990 GBC Resolution, “The Board will also make available to all ISKCON educational projects and temples the names of all accused, admitted, confirmed or convicted child abusers.” Lokanath falls under the “admitted” category, as he has admitted to GBC members, other ISKCON leaders, the Child Protection Office, some of his disciples, and various other devotees that he sexually abused a child. This is Lokanath’s letter of admission from 2010:
In another GBC Resolution, from 2018 (the year before Lokanath initiated a child in Alachua):
“No person, who has been determined to have engaged in severe maltreatment of children, will be allowed to remain active in a position of authority or trust within ISKCON, this includes activities such as leading kirtan, giving class, speaking publicly at any ISKCON event or representing ISKCON in official capacities.”
Why were the GBC Resolutions not followed with Lokanath Swami?
Lokanath sexually abused a child which is considered severe maltreatment of a child. According to this GBC Resolution, he should not have any authority or trust in ISKCON as a leader – no leading kirtan, no giving class, and no speaking publicly at any ISKCON event.
If the GBC had followed through with their promise to Lokanath’s victim in 1994 – that Lokanath would never have held a prominent position in ISKCON again – we would not be here right now.
In 2010, Lokanath’s victim wrote:
“I hated him when I had to see him in public. And to see that this was his punishment? Being given articles to write in BTG, being given accolades as a guru, getting all the priveleges of a sannyasi– this was what his punishment was??” https://lokanath.net/satyas-statements-july-2010
The GBC did not keep their promise and have lied to the victim, compounding the abuse for 30 years.
At the same time in 2019 that Lokanath was touring North America, New Jersey expanded its statute of limitations for civil sexual assault cases, making it possible for Lokanath to be sued for sexual assault against a child.
Lokanath initiated a child as his disciple, while open to being sued for sexual assault against a child. https://njcasa.org/find-help/civil-statue-of-limitations/
The original video was titled “Lokanath Swami’s Youngest Disciple Ever!” and had over 2,400 views before it was changed to Private on February 1, 2022.
