20160528 Message to Disciples

Since 2008, Since I had some serious health issues by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and all of the devotees, somehow, I recovered and I am still able to preach. Although in several occasions doctors said that "there is no hope." Since then I thought, I should give some message to my disciples, to shelter disciples and aspiring disciples and anyone who is interested - śikṣā disciples and others.

So, of course for my initiated disciples, we have the common vows that we have taken, the four restrictions, which are no meat eating — including fish, egg, onion, garlic. No intoxication, no gambling and no illicit sex — which is outside of marriage, any non-Vedic sex. But we also asked devotees to take some personal commitments to help me to fulfil Śrīla Prabhupāda's instructions and his mission. So, all the disciples do that, first chanting everyday 16 rounds of Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Some days, if some emergency comes and they don’t finish their 16, they should finish it subsequently.  These are the standard things. You should do, whether I am physically here or not.

Also some of the things that come to my mind, which may not be all inclusive. There may be more later. Or that something that I forgot. Prabhupāda, always told us that, "Preaching is the essence" and "books are the basis" — I hope that all the devotees will continue to preach to perform different outreach programs. And in this way increase the family of devotees. Prabhupāda said that we are basically goṣṭhy-ānandīs, which means that we want to see more and more devotees. Bhajanānandī, who wants their personal liberation and goṣṭhy-ānandīs who want not only their personal liberation, who want to  see the number of devotees increase. So to do that effectively, we have to be also pure, and that comes by regularly reading Prabhupāda's books, understanding his philosophy, reading his biographies.

And we have also given many lectures — which have been recorded by the Jayapatākā Swami Archives. And some are in video format, some in Spanish and some in Bengali, some with translation, and also some have published as books, so this was done with great efforts, so that you can also listen to those or watch those. In this way keep on associate with Śrīla Prabhupāda and my humble-self. Use this strength to increase outreach. We also want that devotees would not only theoretically read the books, but practically live by them. And in this way be very Kṛṣṇa conscious dynamic example. Showing the values that Prabhupāda given us to be a good member and representative of ISKCON. Śrīla Prabhupāda said that, "The way you can show how much you love me is how well you co-operate with others." Co-operation doesn't only mean doing things in your way, anyone who doesn't do things your way —you say,  "they are not co-operating." It is a two way thing. You meet people on part way. And try to do things in a cooperative unified fashion. So I should show good example of… to the rest of the people of a cooperative spirit.

Prabhupāda was very concern that, Gauḍīya Maṭha fought with each other and divided up into so many sub-groups. And he wanted ISKCON to stay together and avoid the fighting and to try to settle things in a cooperative spirit to avoid entangled in the legal disputes. And rather settle the things internally mutual respects. And he said, it should be understood and discussed, in the principle of unity in diversity. In this way devotees could stay within ISKCON and somehow serve the mission of Prabhupāda and Lord Caitanya, giving up false ego and false pride, to rather work as a unified force - I will be very pleased. I hope that you will teach that in principle to all your… If you become gurus or leaders in the future to all those who follow you.

So, in the Gauḍīya Maṭha Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda Ṭhākura, he requested them to work cooperatively under the GBC and for eight years they did so. And they got brain-child we should rather declare one person as the ācārya and work under him. They thought that would be more dynamic. That was how it was under Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. But that one person had some difficulty and the whole Gauḍīya Maṭha fought with each other and then they broke up. So, Śrīla Prabhupāda insisted that we have GBC, in fact he was the first chairman of the GBC. Every year, while he was present, the GBC would submit their resolutions to him. And he would have various checks and balances in place. But at the end submitted was… he believed that GBC body would come up with proper decisions and included in his final will and testament that GBC will be the ultimate managing authorities of ISKCON. So in this way he wanted that, everyone will cooperate and work together. And GBC would be the final authority to ensure this cooperation. And he gave his specific instructions in this regard. We hope that everyone will accept the GBC as the Prabhupāda's instruction to us. Thus we can all stay together as one society. Sometimes, I would propose things they weren't always accepted and sometimes after two, three years of slightly changing and presenting then they were accepted. May be a bit - time taking to work through whole committee. But Prabhupāda wanted that, we should have this type of program as was desired by our previous ācāryas. So we request all the devotees to always work under the GBC understanding that this was a desire of Prabhupāda. Prabhupāda wanted that we should develop the holy-dhāma. And he made the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust, also donate to other organizations and holy-places. And to unify the Sārasvata Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava family and somehow he made me the life time chairman. So we are trying to bring some unity and a little progress we made and still much more to be made, but this is done in a specific way — very careful. Not everyone can do this. As a principle we should avoid ourselves associating too intimately with people, who are not recognized by the GBC. But if we are subsequently trying to bring them together according to Prabhupāda's mandate, according to some GBC rule, how other organization could be recognized by ISKCON that should be alright. But in principle we should not just go against ISKCON. What we careless associating with people who are actually not our well-wishers.

Prabhupāda named few persons and organizations who are against Lord Caitanya's mission. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura mentioned Āul, Bāul, Karttā-bhajās, Sakhī-bhekī, Gaura-nāgarīs… 13 apa-sampradāya. That was his time, but there may be more now. So be careful to whom you are associate with. Prabhupāda was advising us that better to stay in our own family. Even if we think that other group classes are more and attractive or something. Little bit of a deviation can be a big deviation over a time. So these things one has to be bit careful. We appreciate all the gṛhastha devotees, they are helping ISKCON in different projects like our TOVP, Māyāpur Development, like the different temples that are developing, the dhāma development in Māyāpur and Vṛndāvana and Jagannātha Purī. And I was also thinking that we should develop Dvārakā. In the future the donations that we give to ISKCON and these various projects is good way to dovetail your work with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Please continue this very encouraging service. I just want to thank you all. And I hope that Kṛṣṇa will allow me to present with you all for long time. At least to see the completion of the TOVP, translation of the Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book and the development of the holy-dhāma and I like to be there to finish these works. But we don't what Kṛṣṇa has in His plan. So, I just want to say these few words and I am very grateful for devotees who are helping me in various ways. Hare Kṛṣṇa! Thank you very much.

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda
śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare