Everyone must be given time, everyone should be given consideration. That is Krsna consciousness. 8/2/15. Montevideo

My dear devotees, mothers. A hug from Montevideo.

This morning meditation is about the importance of saints in our lives. When you are humble, you realize, how many great personalities are in your vicinity. When you are not humble you think: the saints are right there, or the saints appeared 2,000 years ago, or good, pr they were more generous 500 years ago. The lack of feeling for the presence of guardian saints makes us internally sad. When someone tells me that they are sad it is because they need a saint in their life.

And who are the saints?
The saints are those who try to make the best of themselves. Saints are not people who have never made a mistake. As the saying goes: every sinner has a future and every saint has a past. Krishna says: Even if a saint commits a serious mistake if he continues to serve he should be considered a saint (BG 9.30). Mama mia! It is hard! No, no, it's not hard, it's good, because the Lord is generous with his fallen servants. We make mistakes, but there is an error that is larger than other errors, that is: to see error where there is no error and report it, that's in the department of gossip ... mental planes.One who reports something that is not true is liable for an offense. Because:

vaco vegam manasah krodha-vegam

jihva-vegam udaropastha-vegam

etan vegan yo vishaheta dhirah

sarvam apimam prithivim sa sishyat

(Nectar of Instruction Text 1)

A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind's demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world.

Preaching is our core business. If we close our mouth, then how are we going to preach? But at the same time we must control the tongue. Therefore Srila Rupa Goswami gives us the formula for happiness. Srila Rupa Goswami gave it in the Sri Upadesamrta. He was a saint of Krishna consciousness. He knows all the difficulties that we will pass and just like Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in His Siksatakam, he will saves us if we pay attention. 

I remember another thing, we are in the world of territories. The material world is called the world of Maya. Maya means measuring. Above all we want to calculate lots, the territories: This is the measurement: O I am supervisor, you are supervised. What is the measurement between us? There are calculations everywhere not just measurements of the ground. There are measures in the bank, there are measures in privileges: Who can use the office car? Things like that. There are privileges, there are measure everywhere and where there is calculation there is Maya. So we're stuck in the world of calculation up to our heads. What do we do? We have to lose everything to realize that the measures are not really what they seem.

When you buy a home. What are the measures that need to be taken? First you have to obtain a deed. Without a deed the home is not yours because you have to be registered in the Land Registry. True? If Otherwise another person can still buy the house. When you do not register then you find yourself with a mess. Much has been sold, five times to five different people because they were not registered.
We're not sure who is registered with the Land Registry because you can only buy from someone who is registered with the Land Registry. Otherwise the sale is fictitious. I will sell you the beach in Montevideo. And how do you know its mine? Someone says, I would really like to buy it. When you go to the Land Registry they will send you to the police saying, there is a mad man who says that he owns the beach in Montevideo. All the deception began then. How can you say this? This is also called the law of conquest. Who occupies the space and has records of it is the owner. That is Maya, that's the war of the territories. And we have been trained from birth in the war of the territories. There are even areas that are private, they are the more confidential, those are the areas of the heart. You know how to enter there? That's another world. You know what it's called that world? The world of jealousy. Tremendous. Jealousy is calculative. Do not think that a measure is only one meter, a foot. No, no, no, there is another side to the measures of Maya. The measure is: i am wanted, not wanted, i am wanted, not wanted. The measure is whether I am wanted or not wanted.

A territorial example: I once was in Hungary. And a mother. Still my friend. She tells me: You and Swami only preach to young and pretty girls, you do not preach to us, you leave us alone. It was calculative. When you talk to A, when you talk to B, when you talk to C. I said to her: Lie. I do not talk much with you because you're already devoted and they are new and if they are not devotees they need more time to explain things to them. Now you think I don't care for you because you are an adult or because they are blondes? That is mundane. That is a territorial manifestation. Calculative.

Sure, everyone wants to be important and be seen. Do not worry, everyone is important because we are part of Krishna. And everyone who is part of Krishna is important. There is no one who can say: Only he or she is important. To God we are all important. That is the importance. Calculation is the beginning of all forms of deception, envy or jealousy. Or for example, there is another way that self-esteem is hurt. The education we received got teaches us that he who has not conquered land is nothing. But all territories, all actions, no matter what they are, are defeated by time.

The notary papers are useless in 500 years. A place has had many other owners in the past. No one will know who is the owner of any house. Well you know, no one owns the land. Even marriage is has measures. Well lets go to the judge and get married. Then the judge asks all the money that you make belongs to the both of you? People say: No, no, no, no. That I do not want. I want to marry, but I want to get married with my property remaining separate. That is another measure. He's taking another measure of whether the measure is favorable for him.

All measurements are estimates. And all measures are illusions that will reveal a failure in the end. That is why a devout person takes further action, and the devotee says: everything is Krishna. And what comes into my hands I will register in the name of Krishna. Because I want it for Krishna. And to register something in the name of Krishna is not easy. Go to the notary and declare: I want to donate this house to Lord Krishna. Who is Krishna? Give me the passport number. What is your warrant? And the reply will be: Oh no, he is God. Ah! Here God does can not register anything here. No one owns anything. Do you see the madness of these measures? You can not give God anything because God does not exist here legally. He is not Uruguayan, we are very sorry.

Look at India, you can legally register a property on behalf of a deity. And you can have two parents, the physical father carnal and the spiritual master. The Guru is a legal parent in India. When India I sign my name Paramadvaiti Swami son of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. This is legal because he is my Guru. As he was my guru, I have a duty to repeat what he taught.

And if someone sees Prabhupada today and says, I want to donate a house to Prabhupada. Who do I give? Paramadvaiti Maharaj come here. You are many years with Prabhupada, I want you to offer it to Prabhupada. Done! Donate the home. Then the house is not mine. He who gives the house to Prabhupada, I have to ensure that the house will be used for Prabhupada.

When the absolute and the relative meet there are obstacles, because I have to adapt, I have to learn how to do this. How to combine it all with the relative. The absolute pure teaching is perfect, but the relative is also part of it all.

Om purnam-adah purnam-idam

Purnaat purnam-udachyate

Purnasya purnam-aadaaya

Purnam-eva-avashishyate

(Sri Isopanisad:Invocation)

"The Personality of Godhead is perfect and complete. And because He is completely perfect, all emanations from Him, such as this phenomenal world, are perfectly equipped as a complete whole. Whatever is produced of the complete whole is also complete by itself. And because He is the Complete Whole, even though  many complete units emanate from Him, He remains the complete balance."

Therefore harmonize between the relative and the absolute.That is what the sages, the saints, do. And who are the sages? You. You are wise. And if you are wise with little experience you have to have help. Open your view. Expand your horizon. So this is a school to become brahmanas. A school to become saints. Forget the territories, everything belongs to Krishna. And all apparent territory is lost.
I will give you another example based on the territory of marriage. Sometimes people get married and the wife thinks: You are now my husband, you depend on me, etc ... etc ... Or the husband thinks the same about the wife and it is more or less like a prison. And if the other person does not react as they want then they fight. These measures of the marriage are totally different. In fact one has to accept that Krishna has to be put in the center. Krishna is the ultimate criterion. The measures that you take in marriage, in your mind, non territorial, that are proper; If you want to know if someone is right or wrong, you have to ask the guru, you can ask the wife later. But a good marriage remains peaceful when such clashes do not occur they are given liberty, etc ... etc. But you see, usually all marriages have territorial disputes based on finances, time, land of the house, the apartment. This occurs between couples, brothers, what to say of people who do not know each other.

When a woman says to me, 'I think my husband is cheating on me. And I ask: Is it true, he is deceiving you, are you sure?  I'm sure. Do you have proof? Yes, I have proof. Then she thinks I will become angry now but my answer is: I congratulate you. Why? Because I congratulate a person who has been betrayed by her partner. What reason do I have to congratulate? It is: This territory that you thought was yours, just broke. He is not yours. And he does not respect your heart and it is better now that you realize this then when you're 88 and you realize that you were deceived a whole lifetime. Better an end with fear then a fear without end. So if something is fraudulent if something is false, better that it is disclosed soon. Congratulations. Finally you realize that the thing is not worth it. Sure, it's sad, I also cry when I hear stories like that.

Then territories, only Krishna knows who is who. All territories are His. We are students, apprentices. Krishna gives us opportunities and sees how we handle them. Here you have ten thousand dollars. Go see what you do. As the story of the prodigal son. Daddy gives money to a son, and he invests it and it increases. And the father says: good. Then he gives the same to his other son. The other son does not care, he exploits it, intoxicating himself, makes all kinds of stupidity and disappears. Where did he go? We do not know. But three years later he returns to the father: - I was the biggest fool, I missed everything that you said. The father takes him in his arms. And the other son who invested says: Father, how can you treat him this way? He needs to be whipped! And the father replies:  No, but that's my son. Teachings, wisdom.

Now I want to give you the key to happiness in Krishna consciousness. This gem is found in Sri Upadesamrita text 5. One should mentally honor the devotee who chants the holy name of Lord Krishna or who chants any other name of God. One who chants the holy name of God must be respected. Even if someone chants Pachamama. Pachamama is not God but it is the aspect of God's mercy, also respect that person. If you do not respect people who chants the holy name in one form or another, you are planting your own seed of sadness. Then one should offer humble obeisances which  means head on the floor the devotee who has undergone spiritual initiation to diksa, and is engaged in worshiping the Deity. One who worships Krishna in the manifestation of Deity: my obeisance to you. "Hi Prabhu, dandavats, allow me to pass through." We should be very respectful and attentive. Relationships must be sweet in dealing, filled with a lot of conviction and appreciation. You can not worship Gaura Nitai without the worship of His devotee. The devotee can commit faults, he is in the process but he can give you far more valuable things for your spiritual life. And then the verse continues: And one should associate with and faithfully serve that pure devotee who is advanced in terms of devotional service, who does not deviate and whose heart is always free from the propensity to criticize others. Advanced devotees, we must serve them, listen to them.Those who waste time talking bad about one: do not bother, I have no time. So that you can be happy in Krishna consciousness there are three authorities. One is the authority which is less advanced than you. Why is he your boss? Because it is your duty to lift him with your hands. He's your boss because he tells you what to do. - Help me! - Yes, yes, and we will. Here take my hand. That's the first relationship. Help people who are less advanced than you. Second: Make an unwavering friendship with people who are also in the fight as well. Lets be realistic  we are all here to fight. Not that as soon as we close our eyes Krishna's lotus feet are there brilliantly shining. We are all in the struggle, there is no pain or sorrow to admit that we are all here fighting.

But those in the struggle for the cause of our mission in Montevideo, those who are identified, make  a good friendship with them one that is similar to super glue, no one should be put asunder. Super glue. So you have to be friends with everyone, we are all in the fight. For friendship to mature and grow more: make many friends. There are always complications, of course, but as I am a friend, I try to help when asked. And when I am asked perhaps there is nothing I can do. But if I see an advanced devotee who is serving my guru seriously, in this case I must offer my full cooperation. Not only this but: i love them, offer obeisances, haribol. What do you need? What do I do? Sunday feast arrives. I bring a preparation, I can distribute invitations, I can make the announcement, whatever you want. Everyone must be given time, everyone should be given consideration. That is Krsna consciousness.

All spiritual life problems can be solved. There is no situation that has no solution. Because the extent of Lord Krishna is that He can rescue everyone from illusion. So Prabhupada came to the world. So we have the altar. So we have Gurupurnima to celebrate. I hope Gurupurnima sheds some light upon you, that it gives you clarity and joy. Because we will keep fighting as it is. Because I also come to fight for Uruguay and for its devotees. The holy messengers are going to continue because we are just beginning as they say. You do not know, that joy I get when I see happy devotees in a temple. For example here, a few years ago there were only four or five of us forming the first team. So I am very happy to see the progress and please: Union is strength. Solidarity and love.

We can be happy because there is no territory to claim, all territories belong to Krishna. Admit it: one who does not claim territory has no territorial problems. So brahmacaris are so happy because they have nothing. When you have things, their independence, you must make your own income, fight in this world. Well of course this one will have little squaring spaces. Everything is illusion because at the time of death you cannot even take your kunti mala. But just here in the world they are calculating their things. But territory belongs to Krishna, that is wisdom. You have to learn it very well. You have to renounce the world before the world renounces you. Another thing, everything that you do not give is what you're going to lose. Do you see the wisdom that Rupa Goswami gave through writing this years ago. Lord Caitanya also said things, one of the best: Trinad api sunicena without Trinad api sunicena one can not live in a temple. Without humility you cannot fall in love with the devotees.

Jay Sri Krishna! Jay Sri Krishna!
Srila Prabhupada Ki Jay!
With affection, your ever well-wisher.
B.A. Paramadvaiti Swami

Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, cause of all causes 8/24/14. Colombia

Conference. 

My dear devotees. 
Receive all my affection from Armenia. 

There have been very nice days here in the company of the devotees. There are many things in motion here in Colombia. We are very fortunate to receive many blessings. Krishna really answers our heartfelt prayer of asking him to allow us to become an instrument of His love.

We do not understand what is the plan of Krishna and he organizes everything, but we have faith that He is behind every detail connecting everything to a higher good. 

Krisha stu Bhagavan svayam 
Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes. 

And Krishna's devotee has a strong commitment to the suffering of other beings on the planet. For the devotee yearns that all beings may know this supreme truth about God. That is called true compassion. The process of Krishna Consciousness is to earn friends. Becoming friends in the hearts of all, because you care about your friends, you want them to be well and be happy. That is the beginning of the spiritual process, sambandha jnana, knowledge about God and the relationship with the living entities. 

The Lord gives us very high goals that sometimes seem elusive, but still we must continue in our attempt and not be discouraged. Rather we should focus on cultivating enthusiasm, and filling our lives with beautiful things related to Krishna that excite us in spiritual life. 

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu explained to Srila Rupa Goswami that the seed of bhakti that the spiritual master plants in the heart of the devotee begins to germinate when it becomes irrigated with the water from the holy name. But like any little plant you have to water daily. Not a day of watering and then spend two weeks and give no water. Plants need water constantly. They also need sun and other favorable aspects. In summary, carefulness.

Thus, the seed of bhakti needs care. It needs to be watered daily with the chanting of the Holy Name. Because Krishna is not different from His name. That is the gift of Lord Caitanya. And just like plants, it is not that you just see water and sun, unwanted things also grow, weeds. So as the bhakti creeper grows, so do the weeds within the heart that takes away from the strength of the seedling of bhakti. Mahaprabhu said that such vines need to be removed immediately. 

Therefore a devotee needs to be very determined in caring for their spiritual life, caring continuously of  your bhakti creeper, the growing seedling of bhakti. If the devotee is dedicated to caring for it and constantly watering the creeper of bhakti, then he or she will get stronger and grow eventually reaching the Lotus Feet of Lord Krishna. There the devotee will hold on tightly and the dedicated devotee may leave this material plane. Care is the key. Caring and eliminating the undesirable aspects. 

Common sense and inner guidance is always helping us identify these undesirable aspects. Although often we deceive ourselves and do as if we did not know what we were doing. But sooner or later that payment will need to be paid if you do not pay attention to them. Sincerity is the salvation of the devotee. Sincerity and taking refuge in the most advanced Vaishnavas will help you in your spiritual journey. We must not only take care of our own practice, but also everything that has been put in our care: caring for our children and educating them lovingly with care of the highest values​​. Taking care of our temples, the devotees programs that have opened to preach to souls. Caring for our service, without care you will lose that service. 

You do not know what you really have until you lose it. And to not lose it, we must care for it. Spiritual growth is that, dependent upon the care and support we give to things. That is the mysticism of spiritual life, as long as you take care of others, you will also be automatically cared for. That is a commitment to Srila Prabhupada, the endeavor to try to help others every moment, because in the spiritual life every second is vital. Therefore the individual relationship one develops with the people around you is very important as is the personal relationship with the spiritual master, because as far as relationships of the heart are strengthened, the quality of caring also strengthens. And so all the mystical aspects begin functioning. 
So we can stay connected with the Infinite Lord of love through our connection with others. As the verse of Sri Isopanisad (verse 1) says: 

isavasyam idam sarvam

yat kinca jagatyam jagat

tena tyaktena bhunjitha

                                                                ma gridhah kasya svid dhanam 

"Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and one should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong."

That is very clearly explained that the Lord is the controller of everything, so all effort to go against his will is absolutely in vain. Use what you need, do not use what you do not need and not waste. If everyone can apply this principle, then the world would remain in perfect balance. But the problem starts when we begin to use more than what is destined for us. 

We return again to the subject of care. Take care of what you have received. Appreciate and care. If we live in harmony with the will of Krishna and not accumulate negative karma, this is called akarma. 

So it is very important to set a good example regardless, cost what it may cost, only in that way can people draw  inspiration from you and be encouraged to leave Maya. But, if you give a bad example or your behavior is poor and you discourage others, then you become a murderer of the soul and wrap yourself in ignorance. That is something very delicate, to discourage others in their spiritual process. We must guard a lot of it. 

These are the thoughts I wanted to share with you all on this day. The care that we must have with our spiritual life and that of others. 

These days in Bogota were very interesting. We were trying to finish some work of Oida therapy with the team. We also had important Ikwashendwna meeting, very happy with the support of  Prabhu Nrishimha and his activist group. (sentence missing).. A very important site for the development of Krishna Consciousness. Along the way we are inaugurating today the new center of Armenia. 

With that I say goodbye for today. 
All my affection 
Jay Srila Prabhupada! 

Your always well wisher, 
B. A. Swami Paramadvaiti.

The temple should run like a symphony. 3/11/13 From India.

Today's message comes straight from my heart and I want to share it with you all. It's a personal opinion which I will try to explain in a poetic way .

What I want to convey today is related to the expertise of the orchestra conductor. One way or another, all things in life should be conducted in a way that it all ends up being harmonious. Now I will explain something in reference to our own preaching activities .

The sheet music is written and should be read as that defined score, but they still need an orchestra conductor, a leader who put his own style and can take the full orchestra to a harmonious result . A preacher, for example, should always speak in a way that encourages people to delve into the meaning of what they are saying.

An Inbound Yoga teacher , for example, should lead students in such a way that excites them to maintain themselves according to their own qualities and make them stay connected with Paramatma . In other words, the conductor must guide people to an intense joy for what they are doing . When you conduct something it must be done in a very harmonious and satisfying manner.

If we apply this same concept in the temple istagostis we will see that the president is able to allow each member of the ashram to feel as a valuable part of the orchestra. The temple should be ran like a symphony : the kitchen should be tuned, the reception should be tuned, volunteers must be tuned, the online promotion department must be tuned, etc. . The directing of a temple is like that of conducting a symphony. Sometimes even in the orchestra the conductor makes different members perform a "solo". A skilled leader will always bring others to their best potential. That also applies within music, dance, architecture, engineering, in all aspects. The ability to combine and harmonize the different elements and personalities is an art. Leading a spiritual community requires art, collection , preaching , music, sitting together to share, study, cooking, etc. . There are many elements to consider. The same applies to grhasta families.

We should never do things based on fear, on the contrary, we must increase the spiritual growth of each of the members of the community. A good leader is always ready to share with others . I myself consider a leader to also be one who is also trying to learn how to become a good one, so I think that communication is one of the most important things to keep alive. The failure of a leader is his limited capacity in communication, for example, now I have to communicate with all those who will remain in India for six months, I must communicate a plan to each of them and tell them what area in they will develop in.

Here in Vrinda Kunja we are committed to doing aratik nightly in Brahma Kunda, it is our responsibility and as the leader of the temple in giving others their delegated responsibilities so that everything is taken care of the way it should be and for that you need to be clear in what has to be done.

Our spiritual master , Srila Prabhupada was an excellent leader who managed to do amazing things in a few years. He is the perfect example of a leader. I insist that the main theme for a good leader is communication and for that we must be practical and have everything neatly annotated on lists with tasks to delegate to others. Do not rely on our short memory. My job as a leader is to transfer the responsibility of each department to the different leaders of those departments and who will get things done, and the symphony can get moving .

When you're a leader and your actions influence others you must be very careful with them and never discourage anyone. The leader's performance should be organized so that everyone is encouraged to participate and that everything flows smoothly. Everything must be in place and function properly. For each activity there is a science that is behind it defining how it should be done, and the number one rule is that no one should ever be unhappy. That's the tip of Krishna Consciousness .

Are you going to pass or shall we do that here?

Now, to be a good leader one should also stand out being transparent. A good leader should be honest, loving and trustworthy to be able to lead a spiritual symphony .

To become a good leader you have to be very aware of all the things you have to do to qualify yourself as such : become an expert in all areas and then lead others in the symphony. We have to take responsibility, without liability nothing will manifest. If we accept in becoming leaders we must know what that means so we can become efficient managers and implement our service. And if we make mistakes, we must be humble enough to apologize for them.

To become a good leader one should also be a good crier,someone who cries for mercy, a beggar of love. In other words, conducting the symphony of a spiritual family is a big task and one can not do any nonsense, it is not something you're going to be able to give up tomorrow, it is for life ... and never let anyone fall, never let anyone feel bad. And if you ever let someone down humbly beg for forgiveness. But never become a scoundrel who is unmoved by anything.

Responsibility and accountability at every level of life in which you are a leader, in a temple, in the family, at the Academy of yoga, in preaching, vegetarian programs ... in any area in which you develop, always taking on more responsibility and serving others, without thinking that it is yourself who gets things done.
Each of us has a symphony to lead.

A leader has the lives of others in their care, so they have to be very responsible and if not a very experienced leader, then you should lead slowly and with great care. A leader must consider many aspects when leading. Also, we must take into account many details to become good leader.

Your always well-wisher,
Swami B. A. Paramadvaiti .

Who are your real friends? From Austria 7/21/13

Topic: Who are your real friends? from Austria. 21/07/13

Conference.

Dear devotees
Receive all my affection from Austria. Just starting this visit to Europe.

We were traveling by car from Germany. Today I share with you a topic called: Who are your real friends?

This question accompanies us all during our lifetime, due to this fact many may not pay attention to the issue itself. Sakha in Sanskrit means friend.

We can understand the concept of "friend" in two ways I please ask you to apply the criterion of discrimination in it. The first way to understand it: "A friend in need is a friend indeed", this means that a true friend is always there when needed. The second is "a friend without need is a friend indeed", this is even deeper and that is to say a friend never expects anything from us, but is always there to help. That is the criterion of a true relationship.

Going further, we can apply various criteria in our relationship with God: "A friend in need is a friend indeed" and it is completely like that, for God is always there when we need Him, He gives us everything we need: the air we breathe, the food that sustains us, the nature around us, etc..

He even gives us free will to make our own decisions. God is completely "a friend in need." Now think about the second statement: "a friend without need is a friend indeed." Well, here the question is: are we really qualified to call ourselves "friends of God"? Are we able to be faithful to God, to be with Him even if it is assumed that we "do not need" from Him, just because He's our friend? That's a good question about our relationship with God. And, unfortunately, the answer is that we are not such good friends of God, but rather we are friends of God only when it suits us or we need something. At that point we think: "Yeah, yeah, God, please help me and get me out of this, I'm here for you."

But ... when danger is finished this thought comes, "Phew, this was difficult, bug luckily it has ended, now I can continue to enjoy"

Our relationship with God is not the most friendly to say, even worse, if we are friends of God, and He has been very friendly with us, why do we give so much trouble and ill-treatment  to our brothers and sisters? Then it is just us living with humans, but failing to appreciate them. It is an amazing attitude that we must take towards our brothers and sisters, because if you really want to be friends of God, then we must be friends of His sons and daughters, or do you think that there is another way to be?

It is contradictory to say: I am a friend of God, I love God, but hate anyone who gets in my way and goes against my own lust, my anger, my ambition or anything like that. Just think of a time when many animals are tortured just for fun, do you have something in mind? Or lets speak about other more terrible things such as the alleged "scientific evidence in animals" or animals stripped of their skins so humans can look luxurious in their furs. Imagine this:

An animal has beautiful skin by the desire of God and that beautiful skin is taken from him for your "sweet will" (yours) and after that you call yourself "a friend of God."

Does it make sense? Is that religious?
So, who are our true friends? The first thing we have to think about is to become qualified to be friends with others. Friendship and relationship to God and His creation is very important, and that is "supposedly" what religion teaches. You can say something like: "I follow a religion that teaches me species-ism, where I can like my own kind, but any other kind can be abused and mistreated by me or say, "I follow a religion that is ethnocentric, where all persons belonging to my ethnic group are wonderful, but those who do not, lose all rights and can be abused and removed from freedom, etc.. Is this within the parameters of common sense?

No, if we consider human rights, animal rights, the rights of Mother Nature. To speak of rights is basic, we do not even begin to speak about friendship. Rights is something that someone has, which belongs to the department of laws and if it is not respected it is required. But, in friendship and love we do not need to talk about rights. Why? Because in friendship and love the concept of "rights" is automatically included.

Put it this way: the right to welfare, which sounds very popular today. We have the "welfare training", "diet for wellness," including the "Guru for your welfare" welfare, welfare and well-being everywhere, my dear. But what happens to the welfare of your brothers and sisters? Do you not think that the number one question related to welfare is: Are you worried about the welfare of  all those around you? Do they have the same right to welfare?

We belong to a completely hypocritical society where everything is based on self-interest to some extent. In my own selfish interest. A society where my friendships are based only upon those that fit my personal needs. If someone does not agree with it, sorry to say but  they cease to have rights and so people today make war against those who are not suited to their interests.

War is not a very encouraging word, I would rather like to avoid talking about it, because wars are related to prisoners, the concentration camps and all that is terrifying in the world. Again Imagine: thousands of people gathered in one place because they are prisoners of war who knows who invented this because of their own interests.

And thinking of prisoners, what happens to the 65 billion animals that are confiscated in cells in the meat industry? They are deprived of water, food, suffering and jailed ... And why? Only because of the selfish desire of someone who decided to take away the freedom that God gave them.

Very likely that these people say they wanted to be friends of God. Yet, they deny animals a place to live, a natural environment, their own families, and confine them in squalid cells. All this for one reason: human greed. It is a very severe situation, since we are talking about rights: humans, animals, nature. Again: rights are something natural, something that should be respected on its own. Moreover, we are talking about true friendship, because to proudly claim to be "friendly", but to who are you really a friend, and who are your real friends?

Anyone involved with the abuse of others, either directly or indirectly is responsible for the suffering of a living entity. It's a very expensive bill. Like it or not you are signing that bill. Even if you say: I never knew, I will not be responsible for this, yet you will receive that bill.

That's what the famous British singer Paul McCartney said that the horrible holocaust of the Nazis in Germany is as bad as the current holocaust which the animals are subjected to in different industries that use them. Or even worse, as Germans in general, they did not know what was going on or if they knew they had to remain silent from fear that they would do the same to them, however now we are all aware of what happens to animals and we have the facility to boycott the Holocaust, no one is coming to shoot you so show yourself against it.

You, as a human being have rights, you can protest against ill treatment and not just protest, but consistently live and act against it, clearing your support or use of anything that is related to the mistreatment of others. No one who is involved in the mistreatment of animals can be called a "friend of the animals" or say "they love animals", much less that he is following the teachings of God, who is the Father of all animals. Whoever mistreats animals or is a part of their ill-treatment does not love nature or the Creator of it, someone so selfishly just loves their own palate, their stomach and genitals. Such a person is the worst enemy of Mother Earth and responsible of the current environmental situation.

I protest against it, against the behavior of those ignorant people who abuse others. Even so, we continue to offer our friendship to them so they can too come out of that ignorance, because we hate the sin but not the sinner. That is the right approach for a friend, because what we are promoting is true friendship, not irrational hatred. We even say we  love the sinner, because we really want to see change in the world, and see change in people and a change for themselves, a change for future generations.

As the saying goes: "help me when I least deserve it, because it will be when I need it."

Because, let me tell you one thing, my dear friends (and I call you my friends because I consider myself as your  friend) that people who are related to the mistreatment of animals, humans or the exploitation of natural resources are the poorest of the poor in the world. They are the first who should receive emergency aid, the most urgent attention. Just as in war, the paramedics have to identify the worst cases to give priority and attention, in the same way in Kali Yuga, after the devastation caused by the bomb of selfishness and exploitation, the spiritual paramedics seek cases that are most grave in nature, the "lost cases" and there you will find all the traffickers, the corrupted, the exploiters of the Earth, the animal abusers, the owners of alcohol companies, politicians, deceivers, etc.. They are still our brothers and sisters, human beings like us and they are as bad as we might become.

But fortunately for us and them, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to shed boundless mercy upon all. No matter how sinful we are. No matter how many living beings we have mistreated. Mercy is there, Srila Prabhupada even brought that mercy to us, the lowest of the low. God himself, the best friend of all of us, came personally to deliver His Divine friendship and teach us by example what it means to provide for the welfare of others. Divine Friendship and solidarity for all those who are suffering in the world, the abused and the abusers.

In English the devotees say that the spiritual life is not just "joy" (fun) but "jay" (victory celebration of the battle against illusion). Our mission is to follow the footsteps of Srila Prabhupada, who was a real fighter in the battle against illusion and a true friend who does not expect anything in return. He is the embodiment of mercy without restraint, shakti avesa avatar of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. A revolutionary protector to animals and nature. An example of simple living and high thinking.

Mahatma Gandhi said: "Be the change you want to see in the world" that we must implement: to become agents of change, agents to fight against illusion. With these words I leave you today, my dear friends of the soul. I wish you all the best in this process to become true friends of all, to aspire some day to become faithful to God, without expecting anything from him.

All my love to you.
Jay Srila Prabhupada!

Your always wisher,
Swami B. A. Paramadvaiti.