These days we have been in a marathon visiting Mahaprabhu's temples of northern Colombia and Venezuela.
It's been an intense journey planning the details of the preaching effort. When you're a preacher sometimes you feel tired, but just thinking about the example of Srila Prabhupada, who at 69 years old traveled to the West led by His love without borders, risking his health, his comfort in the Radha Damodar temple, etc ... to only remember this one does not have anything to complain about.
Srila Prabhupada had everything, he lived in Vrindavan, in one of the most beautiful temples and decided to give it all up because of his intense love for the souls of the West. If it was not love that moved Srila Prabhupada then what was it? What else could move an older man to start such a big task? Only love. And after seeing all that Srila Prabhupada did, what is the task that remains for us?
Our job is to continue and maintain all the wonderful things Srila Prabhupada left us. Then comes the second question: How do we do something nice for Srila Prabhupada?Everything is based on the art of kindness, kindness is the gesture of giving love. And all that is related to love is positive. That is basic. It is common sense.
Even in the ancient cultures we have been taught that we must respect each other. Any hint of violence or abuse takes us further away from God. How do you make that love practical in your temple life?
In our sadhana bhakti, in the rounds we sing from the heart, in the temple services that are offered to the community, and in the conferences of the Bhagavad Gita that are there to rescue suffering souls.
Srila Prabhupada was so thorough in his love that he taught us everything even that which was the most basic: how to wear tilaka, how to wear a dhoti, how to respect nature, how to care for family ... He dedicated hours, days, months, years of his time for us to learn everything from the very beginning.
And if Prabhupada did that for us, why can't we do the same for the souls who come to our churches? All the inspiration to lead a life with respect for nature and animals comes from Srila Prabhupada and the temples are the schools that allow this tradition to be maintained and distributed to more and more people.
It is Sri Krishna through His boundless mercy who wants you to be part of His plan. That is the desire of our lives: that Sri Krishna includes us in His plans. That is the role of the spiritual master: to make sure that the disciple is trained and becomes qualified in serving Sri Krishna plans.
The Spiritual Master dedicates his life in forming spiritual leaders. And following the example of Srila Prabhupada, who dedicated the last stage of his beautiful life to be spiritual leaders with confidence and hope (even when lost) and today I call you to a Virtual Leadership Seminar.
The initial question of this seminar is: How to become a good leader? Well, every person is a potential seed. Theses seeds are loaded with energy and every devotee, every mother, every soul to me is a seed one of these seeds, a seed full of shakti. B. V. Acharya Maharaj, who is with us today was a seed. And a seed well planted and cared for with love and dedication bears good fruit just like Acharya Maharaj.
There are also seeds that are not grown properly. These are on the road and there are weeds growing between these very seeds. What is that weed? It is the result of what is generated from monstrous mentality. What do I mean by monstrous mentality? It's that attitude of wanting to grow at the expense of other seeds. The weed feed on other plants. They want to take advantage of others, while the right attitude is the one that wants to grow by helping others.
Is divine mentality versus demonic mentality, which of the two sides you want to place? If you want to cultivate divine qualities, then you must dedicate your life to the service of the Divine, to God's service. But if you want to take advantage of everything, and be like the asuras, then you must take the consequences.What consequences? The consequence of asuric life which results in samsara: the repeated births and deaths in the most diverse species of life. While the results of the life of the devas is closer to the Divine. The devas, however, must still fight with the demoniac nature that they have inside. Because demons are not just on the outside, but within each and everyone of us. Just as we have a saintly side, we also have a demoniac side.
Only we have to decide which one we will walk. With the saint or the devil? We will not always have the clarity and determination to choose the divine path. So then one must pray to Krishna and ask sincerely that He allows us to get out of this apathy and constant opposition.
Oh, my Lord, ordinary life swallows me, I do not offer anything good, but I'm there and I can not leave. I need good company, good partnership. Let me associate myself with your devotees 24 hours a day to monitor me and so that I may be saved from my wrongdoings. So we pray to Krishna. Being alone means being vulnerable to Maya
In front of a devotee one will not break their principles, nor will you harm others or cheat others ...a devotee is always going to lead you to the right path. So it is better to have a transparent life, because all the lies will come to light, either sooner or later. Everything you do has an equal and opposite reaction. That is the a, b, c of the spiritual life. If you pollute the earth, she'll deliver you contaminated food.
So now man has been charged with throwing all of their own waste water, inevitably contaminating almost everything, then that water goes into the field and is used for vegetation, its that very same water that man buys in the market. So the man will throw his feces into the water and then consequently he will take his own filth back into him.Action and reaction.
Therefore, my dear, pray to become servants of Truth, dedicated to transparency. Transparency gives peace of mind, and helps us in our spirituality. So, the key is totally depend on Krishna, with full confidence. No need to worry, Krishna is making all arrangements for the benefit of your soul. No need to strive for something fake (as in the material world all efforts are in vain). Just dedicate yourself to depend on Krishna.
As you sincerely surrender you will receive everything you need at the right time, I mean spiritual realizations (spiritual progress) rather than material goods.
People get used to accumulating and accumulate things and finally end up dedicating their life to the trash that they worked hard to get. A devotee does the opposite, they are dedicated to delivering and delivering and delivering to others what they have received (not just physically but spiritually)
There is a beautiful verse in the Bhagavad Gita (9.22) that illustrates this example:
ananyāś cintayanto māḿ
teṣāḿ nityābhiyuktānāḿ
"But those who always worship Me with exclusive devotion, meditating on My transcendental form, to them I carry what they lack and preserve what they have."Those who are devoted to Krishna receive everything they need from Krishna. Personally I'm a bad example, but I can see that this is real. When I arrived in South America I had nothing, except the company of Krishna and His devotees. Even so, out of pure mercy we have accomplished many things, beautiful farms and many beautiful souls have been inspired to be part of this family, offered to Srila Prabhupada.
Sure, the devotees have worked hard for all that, but they worked without seeking any personal gain, that is why Krishna has been so merciful. Our family is a very beautiful mission, but more so because we do not have much money, but still we live very luxuriously on farms, surrounded by waterfalls, wondrous trees, and amazing prasadam.
We are very fortunate. Krishna sends the food, He sends devotees He commands everyone :)
Srila Prabhupada said: "He who is unable to live for a moment without Krsna consciousness, who can not but think of Krishna 24 hours a day, who is engaged in devotional service through the process of hearing / singing / recording / offering prayers / worship / serving the Lotus Feet of the Lord / serving and making friends and offering your whole self to the Lord ... reaches the perfection of life.For all these activities are auspicious and full of spiritual power, which makes the worshiper perfect in terms of self-realization, so that his only desire is to get the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.To be with God one must simply sing his name. Those preaching about God are already with him.
Srila Prabhupada continues:
Undoubtedly, such a devotee reaches the Lord without difficulty. That is called yoga. By the mercy of the Lord, such a devotee never comes back to this material condition of life. Ksema The word refers to the merciful protection of the Lord. The Lord helps the devotee to acquire Krsna consciousness through yoga, and when the devotee becomes fully Krsna conscious the Lord protects him from falling into a life of desolation and conditioning.
The Bhagavad Gita is a spiritual manual that is completely practical, and it speaks very clearly on what we have to do. Krishna knows exactly where each soul is situated and according to that (what we need) He gives us mercy in the form of profits or losses.
We just have to worry about making the devotees happy and following the instructions of the spiritual master. The Guru knows what makes your soul happy.Krishna does not need your money. He needs your soul. You do not pay Krsna with bank transfers and finances, you pay with dedication and service.If the devotees are pleased with your service, then rest assured that Krishna will be pleased.
Bolivia passaged through these northern lands to free us from the Spaniards who came to completely destroy the ancient cultures of South America ... Srila Prabhupada himself came to free us from our own demon conquerors.Bolivia's sword represents freedom, our japa and teachings of Srila Prabhupada are the swords that cut our ignorance.
The purpose of a spiritual family is to be completely surrendered and fully dedicated. Just as in a blood family, parents do not charge their children for what they are given. They do it all for free. People usually do not understand this and are only troubled by it. What is the reason for our problems? Krishna is not in the center.
A deteriorating marriage becomes intact when Krishna is in the center. The economy is arranged with Krishna in the center. Personal complexities are arranged when Krishna is in the center. Uncontrollable desires are controlled when Krishna is arranged in the center.Preaching is the essence of our life. It is our occupation. Preaching means that we give the opportunity to someone else to do something nice for Krishna. So not only do you perform devotional service, but the other person does as well.
After all these words will you continue to be concerned about what you will eat tomorrow ... But did you not listen to Krishna? He Himself said, Do not worry, I'll take care of everything you need. Just worry to share this sweet message.
Thus, the purpose of my visit to all the temples is to keep the flame lit. The devotees who travel to the temples preaching and supporting the CBA attempt the very same, we can realize if we really appreciate what we have. What Krishna has given us.How do we know that we appreciate? Are we sharing with others what we have? I'd like to know something practical from all of you.
Does your facebook have invitations to participate in the programs of the temple?
Does your facebook promotes the farms in your city?
Does your facebook have at least 200 photos of the important preaching efforts in your country?
Does your facebook have information on the major projects of your Spiritual Master?
Does your facebook promotes visits your spiritual master?
Does your facebook promote solidarity in your spiritual family?
All these questions are just to check if in your every day activitiare if Krsna Consciousness is really taking precedence at all times.
I consider each of you a wonderful person whom I appreciate with all my heart, I appreciate all your efforts ... and I still want for all of you to become qualified spiritual leaders. That was the point of all this seminar.
We should qualify ourselves to be leaders to manage our temples like Srila Prabhupada taught us. Addressing people like Srila Prabhupada taught us. Serving others as Srila Prabhupada taught us.
So our meditation must be loaded with a strong experience of solidarity, love for others, to deliver Krishna to all the suffering souls. Solidarity to learn, to practice solidarity, solidarity with the family of Srila Prabhupada, preach and practice solidarity. Solidarity means leaving all Maya behind. Solidarity means having all our web pages up to date. Solidarity means inviting volunteers to our farms. Solidarity means being systematic. Solidarity to protect Mother Earth. Protecting Mother Earth is to maintain the connection with Mother Supreme, it is linked to Srimati Radharani and to be embraced by faith. Solidarity is to distribute Krishna prasadam. Solidarity is to deliver the nectar of divine knowledge to the souls. So my dear, be supportive ... Pray to surrender. Serve devotees.
Always preach the glories of Srila Prabhupada. A big hug from the heart.
With much affection.
Jay Srila Prabhupada!
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