After visiting Krishna Island in Northern Ireland, I spent some days visiting the preaching centre in Dublin, offering a variety of programs at the centre and in devotees' homes.
The preaching centre is in excellent location - in the middle of the city, with a Govinda's Restaurant on the ground floor, and three more floors above, with the temple room on the top floor. They worship a relief carving of the Pancha Tattva - perfect for a preaching centre with a simple standard of worship. Especially on Sundays a good crowd of people come, but also during the week people are interested to join discussions on relevant and catchy topics.
The preaching centre is in excellent location - in the middle of the city, with a Govinda's Restaurant on the ground floor, and three more floors above, with the temple room on the top floor. They worship a relief carving of the Pancha Tattva - perfect for a preaching centre with a simple standard of worship. Especially on Sundays a good crowd of people come, but also during the week people are interested to join discussions on relevant and catchy topics.
Since our false ego is so dear to us, we not only eagerly protect and defend it, we also like to feed it and give it a good boost. The false ego demands the satisfaction of receiving recognition: We want to be noticed and seen as being so special, unique and extraordinary. The motto of material consciousness is ‘I was born to stand out!’ This is the gratification the false ego is hankering for, and therefore it pushes us to act accordingly – to enjoy the subtle sense gratification of being the centre of attention.
In this way, we are running after name, fame, adoration and prestige.
In this way, we are running after name, fame, adoration and prestige.
In Sri Guru-vandana, His Holiness Gour Govinda Maharaja warns us:
"Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati says, jadera pratistha, sukarera vistha. Labha, puja, pratistha – desires for name, fame and adoration – are the stool of a she-hog. [From Vaishnava Ke] The Vaishnava who runs after this name, fame, and adoration is merely running after the stool of a she-hog, sukarera vistha. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta has cautioned us that we should be very, very careful not to run after name, fame and adoration because it creates a great obstacle to the growth of the bhakti-lata. Instead of making advancement, your advancement will be checked and you may fall down."
The desire for recognition may manifest in very subtle forms, and thus we may not so easily detect it. The process of Krishna consciousness offers ample opportunities to place ourselves in the centre and feed our false ego. Giving classes and leading kirtans may create an ideal forum for trying to receive such gratification. In the name of Krishna consciousness, we can do the opposite of what we should be doing: Instead of subduing and dissolving the false ego, we can feed and expand it to the maximum. It is all going on in the name of devotional service. In this way, we can miss the target of spiritual practice entirely. Instead of developing pure devotion to the Lord and His devotees, we may simply use the process of devotional practice for our own self- aggrandisement.
"Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati says, jadera pratistha, sukarera vistha. Labha, puja, pratistha – desires for name, fame and adoration – are the stool of a she-hog. [From Vaishnava Ke] The Vaishnava who runs after this name, fame, and adoration is merely running after the stool of a she-hog, sukarera vistha. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta has cautioned us that we should be very, very careful not to run after name, fame and adoration because it creates a great obstacle to the growth of the bhakti-lata. Instead of making advancement, your advancement will be checked and you may fall down."
The desire for recognition may manifest in very subtle forms, and thus we may not so easily detect it. The process of Krishna consciousness offers ample opportunities to place ourselves in the centre and feed our false ego. Giving classes and leading kirtans may create an ideal forum for trying to receive such gratification. In the name of Krishna consciousness, we can do the opposite of what we should be doing: Instead of subduing and dissolving the false ego, we can feed and expand it to the maximum. It is all going on in the name of devotional service. In this way, we can miss the target of spiritual practice entirely. Instead of developing pure devotion to the Lord and His devotees, we may simply use the process of devotional practice for our own self- aggrandisement.
Recently, a new fashion of attractive looking jewelry made from dark tulasi beads of all sizes and shapes, set in good quality silver, has sprung up on the markets in Mayapur and Vrindavan - earrings, necklaces, bracelets, etc. Our false ego may contaminate our intelligence and mind, using them as tools to get the gratification it hankers for: 'Well, it's tulasi - we have to wear tulasi beads! What's wrong with that?' Ultimately, we may fall again into the trap of accepting all kinds of fashions, just to be different and unique, 'Oh, I have these beads, just look at me!' When this mentality sneaks in - and it is so subtle - we have to look within our hearts and reflect why we are attracted to wearing these things….
Another consideration is to remember that tulasi is a pure devotee, and to use her to make ourselves attractive by fashioning earrings from her sacred wood may be regarded as a disrespectful way of treating her. The tradition is to wear simple neck-beads which protect us at the moment of death and keep the Yamadutas away. It is also seen as a purifying part of our uniform as a Vaishnava. But to use her to fashion fancy jewelry may not be appropriate and displays a faulty mentality.
On the 4th of September I flew to Madrid to visit New Vraja Mandala....
Your servant, Devaki dd
Please visit www.theholynameretreat.net
www.therootsofspiritualculture.net
https://www.facebook.com/instituteforspiritualculture/
Another consideration is to remember that tulasi is a pure devotee, and to use her to make ourselves attractive by fashioning earrings from her sacred wood may be regarded as a disrespectful way of treating her. The tradition is to wear simple neck-beads which protect us at the moment of death and keep the Yamadutas away. It is also seen as a purifying part of our uniform as a Vaishnava. But to use her to fashion fancy jewelry may not be appropriate and displays a faulty mentality.
On the 4th of September I flew to Madrid to visit New Vraja Mandala....
Your servant, Devaki dd
Please visit www.theholynameretreat.net
www.therootsofspiritualculture.net
https://www.facebook.com/instituteforspiritualculture/
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