Dear devotees and friends,

I offer my humble obeisances to our spiritual master Srila Prabhupada and to all the great acaryas and their faithful followers.

The first stone in Nueva Vrindavana, Argentina

Yesterday we put the first stone of the temple of Sri Sri Radha Madha Mohan in the rural garden of Their Lordships. They reside in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, and they have a nice farm where they use to go accompanied by Their devotees. Nueva Vrindavana is a very nice oasis, Srila Prabhupada blessed the world by creating many New Vrindavanas, and permitting that any person who wish to have another New Vrindavana in his farm, or even in his home, can have it. The installation of Sri Ananta Sesa, from Mother Earth was realised with a nice kirtan.

A new start in Uruguay

Some days before, I had the opportunity to visit the devotees who are preaching in Uruguay in the city Punta del Este, or more concrete, in Maldonado. Prabhu Kaustuba and his wife Kakudmini started the preaching in a district near the beach of this famous resort. There they managed to get a very nice house with a very big land, and started the Vaisnava Academy. The success came almost instantly and is amazing; it shows that when there is a wise and dedicated couple in a place, they can open a small centre of Yoga Inbound School and obtain acceptation from people around. This was my first preaching visit to Uruguay, and it gave me great joy to be able to be a part of that Srila Prabhupada's message can come to a new country. In the past there were devotees from Uruguay, inclusive Gurudeva Atulananda was there more than 20 years ago, but like Lord Krishna wanted, this is a new start.

An instrument of love of the Lord

We wish all of those pioneer devotees like Prabhu Kaustuba or Prabhu Mukunda in Hancayo, or Prabhu Haladara in Santo Domingo de los Colorados, or Mother Rati Manjari and Hari Seva in Tucuman., that they have great success, joy and enthusiasm in establishing new oasis of our spiritual family. The charge of the new project in big parts lies on their shoulders, but successful preaching is impossible if it is not for the mercy and the support from Sri Guru and Sri Paramatma. Otherwise we would stay alone with a giant mental plane. But Sri Guru and Sri Paramatma are fully disposed to give their support to all those who wish to be their faithful representatives. This is proved by the success that a person can experience who makes a brave attempt with this predisposition to become an instrument of the love of the Lord.

Loving relations heart to heart

Loving relations from heart to heart is the only thing that is worth anything in this life. And heart to heart without considering the Lord who lives in the hearts, results in a new failure, a new frustration. Really, this thing of heart to heart relations is a very interesting topic, because it is there where one needs the full support from the transcendental realities. Mundane relations, that initially can appear to be heart to heart, are very fragile and defective at the same moment as it ends. Because everyone wants to be the enjoyer of the other, the controller of the other, and one feels to be the owner of the other. Therefore, in the world of exploitation, the so-called heart to heart relation is rather an attempt to conquer another heart. And therefore, in this attempt, appears that which breaks the hearts. For a certain affinity, the exploiter thinks that he will find someone who unconditionally submit to his own insufficiencies, and when this does not happen, he starts to utilize all the fatal methods like the emotional blackmail, the threat and even physical violence, with the desperate attempt to reach his purposes. But if you ask him what madness he is doing, he still insists that it is a matter of his heart. Like this acts the illusion.

Total war against the mentality of exploitation

Until when will we continue with this illusion? Inclusive, in the parents and children relation we see very similar currents, ruin the innocence and the joy of this nice natural relation. Therefore Srila Guru Maharaja encouraged us to declare total war against the mentality of exploitation that resides in each one of us, and that we have to erase it with a lot of maha mantra and much daily unselfish service. Those who want to erase the exploitation by pure intellectual exercises and without unselfish service to the transcendental cause, will surely become frustrated.

The function of the Spiritual Master

The same intellectuality is a certain audacity before the necessity to be a true collaborator, dedicated to the common cause, disposed to be loved by the others, becoming a transparent representative of the Lord of the heart. Here is where the function of the spiritual master comes; he inspires the unselfish work, he creates a field that truly can be called a common and transcendental cause. He represents what is beneficial for husbands and wives, parents and children, with other words, for everyone. He is not partial and has no prejudices against any sector of the human society, neither against the animals.

The spontaneous service is not capricious

The unselfish service is loving service, it is regulated service, or even better, spontaneous that is executed in the sweat of one's brow for something that has been projected by the spiritual master and / or that has been approved by the brahmanic parliament. For example, this is not capricious, it does not favour any provincialism, this is the cause of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who wants to invade the entire world with Prema dhama, the path of pure love.

Be careful of the apparent

That is the direction where we want to go, the light that gives hope in the darkness of the era of Kali. Be very careful of the appearances; Kali Yuga is very cunning, and very often presented in the most beautiful masks. For instance: Who can imagine, seeing a sweet young couple in love, with apparent innocence - one, two three - will end in the murder of an embryo, beating, drugs, cruelty and one abandoning the other? People like to guard the appearances; even though everything inside is already putrid, on the exterior the lights and the colours give the name.

A humble disposition in every circumstance

Therefore, those who want to be representatives of the spiritual ideal, have to be very brave, very dedicated, very encouraged and very compassionate. There is unlimited service waiting for us, at least we have to be disposed to begin on a very, very humble level, washing plates, making bread, or sitting in a reception every day to attend not more than a few persons that apparently do not have much interest. One must accept all of this, and even if you by Krishna's arrangement have managed to achieve a nice temple, a precious farm for the devotees, to print plenty of books or make films to glorify the Lord, all the same you have to remain the same humble devotee.

Our acaryas do not abandon us

Our acaryas are the best example of this. Despite that they had much influence and nice achievements in their missions, their modesty never changed, and in fact their conduct proved that they are representatives of the supreme cause. They did not have any hidden agenda of poor interests and therefore they could and can inject hope in the entire world, or rather to one who asks for it. Hope and moral strength, enthusiasm and capacity, because our acaryas do not abandon us, they provide us with an immense quantity of instructions, didactic material and formulas to stand up against this world with simple living and high thinking.

The task of the devotees

The task of the devotees is to found schools for brahmanas and inject a new fundament for making the world conscious. To make teachers, artists, scientists, doctors, married men and women, conscious, to make them conscious of their duties based on the wisdom from the Vedic culture, based on common sense, filled with relevant information, inspired by the eternal wisdom of Lord Krishna Himself, that He shares with us in His Bhagavad Gita.

One who is so brave to open new oasis of conscious-making of the Srimad Bhagavatam and the Holy Names in this mundane plane and to maintain the firmness as a true service, has the blessings from the Panca Tattwa over him. Therefore, heart to heart means a long-term compromise with those who Krishna sends to cross your way, and is expanding to their friends and family members.

If you love me, love my dog

Srila Prabhupada used to quote the saying: "If you love me, love my dog". So, if I love a person in the preaching, I also begin to preoccupy for those who are dear to them, this is natural. If I have a spiritual master, I should also love those whom he loves. In that way, I begin to love very much and I become a well-wisher of all my spiritual sisters and brothers, so what to say about my sentiments towards my Parama Guru, who is the life and soul of my Guru.

Kali Yuga tries to seduce us at each moment

A lot of strength is required to maintain in this process, because Kali Yuga tries to seduce us at each moment and in all directions. Maybe in your house, your conscious mum, your false ego and in the temple, they massage your caprices. Maybe in the street they offer great opportunities to earn money and in the temple one has to fill the head with the economical roles of the temple, and practically as a resident of an ashram, practice the voluntary poverty. Maybe in the world there are many nice beings inviting you for gratification of your senses, while in the temple you have to get up for Mangala Aratik and you cannot walk around coquettish. The world of Maya offers many colours, rhythms and smells, but finally it ends up in many pains.

The market of the Holy Name

Srila Prabhupada opened the market of the Holy Name, to distribute in a wholesale style, retail style or even if you want like foreign trade. Sri Nityananda prabhu is the original founder of the market of the Holy Name, and he said that in this market, the only accepted currency to buy merchandise is Faith and Humility. Sadly, in this era this is something very rare, and therefore the devotees of the Lord pray to Srimati Radharani, the Supreme Controller, also know as Srada devi, to please help us in our service to our spiritual master and please to give faith to people.

The prayer of a preacher

Srila Prabhupada described it like this: "How will people from here come to understand my message, my Lord? Please, my Lord, make me dance as You wish, empower my words in a way that people can feel that I am talking Your way". Srila Prabhupada only came to give things; he did not come to take anything from anybody. "How can I convince the entire world of this? To take Your blessings seriously?" The prayer of a preacher, who wants to have some success, should be more or less like this. Everything is in the hands of the Lord, and He is our only comfort, in success as well as in failure. He is the only one who can guide me again, Krishna is our friend and He will never stop to be that, and if we cannot be so brave preachers, there is no problem; we can humbly support a devotee who is occupied in this way.

Even the little dusts carried by the little spider, which helped to build the bridge of Hanuman, were highly appreciated. The generosity in devotional service is immense; everyone can find a service to participate. In our farms there is so much to do, we have many fields of action. For instance, the mothers can help to take care of the children and the grihastas can bring sweets to offer to the Deity, etc.

The collection of Vedic Wisdom

All devotees should have the collection of Vedic Wisdom (the collection is being translated to English and uploaded on: http://www.vns.st/wisdoms) to distribute it everywhere to all needy. It does not exist even one person on this planet, who does not share some point or need, touched upon in the collection of Vedic Wisdom that can help them. The collection let the devotees have immediate conversations anywhere.

When the Vedic Wisdom collection is printed locally, do not forget to put a local address for contact. The temples that distribute this material should put on each one a stamp with their local contact, so people get encouraged to come and search for help. This is very important, since the majority of people do not have interest, especially in South America, or they do not understand how to subscribe on our e-mail listing. I have learnt from a professional designer, that publicity has to be such that even a fool can understand.

The natural symptom of a member of the family

The true devotees are very, very interested to know and care for what their spiritual master is doing and that all members of the congregation are happy. This kind of preoccupation is the natural symptom of a member of the family. The indifference of the well-being of others is the contamination of impersonalism and selfish materialism. It is interesting, the materialism, that says that the world is an accident and the impersonalism, that says that the world does not have a conscious creator, nor a well-wisher of everyone. They are very similar in their way to see the things. Too similar, considering that the impersonalist reject the irreligious enjoyment, but both are in the same inclination to the indifference before the possibility to create harmony in the relation to the will of a Supreme well-wishing being of all. For the materialist the idea is: "Enjoy to the maximum, because when we die, everything is finished", while the impersonalist wants to finish with everything, inclusive his individuality, because for him the material world is false.

Para Upakara, make good for the others

But it is exactly through Bhakti Yoga that one can understand the concept of Para Upakara, make good for the others, the transcendental benefit. Because the devotee knows that Krishna loves everyone and that the world is not false, it is just temporal, because Krishna wants to have everyone with him. Therefore, he created temporal circumstances so the conditional souls can learn, suffer and enjoy what is appropriate for them. The generating force of all variety and of every living being, of every individual, proves itself the existence of an immense intelligence and it does not exist even a remote possibility that such a sophistication comes from mechanic laws; interactions of ingredients which origin would clearly remain unknown in the materialistic as well as in the impersonalist plane.

The mother of all caprices and irresponsibility

The attempt to reduce all beauty in the creation to formulas or automatic interactions is a similar stupidity (crazy repulsiveness, cunning shamefulness, arbitrariness before the intelligence and common sense) that must be rejected by every sincere soul, at least as a less rational and contradicting hypothesis for the development of love for other beings. Or rather, responsible for the grave situation of the indifference to the pain of others, based on conclusions of materialism or impersonalism, that in both cases rejects all kind of responsibility for their present state. This because they do not accept that they have consciously received a charge of responsibility through the free will that is given by an institution of Supreme person.

These philosophies are the mother of all caprices and irresponsibility, and ever though the mayavadi could profess that he wants to do good for others (the altruist materialists can profess the same), the only purpose he has is his personal salvation (or his improvement of the emotional state in case of a materialist).

The way out of this world

What a relief then, is the understanding that permits a spiritual family to this world! Para Upakara for a Vaisnava is not any therapy or some methodology; it is the natural attitude from a heart that obeys to the will of a common creator. It is the power to be able to show the realization of the natural affect towards other beings. It is the constitutional relation to be a member of a loving family. It is the beauty of the very being, given by his father who naturally is the most loving of all, and the growing of this attitude is the fundament of the qualification, to be able to get out of the entanglements in the world of egoism.

More proofs that we are in Kali yuga

So, the exploitation as well as the indifference, are totally unacceptable for a person on the path of devotion and dedication to the Truth, which is the underlying principle of all that exist. It is astonishing, the extent of popularity of the exploitation, as well as the indifference, but this seems to be just one more proof that we really are in Kali yuga, and that the fight against the illusion must be a real fight. It is not enough with a little of prasadam on the Sunday feast and the rest of the week living like anyone else, without rounds, without service, attached to the television. And after that I am surprised why I do not make any spiritual advance or I start to doubt that the process of Bhakti yoga will help, or better I consult a witch what to do. In other words, Para Upakara must be a part of our continuous plan of action.

The most important in a spiritual oasis

To open a temple and establish a spiritual oases can be considered the maximum one can do to practice Para Upakara. Please, do not forget that came to know about our spiritual identity only because some devotee opened a spiritual oasis. It has to be emphasized here, that the most important with a spiritual oasis is that there is daily recited the illuminating message of Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. Apart from this, the devotees want to do good in thousands of other ways, distributing prasadam, advices, literature, radial preaching, or simply invitations to the temple and to visit our web pages; there are already an immense of efforts to do Para Upakara.

Please, do not forget to convince the others to become vegetarians, to understand the law of karma and to become responsible in their family relations with the others.

The dignity of our endeavours

The devotees are the best friends and well-wishers in all humanity, and this must be to the smallest detail, because that is our reason to exist and the dignity of our endeavours. Krishna consciousness is not simply another way support one's living; it is the sacrifice of the era. The loving service that cures us from uncountable lives in egoism and errors, that puts us in contact with the causeless mercy and lets us put others too in contact with this same mercy. Therefore, we must not lose enthusiasm.

Wealth is poverty

Now I want to tell you a quite heavy anecdote to make you think carefully and take consciousness in your preaching.

In the preaching in our temple in Tucuman, there came a lady who practically became a devotee, she was very enthusiastic and organized the preaching with a lot of personal dedication. It resulted that she was the wife of the most prestigious hotel of Tucuman. Also her husband initially tolerated his wife's charitable and spiritual enthusiasm. Since they had all facilities at their hotel, they offered these facilities for the work of the House of Wisdom in Tucuman, and also to impart Vedic knowledge through the cycle of my conferences. Everything seemed pure nectar, but as you can imagine, the philosophy of Krishna consciousness contradicts many things that happens at a modern hotel and defy many aspects in the society of maya, in which this mother and her husband are deeply involved in the Tucuman society. Later started the pressures of the preaching impact, and for the husband and his plans, being a successful businessman, and the faith easily went away, or rather, he didn't know how to assimilate this new situation and in consequence it came to that he requires from his wife that she retire from everything she is involved with together with the devotees. This is just an example. I think that in our projects we have experienced similar situations. It seems to prove the saying that wealth is poverty and that poverty is wealth.

This story shows that Krishna's mercy can reach everywhere and that the message of Srila Prabhupada is visible and appreciated even for the leaders in our materialistic society, but that the infiltration in many fields of the society, by major force has to occur in a subtle way, or even subversive and avoid to alarm the secret service.

The benefit of becoming a true renunciant

This story shows also the difficulties that Krishna consciousness presents for those who are materialists. They get panicked before the risk to lose some of their acquired positions. You know, to acquire any position in this world, one has to sacrifice much personally. And therefore you can understand why taking sannyasi is called civil suicide. A sannyasi cannot go to the house of a materialist to make a fuss; he has his strict principles and cannot discriminate or participate in the elitism of the life of illusion. Of course, sometimes we receive an invitation to a house of some rich person to preach to them, to all his friends and acquaintance. Evidentially this kind of invitations are very few, but we cannot either neglect this circle of the society an opportunity to hear something about Krishna, even we cannot either bring all bhaktas there which also would cause a chock in the surroundings, because a rich person can respect a voluntary renunciant but he cannot relate normal and relaxed with a person who lacks resources. So is the karma in this world, and among them are the so-called "middle class" with the ego of the rich and the pocket of the poor, but who do not accommodate anywhere and who generally end up to be very false and bustling.

Can you see yet the benefit of becoming a true renunciant? Because the renunciant can have a genuine and affective relation with everyone. Because he does not let buy for material facilities and he is not a hypocrite with anyone for selfish interest. He is the sincere friend of everyone and therefore he is the example for the human society. He can se the world as a society without classes, because he knows that we all are sons and daughters to the same father. We should all support this spirit and this way we will be protected from the immense difficulty of maya's world.

The House of Wisdom

This story also proves that the activities of the House of Wisdom cannot be mixed with much direct preaching through Harinama Sankirtan. This project is an inspiration of mine, exactly to offer activities and services of Para Upakara, for those who due to their social position cannot openly show participation, some clearly devotional activities of a transcendental stream that is scarcely known in its place.

I hope that these items will be to some help for you, and continuing in the steps of Srila Prabhupada I pray from the depth of my heart for all friends and living beings that the nectar of Prma Dhama can come to invade their consciousness, to fill their hearts, attract them to become devotees and to walk the path of dedication.

Don't forget, it is a great privilege, even in a minimum way, to be able to be involved on the path of Sri Nityananda and Gauranga! And what to say about those who have dedicated long months and years to take responsibility in organizing the mission of Srila Prabhupada in this world. The spiritual path is assured for one who has endeavoured even the slightest. Of course, when they do not fight and commit Vaisnava aparadha, but that is another topic apart from this.

Apply regarding worshiping the Deities

I hope that you continue with good health, supporting ecology and transcendental naturism, and that all are involved in making the adoration of Lord Caitanya more complete and more ecstatic in your respective towns. To improve the adoration to the Deities, I have taken refuge to the apply, not to say order, to all my disciples, that you spend one day a month, from Mangala Aratik till the altar closes for the night, in a temple of your place. This day you should fill with these following activities:

1. Be the most loving receptionist for all who visit the temple and explain to them what is the deity and what is everything that we are doing there in the daily puja.

2. Make sure that the following elements are continuously available in the temple:

a. Caranamrta to the deity.
b. Some maha prasadam for the visitors.
c. Some literature to read.
d. Transcendental sound in form of a conference in the speakers or soft music, glorifying Krishna. e. You should also preoccupy that the temple is clean and if there is nobody who comes to visit, you can chant 64 rounds or study the books of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Guru Maharaj, or sing bhajans for the deities, or assist the pujari in decoration.

With other words, don't worry; you will not be idle and you will spend a most beautiful day, this day of the month, in the temple. If we can accomplish to this desire of mine in the VRINDA mission, we will have an immense advantage that our temples will never be empty and the deities will feel very happy to always have a true devotee with them. Well, it could maybe be easier to pay a person to be the guardian of the security of the deities who would maintain this service, but this would not be ecstatic, because Krishna would be bored to see this paid type all the time in his temple and all of you would lose the opportunity of one day a month with intense meditation that I apply to you.

Personally, I have never liked to come to a temple where everything is dark, the curtain of the deity close and no smiling face. Therefore, AS THIS IS WRITTEN, MAY IT BE SO. Hopefully inclusive may years ahead, until after I am not in this world anymore.

Two personal prayers

One of the tasks of the spiritual master is to organize the adoration of the deities, and one presumes that this adoration will continue for generations. Imagine that in Jagannatha Puru, for instance, nobody knows how the adorations started in that temple; it has a story of thousands of years. Well, in relation to this I have two prayers:

First: I want that the adoration to the deities in the VRINDA mission will continue for many generations. And second: That those who go ahead with this worshiping are not fighting, proud or are astray from the message of Srila Prabhupada. I know that this is not a small thing to ask for, but I ask Krishna for this anyway.

A hug from my heart,
Always your well-wisher
Swami b.a. Paramadvaiti
Buenos Aires Mandir - Argentina