Varnasrama College Diary

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/11/2005 10:20:50 PM Mountain Standard Time,

Rabindranatha.ACBSP (AT) pamho (DOT) net writes:

 

 

The first major self-sufficient Krsna conscious Vedic Village with a

Varnasrama College in the western world. The education in the college would

be the best in terms of the knowledge it has, how it is taught and within a

pure atmosphere. With also the best Deity worship, prasadam and cleanliness

anywhere in the world. All of which will be demonstrated.

 

 

 

Dear Rabindranatha Prabhu,

 

 

 

I think this is a very nice goal and vision. Remain positive even if others

are not. Do you have any contacts in Hungary at New Vraja Dhama? What about

Radhadesa (the college)? I'm not sure what your experience is, but I know you

are very enlivened and willing to do what is necessary to make your vision

manifest. Certainly there are devotees in New Vraja Dhama and Radhadesa who

will happily share their knowledge with you.

 

 

 

Whether or not anyone comes forth to help or encourage you, keep your goals,

and be responsible for it; don't expect anyone else to do it. Don't let

anyone tell you your goals are unworthy or unattainable or that you are quite

puffed-up to think you can do something wonderful for Prabhupada. You can -

because within Prabhupada's instruction is the ability to do it.

 

 

 

If we keep a positive, beautiful vision in sight, check the small mistakes,

avoid the horrendously big ones, use our intelligence and think and work in an

organized way, we will see our offerings manifest.

 

 

 

All glories to Srila Prabhupada ... the positive ... and the possible.

 

 

 

Your servant,

Kalavati devi dasi

[Guest guest]

Varnasrama College Diary

By Rabindranatha Dasa Adhikari

Wednesday, January 12, 2005

 

 

Today I talked to Svavasa Prabhu, the temple president here in New Dvaraka

and he told me that students of the Varnasrama College could live in the

brahmacari asrama if they came to the morning and evening program and

engaged in 3 hours of temple service. As far as female students, at this

point there is no room for them in the Brahmacarini asrama. I will just have

to wait on that until we can either rent out a place for them or build them

a place when we get our own farm.

 

 

Yesterday after writing on the Varnasrama College Diary about having "the

first major self-sufficient Krsna conscious Vedic Village with a Varnasrama

College in the western world. The education in the college would be the best

in terms of the knowledge it has, how it is taught and within a pure

atmosphere. With also the best Deity worship, prasadam and cleanliness

anywhere in the world. All of which will be demonstrated." Somebody

commented and I quote: "And you will succeed at creating this "pure"

environment when so many well meaning devotees before you have failed ?"

 

To this I say: "We should always be enthusiastic to try for shooting the

rhinoceros. That way, if we fail, everybody will say Never mind, nobody can

shoot a rhinoceros anyway, and if we succeed, then everyone will say, Just

see, what a wonderful thing they have done. So if you are determined in this

way to expand the Atlanta Temple, then you can try for it by begging for the

protection of Krishna." --Srila Prabhupada (Letter to Balavanta

22December1971)

 

So in this way the devotees should try for this Varnasrama College and also

understand that Krsna is the doer and that we should not be attached to the

results of our activities. But at the same time we should not be lazy.

 

Quote of the day

 

"They are against religion. But actually, if we show that we are producing,

we are managing, we are educating, then we can counteract the communist

tendency. But they are seeing that, that escaping. They say, "They escape

responsibility of worldly life and they're indulging in some religious..."

That is the tendency…Everywhere the government is complaining like that.

Therefore they do not want to increase the number of temples, increase the

number of devotees. They do not want. Because they say, "These are a class

of idle men. They cannot do anything, and they take to this religious life."

That is the tendency. They are feeling like that. But if you show that you

are actually doing something ideal, then they will appreciate. Make a small

unit of community and show ideal life, not idle life. Ideal life…Now in

Bombay, they have refused. Because they are under the impression that "They,

these Europeans have come here under some sentiment, and what is the

use?"…As we are making counterpropaganda against maya, the maya is also very

strong. She will also make propaganda against you, very strong. So unless

you become very sincere devotee, daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya

[bg. 7.14], then it will not be possible to conquer over maya. You'll be

succumbed. Hare Krsna. [break] ...taranti te, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam

etaà taranti te." -Srila Prabhupada (Morning walk March 12, 1974)

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/12/2005 8:10:25 PM Mountain Standard Time,

gourdmad (AT) ovnet (DOT) com writes:

I gave this same talk to Kirtanananda Swami 30 years ago, and he

responded just as you are, that I was making material judgemnts, Krsna was

no poor man,

 

 

Pardon me, but what does a pink robe, gold crown wearing pedophile getting

busted by the FBI have to do with Rabindranath Prabhu's ideas?

 

What does blatant, wanton evil and sense indulgence have to do with my

positive encouragement?

 

What does irrational, fanatic, short-sighted and all around stupid thoughts

and acts have to do with Gopal's frustration at seeing a sincere devotee

"smashed" on the "cow" conference?

 

Young devotees are aware of the mistakes. We know about the past. It's not

like it's all dead and gone. We have experienced the moods, persons, events

and environments that still make up the putrid dangling remnants of it. We

take the responsibility to make things right. That will happen when and if we

try again. Trying again for success is not synonymous with repeating the past,

 

nor is it indicative of naivete.

 

We are interested in learning from the past but there's a difference between

learning from the past and dwelling in the past. We are interested in

welcoming the future with encouragement and positivity.

 

 

"And that the young ones are no different than the

old ones were, they are just at an earleir stage"

 

Quite an assumption.

 

In what way are Gopal, Govardhana, Krishna Balarama, Ananga Manjari, Krsna

Sakti, Brajabhumi and others (faces of the recent past, I realize) in any way

similar to Kirtananda, his henchmen, his concubines, his benefactors, his dupes

 

and his followers? A rather offensive and unqualified statement, isn't it?

 

I see a lot of young devotees who are not selling drugs, murdering people,

beating wives and beating and molesting children, cheating, liing, stealing and

 

usurping the position of Srila Prabhupada out of sheer envy. I see a lot of

young devotees who are intelligent, energetic, and positive and ready and able

to take on this burden of love.

 

Your servant,

Kalavati devi dasi