my fault

[mahak]

Haribol, folks. I am saddened that giveawayboy has left us. This is a great misfortune, and the loss of new folks is something that we take great responsibility for.

 

Once, in the presence of Srila Prabhupada with about ten others, the subject of agressive preaching came up. Srila Prabhupada repeated the Vaisnava standard per Bhaktivinode Thakura.

 

"HUMBLE PERSUASION" is the key to successful preaching. Srila Prabhupada, though he sometimes reiterated opposition by the demoniac class as a reason that some leave, he also stated that those who preach above their levels of understanding have an unrealistic and fanatical approach thaT TURNS OTHERS AWAY FROM HIS MISSION. hE CLEARLY STATED THAT IF A DISCIPLE IS THE CAUSE OF ANOTHER'S LEAVING, THE DISCIPLE MUST BEAR THE LOAD OF BLAME.

 

Of course we do not water down the philosophy to make believers, but that does not mean we are freee to hamnmer at will. The "humble persuasion" criteria is an absolute necessity. We approach others as if they are far more advanced, that your offering to the discussion is for consideration only, and as the person softens, a little more injection can take place.

 

But for most of us, who dont know a thing about God or spiritual life, if we can encourage the chanting of the holy names, this is where we should stop. If we make philosophy for others to follow, we fit thew definition of hypocrite of King Yudhisthira.

 

I hope, for all our sakes, that bill will return. We have had enough of this preaching to the choir for a lifetime, and the result is that all we do is fight. We should relish the opportunity to speak on behalf of Vaisnavism to the newcomer, strengthen points that they may have need for, and (God forbid) even learn a little something about spiritual life from these folks. They are fresher in contact6 with chaitaguru than we are. We cannot hear Him any more because of our ridiculous sectarian ideologies, so we should feel fortunate to glom onto real spiritual discussion.

 

Ill post an article below to point out the potency available to a newcomer that we will never know again. Its the difference between falling in love and being lost on whaty we thought was the real thing.

 

Haribol, if you read, bill, come back. Id like to hear from you.

 

Hare Krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

[mahak]

INITIAL INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE SPIRIT GUIDE

by mahaksadasa

 

Sri Gurudeva is the One, who, on the very first contact by the individual sincerely seeking guidance to the Absolute Truth, tells all that needs to be done to attain the highest prefection. For no apparant reason, such a person appears at a time when the Bhakta is at the lowest position, in the darkest hour, in the midst of calamity. You are hearing from one who has no disciples. I have stories of calamitous failures and stories of success i lay at the feet of those who have cared enough about my welfare that they see fit to give matchless gifts.

 

Sri Nityananda Prabhu's devout ward, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, has many disciples, ranging from bonafide spiritual masters in their own right to those who place their "Hare Krsna Experiance" in between the Jefferson Airplane and Disco Mania phases of their lives. The Uttama Adhikari makes no distinction between these disciples, theirfore the relationship is the responsibility of disciple. Srila Prabhupada teaches by His example. He cries wonderful tears as He remembers the disciple's service performed, always thanking them for helping Him please His Guru Maharaja. This personification of Sri Siksastakam establishes guru-tattwa as disciplic in nature.

 

Srila Prabhupada is not alone on a pedestal, He refuses such position, and when He teaches, He never says "I demand, I say, My position is as such." He has never relinquished His qualification as bonafide disciple of His Guru Maharaja, therefore, always cries, "Thank you very much for helping us spread this Krsna Consciousness Movement." The disciple who is helping Guru is guru-tattwa, this is disciplic succession.

 

As disciple and Gurudeva establish relationship, the initial request by the Acarya is serious and never to be given up under any circumstance. When one develops a little sincerity, Gurudeva (the unlimited variety) will be sent to help the person and provide what is necessary to turn the individual from nitya baddha to nitya siddha. The way a touchstone works, the stone has to touch, and the initial instruction takes place. This request is not to help build a house, raise funds for foundation, these later practical instructions are linked to the first instruction, which is to help the Vaisnava Acarya serve His Guru Maharaja and give Krsna Consciousness to the world's needy by first hearing, then chanting and remembering the Names, Form, Pastimes, and Associates of the Supreme Lord. Tell everyone about Krsna up to the level that we have understood, give to others as we have been given.

 

Subsequent instructions by such a lover and servant of the Supreme Lord are always linked in relationship to the initial teachings. When we take it upon ourselves to ask for such further instruction, it is of tantamount importance that we, too, do so in accordance with an understanding and rememberance of the first instructions, otherwise, we risk the danger of not actually having the sincerity needed to make advancement, thus we may risk the very relationship altogether. We may go out and totally absorb ourselves in the management issues or building projects, even the planning and providence of maha-festivals, yet if we are not taking the medicine the capable Physician first prescribed, trouble may be ahead. This is to not justify laziness in regard to Gurudeva's Preaching Mission, which needs practical hard work to fulfill His promise, (in other words, "im remembering the Lord, cannot milk the cows today" does not please Gurudeva, so the Lord we remember thus is an illusion, anyway.) But this is a caution against jumping the gun and making promises that cannot be kept. Gurudeva's promise is His life, and we help Him most to fulfill His promise by honestly complying with His requests, not picking and choosing which instruction suits us best.

 

Gurudeva is found, always, in the ranks of humble disciples, He has no desire to be an ascended master. This idea is from other schools, philosophies that depend on the self to provide pleasure, depend on prestiege to succeed, have no use for the poor and needy, no tolerance for those who are sceptics, and no abilities to provide the nectar for which we are all anxious. The bonafide disciples that are helping Gurudeva spread this movement, attracting candidates for the matchless gifts to be distributed, these are the successors to Srila Prabhupada. To help them to be pleasing to Guru Maharaja is the most pleasing service to the Lord, and such pleasure of Sri Govinda is the sublime life promised. All glories to the Vaisnavas, the seasoning of the world.

 

Srila Prabhupada went through magnificent effort and great service to not only Sri Govinda, but for the entire Vaisnava Community for ages to come by publishing His Masterpiece Literature, find Guru-Tattwa clearly depicted there, see Arjuna fall down in nervous breakdown with no alternative but surrender to the will of the Supreme Lord, and, wow, it is getting clear, here is a nice Vaisnava not only offering me friendship, but giving me matchless gifts of the nectar for which I have always been anxious.

 

To the One who, I know, reads here, I offer heartfelt obiesancies. Your initial instructions are the gifts of life to the dead and dying. These gifts will be forever before me, and, though I admit they are still being opened and not yet fully appreciated, such kindness of a friend of the poor and needy cannot be adequately praised.

 

 

Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna, Krsna, Hare Hare,

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

[ethos]

Yes, I agree. Useless words if you can't practice them. Where were you earlier?

[theist]

no way leyh

[leyh]

If only I kept quiet about asking Ethos to go easy on Bill. Then he wouldn't have exploded and Bill would still be here.I screwed up.

 

Note:I had wanted to make this post in reply to Mahak's but replied to Ethos instead. I deleted and re-posted, but Theist had already swiftly replied before I could re-post which explains the inverted order of his reply to this post. Thanks, Theist. But I still feel I'm at fault here.Haribol.

[Vaishnava_das108]

I wonder if I might be allowed to ask an off-topic question? It has been bugging me for some time and I'd really like an answer.

 

Perhaps only Indian residents can answer.

 

My question is:

 

If a boy is in the 7th Standard in Indian schools, around how old would he be? Around what age?

 

I would like an approximate answer please.

[Guest guest]

 

11.5 to 12.5 years old

 

 

[Vaishnava_das108]

Thank you very much.