By Devaki Devi Dasi
Devotee Care has become a very relevant and widely discussed topic in ISKCON. We have realized that Devotee Care is extremely important for ISKCON to become a stable and strong society, and thus we have even established a GBC Committee for Devotee Care within the Strategic Planning.
Once we receive deeper insights into the universal principles of spiritual culture we discover that spiritual culture is indeed Krsna’s perfect system for Devotee Care. Krsna has already given us everything – no need to re-invent the wheel. All we have to do is re-discover Krsna’s Divine system and agree to accept it. Then there will be harmony and stability within our society. And whenever we reject Krsna’s system we have chaos and misery.
A human society which aims at sense gratification being the ultimate goal of life will always promote envy, exploitation and competition. It results in a culture of abandoning each other for the purpose of sense enjoyment: husbands abandoning wives, wives abandoning husbands, mothers abandoning their children, fathers abandoning their children, and children abandoning their parents and grand-parents. It is a culture of neglect, impersonalism and selfishness. A human society which aims at selfless service to God being the ultimate goal of life will result exactly in the opposite. It will promote a culture of selfless service and care, of trust and affection based on deep and meaningful relationships. Spiritual culture is Krsna’s culture which He has given us in order help us gain stability and harmony in this material world, so we can whole-heartedly develop our lost and forgotten relationship with Him.
In spiritual culture every section of human society has a certain role with purifying duties to perform which in return serves the society at large and offers protection and support to all other sections within society.
Let us look at various sections of society, for example the elderly, the children and the mothers – what are their position in materialistic culture, and in spiritual culture? In a culture where sense enjoyment is the goal of life elderly persons are regarded as a burden. An elderly body becomes more and more unsuitable for sense enjoyment, and such a person can not keep up in the race for sense gratification. Therefore they are hidden away in Retirement Centers – out of sight. Retirement Centers are a manifestation of materialistic culture, where there is no respect, inquiry and service offered to the elders.
In a culture where self-realization is the goal of life elderly persons are highly respected members of society. They embody self-realization, wisdom and life experience, and they are affectionately cared for since they pass down an immense treasure of wisdom, traditions and life experience. In spiritual culture nobody would put their elders in a nursing home or retirement center. It would be unimaginable, since it is regarded as greatest mercy to serve the elders. It is also considered to be the purifying duty of the young generation to serve and care for the elders, since the present status quo is based on the tapasya and hard work of the previous generation. As a result there is a natural reciprocation of gratitude, respect and service.
It is very similar in regards to the position of the children. In materialistic life and it’s culture the children disturb the enjoyment of the grown-ups and are therefore always in the way, and thus pushed aside into kindergardens and day-care centers. Nowadays many mothers are handing over their babies to the day-care center at the very young age of six weeks, simply so they can pursue their careers and earn more money to enjoy a higher standard of life. This results in traumatic emotional disturbances in the child, since the little entity needs so urgently the care of an affectionate mother. Since we are all more or less conditioned by materialistic life we carry some of these conditionings very deeply within our mind, and we so often experience children to be a disturbance, and it unfortunately enters occasionally our attitude towards our children in ISKCON. As a result they feel pushed aside and neglected. They can strongly perceive that they are in the way of the enjoyment of the adults, and that there is only very little room for them in the world of the grown-ups. And thus they often don’t like Krsna consciousness once they are grown up. Infact, with regret and pain in the heart we have to admit that we lost almost the entire first generation of children in ISKCON.
However, in spiritual life and its culture things look once again very differently. The children embody the future, and it is well understood that spiritual cultivation has to start right at the very beginning of life, infact even before conception, and during pregnancy. Thus children become the very center of life, and they are given so much care, attention and affection, combined with spiritual training and education so that they are attracted from their early childhood to remembering Krsna in a joyful and playful way. The vision and understanding is there, that these children are very fortunate souls, and it is the highest responsibility and purifying duty of the parents (especially the mother) and later also other authority figures within the community to sow the seed of bhakti in the hearts of these children.
And what is the position of mothers within these two cultures? In a culture where sense enjoyment is the ultimate goal in life it is a pittiful position to be a mother. Her service is not respected and valued, and she is considered to be in an unfortunate and downtrodden position – she can’t go out and enjoy life but has to remain at home and serve. What a great misery! In spiritual life and it’s culture she is serving as the very first Guru for the living entity, planting the seed of bhakti in the child’s heart. The mother is the one who creates the spiritual atmosphere in the home, and thus within society at large. This is her most valuable contribution to human society. The mother is the actual servant-leader and backbone of the family and thus of society at large, since society is built of many families: she is the one who creates the caring and harmonizing atmosphere within society – the relationship manager and selfless care giver. Throughout the Bhavagatam Prabhupada describes the role of a woman as being the power of inspiration to men (4.26.15.,1.9.27.) and an always auspicious source of energy to men (4.21.4.). This is in a nutshell her precious position within human society – indeed a very beautiful and invaluable contribution. As a result she will be highly valued and thus protected by men, since she is the power of inspiration to them. Therefore in spiritual culture a woman is always protected – by the father, then the husband, and finally the son. She is protected and cared for like one protects something highly valuable from thieves – a precious jewel.
Thus the ends of the circle of giving care meet perfectly, and all sections of soiety are nicely being cared for. Interesting to observe that in former days care was always given through personal relationships based on respect and service to one another. As life became more and more materialistic the relationships started to become more impersonal and self-centered, and thus the government had to take over the care which was formerly given through family members and friends within a community.
Now, today in ISKCON I can basically see two choices: we can try to immitate the systems of care given by the secular society, based on impersonal relationships and managerial or organisation structures with paid staff. Or we can bring care back to personal relationships, as it is the system within spiritual culture, based on selfless service and mutual respect.
If we want to indeed create a spiritual organisation, Devotee Care might have only so much future within our ISKCON society as it brings us back to the roots of our very culture – Krsna’s culture. Spiritual culture has to become the very content and substance of Devotee Care – otherwise it could very easily remain hollow and simply an organisational structure with so many bureaucratic systems.
To receive deeper insights into the univeral principles of spiritual culture please visit www.therootsofspiritualculture.net
Good article.
Chanting Hare Krishna should change us in many ways. It should make us want to learn spiritual culture, too.
When I was in college (before the intrernet or even the cell phone was invented), I used to have roommates from India, Nigeria, Arabia, Spain and other places. One thing these international students would always tell me is, “We can make good money in America, but there is no family life here.” They would see that all the American familes were split up, living far apart, often with divorces and “blended” families, no connection to a home place or patch of land.
Culture is something we are not really taught in some academic curriculum. I mean, we can read about culture and study how people of different cultures behave or feel in different circumstances, but we actually acquire culture by osmosis. It seems to seep in from our family, our association, our modes of living and working, the films and television and music we consume, and the food we eat.
Marxists (and other materialist social scientists) see culture as largely dictated by material ciorcumstances such as the economics of how people earn their living. I guess there is something to it. That’s why many devotees feel we cannot really experience varnasrama culture witout changing to agrarian village life.
Of course, the other side of the argument is that culture itself is a catalyst for change. If we did not believe that, why would we chant and hear and worship the Deities? Krishna consciousness will change us from the inside out. But it does seem that culture does not change as quickly as we might hope. American devotees remain somewhat American.
Of course to properly worship the Deities involves “material,” external changes too. We have to rise early, bathe, get initiated, chant gayatri… We change our lifestyle in many different ways by becoming devotees. And if we really thoroughly do it, it should naturally change the way we treat our parents, the poor, the brahmanas, women, children, cows.
Some preachers worry that by adopting too many Hindu cultural trappings, we may become irrelevant to western audiences who find us too foreign, “not for me”. But I guess we still have to change the culture from one of self-centered, sense-gratification centered individualism to one of responsibility and properly caring for family members and for dharma, for cows and the earth and the devotees.
Spiritual culture is a wonderful arrangement by Krishna.
Material culture has indeed become increasingly impersonal and self-centered.
But a couple of points I’d like to make here: one, it isn’t always the impersonalism and selfishness of the people that is the original cause of what we see as impersonalism and selfishness; there are quite demonic forces in this society that are deliberately forcing people in that direction for their own profits. They make their own arrangements to step by step drive people to become economic slaves and consumers just to survive.
Therefore, we need to speak with some compassion. Beating people over the head for being impersonal and self-centered does not help those who are overwhelmed in their struggles, or lost. For example, many mothers feel forced to work outside the home.
On that topic, another point: Women have talents too, and there are examples of Srila Prabhupada encouraging women to use their particular talents instead of trying to fit a stereotype of the “Vedic” woman. Depends how it’s worked out; a woman who has an interesting career is not always harming the home or the children. Again, some compassion for the different situations of real people.
So, yes, modern culture is, for many reasons, impersonal and materialistic. But glorifying stereotypes is not always helpful, due to many different factors acting upon people, including sincere devotees, so whatever we say has to have compassion in it for those who can’t just jump up and fit the stereotypes traditionally offered.
This black and white approach is typical of a kanistha-adhikari mentality…!
Not only this charicacture is offending to other souls living in society, but it is also counter-productive in terms of both preaching and learning from others, so as to improve our practices.
Indeed, it is not in portraying others as bad and ourselves as good, that we will make any progress and develop the necessary humility for chanting the Holy Name constantly…
However, Mataji certainly must be having good intentions. Yet, as the way to hell is said to be paved with good intentions, one can only recommend saddhu-sanga, as a remedy for any unwanted false pride.
Hare Krishna
In BG 2.69 Krsna states that the day of the spiritualist is night for the materialist, and the day of the materialist is night to the introspective sage. Also Prabhupada is using the same analogy of Krsna being light, and maya being darkness. So a certain black-white mentality and polarisation is unavoidable, since maya and Krsna are bringing this along. Krsna means service to Him and His devotees – how can I serve, how can I contribute, how can I give. And maya means sense gratification – how can I enjoy, what can I get for myself.
What makes it kanistha and unpleasant is when our own false ego enters our preaching, and we want to prove that we are right for the sake of being right and satisfying our false ego. Then again we want to satisfy ourselves, and not Krsna. Then everything is spoiled. This is where the mood of compassion comes in. All our preaching efforts have to come with compassion, otherwise we will not be able to affect and transform people’s hearts.
We can imagine a broad scale, on one end being the day of the materialist, on the other end the day of the spiritualist. If we want to become true spiritualists, then eventually the day of the materialist has to become our night. It is a matter of internal transformation. KC is meant to bring about this transformation – we have to transform our heart, our consciousness, our habits, our tastes, our world views, our patterns of behaviors, our attachements, etc. If this transformation does not take place, and we simply maintain our old ways, then our spiritual practice might be external and superficial. However, it cannot be artificially imposed. It is a matter of doing this internal, hard work – every one of us, individually, at their own pace, but supporting and inspiring each other along the way. It cannot be forced – only inspired to move forward and continuing the hard internal work. Indeed KC is a deep internal process.
And spiritual culture is giving support in exactly this internal process – to continue transforming ourselves, our lives and ultimately transforming others around us.
Thank you kindly for giving your valuable time and attention to this topic….,
your servant, Devaki dd
“A devotee who faithfully engages in the worship of the Deity in the temple but does not behave properly toward other devotees or people in general is called a prakrita-bhakta, a materialistic devotee, and is considered to be in the lowest position” (S.B.11.2.47)
Purport
According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, since a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī who cannot properly respect other devotees will certainly fail to offer respects to ordinary living entities who are not even devotees, a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī is useless for practical preaching work unless he comes to a higher platform of understanding. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī says, iyaḿ ca śraddhā na śāstrārthāvadhāraṇa-jātā. Because the kaniṣṭha-adhikārī’s faith is not actually based on the statements of Vedic literature, he cannot understand the exalted position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead within everyone’s heart. Therefore he cannot actually manifest love of Godhead, nor can he understand the exalted position of the devotees of the Lord. Kṛṣṇa is so glorious that Kṛṣṇa’s intimate associates must also be glorious. But this is unknown to a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī. Similarly, the essential qualification of a Vaiṣṇava, which is to offer all respects to others (amāninā manādena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ [Cc. adi 17.31] is also conspicuous by its absence in a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī.
SB 4.22.16, Purport:
There are three different kinds of devotees, namely kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī and uttama-adhikārī: the neophyte, the preacher and the mahā-bhāgavata, or the highly advanced devotee. The highly advanced devotee is one who knows the conclusion of the Vedas in full knowledge; thus he becomes a devotee. Indeed, not only is he convinced himself, but he can convince others on the strength of Vedic evidence. The advanced devotee can also see all other living entities as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, without discrimination. The madhyama-adhikārī (preacher) is also well versed in the śāstras and can convince others also, but he discriminates between the favorable and the unfavorable. In other words, the madhyama-adhikārī does not care for the demoniac living entities, and the neophyte kaniṣṭha-adhikārī does not know much about śāstra but has full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
An intermediate or second-class devotee, called madhyama-adhikari, offers his love to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is a sincere friend to all the devotees of the Lord, shows mercy to ignorant people who are innocent and disregards those who are envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (S.B. 11.2.46)
Morning Walk — April 7, 1974, Bombay:
Girirāja: But it is better to find some innocent persons, for preaching.
Prabhupāda: Yes, better field, those who are innocent. That is the duty of the preacher, four things: īśvare tad-adhīneṣu baliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca. The preacher should see four things. First of all īśvara, the Supreme Person, God. So that vision must be there. He knows what is īśvara or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then tad-adhīneṣu, those who have taken shelter of that īśvara. That means devotees. Tad-adhīneṣu. And then baliśeṣu. Baliśeṣu means those who are innocent, have no sufficient knowledge, innocent. And dviṣatsu. And there is always a class of men who are envious of God, dviṣat. Dviṣat means envious. So preacher has to see these four classes of men or three classes. One, īśvara, and the other three classes. So he has to behave like that. To behave with īśvara-prema, how to love. That is his business. How to increase love for the Supreme. Prema. Maitrī, how to make friendship with the devotee. And to the innocent-kṛpā, how to become merciful. And to the envious-upekṣa, negligence, not to talk with them. Four behavior. Īśvare tad-a… This is madhyama adhikārī. And the position of the preacher is madhyama adhihkārī. Therefore they have to point out, “Here is a jealous man, envious man.” But people do not want it. They say, “Why you are pointing out? Why you are pointing out?” But this is business of the preacher. Otherwise how he will preach?
Girirāja: They want to be artificially the uttama adhikārī, to see everyone as nice.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, everyone as nice, except himself. Uttama adhikārī vision, that everyone is nice. Then the preacher is also nice. Why you find out fault with the preacher? So imitation uttama adhikārī will not help.
Sri Havir said: The most advanced devotee sees within everything the soul of all souls, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna. Consequently he sees everything in relation to the Supreme Lord and understands that everything that exists is eternally situated within the Lord.
(S.B. 11.2.45)
Birth in an aristocratic family and the execution of austere and pious activities certainly cause one to take pride in himself. Similarly, if one enjoys a prestigious position within society because his parents are highly respected members of the varnasrama social system, one becomes even more infatuated with himself. But if despite these excellent material qualifications one does not feel even a tinge of pride within himself, he is to be considered the dearmost servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
(S.B.11.2.51)
When a devotee gives up the selfish conception by which one thinks “This is my property, and that is his,” and when he is no longer concerned with the pleasures of his own material body or indifferent to the discomforts of others, he becomes fully peaceful and satisfied. He considers himself simply one among all the living beings who are equally part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such a satisfied Vaishnava is considered to be at the highest standard of devotional service.
(S.B.11.2.52)
Morning Walk — February 4, 1976, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: Sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ. The beginning is arcā, arcana. And because he was given the chance of arcana, if he thinks that “I become paramahaṁsa,” then he’s a foolish. It will take time. The process is there. Therefore preaching is madhyama-adhikārī. One should take to preaching work gradually. When the preaching… Preachers, they have got discrimination, “Here is abhakta; here is bhakta.” But in the paramahaṁsa stage, uttama-adhikārī, he sees “Everyone is devotee. I am not devotee.” That is uttama-adhikārī. Just like Kavirāja Gosvāmī said, purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi se laghiṣṭha (CC Adi 5.205). Sanātana Gosvāmī said that “I am born in low-grade family. My work is low grade.”
One should not become a spiritual master unless he has attained the platform of uttama-adhikārī. A neophyte Vaiṣṇava or a Vaiṣṇava situated on the intermediate platform can also accept disciples, but such disciples must be on the same platform, and it should be understood that they cannot advance very well toward the ultimate goal of life under his insufficient guidance.
(NOI 5 – Purport)
Without becoming a pure devote; completely free from material desires and material motivations, how can we really render unconditional, “devotee care” or act naturally in Krsna’s spiritual culture?
SP Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.6 — Vrndavana, October 17, 1972–
…This is the sign of pure, advanced devotee. He’s never disappointed. Ahaituki. There is no motive. “My Lord is there. My duty is to serve.” That’s all. “Whether I shall be benefited, whether my senses will be satisfied, gratified…” These are conditions. Unconditional. That is… Anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. Without any motive, without any condition, when we love Krsna, that is first-class religion.
SB 2.3.23 Purport:
In other words, Lord Sri Krsna is the property of His pure unconditional devotees, and as such only the devotees can deliver Krsna to another devotee; Krsna is never obtainable directly.
SB 3.9.11 Purport:
…The conclusion is that the Lord cannot become the order supplier of a pseudodevotee, but He is always prepared to respond to the desires of a pure, unconditional devotee, who is free from all tinges of material infection.
Only by the mercy of Sri Guru and Gauranga, can we become such pure unalloyed devotees; with no material desires and material motivations. Then we will be able to render unconditional love and trust to one and all in Krsna”s Culture. And, that is very natural and automatic.
Hare Krsna!