Planet ISKCON

The minister stood up and greeted me, “Namaste Swamiji.” After a pleasant exchange she suddenly challenged me with a passion. “What are you spiritual leaders doing about the ecology?” She was very serious. Read more ›

This article is a compilation of several conversations between Hindu intellectuals (HI) and ISKCON scholars (IS) on various occasions. To cover the various issues in a systematic way, all these conversations are presented here as one, continuous conversation between two individuals.

HI: An issue of great concern, even alarm, is the rampant conversion done by Christian missionaries.

IS: Let’s understand this issue of conversion from a broader philosophical perspective. The goal of all religions – including Christianity – is to help people develop love of God, to convert people from being materialists to becoming spiritualists.

But different people approach God for different motives, which the Vaishnava saint-scholar Bhaktivinoda Thakura has categorized into four major levels: fear, desire, duty and love.

1. Fear: Some people fear, “If I disobey God, then He may punish me for my wrongdoings. So better let me pacify Him by my worship.” This sort of worship is certainly better than atheism, but it is based on a very negative conception of God as a stern judge, as a cosmic punisher.
2. Desire: Some people reason, “There are so many things I want; if I pray to God, perhaps He will give them to me.” Here the conception of God is more positive, as a potent desire-fulfiller, but still the relationship is highly utilitarian, being based on give-and-take rather than love. Srila Prabhupada would say that if we go to God to ask for bread, that shows our love for bread more than our love for God.
3. Duty: Some people reason, “God has already given me so much – life, body, health, food, clothing, shelter. It is my duty to go periodically to worship and thank Him.” Here the relationship is somewhat steady being based on gratitude for what has already been given and not on greed for what one wants to receive. Still, over time, duty can become a burden. Moreover, the focus in this level is still on what God has done for me, not on God Himself.
4. Love: This is the purest level of approaching God, where a person feels, “My dear Lord, You are the supreme object of my love; I have been offering my love to so many people and things, but that has never made me happy. Now I simply want to love and serve You eternally and I do not want anything material in return for my service; I simply wish to love You and to be loved by You. Just as a parent takes care of the child without the child having to ask his parents, similarly, I know that You will take care of me. I will accept whatever is Your plan for me and keep serving You no matter what happens in my material life.” It is only this pure love that can satisfy our hearts fully, for love is our greatest and deepest need.

Conversions are fruitful only if they raise a person’s level of approaching God by offering deep spiritual understanding or experience. Modern Christianity operates largely on the platforms of fear and desire – despite the fact that Jesus explicitly emphasized the commandment to love God as the supreme commandment. It appears to many observers that the conversions done by Christian missionaries today are primarily on the same two levels – fear of eternal damnation and desire for material gain. More often than not, all that happens by such materially-motivated conversions is that the converts change from being Hindu materialists to becoming Christian materialists.

HI: But this conversion often makes a huge difference to the convert’s attitude toward his original culture. Whereas he was earlier appreciative of – or at least neutral to –Indian culture, he now becomes hostile to it. And often this hostility is fostered by some Christian missionaries who decry Indic rituals and traditions as demoniac. Sometimes the convert has to “prove” his conversion by publicly disowning his past forms of worship, by breaking or burning the pictures of Hindu gods or even spitting or stamping on them.

IS: This is very unfortunate and distressing to hear about...To place this in proper perspective, let’s discuss the three categories into which modern thinkers have classified the various religious paths: exclusivist, pluralist and inclusivist.

Followers of the exclusivist path claim that their way is the only exclusive way to God. They further claim that all those who don’t accept their path are destined to go to hell – forever. So they become intolerant to all other paths and believe that they are “saving” people by converting them to their path, no matter what the means. Religious exclusivity sometimes degenerates into fundamentalist violence. This further puts off intelligent people, who are already skeptical of the claim to exclusivity. After all, if God is unlimited, why should one particular religion have monopoly on the path to God?

HI (nodding): Most Christian missionaries are highly exclusivist. Hindu culture, on the other hand, has historically been more broad-minded.

IS: Yes. The second category is pluralism. Pluralism is the notion that there are many paths to God. Nowadays, this notion is sometimes expanded to say that there are as many paths to God as there are people. While this notion seems to promote religious tolerance, it often breeds spiritual impotence.

HI (startled): Impotence?

IS: A religious system can be compared to a university meant to train students in knowledge and love of God. The claim to exclusivism is like the claim of a medical student that his college is the only college that can produce doctors. This is obviously a fanatical and fallacious claim. The claim to pluralism, on the other hand, is like the claim that any building anywhere can produce doctors.  In the name of pluralism, Hinduism today has become such a hodgepodge that most Hindus today have very little idea of what paths and goals their scriptures teach. Consequently, when confronted with Christian missionary criticism of Hinduism, many Hindus are unable to defend their beliefs and practices.

HI (thoughtfully): I had never thought of the effects of pluralism in that way … I can’t say that I agree entirely with what you say; I will have to think about it…But what was the third category you mentioned?

IS: Inclusivism.  This teaches that there are not many paths, but basically one path with many levels on it. The path to become a doctor is essentially one: to study the medical subjects and learn the relevant skills. There may be different universities to teach medicine and they may teach in slightly different ways, but that doesn’t mean we unthinkingly accept every building everywhere as a medical college.  Unfortunately, this – an uncritical acceptance of all paths – is what has happened in India. Consequently, although religion is a big part of life in India, it has largely become reduced to a social and cultural affair that provides a break from the daily routine and has become devoid of spiritual potency.

HI: What exactly do you mean by spiritual potency?

IS: Spiritual potency of religion means it ability to deliver non-material or spiritual happiness. The Srimad Bhagavatam declares bhakti pareshanubhava viraktir anyatra ca (11.2.42) “Bhakti delivers experience of the transcendental Supreme Lord, an experience which is so satisfying, so enriching that it makes one detached from all other experiences.” The ultimate purpose of all religion is to enable people to experience the divine happiness of loving God and thus become detached from selfish, materialistic pleasures. The Vedic scriptures give clear, specific and powerful practices to help us experience this spiritual happiness. But when all paths are considered equal without evaluating their effects, then the potent Vedic path gets obscured in a medley of diluted and perverted paths. Consequently, many Indians, who follow one of these pseudo-religious paths, experience hardly any deep, spiritual happiness. So, when they are tempted to follow another path that offers tangible material benefits, they see no reason to desist.

HI: Interesting. In connection with our discussion on three categories of paths, I want to point out a peculiar feature of Indian “secularism”. Despite the overtly exclusivist claims of Christian missionaries, the Indian government and media pamper them in the name of secularism. Secularism should basically imply governmental impartiality toward all religions. In countries like USA, secularism means that minority-religions get the freedom to practice their beliefs and they democratically get a voice in the polity according to their sizes. And the majority-religion in USA – protestant Christianity – gets a respectable place and influence according to its electoral strength. But in India, due to vote bank politics, secularism is abused to provide special facilitation for minority-religions and impose special restriction on the majority religion. For example, today, in India, legally it is far easier to start a Christian church or a Christian missionary school then it is to start a Hindu temple or a Hindu missionary school. Or, here’s an even more egregious example: when Muslims want to go for Haj, the government makes special arrangements and even subsidizes their pilgrimage fare. But when Hindus want to go on pilgrimage to Badrinath, the government offers no such facility.

 

What makes the whole issue worse is the prejudiced media portrayal by the western media and the westernized Indian media. Historically, not many countries have been as hospitable to other cultures as India, thanks to the Hindu culture of welcoming and respecting guests as representatives of God. For example,

• India is the country that gave asylum to the Christians who were persecuted in Syria in Antioch and Damascus even in the fourth century. They have been living here peacefully till this date.
• India gave asylum to the Persians when they had to flee Persia due to fear of the Arabian invaders. These Zoroastrians who took asylum in the Gujarat area are all leading prosperous and fearless lives till this date.
• When the Jews sought asylum in India after being driven out of their land, they were taken care of by India. This was not the case with several countries in the West where the Jews were persecuted.
• After the conquest of Tibet by China, the persecuted Buddhists under the Dalai Lama generously accommodated by India in McLeod Ganja in the Himachal Pradesh, where they live peacefully even today.

So, minorities have always been given protection and facility to live in India, thanks to the Hindu ethos of tolerance. But when Hindus try to protect their legitimate interests from the extreme and fundamentalist activities of some Christian missionaries, the media immediately brands the tolerant Hindus as intolerant and the fundamentalist minorities as helpless victims. It is sad that these situations have led to violent conflicts; violence in the name of religion is unfortunate and regrettable. But the sponsoring of culturally-destructive conversion is a form of extremism that inflames violence on both sides. It is high time that the media set the record straight by reporting both sides of the story fairly.

IS: This governmental and media antipathy is aided by the intellectual lethargy of Indians in understanding their own national legacy. Indians don’t protest against attacks on their culture because they don’t realize the value of what they are losing. In academic studies of religion, there is the concept of religious capital, which refers to the degree of mastery of and attachment to a particular religious culture. A businessman may readily give up his present business if he has not invested much capital in it, if he is not getting much returns out of it and if a new business offers better prospects. Similarly, a person will change his religion – his religious business – if he has not invested much thoughts and emotions into it (his capital), if he is not getting an understanding of life or a sense of peace, joy and belonging by it (his returns) and if he gets material benefits by changing to another religion (his better prospects). So it is important for Indian spiritual leaders to create religious capital among Indians by giving them spiritual knowledge and experience. Otherwise, most Indians will not oppose conversion or, worse still, may even get converted themselves for better material prospects.

HI: Well, sometimes the idea of better prospects is just a sham. Some missionaries claim to be faith-healers and proclaim that they can cure all those who convert. Many sick Hindu peasants, being unable to afford medical expenses, get lured, but the magic healing never happens. Their suffering only gets compounded: due to the delay in taking medical treatment, they disease worsens, thus necessitating further expenditure. And they simultaneously undergo wrenching mental trauma and social alienation due to the whole conversion melodrama. Many such incidents are described the documentary Bad Manna by the Scandinavian Pia Skov, who, incidentally, is herself a Christian disillusioned with the missionary malpractices.

IS: Such practices are certainly devious – and they underscore what I was saying earlier: the urgent necessity for philosophical education among Indians. You see, many people have a primitive, tribal “we-they” mindset. They see existence as a perpetual battle between “we” versus “they”, where “they” refers to their rivals or enemies. When religious zeal becomes superimposed on this tribal mentality, then the battle takes the form of “the good we” versus “the evil they”, where “they” includes all those who don’t follow “our true religion”. Once religious conversion gets rationalized as a battle against evil, or perhaps a “saving” from the evil, then the missionaries become blinded to their own evil deeds, for they feel their “noble” ends justify any means – no matter how evil.

Sometimes, Hindus may also succumb to the same “we-they” mindset in reverse, where all Christians become “the evil they”. To save us from this tribal mindset, the Vedic scriptures teach a profound and practical philosophy that engenders universal consciousness. They state all living beings are the beloved children of one God and so, spiritually, we are all one family, as celebrated in the famous Vedic aphorism vasudhaiva kutumbakam. The Vedic texts proclaim that all people are intrinsically, spiritually good. If they are presently acting in evil ways, that is due to the illusion that covers their spiritual goodness. The Vedic texts further supply us rational, objective parameters to assess the extent of the illusion that covers a person. Equipped with these parameters, we can objectively categorize people without falling prey to the “we-they” mindset.

HI (thoughtfully): This “we-they” mentality you are talking about is a deep point… What are the rational parameters by which people are categorized?

IS: The Bhagavad-gita analyzes all material existence in terms of the three modes of material nature: mode of goodness (sattva-guna), mode of passion (rajo-guna) and mode of ignorance (tamo-guna). The modes are subtle, psychic forces that shape the interaction between consciousness and matter. Those affected by the mode of goodness are characterized by knowledge, thoughtfulness and satisfaction; those affected by the mode of passion, by cravings for pleasure, power and prestige; and those affected by the mode of ignorance, by laziness, intoxication and violence. Higher than all these three modes is transcendence, where people can see, with enlightened vision, their loving relationship with all living beings. The more people are infected by passion and ignorance, the more they act in evil ways that harm themselves and others. The more they are permeated by goodness and transcendence, the more they act in good ways that uplift themselves and others.

Note how the Vedic classification is not based on any religious labels, but is based on objective criterion and has universal application. Now, Christians, like all other human beings, are situated across the spectrum of these three modes; some in goodness, some in passion and some in ignorance. According to this analysis, the devious conversion tactics are used by Christians in the lower modes of passion and ignorance. And just as we find these devious tactics distasteful, so do Christians in the mode of goodness. That’s why even some Christians have expressed concern over the means used to convert people.

HI (catching on): I had heard of the modes earlier, but had never thought that they could be applied to understand this situation in this way. Not only are such conversions done by those in the lower modes, but they are also targeted at those in the modes of passion and ignorance, who don’t care to discern spiritual truth on one hand and who want quick material gains on the other.

IS (nodding): Yes. But such conversions don’t do anything to change the modes of a person. Various religions are essentially like different universities meant to change people’s qualities from evil to good. Just as an engineering student does not become an engineer merely by entering into a college, no person becomes “saved” just by stamping himself as belonging to a particular religion. He will be saved only when he diligently practices the spiritual disciplines taught by his religion and changes his qualities and desires. Unfortunately, not understanding or practicing the essence of their own religion, superficial religionists imagine that they are “saving” others from evil by converting them, while they are yet to save themselves from the evil qualities that have gripped them.

HI (wryly): I think we have to pray: may God save India from these “saviors”!

IS: But God has given us the means to save ourselves and everyone else – Indians and non-Indians alike.

HI: What is that means?

IS: The spiritual philosophy given in the Vedic scriptures is so comprehensive, coherent and cogent that it can withstand and counter all possible criticisms and dialectically establish itself as offering the best understanding of life and its purpose. And the Vedic spiritual practices like chanting of the holy names can easily and effectively give people a taste of transcendence by which they will no longer be attracted by cheap material allurements. We need to systematically and vigorously share the Vedic principles and practices with as many people as possible. In fact, Srila Prabhupada did exactly that – and was able to attract thousands of people from all over the world to follow Vedic culture.

HI: Yes, I have seen that ISKCON has a lot of foreign devotees. It’s almost like ISKCON is doing a reverse-conversion by getting Western people from Christian and other backgrounds to adopt Indian culture.

IS: Yes, but this conversion is a conversion that goes far beyond the change of religious denomination, cultural lifestyle or social affiliation. It is a fundamental change of consciousness, a change of core desires and ambitions from material to spiritual, a change from being a selfish exploiter to becoming a selfless servant of God and all His children. And that is the change that all religions – including Christianity – are ultimately meant to bring. Indeed, this is the only change that can bring real, lasting happiness, individually and collectively. People are being increasingly plundered of this wealth of inner happiness, by the common enemy of all religions: atheistic materialism. That’s why, in the 1950s Srila Prabhupada make a fervent appeal for united action to the leaders of the world’s religions: ‘Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and the members of the other sects that have convincing faith in the authority of God must not sit idly now and silently watch the rapid growth of a Godless civilization. There is the supreme will of God, and no nation or society can live in peace and prosperity without acceptance of this vital truth.’

Instead of worrying about people converting from one form of materialism to another, let’s look inward to understand and practice the deep spiritual essence of our religious tradition and then look outward to share that essence with others. Then and then alone will our efforts make a real difference in the world.

 

 

 

I want to see my disciples become bona fide Spiritual Master and spread Krishna consciousness very widely, that will make me and Krishna very happy Read more ›

Today a bird at the temple was helped by some visiting guests.

A fishing twine had badly gotten entangled around the birds feet. So bad that it had sliced into its small tender feet. It’s been there for some time from the looks of it and the bird must have been in constant pain.

Probably the bird realized that its other bird friends would not be able to help. Taking a chance, it decided to put its full faith in the humans gathered at the temple and flew down. Luckily, a few of the guests amongst a hundred at the temple didn’t ignore it.

They saw the problem and immediately about 6 of them came nearer to the bird. One of them gently grabbed it around the wings while another knew exactly what to do. Almost 30 mins passed where each and every sharp plastic twine was removed by the man like an experienced surgeon. The bird was patient and bearing the pain. It knew very well that we were trying to help.

Once all removed, the bird was placed on the ground. We all stood back. Then with so much grace, the wings came out and it took off to the roof of the temple. And from there it looked down upon us – “Thank you”, it seemed to say.

There is much to learn from the experience of this bird. When we are entangled in the sharp and fine thread of life and you realise that your fellow friends and relatives cannot help you out any longer, you must take a chance and with full faith descend upon the kind and sincere spiritualists. When you surrender your wings of desire to them, they will gently and gradually remove the old and severely embedded twines – greed, envy, ego, anger, illusion and madness. You just need to be patient and bear the pain of losing these old qualities and attachments. Once all taken, the gentle teachers of life will let you back on the ground to take your new flight back home, back to Godhead. And we must not forget to say “Thank You” all the way to the top .

Manorama Dasa: Sitting in a flood of an ocean of nectar amidst 400 devotees singing the Holy Names wondering what causeless mercy brought me here Read more ›

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Iskcon Alachua Read more ›

Srila Prabhupada Visits New Vrindaban – July 2nd, 1976.

Excerpt from Hari Sauri’s Trancendental Diary.

Prabhupada didn’t take his walk, but he did give a final class on Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.19, a beautiful verse which indicates the natural bond between the Supreme Lord and the living beings.

“My dear sons of demons, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana is the original Supersoul, the father of all living entities. Consequently there are no impediments to pleasing Him or worshiping Him under any conditions, whether one be a child or an old man. The relationship between the living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always a fact, and therefore there is no difficulty in pleasing the Lord.”

Srila Prabhupada stated that our relationship with the Lord is the most natural thing. Even though it may appear that we are separated from Him, he said, actually we are not; He is so kind He is residing within our hearts, just waiting for the moment when we will turn to Him. Prabhupada described the ease with which we can worship Krsna and develop our relationship with Him through the simple process of hearing.

“Just like the children, they are also hearing about Krsna. Don’t think it is going in vain. Because they are hearing, it will have some effect. They are human child. Even the mosquitoes or small germs who are within this boundary of temple, because they are hearing Hare Krsna mantra, it will never go in vain. It is so nice.”

Prabhupada said that although our hearts are filled with the dirt of material desires, Krsna within can cleanse away the contamination. We only have to perform some simple service. “Just like maha-prasadam, not eating — the exact term is seva. Krsna has sent him maha-prasadam. So by taking it, it is seva, it is service to Krsna. Krsna likes it, that you take the prasadam. Therefore it is seva. The service begins from the tongue. Not with the hand but with the tongue. If you simply chant Hare Krsna, this is seva, and if you take prasadam, then your business begins immediately. And if you simply continue this seva, then Krsna will reveal Himself and gradually He will give you intelligence how you can make advance to go back to home, back to Godhead.”

He cited the example of Yamunacarya who realized the prone position of the soul in the material world. “He’s praying, ‘My dear Lord, I am loitering in this material world without any guardian. So when the time will come that I shall be jolly always that ‘There is my guardian, Krsna.’ Everyone in this material world, is anatha — means without any protection. We are thinking, ‘My family, my wife, my children, my society men, my nation will give me protection.’ No. Nobody can give you protection. It is false hope. Just like the birds, when they fly in the sky, everyone has to take his own care. Nobody can help anyone. One can help only in Krsna consciousness. Not in the material way. Nobody can help. This is called destiny. I have given that example that in our country Mahatma Gandhi, he was a big man, he was in the meeting. In your country also, President Kennedy. So nobody could help him when he was killed. So this is the position. What is destined, it must happen. Nobody can help us. That’s a fact.

“Therefore our real business is: do not be bothered about things which are destined. Let us take advantage of this human form of life, to endeavor for making Krsna consciousness fulfilled.”

He said that we simply have to surrender. No one is a master, we are all servants, but now we are serving our lusty desires. “Lusty desires are so strong, I do not want to do it but it is forcing. In this way, we are being forced to serve the senses. So one who is in Krsna consciousness, he understands that ‘I have become servant of my senses. Unfortunately, these senses are not satisfied. I am still servant. So there is no profit. So why not become Krsna’s servant.’ This is good intelligence. Simply change the position. Instead of becoming servant of the senses, agree to become servant of Krsna.”

It was pointless, he said, to serve anyone other than Krsna, because no one will be grateful. “We have got the experience that Mahatma Gandhi, he served whole life. Still, he was killed by his countrymen. So you may go on giving service in the material world, but nobody will be satisfied. So this service is useless. Turn to the service of Krsna immediately. If I am trained up to become a faithful servant, just become a faithful servant of Krsna, then your business is complete. There is no question of learning, much endeavor. We are already accustomed to give service. Simply turn it toward Krsna and your life is successful. Thank you very much.”

The devotees held one last rousing kirtana, the gurukula boys dancing with delight in front, and Srila Prabhupada gave everyone the opportunity to render some more service by passing out cookies.

* * *

After a quiet day Srila Prabhupada was driven in the late afternoon to the Pittsburgh airport to embark on the next stage of his tour. Before we left we brought Vana dasa, the owner of the house, in for a very brief darsana with Srila Prabhupada. To his credit, he was reluctant to come before his spiritual master because he has not been following the principles for quite some time. Prabhupada appreciated his embarrassment and also his willingness to make his house available for his stay. He thanked him and gave him a garland and a few words of encouragement.

The devotees gave Prabhupada a worthy send off, not at the house, but outside the temple. They gathered in the middle of the road and showered flowers as the car slowed to a halt. One stepped forward and offered him a beautiful cake and another devotee presented him with a check. Kirtanananda Swami, who did not travel with us, gave him several thousand dollars daksi’a. Then to loud cries of “Jaya Prabhupada!” we pulled away to drive to Pittsburgh.

A live video stream of the festival is available on www.mayapur.tv (Alachua channel). An audio-only stream (perfect for smartphone users) is available on www.krishna.com/alachua. Read more ›

HH Bhakti Caru Swami, Srimad Bhagavatam 1.19.34

The post December 1st, 2013 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

The baby in the lap of his mother is naturally attached to the mother, and the mother is attached to the child. But when the child grows up and becomes overwhelmed by circumstances, he gradually becomes detached from the mother, although the mother always expects some sort of service from the grown-up child and is equally affectionate toward her child, even though the child is forgetful. Similarly, because we are all part and parcel of the Lord, the Lord is always affectionate to us, and He always tries to get us back home, back to Godhead. But we, the conditioned souls, do not care for Him and run instead after the illusory bodily connections.
- Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.6 purport

When we chant because we have to, it's because we're not feeling the presence of the spiritual energy of Krsna - that is due to offenses to the Holy names, primarily inattention, and chanting has become dry for us.
When we chant with attention to the sound and really give it our devotion, then we feel something from Krsna and we want to keep chanting.

The Annual Bondi Yoga Festival took place on Sydney’s Bondi Beach at the Bondi Pavilion. This is a famous landmark where people from all over the world take part in cultural activities such as art and music. On a sunny day thousands of people on the beach often wander through the various theatres in the pavilion.

Yesterday King Goodwill of the Zulu’s gave me some good advise after my hernia operation: “Swami, you must take advantage of this to finally get some good rest! ” He’s right. And I will

The glories of Navadvipa Dham excel all the splendors of all other holy dhams. It is said that as Kali yuga progresses the majesty of other holy places will be more covered, hidden from view. But the spiritual excellences of Navadvip Dham will become more and more manifest. Navadvipa dham is audarya dham, or a most magnanimous dham. Anyone who visits Navadvip Dham will find his heart changed. His life will change and he will experience, and ultimately achieve, full love for Krishna. Read more ›

Sacred verses of Gita could help these medical students to be fresh and humble, said P C Das of Hare Krishna Movement, based out of Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh. Das visits the GMC every week to take the classes that are held in boys' hostel Read more ›

The Hare Krishna Food for Life (FFL) Program is a global body that serves millions worldwide. Its affiliate, ISKCON Midrand Hare Krishna Food for Life, continues to make inroads as a local food relief network in the community of Midrand, located north of Johannesburg, South Africa Read more ›

This week I have been thinking about the Gayatri mantra and how it is chanted at sunrise, noon and sunset. Although the Hare Krishna maha-mantra can be chanted without following any ‘hard and fast rules,’ the Gayatri does have rules attached to it, and they must be followed in order to achieve the full effect Read more ›

Answer Podcast

The post My phone got stollen. In any case we are traveling today and also tomorrow. Today I cannot put up a podcast. I will try tomorrow. appeared first on SivaramaSwami.com.

“I am very glad to hear how the book distribution is increasing more and more. This is our greatest weapon. The more the books are distributed, the more the ignorance of the age of Kali will be smashed. The world is feeling the weight of this Hare Krsna movement, especially in your country. We have to increase this book distribution work more and more to firmly establish this movement, which is the only hope for the suffering living entities.” Read more ›

ISKCON devotees in Central New Jersey are in the process of purchasing a beautiful Methodist Baptist Church and turning it into a Krishna temple. The new 18,000 square foot property will help accommodate the growing ISKCON Central New Jersey (ICNJ) congregation Read more ›

Answer Podcast

From Karuna Sindhu P

Answer Podcast

From Karuna Sindhu P

Answer Podcast

 

Minutes of the Semi-Annual Meeting of the Joint Boards Of New Vrindaban – November 8, 2013

Day 1 of 3

ISKCON New Vrindaban (INV) Vision Statement: Founded in 1968, Srila Prabhupada boldly envisions New Vrindaban as a sacred place known worldwide for Cow Protection, Self-Sufficiency, Holy Pilgrimage, Spiritual Education, and, above all, Loving Krishna.

ECO-Vrindaban Mission Statement: ECOV (Earth, Cows, Opportunities & Vrindaban Villages) is dedicated to cow protection, sustainable agriculture, self-sufficiency and simple living — all centered around loving service to Sri Krishna, as envisioned by the ISKCON New Vrindaban Founder-Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Board Members of INV: Jaya Krsna, Gopisa, Dayavira, Tamohara, Chaitanya Mangala, Ranaka

Board Members of ECOV: Madhava Gosh, Kripamaya, Anuttama, Ranaka, Chaitanya Mangala

GBC: Tamohara, Anuttama, Malati

Department Heads: Vrindavana, Jayadevi, Vasudeva, Nityodita, Gaura Nataraj, Abhinanda, Bhaktin Leslie, Hari Bhakti, Tripad, Lilasuka, Vyapi

Recording Secretary: Laxmi Honest

The meeting began with kirtan followed by Dayavira Prabhu reading a letter from Srila Prabhupada regarding his vision for New Vrindaban.

Jaya Krsna Prabhu gave a presentation about the process of transformation for the community.  This was followed by presentations by each of the department heads discussing the accomplishments of each department in 2013and goals for 2014.

Lilasuka Prabhu shared information regarding devotee care, devotee relations and communications.  Many articles are being published to the web and also posted in the temple.  Articles have been published in local newspapers as well.  A new email list is under development to better inform all devotees of events and community information.  She is also involved in training new devotees, counseling young couples, providing health care assistance and sponsoring Vishvadhika, our homeopathic doctor.  She hopes to improve these services in the next year by publishing more articles, arranging seminars and improving our websites.

Madhava Gosh suggested that department heads write articles for the Brijabasi Spirit, which he noted posts to the New Vrindaban Facebook page as well.

Jayadevi Prabhu reported on the pujari department mentioning that Abhinanda Prabhu has encouraged a friendlier mood among the pujaris.  She noted that Their Lordships seem pleased with this new mood.  She reported that three new pujaris are coming to New Vrindaban and will be trained in service to Sri Sri Radha Vrindaban Chandra.  In the coming year it is hoped that a higher standard in cooking for the Deities may be developed and increased punctuality among the pujaris is a goal along with increased sadhana.   The department also would like to see specific duties assigned to the pujaris such as jewelry, outfits, cleaning, etc.  There are needed improvements to the pujari room such as new cabinets, cleaning and repair of the ceiling, covers for the dressing drawers and air conditioning for their Lordships.  Also it is important to make improvements in the Deity kitchen.

Tamohara Prabhu complimented the pujaris on a job well done.  Madhava Gosh suggested the creation of a jewelry department and a sewing department.  Jaya Krsna remarked that shops for these departments could be created at Bahulaban.  Gopisa noted that a new washing machine had been installed for the Deities.

Vasudeva Prabhu gave a report on the Palace Lodge.  The second floor has been renovated and a new welcome center created.  The Lodge exceeded financial projections for the season and met expectations for cleanliness and guest services.  He would like to see improvements in the Lodge appearance and introduce green cleaning products.  He sees a need to upgrade the cabins as well as the temple guest rooms.  He would like to acquire staff uniforms with name tags to better serve the guests.  He also suggested a welcome package for guests with maps, schedules and perhaps a Bhagavad Gita.  Updated signage would be helpful as well as a Lodge logo for vehicles.  He mentioned the outside Lodge appearance needs work. More renovation is needed in the reception area and a more efficient accounting system.  Jaya Krsna commented that department heads desire improvements; however they need budgets and funding. Madhava Gosh mentioned that ECOV has been helping with landscaping.  Jaya Krsna noted that the Lodge would need approximately $30,000 for non-structural improvements, such as new furniture for temple guest rooms and cabins, fresh paint, etc.

Nityodita Prabhu gave a report on Govinda’s restaurant.  The facility has been completely made over with an updated dining room and kitchen and a new walk in cooler.  The electricity has been brought up to code and a new freezer room added along with more storage areas.  They have added some western food options for guests and all breads are made in house.  They have created a new logo and sign.  Restaurant staff wear T-shirts with the new logo.  In addition to regularly serving guests the restaurant has also hosted a wedding, birthday parties, bus groups and college groups.  In addition temple devotees were served an evening meal daily throughout the season.  Receipts were substantially greater in 2013 increasing by about 25% over the prior year.

In the way of improvements he would like to finalize the concept they have begun by adding lighting, a more organized seating plan and finishing the décor.  An order and serve system similar to Panera Bread is considered practical.  Addition of central air conditioning and a sound system would make guests more comfortable.  A display in each booth as well as increased advertising locally would be helpful as well as an increase in bus tours.  Again the matter of funding is an issue.

Malati thanked the restaurant staff for their breads and the evening meals.  Anuttama pointed out that having businesses that employ devotees is in line with our plan for self sufficiency.  Vrindavana mentioned that there were many compliments from guests.

Gopisa Prabhu gave a report on the community facilities.  He discussed the renovations to the Lodge and the expanded Lodge laundry.  Drains were upgraded along with the renovation of the restaurant and the welcome center.  The ashram bathrooms were finished and the temple offices remodeled.  City water has been brought to Srila Prabhupada’s Palace and to Apartment Building #1.  There is also a back- up system for the entire Palace/Temple Complex area. The water hook up has been improved for the Festival of Inspiration and the retention tank repaired at the water treatment plant. Lighting has been improved around both the Temple and the Lodge. New lighting has been installed on Lord Jagannath’s altar.  New lighting is also planned for the main altar.  Installation of back- up generators for the Temple & Lodge is in progress and filter systems have been installed on all drinking fountains and in the Prasadam room and devotee kitchen.  A new transformer was installed at Srila Prabhupada’s Palace.

As improvement suggestions he listed that he needs to be more conservative in the number of projects progressing at the same time.  He pointed out that he needs better management of materials and should coordinate better with other departments.  He believes he should schedule projects with a timeline and exercise stricter budget control.  Adding personnel to the planning department could help in these regards.  A stable maintenance team would be ideal.

New projects would include improvements to the playground and the bathrooms nearest the play area.  The Swan Boat House needs work as well as the roofs on the cabins.  The Temple room floor is in need of repair and the construction of a Tulasi house is desired.  There needs to be better parking for buses at Srila Prabhupada’s Palace and work on the window and doors of the Temple ground floor.  It is planned to construct a pole barn at the Garden of 7 Gates and there is much to be done at the old Vrindaban farmhouse.  Signage is an ongoing need and there is a plan for new apartments.

Nityodita enquired as to the timeline for installation of the generators.  Gopisa informed the board members that it should be done before the end of the year.  He is currently seeking a sub contractor to do the installation.  The generators are already purchased. Jayadevi expressed hope that the temple room floor might be repaired over the winter. Gopisa agreed that it is a priority, but cited budget issues.  Malati suggested getting a sponsor for the temple room floor project.  Nityodita proposed a priority for the Deity kitchen.

Vrindavana Prabhu reported on the main festivals hosted this year, which are Festival of Inspiration, Festival of Colors and the 24 Hour Kirtan.  The Festival of Inspiration was attended by approximately 500 devotees.  It created a very positive impression of New Vrindaban along with a new awareness of what INV represents.  In the near future it is hoped that attendance will be closer to 700 devotees and that it will be promoted through ISKCON worldwide, attracting more key speakers.  He suggested that the festival schedule could be improved as well as the quality of the prasadam.

The Festival of Colors attracted three times the number of participants as last year.  It was written up in numerous newspapers and publications and created good media coverage for the Palace.  We distributed over 200 books and the festival was an excellent preaching opportunity.

In 2014 he hopes to attract twice as many attendees as in 2013.  He is working with local business for sponsorship and with the local tourism board for promotion.   He intends to expand promotion to more cities such as Morgantown, Columbus and Pittsburgh.  He is considering inviting local politicians to participate as well.

The 24 Hour Kirtan is now held twice a year.  There has been enthusiastic participation and positive feedback.  In 2014 it is hoped to increase participation in both the spring and fall events.

Varsana Maharaj was unable to attend the meeting but sent a report regarding land management.  He set up a new shop and restored much equipment.   A Parakram path for guests and devotees has been built and a road has been built on Kadhiraban property to access the properties for sale.  The pink building at Bahulaban has been taken down and the rubble used for fill and to complete the Old Vrindaban road dam.  Asphalt has been installed at the propane tank and a clean-up of the parking lot was completed.  Manure has been hauled to the Garden of Seven Gates and the original road from Bahulaban to Old Vrindaban and on to the barn has been restored.  A culvert was installed along the way.

The transport of tools and equipment needs improving and better coordination of projects would be helpful.  He also needs an assistant in this department or perhaps a project manager. Gopisa mentioned that the asphalt used by Varsana Maharaj was from gas company road work.  Also we received a substantial amount of fill dirt from the water line installation.

Bhaktin Leslie gave a report on the improvements in the accounting department.  New systems have been put in place to properly credit income, especially from credit cards, to the proper departments.  Also a new system has been established for disbursements, whether by check or cash. This helps to streamline the accounting process and allows for better reporting to department heads and management.

In 2014 she hopes to revise the chart of accounts and institute month end closings to submit accurate monthly profit and loss statements to management.

Jaya Krsna reported on behalf of Tripad Prabhu in relation to Srila Prabhupada’s Palace.  He reported that promotions have improved with increased TV spots.  There has been an increase in the number of visitors and an increase in the gardens.  There were three young, enthusiastic tour guides this summer and that was a great help and appreciated by guests. Prasadam distribution has been initiated thanks to Malati Prabhu. A new wheelchair ramp has been installed which brings guests to the top level. Previously, ramps only went up to the 2^nd level, leaving several steps to the entrance area.

A contract with Soma for work on the main stairs is ready and should be finalized by March. In the next year it is hoped that all the stair work can be completed and a new roof put on the old ghee factory building.  It would also be good to hire more young tour guides.

Hari Bhakti Prabhu reported on the ladies ashram.  There are now 7 residents who plan to stay long term.  A Bhakta program has been introduced and enthusiastically accepted.   The rooms and bathrooms have been renovated and repairs were made to the back stairs.

In 2014 they would like to institute a mentorship program and improve current standards.  Two new ladies will be arriving soon.

Gaura Nataraja Prabhu reported for the Congregational Development department.  He reported that income has increased 30%.  He credited Bhakta Josef Prabhu with creating an atmosphere of better cooperation, more effective meetings and improved pilgrim care.  The Parikram program instituted by Bhakta Josef has been a great success.  Guests enjoy the tour and are very inspired.  There has also been improved sadhana for all members.

In 2014 there is a goal to raise funds for further improvement of the Lodge and cabins.  They aspire to better manage information and have more productive outreach.  There is a new call center in Mumbai which has been effective and they plan to institute a donor “insurance” program.  There are plans to begin a child camp and a youth camp.  Telephone classes on Srila Prabhupada’s books are on-going and well received.

Nityodita Prabhu discussed the New Vrindaban Protected Dairy Initiative.  Currently Ananda Vidya, Lalita Gopi and Caitanya Bhagavat are working with the cows in an effort to supply our own milk products to the kitchens.  They are milking twice daily and making butter.  The goal is to have both the Deity kitchen and the devotee kitchen using only dairy products from our own cows.  It was mentioned that there is some disconnect between the program and the cooks as far as using only our products.  Jaya Krsna stated that Vasudeva Prabhu will begin kitchen management as soon as he returns from travels and will make an effort to institute a system of using only dairy from our own cows.

Vyapi Prabhu reported on the apartment complex and improvements that have taken place there. He presented needed improvements for the near future: a new roof on apartment block 1 and new steps to the upper level. The parking lot needs better lighting. A new contract for tenants is planned which includes regular service, program attendance and keeping quiet hours. The basketball court and picnic area are in need of repair. The parking lot should be paved.

Following lunch prasadam reports were given by representatives of other non-profits in New Vrindaban.

Ruci Prabhu spoke regarding Gopal’s Garden.  This is the 7^th year for the school in this incarnation.  There are currently four students all at different teaching levels.  Sukavaha Prabhu is doing a weekly class on compassionate communication and Krsna Bhava Prabhu teaches a weekly art class for the students.  Sankirtan Prabhu is teaching a poetry/writing class.  Overall things are going well with the school but there is a problem with the internet not working there.  Chaitanya Mangala asked about plans for next year and Ruci explained that it is difficult to plan before August as it is never assured how many students will be attending.  Jaya Krsna mentioned that new families are coming who have children who will likely attend our school.  M. Ruci gave a tour of the classroom and the members were impressed with the high standard that is being met there.

Chaitanya Mangala gave the ECO-Vrindaban report.  ECOV is now an “Integrated Auxiliary“ of ISKCON New Vrindaban, Inc. This affords ECOV the same tax benefits as INV, which is critical with royalty income while maintaining its corporate independence.  ECOV has adjusted it bylaws to allow INV control of one seat on the Board of Directors of ECOV.  Also, ECOV will report annually to INV regarding finance and operations. So far in 2013, ECOV has contributed $148K to projects around the community.

Ananga Manjari Prabhu represented Dham Seva and reported that Varsana Swami is very hopeful for the projects at hand.  He feels that communications have improved and relationships are better.  He is doing some writing at this time and the Dham Seva board has agreed to the proposed land deal to transfer the property title to INV.

Devotees are looking for a place for him to live year round, perhaps a small cabin. It was suggested that INV could build him a cabin perhaps in exchange for the land.  Jaya Krsna reported that there should be funding for such a project in February so construction could begin next year.

A request for the formation of an advisory committee was discussed. It was agreed that structured well this could be a good way to increase communication and cooperation between community residents and INV management. Members of the group will bring concerns to Jaya Krsna, as the Community President, and together they will address the issues. Jaya Krsna would bring to the board any concerns that may require board attention.

And the tree of celebration is up at the city centre, encouraging all those who look, to continue to enjoy more than they have done in the months before.

In the spiritual world also there are trees called Desire Trees, which can grant anything you wish for so you can enjoy more than what you have achieved before but – in the company of Lord Krishna.

That difference makes a huge difference.

H.H Lokanatha Swami – SB 4-30-49

Special Day Meditation

Can this metaphorical explanation supplement the literal explanation?

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Everyone can become a fearless and honest person if his very existence is purified by discharging the prescribed duty for each and every order of life. One can become fixed in one's prescribed duty by faithful aural reception of Vedic instructions and assimilation of the essence of Vedic knowledge by devotional service to the Lord.

- Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.5 purport

The post November 30th, 2013 – Darshan appeared first on Mayapur.com.

So, in a plastic yoghurt tub, i am growing my own basil. Hows that? Planning on more herbs, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, carrots and even flowers for the prayer altar.

There is so much to gain from farming – the ideal occupation for humans. If thats not possible, then at least gardening. If you are in an apartment, there are so many innovative ways to grow your grocery. Check out the internet and Pinterest in particular for ideas and motivation.

Good Luck!

When there are ample earthly flats to lie on, what is the necessity of cots and beds? When one can use his own arms, what is the necessity of a pillow? When one can use the palms of his hands, what is the necessity of varieties of utensils? When there is ample covering, or the skins of trees, what is the necessity of clothing? (Srimad Bhagavatam 2.2.4)

Commentary by Srila Prabhupada

The necessities of life for the protection and comfort of the body must not be unnecessarily increased. Human energy is spoiled in a vain search after such illusory happiness. If one is able to lie down on the floor, then why should one endeavor to get a good bedstead or soft cushion to lie on? If one can rest without any pillow and make use of the soft arms endowed by nature, there is no necessity of searching after a pillow. If we make a study of the general life of the animals, we can see that they have no intelligence for building big houses, furniture, and other household paraphernalia, and yet they maintain a healthy life by lying down on the open land. They do not know how to cook or prepare foodstuff, yet they still live healthy lives more easily than the human being. This does not mean that human civilization should revert to animal life or that the human being should live naked in the jungles without any culture, education, and sense of morality. An intelligent human cannot live the life of an animal; rather, a human being should try to utilize his intelligence in arts and science, poetry and philosophy. In such a way he can further the progressive march of human civilization. But here the idea given by Srila Sukadeva Gosvami is that the reserve energy of human life, which is far superior to that of animals, should simply be utilized for self-realization. Advancement of human civilization must be towards the goal of establishing our lost relationship with God, which is not possible in any form of life other than the human. One must realize the nullity of the material phenomenon, considering it a passing phantasmagoria, and must endeavor to make a solution to the miseries of life. Self-complacence with a polished type of animal civilization geared to sense gratification is delusion, and such a “civilization” is not worthy of the name. In pursuit of such false activities, a human being is in the clutches of maya, or illusion. Great sages and saints in the days of yore were not living in palatial buildings furnished with good furniture and so-called amenities of life. They used to live in huts and groves and sit on the flat ground, and yet they have left immense treasures of high knowledge with all perfection. Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami were high-ranking ministers of state, but they were able to leave behind them immense writings on transcendental knowledge, while residing only for one night underneath one tree. They did not live even two nights under the same tree, and what to speak of well-furnished rooms with modern amenities. And still they were able to give us most important literatures of self-realization. So-called comforts of life are not actually helpful for progressive civilization; rather, they can be detrimental to such progressive life.

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD “DEMOCRACY”

In popular historical accounts the word democracy was first used in ancient Greece to denote a contemporary system of governing. In ancient Athens, the word democracy was a compound term which could be broken into two parts: demos meaning ‘people’ and kratein ‘to rule.’ This ideal of governing inspires us even today. Democracy echoes the ancient ideals of equality and freedom among the modern governing systems.

Some authors like John Keane (author of Life and Death of Democracy) think that democracy has much older origins. He traces the meaning of the word democracy back to the Mycenaean period, which preceded the rule of Greece in the Mediterranean region. There the word demos (a person) is slightly changed to be pronounced damos. John Keane discovered the word demos in the Sumerian language, where it is pronounced dunu, meaning ‘inhabitants of a designated region.’ In the ancient world many of the different languages enjoyed a greater connection to one another than they do today. That is due to the fact that they all kept close phonetic link to their unifying origin, the prototypic Sanskrit. In Sanskrit or devanagari (lit. “language spoken in the cities of the demigods”) dham means “place.” Dhamu means “one who hails from a particular region.” Kratu implies intellectual ability. Therefore in ancient times, dhemokrat meant to employ the thinking ability of every person and utilize it for the welfare of the total society.

ANCIENT APPLICATION OF DEMOCRACY

How democracy was applied in ancient times can be seen in an incident that is recorded in the Srimad Bhagavatam (10th canto, 89th chapter). When the local king failed to protect one citizen from a disease in the family, the citizen, every time the disease occurred, walked straight into the king’s assembly hall to voice his protest, concern, and demand protection. The king vowed to protect the citizen even at the cost of his own life. Numerous such incidents are described in the Puranic literature, the literature which consists of accounts of the ancient Vedic culture.

When it comes to queens, they were equal to the kings in making decisions. One such example is illustrated by the story (Srimad Bhagavatam 1st canto, chapter 7) of punishment applied to Ashvatthama. When Ashvatthama killed the five sleeping and helpless sons of Draupadi, he was captured by Shri Krishna and Arjuna. When Krishna and his friend were determined to kill Ashvatthama, Draupadi was also consulted for a verdict. Her choice of punishment was much milder and considerate of the mother of Ashvatthama; therefore, Shri Krishna only disgraced Ashvatthama.

As long as there was true princely order, the aristocracy (kshatriyas), the citizens were protected. But the moment the kings became corrupt, the people decided to take the reigns of power into their own hands. In ancient Athens, democratic votes were given every day. Whenever there was a predicament, all the people discussed the situation. For this reason the governments constructed large places for congregation. Every citizen had a turn to rule the city at some point in their life; a big city being considered to be a village of 10,000 people, which made the application of democracy easier. In Manu Samhita and Shukra Niti it is noted that an ideal city should not exceed a population of 56,000.

DEMOCRACY IN MODERN TIMES

What is the situation today? We live in gigantic conglomerates. The idea of democracy is stronger than ever in our modern world. But although it may be one of the most used words in political accounts and discussions, democracy remains an elusive dream when it comes to practical application.

Words have vast power in today’s world of the variegated media. Words in the form of information rule the world today; they change and shape the global perception of each generation. When we hear “democracy” we think equality and freedom. But there are many different forms of democracy and all of them are meant to discourage the straightforward practice of control by the people.

DIFFERENT FORMS OF APPLYING DEMOCRACY

In representative democracies, the people elect a few candidates amongst themselves and those representatives run in an election. The problem with representation is that not all people in the population of a country are politically active and only the political parties elect representatives. Many end up voting for candidates they do not like or do not identify with. In this form of democracy the president is not able to stand for all the views and wants of all the citizens at large. The main reason is because in this form of democracy the rule is wielded by the majority. This situation creates an oppressed minority. The oppressed minority acts in opposition to the elected representative. Because the opposition wants a share in the decision making process, a situation is created in which a consecutive election is inevitable. Thus no one remains on top of the political game for too long. No president has enough time to solve the major problems concerning his country and the world. Most presidents come to power, enrich themselves for their term of four or five years and then go away for the next elected “leader” to come along and repeat the performance.

Because the representative democracy, depending on the winner amongst the two leading parties, is inevitably partisan to their own party’s agenda, some societies employ another type of democracy called parliamentary. In this form of democracy, there is an extended representation of the citizens in the form of a parliament. In the parliament, all major political parties in a country have their representatives. The parliament has the right to vote against the decisions of the prime minister and the president. Although this is a better version of democracy than the representative democracy, it is noteworthy to mention that an ordinary person has little or no access to the parliamentary decisions. The high officials who supposedly represent the citizens are sitting in big chairs behind many closed doors. Their cabinets have high security alarms and the so-called “representatives” are virtually inaccessible to the ordinary citizens. Hence, the fellow on the street has a tough time influencing the decisions of the parliament.

Although the deputies are supposed to represent the opinions of the people, they have their own political agenda. Often politics and corruption go hand in hand. On the surface, parliamentary democracy may seem fairer than other forms of democracy but in practice it does not provide better results. This form of democracy is confusing to the general public. The ordinary citizens are deceived to believe that they personally take part in the government via their representatives. In fact, the chosen few in the parliament are only looking after the citizen’s interests in theory. In this unfair form of democracy only a chosen few can truly represent themselves and those few are the deputies in the parliament. When the citizens realize that nobody is truly looking after them, they do not know how to overcome this social imbalance.

In general, society reacts to corruption by exposing the culprits. However, the ones who want to fight for their rights by bringing about a revolution in society, lose track of priorities. They start by looking into the lives of the alleged high personas, and end up popularizing their mistakes. They do this by focusing on the flaws themselves instead of developing a pragmatic alternative for people to follow. Although they have good intentions to make a change, it ends up backfiring; the freedom fighters inspire society to follow the same path of corruption as the ones in charge instead of following a higher standard.

Some countries prefer another form of democracy called presidential. In this form of democracy the president has the right to oversee the work of the government. His power is close to that of a king because he can interfere with all decisions made by the administration. The problem with this democracy is that the president is elected through one political party. He is supposed to be without bias and represent all political parties equally. In practice this is impossible because the president is always loyal to the party that promoted him. But a perfect ruler is not created in one or two days and he does not rule a country for one or two terms for a limited number of years. A real well-wisher of all citizens is born as a king and trained since birth to follow dharma. Thus the problem with the presidential democracy is that the imposed leader ends up being a mere panderer in the hands of certain powerful political parties or corporations.

In some countries there is semi-presidential democracy where the prime minister and the president have equal powers and are supposedly checking and correcting each others’ errors. The problem here is that the president and the prime-minister go into endless error fining. Instead of working constructively and solving real problems like tax, poverty line, employment, and medical care, they only add new meanings to political correctness.

Since all democracies in the above list have failed to properly represent all citizens, political masterminds have made one last attempt to make democracy work by using the power of law. Supposedly, in the face of law, the political parties, the president, the prime minister, and the ordinary citizens are equal. The chains of law, ideally, stop all unfair and underhanded techniques and secure true representation of all citizens. But the problem with liberal democracy is that it does not make the democratic system more workable. In practice, it actually makes the drawbacks of the system legalized.

Finally, to cast the historical mistakes of modern classlessness as iron clad, the last and supposedly perfect form of democracy is created, the constitutional democracy. This democratic system is based on a constitution and it is a derivative of the liberal democracy. The difference is that the constitution is supposed to be permanent while the law can be changed. The problem with the constitutional democracy lies in the truth that the constitution is not a perfect document. It is written at a particular time, which has its own trends, by a handful of people with limited experience. The constitution is a weak call to rewrite the laws of the universe, a task only God can be capable of.

We should also note that democracy cannot possibly represent spiritual equality. Krishna devotees, for example, know the futility of voting for any listed political party because there is no representation for followers of Krishna consciousness. The truth is that if we wait for the mundane world of repeated-birth-and-death type consciousness (samsara) to represent us, those of us who are on the spiritual path will never be heard or noticed. We cannot be apart of a world where selfishness dictates to the majority of representatives, from whichever party they originate.

DEMOCRATIC LOSS OF FREEDOM

Today in the name of democracy, gigantic corporations threaten to swallow even the little remaining freedoms of the ordinary citizens. People have been tricked in the name of democracy into voting away their autonomy. They have sacrificed their free time, the right to drink pure water, the need to breathe fresh air, and to work at home producing their own God-given food. Big businesses assure the people that they do not have to do hard labor because all their needs will be taken care of. The corporations will bottle the water and sell it to the people in pretty containers. They will sell them air purifiers; they will open big supermarkets with all imaginable fruits and vegetables in every season, and they will vend them to the obedient citizens. The human beings do not need to do anything but surrender their freedom and in return they will receive plenty of money to spend back into the system. Though such big corporations create a motherly image, they induce everyone to model their life after their unscrupulous principles. The big corporations console the sleeping souls with the promise that in the next election each citizen can vote for whoever one chooses.

However, every civilian has but one time to vote every four or five years. And even then, many are watching how he, the civilian, exercises his vote. Family members who are politically oriented will also try to sway him into voting for their representative. The company he works for will also try to buy his vote. Around the time of the election campaign, certain faces become famous for a short period of time. They are supposed to be the candidates of the ordinary citizen who usually has never met them in person. There is nothing personal about the aggressive way the candidates approach him from their posters, television, radio, and internet. They talk about themselves and how they are going to solve his problems, but they do not care to personally know the voter. Because the candidates are also ordinary people, it is impossible for them to know every single person who is going to vote for them in the elections. In the aftermath, a person is not counted as an individual but as a vote.

ACHIEVING PERSONALISM THROUGH SPIRITUALITY

Personalism is possible only in spiritual, Krishna consciousness. Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, knows every single soul in the universe regardless of the size of their body, from an insect to a demigod. It does not matter what form of democracy, monarchy, or patriarchy society adopts. If Shri Krishna is not put in the center, there will always be a failure in the establishment. The system’s principles would stay elusively in the realm of idealism. Democracy is theoretically a very good system, but in practice its ideals have been unreachable. On the contrary, Vaishnava philosophy does not claim that everyone is born equal. Every single entity has different karma and has to suffer different consequences in life. Though advocates of democracy claim that vox populi can provide equality, sameness will not exist. A man and a woman have different bodies with different requirements. A person with godly inclinations is also not equal to a person with demonic propensities. People have to be treated according to their individual karma, their respective characters, and their goals in life.

Real equality means to treat every single person according to their situation while at the same time providing them with equal possibility for self-realization. This is the goal of the spiritual varnashrama system taught by Shri Krishna (See Bhagavad Gita 4.14).

SPIRITUAL-AGRARIAN LIVING IS FREEDOM

The varnashrama principle is “simple living and high thinking” because it relies on the resources of nature. Self-sufficiency, which is a normal consequence of agrarian living, is the key to freedom. Freedom is not possible if a single person is dependent on countless individuals; as it is the situation in the modern world. For example, we would be surprised to learn how many people handle the distribution of electricity before it reaches the consumer. How many individuals have been engaged in producing the devices which allocate the electricity, and how many devices are there that receive the electricity? How many people handle the bureaucratic side of electric distribution? How many people handle the invoices? Before someone receives a single kilowatt-hour of electricity, countless people have participated in its production. On the contrary, agrarian community makes the individual dependent on a small and intimate community, but mainly on their family. In this way the family becomes the basic unit of society.

Today families are being destroyed by the artificial dependency on technology. Technology dooms human relations and destroys the feelings associated with human interaction. In modern society new psychological diseases are on the rise. We cannot disregard the fact that human beings are mainly emotional creatures. And despite the fact that in modern society all material needs may be met, the need for emotional security is not. The original position of the living entity is to find his close relationship with the Supreme Lord Shri Krishna. All other relationships are based on this fact. Reviving our lost relationship with Krishna is the most comprehensive way to solve emotional disorientation. Democracy can be a manifestation of a confusion regarding our innate need to be close to another, to be close to the Supreme.

In the name of democracy we see all kinds of atrocities being conducted by the big powers of the day. The large and powerful establishments force others into becoming democratic in the name of consumerism, which they control.

The need of the hour is that we try to entrench ourselves in secure situations. We need to own land, grow our own food, and we need to develop small communities which will grow to enact the vision of self-sufficient society which gives freedom and equality to all individuals to love God, our common source. Then the utopia of direct democracy (when everyone’s desires, opinions and rights are fully counted) can be accomplished.

The futility of democracy at work: American elected officials check sports scores, visit Facebook, or play video card games while the Speaker of the House addresses the “dignitaries.”

Hare Krsna my dear devotees, I hope everything is well with your chanting and that you have been able to concentrate on your rounds. I would like to share with you some doubts I had on chanting and the message from Bhakti Dhira maharaja answering them. It inspired me a lot and after his email I took my beads and prayed and started chanting, it was a nice and pleasant experience. Here is my question: