Sex, Lies, and Two Hindu Gurus — Telling Their Secrets and Finding My Truth Read online

  Commentary on Sex, Lies, and Two Hindu Gurus

  “Sex, Lies, and Two Hindu Gurus is one of the most important books ever written on life inside of a cult by someone who lived it. Karen Jonson has made a substantial contribution to our understanding of cults. It is an insightful, even powerful account. This is especially true since the author writes from the perspective of a former devotee who left the ashram when she uncovered its seamier side. A young woman from a dysfunctional family, Karen joined the cult after being attracted to its principal guru and his promises of a spiritual journey into the divine. What she found instead was a group of devotees who worshipped their gurus, even though they were hardly spiritual teachers, but rather fakir whose goal was money and sex. Those who attempted to disclose the truth of what was really going on, including the author, were cast out from the circle of believers and pilloried. Karen writes extremely well and pulls few punches regarding her reasons for remaining a true believer for more than a decade. This I think is one of the strongest of various memoirs from former cult members. It is an excellent read.”

  — Richard Schott, Ph.D., Professor of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin

  “When friends or my child asks me about my life in this cult, I can show them this book. Karen’s story perfectly captures the twisted, insular, and secretive world in which we all lived.”

  — Kate Tonnessen, child victim, Washington

  “I was one of the people who gave all of my life energy to this organization for six years. I am grateful to Karen for her brave pursuit of the truth, her wonderful memory, wry sense of humor, and great literary talent in making transparent the ‘business’ of a corrupt cult. Truth can be stranger than fiction, but it is also stronger than fiction. I hope generations in the future will know that there is no shame in being discerning when investing your spiritual trust.”

  — Suzy Parker, ex-JKP devotee, Massachusetts

  “After spending many years involved in this corrupt religious organization, I would like to acknowledge the author for taking on the painstaking task of systematically writing the true story of the series of events that took place. I feel it is important to record the story of what happened in the form of this book because, if the story isn’t told, it can eventually be forgotten. In the future, if one person in any sort of a group that gains control of the mind and body reads this book and rethinks his or her life, it will be worth the time and trouble Karen took to write it. I commend her once again for her excellent organization of the series of events that led up to the trial, conviction, and disappearance of Prakashanand Saraswati. Her painstaking documentation and writing took place at a time when she was in the middle of rebuilding her own life and reclaiming her soul. Bravo!!! Well done.”

  — Kathi K., ex-JKP devotee, California

  “Sex, Lies, and Two Hindu Gurus exposes a world that few have ever seen and that many deny even exists. It’s a world where corruption and deceit run free, and where people’s vulnerabilities are preyed upon and used against them—all in the name of religion. It’s a world that was run by two men and supported by a bevy of followers, who, sadly, in their search for enlightenment, have been elevated to merely the position of pawns in a game of sociopathy. Karen, the author, shows great courage throughout the entire book, as she reveals the truths behind the countless lies that she and many others lived with and around for significant portions of their lives. She chronicles her journey in and out of this cult from beginning to end, and shines a light on how she was able to escape and then work to help others learn the truth about this dangerous cult.”

  — Sheridan B., friend of ex-JKP devotees, Texas

  “Wow! I just finished this book and want to tell say how much I enjoyed it. It was just as good as any other true-crime drama I’ve ever read in its attention to detail and writing style. I couldn’t put it down. Also I have read a lot of books written by people who have been involved in abusive cults, and I rank this book as being among the best, most definitely. Karen shared her evolving beliefs in a way that shows the maturity of her current state of mind. It’s evident that she has shared this story purely because of her love for the truth. I’m looking forward to a future edition when she will be able to write an update detailing the capture of Prakashanand and the dismantling of Kripalu’s empire. We can only hope! Thanks to Sex, Lies, and Two Hindu Gurus I now know what people are capable of when they have blind devotion to their ‘gurus.’ I admire Karen’s bravery in bringing this story to light.”

  — Holly June Graves, ex-devotee, Missouri

  “I enjoyed reading this book. It is a great expose of these two ‘holy crooks.’ If someone with an open mind at JKP/Radha Madhav Dham reads this book, it should be a wake-up call for him or her to leave that cult. They were running an age-old scam with their preaching based on two principles: making it attractive, and scaring people with tall tales of their supreme spiritual powers and credentials. There were a lot of suckers to fall into their ‘gopi’ trap. Karen covered very well the way they swindle their disciples of their innocence and their wealth. I wish there was more information on how this charity money becomes the personal wealth of Kripalu and company. Can you get this book translated into Hindi so people in India can also find out about their black deeds?”

  — Rahul, husband of devotee

  “This is really heavy duty stuff… I do lose sleep over Hindu dharma being dragged into mud because of the actions of these people.”

  — Milan P., USA

  “With each new revelation in your book, I get more angry and more determined to do something to cripple this corrupt organization.”

  — Raj S., India

  “Your narrative is very very gripping. Excellent stuff! I like your honesty and truthfulness.”

  — Sandeep S., USA

  “I visited Barsana Dham 10 years ago with my three young children to celebrate Diwali with family friends. We thought having a Hindu ashram in the beautiful Texas Hill Country south of Austin was special. But now, discovering what was actually going on there is horrifying. The author recounts the unraveling of this sex and money scam with unflinching honesty. By telling this difficult story in a personal way, she draws us in and helps us understand. I found the story, and the way it was written, very, very compelling.”

  — Karen Roller, friend, Austin

  “All I can say is wow… and amazing. You have clearly exposed the inner dealings of JKP, and the true personalities of Prakashanand and Kripalu. As you say in your book, they are truly rakshasas, demonic entities who have manifested in this age of darkness to feed upon the innocent minds and faith of countless people. I applaud you for this. By exposing them and publishing this book, you’ve clearly illustrated that they could never break you. Instead, you have broken them. I just hope and pray that more people will read your book, and that their intellects will awaken and they will learn to discern truth from falsehood. It takes a lot of strength to confront such a past and such emotions. You are brave and strong. More people should come out and expose false gurus like Kripalu and Prakashanand. I hope this book inspires others to come out and confront other gurus that prey on innocent minds.”

  — Suren Pandya, ex-devotee, California

  “I read Sex, Lies, and Two Hindu Gurus in two days - because I could not put it down. It’s so much more than just a story of gurus. I felt so much empathy with the author. I too suffered emotionally from my years of devotion. I felt cheated, lied to, manipulated, and used. I hope that other ex-devotees and current devotees of these two fake gurus get a cha
nce to read this book, so they’ll have a chance to know the truth. If it wasn’t for Karen’s book and Facebook page, I am not sure I would be healing as quickly as I am.”

  — Jai Hari, ex-devotee, Oregon

  “Thank you for writing this book and exposing these people. There are way too many lives destroyed in JKP. There are kids who were involved with their parents who ended up with drinking, drug, and gang problems. This has to STOP. I spite people who do ANY harm to children especially. I was 22 when I was molested by Kripalu for the second time. My husband asked me, ‘How can you let it happen to you a second time?’ My answer was, ‘I was brainwashed.’ After reading Sex, Lies, and Two Hindu Gurus, I am getting some closure and want to start my life again. I just hope now to get my family and extended family out of this organization. It is an uphill battle.”

  — Kailasa, ex-devotee, California

  Sex, Lies, and

  Two Hindu Gurus

  Telling Their Secrets

  and Finding My Truth

  A Cautionary Tale

  Karen Jonson

  Updated and revised edition ©2012, 2015

  Copyright © 2012, 2015 by Karen Jonson

  All rights reserved.

  First Published in February 2012

  Second Updated Printing, March 2015

  Published in the United States by Rishika Books

  ISBN 978-0-9881751-0-5

  Rishika Books

  P.O. Box 92262

  Austin, TX 78709

  www.theinnerwisdomproject.com

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the author.

  Grateful acknowledgement is made to the following for permission to reprint previously published material:

  The Guilford Press: Excerpts from Without Conscience: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us, Robert D. Hare, Ph.D. 1993. Copyright © Guilford Press. Reprinted with permission of The Guilford Press.

  Multiple excerpts from Austin-American Statesman newspaper.

  Jeannie Ralston: Excerpts from “Swami Dearest,” published in Texas Monthly magazine October 1995. Reprinted with the permission of Jeannie Ralston.

  Guruphiliac.com: Excerpts from Blog. Reprinted with the permission of blog administrator, Jody Radzik.

  Book Design: Javier Munoz

  Dedication

  THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO ALL of the people, anonymous and otherwise, who were willing to stand up and expose the nearly lost secrets of this organization. Without so many voices telling their stories, I would not have learned the truth and been able to tell mine. Thank you to each and every one of you—you know who you are.

  Acknowledgements

  I AM GRATEFUL TO SO MANY PEOPLE for helping me recover from the traumatic cult experience and tell my story. I hope I remember everyone.

  First of all, to the group of ex-devotees and friends whom I leaned on heavily for support during my first few years out of the cult: Kathi, Wayne, Deepak, Sushma, and Sue.

  To the ex-devotees who told me their stories. To the people who spilled JKP’s secrets online. To the women and girls who spoke out about being raped by Kripalu Maharaj. To the many people over the years to who tried to warn others about the JKP cult in many ways.

  To the three young women who spoke out and faced down Prakashanand Saraswati in a criminal trial (two of whom completely lost their families, as a result): Shyama Rose, Vesla Tonnessen, and Kate Tonnessen. You three are the bravest women I’ve ever met. Without you, these gurus would never have been held accountable for any of their crimes.

  To the Hays County prosecution team that faced incredible odds to prosecute Prakashanand for his sex crimes against children: Cathy Compton (lead prosecutor), Amy Madison (assistant prosecutor, victims’ advocates Allison Ott Jordon and Leticia Nino, and Jerri Skrocki (investigator of this case). To the U.S. Marshals who continue to search for this fugitive from justice, particularly Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert Marcum, who has been working to capture Prakashanand since August 2011.

  To the journalists who covered this story, especially Eric Dexheimer, who uncovered deep secrets of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat and published them in the Austin American-Statesman—and who followed this story from the beginning. Also, to Jeannie Ralston, who uncovered many of Prakashanand’s secrets in the mid-1990s, when few people were willing to tell them, and wrote an expose published in Texas Monthly magazine.

  To all of the people who donated the money we needed to purchase the transcripts from Prakashanand’s criminal trial, especially Sandeep, Rajiv, and Vijay.

  To the people who read my book in the early stages and gave me feedback. First and foremost, my best friend “in the world,” Karen Roller, who pushed me through three drafts of my book and helped me finally find my voice and (hopefully) tell my story in the most compelling way possible. To my book readers, who read my final draft and gave me invaluable feedback: Sheridan, Suzy, Kathi, Kate, Raj, Milan, and Sandeep.

  And finally to God, who put me exactly where he or she wanted me to be in this battle between criminal and unscrupulous fake gurus and the truth.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Author’s Note — From Wallflower to Warrior — The Battle for the Truth

  Prologue — The Case of the Disappearing Swami — Whereabouts Unknown

  Part One — In the Beginning — For the Love of God

  1. Ask and You Will be Given — Seek and You Shall Find

  2. Desperately Seeking God — Fateful Attraction

  3. Irresistible — Did I Ever Have a Prayer?

  4. Hear No Evil — The Guru’s Gospel

  5. A Spiritual Seduction — A Fork in the Road

  6. Intense Longing — A Trip to Texas

  7. Meeting Swamiji — The Guru’s Darshan

  8. It’s the Guru’s World — Learning the Ropes

  9. Swami Dearest — Hooked on the Guru

  10. Roy Adored Me — A Shot at Worldly Love

  11. The Teacher Visits — Guru Preparations

  12. For the Guru’s Pleasure — Total Immersion

  13. Speak No Evil — Father Knows Best

  14. Blind Sided — The Price of Devotion

  15. See No Evil — The Guru Plays Favorites

  16. The Turning Point — A Sacrifice

  17. Ashram Bound — A Leap of Faith

  Part Two — In the Ashram — The Razor’s Edge

  18. Journey’s End — Abandoning the World

  19. Living the Dream — Settling into Ashram Life

  20. Inside the Gates — Steering Clear of “The World”

  21. Hinduism Light — The Western-Friendly Dogma

  22. The Tea Towel Incident — A Ritual Restored

  23. The Guru’s Playground — Thrill Rides on His Golf Cart

  24. Building the Temple — Witnessing a “Divine” Creation

  25. The Guru’s Rules — Law of the Land

  26. The Ladies in Orange — Holier Than Thou

  27. Missed Connections — Outside Looking In

  28. “One Big Family” — Big Fish in a Little Pond

  29. Ashram Seva — Damned if You Do, Damned if You Don’t

  30. Ashram Children — The Guru’s “Grandkids”

  31. The Birthday Cake Miracle — Saving the Day

  32. Cooking Halva — Trial By Fire

  33. Barsana Dham in the News — Rolling with the Punches

  34. RV Rides Come — RV Rides Go

  35. Waiting for Grace — Hope Springs Eternal

  36. Guru Bonding — Fear and Longing

  37. Misadventures in Photography — A Lesson in Humility

  38. Escape Plans — Nowhere to Run

  39. Surrendering to the Guru — Mission Impossible?

  40. Uncomfortable Grace — The Women-Only Ritual<
br />
  41. Mad With Desire — Life Without Sex

  42. Giving — How Much is Enough?

  43. Epic Blast — The Guru’s Wrath

  44. More Bad Press — Royally Skewered

  Part Three — In the Dark — Curiouser and Curiouser

  45. Where is Swamiji’s Guru? — The 20-Year Code of Silence

  46. Introducing Maharaji — The “Guru of the Universe”

  47. Going to India — Suffering for God

  48. The Maharaji Show — Show Me the Money

  49. No Titiksha for the Gurus — Gluttons for Creature Comforts

  50. Returning to India — One Last Trip

  51. Where is Sureshwari? — A Preacher’s Mysterious Disappearance

  52. Swamiji’s Prescription — My Therapy Cure

  53. The Million-Dollar Trip — Maharaji Visits the West

  54. Maharaji Returns — And Chaos Ensues

  55. Charan Seva — My Initiation into a Secret Ritual

  56. More Charan Seva — Seeing and Not Believing

  57. Maharaji Leaves — The Beginning of the End

  Part Four — In the Cult — Losing My Religion

  58. Bad News Rising — Maharaji Arrested

  59. Con Realization — A Crack in the Façade

  60. Where the Hell Am I? — Gurus’ Secrets Spill

  61. Reading Between Their Lies — Grasping at Excuses

  62. Thank God for the Internet — A Chink in the Gurus’ Armor

  63. Down the Rabbit Hole — Wonderland Implodes

  64. Maharaji Returns — Without a Hero’s Welcome

  65. Follow the Money — A Mysterious Trip to Trinidad

  66. Confronting the Guru — An Invitation to “Private Time”

  67. Prepping Me for “Private Time” — Decoding the Secret Language

  68. Under the Radar — My Year of Living Dangerously

  69. Behind Closed Doors — The Guru’s Sex Schedule

  70. Clueless — Omniscience Debunked

  71. A Forgotten Secret — The Depths of My Denial

  72. The Girls Speak Out — Breaking Their Silence