Contents

Dedication

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Bhakti Vriksa, an introduction

Introduction on the Bhakti Vriksa modules

Directives and vision of the programme

14

Financing the program

15

Starting a Bhakti Vriksa group

17

Conducting a study class

22

Some Krsna conscious games for picnic

24

Samples of Bhagavad-gita quiz

29

Some problems you may face

35

Maintaining a good sadhana

40

Sadhana chart

41

Recommended reading for different levels of Siksha

48

Siksha ceremony

49

Siksha application form for Shraddavan

51

Siksha application form for Krsna Sevaka

53

Siksha application form for Krsna Sadhaka

55

Siksha application form for Srila Prabhupada Asraya

57

Sample of a siksha certificate

61

Seminar on first initiation

62

Seminar on chanting

67

Seminar on Vaishnava etiquette

78

Seminar on devotee marriages

94

Submitting reports and attending meetings

101

Some Testimonies

102

Dedication

These modules are dedicated to the lotus feet of my Spiritual Master HH

Jayapataka Swami, who is the congregational development minister of
ISKCON and is anxious to see that Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhus prediction
of a golden age becomes a reality soon with the spread of congregational
preaching.
He is constantly empowering people to take up preaching and give out Lord
Nityanandas mercy to all the fallen souls. These modules are a very small
attempt at developing this mood of compassion and selflessness in
disseminating Krsna bhakti in an organized way.

Foreward
Their Graces Vijaya Venugopal das and his good wife Prema Padmini dd along with their
team of Mathuradesa Bhakti Vriksha Group Preachers have developed a nice tool for training
the devotees who are members of their Bhakti Vriksha Groups. This tool is called a Bhakti
Vriksa Module. Basically, it is an aid for the Bhakti Vriksa Servant Leader (A Group Leader is
3

called a "Servant Leader" since he serves the Group and its members) to conduct the group
meetings in a systematic manner. This Bhakti Vriksa Module is recommended for a group
which is serious about their spiritual progress.
The modules have been developed after seven to eight years of Bhakti Vriksa preaching. It
has already been tried in Mathuradesh as well as other parts of the world and the initial reports
are very positive. It seems that the needs of the devotees have been adequately addressed. It
has also been tested in several places all over the world with very good results particularly in
the Middle East countries, a few cities in India, Canada, USA, S. Africa and Bangladesh. It
makes it easy for new Bhakti Vriksa Group Servant leaders to conduct meetings in a very
dynamic and systematic way. These modules have already incorporated suggestions from
different people and the organizers express their keen desire to receive your suggestions and
feedback in order to keep the modules updated and relevant.
I am told that the curriculum includes all the basic knowledge in Krishna Consciousness
which a person needs to have in order to practice the same seriously and also to preach it to
others. This has been done in a graded way so that the lessons take one through the Spiritual
Achievers Club or "Siksa" levels from Shraddhavan to Krishna Sevaka to Krishna Sadhaka,
etc. till they reach Guru Ashraya. The curriculum gradually provides training for the members
to become leaders themselves.
The publishers have informed me that:
1) The modules include not just study material but personal insights on how to care for the
people week after week, with a lot of suggestions on how to encourage them and get them
going steadily in Krishna Consciousness. There is also a chapter dealing with solving
potential problems that one could encounter while conducting a Bhakti Vriksha group. So,
even complete beginners can easily conduct a Bhakti Vriksha successfully if they follow the
week by week guidance given in the modules.
2) Apart from the weekly meetings, the modules give detailed guidance on how to conduct
study classes, seminars with seminar material, vyuha or joint programmes with other Bhakti
Vriksha Groups (a variant from the regular Bhakti Vriksha meetings). They also provide
guidance on how to arrange for prasadam, how to keep reports, how to keep records of the
progress in sadhana of the advanced members with the help of the sadhana charts that are
provided along with. There are separate checklists for each module to see if your Bhakti
Vriksha is doing well and how to keep in touch with the members through the telephone,
home visits etc. and how to train the members in preaching via step by step method, how to
take the people to the next level of siksha with siksha seminar, how to conduct a siksha
programme and give out certificates etc., are also described based on practical experience.
3) A course on Vaishnava etiquette has also been included in the concluding weeks, so the
devotees imbibe the Vaishnava qualities as well.

4) There is time allotted for training the members in the practical aspects of the devotional
service like arathis, kirtan and learning slokas during the study classes.
The Congregational Development Ministry is always trying to facilitate ISKCON around the
world to develop their congregations. We hope that the Mathuradesh Bhakti Vriksa Modules
will be something from which you can get some good help. We are eager to get your
feedback and find out about the results. The publishers are even more eager for this. They
inform me that using the modules in many places have produced serious devotees so fast that
many of them are ready to accept leadership responsibilities fairly early in their devotional
career. I will let the publishers explain about this in their own introduction.
Yours in devotional service,
Jayapataka Swami

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to HH Sacinandan Swami for allowing us to take points on improving our
chanting from his book The nectarean ocean of the holy name
We are grateful to HH Mahanidhi Swami for allowing us to take points from his explanation
of the Sikshashtakam from his book Art of Chanting Hare Krsna .
We are grateful to HH Satsvarupa das Gosvami for letting us use excerpts from his book
Vaishnava Behavior- The 26 qualities of a Devotee.
We are grateful to ISKCON Chowpatty for allowing us to use a part of their compilation of
quotations on Vaishnava etiquette.
We also thank them for their inspiration and example for developing our Sadhana chart for
monitoring the sadhana of devotees.
We are very grateful to the Mathuradesh devotees who have selflessly and tirelessly been
trying to implement the principles of this module not only in Mathuradesh but in also many
parts of the world.
We are also grateful to them for all the help we have received in producing this module.
We are also grateful to all the other preachers world wide who continue to use these modules.
Their sharing of practical experiences helps us in making these modules as relevant as
possible.
Your servants,
Vijaya Venugopala das
Prema Padmini dd

Bhakti Vriksha, an introduction

Bhakti Vriksha, the tree of devotional service is the name for small groups of people meeting
weekly for about two to three hours. It is very interactive and helps the participants to discuss
the Krishna Conscious philosophy, develop close and friendly relationships with devotees,
and progress very happily in Krishna Consciousness. It also trains them to become competent
preachers. It is based on the principles of congregational preaching of the Nama Hatta devised
by Srila Bhakti Vinoda Thakura.
It takes care of the social, psychological, intellectual and emotional needs of a devotee to
firmly establish himself in his spiritual need of bhakti and his eternal service to Krishna. It is,
thus, a holistic approach to training a devotee, laying a firm foundation in his devotional
service which will keep growing unlimitedly throughout his entire life. Since proper
understanding and faith is established in his heart through studying Srila Prabhupadas
instructions in a systematic way, where practical application of those principles are stressed,
the devotee progresses undisturbed by various onslaughts of Kali, with a firm faith in the
Krishna Conscious process and instructions.
It consists of an ice- breaker or Satsanga session, kirtan, japa, spiritual edification or the
discussion of some Krishna Conscious topic, preaching session and prasadam.
In a gradual and systematic way, the members are helped to advance in Krishna
Consciousness. Members are given certificates to acknowledge each level of advancement.
The Lesson modules, which are ready-made preaching plans, will help the
leader/facilitator to conduct the programme week after week. These are simple to follow
and help in conducting the programmes very well.
The study classes conducted for the members on a different day of the week, after a few
months of starting the group programme, will further ensure that the members are well
versed in Srila Prabhupadas books.
When the group has completed the modules in 64 weeks, normally they should be ready to
multiply. This involves the trained and qualified members of the group to become leaders
themselves. Those who are not yet ready to be leaders could be regrouped to attend these new
leaders programmes and they can act as senior devotees assisting the leaders in preaching
and taking care of the new members, while making further advancement themselves . When
they make the required progress, they could be encouraged to lead new Bhakti Vrikshas
themselves.

Mood and method of the Bhakti Vriksha:

Bhakti is the goal of the Bhakti Vriksha and Bhakti involves applying practically the
Krishna Conscious principles not a dry discussion of philosophy alone. Ideally, anyone who
has firm faith in Srila Prabhupada and is practicing all the principles of chanting 16 rounds,
following the four regulative principles and is observing Mangala Arathi, reading Srila
Prabhupadas books, observing Ekadasi and has a basic understanding of the Krishna
Conscious philosophy can become a Bhakti Vriksha group leader.
One does not have to be a scholar to be able to answer all the questions. One can always refer
back to the seniors or to Srila Prabhupadas books and get back to the members if one is not
able to answer some difficult questions. The members will be made aware of the family of
devotees in different levels of advancement who are there to back the leader. The Bhakti
Vriksha leaders main qualification is his sincerity in desiring the spiritual advancement of his
members.
Building up relationships in a very close and personal way is most important, as it helps
people to surrender to Krishna due to devotee association.
Developing service attitude and humility are the primary requirements of a successful Bhakti
Vriksha leader who can convince his members to commit themselves more and more to
Krishna Consciousness.
Love and trust is built up if the leader acts as a facilitator and not as a controller. This will also
lead to the empowerment of the members to quickly advance and preach.
The art of listening is required in the leader to encourage and facilitate a lively discussion in
which every one takes part and benefits.
The goal is the spiritual advancement of everyone, including the leader. So by catering to the
spiritual growth of others, the leader becomes more and more selfless and progresses quickly
and wonderfully in Krishna Consciousness. This gives him a higher taste and he enjoys the
nectar of devotional service.
Regular meetings with the other leaders as well as with the programme coordinator are very
essential. It enables each one to learn from one anothers successes, sort out problems, and cooperate together for the overall success of the Bhakti Vriksha programme.
Advantages of conducting a Bhakti Vriksha:
1) It is interactive and so is more interesting. Thus, it helps people to retain what they have
learnt.
8

2) Fosters close and lasting spiritual relationships and family feeling with the other devotees.
3) Empowers everyone to be a preacher and a leader.
4) It has the potential to multiply quickly while ensuring good training of devotees.
5) Engages everyone in absorbing devotional service.
6) Leadership skills are learnt and developed by everyone.
7) Helps one to develop true Vaishnava qualities of tolerance, humility, efficiency,
selflessness, etc.
8) It supports the seven purposes of ISKCON as given by Srila Prabhupada and helps in
achieving them. (We have dealt with this in greater detail in the next chapter.)
Summing up:
1) Conducting a Bhakti Vriksha is easy and simple if you follow the techniques.
2) The results, both in terms of quality and quantity, make it worthwhile to apply the Bhakti
Vriksha System.
3) With experience you gain expertise. You can discuss your problems with those who have
learnt to conduct it successfully.
4) One can fulfill Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhus desire and prediction of flooding the world
with Krishna Consciousness. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has said that if even one percent of
the population becomes devotees, the golden age will set in! Bhakti Vriksha has the potency
to accomplish this.
5) The modules facilitate the application of Bhakti Vriksha as presented in the manual and
will make it easy for all preachers to follow, even those without any previous experience.

Introduction to the Bhakti Vriksa Modules

Dear devotees,
The Bhakti Vriksha programme material is intended to facilitate your application of the
Bhakti Vriksha principles very systematically. It is simple and easy to follow. After seven to
eight years of experience in conducting the Bhakti Vriksha programme successfully in
Mathuradesh, in the Middle East, we have designed these modules.
To give you an idea about the congregation of Mathuradesh, here, most of the devotees are of
Indian, Bangladeshi origin and are expatriates. They are, here, only to work for their
livelihood and their jobs are renewed every two years. So it is a highly changing population,
as almost everyone is not a permanent resident of the country. Many devotees who have been
trained in this system here have left and started it in other places.
We would also like to share with you that these modules have been implemented in many
countries all over the world as well, and have brought about outstanding results.
In Bangladesh, where they are following these modules, it has led to a rapid growth of Bhakti
Vrikshas with many devotees being able to conduct them successfully.
In Toronto, in Winnipeg, in Johannesburg, in Northern Virginia, USA, in a few other middle
east countries, also a few cities like Hyderabad and Bangalore in India, they have proved
very successful in generating the enthusiasm and desire for progress in the members while
systematically training them in the philosophy, practice and preaching the Krishna Conscious
principles, as well as in interacting with people very effectively and very quickly. We have
also included the experiences of some of these preachers in the book.
We will be discussing some additional points of consideration for the cultivation of the
people; also common difficulties and doubts that preachers normally encounter.
We will be dividing the entire course into 5 modules according to the level of progress a
group goes through. At the end of each module, there will be some questions for you in the
form of a check list, which will help you gauge which level your group is at. The topics for
discussion in the different modules have been designed according to the knowledge required
for the members to commit themselves to the next higher level.
The levels are determined by the commitments they make in Krishna Consciousness. The
siksha programme developed by the Congregational Development ministry ISKCON, assigns
different commitments for different levels of Siksha. For example, one who is regularly
attending an ISKCON programme at least once a week and is chanting one mala of japa will
be acknowledged as a Shraddhavan. The acknowledgement is in the form of a certificate,
which could be issued by the local ISKCON authorities. This could be awarded to the
participants either at a public gathering at the local ISKCON temple or during the special
programmes like the Vyuha programmes held for the Bhakti Vriksha groups. The siksha
application forms as well as a sample siksha certificate are available at the back of this book.

10

We have allotted eight weeks for people to commit to the level of Shraddhavan, the next
eight weeks for people to move to Krishna Sevak(Chanting four rounds of japa, accepting
Lord Krishna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, no meat eating, offering some regular
service and starting to read Srila Prabhupadas books), and the next eight weeks for people to
move to Krishna Sadhak(chanting eight rounds of japa, following the four regulative
principles, offering bhoga to pictures, establishing an altar at home and generally accepting
the process of Sadhan-bhakti ), the next 12 weeks to move to the level of Srila Prabhupada
Ashraya (Chanting 16 rounds of japa, following regulative principles, showing a strong
conviction in Krishna Consciousness like attending/ performing Mangala Arathi, studying the
scriptures seriously, etc, and the last 12 weeks of the modules are for the people to move up to
Guru Ashraya( accepting a living Guru in ISKCON ).
At the end of every module we have assigned the succeeding week for presenting a seminar to
motivate the participants to commit themselves to the next siksha level. We have included the
seminar material in the texts. These are very inter-active sessions and have proved very
effective in enlightening and inspiring the members to move to the next level.
One important point to note is that the focus of the regular weekly programme of the Bhakti
Vriksha is to instill faith in Krishna in the members and give them the basic understanding of
Krishna Conscious philosophy in order that they can be engaged in pure devotional service.
The emphasis is thus on the practical application of Krishna Consciousness and the
development of bhakti or devotion.
The Discussion sessions are geared towards understanding the goal of Krishna Consciousness
and to engage oneself in realizing that goal, which necessitates a lot of participation from the
members. For learning shastra in a more systematic way, we have advised that the members
attend a study group on another day of the week. We have also described the format of the
study group. We have recommended that this be done by the sixth month of starting the group.
In actual practice, members become very enthusiastic even before the fourth month to attend
the study classes! Truly, Bhakti is the source of Jnana and Vairagya.
The two parallel programmes of the Bhakti Vriksha and the study classes fortify the aspiring
devotees faith and knowledge in Krishna Consciousness in a very strong and deep way. We
find that very soon members become enthusiastic to attend the weekly Friday (weekend in the
Middle East) programmes of the yatra as well. This helps them to associate with senior
devotees and also integrate with the larger devotee community of the yatra. They get a chance
to participate in the different services, festivals, samskaras and other programmes very
quickly.
If you were to substitute the Discussion sessions with a more study-based material, there
could be a compromise on their participation, enthusiasm and practical application of Krishna
Conscious principles.
The members will also be trained to preach effectively and also become group leaders
themselves in 64 weeks. Those who do not make it to the minimum requirement for leading a
group, which is Prabhupada Asraya, or are not ready to lead a group themselves can continue
11

attending one of the groups that the parent group multiplies to. Each of these groups will be
lead by one of the trained members, and the remaining members of the group could be
assigned to attend these different groups and participate as a senior member, assisting the new
Bhakti Vriksha leader and thus acting as interns.
In case these members seem to be too advanced to go through a Bhakti Vriksha again, they
could just continue attending the study classes and be gradually trained to lead a Bhakti
Vriksha group. Or if after some time of attending the Bhakti Vriksha they feel confident of
leading a group, they could be helped to do so.
If you are following the same pace as the material, you should be able to multiply the group
within a year and three months and train quite a few leaders.
This has been our experience at Mathuradesh, that by following these modules, we have been
able to make the pace of progress of the members in different groups more uniform. By
following these modules, all of the groups reported very good results; in fact even better
results than what we have anticipated in the modules themselves.
There are some important points that you must bear in mind and must take special care about
which will greatly enhance your preaching, and make it a very satisfying experience:
1) Please read the material a few days in advance. Be sure that you know the answers for the
questions in the passage. If there are any doubts, you can clarify it with your senior. You can
also read additional literature relevant to the topic under consideration. This will help you
clarify their doubts, as well as make your summing up very interesting. Also kindly go
through the instructions for every session given each week, even though they may be
repetitive some times. As and when some change is required, it has been added, and so lest
you miss them, kindly go through them every week.
2) Please do not explain the passage to them after it has been read out. Let them try to
understand the passage by answering the questions themselves.
There are questions given at the end of each passage of the spiritual edification to enable them
to cover all the important points in the passage.
Your role is to facilitate their discovery of the passage, by acknowledging and accepting or
gently correcting their answers in an informal way; not as one would do in a classroom. If you
were to give out all the answers yourself, or just lecture to them in advance about it, they will
not apply their minds to understand it. Hence their learning will remain superficial. So please
do keep all the explanation and extra points that you would like to share with them for the end
of the session, when you will be summing up the discussion.
3) Please make sure that every body participates in the application questions, since it will not
only aid everyone to apply the principles in their daily life, it will also give you a first hand
knowledge of any obstacles that they may be facing and about their spiritual progress. It is the
application session, which enthuses the devotees to make real spiritual progress and not
remain stagnant on a theoretical level.
12

4) The preaching session is also a very important part of the program. In the first few sessions
you need only read out the passage on Preaching is the essence as it is mentioned in the
material. Once they will be a little familiar with the mission and its purpose, there are
instructions to start getting everyone involved in preaching through small steps, and in this
way training them to be effective preachers and leaders themselves.
5) Please make sure that you speak to the members during the week informally some time.
This will greatly encourage them. You can also visit them in their homes. This helps
tremendously, as you get a first hand and personal knowledge of them. So you can help them
progress in their spiritual lives even better. Your suggestions will be more relevant and
practical for them, thus building up their trust in your spiritual care.
6) While caring for them and making them grow, you yourself will grow by leaps and bounds.
For example, you will be motivated to read Srila Prabhupadas books, and follow the
principles more carefully in order to set a good example. Besides, it gives you so much of
devotional service to do while training you in the principles of humility, tolerance, service
attitude etc. So do take up the Bhakti Vrksa preaching very seriously, since your own spiritual
life is woven into it.
7) The ice- breakers mentioned in the ice- breaker/ sat sanga session will help the people to
open up and relate to the group, concentrate on what is happening during the program, and
participate freely. There are also ice- breakers, which foster their team spirit. So after some
sessions, when the group is likely to feel comfortable with one another and a good team spirit
has also developed, we will move into discussing what they read during the week from Srila
Prabhupadas books and their realizations. So this will encourage them to read as well as
promote understanding them personally. Though we have chosen the ice- breakers for you,
you can have more choice from the The Book of ice- breakers compiled by HG Kaunteya das
and published by the Congregational Development Ministry.
8) If there are any heated arguments with regard to the philosophy, or if somebody tries to
disagree on some issue, it is better to discontinue the particular point and request them to
discuss it separately with us. This way we can avoid wasting time and disturbing the minds of
the new comers. If they deviate from Srila Prabhupadas teachings, we can request them to
keep to the text and later discuss their doubts/ opinions with us. This can be done very politely
and gently, but firmly.
If there is some question we are not able to answer, we can tell them that we will come back
with the answer the next week. We have to make sure that we find out the answer and let them
know in the next meeting.
9) We have to set an example with our service mood, but at the same time we have to let them
render services too, only then they will mature in their devotional service. If we give them
services, so that it will benefit them spiritually, they will accept it with great eagerness. But if
we think in terms of sharing our burden, they will begin to resent it.

13

10) Another aspect that we may encounter is that what to do if when we have progressed to
heavier topics in the spiritual edification and we have a new visitor to our Bhakti Vriksha.
How do we make him understand and participate? So then, we must take a few minutes off
and explain to him the basics in Krsna consciousness and an introduction to what is being
discussed. Later we can assign some senior and steady member to give him association, and
familiarize him/her with the sessions already covered by the group. You can also make sure
that he is comfortable participating in the group. If there are a few members who have joined
late in the group, say after 6 months, then it will be difficult for them to integrate in the
Discussion session with the others. So we can have them sit separately and discuss the earlier
Discussion sessions.
11) Every three months, it is important that we let the group members have a break from the
routine and have a different programme, which we call as the Vyuha programme. It may
comprise of a long Kirtan, a lecture by a senior devotee, an interactive session among the
members with games, quiz, entertainment of music, drama, sharing realizations, etc. so that
they are enthused. It is also a programme to which new members will gladly attend as it is
like an outreach programme. It is also an opportunity for the members to have the association
of senior devotees. This is very important for their progress. We have assigned the weeks
periodically for such programmes at regular intervals. We will also give you reminders for
going on picnics together, for attending the yatra programmes, etc.
12) Picnics and other informal gatherings like home programmes to celebrate occasions like
house-warming ceremonies, birthdays, inaugurating a new altar, etc, are very important in
helping the members come close together. We have a separate chapter on games that could be
played during picnics.
13) The importance of performing regular sadhana systematically is emphasized through a
meeting and discussion on sadhana for the members. All devotees who have reached Srila
Prabhupada Ashraya are also requested to enter their sadhana details on a chart every day and
submit it every week to their leaders during the study classes. The study classes also set aside
half an hour for training them in different devotional activities like learning slokas, Vaishnava
songs, performing arathi, playing the karatalas, etc.
14) We have seminar materials on topics like chanting, Vaishnava etiquette, devotee
marriages, importance of sadhana, etc which are included in this book . Leaders (could be
sector leaders or other seniors in the hierarchy) are requested to conduct these seminars
periodically for the members.
15) Please fill up the Bhakti Vriksha report form at the end of each lesson, every week
immediately after the programme. This is easy to do and will help you and your seniors in the
Bhakti Vriksha programme to analyze the growth of your Bhakti Vriksha members. A sloppy
approach will not yield the desired results, nor help you take proper measures to improve your
preaching.

14

16) We request you to give us a feed back on how you are progressing with the modules, as
well as any difficulties if you encounter. We are at your service and will reply you
promptly.This will also enable us to improve the modules. Please contact us at the following
e-mail addresses:
dvenugop@omantel.net.om
premajps@hotmail.com; premajps@yahoo.com
Thank you very much,
Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada,
Vijaya Venugopala das
Prema Padmini dd

15

DIRECTIVES OF THE BHAKTI VRIKSHA PROGRAMME BASED

ON THE SEVEN PURPOSES OF ISKCON BY SRILA PRABHUPADA
To give people spiritual knowledge
To make them study Sri Bhagavad gita and Srimad Bhagavatam
To train them in the techniques of devotional service
To instill Krishna Conscious values in them
To build close relationships with one another and with Guru and
Krishna
To train and encourage them to preach
To distribute relevant books, magazines, periodicals and other
writings
To live a Vedic life
To help them develop Vaishnava qualities

Vision

16

Systematically educate people in Krishna Conscious philosophy

Train them in devotional service
Care for them
Empower them
Grow geometrically
Ensure rapid spiritual advancement
Train people in organizational skills
Plan, set targets and review progress periodically

Financing the programmes

The wonderful aspect of Bhakti Vriksha preaching is that it requires very little expenditure at
the start but later on when the programmes grow bigger and the need for funds increases,
there is a self-generating facility of funds from the committed members, who both contribute
themselves as well as collect from outside to the extent possible by them. Hence, the burden
of financing is easily shared by everyone and ceases to be a burden anymore.
The initial expenditure for running a Bhakti Vriksa is the prasadam that to be distributed every
week to the members. The Bhakti Vriksa leader can plan his prasadam according to his
means. Since all the members are new, it is not appropriate to ask them to share in the
expenses. But seeing the selfless service attitude of the Bhakti Vriksa leader, members are
automatically inspired to also share in the expenses by either sponsoring the prasadam or
bringing some raw materials for cooking etc. If the Bhakti Vriksa leader looks upon the
expenses (which should suit his means) as a burden of love that a parent undertakes for his
children, then the same attitude will be more than reciprocated by the members. The Bhakti
Vriksa leader can keep the prasadam simple if he cannot afford an elaborate one, but the
members will be satisfied with it, if it is offered to them with love. On the other hand, if he
were to ask them to share in the expenses, the members will start to resent it and be suspicious
of his motives in collecting the funds.
So once love and trust is generated among the members, funds are not a problem at all as
more and more leaders are trained to start a Bhakti Vriksa themselves. The initial Bhakti
Vriksa leader, when he becomes a Upa chakrapati (sector leader), does not spend regularly on
prasadam except maybe when he convenes meetings himself and hosts prasadam as a special
gesture.
The other expense in conducting a Bhakti Vriksa is incurred in making copies of the passages
for distribution to the members. This again is not much as it is quite inexpensive to copy
them. The Bhakti Vriksa leader can, after a few weeks, request to the group members if
anyone could volunteer to get copies for everyone.
Telephone calls are a necessary expense but more so in the initial months. As the members
settle down in Krishna Consciousness, not so many phone calls and certainly not long talks
may be necessary to encourage them. Calling up contacts and junior devotees can also get
distributed to the different members attending the preaching session.
Vyuha programmes are arranged by two or three Bhakti Vriksa Groups together once in three
months. Since it is like a common programme, the expenses can be mutually shared by the
Bhakti Vriksa leaders for the first Vyuha programme. The expense is only on prasadam, which
again can be adjusted according to ones means. The subsequent programmes will generally
find ready sponsors. In any case, it is not on a separate day from the regular Bhakti Vriksa
17

programme and so it is not exactly an extra burden. The study classes, being of a short
duration, do not require any prasadam to be distributed.
The costs of picnics can definitely be shared between all the members. Festivals are normally
part of a central programme and hence the Bhakti Vriksha leader does not incur any expenses
individually. Also, donations can always be got for celebrating festivals, so that the burden
does not fall on only a few people.
Therefore, the Bhakti Vriksha programme really does not require much expenditure, though it
brings in enormous results.

18

Starting a Bhakti Vriksha Group

The thought which is in the fore front of every preacher is Where do I get a receptive
audience?
It is but natural that we are perplexed about where we will find a group of committed
members who will come week after week to our Bhakti Vriksha meetings.
This holds true only till you start a Bhakti Vriksha. For, once you start a Bhakti Vriksa Group,
all members are gradually trained to invite their friends and acquaintances to the programme.
Even when the group multiplies into more groups, it starts with some of the members from
the parent Bhakti Vriksa Group, who share the responsibility of bringing in new people.
If you are already attending some devotional programs in the temple, then inviting some of
the visitors there to your program would be very easy and effective. Some regular visitors to
the temple might also be interested to attend a supplementary program that is for a smaller
group where the interaction and attention is bound to be better.
Festivals are a good time to encounter a lot of new visitors. Even if two out of the 10 or 15
people you approach actually make it to the Bhakti Vriksha meeting, you can consider your
effort successful.
Book distributors are a good source of contacts that need to be further cultivated.
If you are keenly looking for potential members, you will find them! It may be in a supermarket, a bus stop, a clinic. you name it. It is not difficult to find people to attend our
meetings, if we know how to approach them.
The first strategy is to understand how much they need what you are going to give them.
(Every one needs it!) Then you will have the confidence and determination to approach them.
If there are already some senior devotees in your yatra who are ready to lead Bhakti Vriksa
groups, then you can meet together for a few weeks, while inviting some of the junior
devotees as well. Each one of the trainee leaders can take turns in conducting the Bhakti
Vriksha. After a few weeks / months, when everyone feels confident to lead a group of their
own, the junior devotees and new comers can attend these programmes. It is advisable to
distribute them according to geographical considerations, so that it becomes easier for them to
attend the programmes and the leaders to care of them well.
Some people may already be attending programmes of other faiths and so if you invite them
to attend an ISKCON programme, they may hesitate to accept it. Indians can be invited for a
talk and discussion on the Bhagavad-gita accompanied by a few hymns or chants. Among
Indians who are Hindus, Bhagavad-gita is equally respected among all the communities. After
attending the programme and appreciating it, they are normally willing to come for an
ISKCON programme.
19

For other nationalities from different cultural backgrounds, there can be other ways to attract
them. Every one is looking for peace and happiness and so you can invite them to a
programme of Vedic chants to bring peace and happiness to them and to discuss the
philosophy behind it. If you also mention the feast at the end of the programme, that would
help!
Whatever be the culture and special circumstances of your place, there are certain common
features that people have all over the world which makes this approach universal.
Globalization has occurred in the material sphere of life in such a pronounced way; Spiritual
globalization should not be difficult either!
1) The ideal situation would be to invite people of your local neighbourhood to attend
your programme, for several reasons, chief of them being the accessibility. If they live
close to your house, staying in touch becomes very easy. For the members too,
attending your programme will be easy and comfortable. They can, thus, be regular at
your meetings. Your prasadam can also be greatly simplified and informal as they are
not traveling great distances to attend your programme. The members will be able to
interact amongst themselves periodically as they all live close by. You will be able to
visit them frequently and be able to care for them well. It will also be very easy to
organize an extra day for study classes, picnics, etcAlso the feeling of
neighbourliness may be an impetus for them to attend your programme.
2) Make a flyer inviting the members to attend a programme at your house.

Things to note while making the flyer:

a) Do not mention that you are planning a regular weekly programme. Before
knowing what it is all about, nobody likes to commit themselves. So make the
invitation only for the first day. In an Indian setting, you could call it a Bhajan
Satsang along discussions on the Bhagavad-gita. In cultures unfamiliar to the
Vedic culture, you could phrase it differently. If you are going to have a mixed
gathering then you can invite the Indians too with the same flyer that you are
giving the others.
The following is a flyer that was distributed in the USA in two places and it had a
fairly good response among the neighbours.

20

Youre cordially invited

To a small gathering of our neighborhood for a programme on
Universal culture and brotherhood
Hymns and chants that bring happiness and good fortune to everyone as well
as short readings from ancient scriptures.
Time:
Date :
Venue:
It will be most effective if you have two people to go and invite them personally. This has a
much better response than just dropping the fliers in their homes.
If even two out of fifteen people that you have invited attend your programme, you should
consider it a good response from your neighbourhood.

The programme:
1) Seat them all in a circle facing one another. Introduce yourself first and request them
to introduce themselves.
2) Give a short address on how music and religious chants are highly essential in todays
competitive world to soothe the peoples minds and to give meaning to their otherwise
mechanical lives. Discuss how television as an alternative has destroyed peoples
creativity and finer feelings and made them more impersonal.
Mention how all religions advocate the chanting the holy names of the Lord in order
to bring peace and happiness to the people. Talk about the Hare Krishna mantra as an
ancient Vedic chant which is very soothing and inspiring. Ask them if they would like
to try it. If they are not against it, then you can start a soft kirtan and request them to
also repeat the mantra after you. Please keep copies of the Mahamantra written and
distribute it to all the members during the kirtan.
3) If they request you to include some chant that they are familiar with, include it also for
a few minutes.
4) Read out from Bhakti Vriksa module - Week 4, the spiritual edification passage which
has the explanation of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra as given by Srila Prabhupada. If

21

you find them receptive, you can conduct a discussion among them by asking the
questions at the end of the passage in the modules.
Alternatively, if you find any of the Namamrta passages in the modules to be
appropriate for reading, you could do so. If you have the book on Namamrta or the
Nectar of chanting the holy names of Krsna which is an ISKCON compilation of the
different quotations of Srila Prabhupada, as well as a few quotes from scriptures, you
can read appropriate verse/verses from that.
Set aside a few minutes for questions or comments from the participants.
5) Serve prasadam to the guests and make sure that you are engaged with them in an
informal talk. The discussion during the program will most likely continue during
prasadam time.
6) If they show a lot of interest, you can tell them about Srila Prabhupadas books and
show them a few small books.
7) Decide when you want the next programme and ask them if they would like to come
for it.
8) For the subsequent six or eight weeks, you can have icebreaker or the sat-sanga
session, kirtan and reading and discussion of the spiritual edification/ namamrta from
the Bhakti Vriksha modules or any other passages that you find suitable. You can
gradually include japa if you find the people showing interest. You can enquire from
them if they would like to chant on the beads before actually including it.
9) You can make the transition to conducting a full-fledged Bhakti Vriksha very easily
after about six to eight weeks or even earlier if you consider them sufficiently
enthusiastic about the programme.
Alternatively, you could start other forms of Outreach Programmes to attract prospective
Bhakti Vriksha members. The content of the Outreach can be highly variable according to
what or how much you think your guests will accept Krishna Consciousness.
If it is an Indian gathering, you could straight away start with a kirtan, some short lecture/
readings from Krsna book and teaching them Bhagavad-gita slokas and gradually
introducing them to chanting etcand prasadam with some video shows of different
ISKCON ITV recordings like the Hare Krishna world, the spiritual oasis, and so on.
You can make the programme more interactive as time goes on and slowly introduce the ice
breakers. Once they enjoy the interactiveness, you can progress to conducting the
Discussion sessions as well as the rest of the modules as well.
For non-Indians, you can have varied Outreach Programmes with vegetarian cookery classes,
Bhakti yoga classes, etc. and then gradually get them to the regular Bhakti Vriksha
22

programme in a matter of seven to eight weeks time. When making the transition, do not
announce that you are making any changes rather introduce the changes very naturally, so that
they accept it as they get to experience it.
Do not worry too much if a few of the members leave your group. This sort of sifting
continues till you are left with steady and committed members. For those who fall away, you
can still keep their contacts and continue inviting them for big festival programmes, other
Outreach programmes, etc. so that they can gradually progress in their Krishna
Consciousness. Actually, once the programme is well established there can be regular weekly
Outreach programmes catering to people with less commitment. But till such time, you can
focus your attention on training people who are most ready to attend the Bhakti Vriksha
Group.

23

Conducting a study class

Time : 90 minutes(minimum)
.
We have mentioned that you start the study class after 6 months or roughly 24 weeks of
conducting the program, but in several instances we have found that the members are ready
for it much earlier , say around the 3rd or 4th month. So you can gauge the mood of your
members and put forward your proposal of keeping aside another day of the week to attend
the study classes.
Of course, the entire Bhagavad-gita cannot be covered in the study classes, due to lack of
time, but the purpose is to give them sufficient taste and knowledge and encouragement to
make a thorough reading of the entire book by themselves.
Sit in a circle and the leader can recite the sloka in Sanskrit with the translation repeated by
the memebers. Then request the members to read a paragraph each and mention the main
points from the text. The leader can give further insights if any on the text. If there are any
doubts, they can also be cleared immediately.
The leader has to give them an overview of what the Bhagavad- gita contains, make them
learn the titles of each chapter. Before starting to read a chapter, he has to give an overview of
the chapter. If he reads the chapter in advance, then he can be well equipped to do so.
You can have periodic quiz and tests from each chapter from the Bhagavd-gita to see how
seriously they are reading it.. A sample of a quiz and a question paper for a written test have
also been made available in this book.

Also make them learn by heart some of the important verses (These are listed in this
chapter.). This can be made interesting to learn. Go through the word for word meaning for
the verses and familiarize them with the meaning of the words. Then go through the
translation of the verse. Make them recite each sentence of the verse a few times together as
they repeat after you. They can each try to recite the sentence loudly before everyone. You
can proceed with the next verse till you have covered the whole verse. Let them write the
verse down themselves. They can look at the verse and the translation during the course of
the week and try to memorize it.
There are also few important verses that they should learn to refer to to from the Bhagavad
gita. They need not memorize them , but they should be able to find them when they need to
substantiate the Krishna conscious philosophy to others. A table containing different themes
and the verses relevant to them have been given. This has been taken from the Bhakti shastri

24

study material and will be help them to gradually become familiar with the contents of the
Bhagavad gita.
You can have periodic sloka reciting competitions to promote their enthusiasm for learning
the verses. Ultimately when they are preaching directly to people they will find these verses
most valuable.
.

You can set aside half an hour for learning slokas, vaishnava songs, learning other aspects of
practical devotional service. The practical etiquette of Vaishnava behavior which are given in
the supplementary material can be taught during this time.
It is ideal if the leader conducting the study class(could be the sector leader or the circle
leader) can attend a Bhakti shastri course conducted either by the VIHE Vrindavan Institute
of higher education) at Vrindavan, or MIHE (Mayapur Institute of Higher education) at
Mayapur, or if somebody is conducting it in your own yatra. They also have some postal
correspondence courses from the VIHE which can be taken as an alternative, if the leader is
not able to personally attend any of the above mentioned courses. Sincce the Bhakti shastri
course does a very systematic study of each chapter of the Gita in sections which has a
common theme and analyzes the main points of each verse and practical applications and
realizations from the verse, this course can help the leader to make the Bhagavad Gita more
effective and interesting to the members.
But in the absence of such qualified devotees, you can still conduct the study classes as has
been explained, so that they get into the habit of reading Srila Prabhupadas books and get a
firm foundation in Krishna conscious philosophy.
They also need to get an idea of how to study and understand the Srimad Bhagavatam,
especially the first two cantos. So at least after the 9th month or roughly 36 weeks you can ask
them if they are agreeable to sparing another day exclusively for studying Srimad
Bhagavatam. If that is not possible, then you can replace Bhagavad gita study with Srimad
Bhagavatam after 46 weeks of the BV modules.

25

Some interesting Krsna conscious games to play during picnics with your Bhakti
Vriksha members.
A few games have been suggested here from the bookThe book of Krsna conscious Games,
as well as a few from the Book on ice- breakers.Most of them are action oriented group
games and a few thinking games (at the end of the list) have also been given.
1) Jara Kala kanya
A ball represents Jara kala kanya(Jara, or old age the daughter of time), who is looking for
a husband.(an episode from the Srimad Bhagavatam).
The players stand in a circle. They are all the personalities who do not want to marry the
inauspicious Jara.
By reciting one Hare Krsna mantra a player is chosen to be Narada muni, whom Jara has
asked to marry.Narada muni refuses and throws the ball to a player. Then he turns his back
to the circle so he cannot watch the action. The ball is quickly passed from player to
player, as noone wants to marry Jara.
At one moment Narada muni shoutsKing of the Yavanas!
Anyone caught holding Jara at the moment becomes king of the yavanas. He must carry
Jar and is out of the game. The game goes on until everyone is out except one player, the
winner, who becomes the next Narada muni.

2)

Srila Prabhupada ki jaya!

A player is chosen by reciting one Hare Krsna mantra. He is then blindfolded

with a cloth and given a stick. The other players march around him in a
circle chanting HareKrsna.As soon as he taps his stick loudly on the floor,
everyone stops walking and chanting. The blindfolded player points his stick
at someone and says, ShrilaPrabhupada ki ! That persom must answer
Jaya!
The blindfolded player tries to guess who it is from the sound of the voice. If he guesses
correctly the first time, he trades places with that player, who is then blindfolded and
given the stick; but if he guesses wrong, everyone marches around him and he tries again.
2) Shrila Prabhupadas kit-kit

26

Shrila Prabhupada describes this game that he played during his childhood. There are two
teams of eleven players each.
It is possible to play with more or less than 11 players on each team, but there should be the
same number of players in each team.
Each team stands behind its demarcation line. , about 10 yards apart. A person from team A
runs to the camp of the other team chanting Hare Krsna. The players from Team 2 must try to
stop him from entering their camp by touching him all at once. Then he is out of the game.
But if he manages to enter their camp without being tagged by all of them at once, he then
runs amongst them and tags one of them. Whoever is tagged is out of the game.
Then he returns to his camp and another person from his camp does the same.But if the
second player fails to enter the enemy camp, he is out of the game, and a player from Team
two takes a turn at trying to enter the camp of Team one to tag someone there.
By chanting one Hare Krsna mantra the players choose which team will start the game.
The first team to tag all 11 players from the opposite team, wins.
4)

Swans and crows

A leader is chosen by chanting one Hare Krsna mantra.

Then the other players form two teams of equal number.One team is called Swans and the
other crows.
The game represents the swan like devotees trying to bring crow like men to Krsna
consciousness, while the crow like men try to drag the swan like devotees into material
consciousness.
Each team draws a goal line about one hundred feet(30 m)from the other. Both teams line up
behind their goal lines.
The leader stands in the middle of the playing area to one side.
When he calls start walking!, both crows and swans walk slowly towards him.
Thw swans chant Hare Krsna loudly while walking, but the crows do not. When they are quite
close to him, he calls out, crows! or swans!.,and whichever team he names starts to run
for its goal line.
The other team chases them and tries to tag as many players as possible before they are safe
behind their own goal lines and the leader calls again. The game is won by the team that tags
the most players after a fixed number of calls.
27

5)

Maha Rathas

This game is for two teams with at least six players each. The players hold
hands very tightly to form a line , facing the other team, with about 50 feet(15
m ) between them.
The two teams represent the pandava and Kaurava armies on the battlefield of Kurkshetra.
The players are Maha- ratha warriors.
One army clls out, Kuru army, let maha- ratha ____________ come over, and they name
anyone they wish from the oppsosing army. That warrior runs towards them and tries to break
through the clasped hands of the players. If he succeeds, he returns to his own army. But if he
fails, he joins hands with one of the players on either end of the opposing army. While their
army is trying to break through, the rest of the army chants very loudly and encourages him to
fight strongly.
Then the other team calls out, Pandava army, let maha ratha __________________ come
over.
Each team takes turns calling out in this way, and the game is won by the army that succeeds
in taking the most players from the opposing army.

6)

The churning of the ocean of milk

Two teams are formed. One team represents the demigods, the other team
represents the demons. A long, strong rope is the serpent Vasuki. A line is drawn
at an equal distance between the two teams. Both teams pull on the rope in
opposite directions with as much strength as possible. They are churning the
ocean of milk. The team that succeeds in dragging the first person of the other
team over the line wins. While pulling, both teams chant Hare Krsna very
loudly.
7)

Hari ball

Material : a volley ball (or similar ball), a body of water(river, lake, sea or
swimming pool) and strips of clothes (long enough to be tied around the head)
Form two teams(you can give colourful names to the teams). Have wach team
tie a different color around the head(or just one ties the cloth and the other stays
without) keeping it visible on the forehead.
28

The idea is to pass the ball among team members, each time calling a name of
Lord, trying to complete the Panca tattva and Hare Krsna maha mantra, while
the other team tries to intercept and capture the ball.
When a team captures ball they have to begin the mantras anew. The team that
can chant the whole two mantras scores a point. When a group makes a
mistake in the sequence of the names of the mantras, the possession of the ball
passes to the other team.
8)

Assist Lord Chaitanya to Capture them all.!

Materials: nothing.
You can introduce this game with this quotationfrom Sri Chaitanya Charitamrta, Adi lila
7.31-32 . TranslationSeeing that the Mayavadis and others were fleeing, Lord Chaitanya
thought:I wanted everyone to be immersed in this inundation of Love of Godhead., but
some of them have escaped. Therefore I shall devise a trickto drown them also.
From the purport: Here is an important point.Lord. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to
invent a way to capture the Mayavadis and others who did not take interest in the Krsna
consciousness movement it is He who proposed to invent a way to capture those who
strayed from Krsna consciousness.
One volunteer will represent Lord Chaitanya trying to catch all the conditioned souls who
are traying away from Krsna consciousness.When he / she tags someone, (simply
touching the person), they lock arms and jointly attempt to tag some one else.Whoever is
tagged locks arms with them and they continue to try to catch the remaining players. The
game is over when the last person is captured.
In the open you should set boundaries to keep people from going too far.
9)

Thinking games

a)Famous Personalities
By reciting one Hare Krishnamantra a person is chosen to think of a famous personality such
as Brahma, Balarama, Yashoda, Kamsa, Putana. The other people sit in a circle, and in turn,
ask a question to find out who that personality is.
The person who decided the name must answer only Yes or No. Whoever guesses
correctly selects the next personality to be guessed in the next game. Lets say that Mother
Yashoda is chosen. The questions ansd answers could be as follows: Is it a woman? Yes. Is
she a demon? No. Is she living in Dwaraka? No. Does she have children? Yes- and so on.
You can set a limit of upto 20 questions, or to make it more difficult , 10 or even 6.

29

b)Hare Krsna, Hare Rama

Everyone sits ina circle. Then each count one number out loud: the first child counts one,
the next childTwo, and so on. Whoever counts number 5 or any multiples of 5 must say
Hare Krsna instead of the number. To make the game harder, players can say Hare Rama
every time 7 or any multiple is reached.Any player who says a taboo number instead of Hare
Krsna or Hare Rama is out of the game. A player is also out of the game if he says Hare
Krsna instead of Hare Rama, or vice versa. Any taboo number can be chosen for the game.
c)

Compliments

Material: many small pieces of paper and envelopes(one envelope for each participant.)
The whole group sits in a circle. Give everyone an envelope and various pieces of paper(three,
four or more). Tell them to write one compliment on each piece of paper, possibly in readable
hand writing. For instance:
You are a good listener.
You are very humble.
I like your sincerity.
The group meeting is more fun when you are here.
I like that you are soft spoken.
You never lose temper. And so on.
After a few minutes tell them to put pieces of paper in the center and mix them. Divide
equally all the pieces of paper among the group members.
Then tell them to write their name on the envelope they received at the beginning and put it in
the center.
Nopw ask them to put each of the compliments in their hands in the envelope of the person
who deserves it. At the end, they will all receive their envelope.Give them a couple of minutes
to check what compliments they received.

30

Bhagvad Gita Quiz

Chapter 1

A. Tick the Personalities who belong to the Parampara that received the
Gita and arrange them in chronological order:

Bhagavad

1. Madhavacharya
2. Iksavaku
3. Six Gosvamis
4. King Prthu
5. Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakura
6. Brahma
7. King Janaka
8. Loed Krishna
9. Brihaspathi
10. Ssrila Pprabhupada
11. Viswamitra
12. Vyasa
13. Caitanya Mahaprabhu
B. Tick the correct answer:
1. The word Dharmakshetre Kurukshetre is being used in the 1st verse of bhagavad Gita to
indicate:
a) No Particular significance.
b) The war was held to uphold religion
c) The outcome of the war would be favourable to the pious Pandavas..
d) Kurukshetra is a religious place.
2.
a)
b)
c)
d)
3.

31

Duryodhana was confident of victory because:

He had Krishnas mercy
He was the rightful heir.
The Pandavas were weak
They were protected by Bhishma
Match The Following:

CONCHSHELLS
PERSONALITIES
Pancajanya
Sahadeva
Ananta Vjaya
Nakula
Manipushpaka
Krishna
Devadatta
Bhima
Paundra
Yudhishtra
Sughosha
Arjuna
4. When the Pandavas blew the conchshells, the Kauravas became afraid bacause:

5. Arjunas flag had the emblem of ___________________

signified victory.
6.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Krishna is addressed as infallible by Arjuna because

He is always victorious
He has no faults
He attracts everyone
He never fails in His affection for His devotees.

7.
a)
b)
c)

The word Guda Kesha means:

The noble one
One who has conquered sleep.
One who is spiritually advanced.

8.
a)
b)
c)

The self interest of every living entity lies in:

Performing austerities
Krishna
Serving others

9.
a)
b)
c)

Arjunas Gandiva bow was slipping from him because:

He became very impatient
He found a better weapon
Krishna ordered him to remove it

10.
11.

Mention 2 types of men who enter the sun planet.

Why did Arjuna call Krishna Govinda ?

12.

Why did Arjuna call Krishna Madhava ?

32

which

13. Which are the six types of agressors who can be killed according to the vedas?
up the missing ones:

Fill

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)

_____________________
One who sets fire to the house.
_______________________
One who plunders riches.
______________________
One who kidnaps ones wife.

13.
a)
b)
c)
d)

Arjuna did not want to attack the Kauravas even though they were aggressors because :
He was afraid
He could not enjoy the kingdom without them
They were his relatives, so he wanted to overlook their mistakes
The result of war was unpredictable

15.
Tick the reasons Arjuna gave for not wanting to fight:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
k)
l)
m)
n)
o)
p)
q)

Whole dynasty will be destroyed

The opponents were not so sinful
He was too soft hearted
Family traditions will be lost
The rest of the family will be involved in irreligion
So many talented people will be lost
Felt great material attachment
Women will become degraded
They will have illegitimate children
Epidemics will be caused due to so much bloodshed
We are not sure of victory
Family traditions offering Pinda will be stopped
The ancestors will suffer in hell
We dont want violence
Family and community welfare projects will be stopped
These fallen people will go to hell
We will be cursed by the relatives we kill

16. Was Arjunas excuse to not fight the war based on his own mind or was it based on
scriptures? How do you know?
Bhagavad Gita Quiz
2nd chapter
33

1.

Why did Arjuna address Krishna as Madhusudhana when his mind was
disturbed?
2. Absolute Truth has 3 phases of understanding which are B_______________ ,
P_____________ , and B_______________.
3. What are the six opulences of Bhagavan?
a) All riches
b) ________________
c) ________________
d) ________________
e) ________________
f) ________________
4. Krishna called Arjuna Anarya because
a) He belonged to a low class family
b) He was a Dravidian
c) He was not talking from a spiritual platform
d) All of the above
5. Arjuna was qualified for liberation because:
a) He is self controlled
b) He is surrendered to his guru
c)
d)
e)
6.

Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you , nor all these kings. This verse
can be used to defeat which theory? How?

7.
8.
9.

We must tolerate both happiness and distress and continue with our ___________.
The symptom of the soul being present in our body, is our _____________.
The size of the soul is _________________ the tip of a hair.

10. List 10 qualities of the soul:

a) Eternal
b) Unborn
c) Immutable
d)
e)
f)
g)
h) Cannot be cut by weapons
34

i)
j)
11. The soul and the super soul are compared to two ___________ sitting on a
______________. This is mentioned in the ________________ and
___________________ Upanishads.
12.

What are the soul and Super Soul doing inside the heart?

13. Even an atheist should not lament for the loss of life because :
Matter is ______________ at the beginning, ________________ at the middle and
_______________ again at the end
14. Some people even after listening to lectures about the existence of the soul cannot
understand its presence at all because

15. Can Ksatriyas take Sannyasa? Why?

16. A Ksatriya who dies fighting goes to the ___________________.
17. Why is there no loss or diminution in Krishna Conscious activities?
18. We should rise above the Vedas because they only deal with _____________.
19. All Purposes served by a small well can at once be served by a great reservoir of water.
Similarly, all the purposes of the Vedas can be served to one who knows the purpose
behind them. B.G Chp 2 Text 46
The purpose of the Vedas is to _______________________ .
20. we should not desire the fruits of our action because it will cause
______________________ ________________________ .
21.Madhavendra Puri became indifferent to Vedic rituals because he was absorbed in
___________________________.
22. The highest perfection of self realization is to understand
that___________________________________________ and to discharge ones duties in
_________________________.
23. the self realized man is able to withdraw his senses from sense objects like the
_________________ which draws its limbs into its ________________.
24. The secret of a devotee losing taste for dead material things or for sense enjoyment is that
he
________________________________________________________________________
_____________0

35

25. !n order to gain steady intelligence, one has to restrain ones ____________ and fix our
__________________ upon _________________.
26. Mention the engagement of each of the senses of King Ambarisha:
a) His mind:
b) His words:
c) His hands:
d) His ears:
e) His eyes:
f) His body
g) His nostrils
h) His tongue
i) His legs
j) His head
k) His desires
27.A person develops attachment to an object by _________________ about it.
28. From attachment ____________ develops, then ______________ develops, then
______________ develops, then _________________ develops, then ________________ is
lost, then one falls again into Maya.
29. What is night for all beings is the time of awakening for the self controlled; and the
time of awakening for all beings is night for the introspective sage.
Give an example of the night of materialistic men being the day for the devotee.
30. How can a devotee not be disturbed by the flow of desires which come to is mind?

36

Some problems you may face

1. What do you do when you are sick, too busy or unavailable to lead your group on a
particular week/s?
A vrinda, once started, should never cease functioning even temporarily. This is because
meeting once a week is the minimum requirement for the members to progress steadily in
Krishna consciousness.
The Bhakti Vriksha is a well-integrated program with senior leaders available for consultation
and help. And as they are responsible for those under their care, it is possible to maintain a
vrinda at least once a week on a continuous basis.
Whenever it is genuinely not possible for you to conduct the program, you can consult your
sector leader well in advance so that he can suggest the necessary steps to fill in the gap. He
may either, himself, volunteer to conduct the program, or suggest other leaders and locations
where the group members could meet in your absence.
In case your program is not big enough to have sector leaders or that there is nobody available
to fill in the gap, then you can find out some persons from within the members of your group
who may be willing to hold meetings in their homes. In case more than one volunteers, the
members could take turns in meeting in the different homes.
They could have kirtan, japa, and watch a Krishna conscious video together. If they have
sufficiently progressed in their Krishna consciousness, they could read a passage from
Bhagavad-Gita together.
In this way you can ensure that their weekly association is not disturbed.
2) How does one monitor the progress of members when they take a break (like students
during examination time), or when they take a break for a vacation?
You can discuss with the member who is taking the break as to what minimum program of
sadhana he can maintain on his own during this time-span. Alternatively, if it is feasible, you
can periodically telephone him and keep in touch with him so that his fragile creeper of
devotional service is not harmed in any way. You can even request a senior member of your
vrinda to keep in touch with him and give him association from time to time.
The spiritual edification passage and questions that were discussed during the week could be
sent his way either by electronic or ordinary mail so that the member is kept enlivened by the
philosophy. In this way, by caring for the member during his temporary break from the
weekly program, you can ensure that the member does not lose his Krishna consciousness and
that he rejoins the group.
3) Empowerment of women:
37

Women are excellent Bhakti Vriksha leaders for they naturally possess and exercise many of
the characteristics expected of a Bhakti Vriksha leader. They are good in taking care of
people, in nurturing them and making them grow in Krishna consciousness; in other words,
all these are extensions of the qualities of motherhood. Therefore, women also make good
teachers for children and can conduct weekly programs for them.
At first women can conduct vrindas for other women and children, but as they gain maturity
in Krishna consciousness, the grihasta women can also conduct a vrinda for grihasta couples.
For giving close association to the husbands, either her husband or some other devotee could
help out.
Women also make excellent assistants to their husbands who may be holding different
responsibilities in the Bhakti Vriksha program. So, women members find it very easy to
advance as they get close devotee association from the wives.
As their services and responsibilities expand, women can also become sector leaders,
supervising and coordinating 03 or more vrindas, collect reports from the leaders and be a
responsible and valuable link in the Bhakti Vriksha hierarchy.
They can also conduct study classes, Bhakti shastri courses, help in organizing festivals as
well as in the creative services like art, music, writing, etc to sustain the program. The service
opportunity for women devotees is unlimited in the Bhakti Vriksha program.
Women constitute half the population. So inclusion of women in various aspects of the Bhakti
Vriksha program ensures its success. The women will be well represented and can contribute
greatly to the expansion of preaching.
4) Members shifted to a place where there are no ISKCON centers.
Due to various reasons, devotees maybe relocated to different cities or countries. Sometimes
there may not be any devotional association available in these places. It is always good to
maintain records of all the members of the program including their contact numbers, e-mail
addresses etc., so that there is an ongoing relationship with them to give association and to
help them in their spiritual advancement and progress in preaching.
There are 2 categories of Database in this regardFirst, the Vrinda leader notes down the details and progress of his members regularly in the
forms given at the end of every week in the modules. This can be entered into a common
Database of the yatra.
Second, there is also a need to also maintain records of confirmed devotees (those who are on
the level of Srila Prabhupada Ashraya and above) with their photographs, personal
information regarding their addresses, occupation, family members, services rendered and
spiritual status.
38

More details can be taken from these senior devotees including their photographs for
maintaining permanent records.
5) Regulative principles, the vrinda leaders approach
Material attachments are very hard to give up, but powerful Krishna consciousness can
loosen those attachments because of the higher taste that it provides to people. The leaders
can promote this higher taste by their loving encouragement and patience knowing well that it
is the powerful force of Krishnas and His devotees love that can melt the hearts of everyone
and give them the higher taste.
In spite of the best care, there may be a few who take longer to give up their bad habits.
Leaders can avoid the tendency to force people or reject people or show non- acceptance of
people if they maintain certain weaknesses. (Of course offenses to vaishnavas and deviation
from parampara can never be tolerated). As long as they do not justify their weaknesses and
deviate the philosophy, and are sincerely trying to advance in Krishna consciousness, they
cannot be a source of disturbance to other members, and sufficient time should be given to
them for them to come up to the proper platform of devotional service. Though the leaders
should promote the highest spiritual standards, if they force or reject people because of their
slow progress, we risk losing them altogether in Krishna consciousness.
6) Initiation- GBC authorized Guru
It is natural for the vrinda members to gravitate towards their leaders guru for initiation but
this need not be the rule. Spiritual life is totally free, voluntary and personal. Disciples of a
number of Gurus can work in co-operation if they understand the fact that helping a soul
advance in their Krishna consciousness is service to their Guru and that they should continue
to facilitate a persons progress even if the person being helped decides to accept a Guru
different from their own. Helping them in their spiritual life continues to be a service to their
Guru, other Gurus and Srila Prabhupada.
As ISKCON is a vast, rapidly expanding extended family of multiple Gurus, all under the
shelter of Srila Prabhupada, this understanding of ecstatic, selfless service mood is very
essential if we want the Bhakti Vriksha program to expand and flourish. Such co-operation
exists in Bhakti Vrikshas in certain yatras.
The 63rd week has a seminar on Guru Ashraya. After the seminar, the devotees will have to be
asked from which ISKCON authorized Guru they would like to take initiation from and their
choice should be respected.
7) Protecting members from deviant philosophies.
As vrinda members will tend to be quite indiscriminating in their early days of spiritual life
about whom to hear from and whom not hear, they are prone to getting confused in their

39

proper understanding of Krishna consciousness. Added to that are lingering attachments and
influences of old philosophies that they were following earlier.
So Mayavadis, rthviks, offenders and apa sampradayas are dangerous threats towards
cultivating the garden of Bhakti.
The vrinda leader has to walk on a tight rope of protecting them from these deviant
philosophies and at the same time not to be found too critical as they may be misunderstood
as being too dogmatic or fanatical.
Fortunately, the spiritual edification sessions are bound to bring out any deviations in
understanding and the vrinda leader must take every opportunity to gently correct these
during discussion time, advising them to first understand Krishna consciousness from Srila
Prabhupadas books so that they will not be confused listening to conflicting theories. It takes
a little time for the members to settle their speculative and restless minds. But by softening
their hearts through the process of Krishna consciousness and by winning their hearts with our
friendship, it becomes easier for them to perceive the truth.
8) Confidential friend - the vrinda leader
The vrinda leader must protect the confidentiality of the members when they seek counsel
from him regarding various personal matters and must not reveal it to others.
He should be equal to all the members and be their well-wisher and friend.
9) Seeking donations from members
When someone is sufficiently motivated in Krishna consciousness, donating for the service of
Krishna becomes natural, voluntary and a joy. But before they get the taste or conviction in
Krishna consciousness, if they are pushed to donate, they may suspect our motivations in
conducting the programs.
Hence in the initial months it is prudent to abstain from seeking any donations from them.
When their commitment, enthusiasm and faith have developed and a relationship of trust and
love has been built up, that they can be approached.
Also charity done in proper knowledge gives them greater spiritual credit than without
spiritual understanding.
Devotees, according to their capacities, can then commit themselves to regular monthly
donations for the yatra. Initiated devotees in particular can commit a fixed percentage of their
income every month for Krishna consciousness.
When the primary concern of the leaders is the devotees spiritual welfare, this creates a
wonderful reciprocation from them. On the other hand, insensitive handling of them could
result in strained relationships and bad feelings.
40

When they are confirmed devotees (Srila Prabhupada Ashraya and above) and if need arises,
then they can even be requested to raise funds from their contacts. But fund raising should
never be the goal in the relationship.
10) Finding a place
Your own home could be the ideal place to start a vrinda because this would enable you to
play the perfect host. However if this is not possible, another devotees home may be
selected provided he is willing.
If this is unavailable, then a public location like a temple, or even a park can be considered
till such time that you find a willing person to host the program.
If the vrinda is for students in a school or college hostel, or workers of a factory, then
finding a place within their own premises would be ideal and easy to conduct the program.
11) Bhakti Vriksha leaders working together as one unit.
Vrinda leaders generally look for serious and permanent vrinda members. Sometimes two
different vrinda leaders may approach the same prospective member and they may have
friction about whose vrinda they should attend. The sector leader should then be
approached to settle such issues. He can, in consultation with his seniors, be able to solve
such problems.

41

Sadhana Bhakti
Devotees who have reached Srila Prabhupada Asraya level can be considered
serious devotees as they have committed themselves to all the angas of Sadhana
Bhakti, namely, chanting 16 (sixteen) rounds of japa, performing Mangala arati
and other aratis, offering food to the Lord, reading Srimad Bhagavad-Gita and
Srimad Bhagavatam, rendering devotional services including preaching and
being committed to Srila Prabhupada and the parampara.
But they need to develop the habit of performing them regularly and this needs
some supervision and motivation from the seniors in the beginning. With this
end in view, we have developed the following procedure to keep track of their
progress and to guide them to understand the importance of sadhana bhakti and
to help them to be motivated and committed to perform their sadhana sincerely
and regularly. They may be facing some obstacles, which needs to be discussed
and helped to be removed. For example, they may be working late hours at
work, or they may have programs in the late evenings, which may make early
retiring to bed impossible. But somehow, they should ensure maximum priority
to doing their sadhana as well as possible.
There could be wake up calls for those who find it difficult to get up on their
own. There could be chain calls among the different devotees. One devotee is
fixed to call another and he calls another until the chain finally reaches the
leader. Then he knows that everyone has woken up!
As they are all being trained to be leaders, good standards of sadhana maintained
by them will ensure the same thing to be passed on to generations of devotees to
come.
A bhakti vrksha leader can keep track of the members of his group; an upa
cakrapati can look after of all the bhakti vriksha leaders under his charge.
Similarly the cakrapatis can look after all the upa cakrapatis. The maha
cakrapatis can supervise the chakrapatis. The Mahacakrapatis can give their
records to the program director and so on. The idea is to ensure that this process
of maintaining records is never lost so that there is never any slackening in
sadhana, which may occur due to complacency or oversight over a period of

42

time. Moreover, when you know that others are doing it, you get doubly inspired
to perform your sadhana perfectly and not be left behind.
To introduce them to the concept of maintaining a record of their daily sadhana,
the bhakti vrksha leaders must convene a meeting of all the devotees who are at
Prabhupada Asraya and above. Any devotee who they feel is serious but not on
the level of Prabhupada Asraya may be included in this, provided the candidate
is also willing.
Similarly, the upacakrapatis, cakrapatis, mahacakrapatis, etc. may convene
meetings for their respective groups they supervise.
After the initial introductory meeting there has to be regular monthly meetings
to submit these records and to discuss how they could improve their sadhana
from whatever standard they are following.
Read out first this passage from the Nectar of Devotion, Ch.2, pg.20, on
sadhana bhakti and its importance:
Here is a general description of devotional service given by Srila Rupa Gosvami in his
Bhakti-rasmrta-sindhu. Previously, it has been stated that devotional service can be divided
into three categoriesnamely devotional service in practice, devotional service in ecstasy and
devotional service in pure love of God. Now Srila Rupa Gosvami proposes to describe
devotional service in practice.
Practice means employing our senses in some particular type of work. Therefore devotional
service in practice means utilizing our different sensory organs in service to Krishna. Some of
the senses are meant for acquiring knowledge and some are meant for executing the
conclusions of our thinking, feeling and willing. So, practice means employing both the mind
and the senses in practical devotional service. This practice is not for developing something
artificial. For example, a child learns or practices to walk. This walking is not unnatural. The
walking capacity is there originally in the child and simply by a little practice he walks very
nicely. Similarly, devotional service to the Supreme Lord is the natural instinct of every living
entity. Even uncivilized men like the aborigines offer their respectful obeisances to something
wonderful exhibited by natures law and they appreciate that behind some wonderful
exhibition or action there is something supreme. So this consciousness, though lying dormant
in those who are materially contaminated, is found in every living entity. And, when purified,
this is called Krishna consciousness.
There are certain prescribed methods for employing our senses and mind in such a way that
our dormant consciousness for loving Krsna will be invoked, as much as the child, with a
little practice, can begin to walk. One who has no basic walking capacity cannot walk by
practice. Similarly, Krsna consciousness cannot be aroused simply by practice. Actually there
43

is no such practice. When we wish to develop our innate capacity for devotional service, there
are certain processes, which, by our accepting and executing them, will cause that dormant
capacity to be invoked. Such practice is called sdhana-bhakti.
Every living entity under the spell of material energy is held to be in an abnormal condition of
madness. In Srimad Bhagavatam it is said, Generally, the conditioned soul is mad because he
is always engaged in activities which are the causes of bondage and suffering. The spirit soul
in his original condition is joyful, blissful, eternal and full of knowledge. Only by his
implication in material activities has he become miserable, temporary and full of ignorance.
This is due to vikarma. Vikarma means actions which should not be done. Therefore, we
must practice sdhana-bhaktiwhich means to offer mangala-arati (Deity Worship) in
the morning, to refrain from certain material activities, to offer obeisances to the
spiritual master and to follow many other rules and regulations which will be discussed
here one after another. These practices will help one become cured of madness. As a
mans mental disease is cured by the directions of a psychiatrist, so this sadhana-bhakti
cures the conditioned soul of his madness under the spell of mya, material illusion.
Nrada Muni mentions this sdhana-bhakti in Srimad-Bhgavatam, Seventh Canto, and first
Chapter, verse 32. He says these to King Yudhistira, My dear King, one has to fix his mind
on Krsna by any means. That is called Krishna consciousness. It is the duty of the acharya,
the spiritual master, to find the ways and means for his disciple to fix his mind on Krishna.
That is the beginning of sadhana-bhakti.

Sri Chaitanya Mahprabhu has given us an authorized program for this purpose,
one that is centered around the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. This
chanting has so much power that it immediately attaches one to Krishna. That is
the beginning of sadhana-bhakti. Somehow or other, one has to fix his mind on
Krishna. The great saint Ambarisha maharaja, although a responsible king,
fixed his mind on Krishna and similarly anyone who tries to fix his mind in this
way will very rapidly make progress in successfully reviving his original
Krishna consciousness.
Now this sadhana-bhakti, or practice of devotional service, may also be divided into two
parts. The first part is called service. According to regulative principles one has to follow
these different regulative principles by the order of the spiritual master or on the
strength of authoritative scriptures, and there can be no question of refusal. That is
called vaidhi, or regulated. One has to do it without argument.
Another part of sadhana-bhakti is called raganuga. Raganuga refers to the point at which, by
following the regulative principles, one becomes a little more attached to Krsna and executes
devotional service out of natural love. For example, a person engaged in devotional service
may be ordered to rise early in the morning and offer arati, which is a form of Deity worship.
In the beginning, by the order of his spiritual master, one rises early in the morning and offers
44

arati, but then he develops real attachment. When he gets this attachment he automatically
tries to decorate the Deity and prepare different kinds of dresses and thinks of different plans
to execute his devotional service nicely. Although it is within the category of practice, this
offering of loving service is spontaneous. So the practice of devotional service, sadhanabhakti, can be divided into two partsnamely, regulative and spontaneous.
Rupa Gosvami defines the first part of devotional practice or vaidhi-bhakti as follows: When
there is no attachment or no spontaneous loving service to the Lord, and one is engaged in the
service of the Lord simply out of obedience to the order of the spiritual master or in pursuance
of the scriptures, such obligatory service is called vaidhi-bhakti.
These principles of vaidhi-bhakti are also described in Srimad Bhagavatam, second Canto,
first chapter, verse 5, where Sukhadeva Gosvami instructs the dying Mahrja Parikshit as to
his course of action. Maharaja Parikshit met Sukhadeva Gosvami just a week before his death
and the king was perplexed as to what should be done before he was to pass on. Many other
sages also arrived there but no one could give him the proper direction. Sukhadeva Gosvami
however, gave this direction to him which is as follows: My dear king, if you want to be
fearless in meeting your death next week (for actually everyone is afraid at the point of death),
then you must immediately begin the process of hearing and chanting and remembering God.
If one can chant and hear Hare Krsna and always remember Lord Krsna, then he is sure to
become fearless of death, which may come at any moment.
Proper standards of sadhana:
Note: This is a minimum program for those devotees who have a busy daily schedule either
as students or as those employed. Those who have more time to spare may include more items
of Aratis and pujas like Tulasi Arathi, Guru Puja, sandhya arati, bhoga arati, etc. as normally
prescribed.
Ideally if one were to get up by 3.30 A.M. then all the following aspects of sadhana could be
fitted in very well into ones schedule. This requires that we retire to bed by 9.30 pm so that
we get 6 hours of sleep. Srila Prabhupada said, We should not sleep more than seven hours.
Six hours at night and one hour, that is sufficient. From medical point of view, they say six
hours of sleeping is sufficient, six hours
Japa: Chanting 16 rounds and most preferably to finish them in the early hours of the
morning by 6.30 A.M. This is the Brahma muhurta hour when there are spiritual vibrations in
the air, the mind is calm and peaceful and none of the activities of the day have started. Srila
Prabhupada said, Chanting japa should be done early in the morning with full concentration
preferably during the Brahma muhurtha time. As early morning is the period for spiritual
cultivation, the beginning of evening is the period for passion.
Srila Prabhupada also emphasized that everyone can be trained to do this. Practically
everything depends on practice. abyasa-yoga yuktena cetasa nanya gamina (Bhagavad-Gita,
8.8). Abhyasa-yoga means yoga practice Practice it. So this whole Krishna conscious
45

movement is to practice transferring from one consciousness to another. Just like one man can
run few miles. I cannot run even one mile. He has practiced. We see some boys, they run, run,
run on. They practice. Practice it. Strength of the heart is increasing by practice. And if I run,
my heart will be palpitating. Because I have no practice. So by practice, everything can be
attained. Life is short and it is so much disturbed. So how is it possible to practice?Therefore this one practice chanting Hare Krsna, and hearing- that is very nice. And praying
to Krsna, Please give me strength.. Hare, O energy of Krsna, I am fallen, I have no
strength. Please accept me. Thats all. I have no qualification. I am frail,. I am trying, but I
am failing. All these appeals should be made. And Krsna is all powerful, He can do
anything.
In case one thinks that such injunctions are only for temple residents, Srila Prabhupada also
says, The house holders are required to rise early in the morning and after bathing they
should offer respects to the Deities at home by prayers. One who cannot rise early in the
morning he is not spiritually serious. That is the test.
Mangala Arathi: Between 5 A.M - 5.30 A.M Arati should be offered to Their Lordships to
the accompaniment of Guruvashtakam and the Hare Krsna Maha mantra followed by
Mangala Arathithis should take about 30 minutes.
Note: It should be a standard to perform Mangala Arathi at 5 A.M. If due to unavoidable
circumstances one is delayed in waking up, then a quick Mangala Arathi should be performed
after a bath. By keeping the Arathi items ready on the previous night one can perform the
Mangala Arathi very quickly.
Reading Srimad Bhagavatam: Read one verse and purport for the day .
Also continue reading further for whatever time you can spare before your work schedule.
Srimad Bhagavad-Gita: Read in sequence daily for however long it is possible.
Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction and Isopanishad are also included.
For those starting out from the level of Prabhupada Asraya, the smaller books of Srila
Prabhupada can also be included in this compulsory reading.
If on certain days one is able to read only for shorter lengths of time due to some engagement,
then one needs to make up for it on other days. By maintaining a record one would be able to
ensure some minimum hours of reading every week.
Note: If on certain days due to unavoidable circumstances one has limited time to perform
ones sadhana, then the first priority should always be towards chanting and if time permits
towards performing Mangala Arati. Reading can be adjusted during other hours of the day.

As a guide, one has to exercise a lot of compassion and tolerance in guiding

the members to these high standards. If one insists on the perfect standards
46

mentioned right from the very beginning, the members may feel
uncomfortable. After inspiring them with this session and explaining the
perfect standards, one can give them the *sadhana chart or record for them to
follow and maintain themselves. They need to bring it with them every week
when they come for the study classes to be viewed by the leader. There are
ratings for their levels of performance. Their ratings have to keep improving. If
there is any slow down the leader could discuss with them what problems they
were facing and try to help them overcome that. Every month one could have a
meeting to discuss their progress.
* The Sadhana chart has been provided in this book.

47

SADHANA CHART

Month:
Name:
Date / Manag
Day
alarathi
+
Waterin
g Tulasi
x8

(A)

01 - Sat
02 - Sun
03 - Mon
04 - Tue
05 - Wed
06 - Thu
07 - Fri
08 - Sat
09 - Sun
10 - Mon
11 - Tue

48

No Of Rounds Chanted

Befor
e
8:00 to
6:30 6:30 to 10:00a 10:00 to
am
8:00 am m
9:00 pm After 9:00 pm
x 4.5

x3

x2

x1

x-3

12 - Wed
13 - Thu
14 - Fri
15 - Sat
16 - Sun
17 - Mon
18 - Tue
19 - Wed
20 - Thu
21 - Fri
22 - Sat
23 - Sun
24 - Mon
25 - Tue
26 - Wed
27 - Thu

49

28 - Fri
29 - Sat
30 - Sun
31 - Mon

Marking System
For Reading
Less than 15 min

-20 marks

15 min

5 marks

Maximum marks for chanting = 72

30 min

10 marks

Maximum marks for reading = 20

45 min

15 marks

Marks for Mangalarthi = 8

60 min+more

20 marks

Maximum marks for a day = 100

RECOMMENDED READING OF SRILA PRABHUPADAS BOOKS THROUGH THE

SIKSHA LEVELS
SHRADDAVAN LEVEL
1) ON THE WAY TO KRSNA
50

2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

MESSAGE OF GODHEAD
BEYOND BIRTH AND DEATH
ELEVATION TO KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS
THE PERFECTION OF YOGA
LIFE COMES FROM LIFE

KRISNA SEVAKA LEVEL

1) PERFECT QUESTIONS, PERFECT ANSWERS
2) RAJA VIDYA
3) KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS, THE TOPMOST YOGA SYSTEM
4) EASY JOURNEY TO OTHER PLANETS
5) MATCHLESS GIFT
6) HARE KRSNA CHALLENGE
7) KRISHNA, RESERVOIR OF PLEASURE
KRISHNA SADHAKA LEVEL
1) COMING BACK
2) LAWS OF NATURE
3) CIVILIZATION AND TRANSCENDENCE
4) BEYOND DOUBT AND ILLUSION
5) KRSNA THE SPG.
6) TEACHINGS OF PRAHLADA
7) BHAGAVAD GITA AS IT IS
SRILA PRABHUPADA ASRAYA AND UPWARDS
1) SPA BIOGRAPHY (SMALL)
2) SCIENCE OF SELF REALIZATION
3) PREACHING IS THE ESSENCE
4) NECTAR OF INSTRUCTION
5) SRI ISOPANISAD
6) SECOND CHANCE.
7) TEACHINGS OF KUNTI
8) TEACHINGS OF LORD KAPILA
9) BHAGAVAD GITA AS IT IS
10) SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM FIRST CANTO
11) NECTAR OF DEVOTION
The Siksha Ceremony
The Siksha Ceremony is very important in encouraging new devotees to make spiritual
commitments and thus advance quickly in their spiritual lives.

51

One may be skeptical as to why acknowledgements and incentives are necessary for our
spiritual progress when it should be voluntary and unmotivated. In reality, we are social being
and the encouragement from other devotees goes a long way in helping us surrender to
Krishna. If the devotees are pleased, then Krishna must be pleased and so the new devotee
finds it motivating to go up the siksha levels. There are normally no small steps or milestones
of achievement for a devotee to look forward to before he takes initiation and the prospect of
taking initiation may seem too far off from ones immediate vision. He then becomes goal
less, so to speak, for quite a long time. The siksha levels thus designed by the Congregational
Development Ministry are excellent means to fill the new devotees path with exciting
frontiers to reach and cross at every step. This ensures an almost uniform rate of spiritual
growth among most of the devotees.
The modules have been designed with relevant topics that leads them to the next level of
siksha. In spite of this there may be some who will be reluctant to commit themselves to the
next level. Hence siksha seminars are held at the end of each module. They are very
interesting, interactive and easy to conduct. While giving them all the relevant knowledge on
the importance of taking up the new commitments, it discusses on how the obstacles could be
overcome. Since it is addressed to everyone, none will feel that they are being forced to
accept the next level of siksha. It is also advantageous because through the seminar many of
them could be spoken to all at once. They are also inspired by each others initiatives.
The application forms are distributed right after the siksha seminar and the names of the
candidates are taken down. A special occasion or a festival creates a memorable ambience for
the certificates to be distributed to the candidates. But it is better to regularly distribute them
at the weekly Sunday programs of the temple. The important thing is to speedily distribute
them, otherwise the purpose of helping them in their speedy and regulated advancement will
be impeded.
As the names are called up, a brief report could be announced by the leader about the spiritual
advancement, services and devotional achievements of the each of the devotees. As they
receive the siksha certificate from the senior devotee and pay their obeisances, everyone can
cheer them to the accompaniment of thumping mridangas, karatalas, etc. It is a big moment
for the devotees who receive those certifications, of whatever levels that they have achieved,
and they will certainly look forward to more of such moments .
By distributing certificates as and when somebody is ready to commit, one can give and have
constant news of congregational preaching achievement during the Sunday programs. This
will enable all the different groups to look forward to distributing more and more siksha
certificates and in this way everybody will be charged with the mood of preaching and
showing compassion. This will thus serve the bigger purpose of a rapid development in the
expansion and growth of the yatra.

Please find the siksha application forms and a model of the siksha certificate for
the different levels, in the following few pages.
52

53

SHIKSHA CEREMONY APPLICATION

FOR SHRADDHAVAN
Dear Prabhu,
I am aware of the standards, commitments and responsibilities of the different stages of
Shiksha. I, hereby, express my desire and intention to practice the standards of
SHRADDHAVAN to receive the blessings of HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
and Sri Sri Jagannatha-Baladev-Shubhadra.

1. To be an active devote and to attend the Bhakti Vriksha programmes

regularly,
participate and associate with Krishna Conscious devotees.
2. To chant at least one round of Hare Krishna maha-mantra every day.
3. To read the teachings of Lord Krishna as given in the books of Srila Prabhupada.

Date:
Name (in block letters) & Signature:

Please provide us with the following details:

TELEPHONE (R):

MOTHER TONGUE:

TELEPHONE (O):

PROFESSION:

GSM/PGR:

WORKING FOR:

AREA of residence:

Email ID:

SPECIAL TALENTS:

Checked by: ( for office use)

Bhakti Vriksha Group Code:
Group-Servants Name & Signature:
54

Location:

Sector Code:
Circle Code:

Sector Servants Name & Signature:

Circle Servants Name & Signature:

SHIKSHA QUESTIONNAIRE FOR SHRADDHAVAN

Please answer this questionnaire and attach along with the Shiksha application.

NAME: ____________________________

DATE: __________________

1. How often do you come to the programmes (in a month)? _____________________

2. How many rounds of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra do you chant everyday?____
3. How long does it take to chant your rounds? _____________________
4. List all the books of Srila Prabhupada that you have read cover to cover / reading

55

i. __________________

ii.__________________

iii.___________________

iv.__________________

v. __________________

vi._ __________________

SIKSHA CEREMONY APPLICATION

FOR KRISHNA SEVAK
Dear Prabhu,
I am aware of the standards, commitments and responsibilities of the different stages of
Shiksha. I hereby express my desire and intention to practice the standards of KRISHNA
SEVAK to receive the blessings of HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and Sri Sri
Jagannatha-Baladev-Shubhadra.

1. To be dedicated to personal improvement in devotional practice and purity by

gradually applying the teachings of Srila Prabhupada under the guidance of
his
representatives.
2. To accept that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
3. To engage in practical devotional service to Lord Krishna during festivals such as Sri
Krishna Janmastami etc.,
4. To chant minimum of four rounds of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra everyday.
5. To refrain from eating non-vegetarian food (meat, fish and eggs) and tries to lead a
moral life.

Date:
Name (blocks) & Signature:

Please provide us the following details:

TELEPHONE (R)

MOTHER TONGUE:

TELEPHONE (O)

PROFESSION

56

GSM/PGR

WORKING FOR

AREA of residence

Email ID

Special TALENTS

Checked by: ( for office use)

Cell Code:
Cell Servant Name & Signature:

Location:

Sector Code:

Sector Servant Name & Signature:

Chakra Code:

Chakra Servant Name & Signature:

SIKSHA QUESTIONNAIRE FOR KRISHNA SEVAK

Please answer this questionnaire and attach along with the Shiksha application.
NAME: ____________________________

DATE: __________________

5. How often do you come to the programs (in a month)? _____________________

6. How many Gita classes do you attend in a month?

_____________________

7. How many rounds of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra do you chant everyday?____
8. How long does it take to chant your rounds ?

_____________________

9. List all the books of Srila Prabhupada that you have read cover to cover / reading
i. __________________

ii.__________________

iii.___________________

iv.__________________

v. __________________

vi._ __________________

10. Do you accept that Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Why?
A. _______________________________________________________________
11. Are you willing to render practical devotional service during the festivals?
YES/NO
12. I have been a vegetarian, (tick the correct alternative)

57

a. All my life

b. For the past _______ years

c. For the past _______ months

d. For the past _______ days

SHIKSHA CEREMONY APPLICATION

FOR
KRISHNA SADHAK
Dear Prabhu,
I am aware of the standards, commitments and responsibilities of the different stages of
Shiksha as given below. I hereby express my desire and intention to practice the standards of
KRISHNA SADHAK to receive the blessings of HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada and Sri Sri Jagannatha-Baladev-Shubhadra.

1. To be dedicated to leading a devotional way of life by gradually learning and

practicing Bhakti-yoga according to the teachings of Srila Prabhupada under
the
guidance of his representatives
2. To study the books of Srila Prabhupada and attend the classes as often as
possible
(atleast the weekend Bhagavad-Gita class every week)
3. To worship Sri Krishna, as far as practical in the home, by setting up an altar, offering
arati and foodstuffs, worshipping the sacred Tulasi plant and following basic sadhana
like rising up early in the morning.
4. To chant eight to sixteen rounds of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra everyday.
5. To lead a pure holy life by avoiding intoxication (alcoholic drinks and smoking),
meat-eating, gambling and extra-marital sex.
6. To observe fasting on the Ekadasi and festival days as indicated in the Vaisnava
calendar.

Date:

58

Name (blocks) & Signature:

Please provide us the following details:

SIKSHA QUESTIONNAIRE FOR KRISHNA SADHAK

Please answer this questionnaire and attach along with the Shiksha application
(Please attach additional sheets, if required).
NAME: ____________________________

DATE: ________________

1. How often do you come to the week end / week day Programme (in a month) ?
____________________
2. How many Friday Srimad Bhagavatam class do you attend every month?
____________________
3. How many Gita classes do you attend in a month? ____________________
4. How many rounds of the Hare Krsna Maha-mantra do you chant everyday? _____
5. How long does it take to chant your rounds?
____________________
6. List all the books of Srila Prabhupada that you have read cover to cover / reading
i. __________________
ii. __________________ iii. __________________
iv. __________________ v. __________________ vi. __________________
7. I have been a vegetarian, (tick the correct alternative)
a. All my life
b. For the past _______ years
c. For the past _______ months
d. For the past _______ days
8. Which of the following deities / pictures do you worship on your altar ?
(circle those that you have)
a. Radha-Krishna
b. Krishna-Balaram
c. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu
d. Srila Prabhupada
List others, if any:
e. ___________________________ f. ___________________________
g. ___________________________ h. ___________________________
9. Describe the process of offering food-stuffs to the Lord. What mantras do you
chant ?
A. __________________________________________________________________
According to the sastras, how does one see women other than ones wife ?______
11. What are the forbidden food items on Ekadasi day? ______________________
59

12. What time do you rise in the morning?

______________________
10. When and where do you chant most of your rounds everyday?
A. __________________________________________________________________

SIKSHA CEREMONY APPLICATION

FOR
SRILA PRABHUPADA ASHRAYA
Dear Prabhu,
I am aware of the standards, commitments and responsibilities of the different stages of
Shiksha. I hereby express my desire and intention to practice the standards of SRILA
PRABHUPADA ASHRAYA to receive the blessings of HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanata Swami
Prabhupad and Sri Sri Jagannatha-Baladev-Shubhadra.

1. To be dedicated to taking divine shelter of Srila Prabhupada by following the

principles of Krishna Consciousness.
2. To practice Krishna Consciousness with strong conviction.
3. To chant a minimum of sixteen rounds of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra everyday.
4. To strictly avoid intoxication including coffee and tea, meat eating including onion
and garlic, gambling, mundane cinema, sports and illicit sex.
5. To be well versed in the basics of Krishna conscious philosophy by reading the books
of Srila Prabhupada systematically and is actively engaged in preaching (according to
his/her capacity) to others about Krishna Consciousness.
6. To do some responsible service (however simple it may be), on a regular basis.
7. To follow a strict sadhana programme at home by rising early in the morning and
following a program similar to the temple as far as possible. And to attend atleast one
Srimad Bhagavatam/Srimad Bhagavad-Gita class every week.

60

Date:
Signature:

Please provide us the following details:

TELEPHONE (R)

MOTHER TONGUE:

TELEPHONE (O)

PROFESSION

GSM/PGR

WORKING FOR

AREA of residence

Email ID

Special TALENTS

SIKSHA QUESTIONNAIRE FOR SRILA PRABHUPADA ASHRAYA

Please answer this questionnaire and attach along with the Shiksha application.
(please attach additional sheets, if required).
NAME: _____________________________

DATE: __________________

1. How
often
do
you
come
to
the
programs
(in
a
month)?
___________________________
2. Do you attend Mangala Arati everyday? How many you miss in a month?
___________
3. How
many
Gita
classes
do
you
attend
in
a
month
?
______________________________
4. How many rounds of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra do you chant everyday ?
________
5. How
long
does
it
take
to
chant
your
rounds
?
___________________________________
6. List all the books of Srila Prabhupada that you have read cover to cover.
i)_______________ ii) _______________ iii) ________________
iv)_______________
61

v) _______________ vi)_______________ vii) _______________

viii) ______________
7. I have been vegetarian (tick the correct alternative)
a. All my life
b. For the past __________ years
c. For the past ___________months
d. For the past __________ days
8. Which of the following deities / pictures do you worship on your altar ?
(circle those that you have)
a. Radha-Krishna
b. Krishna-Balaram
c. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu
d. Srila Prabhupada
List others, if any:
e. _______________________________
f. ____________________________
g. _______________________________
h. ____________________________
9. Describe the process of offering food-stuffs to the Lord. What mantras do you
chant ?
A.
_______________________________________________________________________
10. According to the sastras, how does one see women other than ones wife ?
A.
_______________________________________________________________________
11. What are the forbidden food items on Ekadasi day?
12. What time do you rise in the morning?
13. When and where do you chant most of your rounds everyday?
14. Who is a bonafide Guru?
A.
_______________________________________________________________________
15. What is the unique position of Srila Prabhupad in ISKCON?
A._____________________________________________________________________
_
_____________________________________________________________________
___
16. Why do we follow the four regulative principles ?
A._____________________________________________________________________
_
17. Explain the difference between the body and the self ?
62

A._____________________________________________________________________
_
_____________________________________________________________________
___
17. What are the Bhagavad-Gitas instructions with regard to the proper manner of
approaching a bonafide spiritual master ?
A._____________________________________________________________________
_
18. Do you avoid the following? If not, then explain why not?
a. Onion/Garlic
YES/NO
__________________________

If no, why

b. Cinema/TV
__________________________

YES/NO

If no, why

c. Coffee/Tea
__________________________

YES/NO

If no, why

d. Cakes/Ice-cream
__________________________
e. Restaurants
__________________________

YES/NO
YES/NO

If no, why
If no, why

20. Describe your service connected to Krishna on a regular basis.

A.______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_
21. Please write the following :
a. Srila Prabhupad pranama Mantras and
A.______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_
b. Pancha Tattva pranama mantra:
A.______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_

63

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS

(FOUNDER ACARYA HIS DIVINE GRACE A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA)

ISKCON, hereby
Siksha of

recognizes

the

spiritual

standards

and

commitments

of

Sri/Smt/Kum
________________________________________________________________________
and confers on behalf of
Subhadra

Srila Prabhupada and Sri Sri Jagannath, Baladev and

the blessings as
_____________________________________________________________________
praying to
for their
blessings

64

on

Srila

Prabhupada

him/her.

and

Sri

Sri

Jagannath,

Baladev and Subhadra

Date
Temple
President
Siksha code No.

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE

HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE
Module For Initiation
Aim:
To educate aspiring initiates on the significance and meaning of taking initiation
To inspire them to commit themselves to following all the rules very scrupulously.
Objectives:
At the end of the lesson the participants will be able to: Give their names for taking shelter.
Conditions: They will volunteer to commit these things.
Criteria: At least 75% of the members attending the program will agree to take up shelter
immediately.
Assessment: By orally asking them at the end of the class.
Preparation: For the lecture session on the Guru you can have a flip chart having all the
points mentioned.
LESSON OUTLINE:
What
Skit
Group Discussion

Who
Devotees
The whole class

Lecture

Facilitator

Summing Up and Facilitator

Question & Answer
session
LESSON PLAN:
65

Resources
----------------Small notes of paper
and pens
Flip charts

Time
10 minutes
15 minutes

..

15 minutes

20minutes

Have 2 (two) devotees practice the following skit and enact it before the audience:
This is a true episode about one of our Acharyas, Narottama dasa thakura, and how he
received his initiation from his Guru Lokanatha Maharaja.

WINNING A GURU
Scene 1
Enter Narottam panting and looking cautiously behind.
Narottam: Oh when will I reach Vrindavan? It's been 3 days and nights now. With no
food and water I cannot endure the journey any longer. When will I meet Rupa Goswami, the
Sanatana Goswamis, Lokanatha Gosvami? I hope he will accept me as his disciple... (Feeling
his feet and crying in pain, he faints.)
Enter 2(two) guards looking for Narottam.
Spotting Narottam they exclaim:
Guard1: There he is. There he is. There is our Narottam. Oh! King Krishnananda will be too
happy to have his son back. He will be so pleased with us.
Guard 2: He looks so exhausted... Oh! Why would he want to run away from home? A
prince and the only heir to his father's throne? Such loving parents. I believe he is to be
married soon too. Can't understand why he would want to run away.
(They wake up Prince Narottam): Wake up Prince Narottam, wake up!
(Narottam opens his eyes)
Guard1: Oh prince! What foolishness is this? Running away from all your good fortune?
There are your doting parents and you are the heir to all the wealth of this kingdom. You only
need a princess to make your life complete. This is what dreams are made up of. Why do you
run away from all this? What madness is this?
Narottam: Oh guards, I am just being faithful like a good wife.
Guards (look at each other questioningly)
Narottam: Like a devoted wife would want to follow her husband even up to the fire of the
funeral pyre and burn with his body, I am going to enter the fire of dedication to God. And
when a woman wants to show her devotion to her husband in this extreme way, it is natural
that well-wishers will try to stop her. They will not allow her to enter the fire.
(Guards nod their heads in consent.)

66

Narottam: So I can understand that you do not want me to enter the fire of God
consciousness... but you should also understand that I would be less than faithful servant of
the Lord, if I did not attempt to enter the fire.
Guard 1: Wah! Wah! What poetic sentiments! What love you have for the Lord!
Guard 2: I have never heard of anyone talk with such love for God. Surely you are a great
saint! My boy, here, take some money... you might need this for your expenses.
Guard 1: Take care my boy! All the best to you! May you reach your life's goal! And please
forgive these 2(two) fallen souls for being an obstacle in your way. (Falls down at his feet)
Narottam lifts them and embraces them.
Scene 2
Lokanath Gosvami and Narottam are seen sitting together and eating.
Narottam: One day I had a dream. Lord Nityananda Prabhu appeared in my dream saying
that, Tomorrow as the sun begins to rise you should take your bath in the Padma river. At that
time you shall receive the totality of Gaura Prema!"
And as I bathed in the Padma River, Mahaprabhu embraced me and I felt His very essence
enter my soul. Ever since that day, I have not been the same. I am longing to attain the lotus
feet of Lord Gauranga.(Gets up).. Actually I have no right to sit with you and take this pure
food.... I do not even have a Guru!
Lokanatha Gosvami: (laughs).... You have received the direct grace of Caitanya
Mahaprabhu. He is the original Guru... the Guru of the Universe. Besides Him, who else do
you want as a teacher? He has given you Divine love, the same love that devotees hanker for
throughout their entire life time. You possess that love. What is the value of having another
Guru?
Narottam: My Prabhu, I am a poor man, bereft of all good qualities. Your order is my life
and soul.
But if you will permit me, I would like to say a few more words on this subject.
Lokanatha Gosvami: Yes, you can speak freely.
Narottam: It is true that Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the only real Guru. But
simultaneously He has faith in you to be my Guru, and has asked me to take initiation from
you. The Guru guides his disciple in practical spiritual life. I have no spiritual insight and I am
feeling separation from the Lord. For this reason, I beg for your mercy.
Lokanatha Maharaja: The scriptures recommend that a prospective disciple chant the
names of Krishna in a regulated way for at least a year and develop an attachment for the holy
names within his heart.
Narottam:(bowing down): I shall do so, my Gurudev!
Scene 3
Background music: (Sri Guru Carana Padma, kevala bhakati sadma)
Narottam is seen sweeping the floor, cleaning utensils, dusting, cleaning Lokanatha
Maharaja's plate and taking the remnants.
Narottam: My ears shall hear only to the lectures of my Spiritual Master and my tongue
shall taste only the remnants of his food as Maha prasadam. My arms and legs shall be

67

engaged only in His service... in cleaning his ashram, as well as the river bed where he leaves
his excrements.
My mind can think of nothing else but his lotus feet...Oh! my Lord, will he ever accept me as
his disciple? I have already accepted him as my Guru, as my most worshippable, adorable
Guru.
My Gurudeva Lokanatha Maharaj has taken a vow of not accepting any disciples... and I am
most unqualified to get him as my Gurudeva. He is full of transcendental qualities.
What hope is there for me?
Nevertheless, I will serve him. Because my heart is made up. I can think of no-one else as
my Lord and master.
Scene 4
Narottam is cleaning up the room.
Story teller: For 3 full years now, Narottam has selflessly served his spiritual master... and
one day:Enter Lokanath Maharaja , just as Narottam goes out.
L.M: Why! It is young Narottam who has been cleaning my room! My heart breaks to see
such humility. He is the son of a king! And he does such menial service ... he cleans up the
place after I have done my daily ablutions! Such determination! such pridelessness! He has
won my heart through his devotion!
(Pauses...) But what about my vow? I had vowed never to take any disciples. (thoughtful)
Enter Narottam: Gurudev! (falls at his lotus feet, and gets up) Gurudeva, I am like a young
woman who has already chosen her husband... my heart is clear without a doubt. A young
woman who makes up her mind in this way prays that her father will agree with her choice. I
pray that our father in heaven agrees with my choice.
L.M: Your fierce determination has exceeded my own... but you are the only disciple that I
will make!
Narottama das falls at L.M's feet and LM blesses him.
End
Group Discussion: Divide the class into groups and make them discuss the following points:
1) Why do we need to take initiation from a spiritual Master?
2) How should we relate with the Spiritual Master?
3) What services can we do for the Spiritual Master?
4) What is the position of the Spiritual Master?
5) Why do we need to surrender to the Guru and satisfy Him?
Lecture:
The definition of Diksa: Diksa is the process by which one can awaken his transcendental
knowledge and vanquish all reactions caused by sinful activity. A person expert in the study of
the revealed scriptures knows this process as Diksa.
CC. Madhya 15.108
68

The meaning of Diksa: Diksa actually means initiating a disciple with transcendental
knowledge by which he becomes freed from all material contamination
The necessity and purpose of initiation:
1)Connection with Krsna is established
2)Freedom from the contaminations of material life
3)Have to become twice born , otherwise is just an animal
4) Aids in chanting the HK Mahamantra.
4) Awakens Krsna consciousness
4) Brings quick change in life for spiritual realization.
5)Commitment to give up sinful activities.
6) Commitment to follow Gurus instructions
7) Part of the process of Bhakti
8) To carry the supreme person in ones heart
9) To understand the Lord
10) To understand transcendental knowledge
Disciples qualification:
1) Ability to perform proper sadhana
2) To follow the 4(four) regulative principles
3) Disinterest in material enjoyment
4) Interest in the Absolute Truth
5) Eager for enlightenment
Gurus Mercy:
1) Is impartial and gives mercy to everyone
2) Is liberal to elevate even at great personal risk
3) Elevates the most fallen to supreme perfection
4) Accepts our previous sins
5) Suffers reactions to sins committed after initiation by disciples. (Breaking the vows made
at initiation)

69

Seminar On Chanting
(You can cover this seminar in two sessions, or even three sessions of two hours each)
Lecture on the following points:
Three Stages in Chanting:
Nama Aparadha
Chanting with offenses.
Must give up the offenses.
Otherwise it is impossible
to obtain love of Godhead.

Nama Abhasa
Chanting On the Clearing
stage with a deliberate
attempt to avoid offenses
and to hear the holy names
with full attention.
It leads to pure chanting and
destroys all sins. By serving
the Spiritual Master with
full attention, one comes to
the platform of Sudhda
Nama.

Suddha Nama
Pure stage of chanting is
where Krishna fully reveals
Himself together with all
His potencies. Reveals His
form, qualities and
pastimes.
Gives us our spiritual
bodies, keeps us right by
Krishnas side and
completely destroys
everything related to this
mortal frame of mind.

Nama Aparadha
The repeated chanting of the holy names of Krishna should bring us very quickly to the stage
of pure love of Godhead; we should become free from material desires and attain perfection.
70

If these signs are not manifest or happen only gradually, then we are still committing offenses
against the holy name of the Lord.
1st offense (Mad elephant offense)
It is not wonderful for persons who have accepted the transient material body as the self to
engage always in deriding great souls. Such envy on the part of materialistic persons is very
good because that is the way they fall down. They are diminished by the dust of the feet of
great personalities.
Sati to her father Daksa; SB 4.4.13
This tendency of the materialistic mind to offend Vaishnavas has to be scrupulously
overcome.
Three types of Vaishnavas:
1) Uttama Adhikari: He is a pure devote who sees Krishna everywhere and knows that
everything rests on Him. His life is completely centred around the holy name. Thus he
is able to take the pure nectar of the holy name. One should serve him and learn from
him.
2) Madhyama Adhikari: He is aware of the importance of the devotees of the Lord and is
always seeking their association. He knows Krishnas position as the Supreme
Personality of Godhead and that of the living entities as his eternal servants. He feels
compassion for the ignorant and evades the company of the atheists. Because he is a
preacher, he is very dear to Krishna. One should keep company with him.
3) Kanishta Adhikari: His faith is meager. Although he worships the Deity of the Lord,
he is not engaged in any service of the Vaishnavas. He chants namabhasa, and one
should offer him obeisances in the mind.
Why is associating with devotees so important for chanting Hare Krishna?
Krishna personally appears in the heart of a pure Vaishnava, together with Bhakti (devotion),
hladini (his pleasure giving potency) and samvit (His knowledge giving potency). By
associating with such a pure Vaishnava, one also receives this Bhakti. It can even be felt how
Bhakti exudes from the body of such a devotee.
Three objects that help us to attain bhakti are the food remnants of a pure devotee, the
water that has washed his lotus feet and the dust from his lotus feet. They should be especially
worshipped and accepted.
We should catch and hold the Bhakti energy in his heart and develop faith in it, and then
Bhakti will evolve as a matter of course and give us ecstasy.

71

In this way, devotion will swiftly appear in the heart, causing one to chant, and then by the
power of the holy name, all good qualities will manifest in the devotee.
Also associating with devotees reminds us of Krishna: devotees talk about Him, engage us in
His service, inspire us in devotional service and correct us when we go wrong.
Offenses against devotees that we must avoid:
1)
2)
3)
4)

Should not criticize him for his social background.

Should not criticize him for his past sins or faults committed in this lifetime.
Should not criticize him for unintentional sins or an accidental fall-down.
Should not criticize him for traces of previous sinful habits like eating impressive
quantities of Prasadam, due to having been very sensuous before.

Causes for Vaishnava Aparadhas

1) Bad association with those too much attached to the company of women & association
with four kinds of non-devotees namely Mayavadis, pretenders, envious people and atheists.
2) Must not let ourselves be influenced by non-devotee values because our appreciation of
devotees will decrease and we will commit Vaishnava Aparadhas.
3) Must not be intolerant of others and must accept them as they are and not criticize them. If
you are responsible for them, then you can correct them. If you want to help them, then you
can take it up with those who are responsible for them.
Three kinds of Vaishnava Aparadhas
1. Offenses of the mind,
2. Offenses with words and
3. Offenses through activities
Begins with thinking, feeling and then willing. Generally, offenses develop in the mind and
are later expressed on the gross bodily level.
My dear king, if one derides an exalted devotee, he loses the results of his pious activities,
his opulence, his reputation and his sons. Vaishnavas are all great souls. Whoever blasphemes
them falls down to the hell known as Maharaurava. Whoever kills or blasphemes a Vaishnava
and whoever is envious of a Vaishnava or angry with him, or whoever does not offer him
obeisances and feels joy upon seeing a Vaishnava, certainly falls into a hellish condition.
However by the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the offenses committed by the mind
have been extinguished. Only offense committed by word or action is taken into account.
On the other hand, simply thinking positively in reference to devotees or to devotional
service is already taken into account and given good credits.
72

How can Vaishnava Aparadhas be rectified?

Repent sincerely, offer obeisances to the offended Vaishnava and beg forgiveness from him.
Do it immediately, so that you can remove the contaminated state of mind quickly and prevent
yourself from committing further offenses.
Also, Vaishnavas are very dear to Krishna and only through them is it possible to advance
spiritually.
2nd offense: Equate Demigods with Lord Vishnu
Grihasta Vaishnavas must be convinced that by worshipping only Krishna and the Vaishnavas
all results will be attained. While performing samskaras, such as worshipping the forefathers,
one must first worship Krishna, and then offer the Krishna prasadam to the various demigods
and ancestors. Since all the demigods are loyal servants of Krishna, they will be happy to
receive his remnants.
Although devotees know that Krishna is the Supreme Absolute Truth, the cause of all causes,
and the source of the demigods power, they should never criticize the demigods or scriptures
that support demigod worship. When one sees a murti, of a demigod, he should offer respect;
seeing that demigod as a Vaishnava. Why do some scriptures establish a particular demigod as
the supreme? This is done to facilitate the limited ability of a particular mentality to grasp the
Absolute Truth. Such scriptures are actually trying to elevate their followers to the point of
devotional faith in Krishna and bhakti.
Second offense: Rectification
One can rectify this offense by intense repentance and meditation upon Krishna.
Remembrance of Krishna is the most effective penance. This offense will gradually disappear
by increasing ones knowledge of Krishna (sambandha-tattva) and by constantly chanting
Krishnas name, which is the same as meditating on His lotus feet.
Change the vision:
Implementing the following four principles will help overcome the offense of sadhu ninda
(offending saintly persons).
1) Cultivate the finding good nature- no devotee is absolutely bad. Everyone has some
good qualities; so try to see the good in everyone. Develop the mood of sincerely
appreciating the value of others.
2) No one is an eternal rogue - Before passing judgments on others, one should always
remember that every saint had a past (Valmiki, Mrgari) and every sinner has a future
(Ajamila, Jagai & Madhai). Even a first class rogue is a potential saint of the future.
Place a sinner in the company of saints and his bad nature will change in a moment.
Lord Jesus said, Hate the sin; not the sinner.
3) Try to see Krishna everywhere The ultimate doer behind all actions is Krishna, the
cause of all causes. Krishna is within everything and everyone; and everything is
73

within Him. Try to feel Krishnas presence everywhere and see His divine hand in all
events.
4) Change the attitude - Turn the mind from bad to good, negative to positive; and
suddenly you will find heaven on earth. What is the use of reading shastra and
chanting Hare Krishna if one keeps an evil eye and a foul tongue? Why do you
maintain a vision of enemies and speak badly of others?
Always remember that the environment around us is positive and favorable. It is
helping us. Sri Krishna himself arranges it for our personal improvement and spiritual
elevation. Everyone and everything in the environment is friendly, moving us towards
our goal of surrendering to Krishna, taking full shelter only in Him and loving Him
without reservation. Learn to see all with love and you will see love everywhere.
Third Offense: Disregard the Spiritual Master
The mercy of Krishna descends to earth in the form of the guru (krpasakti-murti) to liberate
the conditioned souls. A disciple should always think of the transcendental qualities of his/her
guru and overlook any external shortcomings. It is offensive to not chant mantras given by
guru or not to practice bhakti according to his instructions.
To worship Krishna properly, a disciple must first worship his guru and take his permission
(ajna). One must always respect the gurus seat, shoes, picture, bed, foot water and all his
personal items. One must always regard the guru as ones Lord, master and best friend. Upon
seeing the guru, one should loudly glorify him and offer dandavats. One must always accept
the gurus remnants and never disobey him. With guru in mind, one should worship Krishna;
and with guru in mind one should chant the holy name.
Third offense: Rectification:
If due to passion or ignorance a disciple offends his guru, he should repent piteously, offer
dandavats and beg for forgiveness. The affectionate guru will forgive the disciple and engage
him in devotional service. In Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.15.25, Narada Muni explains that faithful
service to the Spiritual Master will automatically elevate a fallen disciple to the offenseless
platform of pure Krishna Consciousness.
Fourth to Ninth 0ffenses to the holy name can be listed and explained briefly, but may not be
covered here in detail due to lack of time. They are quite straightforward and not so difficult
to understand and overcome.
Tenth Offense :
In order to consciously avoid this offense, it is necessary to understand the nature of material
attachments, how they bind us to material consciousness and obstruct offenseless chanting.
A materially attached person is covered by false ego and feelings of I and mine.

74

Attachment to bodily designations is a sign of spiritual immaturity. It is an obstacle in the

development of devotional service. This deeply rooted mentality can be overcome by
complete surrender to the holy name.
A self realized soul can understand that the body he is carrying around is a burden.
But the materialistic person who wants to retain his materialistic mentality can be liberated
with great difficulty and he is not able to taste the nectar of the holy name.
The remedy is that one should associate with personalities who have accepted the holy name
and have attained pure bhakti. These souls have given up all material attachments; they
worship Krishnas lotus feet in a humble state of mind and are always chanting His names.
By serving such persons, the materialistic person will be able to forgo his attachments.
Thereby, attraction will develop and the egoistic conception of I and mine will disappear.
The devotees are the liberators from the ten offenses, it is most important to respect them.
Madhurya kadambini states that the practice of repentance is mentioned as the remedial
measure for most of the ten offenses. One who cultivates the four qualities of 1) humility, 2)
tolerance, 3) pridelessness and 4) respect for others will be protected from committing the ten
offenses.
The Root Of All Offenses

To be inattentive while chanting.

It is schizophrenic to ask Krishna to appear and then to ignore Him when He comes.
Due to too many material attachments.

Remedy: Chant with advanced Vaishnavas. This helps to reduce ones material
attachment and helps one to concentrate.
Laziness of mind leading to interrupting the chanting by doing some other activities in
between like talking, resting, etc.
Remedy:
Associate with Vaishnavas who do not waste their time in useless talk or Prajalpa.
OVERCOMING NAMABHASA
Ignorance (Lack of Sambandha jnana) and anarthas are the cause of our lack of taste in
chanting. As long as one is chanting in this stage, he may even attain liberation, but
cannot attain Prema or love of God.
75

Three important subjects of Spiritual Realization:

1) Sambandha Jnana: a) The spiritual position of the living being, b) The spiritual
position of Sri Krishna and c) The position of the material world.
2) Abhideya: The practices of devotional service and the rules and regulations of
Sadhana.
With proper Sambandha and Abhideya, the holy name will disperse all our Anarthas
3) Prayojana: When the disciple advances in Abhideya, he will finally attain the goal of
life: Prayojana, pure love of God.
As long as the living entity is not firmly situated in Sambandha Jnana, he will continue
to chant in Namabhasa stage. If he, however, takes shelter of a bonafide Spiritual
Master, who instructs him on how to perform devotional service, the cloud of Anarthas
gradually disappears and pure love of God can be awakened in his heart.
Anarthas:
1) The desire to attain temporary things Asat Trisna
2) Weakness of the heart (inability to keep ones spiritual vows)
3) The propensity to commit offenses.
To overcome Anarthas, one has to work on them consciously. This is possible by
realizing the essence of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhus third verse of the Siksastakam:
trnad api sunicena taror iva sahisnuna
Amanina manadena kirtaniya sa Hari
For deeply absorbed chanting, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura advises as follows:
1) Association of saintly persons especially with Spiritual Master and advanced
devotees.
2) Isolation from the disturbance of worldly life (withdrawing the mind from
disturbing thoughts).
3) Determination and steady enthusiasm.
As soon as our chanting is steady, clear and blissful, one can meditate on the form of
Krishna, then one will naturally feel like remembering His transcendental qualities,
and finally His pastimes appear. By constant practice lila smarana increases up to the
point of asta kalika lila.
Test to see how far we have realized the qualities for chanting purely:
1) How eager am I to serve, or do I just want to be served?
2) How eager am I to respect others, or am I eager to be respected?
3) How much do I care for others, or do I mainly care for myself?
76

4) Am I glad about others spiritual progress or do I feel envious?

5) Am I fully dependent on Guru and Krishna, or rather on my own arrangements?
Tips to improve ones chanting
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)

8)
9)
10)
11)
12)

Chant the Panca Tattva mantra before you start chanting (Meaning and
purport of the entire sloka is given at the bottom of this seminar). Cover those
points here.
Chant loudly and clearly
Chant in front of Tulasi, or in front of the Deities. See the form of the Lord
while chanting.
Remove the weeds in the heart (like diplomacy and duplicity, envy, desire for
material gain, for popularity and admiration and to becoming a very important
person) by distinguishing them from real Bhakti.
Chant in humility
Chant with respect and veneration for the holy names, the beads etc, so we
naturally will develop a serving attitude.
Chant crying like a child, which is fully dependent on the mercy of its mother.
A mother responds immediately to a certain intensity when she rushes to the
scene, so take complete shelter of Krishna while chanting and Krishna will
reveal Himself to you.
Pronounce the mantra distinctly. Neither too slow (then the mind takes over),
nor too fast (then the pronunciation is indistinct).
Make a resolution the day before-----Next morning, I will chant with full
concentration! Go to bed early. Dont eat late in the night and dont go to bed
on a heavy stomach, so that you can avoid sleepiness and heaviness.
Start very early the next morning. Chant at a place free of distraction, either
with devotees or in maximum solitude. If the mind tends to wander either chant
the Namashtakam prayers, (1st 2 verses) and Siksastakam prayers.
Or try some Pranayama or breathing exercises. Srila Santana Goswami
recommends this for chanting the Gayatri mantra.
Control the mind. This can be done in the following ways:
a)

1)
2)
3)
4)
77

Hear carefully! Be eager to hear. Eagerness is the first qualification in

devotional service. Hear like Parikshit Maharaja, Arjuna and Haridas
Thakura. Srila Prabhupada said: My only qualification is that I
submissively and attentively heard from my Guru Maharaja.
b) Remember suffering! From our own lives, from others experiences, from
remembering Newspaper articles, from remembering the hellish planets
mentioned in the Srimad Bhagavatam.
c) Avoid Complacency. By being complacent one
Falls into illusion
One imagines injustices and difficulties in spiritual life.
Becomes snared into material plan making
Forgets his identity as servant of Krishna

5) Mental activity replaces concentration of rounds.

6) Japa is afflicted
7) The illness in the advanced stage leads to Vaishnava aparadha, Guru Aparadha
and blooping.
To avoid complacency, one should be ready to break bad habits like chanting
negligently, sleeping late nights, eating at odd times, never reading shastras, never
worrying about progress, wasting time in mundane gossip, etc.
One should become very strict in following principles, in reading shastras regularly and
avoiding all mundane gossip. One should become fixed up in the ultimate goal of lifepure Krishna Consciousness.
d) Draw the mind back when it drifts away. Relieve it from the past by not delving on
what happened the day before, a week before or a year before! In case some plans to do
services or duties comes up in the mind, then write it down in a diary and continue
chanting, so the mind will not dwell on it.
Meditate on the meaning of the holy names, while chanting, as it is revealed by Srila
Prabhupada and the previous Acharyas. Srila Prabhupada: Hare means, O energy of
the Lord, and Krishna means O Lord Krishna. Just as there are males and females
in the material world, similarly, God is the original male (purusa), and His energy
(prakriti) is the original female. So, when we chant Hare Krishna, we are saying, O
Lord Krishna, O energy of Krishna, kindly engage me in your service. This is the
meaning of the Hare Krishna mantra: O Krishna, O energy of Krishna, I am your
servant. Somehow or other, I have now fallen in this material condition. Kindly pick me
up and engage me in Your service. Ayi nanda-tanuja patitam kinkaram mam visame
bhavam budhau.
e) Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati recommends that we beat our mind with shoes a
hundred times early in the morning and a hundred times with a broom before we retire
to bed so that it remains submissive and in control!
f) If you fall asleep while sitting down and chanting, then start walking up and down.
This will help you keep awake.
g) Chant with the proper understanding and intention. Otherwise one will chant with
the lips and not the heart.
.
Chanting can give you whatever you want.
A materialist gets his material desires fulfilled. An impersonalist can merge into the
Brahma jyothi and the devotee can get to see Krishnas form, will then be captivated by
His 64 qualities and finally the eternal pastimes will be revealed to the chanter.
13) Chant with great faith to improve your relationship with your Spiritual Master.
14) Chant in the mood of separation from Krishna. Srila Prabhupada explains that it is
the task of the Spiritual Master to instruct his disciples how to obtain a platform on
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which they can feel a deep longing for Krishna while performing devotional service. In
separation one will feel union with Krishna. If the feelings of separation become very
intense, then Krishna reveals Himself while chanting.
15) You can play the tapes of Srila Prabhupadas chanting and chant along with that.
It helps to have japa marathons or chanting japa over an extended period of time like
the 24 hour non- stop kirtan programs. Along with so many serious chanters. Even a
beginner will find it easy to concentrate on the holy names and develop a taste for
chanting the holy names. We have had phenomenal successes conducting these
marathons.
Also a japa workshop where an advanced devotee personally hears the chanting of each
and every devotee, timing it, and correcting his pronunciation and checking out if he is
missing any words in between etc, can do tremendous help in improving the chanting of
devotees.
Sri Sikshastaka by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
First verse purport by Srila Bhakti Vinoda Thakura:
ceto-darpana-marjanam means that chanting Harinama destroys all anarthas. For a
conditioned soul, the mirror of the heart or consciousness is covered with a thick layer of
dust in the form of samskaras (impressions on the mind from acts done in previous lives) and
anarthas (unwanted material desires which impede ones progress in bhakti). Chanting
Krishnas names removes the dust, and allows one to see the pure form of the soul and the
beautiful transcendental form of Shyamasundara.
Bhava-maha-davagni nirvapanam- means that chanting removes all miseries and klesas
(adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika); stages of sin (prarabdha, aprarabdha, kuta and
bija); and avidya (ignorance).
Sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam- means that all subha manifests in ones life. As the white
lotus (kairava) blossoms under the moonbeams (chandrika), the flower of good fortune opens
in a heart illuminated by the cooling rays of the holy name.
Vidya vadhu-jivanammeans the supreme knowledge (vidya) is the mahabhava of Srimati
Radhika, who is Krishnas topmost vadhu (consort or wife). The jivanam (life and soul) of
Radhika is Krishna alone. Krishnas name, therefore, while is non-different from Krishna is
desribed as vidya vadhu jivanam.
Anandambudhi- vardhanam - means when the tiny jiva takes shelter of Ananta Krishna, He
submerges in an ever-expanding (vardhanam) boundless ocean of bliss (anandambudhi)

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Prati-padam-purnamrtasvadhanam - means by the mercy of Krishnas internal potency

(svarupa sakti), the Lords bliss potency (hladini shakti) enters the heart of the jiva to expand
the ocean of Krishna prema with unlimited waves of pleasure. At every step (prati padam) the
jiva fully relishes (purnamrta svadanam) varieties of nectarean seva rasa: sakhya, vatsalya,
and madhurya.
Sarvatma snapanam- means that chanting Krishnas holy names completely cleanses
(snapanam) the jiva of all selfish desires for selfish enjoyment (sarvatma). Chanting Krishnas
holy names thoroughly bathes the living entity both internally and externally, making him
clean and cool. In such a state of supreme purity, the jiva, now filled with spotless prema,
becomes absorbed in giving bliss to Krishna.
Param vijayate sri Krishna sankirtanam- means the chanting of Sri Krishnas holy names will
be completely victorious, especially in revealing Radha-Govindas enchanting pastimes of
love (prema vicitra-lila).
By delineating the seven excellences of harinama, the first sloka of siksastaka increases ones
appreciation of the wonderful qualities of the holy name. For this reason, Thakura
Bhaktivinoda links this verse to sraddha (faith), the initial stage of bhakti.
Second verse of siksastaka: The second sloka of siksastaka addresses the next three stages of
bhakti: sadhu sanga, bhajana- kriya, anartha
Third verse: When all unwanted desires are cleared from the heart, one then attains the stage
of nistha (firm faith), wherein he serves Krishna with steadiness. At this stage, ones heart
becomes radiant with the quality of humility and its symptoms enunciated in this sloka.
Fourth verse: The fourth sloka describes the symptoms of a person with nama-ruci: He does
not care a fig for women, wealth, fame, followers or fruitive gain.
Fifth verse: At the stage of ruci, mentioned in the fourth sloka, ones attachment is nourished
by the different limbs of bhakti. (sravanam, kirtanam and arcanam). As one advances in
devotion, however his attachment becomes directly focussed on Krishna, the most cherished
person. Feeling truly downtrodden, one identifies fully as a maidservant, and anxiously cries
for the mercy of His Lord and master, Sri Nandanandana. This is the stage of deep asakti or
deep attachment described in the fifth sloka.
Sixth verse: When the sadhaka reaches the sixth stage, he has attained the platform of bhava.
Now in the course or fendering devotional service, the heart becomes softened by various
transcendental emotions (bhavas), which cause ecstatic bodily transformations known as
sattvika-vibhavas. This verse describes three of the eight sattvika- vibhavas: tears, choked
voice and erect bodily hairs.
Seventh verse: Prema is defined as love of Krishna, which is extremely concentrated, which
completely melts and softens the heart; and is endowed with a deep sense of possessiveness
80

(mamata) in relation to the Lord. At this stage of devotion, one worships Krishna in the mood
of separation (vipralambha-bhava). The Vrajagopis and particularly Srimati Radhika savour
the greatest ecstasies of love in separation. The seventh sloka depicts the intensity of Their
feelings in vipralambha-bhava.
Eighth verse: The eighth verse describes the stage of prema-bhakti, wherein one fully realizes
his eternal loving relationship with Krishna. Firmly embracing the Lord within his heart, a
devotee experiences sambhoga or full pleasure in direct association with Krishna. The
devotee is now completely dependent on Krishnas sweet will. Following the mood of Srimati
Radhika conveyed in this sloka, the devotee prays to the Lord of his life with absolute
submission.

Vaishnava Etiquette
Aim:
To impress upon the audience the need to develop Vaishnava
qualities and behaviour.
Objective:
1) At the end of the lesson, the participants will agree to be more focused
on developing these qualities.
2) They will share how they are going to implement these ideals into
action.
Criteria: They will give their points in the group discussions.
Condition: Every member will be requested to participate.
Preparation: Make copies of the passage given at the end of the seminar
on Etiquette within relationships, for distribution to the participants.

81

Lesson Outline

82

83

What

Who

Brain
storm

The
class

Readin
g

Facilitator/an
yone
else
who
can
read well

Lectur
e

Facilitator

Role
Play

Two
volunteers

Group
Discus
sion

The
class

Readin
g out
the
groups

report
s
Summi
ng up

Group
leaders

whole

whole

Facilitator

Aid
s
W /
B
Bo
ard
Th
e
pa
ssa
ge
Fli
p
ch
art
---------------Pe
ns
&
Pa
per
s
for
the
gro
up
s
---------------

Durati
on
10
minut
es

----------------

15
minut
es

10
minut
es
40
minut
es
10
minut
es

15
minut
es

10
minut
es

Distribution of copies of the passage on

Etiquette within relationships given at
the end of this seminar after reading out
excerpts from the passage.

15
minut
es

Lesson Plan:
Brain Storm: Ask them the question: Who is a Vaishnava? What are his
qualities?
Add points that are not covered.

Reading: Read out the following passage that describes a great

Vaishnava.
The test of a theory is in its implementation. While one can spend a lot of
time analyzing the process of bhakti, faith readily comes when one sees
the theory in action. Jayananda Prabhu is one such devotee who
exemplified in an almost classical manner the process of bhakti from
inception to completion. When he left his body on May1, 1977, Srila
Prabhupada instructed that his disappearance day should be celebrated
befitting a great Vaishnava. Observing the pastimes of such devotees
greatly reaffirms ones faith in the process of bhakti.
The background
*******************
Jim Kohr was the all-American boy. Handsome, strong, intelligent born in
an upper middle-class family. A good student, he took a degree in
mechanical engineering from Ohio State University. However, despite his
outward trappings of success, he was often unhappy, empty and
dissatisfied with the material conception of life. Jim did not fit into the
upper class crowd, so it was not very surprising that he ended up driving
cabs in San Francisco. Though an introspective person, he was not really
religious. His depression was almost suicidal when in 1967 he happened to
read a small article in the San Francisco paper about an Indian Swami who
had come to the Bay area to propagate the chanting of the names of God.
For some reason the article ignited a ray of hope within him. He resolved
to attend the lecture of the Indian Swami.
In the Bhagavad-gita (7.16), Krishna says, four kinds of pious men begin
to render devotional service unto Me -- the distressed, the desirer of
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wealth, the inquisitive and he who is searching for knowledge of the

Absolute. Jim was searching for answers for the material miseries and in
such a mood took his first step towards his destiny.
The beginnings
******************
Jim was instantly attracted to the Indian Swami, who was none other than
Srila Prabhupada, the founder acharya of ISKCON. He had been in the
U.S.A for only a year and was in the process of establishing his mission of
bringing Krishna Consciousness to the western world. Jim regularly began
to attend the morning Bhagvatam lectures of Srila Prabhupada. On some
occasions he would be the only guest listening to the morning lecture.
Soon he became very attached to Srila Prabhupada and his teachings.
Prabhupada lovingly reciprocated and would sometimes personally cook
prasadam for Jim and serve him. Soon, thereafter, Srila Prabhupada
accepted Jim as his disciple and initiated him with the spiritual name
Jayananda.
In Cc Madhya 19.151 Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says out of many millions
of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity
to associate with a bonafide spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. By
the mercy of both Krishna and the spiritual master, such a person receives
the seed of the creeper of devotional service. In this way Jayananda
received the seed of devotion, out of the causeless mercy of Srila
Prabhupada. From the instructions and teachings presented by Srila
Prabhupada, he understood his special relationship with Krishna, with
Guru, and that there is an authorized process to establish this relationship.
Attraction to Krishna consciousness
******************************************
Jayananda was completely enamored by Krishna Consciousness. He would
rise every morning before four, do a little arati, chant his rounds of japa,
read and cook prasad. Then he would go for his incense run (selling
incense sticks). He never deviated from this, he was completely happy as
long as he was practicing Krishna Consciousness.
Jayananda worshipped prasadam. When a little prasadam spilled on the
floor he would lick it up. He loved to cook, eat, offer and distribute
prasadam in a big way. He even said prasadam with so much love and
devotion that it made one immediately want to take some.
Another example of his attachment to Krishna Consciousness was his love
for the holy name. He was always seen chanting and dancing
enthusiastically during kirtans. One day, after working hard for ten straight
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hours, when all the other devotees were looking forward to some rest,
Jayananda enthusiastically bounced into the temple room for kirtan. His
japa was very intense, very focussed, as he strove to personally associate
with each and every syllable of the Mahamantra.
In Bhakti-Rasamrita Sindhu, Srila Rupa Goswami mentions that the process
of sadhana bhakti begins with a little faith (sraddha). This faith then
blossoms into a desire for devotee association (sadhu-sanga) and then into
bhajan-kriya (devotional service).
Similarly, Jayananda, after receiving the association of Srila Prabhupada
and other devotees at the temple began to execute devotional service as
per the instructions he received from his spiritual master. As he executed
his sadhana sincerely, he became purified of the material impediments to
devotional service (anartha-nivrttih) and began to manifest the allattractive qualities of a pure devotee.
Humility
**********
Humility was certainly Jayanandas most prominent quality. He treated
everyone as his superior, even new devotees. Although his service was
glorious, he never wanted any glory. He avoided praise like the plague.
Devotees understood that if they wanted to keep Jayanandas association
they would better not praise him. His humility was very natural and he
always found something other than himself that was praiseworthy. Even
though he was a senior devotee, older than most of the people around him
and eminently qualified, he was happy to simply serve.
Once a new boy at the temple wanted to do some service and was asked
to help with the trash. The weekly trash run was done by Jayananda, who
cheerfully took the little help the boy gave. Later when the boy became a
devotee, he remembered thinking, If the garbage men at this temple can
be so blissful, just imagine what the rest of the devotees are like!
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, in the third verse of Siksastakam lays down the
qualification for offenseless chanting: One can chant the holy name of the
Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking himself lower than the straw in
the street. One should be more tolerant than the tree, devoid of all sense
of false prestige and ready to offer all respects to others. In such a state of
mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly. Jayananda
exemplified this verse. He was so humble that just being in his association
would make one feel ashamed of ones pride. He was very special, yet no
one paid any special attention to him. That was just the way he liked
things.
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Service attitude
*******************
Jayananda was an expert at everything: cooking, preaching, Deity worship,
public relations, sankirtan, selling incense, construction and anything that
enabled to spread Krishna Consciousness. He was a tireless worker, first to
rise in the morning and last to sleep at night. He was always running out
to get flowers, washing dishes, cleaning the kitchen or taking out the
trash. Whatever service he was given, he would make sure that it was
done; no matter how busy he was or how much personal hardship he had
to endure for it. No matter how hard he was working, he would never stop
for a nap during the day. He seemed inexhaustible.
Many times when Jayananda went to Berkley to distribute leftover
prasadam, he would first organize a crew to clean the kitchen, working
twice as hard as anybody else then he would transfer the prasadam, load
it into the van, drive it to Berkley, organize the distribution there and have
kirtan while all this was going on. Many years later, he readily accepted
the position of the driver for the Radha Damodar travelling sankirtan
party, working side by side with brahmacharis scarcely half his age. In
spite of his advanced position and seniority he never asked for anything
special and readily accepted menial position under new devotees.
In the Vishnu Purana, Sri Krishna informs Arjuna that one who claims to
be My devotee is actually not My devotee. One who claims to be the
devotee of my devotees is in actuality My devotee. Jayananda completely
manifested this quality. He was always striving to be the dasanudasa, the
servant-of-the-servant. But there was no artificial humility in him. Material
humility is relative, it is predicated on the qualifications of the recipients.
Jayananda had spiritual humility; it was absolute, without any
consideration of the status or qualities of the recipient. He served every
one and expected no one to serve him.
Lecture: Points to be covered:
Ideally, a Vaishnava should be transcendental with zero false ego. Always
identifying himself as a humble servitor of the servant of the servants of
Krishna.

Mind: A complex mechanism - discuss different anomalies in

its functioning:

Example of a young and old lady picture used by psychologists to help

convey how people are stuck on their own paradigms or ways of thinking.
Thought the drawing contains both an old woman as well as that of a
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young woman, it has been very cleverly concealed to make only one
portrait apparent. So you will find different persons looking at only the old
woman in the picture or at only the young woman in the picture. It is very
rare to find someone who can see both the faces! - This shows that our
mind misleads us in the actual perception of reality. Whatever the mind
wants to perceive, that is what it will perceive. Examples of this in real life
situations:
1) A mother or a wife will see the subject only in the light of her
relationship. Cannot see other aspects to a person for example, their
spiritual accomplishments.
2) Sometimes we see people being exceptionally touchy about
everything. In their perception, everyone is trying to put them down.
This is due to the conditioning of the mind.
3) We make judgments about people based on their external facets, for
example, on region, caste, gender, etc., and we are very biased in
our opinions about them.
4) Many times we have some definite idea about ideal behavior based
on our cultural and social values that we are used to. So we may not
properly understand others good will and may even misunderstand
them. For example, someone who is very expressive may
misunderstand another who is very shy and uncommunicative, or
vice versa, someone who is very reserved may doubt the sincerity of
another who is very outgoing.
5) Parents sometimes feel that if the children are listening to devotees
and becoming Krishna conscious, then they would no longer be
loving or caring towards them.
How it creates problems? Based on the particular mode it is acting on, the
mind can give us a totally wrong picture of reality.
If we are in the mode of ignorance, then we get very worked up about
devotees asking us to do so many services. We think that they are
somehow exploiting us.
In the mode of passion, we may feel very competitive towards people. We
may feel envious of others successes.
In the mode of goodness, we may fail to recognize somebodys fault and
correct them. We may be too liberal.
What is the mind?

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The mind is like a screen obstructing our real view of things, i.e., to see
everything connected to Krishna. It is like wearing different coloured
spectacles to see things. We start to see the objects also as coloured. The
mind acquires these characteristics based on our past karmas and the
modes we have acquired.
What are its demands?
The mind wants to be the controller and wants us to listen to all its
suggestions. It does not want us to surrender to Krishna.
How to identify what the mind is demanding?
When you are agitated about something, you can be sure that it is simply
the mind giving you a wrong perception of reality.
How to subdue the mind?
We can subdue the mind by being calm and using our reason or
intelligence to understand things. Sometimes we require help from outside
since our mind may be too strong and may be overpowering our
intelligence. We should not justify our minds demands, but rather look to
remove its defects, so that it can act as our best friend.
How to become transcendental?
We should be always using our spiritual intelligence to understand things.
How does this happen?
1) Strict Sadhana
2) Reading the scriptures every day
3) Dont react immediately to situations. Otherwise we will give in to
our modes.
4) Chant and surrender to the Lord. You will then become calm and can
think clearly.
5) See everyone as servants of Krishna. Everyone is trying to serve
Krishna. The external covering is not the reality. You will be able to
give up feelings of envy.
6) Try to develop your own relationship with Krishna, through doing
everything in a service attitude to Guru and Krishna. This will
completely satisfy you.
7) Be submissive to senior Vaishnavas. One can thus make rapid
progress. See the Lords hand in everything. The Lord in His love to
take you back personally orchestrates every occurring incident!
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8) Dont feel discouraged if you have faults. It requires greatness to

admit ones faults. Krishna can remove our weeds in no time at all. It
just requires sincerity, humility and surrender on our part.
9) Try and try again. You will succeed at last! We also have a powerful
method: the chanting. So please put all your energies into chanting.
We can never improve ourselves if our chanting is bad.
10)
Be compassionate to others. Everyone is sailing in similar
boats like you. Dont judge them too harshly, give them allowances
and help them if you can.
Role Play: Ask two volunteers to enact a real life situation. An
argument between two devotees, where one is quite insulting and what
the other does to overcome his negative feelings.
Group discussion: Divide them into groups of seven by asking them to
call out the numbers and matching them according to the numbers.
Ask them to discuss: List some real-life situations where our qualities as
devotees are tested.
How should we react to those situations?
How do we develop the strength to behave ideally in those situations?
Summing up: We have to develop love for one another. Only then we will
be able to love Krishna. Try to overcome all negative feelings. Do not try to
harbour any negative feelings.
Distribute copies of the material below to all the participants. You
can read out a few excerpts from the passage for about 10
minutes before distributing it.
Etiquette within Relationships
1. The Vaishnava society is very meticulously structured, where the juniors
always respect seniors and juniors always receive affection and blessings
from the seniors.

2. The Vaishnava society is structured according to varnasrama,

brahmana, kshatriya, vaishya and shudra; and sannyasa,
vanaprastha, grihastha and brahmachari.

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3. There are considerations of seniority according to initiation among

Godbrothers. Devotees who have received initiation earlier are considered
senior.
4. The Gurus Godbrothers should be given the same respect as the guru.
5. Sannyasis should always be respected as the guru.
6. In a Vaishnava society everyone tries to become humble. The more
advanced one is the more humble he becomes.
7. Sometimes senior Vaishnavas may offer respect to a junior Vaishnava
due to his humility, but a junior Vaishnava should never think that he
deserves that respect from all senior Vaishnavas. On the other hand, when
a senior Vaishnava offers him respect then the junior Vaishnava should feel
extremely embarrassed and repeatedly pray to Krishna that He receives
the respect.
8. One should always remember that his business is to become more
humble than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, and desiring no
respect for himself, he should offer all respect to others.
9. Transgression of Vaishnava etiquette will undoubtedly destroy ones
spiritual life.
10. Never take sides when there is a disagreement among senior
Vaishnavas. Stay neutral because the quarrel among the Vaishnavas is a
kind of pastime and beyond our understanding.
11. Disciple should always respect his guru as God.
12. Preachers should have compassion upon the innocent souls but avoid
offenders.
Use of Titles
As a matter of etiquette one may note the following: The Spiritual Master
is addressed as His Divine Grace, a Godbrother is addressed as His Grace,
and any Sannyasi is addressed as His Holiness.

Quotes from Srila Prabhupada

Dealing with Godbrothers
Srila Prabhupadas letter to Rayarama (January 30, 1967)
Definition of Prabhu according to Srila Prabhupada said: You should not
just use it mechanically; you should meaningfully apply it.
It is alright to call one another Prabhu but one should not become a
prabhu. The idea is to remain a servant and accept others as prabhu.
Because somebody calls you Prabhu one should not become a prabhu
and treat others as servants. In other words, every one should feel himself
as a servant and not think himself a prabhu because he is being called
one. This will make the relationship congenial.
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Srila Prabhupadas letter to Himavati (June 14, 1968)

A Practical definition of Prabhu: Ralph Waldo Emerson (who is quoted on
the jacket cover of all English editions of Bhagavad-gita) said, Every man
I meet is my superior in some way, in that I learn from him. To serve the
Spritual Master means to serve his disciples as well. Serving your
godbrothers is a very good practice. The Spiritual Master is never without
his followers, so to serve the Spiritual Master also means to be the servant
of his disciples. When you want to serve the king, you must also serve his
minister, secretary and everyone who serves him. And to serve the
servants may please one more than to serve the king personally.
Srila Prabhupadas letter to Shivananda (January 23, 1969)
But, on the other hand: Why Taittiriya should have a servant?
Godbrothers are not meant for being servants. Without the Spiritual
Masters order, nobody can utilize the service of a Godbrother as ones
personal servant. We address each other as Prabhu so how can we
engage our Godbrother as servant? Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu engaged
Govinda dasa, who was His Godbrother, as His servant but it was only on
the order of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhus Spiritual Master.
Srila Prabhupadas letter to Kirtanananda (November 23, 1974)
I understand that your Godbrothers are your younger dependent brothers.
Kindly treat them as your younger dependent brothers and try to advance
them in Krishna Consciousness as good as you can.
Srila Prabhupadas letter to Janardana (January 21, 1968)
Please do your duty without any disruption of peaceful attitudes amongst
yourselves. We are pushing our movement on the background of a
peaceful atmosphere in the world and if we show a little disturbance in our
own camp that will not be a very good example. Therefore, everyone
should be forbearing, tolerant and cooperative.
Srila Prabhupadas letter to Janaki (January 18, 1969)
But one thing is you must stop this fighting between brothers. Otherwise
the whole programme will be spoiled. Yourself, Tamala Krishna,
Brahmananda, Satsvarupayou should do everything together. That is my
request. Gradually, by Kihas Grace, we are expanding. So if amongst
us there is friction, it will be very dangerous.
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Srila Prabhupadas letter to Gargamuni (September 8, 1969)

This is called Vaikuntha attitude. In the Vaikuntha, factually, there is no
fault in anyone but there is another type of competition. The competition
is that one devotee thinks of other devotees as how nicely they are
serving the Lord. In the material world the attitude is that everyone likes
to think that I am doing better than others. This is material conception. In
the Spiritual Sky it is just the opposite; everyone thinks that my
contemporary devotees are doing better than me. We are trained to
address Godbrothers as Prabhu, which means Master. This means we shall
always try to find out the serving side of our Godbrothers. Sometimes
there are misgivings but we should try to overlook them.
Srila Prabhupadas letter to Brahmananda (November 15, 1969)
It doesnt matter as to what we are, gihasthas or sannyasis; the point is
to be paramahamsa, completely surrendered to Lord Krishna.
Srila Prabhupadas letter to Upendra (January 21, 1968)
Brahmana,
kshatriya,
vaishya,
shudra,
brahmachari,
grihastha,
vanaprastha and sannyasa. These are all MATERIAL DESIGNATIONS but
this Krishna Conscious movement is for becoming transcendental to these
material designations and these boys, these foreigners, they are being
taught in that light.
Lilamrita Volume 5 p. 21
Dealings amongst Gihasthas
I am so glad to learn that your good wife is also helping you. That is the
duty of a faithful companion of life. If the wife is helpful in the spiritual
progress of life, she is the best friend and philosopher. So, in Krishna
Consciousness, the wife is never a burden rather she is a complete
counterpart. So set an example to your countrymen as to how the younger
generation can live peacefully, husband and wife, while being engaged in
Krishnas service. There are many examples of this type of husband and
wife working in our different centers for propagating this sublime message.
Srila Prabhupadas letter to Vrindavana Chandra (September 8, 1969)
Dealing with Ones Guru

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In regard to praying to Lord Nityananda Prabhu, I have written to you in

my last letter that such prayer is quite appropriate. Our only prayer should
be in the matter of desiring further development of devotional service and
such sincere prayer should be submitted not directly to the Lord but
through the via media of His bonafide servitor or representative. [Note:
media is plural in number, not just one]
Srila Prabhupadas letter to Madhudvia (February 14, 1969)
I chastise you, because it is my duty. Disciple is related to discipline, so it
is my duty to my disciples. Otherwise, I am not upset with anyone. I simply
do this to discipline you because you are my disciples.
Lilamita Volume 5 p. 43
You may be afraid of your spiritual master, but that doesnt mean you
shouldnt come and see him. I will drag you to come and see me.
Lilamita Volume 5 p. 196
Disciples should not try to instruct their Spiritual Master:
Not knowing why Madhavendra Puri was crying, Ramacandra Puri tried to
become his advisor. Thus he committed a great offense, for a disciple
should never try to instruct his Spiritual Master.
(Cc Antya 8.21 purport)
Disciples should not initiate while the spiritual master is present:
The first thing, I warn, Achyutananda, do not try to initiate. You are not in a
proper position now to initiate anyone. Besides that, the etiquette is that
so long the Spiritual Master is present; all prospective disciples should be
brought to him. Therefore, if anyone is anxious to be initiated, he should
first of all hear our philosophy and join chanting at least for three months
and then if required I shall send chanting beads for him if you recommend.
Srila Prabhupadas letter to Acyutananda (August 21, 1968)
Gurus should not transgress Vaishnava etiquette (and initiate their
Godbrothers disciples in good standing):
I have received one letter from Hrshikesh that is very depressing. I
understand that he has been induced by Bon Maharaja to be initiated by
him for giving him shelter and this foolish boy has accepted his
inducement. I have replied Hrshikeshs letter in the following words: My
dear Hrsikesa I am greatly surprised for Bon Maharajas initiating you, in
spite of his knowing that you are already initiated by me. So it is a
deliberate transgression of Vaishnava etiquettes and otherwise a
deliberate insult to me. I do not know why he has done like this, but no
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Vaihava will approve of this offensive action. ...I do not wish to discuss
on this point elaborately now, but if you are desirous to know further about
it, I shall be glad to give you more enlightenment... If Hrshikesh writes
you a letter, I think you may avoid reply. I do not approve of both
Hrshikeshs and Bon Maharajas this offensive action.
Srila Prabhupadas letter to Mukunda (March 26, 1968)
Seniors, Juniors, and Equals
gudhikn muda lipsed
anukroa gudhamt
maitr samnd anvicchen
na tpair abhibhyate
gua-adhiktone who is more qualified; mudampleasure; lipsetone
should feel; anukroamcompassion; gua-adhamtone who is less
qualified; maitrmfriendship; samntwith an equal; anvicchetone
should desire; nanot; tpaiby tribulation; abhibhyatebecomes
affected.
Every man should act like this: when he meets a person more qualified
than himself, he should be very pleased; when he meets someone less
qualified than himself, he should be compassionate towards him; and
when he meets someone equal to himself, he should make friendship with
him. In this way one is never affected by the threefold miseries of this
material world.
SB 4.8.34 Narada Muni to Dhruva Maharaja
Purport: Generally when we find someone more qualified than ourselves,
we become envious of him; when we find someone less qualified, we
deride him; and when we find someone equal we become very proud of
our activities. These are the causes of all material tribulations. The great
sage Narada, therefore, advised that a devotee should act perfectly.
Instead of being envious of a more qualified man, one should be jolly to
receive him. Instead of being oppressive to a less qualified man, one
should be compassionate towards him just to raise him to the proper
standard. And when one meets an equal, instead of being proud of ones
own activities before him, one should treat him as a friend. One should
also have compassion for the people in general, who are suffering due to
forgetfulness of Krishna. These important functions will make one happy
within this material world.
Surpassing a Superior Personality (maryd-vyatikrama)

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To be well versed in the transcendental science necessitates awareness of

the techniques of spiritual science. Uddhava, being well aware of all these
technicalities of transcendental science advised Vidura to approach
Maitreya i to receive transcendental knowledge. Vidura wanted to
accept Uddhava as his Spiritual Master, but Uddhava did not accept the
post because Vidura was as old as Uddhavas father and therefore
Uddhava could not accept him as his disciple, especially when Maitreya
was present nearby. The rule is that in the presence of a higher personality
one should not be very eager to impart instructions, even if one is
competent and well versed. So Uddhava decided to send an elderly person
like Vidura to Maitreya, another elderly person.
Since both Maitreya and Vidura were directly instructed by the Lord, both
had the authority to become the Spiritual Master of Vidura or anyone else,
but Maitreya, being elderly had the first claim to becoming the Spiritual
Master, especially for Vidura, who was much older than Uddhava. One
should not be eager to become a Spiritual Master cheaply for the sake of
profit and fame but should become a Spiritual Master for the service of the
Lord. The Lord never tolerates the impertinence of maryada-vyatikrama.
One should never pass over the honour due to an elderly Spiritual Master
in the interests of ones own personal gain and fame. Impertinence is
very risky for spiritual realization.
(SB 3.4.26 Purport)
Respect for Sannyasis
All should offer due respect to a sannyasi. His position is always superior
to all other inmates of the temple. He must always maintain that superior
position by action and behaviour.
Srila Prabhupadas letter to Sudama (July 29, 1972)
One thing you may note as a matter of etiquette: The Spiritual Master is
addressed as His Divine Grace, a Godbrother as His Grace, and any
sannyasi is addressed as His Holiness.
Srila Prabhupadas letter to Rayarama (January 1, 1967)
I understand that your Godbrothers are your younger dependent brothers.
Kindly treat them as your younger dependent brothers and try to advance
them in Krishna consciousness as good as you can.
Srila Prabhupadas letter to Janardana (January 21, 1968)
Regarding your second question about greeting karmis; if a karmi is a
friend, you just greet him Hare Krishna and with folded hands touch your
forehead. If the karmi is a superior relative, then chant Hare Krishna and
96

bow down to him on the ground. That should be the etiquette in our
society transactions.
SP letter to Arundhati (June 16, 1969)
If you have any specific grievance, please let me know but dont be
disturbed by any sort of disagreement with your Godbrothers and
Godsisters. Each and every living entity is an individual soul and as such
disagreement is quite possible in our dealings with one another. But we
have to consider the central point of interest. You are both very intelligent
and sober girls and I have got good estimation of you; do not take at any
time an attitude of non-cooperation because you have not agreed with
anothers point of view.
Srila Prabhupadas letter to Yamuna Devi and Harsarani Devi (January 15,
1968)
[As superiors]
We should not accept unnecessary favors for sense gratification.
Srila Prabhupadas letter to Brahmananda (February 20, 1968)
Treating Women as Mothers
In distributing love of Godhead, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His associates
did not consider who was a fit candidate and who was not, nor where such
distribution should or should not take place. They made no conditions.
Cc. Adi-lila 7.23
1. In essence, duality means that we forget that we are part and parcel of
Krishna. We want to enjoy separately from Him, we want to play the
controller. This controlling tendency culminates in sex desire.
2. Man/woman concept is synonymous with material consciousness.
3. Becoming Krishna Conscious means rising above duality. We have to
become fixed in the consciousness that all are part and parcel of Krishna
and for His pleasurenot ours.
4. A devotees foremost duty is to transcend sex desire.
5. This takes philosophical awareness, constant practice and
perseverance. (Aversion is not the solution. Attachment and aversion are
two sides of the same coin.)
6. Srila Prabhupada in the compassionate mood of the Pancatattva has
opened the treasure house of bhakti to all classes of men and women.
7. This offers us intense and unlimited opportunity to transcend material
attachment and aversion and develop transcendental realization in
Krishna.
8. The word mother generates a mood of respect and sobriety.

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9. When we advise that women should be seen as mothers, we mean that

our dealings with women should be reserved and respectful.
10. Such conduct will minimize offensive mentality and dealings with other
living entities.
11. Women should behave as mothers.
12. In the practice of Krishna Consciousness segregation of the sexes is
essential.
Quotes from Srila Prabhupada
Regarding the disturbance made by the women devotees; they are also
living entities. They also came to Krishna. So consciously I cannot deny
them. Our male members, the brahmacharis and sannyasis, if they
become steady in Krishna Consciousness, there is no problem. It is the
duty of the male members to be very steady and cautious. This can be
done by regular chanting like Haridas Thakur did.
SP letter to Gargamuni (September 29, 1975)
Protect the women (Dont Exploit Them)
Please guide our innocent Godsisters who have come to our shelter. Girls
are more susceptible to the finer attachments of Maya. Boys are a little
stronger. Mrinalini, Jadurani and all other girls who are so qualified, goodlooking, intelligent, educated, and seriously engaged in Krishna
Consciousness should always be given protection from the attachments of
Maya.
SP letter to Rayarama (October 4, 1967)
Mayas most attractive feature is women and money. We, Krishna
Conscious men, have to deal with women and money in the course of our
preaching work and the only prophylactic measure to save us is not to
accept them for our sense gratification. Then we shall remain strong
enough. Materialistic people take everything for sense gratification and
Krishna Conscious people take everything for Krishnas satisfaction. There
is no fault in the thing as it is; namely women and money, but it becomes
faulty by improper use. The improper use is to accept them for sense
gratification.
Srila Prabhupadas letter to Gargamuni (October 18, 1969)
Who has introduced these things, that women cannot have chanting japa
in the temple, they cannot perform the arati and so many things? If they
become agitated, then let the brahmacharis go to the forest. I have never
introduced these things. The brahmacharis cannot remain in the presence
of women in the temple, then they may go to the forest, not remaining in
New York City, because in New York there are so many women, so how
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they can avoid seeing? BEST THING IS TO GO TO THE FOREST for not
seeing any women, IF THEY BECOME SO EASILY AGITATED, but then no one
will either see them and HOW OUR PREACHING WORK WILL GO ON?
Srila Prabhupadas letter to Ekayani (December 3, 1972)
Vaihava Aparadhas
In Krishna Consciousness every man is so important because all of the
activities of a devotee of Lord Krishna is beneficial to all living entities.
SP letter to Shivananda (June 15, 1969)

Seminar on Devotee Marriages

Lesson Module
Aim:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

To make partners reflect on each others good qualities.

To have a goal on what they want out of their relationship
To understand how Krsna can enhance their relationship and make it spiritual.
To understand problems if there are any and to work out solutions together.
To develop a serving attitude towards one another.

Objectives:
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At the end of the lesson the participants will be able to:

Recognize and express at least 5 positive points about one another.

Fix up a goal that they want to achieve together and state how they would
achieve the same.
State at least 4 ways how Krsna could be an integral part of their marriage.
State their understanding of the problems faced by the partner and how they
could help them.
Mention at least 3 ways in which they would serve one another in ways that
are conducive to their Krsna consciousness.

Conditions
They will find the solutions themselves and commit to it.
Criteria
All the members attending should commit themselves to stating at least 2 areas where they
could do things together.
Assessment:
By getting each of them to write on a piece of paper.

Preparation:
Make sure that the group is small and a fairly homogenous one so that the participants feel
comfortable to open up and share. Since there will be a lot of written work and sharing, it is
better that the group does not exceed 5 couples. That will give one enough time to complete
the seminar. Keep the literature given below ready for reading out. Keep some A4 size sheets
with pens for the members to write on.
Lesson outline;
What
Who
Introduction
Facilitator
Writing on pieces of The audience
paper
Reading out from
the paper

100

Resources
-----------------A4
size
blank
sheets, some pens.

Time
20 minutes
15 minutes X 4 =
60 minutes
15 minutes X 4
minutes=
60
minutes

Lesson Plan:
Vivaha means to maintain, uplift (Reference from The Book of Samskaras by Prema Rasa
dasa and Sandipani Muni dasa)
The goal of marriage is to enable husband and wife to live peacefully and purify themselves
as well as free their children from ignorance and from all mis-identification with the body.
We often think that if a man and woman share the same tastes, the same ideas and choices
then they can form an ideal couple. However, it is not always so. In fact it is better if they are
complementary to each other and are opposite to an extent that they are mutually attracted.
Too many common points are not a sure sign of success and too many disparities between
husband and wife do not make for an ideal marriage.
The key to a successful marriage is for a couple to share the same goals. Vaishnavas do have a
common goal, i.e., re-establishing their eternal relationship as servants of God and offering
Him their love and devotion. In this case, differences of character accompanied with mutual
attraction create great energies made positive by their common goal. This acts like an
interactive dynamic force. When such energies are channeled towards the same goal, the
couple can successfully solve the problem of conjugal life, especially when that goal is self
realization. Srila Prabhupada said: This is harmony, equality; this is oneness in difference.
Some people may also think that they can make a so - called transcendental marriage by
having a brother sister relationship with their future spouse (especially if they have the
same Guru.). But the relationship between husband and wife must be different. It should be
tinged with both brotherly and conjugal attraction in order to avoid any frustration.
Srila Prabhupada said: affection is an important ingredient in any family. You can show your
affection with embraces, kisses, services, sweet words. The only thing you should avoid is sex
life because it is not an essential method of showing affection to anyone. It is an effort to
gratify ones own senses.
Each spouse should also have his own circle of friends so as to satisfy the natural need for
friendship. Otherwise each will try to fulfill this need with his or her own spouse. But theirs
must be a very intimate or conjugal relationship. It is even advisable for the couple not to
spend the whole day together for promiscuity leads to mutual faultfinding.

Man
By nature a man feels the need to lord it over. He wants to be superior and wishes to protect
his woman as a superior protects those who accept his authority. For the same reason, he also
expects to be respected.

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Man is rational. On one hand he wants his wife to be willing to lend a sympathetic ear on the
other hand he respects her, and her help and chastity compel his admiration. Even if such
domineering behavior can be called natural for a man, it never justifies any abuse of ones
authority towards a woman, nor allows her enslavement.
A man should remain tactful towards his wife, keep her informed of his projects and ask her
advice. He should also be attentive and notice when she grows tired
Although he has feelings of affection, he generally does not like to show it except when it
comes to seduction. The problem is that once the marriage is definitive, man thinks
everything is settled and does not feel the need to tell his wife he still loves her. He is no
longer as attentive and tactful as before. She may then feel deserted.
Men are motivated and empowered when they feel needed.

Woman
By nature a woman likes to be protected, have a good marriage, have both children and
friends as well as taking care and keeping the house clean. She wants to engulf her family
with love and is happy to hear them and feel needed.
She is naturally emotional, humble, gentle, affectionate, sociable, appeasing, motherly and
prone to cherish.
In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna says, Among women I am fame, fortune, fine speech,
memory, intelligence, stead-fastness and patience.
A woman mainly needs to be assured of her husbands feelings and love for her. She expects
sweet words and signs of affection. If these are lacking, she may easily feel depressed. When
she has worries she needs to tell him about it and expect empathy and nurturing more than
immediate solutions.
Although women are as intelligent as men, they have a different turn of mind. Women
understand things with their heart, by intuition rather than reasoning. This makes them keen
on one hand and prone to committing mistakes on the other.
The other negative side of women is characterized by an irritable, vindictive, quarrelsome
temperament. One must therefore beware of such anarthas and impurities.

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The scriptures ascribe a great deal of responsibility to women for the success of their
marriage. If the wife is rebellious and tries to compete with her husband, the marriage will not
last.
Women are motivated and empowered when they are cherished.
How to solve conjugal problems:
Be courteous, work and plan together; meet and speak pleasant words. Be united and let your
thoughts be in harmony.
Husband and wife must come to understand their natural differences and respect them.
The husband must consider the wife the Lords property. He should, therefore, protect and
cherish her with great respect and tenderness as well as lead her to salvation.
Accepting her husband as Krsnas representative, the wife should be chaste, submissive and
serve him with great affection and devotion. (S.B. 6.19.17)
The dharma shastras frown upon the man who beats, deceives or abuses his wife and the
woman who tries to torment or control her husband.
Srila Prabhupada in Srimad Bhagavatam purport (9.3.10) states:
If any wife wants to be happy with her husband, she must try to understand her husbands
temperament and please him. This is victory for the woman and then her life is successful.
When the wife becomes as irritable as her husband, their life at home is sure to be disturbed or
ultimately completely broken.
It is of topmost importance that couples learn to communicate. This, however, requires some
training. Finding fault with ones spouse, even if just on the mental plane, is never good. It is
one of the worst enemies of a couples stability.
The dharma shastras contain a lot of knowledge on a couples psychology.
For example, they offer advise on how to avoid pitfalls of jealousy as well as those created by
an over-protective attitude.
The satraps offer means of detecting the symptoms of such evils, in order to avert them, that
endanger the harmony of home life. More often than not, conjugal problems can be resolved
through love and truthfulness. Problems should be dealt with as soon as they arise without
minimizing their importance. The most trivial situations can grow acrimonious with time.
One should not think that marriage could rid us of our lust under the pretence that it is a
stopgap measure for those impulses, which hinder our spiritual quest.
This is a serious mistake because lust cannot be satisfied by sense gratification, which is like
trying to put out a fire by pouring fuel over it.

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Secondly, no woman should be thought of as a device for satisfying ones desires. One does
not take a wife for oneself, to solve a personal problem or to quell ones craving for sense
gratification.
By getting married, one binds himself as well as another person and therefore, cannot
jeopardize anothers life. Marriage ties are sacred.
Safety is born out of caution. Devotees, therefore, take shelter of Krsna in earnest. The duty of
both partners is to protect each other from falling down.
To conquer lust, one must worship the murti of Krsna, for Krsna is Madana mohana. This cure
consists in associating with Absolute beauty in order to resist the attraction of material beauty.
The RG Veda describes what makes a couple happy:
Devoted to sacrifice and acquiring prosperity, they serve and honor the Immortal God, united
by mutual love.
In this sense, we can understand that a successful marriage can only rest on real love, not on a
simple and light romance.
Reflecting:
Husband and wife should spend some time together.
They should alternately express mutual appreciation without being interrupted by the other.
Then they can alternately put into words mutual complaints, reproaches and
recommendations.
They should express their surprise at the behavior, tastes, etc, that either of them may have
recently developed.
They should share their new discoveries they have made on each other.
They should discuss their aspirations, plans, hopes, etc, in order to share them.
They should develop a family mission statement and review the goals and plans.
They should balance their life and be realistic.
They should build a bridge between the ideal and the real.
Keeping vows:
Sacred marriage ties should never be broken even if conjugal life involves some difficulties
resulting from past Karma being revealed to us.
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Srila Prabhupada in a letter writes: You both must be completely convinced that you want to
spend at least 25 or 30 years together. Unless you can make that commitment you should not
take the vows of marriage.
However, if either of the spouse morally or physically abuses the other in the name of
religious principles, (for example using the theory of Karma to justify reprehensible
behavior), such activities are blameworthy and the victims silence could never be the cure.
Sometimes the latter will accept such suffering as retribution. This is absurd. Such situations
must be dealt with as soon as possible with the help of competent authorities.
Just as one may reject his Guru if he acts contrary to the instructions of his own Guru, the
satraps and the sadhus or if he acts immorally, similarly, one can reject ones spouse for the
same reasons after seeking advice of qualified persons, for one cannot rationalize every
situation.
For those who believe that the Hare Krsna movement considers conjugal sex enjoyment as
illicit or devotees who still wonder if licit sex means a sexual act so short and mechanical
that one cannot derive any sinful enjoyment from it, we will say right away that those are
either false information or a misunderstanding.
When Vaishnava Acharyas recommend a restricted sex life, this does not mean that husband
and wife live separately. According to Vaishnava tradition, the idea of marriage is to increase
spiritual consciousness as far as possible. And according to ones advancement in spiritual
consciousness, such restriction becomes automatic.
The pursuit of happiness is quite natural although the living entity is often found to be
chewing the chewed. In other words, his enjoyment is nothing but a repetition of past
experiences.
There are only fleeting moments of happiness and distress in sense gratification.
To escape from this alternate aspect of pleasure and pain, one must seek self-realization. But
if one is successful in following the rules and regulations, he comes to the transcendental
position. Then he begins to drink real nectar and he enjoys life.
1) Distribute 4 (four) A4 size sheets to all the participants. Request them to write down
5(five) good qualities or positive points about their married partners. Ask them to return
the sheets back to you. You can read them out and reveal the identity of the participants
with their consent.

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2) Next make the married partners sit together and request them to write a goal / goals that
they share together and how they want to achieve the goal /goals. Request them to read
out what they have written together if they would like to share it with the other group
members.

3) In another sheet of paper request them to write again, together, how they
would like to include Krishna in their marriage. You can give them the following
hints: How they will encourage, help and appreciate each others devotional
services, appreciate each other as devotees and so as dear and special to Krishna,
co-operate and serve Krishna together, read Srila Prabhupadas books together,
etc, etcAgain request them to read out what they have written.
4) Next ask them to write individually what they perceive are the problems
faced by their partner and how they think they can help them overcome those
problem/s. Tell them at the beginning that they need not read them out loudly to
the group if they wish to keep it confidential. Those who do not mind sharing it
with the group should be encouraged to do so. This will help the other members
learn from them aspects of their own selves.
If there needs some guidance or correction in what they have written, mention this to
them. You can also give them further ideas or insights on how they could help their
partners, if necessary.
5) Lastly ask them to individually write about 3(three) ways in which they would like to
serve their spouses, which will also be along Krishna conscious principles.
Encourage everyone to read out all their points.
Submitting reports and attending meetings
The Bhakti Vriksha leader though a very important part of the Bhakti Vriksha system
cannot be effective if he were to function on his own. He is an integral part of the entire
Bhakti Vriksha system, which keeps expanding like an extended family that nourishes,
sustains and helps in the growth of all its members.

One of the primary duties as a responsible part of the Bhakti Vriksha program is
to submit monthly reports to his upachakrapati.

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The weekly form has been included in the modules and the leaders have been requested
to promptly fill it in at the end of each weeks program. The monthly report which he
has to submit should include all the figures that he had been entering on a weekly basis.
Without going through this important report, it will be very difficult for his seniors to
analyze his strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and give suitable guidance
and directions. Also there is a need to assess the total performance of the whole
program of a yatra and plan certain objectives and goals annually. Without setting up
of goals and assessing them periodically, one cannot systematically and effectively
expand ones preaching.
The Bhakti Vriksha leader thus has to also regularly attend the meetings that have been
convened by his seniors. He is a connecting link between his group members and the
hierarchy and thus has to give a clear picture of his groups progress to his seniors. At
the same time, he has to share with his members all that needs to be conveyed to them.
In this way, by acting as an instrument in the Bhakti Vriksha structure, he becomes a
very important and integral part of it, gaining a lot strength and potency to expand and
multiply the Bhakti Vriksha unlimitedly.
On the other hand, any slackness on his part can only slow down the progress and
expansion of the preaching.
Hence, if all the Bhakti Vriksha leaders filled up their weekly forms as well as the
monthly reports, systematically and attended the meetings, it would help greatly in the
effective functioning of the Bhakti Vriksha program.

Some Testimonies
The Bhakti Vriksha program awakens and refines the dormant preaching abilities of those
who have been in Krsna consciousness for a long time as well as in those who are
beginners.
I was not a trained preacher. There were lots of doubts in my mind. Will I be able to reach out
to people and convince them of Krsna Consciousness? Will I be able to motivate them to take
up chanting? Will I be able to speak philosophy to an audience? Will I be able to inspire them
to participate in a discussion? But the Bhakti Vriksa modules have helped smash all my fears

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and have helped me to reach out confidently and successfully to my audience who became
hooked to the program. I couldn't believe myself!
The Bhakti Vriksa modules are very structured. I love every aspect of it. Not only do the
members of the Bhakti Vriksha make rapid advancement but the facilitator also does as well.
It is a well thought out wonderful curriculum to train preachers on the job!
Radha Pada Dhuli dd
Pune
We have had a very good rate of expansion in our Bhakti Vriksa preaching, and very good
standards of devotees commitments, thanks to these Bhakti Vriksa modules.

The Bhakti Vriksa modules constantly guide the group servant leaders on what they
have to do and when. This makes the process easier for them as they know whether they
are on the right track or not.

Monitoring and identification of interest groups has become easier. All the members
attending the Bhakti Vriksha program know for example that if they complete the first
module they are eligible for level one which is Shraddavan. This makes the servant
leaders life simple as he precisely knows with whom he has to spend more time with in
order to motivate them.

Service allocation also becomes easier. The Bhakti Vriksa group leader can judge
who could take what responsibility and to what extent.

I regularly get the feed back from the servant leaders that disseminating Krsna
Consciousness through this method is far more practical as we know what we need to
achieve at the end of the day. All the members also know their road map and their current
standing in Krsna consciousness. This enhances the commitment of the Bhakti Vriksha
leader, as he dedicates more time in taking care of the members needs.

There is a great upward mobility in the siksha levels from the time we introduced
these modules. This is something phenomenal! Every week there are requests for siksha
and higher commitments from different groups. This generates great enthusiasm in the
new members to take a right step forward by quickly accepting the first level within just a
few weeks of starting to attend the Bhakti Vriksa programs.

We could identify lot of enthusiastic devotees who have potential to take up leadership
responsibilities in a short span of time.

Considering the urgency in spreading Krsna consciousness and the need to give love and
care to the people as per Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhus desire , we are sure that Bhakti Vriksa
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preaching and these modules in particular will go a long way in pleasing Srila Prabhupada
by expanding this glorious sankirtana movement.

Your servant,
Chaitanya Avatari das
Bangalore
I would like to place special emphasis upon the usage of the Bhakti Vrksa modules that have
been developed by HG Vijaya Venugopal das and Prema Padmini dd of Mathuradesh. These
modules provide a standard format across the different groups. One can easily track the
progress of the group members and also provide them with a standard support format. These
modules were developed using Srila Prabhupadas books and I would highly recommend
them to every yatra so that they can adopt them and empower their management and training
areas. These modules have been extremely helpful on a personal level for my sadhana and
that for the group. They cater to the following: how a yatra can effectively multiply within a
year; how the servant leaders can be provided with effective training and also how to track the
sadhana and reading of the members. I would recommend her to write an article to explain the
benefits of using this standard curriculum across all BV programs.
With all the members showing sincere interest and enthusiasm, many have increased their
number of rounds, have been able to overcome the partaking of intoxicants like tea or coffee
that were difficult to curb since many years and have also started one study group. With the
blessings and support of the Vaishnavas, we hope to grow rapidly and multiply before the end
of 2005.
Nara Hari dev dasa
Northern Virginia
The Bhakti Vriksa Module is helping in the substantial growth, expansion and development of Shyamadesh
devotees, Middle east. We have 47 Bhakti Vriksa groups at present and are rapidly increasing both
quantitativeluy and qualitatively. :
1.The Ice Breakers guidelines have helped many new devotees to be attracted in to the Bhakti Vriksa
programmes and participate freely without shyness.
2.The Kirtan and dhoop arti suggestions have helped to identify and motivate good singers and bring devotees
close to our movement.
3.Namamrta & Chanting insights have helped devotees to increase the taste of chanting.
4.Discussion - This is the best part of the Bhakti Vriksa modules.Here all members of Bhakti Vriksa start
participating in discussions and clarify their doubts by very good interaction.
5.Preaching plan- The module has helped every member to share in the preaching responsibility with a desire
among members to bring more relatives/friends as guest.Also responsibility to ensure that the guests become real
members of the Bhakti Vriksa group.

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The seminars on chanting which have been included in the module have helped so many devotees to improve
their chanting by trying to avoid the offenses to the holy names and in chanting with greater concentration and
thus a develop a taste in chaniting japa.
The seminar on Vaishnava etiquette have helped devotees develop more qualities in the mode of goodness and
following the Vaishnava etiquettes and in cultivating a humble attitude. Some devotees who were showing
inclinations of drifting off have become more committed and serious once again through these seminars.
I strongly recommend these seminars to be conducted regularly for congregational members to keep them in the
right track of Krsna consciousness.

Sukhakar Krsna das

Shayamadesh
The Bhakti Vriksa program grew to such a large
extent that within a few months we had to expand as more & more people were
interested to join this program.
Right now we have about five sectors, each having four Bhakti Vriksa groups. Almost 250
devotees are getting trained in Krsna conscious principles. Almost 150 devotees are
chanting sixteen rounds of the Hare Krishna maha mantra.
We have been following the modules prepared by Vijay Venugopla prabhu
and Prema Padmini mataji from Mathuradesh for the last few months. This makes the job of
servant leader much easier and everyone is focused.
Vedanta Chaitanya das, Temple President, Hyderabad

From S. Africa
I started Bhakti Vriksa preaching in a small way by first visiting Laxmi Narayan & Sanatan
Ved Dharma Sabha temples. These temples conduct Sunday classes for children, adults and
have kirtans. I introduced myself to the chief priests of these temples and told them about
activities of ISKCON as well as about chanting of the holy names.
I requested the priests of this temple, permission to participate in their programs. Once I
started attending these programs I slowly introduced the chanting ofHare Krsna Maha
mantra.. Soon children and their parents started discussing with me about why Krishna is the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. I gave them the references from scriptures and told them
that they can come to my house for informal discussion any time. Slowly people started
coming to my house. I did Arathi for the Lord with them i and then did a round of chanting
before the discussions.
Once the discussion became serious I started a Bhakti Vriksa program in the house. We
started the Bhakti Vriksa with the modules sent by mathuradesh. The modules were so
structured and had sense of direction and very appealing that all the members participated.
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Soon about 15 members started coming regularly including staff members from my office.
They started chanting and slowly following the regulative principles.. The Bhakti Vriksa
program has given me the opportunity to serve ISKCON, as many Johannesburg temples
started inviting me for their programs where I represented ISKCON.
. I had the opportunity to visit neighboring countries like Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique,
Mauratius, Kenya where I had the opportunity to introduce Bhakti Vriksa preaching and these
modules to them. To-day there are several centers conducting Bhakti Vriksa in South Africa
even in my absence as they are also following these modules . Your servant,
Sanatana Sevak das,
S. Africa

With the help of these modules 3 Bhakti Vrikshas was started in different locations of
Toronto after having a start up group with some of the senior devotees of the yatra.. Within a
year we have expanded to having 5 bhakti Vriksa groups.
Bhakti Vriksa members soon started improving their chanting .Members are now involved in
book distribution programs, cooking prasadam for Sunday feasts and preaching. All this was
possible with blessings of senior devotees and the temple board.
Kamala gopi
Toronto
1.Helps the cell leader to give knowledge in systematic way to the members in a gradual and
phased manner as it was desired by Srila Prabhupada
2.Modules are designed in such a way it helps the cell leader to keep the discussion more
focused on one subject not vaguely or randomly discussing many subject matters.
3.Since it controls the discussions to a specific topic it helps the Bhakti Vriksa leader to
guide the discussion along proper lines.
4. Any devotee who is sincere, can with one year of this association be able to conduct a
Bhakthi Vriksha group himself because all the guidelines are given in great detail.
5.By following these Modules the Bahkti Vriksa leaders gain a lot of confidence in
preaching because he sees the members are receptive and progressing spiritually.This
confidence encourages the Bhakti Vriksa leader to be more determined in preaching.It also
gives him the confidence and expertise to deliver lectures in bigger programmes like Sunday
feasts and festivals festivals.
6.The ice breaker or sat sanga guidelines giivesn in the module help the leaders to know their
group members members, especially mood, background, hobbies etc.and to build a good
relationship with them.
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7.The Siksha seminars which are part of modules helps the cell leader to monitor closely
and keep track of members spirutual progress
8.The application questions of these modules help the Bhakti Vriksa leader to find out the
members difficulties in applying Krsna consciousness in their day to day lives and are thus
able to guide them accordingly.
9Since the group leaders have to listen attentively to the members views, his listening
capability improves thus helping him to become become a good preacher.
10.Preching session which is a part of modules reminds the cell leader to be more focused on
preaching and follow up with members preaching.
11.Since his preaching is more systematic and dedicated, the group leader advances very
quickly in Krsna consciousness himself..
12. The modules make the group leaders job very easy and systematic as it reminds him to
do some essential things to inspire the members like visiting the membershomes,
conducting Vyuha programmes, spirutual picnics, personal caring etc.
Vedavit Nimai das,
Maha chakrapati, Mathuradesh

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