valaya Posted February 2, 2002 Report Share Posted February 2, 2002 Ritviks also do not understand that bhakti is only transmitted to anyone's heart by the grace and krpa (mercy) of Sri Guru. You cannot get bhakti from only books and tapes. Srila Prabhupada states very clearly on this point in many of his lectures when he says that reading the medical library is insufficient for becoming trained as a medical doctor. One MUST have the association and first hand training and hear from other bona fide physicians. I remember when devotees in the temples started wearing walkmans and retreating into their own little rooms/spaces, instead of chanting aloud together while happily engaged in service and confiding in each other just before falling asleep side by side as a group, like we all used to do so long ago. How inspiring it was to hear each other's personal realizations and so very intimate to comfort and reassure another's doubts. Not long after tapes replaced personal living interaction, it seems, a certain fearful alienation arose and devotees began using scriptural quotes along with `Prabhupada says` in more negative than positive ways, to discourage rather than encourage individual self-expression. The right way became the only accepted way, although what was `politically acceptable` kept changing month by month. Personal emotions were no longer shared so openly, if at all. Those who were unable or unwilling to play the game and appear to go along with the group-think were shunned, isolated, and ultimately rejected without the slightest gratitude for all the service they had performed. Former friends turned away from them when they tried to continue associating by visiting the temple, while living on the `outside`. What were once shoulders to cry on became cold almost overnight. Of course most `fell down`, so that simply living apart from the temple became synonymous with blooping. This was then used as further confirmation by those remaining inside of the need to huddle even closer together, increasingly fearful of `demonic influences`. The GBC was guardedly spoken of more like the KGB! Group association had transformed from helpful and enlivening to fearful and cultlike. So it went, prabhus, from being each other's sikshas and godbrothers/sisters to mistrusting and alienation. At least, that's how I saw it and still do, unfortunately. Would this not perhaps be a good place to let the healing begin through mutual understanding and at least a little sympathy? valaya ------------------ Radhe Radhe always Radhe! amanpeter@hotmail.com [This message has been edited by valaya (edited 02-02-2002).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valaya Posted February 2, 2002 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2002 Originally posted by zeytindali: zeytindali: Thank you, prabhu! I needed that... valaya [This message has been edited by valaya (edited 02-02-2002).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samarpan Posted February 2, 2002 Report Share Posted February 2, 2002 haribol valaya prabhuji,such an honest description of this sorry state of affairs and can anyone come up withe antidotes to these rotten diseases without of course trying to be tricky and clever?nice one valaya radhe radhe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeytindali Posted February 3, 2002 Report Share Posted February 3, 2002 Originally posted by valaya: "I remember when devotees in the temples started wearing walkmans and retreating into their own little rooms/spaces, instead of chanting aloud together while happily engaged in service and confiding in each other just before falling asleep side by side as a group, like we all used to do so long ago." ---------------------------- Thank you valaya for giving your thoughts. I am grateful for everyone expressing in sincerety. Because only through these expressions, we do have the opportunity to place ourselves. Srila Prabhupada also did express himself, in a very powerfull way. Personal realizations do not happen away from our souls. They are there to show us what we have not, could not seen. They are there only by the mercy of Krishna present in our hearts. So they are very important. How can a person spiritually grow up if he does not always keep in touch with his own realizations given directly by Krishna? So, keep your hearts open, smypathy, comes naturally,intelligence to understand vedic scriptures comes naturally, pleasure from meeting someone more qualifed comes naturally, likewise, compassion and friendship comes naturally. One can put walkmans over a monkeys ears also, and he may repeat, but he will never have the connection to realize. How precious to be human! Hare Krishna! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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