INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS

Founder-Acharya: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

“So the future of this Krishna Consciousness movement is very bright, so long
the managers remain vigilant that 16 rounds are being chanted by everyone
without fail, that they are all rising before four in the morning, attending
mangal arati-our leaders shall be careful not to kill the spirit of enthusiastic
service, which is individual and spontaneous and voluntary. They should try
always to generate some atmosphere of fresh challenge to the devotees, so that
they will agree enthusiastically to rise and meet it. That is the art of
management: to draw out spontaneous loving spirit of sacrificing some energy
for Krishna. But where are so many expert managers? All of us should become
expert managers and preachers. We should not be very much after comforts
and become complacent or self-contented. There must be always some tapasya,
strictly observing the regulative principles-Krishna Consciousness movement
must be always a challenge, a great achievement to be gained by voluntary
desire to do it, and that will keep it healthy’’

In one of the GBC Strategic planning meetings,

Gopal Bhatta prabhu, the chairman read from
Srila Prabhupada's famous letter on management.
 Contents
Contents Promoting the Culture of Caring
Importance of Devotee Care in ISKCON -
Strategic Planning
Service to the Vaishnavas
Brahmins and Vaishnavas
Srila Prabhupada's Letters on Caring
Lord Krishna Takes Care of His Devotees -
Vision, Mission and Strategy
Devotee Care by Radhanath Maharaj
The Way of Indian Teaching
Six Ways of Improving Relations....
Devotee Care in Tirupati
Retaining Devotees Through Good........ -
Taking Care of Krishnas Devotees
Haridas Thakur
Prasadam
All quotations from Srila Prabhupada's books, letters,
lectures, and conversations, as well as all illustrations
and other excerpts are from BBT publications.
Copyright ©ISKCON Devotee Care Committee for
ISKCON GBC - 2009.
Designed by :
Madhugopala Hari Dasa,
Bh. Chalapathi
Proof Reading : Bh. Sumit Khaneja, Bhn. Sreelata,
Bhn. Sankirtana,
Bhn. Krishna Priya.
Webmaster : Sadasivananda Dasa,
Published by : Devotee Care Committee
For ISKCON GBC.
Sri Sri Radha Govinda Lotus Temple
Hare Krishna Land, Hare Krishna Road, Tirupati -07.
Andhra Pradesh. INDIA.
Email: info@devoteecareiskcon.com
Website: www.devoteecareiskcon.com
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Devotee Care Committee Members
His Holiness Jayapataka Swami
His Holiness Bir Krishna Goswami
His Holiness Radhanatha Swami
His Holiness Kavicandra Swami
His Holiness Bhakti Purushottama Swami
His Grace Revati Raman Das (Chairman)
His Grace Kaunteya Das (Facilitator)
His Grace Achyuta Priya Das
His Grace Chandrasekhar Das
Her Grace Parijata Devi Dasi
Her Grace Prashanta Devi Dasi
Her Grace Devaki Devi Dasi
Her Grace Vakreswari Devi Dasi (Secretary)
Her Grace Asesha Sadhani Devi Dasi
Dear Devotees,
Message
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Promoting the Culture of Caring resource guide and references of
Hare Krishna, On behalf of the GBC Committee for Devotee Care, I am
pleased to announce our new publication, the devotee care journal. The Journal will be
T he Devotee Care
Committee, still in its
infancy, met during the GBC
devotees and projects in various parts of
the world. Future plans also include a
presentation on Devotee Care during
Strategic Planning Meeting GBC Meetings in Mayapur and other
experiences written by devotees of ISKCON as well as short articles on the subject. It held in Mumbai from 15-23 International Festivals. The Committee
will also occasionally feature outside articles authored by qualified people. hopes to collect information and give
We know that cultural values and traditions offer special strengths that should October 2008. Interestingly, the access to the various resources
help devotees with messages from the qualified devotees. Journal services often are Devotee Care Committee was available to devotees in times of need
more effective when they are provided within the most relevant and meaningful born of the Preaching and crises.
devotional culture, gender-sensitive, and age-appropriate context for the people being The prime focus of the Committee is
served and programs need to be built from the local community level. Moreover, the
Committee. Members of the
to instill and implement the idea that
information to be provided cannot be based on a "one-size-fits-all" approach. Preaching Committee reflected every devotee is cared for within the
Information must be relevant to the specific zones intended to be reached to the local that if the devotees are not Vaishanva community. Sometimes
devotees from different parts of the world. taken care of, then preaching devotees are insensitive to other
The Journal serves a unique educational purpose for the devotees of ISKCON devotees while in some cases devotees
to develop Devotee Care culture. The Journal will be in hard copy format (Magazine) would not have any lasting
don't want to express their concerns for
and online publication that will publish two issues annually, one issue every six months. effect. They understood that whatever reasons. Either they think 'I
We hope you find this journal informative, and we welcome your preaching can attract people don't want to complain to anyone' or
comments. If you would like to continue receiving it, or if you would like us to send
a copy to someone you know, please write to info@devoteecareiskcon.com.
but it doesn't retain them. The they feel that nobody is interested in
GBC recognized the need to them. There are several examples
As always, we look forward to your feedback. If you are interested in how
where devotees feel that they have been
to submit articles, etc, please know that we will be eager to get the articles from you. care for devotees individually not cared of well. For instance, devotees
If you would like to offer comments or suggestions, please feel free to email us at and collectively and thus
info@devoteecareiskcon.com
feel that the Temple President doesn't
On behalf of Srila Prabhupada, “We should take care of ourselves, we should formulated the Devotee Care take proper care of them, wives think
that their husbands don't care for them,
take care of our family, we should take care of our community and we should take care of Committee.
the entire world”. Members of Devotee Care Committee realize that caring for devotees is a matter of some full-time devotees feel insecure about the future and the practical aspects of dealing
consciousness and culture where every devotee is concerned about the needs of another with hospitalization, old age etc. The Committee hopes to address these and many more
concerns of the devotees. His Holiness Kavicandra Maharaja, Member - Devotee Care
Hare Krishna, devotee. In ISKCON we aim to promote higher understanding of the Absolute Truth and if
devotees are unhappy then they would extend a similar spirit to the society at large. Committee informed, "Lord Caitanya stressed that Vaishnava seva is really important. We
want to gradually work towards caring for the devotees. When devotees realize that we
Your Servant, Vaishnava culture is a culture for caring and the Devotee Care Committee strives to
care for them, then they feel a sense of belonging and can express what they feel
Revati Raman Dasa create a forum to facilitate the devotees through which they can access help whenever they and what they need without any hesitation. We want to realize this goal and ur
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need it.
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Chairman, work on every level possible to make it a reality. We want devotees to know
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Devotee Care Committee The Committee hopes to connect with devotees requiring assistance in various ways. that they are most important to the movement and this project is
The Committee shall soon host a website which shall include exhaustive information, 1
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 Importance of BY

Devotee Care in SKCON I Strategic Planning ANANDA

TIRTHA DAS

by H.H Radhanath Swami F or the last several years, strategic

O nce when stressing the
importance of caring for the
devotees, Srila Prabhupada exclaimed,
“I have shed buckets of blood for each
and every devotee.” Srila Prabhupada
said to the manager of a temple in USA
that, "These devotees have left
everything for me they must be taken
care of, as sons and daughters for
preaching mission."
If the devotees are cared for
spiritually, emotionally and physically,
Srila Prabhupada and Krishna will be
pleased and the projects will naturally
flourish.
Lord Caitanya compared Krishna
Consciousness to cultivating the seed of
Bhakti in the field of the heart. It is
important that we cultivate devotees
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hearts in a sustainable way wherein
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ISKCON was started single-handedly, but because
people are coming forward and dealing with the give-
and-take policy, the Society is now expanding all over
the world.
i. Objective of ISKCON: The objective is to
develop a whole network of support to help each
other.
ii. Love & Trust: Srila Prabhupada taught us that
relationships are based on love and trust
iii. Relationship: ISKCON strives to foster warm
personal relationships & a spirit of love & trust
amongst devotees based on Krishna Conscious
principles.
iv. Guru & Krishna in center: Loving
relationships will be most effective when the
relationship is focused by placing Guru and
Krishna in the center, i.e. a relationship that
planning has been a major theme of
the GBC meetings. Several days of the
Annual General Meeting at Mayapur,
as well as the second GBC meeting
later in the year, are exclusively
focused on this important theme. The
entire Body, plus many other devotees,
came together to proactively discuss
the best way for the GBC and ISKCON
to prepare for the future.
Gopal Bhatta prabhu has been the
chief spearhead for this initiative and
was the chair for this part of the
meetings.
The meetings are specifically dedicated
to Strategic Planning, in other words,
planning for the future direction and
management of ISKCON, beyond the life
span of any person or group of persons.
While Strategic Planning was always an
integral part of GBC agenda, it was
rejuvenated in 2006 when the then GBC
Chairman Bhakti Vaibhava Swami felt the
urgency to plan for ISKCON's future and
called a meeting in Prabhupadadesh, Italy.
Thereafter, the GBC body meets at least
twice a year to discuss the future vision and
has set up the following sub committees
which oversee significant aspects of
strategic planning:
a. Establish Srila Prabhupada's Position
Committee: It helps to ascertain the
theosophically to new and existing
members of ISKCON.
b.Succession Committee: It shall
identify future leadership, inspire and
train them.
c.Constitution Committee : It shall
formulate a constitution for ISKCON.
d.Core Preaching Strategies: It will
determine and implement core
strategies that Srila Prabhupada passed
down including book distribution,
varnasram, educating our children, etc
e. Devotee Care Committee: It will
care for devotees, provide for sick and
elderly, and make every devotee feel
comfortable and happy within
ISKCON.
f. Parallel Lines of Authority and
smooth operation between GBC
members, initiating spiritual masters
(gurus) and members of renounced order
of life (sannyasis). They will particularly
offer criterion for clear lines of authority as
well as write job descriptions and financial
guidelines for members of ISKCON's
leadership at various levels.
g. GBC Team Building: The GBC team
building committee is striving to develop
initiatives for team building that respects and
increase human relationships on a spiritual
level and work together towards common
goals.
h. GBC Organizational Development:
This team is working to organize the
management structure from the GBC
down in order to maximize the efficacy of
Varieties of
“Cultures” for the
preaching to thrive:
1. Culture of Courtesy: Good behavior,
good cooperation, and good
organization are imperative to attract
newcomers.
2. Culture of Authority: Srila
Prabhupada established his authority
not by dictates, but by sharing love.
3. Culture of Inspiration: New
devotees must be encouraged to be
part of the team and eager to see their
peers advance.
4. Culture of Book Distribution: This
should be stressed by the leaders.
5. Culture of Spiritual Standards: Our
words will become empowered if we
strictly follow the spiritual standards.
6. Culture of Gifting: During a Ratha
Yatra speech, the Mayor of San
Francisco praised the devotees for
being “givers.” Guests should feel
they were gifted much more than they
gave.
7. Culture of Local Support: Visiting
preachers and gurus need to support
local temples.
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enhances and strengthens each other's faith and

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special nature of Srila Prabhupada as Finances: This Committee aims to management at all levels of ISKCON's

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they will remain faithful and enthused of the GBC strategic
2 appreciation for your spiritual master(s) and the Founder-Acharya and its implication strike a balance between various levels of governance.
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throughout their lives. 3

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planning meetings.

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glories of devotional service. p r a c t i c a l l y, t h e o r e t i c a l l y a n d leadership in ISKCON. It helps to facilitate l. Devo
 Service to the
VAISHNAVAS
The Highest Religious Principle
- Sri Chaitanya Bhagavat
A lthough He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Caitanya
played the role of the devotee just to teach us how to conduct our
lives as devotees. In Navadvipa sometimes Lord Caitanya would bow
down to His devotees and take the dust from their lotus feet. Sometimes
He would wash their clothes with His own hands. Sometimes, on the
bank of the Ganges, He would fold their clothes. Sometimes He would
bring them clay from the Ganges to use as tilaka. Sometimes He would
see devotees carrying loads and He would take the load upon Himself
and would carry it. In these and many other ways, Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu taught by His own example that the highest of all religious
principles is the service to the Vaisnavas.
Lord Caitanya, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, would put a
fragrant garland on each devotee. The master of all creation would
personally decorate the limbs of each devotee with sandal pulp. He would
embrace the Vaisnavas and would praise them, filling their hearts with
love. When He saw their wives bowing down to Him at a distance, He
would praise them also by saying: “Whatever knowledge, whatever
devotion, whatever saintliness these devotees have, their wives possess
the same”. Thus He would completely satisfy all the devotees by His
personal embrace and by glorifying their good qualities. He would also
make sure that the devotees had proper accommodations, clean rooms
with water, servants and prasadam.
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increased the devotees desire to serve Him and serve each other. If the
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4 Lord sees that His devotees are so exalted that He desired to serve them,
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how should we then see the devotees and desire to serve them.
I n 1911 the Vaisnava devotees were confronted by a great deal of hostile criticism
from the orthodox brahmanas of Bengal, known as the Smarta Samaj. These
brahmanas, although bereft of real scriptural knowledge, were very proud of their
own birth and social position, and their doctrines of rules and regulations. Because
of their elevated social status, it was easy for them to influence the masses, who
were ignorant of pure devotional conclusions. Even some Vaisnava devotees
supported the brahmanas in order to get some favor from them. At this time Srila
Bhaktivinoda Thakura was ill and bedridden. But he was still very concerned about
the situation and wanted someone to confront the brahmana panditas face to face. In
BRAHMINS
AND VAISNAVAS, 1911
Source: A Ray of Vishnu by Rupa Vilas Prabhu
Srila BhaktiSiddhantha Swami
Prabhupada established the
superiority of pure devotees over
all classes of people
accordance with Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's desire, and having been so requested by
the famous scholar Sri Madhusudan Goswami of Vrndavan, Srila BhaktiSiddhantha
Swami Prabhupada arranged a meeting with the brahmana pandits at the town of
Balighai, in Mednipur district. Pandit Sri Visvambharananda Dev Goswami presided
over this meeting.
Srila BhaktiSiddhanta Swami Prabhupada read there his famous article, "Brahman
and Vaisnava." When he arrived, the assembled scholars were sitting in two different
groups: those who believed in the superiority of brahmanas over all other classes of
people, and those who believed in the superiority of Vaisnavas, irrespective of birth or
social position, over all other classes of people. At first Srila BhaktiSiddhanta Swami
Prabhupada quoted from many scriptures glorifying brahmanas. The joy of the
assembled brahmanas knew no bounds, because even they did not know that there were
so many glorifications of brahmanas in so many different scriptures. But then Srila
BhaktiSiddhanta Swami Prabhupada started his glorification of Vaisnavas, again based
on scriptures, which far exceeded the glorification of brahmanas in quality and quantity.
This time the brahmana pandits were not so pleased. Unable to respond to the evidence
presented by Srila BhaktiSiddhanta Swami Prabhupada, they started shouting. One or
two of them desperately tried to present new arguments, but Srila
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BhaktiSiddhanta Swami Prabhupada crushed those also by dint of his ur
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scriptural knowledge and irrefutable logic. He personally answered all
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questions and refuted all arguments by the brahmanas, and thus
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established the superiority of pure devotees over all classes of people. l. Devo
 Srila Prabhupada's example of
Other Important composed, edited, and
published more than 100
books in Sanskrit, Bengali,
and English, which are now

Vaishnava Acharyas revered by the genuine

devotees as scriptures.

Srila Bhakti Sundar

on Devotee Care
Srila Prabhupada was so caring to his devotees. On the
first Gaura Purnima festival the only existing building
was not yet finished. The first night that the devotees Srila Prabhodhananda Sarasvati on
Devotee Care:
were there, Srila Prabhupada got up in the middle of the
One who helps others, reside in Vrindavan
by supplying them food, clothes, and
night to look in each room to see if each devotee was
residence accumulates a million times more
properly taken care of, to see if everyone had a mosquito piety than one who resides there, because
one who resides there delivers only himself
net. He would also ensure that there was prasadam for whereas one who helps others reside there
delivers himself as well as those he helps.
all of them and when they were getting sick he was very One who helps someone reside in the
concerned about their health. highest abode of Vrindavan easily develops
wonderful attachment for Krishna, the
beloved Lord of the daughter of King
Vrishabhanu.
ŸVrindavan Mahimamrita:
Govinda Dev Goswami
Maharaj
( O N E TA R G E T O F
LIFE: service to Guru
and Vaishnava)
Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur on service of “It is necessary to see what
the Supreme Lord's pure devotees as the should be the one target in
our lives, and that is service
life of devotion:
The nineteenth century pioneer of Krishna to Guru and Vaishnavas.
That is the main thing of
Consciousness was born in 1838 in Bengal
value in our lives. To get a
and advocated exclusive surrender
position or to get a chair is
[saranagati] to the service of the Supreme
Lord's pure devotees as the life of devotion.
v e r y e a s y. A n y o n e ,
anywhere, can make a chair
He worked tirelessly to preserve the spiritual for himself. But to get
tradition and literature of mercy from Guru and
India; he Va i s h n a v a s i s v e r y
difficult, although that is
the wealth of our lives, and
that is what we need for our

I C. Important
n Vrindavana, during his last months on the planet, Srila Prabhupada was
so sick that he couldn't even walk. When he had to go upstairs two British devotees
three times a day. The
Sataka 1 verse 73
D. practicing life.”

would pick him up and would carry him in his chair. One of these devotees had a boil
in his foot, and once, while he was carrying Srila Prabhupada, something hit the boil. next day, when that devotee was carrying Srila
Prabhupada upstairs, Srila Prabhupada asked: “How is your foot? Let
A. B. Empathy: Qualifications Maturity:

F.
The devotee said “Oh!” and tried to hide it, but Srila Prabhupada understood. Srila They should be
Prabhupada could not eat for months and had lost so much weight. His body was only me see.” And for the next several days, until the boil was completely cured, Srila Genuine They should mature and sober.

ForDevotee
bones. In that state most people would think about themselves. What was a little boil Prabhupada would inquire with attention and concern. How much do you think this Sacrificing concern be good

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for a big, strong, young devotee, in comparison with Srila Prabhupada's condition?
nal .Devo
Still, Srila Prabhupada asked: “What is your problem?” “No problem, Srila
Prabhupada, no problem” said the disciple. But Srila Prabhupada insisted:
increased the love of that devotee for Srila Prabhupada? He felt: “Srila Prabhupada is
so concerned with such an insignificant disciple like me. I am not a big preacher or
anything like that.” This is Bhakti.
Spirit
They should be
willing to extend
(Sincerity):
They should be
compassionate
listeners.
They should
be able to
Care takers
E.
Friendly:
Personal Care:
They should be an elder
spiritual brother or sister ur
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listen to the
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When devotees have physical or mental difficulties it's an opportunity for us to

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“No, no, please, tell me”, and then he saw the boil and told him exactly
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themselves to help

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and have a genuine people they Care takers should be a and should take personal
6 what medicine to put. He told him to take the leaf of a certain tree, put it express our love for them. It's an opportunity to express our love for Krishna through others and have concern for the are trying to Krishna conscious care of the devotees
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serving a Vaisnava.

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in mustard oil, boil it, and apply this at least a spirit of sacrifice. welfare of devotees. serve. Friend and guide. in their group. l. Devo
 Srila Prabhupada's lives by protecting them and instructing
them nicely, that is now the duty of my
senior disciples.
"Krishna is not in need of anything,
LORD KRISHNA DEVOTEES
Letters on
He is purnam, the complete whole. And
Letter to Manjari - Los Angeles, 6 yet He appreciates our love for Him, just TAKES CARE OF HIS
March, 1970: like everyone appreciates if someone
I have heard how the new devotees are all exhibits love for them. So He kindly
executing their devotional service very allows us to show that love by
A ccording to Bhagavad Gita, Lord by Bhishmadev the very next moment.

Caring for Devotees

enthusiastically and with sincerity and
humility. Yes, I have asked them to take
instruction from you, one of their elder God
sisters. Whatever you have learned you are
one of the old students whatever you have
gathered by experience, you must hand
them over to the new students. This is
called parampara.
Letter to Karandhara - Delhi, 3
December, 1971:
Please accept my blessings. I am in due
receipt of your letter of November 13,
1971, in which you have recommended
that Sriman Howard Sorgen and Srimati Jo
An McNamara be accepted by me as my
disciples. I am very glad to accept them as
my initiated students, and I have given their
spiritual names as Ganga Narayana das and
Jaga Mohini dasi respectively. Now you
must guide them very nicely in Krishna
Consciousness, because you are a veteran
devotee and practically speaking, the
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future of our Krishna Conscious
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Society rests in the hands of my
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considering that if I do not feed Him,
Krishna will go hungry, if I do not give
Him rest, He will be tired, like that...
Everything we do should be for the reason
that it gives pleasure to Krishna. Because
Krishna's intimate associates (the
Brajbasis) give Him the most pleasure,
and because they are His favorites, it
pleases Him to see that these associates
and close friends are also offered all
respect by the devotees.”
letter to: Patty Dorgan, Delhi 17
November 1971
namo brahmane devaya
go brahmane hitaya cha
jagad dhitaya Krsnaya
govindaya namo namah
“When Krishna comes to establish
real perfection in the social order, He
personally gives protection to the cows
and the brahmanas (go-brahmana-
hitaya-cha). This is his first interest
because without protection of the
Krishna loves His devotees more At that time Lord Kåñëa wanted to
than anything else. He goes to the please His devotee, Bhishma, by
extent saying that the devotees of Mine keeping Bhishma's promise, which
are not only just devotees but they are was more important than His own.
My own self. In BG 7.18, Lord declares Seemingly He broke His own promise.
that 'udäräù sarva evaite jïäné tv He promised before the beginning of
ätmaiva me matam': All these the Battle of Kurukñetra that He
devotees are undoubtedly would remain without weapons and
magnanimous souls, but he who is would not use His strength for either of
situated in knowledge of Me I consider the parties. But to protect Arjuna He
to be just like My own self. got down from the chariot, took up the
In Srimad Bhagavatham, wheel of the chariot and hurriedly
Bhishmadev the Great warrior when he rushed at Bhishmadev in an angry
was on the bed of arrows and when mood, as a lion goes to kill an elephant.
Lord Krishna along with all the He dropped His covering cloth on the
Pandavas visited him, Bhishmadev way, and out of great anger He did not
offered a prayer to Him in very know that He had dropped it.
beautiful slokas, which is called Bhishmadev at once gave up his
"Bhishma Sthuthi". It has 11 slokas. weapons and stood to be killed by
One among them, is really wonderful Kåñëa, his beloved Lord. The fighting
and connected to Devotee Care subject. of the day was thus ended at that very
Bhishma says 'sva-nigamam apahäya mat-pratijïäm rtam adhikartum avapluto moment, and Arjuna was saved. Of course there was no possibility of Arjuna's death
rathasthaù' It says O Lord! we both made oaths against each other. But to save my oath because the Lord Himself was on the chariot, but because Bhishmadev wanted to
and make me great, thus, to show your DAYA on me and glorify your concern towards see Lord Kåñëa take up some weapon to save His friend, the Lord created this
your devotees, You have given up Your pledge and wore your divine Disc in your hand, to situation, making Arjuna's death imminent. He stood before Bhishmadev to
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brahmanas and the cows, there can be no

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Bhishmadev fought so violently that both Arjuna and Kåñëa were in trouble.
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older disciples. Give them There are so many instances like this in the scriptures to show the concern

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human civilization and no question of
8 all facility to perfect their Arjuna was almost defeated; the situation was so tense that he was about to be killed of Lord for His Devotees.
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happy and peaceful life”. 9

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 Quotes from śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya Strategic Statements of Devotee Care Unit are:

We assist with the overall management and facilitation of the leaders of
vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ
Vision, ISKCON in taking care of devotees who have dedicated their lives to Srila

Srimad
Prabhupada's movement.

We believe in the power of spiritual education through Srila Prabhupada books
syān mahat-sevayā viprāḥ as a key to shape a better and more caring future for the devotees.

We make a commitment for a holistic, sustainable and collaborative approachs to
puṇya-tīrtha-niṣevaṇāt
Mission and Strategy
tackle problems at all levels.

We provide equal access to all devotees for programs and facilities of 'Devotee

Bhagavatam
Care'.
- Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.16 
We have a firm believe in the application that prevention is better than cure.
Devotee Care targets to render care to all the groups of devotees such as temple

of Devotee Care
By serving those devotees who are completely freed from devotees, congregation devotees, the elderly, families, women, children and
guests. The Devotee Care Unit recognizes that human resources (Devotees) are
all vice, great service is done. By such service, one gains very important for ISKCON and the attraction, cultivation and nourishment of
affinity for hearing the messages of Vasudeva. sincere souls should be the most important activity of our movement.
The motto of the Devotee Care culture is to support and facilitate devotees in
Source: Devotee Care Committee fulfilling their needs. Following points illustrate the action plan made in this
PURPORT direction.
The servants of God come to propagate God consciousness, and
intelligent people should cooperate with them in every respect. By
T he concept of 'Devotee Care' was
ruminated first during the GBC
Strategic Planning Meeting held in
make progress in Krishna Consciousness
and thus be enthused to expand Srila
Prabhupada's mission.

To establish a leader role model featuring genuine compassion, concern and
love. Every devotee in Devotee Care Committee should be an example of the
Care for others.
serving the servant of God, one can please God more than by directly Mumbai, on 15-23 October 2008. The idea D e v o t e e C a re C o m m i t t e e 
To establish a principle of care and concern that reinforces faith in Krishna
serving the Lord. The Lord is more pleased when He sees that His of devotee care was rationalized and Divisions: Consciousness movement.
servants are properly respected because such servants risk apprehended as a part of preaching and Important sectors of the devotee care 
To promote the vision of madhyama adhikari who sees the Lord in everybody's
emphatically an important aspect of committee are divided for implementing heart and therefore loves and cares for everybody.
everything for the service of the Lord and so are very dear to the
preaching. The GBC body recognized the suggestions and recommendations. 
To change the language of speak with soft speaking as priority
Lord. The Lord declares in the Bhagavad-Gita (18.69) that no one is need to care for devotees individually and Following are the details of the care 
To create a website with all the resources of Devotee Care.
dearer to Him than one who risks everything to preach His glory. By collectively and thus formulated the pattern: 
To develop cultural engineering
serving the servants of the Lord, one gradually gets the quality of such Devotee Care Committee that comprise of 
To raise consciousness about Devotee Care
the prominent leaders of ISKCON. Networking: Creation of a website,
servants, and thus one becomes qualified to hear the glories of God. which exhibits all the systems of care for
The eagerness to hear about God is the first qualification of a devotee
The Vision of Devotee Care quick access to accomplish networking in
Committee is framed as follows: The website is under construction now: through internet and call all concerned
eligible for entering the kingdom of God. order to contact different people to gather
Every devotee in ISKCON is provided information about the care systems www. devoteecareiskcon.com people to come to Mayapur to take part in
God will teach us to welcome one another, to be hospitable to with spiritual, mental/emotional and About physical care- to contact HH All devotees can take part in this the strategic planning discussions and
one another, and to do it without complaining. physical care they deserve as parts and Prahladananda Swami task. The people can split and work on the come up with the program of care. GBCs
parcels of Krishna according to Srila About care for dying HH Giriraj sectors like physical care global, also can send this appeal to all concerned
Prabhupada's instructions and example, Swami (Joined to the organization emotional care, temple devotees care, people in their areas. Then the devotee care
Srimad Bhagavatam 10.4.4: both on personal and institutional level. “Vaishnava Care,” which deals with elderly members care, fund raising summit or convention with the
nal .Devo “The brahmanas, the cows, Vedic knowledge, austerity, The Mission of Devotee Care is to: hospices and care of people who pass campaign etc. involvement of all of them nal .Devo
ur ur
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Strive for the spiritual, mental/emotional

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truthfulness, control of the mind and senses, faith, mercy, tolerance away. The strategy has to be implemented
e

should be held to develop a

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Care Jo

Care Jo
and sacrifice are the different parts of the body of Lord Vishnu, and and physical well being of the devotees of About family care American immediately. The immediate need is to master plan.
10
e

ISKCON so that they are encouraged, Grihasta vision team

te

send a general appeal on devotee care 11

te
ur

u
they are the paraphernalia for a Godly civilization”.
nal. Devo rna
l. Devo
inspired and empowered to be happy and

Devotee care
R adhanatha Swami: “Although
the foundation of a building
cannot be seen, it holds up the entire
b u i l d i n g . Wi t h o u t a s t r o n g
foundation, in time, even the most
glorious palace will crumble. The
foundation of our communities is in
our spiritual practices, our moral
values and in our personal
Source: ISKCON Chowpatty
relationships.
It is a tendency to prioritize those endeavors that
bring quick tangible results. However, those results are
soon to crumble unless we balance our priorities with
the foundational personal needs of our devotees.
Effective spiritual leaders are responsible to
provide mature vision to assure the welfare of our
devotees in the present and for the future. People need to
feel loved, cared for and appreciated. Creating this
environment is foundational to a Krishna Conscious
community. Without such relationships few people will
continue to chant the holy names with sincere feeling.
Modern corporate farming aims at immediate results with
little concern for how it affects the environment in the
future. Srila Prabhupada condemned it. He stressed
sustainable farming wherein we are very sensitive toward
living in harmony with Krishna's natural plan.
Lord Chaitanya compared Krishna Consciousness
to cultivating the seed of bhakti in the field of the heart.
It is important that we cultivate devotee's hearts in a
sustainable way wherein they will remain faithful and
enthused throughout their lives. Too many times we
push devotees to get the fruit of some result but as time
passes the tree of his or her enthusiasm dies.
n a l .D evo Srila Prabhupada would call that 'penny wise
ur
and pounds foolish.'
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Care Jo
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Care Jo
Srila Prabhupada was a perfect
12 leader. He could push his devotees to
e
te
ur
nal. Devo
get big results but at the same time his love, compassion
and care would nourish, sustain and bring the highest
joy to our hearts. He profoundly cared for each devotee
who came to his society and expected his leaders to do
so on his behalf. He expressed his concern again and
again for our sadhana, and service attitude but also our
health, the quality of our Prasad, our children and he was
especially concerned that we felt happy, protected and
inspired in our devotional service. We felt nourished
and empowered by his love and care even from
thousands of miles away and even if we only personally
saw him every couple of years. Once when stressing the
importance of caring for the devotees, he exclaimed, “I
have shed buckets of blood for each and every devotee.”
Radhanatha Swami: “When I was serving in a previous
ISKCON community, the priority was given to projects
with little vision toward sustaining a quality spiritual
life for the people giving their lives to build the project.
There was little priority given to educating or
encouraging healthy family relationships. Everything
was focused on work and sadhana. Any other
consideration was labeled as maya. I began to realize
that our so-called hard work and strong sadhana is
superficial if we are neglecting or causing pain to
Krishna's beloved devotees. It appeared that the
devotees were seen as disposable tools to build the
project. Grand accomplishments were achieved in that
place but without a healthy, caring community it was a
b u i l d i n g
without a solid
foundation.
I n t h e
course of
fulfilling those
incredible
projects, many
devotees hearts were broken. They felt incared for and
gradually the morale of the once thriving community
disintegrated.
Over the years I witnessed too many people who
had come to Srila Prabhupada's society with innocent
faith and enthusiasm only to later suffer emotional
anxiety due to neglect, feeling they had been cheated or
rejecting ISKCON in bitterness. What I saw, broke my
heart. I believed that our leaders needed to take serious
responsibility, on Srila Prabhupada's behalf, to be
caretakers of his beloved children.
When I came to India, I thought, let me try to do the
opposite of what I had seen, projects before people. If I
fail, let me fail in this way. If the devotees are cared for
spiritually, emotionally and physically, Srila
Prabhupada and Krishna will be pleased and the
projects will naturally flourish.”
(To be Continued)
Her Grace Prasanta Devi's
Lecture on Devotee Care.
P reaching means to preach to the bird
of devotion inside. The purpose is to
cultivate the devotion of the person. We
can survive in Krishna Consciousness
only if we have the support of others. We
must give what we receive, i.e. support,
knowledge, care.
Every one of us has a need. We have
many needs: -
Physical Needs of body: Food, Shelter,
Medical care, Association etc.
Subtle body: Mind, Intelligence, Desire,
Emotions, Knowledge, Security
Spiritual Entity: To know our true
identity, guidance, to get out of material
existence, to develop spiritual
relationship, need of love, need of God
Devotee Care means to fulfill the
needs of Devotees. The need may not be a
luxury such as a car, 3-storey house, gold
watch. We must fulfill essential needs of
individuals. Our purpose should be to help
people elevate their consciousness. Our
objective should be to help them grow
towards Krishna.
Main insecurity, suffering, is they feel
that they are neglected.
Srila Prabhupada said that you can give
Seminars
Source: Seminars Conducted at
ISKCON Mayapur-2009
money, resources, intelligence and other
things. But the best is if you give your own
self to God.
We have to act perfectly for Krishna.
We must facilitate devotees so as we want
everyone in this movement to take care of
each other. We want devotees to come with
an inspiration in their hearts. There are
people who have already started care
initiative.
Care program for devotees
The purpose of Devotee Care should be to
develop culture of care at personal level.
Neophyte devotee sees God only in
temple, on altar. Our effort to acknowledge
living entity in others, will help us to
progress to become more mature towards
others. We all have a responsibility
towards others.
Parental love towards others - giving
shelter to others. As a practical step, there
is need that at every temple we have a
devotee care person and a devotee care
department.
Devotee Care program within our
society is a manifestation of spiritual
energy of the Lord, to facilitate the desire
Kavi Chandra
Maharaja's
lecture
on Devotee Care.
Service to
devotees, seva
means that the
person to be
served is
so much greater
than I am, so I want
to serve him. Guru seva, Krishna seva,
serving the devotees, care of the
devotees.
by others to serve the Lord. If we want
People want love. Mother
to keep devotees focused on their
Teresa showed love to all and was
spiritual mission, we must provide the
therefore able to uplift all. Krishna
transcendental support.
loves everyone. We should try to uplift
Srila Prabhupada said to the
people's consciousness and we
manager of a temple in USA that these
should be very unhappy to see
devotees have left everything for me
someone else suffering.
they must be taken care of as sons and
People leave the movement
daughters for preaching mission.
for lack of care. People leaving the
The analogy of the hen is given. The
movement, say that they did not get
hen is said to have two sides. The front
any friends. We should be concerned
side of the hen eats. The back side of the
about how we can care for other
hen produces eggs. As devotees, we
people's future. We should be
produce something and we consume
concerned how we can deliver fallen
something. Devotees render devotional
souls in the age of Kali. We should
service and they need devoted care. We
disregard all disagreements that we
cut the hen into two we keep the side of
have and be grateful to others.
the hen that gives and throw the side of
the hen that takes, then it is not possible.
We have to take care of the hen if we want increase.
the hen to give eggs. Devotee care is the We should learn to
side that takes. We did not just come to
take, we came to give. We have to
take shelter in others.
We should learn to na l .Devo
balance. We have to take as less as ur
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possible and give as much as possible. If give shelter to others
Care Jo
we cannot fulfill what we have promised.
13
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We should better start small and then
rna
l. Devo
 The Team Spirit of T hat is the way of Indian teaching, that Source: ISKCON Pune
there is one teacher, and how he's
managing hundreds? That means there are
Srila Prabhupada writes in the purport to
Srimad Bhagavatam 2.1.12:
WARNING AGAINST they say.”
The caring devotee who has developed the
groups. One who is elderly student, he's taking

Flying
“Quoting from the Markandeya Purana, Sri Gosvamiji [Srila

some beginners: "Write 'a' or 'A' like this." That
he can teach. What he has learned, he can teach.
Similarly, next group, next group. So in this way,
one teacher can manage hundreds of students of
different categories. This is organization. Not
PRAJALPA
ability to do active listening will hear about the
Jiva Gosvami] says that one should not indulge in hearing maya of others, including their struggles with
others who are engaged in belittling a devotee of the Lord.”
material nature. In order to avoid unfavorable
In Caitanya-caritamrita, Antya-lila 6.236, samskaras while hearing, a listener can internally
Lord Caitanya tells Raghunatha dasa Goswami:
pray to guru and Krishna to protect him and give
gramya-katha na sunite, gramya-varta na kahibe

Geese
him the ability to help the person progress towards
that everything I have to do. I cannot teach
anybody to do it. That is not intelligence.
“Do not talk like people in general or hear what Source: ISKCON Pune Krishna's lotus feet.

1. Understanding the Individual

Source: ISKCON Pune
The Way Six Ways of Improving Relations Taking time to understand the person's feelings and emotions, means a lot to many
people. It is the key to understanding someone else's needs.

devotees
2. Attention to Details

between
Small good deeds might leave lasting positive feeling.

Fact 1: As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird
following. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock provides
71% better flying range than alone.
Lesson: The power of the collective. People who share a common direction
and a sense of community can get there quicker and easier,
traveling on the thrust of each other.
Fact 2: Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it immediately feels the
drag and quickly gets back into the draft of the nearest goose.
Lesson: If we had as much sense as a goose, we would stay in formation
with those who are heading where we want to go.
Fact 3: Sometimes the leading goose gets tired and rotates back into
formation for another to take over.
Lesson: Share and delegate leadership. A leader should see as his/her duty
to grow others into leaders, not be preoccupied that his/her position
could be endangered.
Fact 4: Geese in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front
to keep up their speed.
Lesson: We should make sure that our honking is encouraging, not
discouraging.
Fact 5: Whenever a goose gets sick, wounded or shot, two geese fall out of
formation to go with this one, to protect it, help it, and stay with it
until it can fly again, or until it dies.
nal .Devo
ur Lesson: Every team member needs support, care, and love, especially
te
Care Jo
of Indian
Small discourtesies and forms of disrespect, can greatly affect the relation.
3. Keeping Commitments
Maintaining a promise can be a major boost to the relation.
Breaking a promise can be a major injury to the relation.
Teaching We should be careful in making promises: we should consider unforeseen obstacles in
fulfilling them.
4. Showing Integrity
It means aligning values and behavior: to practice what we preach.
Integrity is the quality of being upright in principle and action, especially in situations
Intelligence is that employ others to help you.
That is intelligence. Not that "Oh, I was busy, that test sincerity of purpose, responsibility, or trust. Integrity creates a foundation of
trust which is essential for cooperation and long term growth.
I could not do it." Why? What about your
assistant? Train assistant so that in your 5. Apologizing Sincerely When Making a Mistake
absence things can be done. So the elderly A genuine apology could be a great boost to the relation, but repeated apologies can be
students, they could be... Just Caitanya perceived as insincere. Those who possess a sense of security can apologize: they
don't worry that others might consider admitting a mistake to be a weakness. Mistakes
Mahaprabhu used to do that. When He was
of judgment, which are usually of the mind, are easily forgiven; but mistakes of the
sixteen years old he could argue with Kesava heart, involving pride, rationalization and ill motives, are more difficult to forgive.
Kasmiri, because He was practiced. In this
way, stage after stage, everyone should be
6. Clarifying Expectations
The root of many relationship difficulties is conflicting or ambiguous expectations,
expert. Everyone should be teacher and
especially in regard to roles and goals. We create negative situations by
student.” nal .Devo
assuming that our expectations are self-evident. It requires courage, effort and ur

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the weaker ones. When someone is in trouble we should

e
time to clarify expectations at the beginning of a relation, but it will prevent
Care Jo

Care Jo
concentrate our efforts to help him; we should not Srila Prabhupada in a Conversation,
14 misunderstandings and disappointments in the long run.
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te

abandon or forget him. ....To be Continued 15

te
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Paris, 31 July, 1976

u
nal. Devo rna
l. Devo
 7. BHAKTI
VRIKSHA What we have achieved with these programs is as follows:
2. SAMARPAN: (Program for Grhasta devotees successful
1. PROGRAM M: 1. Healthy congregation community. since 8 years)
BR A
Pr A R rse 2. Healthy brahmachari ashrams with Seventy Coordinators: Srihari Namamritha das prabhu from
og H OG ou devotees. Congregation and Balabadra madhava das prabhu from the
ram MA C
PR ratoryotees
3. Healthy grhasta devotees serving the temple.
temple side. This program is organized on 3rd or 4th sunday of
for CA 4. A beautiful lotus temple with all the infrastructure
Te R AL repa n Dev like guesthouse, meeting hall, conference hall, every month and successfully running for the last eight years.
mp I F I
N
O stri P atio Auditorium etc.
le B EA T a eg
5. One of the Toppers in Book distribution. Program schedule:
rah ST CA i Sh ngr
t
6. Very good rapport with Tirumala Tirupati 11.00 - 11.15 am: Welcome address by senior grhasta devotee.
ma : E DUBh ak d Co Devasthanam.
7. Goshala with 200 cattle, developing indigenous
11.15 - 12.00 pm: Lecture by Temple president or senior
ch 6. ch as ple an
grhasta devotees on Srimad bhagavatam and
ari breed (desi cows). CC concerning grhasta ashrama.
s Su Tem 8. Bhaktivedanta mission school with 300 children, 12.00 - 12.30 pm: Question and answer session on Grhasta
fo r
managed by devotees. ashrama, devotees give their questions in

T irupati, not being a big city, has volunteer

devotees (seventy brahmacaris) most of them
belonging to lower-middle income sections of society,
1. BRAHMACARI FEAST:
Proven successful for the last 10 years
12.30 - 01.15 pm:
written form without their names, to ovoid
conflicts.
Feast prasadam

who materially belong to not very highly trained or
educated backgrounds. This is in contrast to ISKCON
Chowpatty where the brahmacaris have higher
material educational background. To have highly
qualified devotees like Chowpatty world wide is a
difficult thing. So the devotee care of Tirupati is
another option for the upcoming temple communities
Coordinator: Shyamasaka Subala prabhu Once
in every month for the last ten years, we are Once in a way this program is held at outdoor like Tirumala
Organizing brahmacari feast program, where all forest, other scenic places.
the devotees attend closing on all their services by This is a unique program meant for the spiritual benefit of
2 pm and get ready for the celebration. Grihastas and also to develop an exemplary Vaishnava
community. This program was commenced with 10 families in
Program schedule
3.00 - 3.30 pm Kirtans
3.30 - 4.00 pm Instructive class by the

t ees 5. S to go through these programs, in spite of relatively temple president on the merits

evo Pro UND scarce resources available, these programs at Tirupati of Brahmacarya Asrama or
some other helpful subject
D gra AY have been going on since a long time very smoothly, and
N: asta
like vaishnava etiquette etc.
m f SC the ashramites and congregation devotees are growing 4.00 - 5.00 pm An interactive session of
A
P Grh or H
R
A or De OOL in strength with quality. All devotees are happy and the jokes and laughter,
vot realizations of each devotee

4. ogra
M
A am f ee : book distribution program stands always on top
ou e

and games, competitions like

d Y leg

P
an Col :

S
RA m
Ch
th
S

r
priority. Therefore, the programs at Tirupati are highly
2. o g r ild
eating jamoons or paani puris.
de m f YA

effective since they have proved to be practically very 5.00 - 5.20 pm Short skit are presented either
Pr ren
DH forV
from CC or SB and discuss
.
Stu ogra HRE

helpful to experience and develop loving exchanges

nts or

lessons to be learned from the na l .Devo

AR ais
ur
among devotees, thus making them very stable in skit.

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5.20 - 6.00 pm Prasadam feast honored by all
Pr 3. S

AN hna
devotional service.
Brahmacharis. 17

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rna
l. Devo
I C vis
EL
L
 Tirupati and now the strength has increased to 100
families. Under the present circumstances, where most
families are busy only in economic development, this
program gives an opportunity for the families which
pray together and stay together. They can continue with
their family and work commitments with full
4. RADHARANI CELL:
Program for Vaishnavis
Coordinator: Mother Bhaktika dd
Program is organized on Saturday at 7 pm.
Retaining devotees through
Leadership
knowledge that Lord Krishna is the center of their
Program schedule:

Good
activities. This program is good for all grihasta families
7.00 - 7.30 pm Bhajans
to join and get unlimited benefit which is eternal, ever 7.30 - 7.45 pm Japa
joyful and full of bliss. 7.45 - 8.30 pm Shastric discussion
Only married couples are allowed to participate in 8.30 - 8.45 pm Question and answer session.
this program. 8.45 - 9.15 pm Service discussion
Benefits: This program helps to resolve many conflicts
in grhasta ashrama thus leading to healthy Krishna
Consciousness peaceful life.
09.15 pm

Benefits:
Onwards prasadam
H ow we can retain devotees
in our Krishna Conscious
society? The first and foremost
Revathi Raman Das is the extent to which we provide
them with a devotionally
surcharged environment
Promote volunteerism and cooperation amongst thing is, we have to build a right spiritual environment favorable to their creativity, self-expression, and the
them, making them more useful in Lord Krishna and culture based on Srila Prabhupada's instructions, exercise of initiative. Smaller temples or
3. SHREYAS: Program schedule:
3.00 - 3.30 pm Kirtans service. devotees are our assets and their creativity and services communities have an advantage over larger temples
program for 5. Harmonizing themselves with the universal laws of Karma and are very critical to our movement's success. Apart from or communities; there is more personal interaction
college students 3.30 - 4.00 pm Ice breaking thus save oneself from future suffering. Recognize the "power skill" set gained
(group games, from volunteer activities and on-the-job skills training and taking care of their Spiritual practices, we and caring. The bigger temple or community tends to
and youth. 6. Discover the non-sectarian spiritual truths that can unify all
jokes etc) that vaishnavis gain when working for Krsna. should care for their emotional and material needs; this is be more hierarchical, bureaucratic, and conformist in
Coordinator: religions and people.
4.00 - 5.00 pm Lecture by The benefits are an energized, educated, important, if we don't take care of these needs, eventually order to achieve efficiency and uniformity, here we
Lakshmipati Around one hundred and fifty students meet every
senior devotee
Sunday from different colleges such as local engineering, cheerful and well-rounded group of vaishnavis they will give up their spiritual practices and disappear have to carefully strike a balance depending on Guru
Gaura Das Prabhu 5.00 - 5.20 pm Question and devotees. Participation in volunteerism, it builds into the material world. We should know as what are their and Krishna.
answer session medical, polytechnic, Law Colleges etc. They do kirtanas,
This program is healthy Krsna conscious communities. aspirations and are they realistic? If so, what are we doing
5.20 - 5.40 pm Mantra dance, dramas, talent shows, ice-breaking sessions and
organized on discuss topics such as mind-control, overcoming fear, then Volunteerism is a rich education in devotional to support them? Do they know how much we value
meditation them?
every Sunday for Japa session (mantra-meditation), perform aarati and finally service for vaishnavi devotees. They feel very The chief characteristics of a culture that
5.40 - 6.00 pm Ecstatic kirtan
the last five years 6.00 - 6.30 pm Prasadam feast they taste delicious Krishna prasadam. secure and responsible as they are part of And our relationship should be very personal and nurtures devotees are:
Frequently, they go on pilgrimage tours, seminars ISKCON. they should feel our caring, otherwise it is a great 1. Having effective small teams. Ex.Bhakti
Students benefit in following ways: organized and training-workshops for youth such as personality austerity to serve the society. If we serve the devotees, the Vriksha groups or counseling systems
1. Learn to harness the power of the Mind through development, moral ethics, etc. Youth devotees will spontaneously want to serve Srila
2. Authority's sadhana standards and
mantra Meditation. Competitions are conducted regularly during Prabhupada's movement.
devotional service expertise and
2. Unleash the potential of the soul to find inner festivals and other times to encourage young When the devotees are properly cared by the
talents competence rather than rank or status
fulfillment. leaders, practically no one would ever want to leave.
Students are happy and their IQ LEVEL, And that is why Srila Prabhupada said that the second 3. Always respecting and recognizing the
3. Gain access to the power of God to overpower contribution of the devotees and
undesirable and self-destructive habits and EQ LEVEL, & SQ LEVEL (intelligence, half of his mission was to establish the varnasrama-
emotional and spiritual quotient levels) dharma society, to care for devotees throughout their supporting them.
n a l .Devo
traits. nal .Devo
ur improve, keeping them happy and healthy in entire lives, so that they can be happy in Krishna 4. Respected leadership, good ur
4. Empowering themselves with timeless
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body, mind and spirit. Other festive programs devotees know when their

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consciousness, serving according to their propensity.
Care Jo

Vedic techniques to successfully

Care Jo
are also conducted such as Krishna While all these said things remain important, emperor has no clothes
18 tackle the stresses and tensions of
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19

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Conscious New Year Party, Friendship days,
ur

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5. Openness and trust
nal. Devo
what makes the real difference in retaining devotees
rna
l. Devo
modern living.
etc

An excerpt from the book Taking Care of Krishna's Devotees
The Mood and Vision
Required to Care for
I am very concerned that the devotees
have a very sustained life in Krishna
consciousness. I have a personal
observation that I made over the course of
this last year, and I personally believe that
there is some direct connection with the
fact that throughout the last year, I spent a
lot of time speaking about the holy name
of the Lord. It appears that although
devotees are still having difficulties -
because there will always be difficulties as
long as we are in this material world - the
difficulties seem to have lessened last
year.
By going to the different temples and
preaching about the holy name, about
taking shelter in the holy name, preaching
about the importance of the holy name, I
had a common experience last year that
fewer devotees were
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may be because they did
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But even when devotees
came to have meetings with me,
oftentimes their questions were related to
the holy name. It was a new experience for
me, having been accustomed to have
devotees come to me one by one during
my visits about that problem, this problem
... These problems are still there, of
course, but to the degree that we take
shelter in the holy name of the Lord, the
problems will become less. Of this I have
no doubt. This is an observation that I
made. It is not what I wanted to speak
about it, but it is indirectly related.
Just last week I visited Bombay, and I
spent about one week there. As many of
you know, the Chowpatty temple in
Bombay is a temple which is trying to
establish a model for our society. It is just
like one big family. And the relationships
there are not superficial. The devotees
have very deep relationships with each
other. Because they not only associate
with each other within the service that
they have, but they are learning how to
associate with each other outside the
Others
realm of the day-to-day service. When you
associate with devotees outside of the
realm of your day-to-day service, you get a
different perspective of each other.
Especially devotees who are working in
the temple. We are working very closely
with each other. And sometimes there is a
tendency to find the other person's
shortcomings and faults. Or you may see
sometimes their incompetency in certain
material affairs. Then attitudes develop
that make it very difficult to have close,
deep relationships. So devotees take
themselves outside of those working
relationships and they have relationships
based upon Krsna-Katha.
Srila Prabhupada says that, in our
efforts to study his books we should
always try to look at and study them from
so many different angles of vision. This is
because Prabhupada's books are very
deep. When you start digging down into
his books, you start pulling out so many
different meanings that are there in every
verse and every purport. And they can be
by HH Niranjana Swami
expanded upon in many different ways
without losing the essential meaning of the
verses themselves; without losing sight of
the siddhanta.
In Chowpatty, the devotees come
together and study Srila Prabhupada's
books, they teach each other, they have
kirtans, bhajans and they have a whole
network of support to help each other.
Until we are actually freed from the bodily
conception of life, which of course is
beyond the stage of liberation, we still
have to serve the needs of the body. Of
course, the goal is always to try to
diminish. But still bodily needs are there.
We cannot neglect the needs of the body,
because the body is a vehicle which is
meant to help us achieve self-realization
in this life.
The devotees in Bombay, especially
those outside the temple, have close
relationships with each other and they are
also very concerned about helping each
other. With the large family spirit there, to
care for others is a very selfless task. And
to the degree that we are feeling shelter in
our own lives, then we are able to extend
ourselves more for the benefit of others.
Obviously, if we do not feel sheltered, it is
very difficult to try to give shelter to
others. Sometimes devotees try to take the
position of giving shelter, but their minds
are disturbed, and the result is that the
relationships they develop become very
formal and not very deep.
When Srila Prabhupada established
and began to expand this Krishna
Consciousness Movement, he never put
the form before the substance. Substance
was always first. Srila Prabhupada could
see Krishna everywhere, and certainly his
only desire was to give Krishna to
everyone. Srila Prabhupada had all the
substance that was necessary for spreading
Krishna consciousness. If you have Krishna
consciousness, you have all the substance
required for spreading it.
Srila Prabhupada also gave this
substance form; he created a structure. He
established the world-wide International
Society of temples. He established so
many different principles that the Society
should follow. But he never forgot his
original purpose. If you read Srila
Prabhupada's original purposes for the
incorporation of ISKCON, it is so clear
why he established the structure. It is to
give everyone the substance. Substance is
what justifies the existence of the
structure. Prabhupada always used to give
that example that if you have one, all your
zeroes become significant.
Justification is given to all of those
zeroes by the presence of one - Krishna.
So our substance of Krishna
consciousness gives justification for all of
our structures. Therefore wherever we see
Krishna consciousness, we should go for
it. That is our purpose.
Similarly, Ramananda Ray told Lord
Caitanya that pure devotional service
cannot be had even by pious activities for
millions of births. Pure devotional service
can be had only by paying one price,
which is the greed to purchase it. And he
says that wherever one sees it, he should
immediately purchase it without delay.
This is the essence of our Krishna
Consciousness Movement. And this is
what Srila Prabhupada gave in the
establishment of our Krishna
consciousness.
By giving shelter, giving Krishna
consciousness to others, then others very
naturally came forward to take shelter.
Srila Prabhupada then engaged them in
some service. That is why everything
began to expand very naturally -
because the shelter was there
and the devotees felt that
they wanted to do something
to serve Prabhupada.
Prabhupada gave them
some service to preach
Krishna consciousness, and
then others would come, and
the movement began to
expand in this way on the
strength of Prabhupada's
substance, and on the
strength of his
K r i s h n a
consciousness
and the Krishna consciousness that he
infused into the hearts of his followers.
Devotees were feeling so empowered
because Prabhupada was giving the pure
holy name and empowering devotees.
And devotees did not think about
personal difficulties or austerities they
were undergoing. But years began to go by
and the movement began expanding more
and more. Many temples were opened,
many temple presidents were responsible
for these temples, book distribution was
expanding, preaching seemed to be
expanding. In other words, the structure
began to grow and grow, but then what
also comes is the anxiety of how to
maintain the structure.
I remember in the mid-70s when book
distribution was ever-increasing, so many
big temples were being purchased and
established. And the devotees were filling
up the temples. In 1974 we got our temple in
Boston, and in 1975 there were 70 devotees
packed inside this temple. Big book
distribution was going on, and I was a
traveling sankirtana leader.
But then, as these temples began to
grow and expand, there came the anxiety
of having to maintain them. And then,
to some degree, in some places, new
devotees were seen as people who
would come to help us maintain
the temple. Of course, there is a
fundamental flaw in thinking
t h a t w a y. J u s t s i m p l y
maintaining the temple does
not mean that we are
maintaining Krishna
consciousness.
At some point,
s o m e
minds
began
to shift,
and maintaining Krishna consciousness
became tantamount with maintaining our
temples. And then the result was that
everyone was seen as a potential person to
help us maintain this temple. Of course,
there is nothing wrong in accepting people
to help us maintain the temple, but we
should not look at them like that. We have to
develop a different vision. As we said,
sometimes we develop a certain vision of
how we see each other, and it spreads also to
how we see the non-devotees. We have to
see them as Srila Prabhupada taught us to
see them. Prabhupada taught us to see every
living entity as a spiritual spark and part and
parcel of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. And he taught us by his own
example how we should preach Krishna
consciousness in order to fan that spark.
Prabhupada says in his Upadesamrita,
'We have established this Krishna
consciousness movement with a mood of
simply giving and now we are practically
seeing how many people are coming
forward enthusiastically to help us support
our efforts.' In other words, the spirit of
giving was always Srila Prabhupada's
motivation. And when the people would
come forward wanting to give something,
Prabhupada would continue to give to
them, by giving them some devotional
service.
Devotional service is a very rare and
valuable gift. Prabhupada writes in one
letter in 1972 that it is the responsibility of
the leaders to generate this atmosphere
where the devotees will voluntarily come
forward and rise to the occasion, and the
voluntary spirit should never be sup
pressed. Wanting to do
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how Srila Prabhupada
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brought us up in Krishna
consciousness, teaching 21
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 us how to want to give to Krishna and how
to give to Krishna.
Of course, it is not that there was no
discipline in the 70s. Certainly, Srila
Prabhupada was not promoting anarchy
and that everybody could do whatever
they wanted. But what Srila Prabhupada
was always very heavy on were the points
of attending mangala-arati, chanting 16
rounds daily, and hearing Srimad-
Bhagavatam. In other words, he was
bringing everybody together for practicing
Krishna consciousness. He said that if
devotees come together and practice this
way, then this voluntary spirit will naturally
come forward. These are the most
important ingredients of all of our temples,
and they should be the most important
ingredients of all the devotees' lives.
The substance should come first, and
the form will naturally follow. Without the
substance, we can keep on making
structures; making so many plans.
Sometimes devotees come up with these
big, big plans. And in their minds they
have everything in place. They are
thinking, "It is already done. I have got
everything figured out. Now what I have
to do is to get somebody to do it." But it
does not work that way.
Srila Prabhupada always said, "This is a
voluntary movement." We are voluntarily
coming and surrendering our lives to
serving Krishna. We have to make that
choice, but why do we make that choice?
Because the inspiration to surrender to
Krishna is coming. When that inspiration
continues to come, then naturally the
devotees will come forward and
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take part in some very
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22 b i g p l a n s , a s I
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practically observe
nal. Devo
when I go to Chowpatty. There is a plan,
everybody just voluntarily conforms to it,
and it just expands and expands and
expands. And new people are coming,
more counselor groups are coming, more
committees are being established to help
each other, and most of this is going on
outside the temple.
Of course, everyone comes to the temple for
the Sunday feast. When I was there, there were
about 2000 people, and this is growing,
growing and growing. All the devotees outside
the temple cook the feast, buy the bhoga, serve
out the feast, clean up after the feast - they do
everything. It is all done by the devotees
outside the temple.
But that is not the only service they do.
During the week, they have their regular
meetings. They come together and have their
counselor groups every week. And the
counselors have their meetings; they come
together and meet with each other. A small
part of the meeting is for organization.
During the rest of the meeting, somebody
gives a presentation from Prabhupada's
books. After the presentation there is at least a
30-minute philosophical discussion on the
presentation, and all the devotees are
contributing and taking part in the
philosophical discussion. These things are
going on every day in different homes and in
the temple.
As a result, with time, Chowpatty has
grown into a very large community of
devotees who are developing ways to give
each other support in Krishna
consciousness. They have thought about
what ways they can use their skills, and
have formed new committees: a
committee that helps devotees with
businesses; a committee that helps
devotees with their marriage; a committee
that helps brahmacaris who want to get
married and to help them and take their
needs out of the temple so that it does not
have to be dealt within the temple. It is all
done by the householders outside.
Actually, there are not that many
brahmacaris who want to become
householders in Chowpatty. I have noticed
when I go there every year that the same
brahmacaris are still in the asram. Mac-citta
mad-gatah-prana bodhayantah parasparam
- they come together and are hearing and
chanting with each other. They have very
strict sadhana and a very simple life.
Nobody has their own rooms in the
brahmacari asram. Everybody sleeps on the
temple room floor. They have a little
cabinet, where they keep all their
possessions. Year after year, they are fully
satisfied to go on living like that, because
they have a taste for hearing and chanting
with each other, and every night they go out
and preach at the colleges. Every week there
are usually about 50-60 programs at the
various universities throughout Bombay.
Of course, there is interdependency
between the brahmacaris and
householders. The brahmacaris are
dependent upon the householders,
because they are helping to maintain the
temple. And householders are also
dependent upon the brahmacaris, who are
preaching to them. Householders should
also be giving in charity to help to support
the brahmacaris. They have very wonderful
relationships between the brahmacaris and
the householders. If a brahmacari even
makes one disparaging statement about a
householder's asrama, he is asked to leave
the temple asrama, and is not even given a
second chance. This is because there is
proper respect for each other.
Many of the householders do just as
much as the brahmacaris. They are
working full-time, some of them are
doctors, some of them are administrators,
they have businesses, they are supporting
their families, but in the evenings they are
hearing and chanting in the association of
others. And they are also helping to
support the temple. This is the community.
And we all, to some degree, need to feel
some support. Of course, to the degree
that we are sheltered in the holy name, to
that degree we are able to live in a
completely renounced way, and to that
degree we will be less dependent. The
more we are dependent on the holy name,
the more strength we get from the holy
name. Although I am talking about the
structure, or form, I have to be very careful
to not impress this structure upon you in
such a way that you forget about the
substance, and immediately start creating
many different committees. It is not that
everybody should start running forward to
build some structures, hoping that if we
have a good structure, then we'll have a
nice family. It does not work like that.
Substance always comes first and the form
follows.
Prabhupada once said, "If you are
preaching, then management will follow
like a shadow." Thus, when the inspiration
is there, people will come forward. We may
have ideas in our minds of what we would
like to create, but they can never be created
to the exclusion of preaching. When we try
to create the form and neglect the substance
(hearing and chanting about Krishna), we
may get a very nice structure with a hard
shell on the outside, but if it's hollow on the
inside, it will just collapse. We can't build
our Krishna consciousness on emptiness.
We can build our Krishna consciousness on
Krishna consciousness only. We have to
learn how to change this vision or
perspective. It's a major shift in
consciousness for some - to think of the
welfare of others and how to bring others up
in Krishna consciousness. But everything
else about how to support and maintain the
structure will automatically follow, because
the inspiration will be there. Many of you
are living outside the temple, and some of
you may be thinking, "I do not know how to
do this in my temple. I do not see how
anybody is going to get it together." But it
does not have to necessarily start with the
temple. Of course, the temple should be the
source of inspiration for all of its members.
What makes the temple is not just the
"Ifyou
"If youareare preaching,
preaching, then
then management
will follow like awill
management shadow."
follow Thus,
likewhen
a things will begin to develop. It is not
the inspiration
shadow." is there,
Thus, when people will come
the inspiration
forward.
is there, people will come forward.
building, but it is the devotees who are in the
temple and the devotees who are outside the
temple and connected to the temple. The
temple certainly can become a very favorable
place for creating this family and network of
devotees to help each other. It is probably one
of the best places to meet. But even if there
are no temples, devotees can certainly find
the ways to meet.
The most essential ingredient for
creating the atmosphere is caring.
Wanting a position, a label, an identity, or
wanting to support ourselves, our flat, our
household life, or our temple are
secondary to giving Krishna
consciousness selflessly. When we
develop this mood of giving Krishna
consciousness and caring for others in a
selfless way, then things will very
naturally grow. Although the counselor
system is a structure, what actually comes
first is the proper attitude of being a
counselor. To be a counselor, a person has
to be stable in his asram and in his Krishna
consciousness. When a person is stable, he
has learned how to deal with the problems
of life in a meaningful way, and how to
accept responsibility - human life means
responsibility. Any stable person in Krishna
consciousness can come to the platform of
becoming a counselor and thinking of the
welfare of others.
Prabhupada used to say that if you take
care of Krishna's devotees, Krishna takes
care of you. When a devotee feels support
from the spiritual master and the holy
name, he can give it to others, without
wanting anything in return. This is how to
expand Krishna consciousness - not by
looking at what everyone can do to "help
me." Rather, we should always be thinking,
"What can I do to help him?" The more the
devotees begin to practice it, they will
gradually begin to realize it, and then, very
naturally, strong, inseparable, caring
relationships begin to form - so much so that
devotees think, "How can I ever leave the
society of devotees?" Then we can go on
chanting Hare Krishna in the society of
devotees, developing taste for the holy name of
the Lord, for kirtan, and for hearing krishna-
katha. It does not make any difference
what status of life one is in. Lord Caitanya
made no discrimination between grhastha,
vanaprastha, brahmacari, or sannyasi.
Similarly, Srila Narottama dasa Thakura
says in his bhajan, "It does not make any
difference whether you are a brahmacari,
grhastha, vanaprastha or sannyasi; if you
become happy by taking part in Lord
Caitanya's sankirtana movement, I want to
associate with you." This is the proper basis
for association in Krishna consciousness.
Everybody should try to create this spirit in
their temples. Don't force it on anybody, but
preach about it with care, and you will see that
impossible. It just takes a lot of work and faith
in everything that Srila Prabhupada gave us.
Srila Prabhupada gave us the perfect formula
for Krishna consciousness by giving us
Krishna consciousness. If we have faith in the
formula he gave us and we spread Krishna
consciousness in the way that he spread it to
us, with faith in guru and Krishna, faith in the
holy name, our preaching will be successful.
Consider Prabhupada's faith in
the holy name when he was in New York
City in Tompkins Square Park. With very
little money, he did not even have karatals
and mrdanga. He just simply went out by
himself with a little drum (this drum is still
in the New York temple). With this drum,
Prabhupada would just sit there with full
faith in the holy name. He started this
movement like this. He spread this
movement like this. And he left us with
this method of spreading Krishna
consciousness.
Because of my experiences of
having seen that somehow this discussion
about the holy name is having some effect,
I have great faith that we should simply go
on preaching the glories of the holy name
and the glories of Krishna's pure devotee
Srila Prabhupada, and that we should
fulfill Srila Prabhupada's greatest wish:
"Chant and be happy."
....To be Continued
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23
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 Advaita Gosvami, when performing the sraddha ceremony of his
father, offered him the first plate. Haridasa Thakura is
exceptional for his forbearance because although he was beaten
with canes in twenty-two marketplaces by the demons,
nevertheless he was tolerant. Similarly, Sri Sanatana Gosvami,
although he belonged to a most respectable brahmana family,
was exceptional for his humility and meekness.
Sanatana Gosvami later described the glories of Haridasa
Thakura. It is understood that Advaita Prabhu, at one time, was in
His own paternal house at Santipura. Haridasa Thakura
frequently used to meet Him. Coincidentally, therefore, he was
also there, and upon the birth of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu both
of them immediately began to dance. But no one in Santipura
could understand why those two saintly persons were dancing.
On the maha-prakasa day, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu embraced
Haridasa Thakura and informed him that he was none other than
an incarnation of Prahlada Maharaja. When Haridasa Thakura
and Rupa Gosvami saw that all the devotees were accepting
prasada and chanting the holy name of Hari, they both were
greatly pleased. Namacarya Haridasa Thakura, the authority on
the chanting of the holy name, said, "The chanting of the Lord's
holy name to indicate something other than the Lord is an
Haridas Thakur
instance of namabhasa. Even when the holy name is chanted in
this way, its transcendental power is not destroyed. Namacarya
Haridasa Thakura continued, "If one offenselessly utters the
Coincidentally,
therefore, he was
holy name even imperfectly, one can be freed from all the results
of sinful life. As Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu heard this from
Calcutta. Haridasa Thakura, being the
acarya of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-
mantra, is called Namacarya Haridasa
Thakura. From his personal example we can
understand that chanting the Hare Krsna
mantra and becoming highly elevated in
Krsna consciousness is very simple.
Without difficulty one can sit down
anywhere, especially on the bank of the
Ganges, Yamuna or any sacred river, devise
a sitting place or cottage, plant a tulasi, and
before the tulasi chant the Hare Krsna maha-
mantra undisturbed. Throughout the entire
day and night, he would chant the sixteen
names of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. One
should not, however, imitate Haridasa
Thakura, for no one else can chant the Hare
Krsna maha-mantra 300,000 times a day.
Such chanting is for the mukta-purusa, or
liberated soul. We can follow his example,
however, by chanting our prescribed
number of rounds of the Hare Krsna maha-
mantra on beads every day and offering
respect to the tulasi plant. This is not at all
difficult for anyone, and the process of
chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra with
a vow before the tulasi plant has such great
Caitanya Mahaprabhu took prasada in the
houses of Vaisnavas. This is the general
process. Aspiring Vaisnavas are advised not
to take food from anywhere but a Vaisnava's
or brahmana's house where Deity worship is
performed. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has
said, visayira anna khaile dusta haya mana:
if a devotee takes alms or
food from the house of a karmi who is
simply interested in money, his mind will be
unclean. We must always remember that a
devotee's life is one of vairagya-vidya, or
renunciation and knowledge. Therefore all
With faith and reverence
the prostitute associated
with Haridasa Thakura,
who personally treated
her material disease by
chanting the Hare Krsna
maha-mantra

H aridas Thakur is known as Namaacharya Haridas. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu

appeared he chanted the holy names of the Lord and all that heard Him became
Namaacharyas. Haridas Thakur was empowered to set the perfect example of surrender to the
also there, and
upon the birth of
Haridasa Thakura, the happiness within His heart increased, but
as a matter of course, He still inquired further. Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu derives great pleasure from glorifying His
spiritual potency that simply by doing this
one can become spiritually strong.
Therefore we request everyone to follow
devotees are warned not to live
Sri Caitanya devotees, and among the devotees, Haridasa Thakura is the unnecessarily luxurious lives at the cost of
holy name. His faith and devotion to the chanting of the holy name is unparalleled. "He has Haridasa Thakura's example rigidly.
said that simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, one can become free from all Mahaprabhu both foremost. The transcendental qualities of Haridasa Thakura are others. Grhasthas living within the
Chanting rounds does not take much time, delivers a fallen soul by a transcendental by occasionally chanting in imitation, "O
misery".He has shown us that those who are actually servants of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu of them innumerable and unfathomable. One may describe a portion of jurisdiction of the temple must be especially
nor is offering respects to the tulasi plant trick. A prostitute came to pollute Haridasa my Lord Hari, O my Lord Hari." The
must seriously distribute this chanting all over the world to render the greatest benefit to them, but to count them all is impossible. No one can describe all careful not to imitate karmis by acquiring
immediately difficult. The process has immense spiritual
the qualities of Haridasa Thakura. One may say something about opulent clothing, food and conveyances. As Thakura but he took it as his duty to deliver conclusion is that associating with a
human society. Of course, animals and other lower species are not capable of understanding potency. One should not miss this
the science of Krsna, but if even a small number of living beings take it seriously, by their
began to dance. them just to purify himself. Haridasa Thakura constructed a far as possible, these should be avoided. the prostitute. As clearly demonstrated here, Vaisnava, chanting the holy name of the
opportunity. In the days of Haridasa
chanting loudly, all living entities, including even trees, animals and other lower species, will But no one in cottage in a solitary forest. There he planted a tulasi plant, and in Devotees whether grhastha, brahmacari or the process of deliverance is very simple. Lord and offering obeisances to the tulasi
Thakura, all the brahmanas worshiped
front of the tulasi he would chant the holy name of the Lord sannyasi, must practice a life of With faith and reverence the prostitute plant or a Vaisnava all lead one to become a
be benefited. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired from Haridasa Thakura how he was to Santipura Narayana in the form of the salagrama-sila.
renunciation, following in the footsteps of
benefit living entities other than humans, Srila Haridasa Thakura replied that the Hare 300,000 times daily. He chanted throughout the entire day and Therefore begging alms from a brahmana's associated with Haridasa Thakura, who transcendental devotee who is completely
could understand night. Haridasa Thakura and the six Gosvamis. personally treated her material disease by cleansed of all material
a l .D e Krsna maha-mantra is so potent that if it is chanted loudly, everyone will benefit, house meant taking krsna-prasada, which is
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including the lower species of life. The twentieth branch of the Caitanya tree The village of Benapola is situated in the district of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. contamination. ur
transcendental (nirguna). If we take food
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saintly persons Yasohara, which is now in Bangladesh. Benapola is near the
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was Haridasa Thakura. His character was wonderful. He used to chant the Although the prostitute had an ulterior

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from the house of others, such as karmis, we
Banagano station, which is at the border of Bangladesh and may and fall down from spiritual life.
24 holy name of Krsna 300,000 times a day without fail. There is no end to the were dancing. shall have to share the qualities of those motive, somehow or other she got the
e
te

We can clearly see how a Vaisnava 25

te
ur
be reached by the eastern railway from Shelda Station in

u
nal. Devo rna
transcendental qualities of Haridasa Thakura. He was so exalted that from whom we take alms. Therefore Sri association of a Vaisnava and satisfied him l. Devo
 especially the grhasthas. No. That is not good. You
should take prasadam. Krsna baro doyamoy, koribare
Prasadam
jihwa jay, swa-prasad-anna dilo bhai, sei annamrta pao,
radha-krsna-guna gao, preme dako caitanya-nitai.
Krsna baro doya... Our tongue is the greatest enemy. Ta
'ra madhye jihwa ati, lobhamoy sudurmati. The tongue
is the greatest enemy, and if you can control the tongue,
then you can control all the senses. Otherwise tongue
will dictate, "Give me this kind of food, give me this
The Lord's Mercy kind of food." And if you don't take prasadam in the
temple, then our tongue will dictate, "Now you can
Food prepared in pure consciousness with pure prepare some nice food. Let us take it." That will not
products and offered with love to the Lord. help us in our Krsna consciousness. Whatever Krsna...,
krsna baro doyamoy, koribare jihwa jay. Krsna-prasada
means to control the tongue. Our main enemy is the
tongue. In another place it is said, sevonmukhe hi
Srila Prabhupada Lecture on jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah: "God realization
becomes by keeping the tongue engaged in the service
Srimad-Bhgavatam, of the Lord." Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. The tongue has
07-01-75, Denver to be first of all engaged, not the hands and legs. "I have
to serve Krsna. So yes, I am ready. I am expanding my
hands. I am going there." But sastra says, "No, no, no.
K rsna prasadam is perfect food, and
engaging the tongue in prasada-seva is
the perfect method for cultivating spiritual
Not your hands and legs but your tongue. This is the
one. First of all engage your tongue." This is
astonishing: "How can I serve with tongue? If I have to
health. It is easy to blur the line between our serve, I have got my hands and legs, my eyes and I..."
efforts at creating spiritual health and our No. Sastra says tongue. This is very peculiar.
efforts to maintain a healthy material body. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. If
you engage your tongue... So how to engage my
These two are not synonymous. At the same time, keeping healthy
tongue? What is the business of my tongue? Two
and fit is clearly important since good health influences and business only: to taste, or eat, and chant. Chant Hare
supports our energetic preaching.
Krsna with tongue and take krsna-prasadam--you will
In the following lecture, Srila Prabhupada explains that Krsna
conquer Krsna. This is the program. Sevonmukhe hi
Consciousness is the only way to fight the real disease, which is our lack of God jihvadau. So if you do not control your tongue, if you
consciousness. feel inconvenient in taking prasadam, that means you
"But unfortunately, we are not interested in purifying, but we are interested are not making progress. This is the formula.
to be more implicated by being impure. A diseased man, if he is to be cured, he Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah.
nal .Devo
ur must follow the rules and regulations as prescribed by the physician. And if he
So in our other branches, all the devotees, they take
te
Care Jo
e
does not follow the rules and regulations-whatever he likes, he does--then the
Care Jo
together prasadam. That is nice. Why one should be not
26 disease will increase. We shall be careful to follow the rules and regulations.
e
liking to take prasadam in the temple? What is the
te
ur
nal. Devo
And another complaint I was hearing that we are not taking prasadam, fault? No, this is not good. We should... Everyone
"When we cook foodstuffs in the kitchen for eating
ourselves, it is a different thing from the foodstuff
which is prepared and offered to Krishna. The same
dahl, rice is material for one purpose but the same
thing becomes spiritual when it is dovetailed with
Krishna. So on the higher platform, there is nothing
material when everything is accepted in relationship
with Krishna or the Supreme Spirit."
Srila Prabhupada
Letter to Bhagavan, 01-10-70
So anyone who is chanting Hare
Krsna, he is in samadhi. Anyone who is
cooking for Krsna, he is in samadhi.
Anyone who is typing for Krsna, he is in
samadhi. Anyone who is working in the
field for Krsna, he is in samadhi.
Because his consciousness is that "I am
doing here for satisfaction of Krsna."
Anukulyena krsnanusilanam.
Anusilanam, cultivation of Krsna
knowledge favorably, not unfavorably.
Then it is perfection. Bhaktir uttama.
Anukulyena. Anyabhilasita-sunyam.
When you cook, if you think, "Oh, this
nice thing is being cooked. I shall eat it
very nicely," then it is not Krsna. But
while cooking, if you think, "Let me do it
very nicely so that Krsna will taste it," it
''
is Krsna consciousness. The same
thing. Activity is the same, but the
consciousness is different. That is
samadhi. So samadhi is not very
extraordinary thing. One has to become
simply serious and sincere to Krsna.
Then he is in samadhi. That is confirmed
in the Bhagavad-gita.
- Srila Prabhupada Lecture on
Srimad-Bhagavatam, 06-13-69,
New Vrindaban
should take prasadam. You see still if you go to
Jagannatha Puri. Even outsiders who go there, they do not
cook. Strictly, they do not cook. They purchase
nal .Devo
prasadam. And if you go there, one thousand ur
te
e Care Jo
e
men--because there are pilgrims, they are
Care Jo
coming, there is no--you will get
immediately ready prasadam, purchased 27
te
u
rna
l. Devo

from the market, the Jagannatha Puri, still. And there is no
such thing as infection. I am taking your prasadam
remnants. Whatever you left, I am... He is taking. Even if
you are outcaste, if you are not brahmana, still there is.
Because prasada is transcendental. It is not material thing.
So one must have faith that it is not material. It cannot be
infected by any material things. In this way prasada should
be taken. It is called prasada-seva, not "prasada enjoyment."
Seva means giving service. Prasada is as good as Krsna;
therefore prasada should be respected as good as Krsna. As
soon as one gets prasadam, immediately he touches on the
head because it is Krsna, absolute. In this way we have to be
trained up as it is prescribed in the sastras.
So those who are attached to Krsna consciousness
movement and those who are attached to the service,
they should take prasadam, first-class prasadam.
Everyone likes the taste of the prasadam. I used to go in
my household life to take prasadam in the temples and
pay them. I used to do that. And I used to go... Especially
in Sri Ramapur, there are two temples, one of
Jagannatha and one of Radha-Vallabhaji. So it was very nice. On Sunday I used to go to take prasadam. So you should be
habituated to prasadam as far as possible unless you are very sick, you cannot take. That is different. Otherwise you should
take it. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. Then we will remember Krsna, and that will keep us fit and immune from all infection of
''
material miserable condition."
I have noted your questions carefully,
and regarding your question about the
Prasadam recipes; Krishna is offered
foodstuff in goodness. The foodstuffs in
the modes of goodness are wheat, rice,
pulse (beans, peas), sugar, honey, butter
and all milk preparations, vegetables,
flowers, fruits, grains. So these foods
can be offered in any shape, but
ur
n a l .Devo prepared in various ways by the
te
intelligence of the devotees. The
Care Jo
e Care Jo
ingredients are always the
28
e
te
ur
nal. Devo
same as above, whether you fry them,
boil them, bake them, powder them, or
whatever way they are combined or
cooked, the idea is that they must come
from this group of foodstuffs. So you can
make your own recipe if you like, so long
as the ingredients are within this group.
This foods group is stated by Krishna in
the Bhagavad-gita, and we follow
accordingly. Now the thing is that you
must consider by whom you are being
taught what is healthy and what is not
''
The devotee should not be anxious
about cooking food; whatever is
available in the forest or in the city
among the fruit and vegetable groups
should be offered to the Deity, and the
devotee should be satisfied eating that.
He should not be anxious to have very
palatable dishes. Of course, wherever it
is possible, one should offer the Deities
the best foodstuffs, prepared within the
category of fruits and vegetables,
''
cooked or uncooked. The important
factor is that the devotee should be
regulated (mita-bhuk); that is one of the
good qualifications of a devotee. He
should not hanker to satisfy the tongue
with a particular kind of foodstuff. He
should be satisfied to eat whatever
prasada is available by the grace of the
Lord.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 4:8:56 Purport
healthy. What is their authority? Actually,
''
this healthy and non-healthy is a material
consideration, and we are simply
interested in what Krishna wants, so we
offer to Him to eat whatever He wants.
And He asks for food preparations from
within this group. I hope this will clarify
the questions about Prasadam
preparations for you to understand.
- Srila Prabhupada Letter, 11-13-68
Bhakta Vighna Vinasa
Jaya Nrsimhadeva!!
T his is about an ISKCON devotee police officer who fought theterrorists during
the siege of the Taj last year. This excerpt is from Badrinarayan Prabhu's
lecture on 20th February 2009, at Mayapur:
Radhanath Maharaja told me a very blissful story the other day and he said I
could use it. So here goes! There was that Taj Hotel where the terrorists attacked.
They were fighting in there for three days, complete carnage. The terrorists had
arranged in such a way that they would always be up higher.
They would shoot from a lower vantage point down. Radhanath
Maharaja told me this. They had all these grenades and they would throw the
grenades and the grenades would create so much smoke that if you were down
looking up you couldn't see anything.
Picture that you are one of these soldiers or police officers and
you are in this cloud of smoke and up above you there is this hail of bullets from the
terrorists shooting at you. One of those soldiers was one of our devotees. At one point,
they were trying to chase these people through the
hotel. They were trapped. The terrorist were throwing all these grenades, they
are in a complete cloud of smoke. They couldn't see one foot in front of their face.
They couldn’t see left, right or anything and this hail of bullets is
being fired at them. Just a wall of bullets coming at them.
This devotee police officer, with two other police officers on either side, he was in
the middle, he actually was completely helpless. He couldn't see left, right, he couldn't
see his colleagues. He remembered that he had on his ring tone on his phone
Nrsimhadeva prayers. He began playing the Nrsimhadeva prayers and praying
intently to Lord Nrsimhadeva, "Please I am absolutely helpless. I am going to die.
Save me, I'm in an absolutely hopeless state."
When the shooting stopped, the smoke cleared, his friend to theright and his
friend to the left were completely killed, riddled with bullets and he was unscathed.
In front of him, which he couldn't see at the time, was a giant pillar. And because
they were shooting at him the pillar protected him.
He thought, "Just as Lord Nrsimhadev came out of the pillar to save Prahlada,
He put a pillar here to save me!"