Thought of the week: The ultimate shelter

[Guest guest]

By His Holiness Romapada Swami

 

*Empathy is essential. Even though we are not this body, BG 6.31 indicates that

we should feel empathy for others according to our own experience of pain and

suffering. "para-duhkha-duhkhi krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye." [from Srila

Raghunatha dasa Goswami, Vilapa-Kusumanjali 6] One who is an ocean of mercy

very much aggrieved by the sufferings of others.

 

*This is the work of the agents of tama-guna. We should not respond in kind,

with tama-guna hatred. Rather, the feelings that we are all now feeling should

be consolidated, and directed, channeled with MAXIMUM FAITH towards taking

shelter in the Holy Name.

 

*Fear is striking the hearts of all who feel no shelter, or "At any moment this

could happen to us, again!" Devotees know already the precarious nature of

so-called material security. Our Vaisnava poets describe the false sense of

material well-being to be like a drop of water on a flower petal, which will

drop from the flower with the slightest trembling of the wind!

 

Our government leaders are telling us that other terrorists are on the loose

in America at this moment, and other terror could strike at any moment. But we

have the shelter of Krishna, in the form of His Holy Name, and His

transcendental knowledge. This gives us a sense of protection, safety, and

permanence even in the face of danger. We therefore must be shelter-providers

and "spiritual safety-providers" for those who are feeling unsafe, without

direction and without transcendental knowledge. This is our primary service at

a time like this; as Vaisnavas, as little moving outposts of the spiritual

world, in a very compassionate way, we must try to comfort others, and provide

them the safety and shelter that we are in touch with, that is available to us

all, the eternal shelter of Krishna in His holy name.

 

This will only be felt by us if we become offenseless. Let's all begin a

redoubled *serious* effort to become offenseless chanters of the holy name!

Start with being VERY considerate in all dealings with Vaisnavas. Never make

offenses to Vaisnavas, rather always be most humble and considerate in our

exchanges with devotees. Extend this mood as appropriate to the non-devotees.

 

Never lose shelter of Krishna, or you will not be able to effect this

instruction. *There are many practical services which we can do in times like

this, but my main request, in fact my personal internal meditation, is

two-fold. I want to recommit placing firm and absolute faith in the power of

the holy name to eradicate demoniac influences---within ourselves---and the

other is to act with this purity externally in exchanges with others. "Let me

become an unalloyed instrument of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in delivering the

yuga-dharma of hari-nama sankirtana." This spiritual force will alone bring

about a permanent change. This requires our individual purity, i.e.

offenseless chanting.

 

------- x ------------- x ---------- x ----------- x ---------- x ---------- x

---------- x -----------

 

----- Festivals over the next week ------

Sep 27 2001, Thursday Ekadasi Padmini (Break fast 06:26-10:00) (Fast)

 

*** NOTE: All times are for Washington D.C, USA, EST ***

For festival information for your city please go to http://www.iskcondc.org and

click on 'Calendar'

-

---------------------

 

** This and all previous digests are available on the internet, grouped by

topics **

They can be accessed at: http://www.iskcondc.org -> Philosophy

You can also directly link to our Philosophy website by add the following URL

to you website:

http://www.prastha.com/cgi-bin/uncgi/renderphilo.pl

-

---------------

 

This Email has been sent to you by the ISKCON temple of Washington D.C.

Our contacts are:

Email : mail (AT) iskcondc (DOT) org

Web Address : http://www.iskcondc.org

Postal: 10310 Oaklyn Drive, Potomac, MD 20854

 

In order to be removed from this mailing list please reply with the word REMOVE

in the Subject.

-

-------------------------

 

Please note that under Bill 1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress

this letter cannot be considered "SPAM" as long as the posting includes: 1)

Contact information 2) A "REMOVE" device.