How/What to Preach

Posted on 30.10.2011. by gour

Today is disappearance day of Srila Prabhupada and, after long pause on my blog, I’d like to post my comment which was submitted to Dandavats site as a comment  to this thread.

Unfortunately it’s not the first time that we experience censorship from the editors…so, we submitted it the editors of Sampradaya Sun and it was published as How/What to Preach article.

“It would be tragic if Maharaja’s message was not available for those who have ears to hear him. This is something we are worried about…”1

We fully agree with H.H. Bhakti Vikasa Maharaja’s concerns about the direction towards which our movement is heading, and it’s not in his head only. With several devotees around us we are regularly discussing such issues. Moreover, we do not believe that MDM (Mid-day Meals) is the greatest danger, since there are other issues which Maharaja lightly touched upon in his reply explaining why the lecture was taken off his website.

So, instead of the (GBC E) Committee protecting the movement from such things, they want to control what the brahmanas/sannyasis can/should speak!!

Fortunately, there are (still) devotees in our movement like H.H. Bhakti Vikasa Maharaja who are ready to follow Srila Prabhupada’s instructions how to preach, which is nicely expressed in this Letter to Brahmananda, Calcutta, November 11, 1967:

“…Still I was maintaining the establishment simply depending on Krishna and then Krishna sent me everything—men and money. Similarly, if a sincere soul goes out and opens a center in any part of the world Krishna will help him in all respects. Without being empowered by Krishna, nobody can preach Krishna Consciousness. It is not academic qualification or financial strength which helps in these matters, but it is sincerity of purpose which helps us always…That is preaching, cooking, writing, talking, chanting everything one man’s show. I never thought about the audience. I was prepared to chant if there were no man to hear me. The principle of chanting is to glorify the Lord and not to attract a crowd. If Krishna hears nicely then he will ask some sincere devotee to gather in such place…”

your servant,
Gour-Gadadhara dasa

 

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14th Anniversary

Posted on 15.2.2011. by gour

On Friday, 11th of February there was 14th anniversary since Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai appeared in our home. There was not such a big festival as during the inauguration ceremony when there was more then 60 devotees attending.

Moreover, this year my mother decided to invite some of our most close neighbours1, serve them prasadam and show video filmed during the installation ceremony in 1997.

So, when our guests arrived at 5pm, we gave them something to eat…

Unfortunately, I did not make photo of all preparations which were served to our dear guests, but here you can see what was offered to our Deities for the lunch.

bhoga offering for Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai

After having nice meal, our neighbours were enjoying video which showed all the steps performed during the installation ceremony starting from the decorating the altar with all kinds of flowers and fruits, bathing ceremony (called abhiseka) etc.

As it is recommended to perform [sankirtana yajna] in this age of kali-yuga, there was lot of singing during the ceremony and our neighbours stayed till the end of the video which was spiced with my mother’s enthusiastic preaching.2

What will be the purifying effect on our guests — only time will tell us. :-)

For now, let’s be satisfied seen the beautiful form of our Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai…3

Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai on the Anniversary day in 2011

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Happy Birthday!

Posted on 9.2.2011. by gour

In two days we’ll have 15th celebration of Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai’s ‘birthday’…wonderful opportunity to start with a new blog.

If you (still) don’t know, Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai are our family Deities of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Sri Nityananda Prabhu. They have appeared on the auspicious day of Bhismastami which corresponded to Valentine’s Day that year.

There was wonderful festival held in Their honour, many devotees were present and we served a nice feast at the end.

Since that day, Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai are constantly pouring blessings on our family and are constant source of inspiration to continue with the spiritual practice. We’ll try to illustrate this fact by keeping this blog hopefully to find the (missing) link between our daily activities and Their invisible hands.

For now, just take a look at the picture from Their installation ceremony which happened on 14th of February 1997 in our flat in Zagreb…

For the skeptics, we’ll show you how They’re looking these days, actually I promise to post Their photo from the Fridays’ ceremony. Stay tuned. ;)

p.s. Not to forget — tomorrow is another auspicious day for those wanting to advance in their spiritual life: appearance day of Srila Advaita Acarya.

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