reflections dec13

8/13/2019 Reflections Dec13

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W

e find in the purport

of the Nectar of

Instruction, text six,

Even if a devotee sometimes

seems to be engaged in abominable

activities, he should be considered

a sadhu, a saintly person, because

his actual identity is that of one

engaged in the loving service of the

Lord. In other words, he is not to be considered an ordinary

human being. We sometimes get angry at a person for

being dirty, even though that person may be in the shower

getting clean. The point is that yes, there is some dirt, but

uch person is becoming clean by taking a shower. Should

we then throw them out or consider them to be useless,

reating them like an outcaste or getting angry? When a

devotee behaves like a non-devotee, becomes angry at

n authority or the authority gets angry at the devotee in

n excessive way, it can easily result in aparadha. Srila

Prabhupada wrote in a letter to Vrinda devi on October 14,

971, I have noted your several complaints against the

devotees but it would be better to set the example rather than

o criticize the defects of the devotees. We should always

emember that we recruit members from people in general.

t is not expected that every one of our members should be

mmediately to the standard qualification. The best thing

or you is to set the example by your personal behavior and

ry to reform the others, not by criticizing but by friendly

behavior. Its easy to criticize. The real challenge for us

s to help improve the situation by helping in some way,

specially by setting a good example ourselves.

Lord Nityananda made it very clear that in this age

we dont kill the Jagais and Madhais (icons of immorality),

but rather we attempt to make them devoteeswe help

mprove their qualities and character. This will show others

he potency of Krishna consciousness. Haridasa Thakura

ould have belittled the prostitute who tried to seduce him by

aying, How can you possibly approach me? I am a sadhu.

He could have cursed her and cursed all the generations

onnected with her, or cursed her to get leprosy. Although

he came with ill intent, he raised her consciousness. There

re dozens and dozens of examples in our literature which

learly show that we are not supposed to attack only the

influence of Maya, but we must attempt to upgrade

improve an unfortunate situation. It is one thing to att

and then to get into a tit for tat mentality or comba

pattern. Our position is to not waste energy in trying to

down, defeat, or combat others because it wastes ene

Even if we are successful in defeating materialistic id

we have wasted valuable time in combat.

Sometimes people know they are going to los

argument, but they want to slow things down. They w

to hurt us, and since they dont care if they lose, they w

to inflict as much damage as they can. Some people

unleash an onslaught of revenge, hatred, and enmity

to create suffering. This happens in the legal system a

There are times when people harass others through exces

litigation even though they know they will eventu

lose, because they want the opposing parties to suffer

struggle. This is a dangerous aspect of Mayas tactics

try to get Vaisnavas distracted from their actual miss

The result is that when the devotees try to go about the

business of distributing the mercy of Lord Caitanya, t

have less enthusiasm, less energy, less resources, and

eagerness.

This is Mayas espionage: Maya enters into

environment wherever there is devotion. She seeks

those who are the carriers of devotion and influences t

to become enemies or to attack each other. Anyone

criticize. We may criticize any leader, any authority

criticize any devotee, but how much do we step forw

to help, how much do we try to set the example of Kris

consciousness. If one does not immediately leave u

hearing the Lord or the Lords devotees blasphem

he falls down from devotional service. That means

vaisnava-aparadha is so heavy, that even if we are

committing offenses, but remain in an environment

permits them, our creepers will gradually weaken. We m

not be criticizing devotees, but if others are engagin

such criticism, by constantly hearing such criticism

devotion will be weakened. If someone repeatedly

you about their problems with another Vaisnava, you h

to let them know that you dont want to hear it: Prabh

there anything good about that person? Prabhu, how

we help this person? We should put a stop to that crit

type of conversation. It does not mean that we are be

arrogant; rather, we are obligated to protect our devoti

creepers. Prabhu, what can we do to help? Get t

to reflect, or let them know that please, dont drop al

this on me because I do not want to have my devoti

experience shortened or limited.

Help Peers Rather Than Criticizeby His Holiness B.T. Swami

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It was approximately 1996 or

1997 at the Institute House

in Harwood, MD, which was

newly built by Madhvacarya and

Kunti. At any rate, Maharaja wasgetting ready to go away to a

speaking engagement. Aja was his

driver. For some reason, I got this

bright idea that, as he was leaving,

would blanket the sidewalk with flower petals in his path

s he was walking to the car.

So the moment came. As I gauged the time that he

would come down the stairs, I rushed out ahead of him.

After he put his shoes on and stepped outside, I was already

here on the sidewalk dropping flower petals just ahead of

him. About midway on his way to the car, he looked at mend said, Oh Jambavati, stop messing up the yard.

Im sure he realized that, with my neophyte

mentality, I was simply show bottling in terms of my

doration. I was making a show of my reverence and my

mood was that of guruworship and not at all appropriate

or the time, place, and circumstance.

I never, ever did that again. Afterwards, I think the

only time I showered petals was during guru-pujawhen it

was appropriate.

How did you join the International Society for Krishna

Consciousness?

In my college days in the mid-

90s, I developed an interest in

paranormal and extra-terrestrial

phenomena, while also beinginquisitive about Eastern

spirituality. Even though I grew

up in a church-going Greek

Orthodox family in a small

city, attended private Christian

schools, and was even an altar boy,

I lost interest in religious matters

ater in my teenage years. This along with not having any

prominent spiritual role models who resonated in my life, I

more or less considered myself an agnostic. However, after

meeting a somewhat spiritually-oriented girlfriend right

before returning from DC to continue college after a

years hiatus, my path was revealed for the better.

This girlfriend was my vartma-pradarsaka-g

or teacher who first gave me information and inclina

towards spiritual life in the context of Krishna consciousn

I recall early in our relationship that we were havin

conversation over a phone call and she inquired about

beliefs. I responded that I considered myself more or

an agnostic. This response concerned her and she responthat in order for us to develop a deeper relationship, sh

have to be with someone who had spiritual inclinati

After that call, I was motivated through attachment to

to make the first serious prayer that I can recall. I essent

prayed something like, God, if You actually exist, if

are real and it is in my best interest to surrender and s

you, then I will do so fully. And that was that

She later explained more to me about the H

Krishnas and her involvement with devotees in the p

I was open to it, but not that much proactively interes

However, some time later, while walking down the stat my university, a plain looking kid inquired if I

interested in Eastern philosophy. I replied somethin

the extent that I was open to it and he then presented

a Science of Self-Realizationfor which I gave a donat

Upon showing the book to my girlfriend, she said

this is Srila Prabhupada, the founder of the Hare Kris

movement that she mentioned to me on occasion befor

In the time to come, she showed me a box fu

books which included Bhagavad-Gita and many sm

BBT books. In time, I became absorbed in reading t

and gradually gained a little taste and faith. There wa

temple in the city I was living nor practicing devotees,

I had the books and she even gave me her chanting be

Once I moved to the Washington D.C. area after colleg

was able to have regular association with devotees and

to the temple often.

How did you meet your spiritual master?

I was introduced to Bhakti Tirtha Swami

weekend program in suburban Maryland via my thgirlfriends devotee associate with whom she connected

I consider him a vartma-pradarsaka-guru as well. W

this girlfriend introduced me to Krishna consciousness

cultivated my interest and supported me through the

I received initiation and thereafter. It was he who brou

me to the program and arranged for me to meet with Bh

Tirtha Swami in person. Prior to this, I had listened to s

of his lecture recordings and perhaps read an earlier b

of his.

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Memories of His Holiness B.T. Swamiby Jambavati dasi

Devotee Spotlight: Jayananda dasa


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What are your current services and what services enthuse

you the most in your spiritual life?

My primary service is serving as the North American

Minister for the ISKCON Deity Worship Ministry. Serving

under His Grace Nrsimha Kavaca prabhu (Global Minister),

we both offer full-time service for Deity worship related

matters within ISKCON.

Aside from this, I have been residing in Mayapur for

around five months a year for the last few years serving as

an administrator of the Mayapur Academy along with co-

facilitating a couple units of our yearly course that begins in

Karttika and finishes on Nityananda Trayodasi.

Secondly, I am one of the currently active members of Hari-

Nama Pressthe publisher of Bhakti Tirtha Swamis books.

particularly work with the website aspects and eBooks.

Additionally, I have more recently been involved with the

editing, layout, and printing of our last book publication

entitled Surrender: The Key to Eternal Life.

Lastly, there is a GBC-related project that I offer some

contribution towards for getting the ISKCON Law Book

content better organized and reformatted into a digital file for

easier accessing and searching.

All these services have different aspects that enthuse

me. The Deity Worship Ministry seva inspires me to continually

earn and share with others a primary anga of devotional

ervice that Srila Prabhupada established and emphasized for

SKCON. The Hari-Nama Press service is gratifying because

t is a direct service to my spiritual master. The ISKCON

Lawbook service, while being a relatively small project, is

fulfilling because it will make a small contribution toward

having more informed members of ISKCON.

How have you been able to apply the instructions of your

piritual master to your own life?

I cannot say that I have successfully accomplished

his. I can say that during and after his passing in 2005, I

became more appreciative of what he has offered to me and

many others in the service of Srila Prabhupada. As a result, I

have attempted to further dedicate myself to the process, for

both my own ultimate benefit, as well to hopefully becomeable to assist others. I feel quite guilty that I wasnt a sufficient

disciple prior to him leaving the planet, and thus this gives

me some impetus to attempt to grow internally so that I may

better please him now. Better late than never as they say

How do you see Krishna manifesting His mercy in your life?

s there a personal event where this has been evident?

While I was in Vrindavan during Karttika 2009, I

prayed that, while I was thankful for the financial situation

hat my employment offered, I requested that it all be taken

away if there was an alternative route that Krishna dee

more beneficial for me. Upon returning to my job in the U

I and some others on my team were unexpectedly dismi

shortly thereafter. Since then, I have had the fortune of

far being able to offer fulltime direct service to ISKCON

spending half my time in Sridhama Mayapur.

While there are usually financial challenges (real or percei

from time to time for most of us, after having a taste

always being engaged with more direct service and ha

more opportunity for association with devotees, I cant ha

consider going back to a life where so much of my time

energy was dedicated to mundane business in the associa

of many non-devotees.

What do you see as the most significant obstacle facing

expansion of the Hare Krishna movement? How do

feel that devotees can tackle this obstacle?

We are our own most significant obstacle in

expansion of the Hare Krishna movement. However, it

expand one way or another according to Lord Caitanyas s

will. We simply have the great fortune for an opportunit

get the credit and glory of being an instrument. While exte

resistance may be there, the biggest trick of Maya is to cr

schisms within devotee relationships and groups w

ISKCON. As weve seen, this creates havoc. The solutio

that we recognize this and perform acts that will purify

own hearts. Most of us need to work on ourselves first

foremost. How can we offer something of sufficient qu

and quantity if we dont possess it ourselves?

Copyright 2011 Hari-Nama Press

All rights reserved. No part of this newsletter may be

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitte

in any form, by any means, including mechanical,

electronic, photocopying, recording, or other wise,

without prior written consent of the publisher.

Hari-Nama Press gratefully acknowledges the BBT

for the use of verses, purports and photos from

Srila Prabhupadas books. All such material are Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.

Designed by Tamal Krsna dasa

Edited by Lila Katha devi dasi

Photo of Bhakti Tirtha Swami: 2005 Lawson Knig

Laksmivan dasa ACBSP

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