Alliance Of French Vaisnavas

[Kulapavana]

Alliance Of French Vaisnavas (AVF) First Meeting

 

BY KRSNA BHAKTI DAS

 

NEW MAYAPUR, FRANCE, Oct 27 (VNN) — WVA-IC, August 2003

 

I am happy to inform all the devotees and followers of Mahaprabhu that a very interesting meeting took place at ISKCON New Mayapur France. On the month of August 2003, after the Balaram festival, AVF organised its first meeting. The goal of AVF association is to create union amongst all french devotees in the diversity of Maths. We had the chance to receive his holiness Bhakti Tirtha Maharaj (ISKCON sannyasi and guru) and his holiness Bhaktivedanta Bhakti Sar Maharaja (Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti )

 

By this summer experience, we would like to express to everyone that it is certainly possible to live all together in great brotherhood relationship.

 

Devotees from all over France were present, such as Srila Prabhupada's disciples, Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Maharaja's disciples, Srila Narayan Maharaja's disciples, Srila Bhakti Ballah Tirtha Maharaja's disciples, ISKCON devotees of Sripada Bhakti Svarupa Damodar Maharaja and other gurus etc.

 

Sripad Bhakti Tirtha Maharaja and Sripad Bhakti Sar Maharaja took their prasad together in great fraternity. These two men were acting in an intelligent way by sharing Sriman Mahaprabhu's Love. Here is a an extract of some interviews that they kindly gave us:

 

AVF: What are your feelings about this french vaishnava Alliance and the cooperation among different vaisnavas factions in France?

 

H. H. Bhakti Tirtha Swami: Somehow the differences between vaisnavas have became so strong, that we are not working on things that we have in common. This association could be an example, a model to help the whole world. Right now, France is suffering, there is so many devotees all around, with a lack of unity, this can be like an umbrella that more devotees can work and support each other.

 

H. H. Bhakti Sar Swami: I am very encouraged to see its formation and very enlivened to be present at its first meeting. For the cooperation among different factions of vaisnavas,if the french devotees take it upon themselves to have good relationships based on Guru, Sadhu and Sastra without outside interference, then I would say it is definitely possible ! and you are already off to a good start, but if temporary, worldly institutional considerations take precedent over guru, sadhu and sastra then it may never happen.

 

AVF: Do you think that Srila Prabhupada would appreciate the "Alliance Vaisnava"?

 

H. H. Bhakti Tirtha swami: If this happen, it will be wonderful. Obviously, every acarya wants to see people becoming krishna conscious and at the same time with their own flavor, their own way to serve their guru.

 

H. H. Bhakti Sar Swami: Yes. As Srila Prabhupada wrote about cooperation amongst vaisnavas " I am a man of constructive ideas.

 

At my demand, these two Maharajas accepted to support and to become honorary members of AVF. I thank also our affectionate guardians and honorary members of AVF as Sripad Bhaktiananda Gosvami, Sriman Padmanabh Gosvami from Radha Raman temple, Docteur Fakir Mohan, Docteur Rao and his wife.

 

This first successful meeting opens a friendly dialogue between devotees of different groups, which is very positive, and we should all absolutely continue along this path, with the help of the WVA that I salute.

 

Krsna Bhakti das

France

E. Mail: kbtranchant@free. fr

[Kulapavana]

that's what we need: positive contact and cooperation, not negative criticism and back stabbing.

[Gaurasundara]

Haribol! I read that article on VNN but came away with mixed feelings.

 

I do appreciate the outlook and purpose of the alliance, but at the same time I feel worried that everybody seems to be splitting off into "camps." Is this sectarian mentality dangerous? There seems to be a "camp" for everything nowadays?

[Haridham]

Whats up with all these vaisnava divisions.

 

From galva to this.

 

Vaisnavas are vaisnavas. There is no need for bodily designations.

 

Soon there will be a black vaisnava group, to a chinese vaisnava group, then a russian vaisnava group, jewish vaisnava group. So on and so on. We dont need all these bodily designations which only divide us.

[Gaurasundara]

You hit the nail right on the head, Haridhamji!

 

This is exactly what I was trying to convey in my previous posting. I fear that what you say may eventually come true. When I heard that the alliance was for "French" Vaishnavas, I just wondered what about Vaishnavas of other nationalities who may be staying in France? Several temples have foreign devotees staying there. My own Bhaktivedanta Manor is the residence of several Vrajavasis from Krishna-Balaram temple in Vrindavana. If a "British Vaishnava Alliance" is set up, are these Vrajavasis to be included?

 

The whole bodily identity thing is so inscrutably complex. I also find it rather shameful that this is the first lesson in Bhagavad-gita that so many do not seem to have mastered yet. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

[Kulapavana]

Such divisions obviously exist now and will always be there, but they should not hinder us in service. There is nothing wrong with variety, but instead of bickering like kids in a sandbox we should work TOGETHER to spread Lord Caitanya's mission all over the world. Too much energy is now wasted on criticizing other maths, "stealing" souls from each other and boycotting their preaching efforts. We should all stand shoulder to shoulder in this war with materialistic society, like the very diverse army Pandavas assembled on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

[stonehearted]

I think the emphasis here is on the alliance, not on the French. If you read it again, you'll probably find that in France the devotees from different Gaudiya Vaishnava groups have decided to spend some time and energy focusing on what they have in common, not on the differences. It's called French out of conveneince, not to indicate another camp.

 

One of our devotees here likes to say, at the end of a kirtan, "All glories to the assembled Hilo devotees!" I find it annoying because many of us are from Puna, some from Hamakua, and some from Kona (these are all districts of the island of Hawaii). Some day I'll think of a nice way to point out that he's creating another upadhi, a way that won't discourage him.

[theist]

Seems like it is something that is always present amongst us external vaisnavas. Not surprising though and I think will always exist.It appears to be a common stage we must grow through. Afterall look where we have been living since time immemoriable. And even where we are now.

 

Even those that say we are not of any camp will tend to identify more with others that say the same. The camp of no camp. (Sounds rather zenish huh)I think this may also be a trap.

 

One thing I appreciate about Krsna consciousness is that it is a unilateral realization. A realized soul will experience that true sense of unity even with those that in various ways, deny it. We don't need or seek others agreement in seeing loving and serving them, in feeling a oneness with them. Not that we can force that upon them, we may have to keep a distance, but we know that Krsna is in them as well as ourselves.

 

We must realize this knowledge individualy even if we work in the midst of a group.

 

Out of all these groups, camps, factions, sects etc. a few rare souls will arise. I know it will take me many many more births but I expect a few of you will do it this time around, and in so doing leave all the sectarian religious thought far behind you.

 

respects,

 

Hare Krsna

[Gaurasundara]

I fully agree! /images/graemlins/smile.gif