Newsletter for the constant personal and team improvement in spiritual life
No.27 - February 2000'Vaisnava Excellence' Mission Statement:
"To inspire and teach anyone who wants to become caring facilitator of present and future devotees of Sri Krishna - the Supreme Lord."
Quote of the Week
"Manage nicely. Krsna is giving us everything, there is no scarcity. If we simply sincerely work, Krsna will give us intelligence, everything. By His mercy everything is available. That is Krsna - He can give you anything."
-Srila Prabhupada
T O D A Y !
- From your editor
- Temple President - Srila Prabhupada
- Interview with GBC Minister: Krsna Ksetra Das
- Anarthas - Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
FROM YOUR EDITOR
We would like to her from all of you, our Readers, what else would would like to have in 'Vaisnava Excellence'. Here and there, we get some positive feedback from you. But, as 'Back to Godhead' magazine, our elder elevated brother, excellently requests from their readers:
COMPLAIN !
Please complain so we can improve our service to you.
TEMPLE PRESIDENT
- Srila Prabhupada
CREATIVE RATE
Let every Temple President work according to his own capacity to improve the Krishna Consciousness of his center. So far the practical management is concerned, that is required, but not that we should become too much absorbed in fancy organization. Our business is spiritual life, so whatever organization needs to be done, the Presidents may handle and take advice and assistance from their GBC representative. In this way let the Societies work go on and everyone increase their service at their own creative rate.
BBT
The Book Trust shall see to the printing and distribution to Centers of books and magazines and it will be the serious responsibility of each Temple President to see that the billed amounts for these are paid to the BTG and Book Funds regularly.
ASSISTANT
Whenever possible try to visit our temple and attend the kirtanas and discourses. I am sure that the temple president can suggest some way in which you can render some service, if you are willing. Thank you for taking a keen interest in our Krsna Consciousness movement.
TRAIN NICELY
As you are temple president, that is a great responsibility. So you must try to execute it with great care. The main thing is that you must set nice example for the others by following very rigidly the regulative principles, such as chanting 16 rounds on the beads, reading the books, getting up to attend mangala aratrika, etc. In this way everyone shall be encouraged. We must be so careful to train the devotees nicely. Now they have come from the realm of maya to Krsna's place, so it is our duty to keep them there, not that they shall again fall victim of maya.
SANNYASI & TP
In regards to your question about how the relationship between a sannyasi and the temple president should be, my hope is that you will all be able to cooperate together. The temple president is in charge and the sannyasi should not contradict the instructions. Although if he does see something wrong or if he sees a fault or defect he should bring it out directly to the temple president. And then work it out in a Krsna Conscious way. Not that he will try to over-ride the temple president's authority. I want that you all work together cooperatively. Please continue your programs there with great enthusiasm and try to strictly follow all of my regulations without any deviation. Keep yourself always fixed in Krsna's service. Don't let even a spit moment go by being engaged in the service of maya.
[From Srila Prabhupadas' letters]
INTEVIEW WITH KRSNA KSETRA DAS
- GBC MINISTER FOR DEITY WORSHIP
VE: You are doing Ph.D. in Oxford University. What is the subject and what you want to accomplish by this as a preacher?
KKD:Technically, I am not quite in the PhD program yet; if all goes as hoped, I will begin work on a doctoral dissertation in September, on "Comparative Theological Perspectives on Hindu Sacred-Image Ritual". This will focus on the Gaudiya-Vaisnava 16th century text "Haribhaktivilasa" by Gopala Bhatta Goswami, a Sanskrit work delineating formal worship procedures and related topics concerning Vaisnava ritual. Since 'deity worship' is a prominent feature of Vaisnava culture, my hope is to produce a study which would facilitate serious consideration of it in the academic setting, as a viable form of religious/spiritual life.
VE: What were comments of your professors and mentors on your Masters dissertation in Berkeley University?
KKD: (It was submitted to Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, which is technically not part of University of California, Berkeley; but GTU is affiliated with UCB in some respects.) My M.A. thesis, "Krsna-seva: Theology of Image Worship in Gaudiya-Vaisnavism" was "accepted with honors" by my thesis committee. At the conclusion of the Thesis Defense, one of the committee members said he found the thesis "genuinely interesting, unlike so many theses he has had to read in the course of his career". The other two members (the chairman of the Institute for Buddhist Studies, and the chairman of 'Cultural and Historical Study of Religion' department, a Dominican priest as well as professor) both seemed to agree. They were appreciative that Gaudiya-Vaisnavism has a carefully thought out, fully articulated theology which explains convincingly that worshipping image forms of Krsna is, as Srila Prabhupada said, "not idol worship".
VE: How do you think Krsna consciousness can be accepted in the academic world?
KKD: Like any other religious tradition engaged in scholarship: If Krsna-devotees show ability to do rigorous academic scholarship on par with the quality expected in the academic world, there is no reason their presence will not be accepted. And wherever devotees are present, naturally their association benefits others, who then naturally become attracted in one way or another to Krsna. The academic world is a place of teaching and learning, not of 'preaching' in the way most devotees are accustomed to relate to others. We have a wonderful tradition, culture, philosophy and theology which can be taught in exciting ways. Srila Prabhupada wanted us to 'use our brains' to find ways to do this, and indeed there are already devotees teaching in universities, with significant results which are surely pleasing to the Vaisnava acaryas.