Whoever has visited the temple at Soho Street in London can surely relate to my comparison with a transcendental submarine: narrow stairs going up and down, and corridors and tiny little rooms going off to all sides. I couldn't help but remember the song by the Beatles "We all live in the yellow submarine, yellow submarine, yellow submarine....." And I remembered from my hippie days the little film clip, showing the smiling faces peeking out the windows of the yellow submarine and people waving. So I Krishna-ized the song into "We all live in Krishna's submarine, Krishna's submarine, Krishna's submarine...".
I thought it was rather befitting: this amazingly buzzing temple being in the heart of London is indeed like a submarine in Lord Chaitanya's Sankirtan army, with Srila Prabhupada as the captain. The preaching work stays underneath the surface of the common person's vision, infiltrating the materialistic society and declaring war to sense gratification and degradation all the while recruiting new members. And in the very center are Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Londonisvara and Giriraja, Sri Sri Jagannath, Baladev and Subhadra, and Sri Sri Gaur Nitai....
It was the first time that I stayed at Soho temple for a week, and I had a great time. The mood is very dynamic here, with a nice group of brahmacaris and brahmacarinis. There are so many programs going on - the devotees kept me busy with one or two programs every day: morning classes, outreach programs for newcomers, a class at the lunch program, an evening seminar for the congregation, the Sunday feast class and a full-day seminar on Saturday on the topic of the false ego in connection with the Vedic College. I also took a trip to South London for two days and gave some evening programs there in a small nama hatta community.
The false ego acts like a ping-pong ball bouncing back and forwards - from one heart to another. We may have encountered a situation, when somebody approaches us in an agitated mood, accusing us of something. And immediately our false ego flares up, and we respond in an even more agitated frame of mind. And in this way, it escalates and turns into an argument. We may even think: 'Hey, what happened to me? Usually I am not in such an agitated mood and respond like this….!' The contaminating effect of the false ego has affected us as if contracted by a contagious disease, sparking up an ego battle.
Family life offers a battle field to our false egos, especially between husband and wife. So much time and energy can be wasted, arguing of petty little details and trying to establish who is right and who is wrong. And instead of using such opportunities for our purification by letting go of the demands the false ego makes, we do the opposite: we protect and defend ourselves.
We can often witness this also taking place in India's big cities in a traffic chaos. One rickshaw driver comes too close to another, and immediately they start screaming at each other to keep more distance: "This is my rickshaw! Can't you see I am here? Move out of the way!" I have witnessed situations where both jump out of their vehicles and beat each other up - in the middle of the street! And passers-by come running to separate the two, sometimes by beating them also. In this way, the false ego is bouncing back and forwards.
Family life offers a battle field to our false egos, especially between husband and wife. So much time and energy can be wasted, arguing of petty little details and trying to establish who is right and who is wrong. And instead of using such opportunities for our purification by letting go of the demands the false ego makes, we do the opposite: we protect and defend ourselves.
We can often witness this also taking place in India's big cities in a traffic chaos. One rickshaw driver comes too close to another, and immediately they start screaming at each other to keep more distance: "This is my rickshaw! Can't you see I am here? Move out of the way!" I have witnessed situations where both jump out of their vehicles and beat each other up - in the middle of the street! And passers-by come running to separate the two, sometimes by beating them also. In this way, the false ego is bouncing back and forwards.
A similar phenomenon takes place very commonly over the internet or social networks. Devotees can easily get caught in all kinds of discussions and debates: one person may say something to us in a provocative mood, and so many devotees receive the message. And we may feel, 'I have to answer to this. I cannot simply leave it like this otherwise everybody thinks this to be true. I have to make a statement.' And we may answer, and somebody twists around our response, makes it into a new weapon and shoots it back at us. And we may think: 'Here we go again! Now I have to answer again to this! Otherwise, what will everybody think?'
And thus we are caught in an ego battle with no end in sight. It can go on forever. As a rule, the persons involved are not interested to inquire in a humble frame of mind, trying to find out the truth. Rather, everyone seeks an opportunity to prove that they are right and everyone else is wrong. The aim of such debates is to get the ego satisfaction by being the winner, who is right.
And we can feel the contamination such kinds of exchanges bring along. We may detect an angry and ugly feeling in our heart, and our mind is agitated. The whole discussion may continue within our head, going around in circles. It may take quite some time to let go of it and shake off this contamination. It can take several hours, or even days.
We are strongly advised not to participate in such kind of discussions, since they are highly contaminating. There is no need, and even no use, since nobody derives any benefit and purification. Everybody only gets contaminated: those who witness it, and those who take part. Such exchanges are not uplifting to anybody. Better to simply respond with 'Hare Krishna' and withdraw from any further discussion, without further follow-up.
Therefore, in his book Bhaktyaloka, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur mentions debating as one of the various categories of prajalpa. They are a contaminating waste of time and energy, which serious Vaishnavas avoid.
Interestingly, two devotees may have very different opinions or approaches to certain aspects of devotional life and preaching. If they are beyond the false-ego platform, they will not try to prove to each other that their own idea and opinion is superior. In humility, they will respect each other's differences and visions and will appreciate and honor the contribution the other person makes to Lord Chaitanya's sankirtan movement. There will be no tension between them - in fact they can be the best of friends, going beyond the level of 'who is right, and who knows better.' Their friendship will be on the absolute platform of relishing the holy name and Krishna katha, and glorifying Srila Prabhupada.
During my visit to Soho Street temple I distributed 112 copies of my two books - devotees requested me to come back regularly.
On the 26th of September I took a train to Leicester/England....
Your servant, Devaki dd
And thus we are caught in an ego battle with no end in sight. It can go on forever. As a rule, the persons involved are not interested to inquire in a humble frame of mind, trying to find out the truth. Rather, everyone seeks an opportunity to prove that they are right and everyone else is wrong. The aim of such debates is to get the ego satisfaction by being the winner, who is right.
And we can feel the contamination such kinds of exchanges bring along. We may detect an angry and ugly feeling in our heart, and our mind is agitated. The whole discussion may continue within our head, going around in circles. It may take quite some time to let go of it and shake off this contamination. It can take several hours, or even days.
We are strongly advised not to participate in such kind of discussions, since they are highly contaminating. There is no need, and even no use, since nobody derives any benefit and purification. Everybody only gets contaminated: those who witness it, and those who take part. Such exchanges are not uplifting to anybody. Better to simply respond with 'Hare Krishna' and withdraw from any further discussion, without further follow-up.
Therefore, in his book Bhaktyaloka, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur mentions debating as one of the various categories of prajalpa. They are a contaminating waste of time and energy, which serious Vaishnavas avoid.
Interestingly, two devotees may have very different opinions or approaches to certain aspects of devotional life and preaching. If they are beyond the false-ego platform, they will not try to prove to each other that their own idea and opinion is superior. In humility, they will respect each other's differences and visions and will appreciate and honor the contribution the other person makes to Lord Chaitanya's sankirtan movement. There will be no tension between them - in fact they can be the best of friends, going beyond the level of 'who is right, and who knows better.' Their friendship will be on the absolute platform of relishing the holy name and Krishna katha, and glorifying Srila Prabhupada.
During my visit to Soho Street temple I distributed 112 copies of my two books - devotees requested me to come back regularly.
On the 26th of September I took a train to Leicester/England....
Your servant, Devaki dd
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