Fifty Great Ways to Celebrate – Intelligence and Mind dialogue

By Vaishnavangri Sevaka Das

“Oh! Fiftieth ISKCON incorporation day is fast approaching. I should do something special that can be long lasting” said my intelligence enthusiastically.

“Come on. Don’t be crazy. Still there is more than one and half year to go for that golden jubilee celebration of ISKCON incorporation day. There is no need to waste time now” said loudly my mind.

“Stop your useless talk. Do you think it is an ordinary occasion? It is a great occasion for ISKCON, which was started by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada for protecting the entire mankind from the miseries and sending them to Goloka Brindavan. We should conduct this important festival with full of meaning and for that purpose we have to make many plans. Now there isn’t much time left over, please stop your procrastinating behavior” my intelligence gave a very befitting and strong answer to mind.

“Okay, what are your thoughts?” subdued mind politely asked.

“Since this is fiftieth year Golden jubilee function it would be nice to celebrate it in fifty wonderful ways” said my intelligence happily.

“O my God! Fifty ways!” my mind expressed its doubt as usual.

“Stop doubting. Actually this great occasion should be celebratedin five hundred ways or even five thousand ways, not just fifty ways. But, if I tell those big numbers you get totally frightened and create more nuisance for me. Please don’t speak discouraging words” intelligence chastised the mind.

“Okay agreed. Can I give my opinions? For example we can celebrate the function by showering flower petals from helicopter on all our important ISKCON temples, distribute hundred million prasadam plates and many more. I am getting more ideas like this” now my mind became more joyful.

“These are okay. But, my idea is different. We should not be extravagant on this occasion, rather extraordinarily thoughtful. We should work out some plan so that our ISKCON movement becomes much stronger and appealing in coming next 50 years so that millions of people take shelter for their ultimate benefit. I want to work out some plans in this manner. At least we should work out fifty wonderful ways for celebrating the occasion so that coming generations become thankful to us. Our guru paramapara and Srila Prabhupada will appreciate our dedication and bless us immensely.”

“Please let me know the ideas. I am ready to hear” mind said leaving all suspicions.

“That’s nice. From within and without, Chaitya Guru and Gurudeva are giving me all ideas with all blessings. I will tell all those fifty ways under ten headings. Those ten headings are Back to Godhead magazine, Srimad Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada books, Sankirtana, Preaching, Spiritual writings, Dham seva, Congregations, Devotees progress and Temples. Actually, there are many more points. I am just compromising for time being with these limited points” said my intelligence.

“I am very happy to hear these ten points. But, let me know the ways of celebrations pertaining to these points”. Now my mind got convinced about more than fifty ways of celebrating the golden jubilee function.

Seeing that the mind is now fully favorable my intelligence started revealing its plans as under:

Back to Godhead Magazine (BTG):

1. In order to fulfill the order of His great master about preaching in English His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada started BTG as a fortnightly magazine in 1944. Now it completed its seventy years. During Srila Prabhupada time BTG used to be distributed in millions, but now its distribution is reduced to a few thousands. So if worldwide each and every ISKCON center decides to distribute at least five thousands of BTG magazines per month it becomes first great way of celebrating golden jubilee function.

2. Publishing BTG magazine in all world languages would become second great way.

3. Launching websites for all BTG magazines in order to reach millions would the third great way.

4. Ensuring that all life members all over the world get the BTG magazine every month would be fourth great way.

5. “I still remember the hardship for pushing this BTG…Therefore, when BTG will be published not in hundreds and thousands, but in millions that will give me great solace.” “I wish to see that this magazine is published and distributed in the American way like Reader’s Digest, Life, etc. published in millions and distributed all over the world”- These are the words of Srila Prabhupada. Making decision to fulfill the desire of His Divine Grace by next 25 years’ time (Diamond Jubilee celebration time) would be fifth great way.

Srimad Bhagavatam:

6. Srila Prabhupada has invested all His spiritual energy in Srimad Bhagavatam purports. Through these purports only He took divine love of Krishna to western world. For this reason Srila Prabhupada’s 18 volume Srimad Bhagavatam should be made to occupy the prominent place in one’s devotional life. As a first step towards this goal, ensuring that all ISKCON members, congregation devotees and well-wishers possess 18 volume Bhagavatam set at their homes would be the sixth great way to celebrate golden jubilee function of ISKCON incorporation.

7. Making Bhaktivedanta purports of Srimad Bhagavatam available in all major world languages would be the seventh great way.

8. Making all efforts and ensuring the success in keeping Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavatam in all libraries of the world would be the eighth great way.

9. In order to convey and convince the importance of Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavatam in one’s life and reach the millions with this message arranging the seminars and Bhagavatam Katha, on regular basis, would be the ninth great way. Display of 18 volumes during such seminars is mandatory.

10. Taking a firm decision of studying Srila Prabhupada’s Srimad Bhagavatam in a stipulated time by each and every ISKCON devotee would be the tenth great way of celebrating golden jubilee.

Srila Prabhupada’s Books:

11. Srila Prabhupada’s books are going to be the law books in spiritual matters for next ten thousand years. This is a known fact for all the ISKCON devotees. Hence each and every ISKCON devotee making an endeavor to set up a library of Srila Prabhupada’s books at his home would be the eleventh great way to celebrate the occasion.

12. Without reading Srila Prabhupada books everyday there is no hope of spiritual progress. Hence each and every ISKCON initiated devotee should make a 18 years plan to study Srila Prabhupada’s books. This would be the twelfth great way. In this regard one can take guidance from the below given book reading spiral.

    

13. Book distribution to become an important service on the spiritual path of all initiated disciples. Every devotee planning to distribute books in towns and villages every year would be the thirteenth great way.

14. Decision to publish and distribute Srila Prabhupada’s all small books in all world languages would be the fourteenth great way.

15. Working out an innovation to reach millions of people with Srila Prabhupada’s books would be the fifteenth great way.

Sankirtana:

16. Nama Sankirtana is the strength of our ISKCON movement. Introducing the practice of conducting Sankirtana, in order to strengthen our faith in the process, once in three months in all ISKCON centers for about 3, 6 or 8 hours would be the sixteenth great way. This enables spreading of Sankirtana.

17. Conducting these Sankirtana programs in all villages would be the seventeenth great way. Congregations should go to villages time to time, as they would go for pilgrimage, and try to conduct Sankirtana programs.

18. In order to conduct wonderful Sankirtana Mridangas, Kartalas and Harmonium are indispensable. Hence, ensuring that each and every ISKCON devotee becomes proficient in any one of these instruments would be the eighteenth great way. This enables the devotees to render great service to nama Sankirtana.

19. Making special arrangements for training on these instruments at every ISKCON center would be the nineteenth great way.

20. Generally, throughout the year some fairs keep happening at different parts of the world. During such occasions hundred or two hundred ISKCON devotees conducting Sankirtana would give an opportunity for book distribution and preaching. Decision towards implementing this method would be the twentieth great way.

Preaching:

21. Strengthening the existing nama-hatta programs would be the twenty-first great way.

22. Envisaging the concept of “One nama-hatta per village” all over the world would be the twenty-second great way.

23. A formal method of preaching by every ISKCON devotee in all the social functions and festivals that he/she attends would be the twenty-third great way. For this purpose a standard format to be worked out and made available that ensures uniform preaching.

24. Extensive usage of modern techniques and gadgets innovatively for preaching would be the twenty fourth great way.

25. Using radio as a mass media of preaching in all languages would be the twenty-fifth great way.

Spiritual Writings:

26. Preaching can reach unlimited distances through writing. Hence encouraging the writers and making them to write more and more spiritual topics or books would be the twenty-sixth great way.

27. Efforts should be made to identify and encourage four to five writers in every ISKCON center. Sending spiritual messages to all the visitors of the center through email facility or any other convenient social media by these writers would be the twenty-seventh great way.

28. Publishing spiritual articles in local magazines and newspapers would be the twenty-eighth great way. This also ensures wide preaching of the holy name.

29. Encouraging new writers to contribute for Back to Godhead magazines in all languages would be the twenty-ninth great way. One should not forget the basic point that the writers are the pillars for wide spread peaching.

30. Creating ISKCON writers association and imparting training/guidance through them to the amateurs would be the thirtieth great way.

Dhama-Seva:

31. Dedicating one or two days exclusively for clean-up activities of Dham by ISKCON devotees on their annual yatras would be the thirty-first great way to celebrate the occasion.

32. Not only cleaning the Dham, but also convincing and educating the people residing there about it would be the thirty-second great way.

33. ISKCON devotees save some money on yearly basis and utilize the funds for repairs of important and historical places in Dham would be thirty-third great way.

34. Decision of not using any plastic bags and use-and-throw items, by ISKCON devotees and not to litter during Dham yatra would be the thirty-fourth great way.

35. Consistent efforts to influence top level officials in ensuring purity of Dham would be the thirty-fifth great way.

Congregations:

36. Every ISKCON center increasing the congregation groups on yearly basis under their spiritual guidance would be the thirty-sixth great way. Each center should aim to add at least three groups per annum to its congregation group list.

37. These strong and vibrant congregation groups should initiate preaching activities where there are no ISKCON centers. Each congregation group becoming strong enough to initiate at least one or two other congregation groups would be the thirty-seventh great way.

38. Every congregation member deciding to spend some fixed number of days in a year in serving ISKCON temples and dham, and acquiring necessary qualification towards the same would be the thirty-eighth great way.

39. Creating web sites for local congregations of every state in all countries and making their achievements known to all would be the thirty-ninth great way. By this method, congregation groups can derive lot of inspiration from the vibrant groups.

40. To instill enthusiasm and to encourage the successful congregation group for every state one rolling trophy can be constituted. Giving the rolling trophy once in three months based on the value-added progress by the group would be the fortieth great way.

Devotee’s progress:

41. Introducing the method of devotees submitting their devotional service report once in three months to the higher authorities would be the forty-first great way.

42. Working out a model for physical and mental fitness of devotees and imparting the relevant techniques would be the forty-second great way. This model can be implemented either under temple purview or congregation group purview.

43. A formal training for devotees to achieve perfect balancing of their material activities and spiritual activities, and launching a website in all languages to facilitate this process would be the forty-third great way.

44. Encouraging all ISKCON devotees to conduct all their social functions such as marriages as per Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, creating large number of trained Brahmins for this purpose and making shatkriya saradipika process universal would be the forty-fourth great way.

45. Planning for a situation where every ISKCON devotee’s house will be enriched with a health counsellor and a spiritual counsellor would be the forty-fifth great way.

Temples:

46. Every ISKCON devotee, as per his/her financial capacity, contributing towards the successful completion of TOVP project in Mayapur would be the forty-sixth great way to celebrate the golden jubilee function. Srila Prabhupada’s desire to create a spiritual city should be fulfilled in this manner without any delay.

47. Every ISKCON devotee making a pledge to contribute some money to nearest temple on monthly basis throughout the life would be the forty-seventh great way.

48. Educated ISKCON devotees should come forward in conducting a structured way of spiritual education to masses in the temples. Launching such type spiritual education program by every ISKCON center would be the forty-eighth great way.

49. Making “Food for Life” program vibrant by every ISKCON center as per their capacity would be the forty-ninth great way.

50. Creating a public relation cell in every ISKCON center to invite, speak and network with all visitors of temple would be the fiftieth great way. Educated ISKCON devotees should be engaged for this purpose.

“Great! Your ideas are really wonderful” my mind applauded. “But, how do you plan to implement them?” mind raised some doubt.

“I am going to submit my thoughts to Srila Prabhupada on His disappearance day. Once he hears them and approves I will make endeavor to convey them to all ISKCON devotees world-wide” my intelligence cleared the doubt confidently.

Thus I completed writing all the fifty great ways of celebrating the golden jubilee function of ISKCON incorporation, by the mercy of my great masters, and started proceeding towards Sri Sri RadhaMadanMohan temple (ISKCON, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai-India) to read out them to Srila Prabhupada on His disappearance day.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

H.G. Vaishnavangri Sevaka Das is an initiated disciple of H.H. Gopalkrishna Goswami Maharaja. He holds Ph.D. in Polymer science, working as technology specialist in Polymer Industry at Mumbai, India. He is actively serving BBT in translating Srila Prabhupada’s books into Telugu (South Indian language).

Dear Editor

Please accept my humble obeisances.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

We are sending herewith also the “Mellow-Tasteful Story of Srila Prabhupada” (Srila Prabhupada’s Rasamaya Charitam) – a video song (in Telugu, a South Indian Language, with English sub-titles) on the occasion of Srila Prabhupada’s 37th disappearance day on 27th October 2014.

“Mellow-Tasteful Story of Srila Prabhupada” (Srila Prabhupada’s Rasamaya Charitam) is a song of Srila Prabhupada’s wonderful life from childhood till end pastimes. This gives complete picture of His achievements in beautifully composed Telugu song form. This song is composed by HG Vaishnavanghri Sevaka Das and sung by HG Bhaktika Devi Dasi, Tirupati.