HDG’s Folly: Disrobing Draupadi

Summary:

In this video, Bhakti Vikasa Swami (BVKS) critiques the preaching trajectory of Hridayananda Dasa Goswami (HDG), acknowledging his significant early contributions to ISKCON in Latin America but asserting that his approach changed detrimentally after he received a PhD from Harvard. BVKS argues that HDG’s subsequent “Krishna West” project, founded in 2013 on the premise of removing “Indian cultural baggage” (like Vaisnava attire) to attract Westerners, failed to make new devotees and instead only influenced existing members to abandon traditional practices.

The core of the criticism, however, focuses on Swami’s accusation that HDG is “injecting doubts” about shastra (scripture) and Srila Prabhupada’s teachings. The primary example given is HDG’s 2013 paper where he claims the disrobing of Draupadi is “bogus” and likely never happened, citing the Mahabharata as “corrupt.” Bhakti Vikasa Swami spends the majority of the video refuting this specific claim, demonstrating that Srila Prabhupada, Madhvacharya, and numerous previous acharyas all confirm the incident, concluding that HDG’s position undermines the very foundation of faith in Guru and shastra.

Akincana Das

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Mayesa dasa says:

November 16, 2025 at 6:54 pm

His Grace Hridayananda Swami erred by referring to the incidence of Draupadi's attempted disrobing.
How do we know?
Because other Puranas accept it.
Because previous acharyas accept it.
Hridayananda Swami 's opinion is actually quite easily debunked.
This is the difficulty of speculation. We can EASILY understand his jumping to this conclusion thinking "the Pandavas would not have stood for it"
Hrdayananda Swami does not think "perhaps if she HAD been disrobed the Pandavas and Bhisma could not have contained their anger but seeing her protected by the elongation of her garment they stood down."
This is the difficulty of speculation and defying previous acaryas.-Mayesa dasa ACBSP
Rudra Pandita Dasa says:

November 15, 2025 at 4:40 pm

This is not the first time someone has spoken on this specific deviation by HDG. There's an old article (2016) by Purnaprajna Dasa called "Who is the Real Moron?", which contains more or less the same arguments as this video. A follow-up article, "Proper Lines of Authority," by an anonymous author (who signed as "The Assembled Devotees") is also relevant.

I believe somebody could easily put together a long book with everything that has been written to respond to HDG's deviations. Danavir Goswami's "Moral Thesis Unravelled" also comes to mind, along with articles by Krishna Kirti Prabhu ( such as for instance "Dharma as Consequentialism" , "A Response to Hridayananda Goswami’s ‘Vaisnava Moral Theology and Homosexuality'", "Sex Life Srila Prabhupada Sanctioned" ).

Despite the heated debate that has happened over the years, HDG has not been capable of expanding his influence in ISKCON beyond his small clique of followers, mostly based in Brazil and a few places in the US. For instance, I rarely see his (post-1996) books on display anywhere in ISKCON, despite seeing plenty of books from other sannyasis. It seems his embrace of gay marriage and other deviations has put a stain on his reputation.

Most devotees already in ISKCON are not very interested in his preaching, and he hasn't made many new devotees. However, he has certainly been very successful at attracting virulent militants and left-wing social media activists who can be very aggressive within ISKCON. This is something that was certainly not here before.

On the good side, it seems the GBC was able to negotiate with his followers to adopt a friendly attitude towards ISKCON authorities, at least to the point where some ISKCON sannyasis are still allowed to visit and preach in Brazil and other places under HDG's influence.
Ramanya das. says:

November 14, 2025 at 11:52 am

Hare. Krsna
Ramanya das. says:

November 14, 2025 at 11:49 am

PAMHO. AGTSP.
Dandavats. Pranams.

Haribol
Hare. Krsna
I’m very. Very. Concerned. For so many. Years long time ago
About this individual.
I don’t know if we still should we call. Him.
H. H. HDG (. Hridayananda. D. Goswami ?
The. Name.
His Divine Grace. Giving. Him. At the. Time of His. Iniciation ?

There are so many. Bad incidents. Whit this individual
Even. When. Srila Prabhupāda was. Physical present.

What to speak. Now ???

After 1977 Thing get. Much worse’s.
The proof is. On this. Comments ABOVED
Clear evidence
There are many. More. Evidence. That. He is. A. Major. Divinations from the instructions of. Srila. Prabhupada.
There are many evidences
The worse. Is
He. Is. Talking very. Very bad
Talking. Nonsense.
The talks bad about. Srila. Prabhupada
He is making. Offences.
Mayor. Offenses.
Something has to stopping. Him
Hare. Krsna. Y. S. Ramanya d