Upon my arrival in Dhaka/Bangladesh on the 21st of November I stayed several days in our main temple of Swamibag, gave a couple of SB classes and met with the devotees in private discussions.
Recently we have had a lot of improvements in the managerial structure of ISKCON Bangladesh, with each and every division being overseen by a local leader and a management board. This allows the younger generation of leaders to grow up and take charge, which is certainly a positive development.
Recently we have had a lot of improvements in the managerial structure of ISKCON Bangladesh, with each and every division being overseen by a local leader and a management board. This allows the younger generation of leaders to grow up and take charge, which is certainly a positive development.
Every generation has their mission and moves Lord Caitanya's Sankirtan movement forward. The heroes from yesterday will not be the heroes from today, and the heroes from today will not be the heroes from tomorrow. Thus it is of the greates importance that we allow the younger generation to come up and make their contribution. Unless this takes place, we can easily invite stagnation - on a personal level as well as on a collective level of a community. The ability to delegate and empower the younger generation requires detachment from title, power and position - something which needs to be ongoingly cultivated.
For many years the Swamibag project had been the object of my meditation - I had absorbed my mind in all kinds of wonderful plans to help create a nice facility for the devotees to preach and practice Krishna consciousness. At some stage it had become clear that somehow Krishna had other plans for me, and I moved on. Whenever Krishna closes one door, so many other doors open up at the same time. We have to be detached enough to recognise Krishna's plans, and if required let go of our plan and accept His plan. One might think there is no use to make plans, since we don't always exactly know what Krishna's plan is. However, one of the main functions of the mind is to make plans. And unless we make plans for Krishna's and the Vaishnavas' pleasure, our mind easily gets distracted and makes plans for sense gratification. Thus it is an important secret of success in spiritual practice to flood one's mind with plans for Krishna's and the Vaishnavas' pleasure. Then there is no room for plans for sense gratification. And only then Krishna reciprocates by revealing His plans - when He sees that we are eager. Meditating on plans in Krishna consciousness brings about attachment - especially since it gives us also some subtle sense gratification. Having to adjust our plans to Krishna's plans is thus very purifying. We learn to cultivate detachment - simply wanting to serve and please the Vaishnavas - unconditionally, and being ready to adjust all along.
Even if some of our plans never practically manifest, nevertheless Krishna accepts the service mood and intention, and we make so much advancement. So there is never any loss.
For many years the Swamibag project had been the object of my meditation - I had absorbed my mind in all kinds of wonderful plans to help create a nice facility for the devotees to preach and practice Krishna consciousness. At some stage it had become clear that somehow Krishna had other plans for me, and I moved on. Whenever Krishna closes one door, so many other doors open up at the same time. We have to be detached enough to recognise Krishna's plans, and if required let go of our plan and accept His plan. One might think there is no use to make plans, since we don't always exactly know what Krishna's plan is. However, one of the main functions of the mind is to make plans. And unless we make plans for Krishna's and the Vaishnavas' pleasure, our mind easily gets distracted and makes plans for sense gratification. Thus it is an important secret of success in spiritual practice to flood one's mind with plans for Krishna's and the Vaishnavas' pleasure. Then there is no room for plans for sense gratification. And only then Krishna reciprocates by revealing His plans - when He sees that we are eager. Meditating on plans in Krishna consciousness brings about attachment - especially since it gives us also some subtle sense gratification. Having to adjust our plans to Krishna's plans is thus very purifying. We learn to cultivate detachment - simply wanting to serve and please the Vaishnavas - unconditionally, and being ready to adjust all along.
Even if some of our plans never practically manifest, nevertheless Krishna accepts the service mood and intention, and we make so much advancement. So there is never any loss.
For the weekend I traveled to Narayan Ganj - a couple of hours' drive from Dhaka. The temple has beautiful Deities of Lord Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra, and a very lively congregation - the devotees are eager to attend systematic courses and seminars.
We conducted three long evening sessions on the topic of "Ideal Family Life", which were well attended by more than 200 enthusiastic devotees. I came to realize that all over Bangladesh we have neglected the grhastha community a little, and given our main attention to train the brahmacaris and student boys. Now the time had come for me to give more energy to the grhasthas!
I emphasized sravanam kirtanam to be the foundation to family life. Only when Srimad Bhagavatam and the holy name are the center of our family life, then it is an ashram dedicated to spiritual advancement. If this foundation is not there and other things receive more importance, then we have not quite transformed our family life into being an ashram. To make Srimad Bhagavatam and the holy name our main priority requires a certain life style: taking rest early, getting up early, not eating heavily at night, and keeping our life simple by being satisfied with whatever is required to keep body and soul together. We have to avoid mundane association and nonsense talks, which is not easy in the modern age of electronic gadgets and social networking. As everywhere in the world, also in Bangladesh our devotees are not reading Srila Prabhupada's books enough - especially Srimad Bhagavatam. For many devotees Srimad Bhagavatam has almost no importance in their lives.
I once heard a joke: "What is your favorite book?" And the answer is "Facebook".....
At the end of each seminar session I used the opportunity to request devotees to purchase Srila Prabhupada's books, saying a few words about my favorite books for distribution: BG, Science of Self Realization, Krishna Book, Prabhupada Lilamrta, and of course Srimad Bhagavatam. The usual trick of offering to sign the books with good wishes always works wonders, and people eagerly came to take books! These are always the most blissful moments of my life - especially when devotees purchase one of the four boxes of the Srimad Bhagavatam set.....!
On the 28th of November I moved on to Tangail.....
Your servant, Devaki dd
I once heard a joke: "What is your favorite book?" And the answer is "Facebook".....
At the end of each seminar session I used the opportunity to request devotees to purchase Srila Prabhupada's books, saying a few words about my favorite books for distribution: BG, Science of Self Realization, Krishna Book, Prabhupada Lilamrta, and of course Srimad Bhagavatam. The usual trick of offering to sign the books with good wishes always works wonders, and people eagerly came to take books! These are always the most blissful moments of my life - especially when devotees purchase one of the four boxes of the Srimad Bhagavatam set.....!
On the 28th of November I moved on to Tangail.....
Your servant, Devaki dd
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