Author Archives: H.H. Mukunda Goswami

Update: 28 Oct. 9:40pm EDT
→ MukundaGoswami.org

Update as of October 31st: Mukunda Goswami’s recovery is going well. He started eating a little and doctors stood him up for the first time since breaking his hip. He will stay in ICU a little longer for some extra examinations.

Update as of October 30th: Mukunda Goswami is out of hip surgery. It went well, all the results are fine. He is still in intensive care, the doctors plan to move him to the cardiac ward tomorrow. 

Update as of October 29th:  It has been a stable night for Mukunda Goswami, with slightly raised blood pressure managed by medication. Maharaja is on painkillers but is fully conscious. He is off ventilator since yesterday morning and off heart-supportiму medication since today morning, so both his lungs and his heart are strong enough to function on their own. Therefore cardiologists have given him clearance to proceed with the hip surgery.

For current status check the twitter feed:  https://twitter.com/Mukunda_Goswami

Moratorium Statement
→ Mukunda Goswami Sanga

This statement supersedes any and all previous declarations about a moratorium on further initiations.

 

STATEMENT

As of 19 January 2012, I will NOT be giving any 1st, 2nd (gayatri), or sannyasa initiations.

Possible Exceptions:

  1. Those to whom I’ve promised initiation before my first moratorium (on 6 November 2003) on initiations.
  2. Sons, daughters, parents and spouses of those I’ve initiated.
  3. Second (Gayatri [Brahmana] initiation to those to whom I’ve given first initiation.
  4. Those who’ve taken shelter of and receive instructions (siksha) from devotees who I have initiated (first or second).

Note: I’ll generally follow these procedures, but I may choose not to. In special circumstances and on rare occasions, I may give initiation to people who are not in these categories. When I am no longer in this body (deceased), immediate family members as defined in number 2 above, those who I’ve promised to initiate (before I established the moratorium), those who’ve taken shelter of and receive instructions (siksha) from devotees who I have initiated (first or second) and those to whom I’ve given first and/or second initiation or who qualify for sannyasa, can choose an ISKCON guru to give them the appropriate initiation.

ADDENDA ON 10 February 2012:

I am 70-years-old on 10 April 2012, a member of the sannyasa order. My body is fragile and frail. I am subject to many diseases. I am not very adept at living alone. The house I live in has a “guest room” and a total of 2 full bathrooms (each with a toilet and shower). My servant has to be almost a male nurse. Therefore, as far as initiation goes, I will give preferential treatment to male devotees who live with me in this house and who personally serve me for two weeks continuously minimum. This may seem a bit unfair to females and males who can’t reside here for the 2-week minimum period (my dwelling is in northern New South Wales, Australia). But life in this material world is ITSELF unfair (“nasty, brutish and short,” wrote famous social contract theorist, Thomas Hobbes [1588–1679]). Also, it would be required that any devotee in this servant category to whom I would consider giving diksha or shiksha, must also be taking shelter of and instruction from others to whom I’ve given formal diksha or shiksha initiation.

END OF STATEMENT

 

The above statement is subject to change. All future changes will be posted on my website. So if you want to stay current, it’s imperative that you regularly check this website: www.mukundagoswami.org

 

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Moratorium Statement
→ Mukunda Goswami Sanga

This statement supersedes any and all previous declarations about a moratorium on further initiations.

 

STATEMENT

As of 19 January 2012, I will NOT be giving any 1st, 2nd (gayatri), or sannyasa initiations.

Possible Exceptions:

  1. Those to whom I’ve promised initiation before my first moratorium (on 6 November 2003) on initiations.
  2. Sons, daughters, parents and spouses of those I’ve initiated.
  3. Second (Gayatri [Brahmana] initiation to those to whom I’ve given first initiation.
  4. Those who’ve taken shelter of and receive instructions (siksha) from devotees who I have initiated (first or second).

Note: I’ll generally follow these procedures, but I may choose not to. In special circumstances and on rare occasions, I may give initiation to people who are not in these categories. When I am no longer in this body (deceased), immediate family members as defined in number 2 above, those who I’ve promised to initiate (before I established the moratorium), those who’ve taken shelter of and receive instructions (siksha) from devotees who I have initiated (first or second) and those to whom I’ve given first and/or second initiation or who qualify for sannyasa, can choose an ISKCON guru to give them the appropriate initiation.

ADDENDA ON 10 February 2012:

I am 70-years-old on 10 April 2012, a member of the sannyasa order. My body is fragile and frail. I am subject to many diseases. I am not very adept at living alone. The house I live in has a “guest room” and a total of 2 full bathrooms (each with a toilet and shower). My servant has to be almost a male nurse. Therefore, as far as initiation goes, I will give preferential treatment to male devotees who live with me in this house and who personally serve me for two weeks continuously minimum. This may seem a bit unfair to females and males who can’t reside here for the 2-week minimum period (my dwelling is in northern New South Wales, Australia). But life in this material world is ITSELF unfair (“nasty, brutish and short,” wrote famous social contract theorist, Thomas Hobbes [1588–1679]). Also, it would be required that any devotee in this servant category to whom I would consider giving diksha or shiksha, must also be taking shelter of and instruction from others to whom I’ve given formal diksha or shiksha initiation.

END OF STATEMENT

 

The above statement is subject to change. All future changes will be posted on my website. So if you want to stay current, it’s imperative that you regularly check this website: www.mukundagoswami.org

 

Tags: 

Offerings
→ Mukunda Goswami Sanga

All food and garlands as well as any other “offering items” should be offered to Lord Krishna and/or Lord Caitanya BEFORE being offered to Mukunda Goswami. These items should preferably be offered to temple or home Deities. Photos of paintings of Deities are also acceptable. Since temple and home Deities are usually made from stone or wood (including marble, other metal, such as obsidian, bell metal and ashta dhatu [a selective mixture of eight metals: copper, brass, tin, lead, iron, gold, silver and steel, used by the sthapatis in the making of Mayapura’s Panca Tattva Deities] and other stonework, shaligram- and govardhana-silas, neem or other wood) and since Deity paintings and photos are relatively commonplace, these are more acceptable than Deities made of soil, sand and jewels. Only in emergency situations, such as the guru or sannyasi being offered the prasadam having to leave the premises immediately and suddenly, should offerings be made in the mind.

According to Srimad Bhagavatam 11.27.12, Dieties can manifest in the following eight substances: stone, wood, metal, earth, paint, sand, the mind or jewels.