By Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti
Translation: Manahsiksa Devi Dasi

First of all I want to ask you to send information from the devotee artists who live in or is a part of your yatra. The information is for the web page consciousart.de. In this page, all conscious artists of VRINDA and artist friends come together to exchange enthusiasm and ideas. The program exists already since long time, but the majority of people is very slow to take advantage of something like this. We are practically making a small free web page for each artist, and they can use it to promote their own work. All we need is the name of the artist, the kind of art he/she is doing, a short account of the most important dates of his/her life: studies, exhibitions, etc. and preferably some scanned photo of his/her work, his/her e-mail, his/her eventual web page, etc.

Do not take away from the artists their opportunity to be present on this forum of conscious artists. This is not a disturbance, it is a service. And I personally ask for this, so that mother Manah Siksa, who is now directing this page, can receive the first notices. Then you can send scanned photos. I have many members in my family, who are excellent artists in all fields. Almost all vaisnavas make some nice art, and it is my pride to unite them in this big fight to make the world conscious through the language of the arts. Each music group also should be presented on this list of conscious artists, just like individual musicians and poets. I have space on Internet for all of this. It is a free service for the artists, but if you do not send your information, then we rather will have to report you as brahmajoti artists.

And it is very nice to see the artistic ideas and the preaching that all devotees have. Like on Hotline; there are so many ideas for the benefit of all the yatras, and the excellent things we present in special notices, for instance the artistic presentation of the desktop and the web page of mother Krishna Lekha from Buenos Aires. She rewarded the prize of recommendation to adapt it in the academies in all countries.

We are going to start now with our theme VRINDA patriotism. It is a delicate theme and very important. Patriotism in a family is the symptom of internal maturity. Patriotism of a family should not be against other devotees or other persons. Patriotism in a spiritual family and its preaching, has the purpose to strengthen each corner, each member, with other words the backbone of a spiritual family.

One has a very strong tendency to forget one's neighbour and even more if one does not see them regularly. By envy, indifference, competition, one develops a subtle mentality, antagonist and lazy to make any effort to encourage and support the other parts of one's same social body, one's own spiritual family. The spiritual family of our spiritual master is also a social body and has many mouths to feed.

A father's qualification is like the qualification of a head. A head does not forget any part of the body, and the father does not forget any member of the family. In a spiritual family, there are many things of priority. First it is the Guru parampara, since without that, there would not even be a spiritual family. Then it is the Istadev, the principal deity that my spiritual master adores, and besides that, this Istadev is the deity under whose protection my spiritual master personally brought me. If you do not have this clear, things will not work well in your bhakti yoga. After this it is Prabhu datta desh, the particular service that my spiritual master gave to me. A good disciple intuits what is necessary to do and the orders of his/her guru ratify his/her intuition and vice versa. Then it is the holy mantras, the spiritual names of yours and of the other devotees, the daily reverences to the vaisnavas, and the literature we read. Inclusive in our friendships, we should not share intimately with persons who do not have any interest in our spiritual compromise. To preach to persons about the things that are important to you, is always good, as long as this preaching does not disturb the others by making them nervous. If a person does not want to assimilate any good instruction, it is better not to lose more time with him or her, and rather look for another person who is more receptive.

Patriotism in a spiritual family is the remembrance of other members of the family who need your support. You can have fun, play football, talk nonsense or do other stupid things, but at the same time, how may members of your family need some support? How many are not in maya, waiting for a loving phone call from an elder devotee? How many devotees have not produced very valuable handcraft to serve the spiritual master, but you unconsciously sell the same product made by another person who is not within the family? The spiritual master can be giving very important instructions, but your mind says: "I don't have time, I am very tired". When you do not say so, is when you receive an invitation for a nice pizza on the other side of the city or when it is to watch an interesting movie. Or you simply lose time watching television to fill your head with pure rubbish.

Patriotism in the entire world, in the national field, means a disposition to even die for a country or a sake. How can spiritual patriotism be less compromising than mundane patriotism? Identifying the ego as a soul and not a body. Well, the danger of death in Krishna consciousness is only the death of the false ego, because Lord Caitanya has no program for us to be anyone's enemy. But on the other hand - a devotee, who is sacrificed for the cause of Lord Krishna, is sacrificing his/her time, his/her youth, his/her animalistic instincts, and so much more. One who is not a devotee, cannot understand at all. How can a person be an unselfish servant and work with a lot of enthusiasm and to even get up for mangal artik and continue to pray all days, "Oh, Lord! Let me be an instrument for Your love"?

Transcendental patriotism is great, because with this vision you see in each man and woman in the world, a potential brother or sister. The cause of the vaisnavas does not end in this world, it isn't even of this world. It was brought to this world by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and it is a process that descends from the spiritual world.

In the material world we see many ethnical groups that enjoy great material success, because they support very much persons from the same group. To put the personal interest behind and the collective interest in first place, one attains intensive capacity. To give you two examples: The Japaneses in Brazil vanquished the agriculture program of Sao Paolo in just a short time, and the Koreans in New York vanquished the vegetable and fruit market, so you cannot find an apple there, that has not passed their hands. There are infinite examples where patriotism has done certain groups very strong. And there are infinite of other examples, where treachery, unconsciousness and egoism have brought nice efforts into ruins. Thus, patriotism in our VRINDA family is not a theme to take lightly. Since our family is very young, many people have many distractions in their very decision to surrender, to start with their mind, the family and the economisery. Naturally many things disturb our dedication to our new family. The experience is that very few persons, who become devotees, take the consciousness 100% seriously, so this is something that takes time. Maturity, realization, we shouldn't be surprised about the lack of patriotism in some people. It is like a condition of theirs, and it is not any bad intention. But on the other hand, we shouldn't ignore the fact that this consciousness should be spread and generated in the form of istagoshis, the form that we keep in contact and all members informed about what the spiritual master is doing and about what is happening within our mission.

If the spiritual master has not recommended a very special book, nobody should read it. Only if it is in a personal investigation for some service that one has. Srila Prabhupada always argued that all his disciples should read his books first. I think that this was a very reasonable request from his part. Nowadays, it is published, especially in English, more vaisnava books than we can read. It is almost an avalanche. My libraries have books to the ceiling, and the only missing is time to read them all. But this is not a problem either, because if one with all the heart tries to serve the Guru, and has faith in the Vedas, the true meaning of all the books will be revealed in your heart, and to renounce the material world becomes something natural.

Krishna consciousness is something mystic, but patriotism of a family is established with caution and accomplishment, with expanded consciousness. If I need something, the first I look for is who can do it in my own family, before I go take money to spend it outside. With the family one has to be very generous, super honest, not stingy and neither too confident, because many times there are elements in the same family who do not deserve the confidence. For instance, I do not like at all that devotees between themselves borrow money, because in many cases when the other does not pay back, they come to me to make me a debt-collector, and for the irregular financial interactions, one disturb temples and sometimes even the friendship get lost. This is terrible. Money is energy to serve Krishna better and must never be the reason to become dejected in the service or become dejected because of the behaviour of others. Those who like to live with someone else's sweat in their forehead will not like this my instruction. They will think that I'm being an obstacle for that, but the truth is that between devotees, the first of importance is that all treating is transparent, well, that is a theme I have already ploughed enough. Especially in the reunion, the brahmin parlaments, it should be carefully studied how each member of the family can be happy, to give them opportunities, to make their service field a little easier if they need and correct them if something goes wrong. Of course, critics and corrections generally one do outside of the reunions by more qualified devotees. The reunions have the special privilege to promote enthusiasm and feel importance to all the integrants of the vaisnava family and so inspire an increasing of Krishna consciousness in your area.

Patriotism in our mission means to assure that the shop of our temple has everything that we possibly can attain that is produced in some part of our internal mission. If impossible - no problem. Everything is within the possible. What one cannot accept is negligence. Neither an administration that is so terrible that one cannot buy from the devotees even some little thing of what they are doing. Each temple should have a reserve of laksmi, at least three times their rent, and a special cash-box which is used only for buying merchandise for the preaching, and in which should be at least 1000 dollars. This is a basic requirement in order to manage well.

Patriotism in the VRINDA mission means a great respect to all the leaders that make such efforts to make a nice service, a wonderful amiability with the devotees who come to visit, that there is never missing a cushion for the sannyasi or the visiting president, that we never reject a member of our mission when our spiritual master accepts him or tries to correct or straighten him, etc. If we reject someone before our spiritual master, means that we think we are better than him. And if for a mistake that someone has made, a person obligatory has to be rejected, the spiritual master would not even give mercy anymore. Furthermore, suddenly there would be very few devotees left, with this severe criterion. Well, the fact is that Srila Prabhupada was very merciful and that we try to encourage people, even when it didn't go well at the first try and neither in the second. Of course, nobody has the right to become a disturbance in our family. But in a patriotic spirit with your spiritual master, it is no doubt about that he has the last word about forgiving and harmony.

VRINDA patriotism means to support our seva, always and whenever possible. My offices in different parts, the departments produce books, CD-ROMs and web pages. The pilot artist program is for the whole mission. The Eco-Truly Ashram and the farm in Ecuador are projects that work day and night for the good for the whole mission. This is without discussion, and what we have invested there is not possible to calculate. To not respect this is simply avaisnava.

For instance, for 7 years we have produced confidential science of bhakti yoga. The CD-ROM of VRINDA 1. Has without exaggeration more than one million of hours of work by many devotees around the word. None of them earned even one penny from that. Gurudeva Atulananda is working very hard to write his books, and the rights for the writer were not even discussed until this date and will not be discussed either. So the example of the acarya is to work for the benefit of everyone, without selfish motives. But for our sevas to become strong and continue in this rhythm, we need patriotism in each member of the mission, not only the leaders and sannyasis.

Prabhu Prakasananda one day gave me the surprise of the SD-Rom of yoga and effectively it is one of the most beautiful preachings that we have in VRINDA. So all the devotees should feel a sacred compromise to move these merchandises and support the sevas. If someone does not do it, well, what do I do? It is his problem. The lack of patriotism in the end, is always a problem of the person who is in lack of it. But collectively we should not be very indulgent or tolerant with this mentality. This is also a lack of patriotism. Complicity . But not up to the point of mistreating others, regarding this matter. Better than this the best you can do is printing this chat, making a cover to it, with a big heart on it, and give it as a gift to others.

I have a big responsibility. Furthermore, together with some devotees I am trying some fields to expand the preaching for the good of everyone.

We have experienced certain reverses referring to the distribution of books in public transports. In some parts it still works well, but it has no future for my mission in a big enhancement. Therefore I am looking for new ways to inject Krishna consciousness in the slow minds of the population of Kali yuga. And exactly these chats will always present the new discoveries. It is incredible how many things the devotees are doing. I recently come from a movie about Ramayana, made by a spiritual brother of mine in Hollywood. Or imagine what they have made,those of Ninjay, which called the attention of the entire world. And the last song I heard of prabhu Akarma, melted my heart. But how can it be that one can go to a temple and ask if they know Jagannath Salsa, music of Ashram Maharaja, songs of Madhava Prakas, or a book about Krishna with poems by Gurudeva Atulananda? And the nice devotees answer that they never have heard about it. What a surprise that such a thing exists!!! This is an anti-patriotic scandal. In the epoch of Internet, a clear symptom of illiteracy, since those books and musicians can be downloaded from the net. And besides that, the nearest seva guarantees that it has these things at a disposal.

VRINDA patriotism means that everybody always are guardians and protectors of the mission of our spiritual master. This means that nobody should come to our centres or temples without receiving sweet words, some prasadam, literature, with other words an impression of irrefutable capture. That is what Srila Prabhupada wanted to see. We are not interested to make our mission to grow for some personal motive. It is our sacred debt to share the beautiful we received as a gift. We do not want that the others lose the appearing of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thus, the position of being initiated is heavier than the majority can imagine. On the other hand, I do not think that you have come only to sunbath at the beach of Hawaii or Chakra y Mar. The tradition of this mission is the battle with kali yuga in the most kali yugic cities, like Calcutta.

So VRINDA patriotism means to maintain the spirit of a sweet little family. A small family in the sense that all members are considered out of maximum importance. One for all and all for one. And for Lord Krishna and His representative, we have to take very good care of them who are around us. In Mahabarata is given a nice analogy. It is said: To save a family, one has to sacrifice a member of the family. To save a town, one has to save a family. To save a country, one has to save a town. To save oneself, one has to sacrifice the whole world. This means that to save a spiritual family we have to sacrifice the egoism, the mediocrity, the envy, give a kick to the deceitful mind, to overcome the mentality of the blockhead who is thinking that the grass is greener on the other side. One has to sacrifice the laziness and the unnecessary dream, one has to sacrifice the food that is not offered, and one has to give a kick to the TV that ruins everything. Well, with the kick I refer to the exclusive utilizing in the devotional service, the kick to the mind that propose other things. You see that to sacrifice the entire world is not an easy thing either. Neither is it easy to be a patriotic servant and disciple of the spiritual master. It is a very difficult thing!

This world keeps us tied since many births, and the spiritual patriotism is the powerful process that can take us out of this world. In relation to other vaisnava missions, we definitely have to be respectful, but our patriotism for our family must not even be questioned. If someone disdains our spiritual family, he can never be our intimate friend. To know, accept, love and support a spiritual family is a privilege of those who have received the gift of faith to perceive therein the divine mercy of Srimati Radharani and Her representative. That is the reason why we are patriots. It is not a club. It is not a cooperative. It is not a way to attain the things cheaper. It is not a new diversion. It is our chance to receive service to the world of the infinite love. He who cannot see that… well, that's his problem. One cannot obligate anyone to look at it that way. After all, faith is a gift. Brahmanda brahmite konah.

When receiving Krishna's mercy, one finds the guru and one can recognize him. To share this affection with another person in search is one of our favourite activities. But to expose it to persons who want to make it relative or who want to show as superior what they have found without even know what we have, is useless. We rather avoid them. We also do not want to make followers of other missions or believers of another spiritual current, to feel that we think that what they have would be inferior or would not be good enough.

This offensive mentality is an offence of the Holy Name. With that I do not want to say that one has to be like a turtle who put the head and the legs in the shell as soon as someone appears who thinks different or who does not belong to our mission. I want the devotees to be lovingly mature and that they protect themselves in a sane patriotism. Srila Prabhupada taught us to say to the others of another current with complete humility to please become excellent devotees in their search for the truth, and then he gives us a good example of our dedication to become good devotees in our search for truth. Even for the Christians, Srila Prabhupada always said the same. He only accentuated that the fifth commandment also means to not kill animals.

The confidential things in our family, for instance the loving relationship of the pure devotees of Vrindavan, our enthusiasm and faith for the spiritual master is strictly reserved for them who has a strong desire to know the spiritual sentiments and experiences from us, and that do not feel even a little offended when we permit them to enter there. Generally we only talk themes of introduction and general appreciations to the divine intervention of God and Mother Nature. One who consider himself to be very devotee, and proclaims it everywhere, and start to fight with those who do not accept him, minimizing the faith of others, he is fraud and will not last for long. Krishna does not accept such a person not even if he proclaims to be a devotee of Krishna. The vaisnavas never proclaim themselves. The vaisnavas act according to their holy duty, and then others notice that this has to be a great devotee. But that is not a theme for a debate; it is a theme to share in confidential conversations with other patriots who fight for the same cause, and with them we aspire to stay together till the last breath. And what about if we can meet them again in the world where Srila Prabhupada, Srila Sridhar Maharaj, and Srila Puri Maharaha are, and where those eternal girls of pure love are, who have made Krishna crazy.

Well, that is also confidential. That Krishna gets crazy for the love of Srimati Radharani, is confirmed in several parts of the scriptures and is a theme of the holy land of Vrindavan.

In fact, the word patriotism is not from the sastras. In the sastras we see the verse in Srimad Bahagavatam that says that the attachment to everything in this world is the reason to our entanglement, but when this attachment is transferred to the devotees of the Lord, the doors will open for our liberation. VRINDA patriotism is my form of today to refer to our guru parampara and my humble attempt to serve my spiritual master, but the same principle can be applied as guru tattwa on all relationships of all devotees and their respective diksa and siksa gurus.

Patriotism was just a word chosen to help to communicate the idea of the union of the spiritual brothers and sisters, in a mission so spread as ours. With other words, we are not creating a new speculative ism.

Always your well.wisher,
Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti