Although I have been publicly ostracized, I feel my duty to advise and share my vision for even those who consider me persona non grata to benefit from what I consider a successful course of action for the New Vrajamandala.
I will do this with other temples in Spain, with less knowledge of details but I think even the general principles may help stop the downward spiral and bad routing of these projects.
— General principles are wrong.
Above all, the most important thing is to have clear goals and set priorities according to them.
That’s important because Krishna consciousness is very broad in applying the principle of yukta vairagya and it is easy to confuse the terms and end up being a vaishya or anything but what Srila Prabhupada wanted, in the name of Krishna, as is happening above in the urban churches in Spain.
And the proof is their operation and partnerships are being formed as legally separate from the ACK and ISKCON in general, equivalent in practice to private operations.
For example, Madrid is now a separate entity, a private religious institution, no ACK or legal connections with ISKCON.
The point is not to be correctly positioned politically in ISKCON while you do other things, but to bring the spirit of Srila Prabhupada’s own core activities to these centers.
This last summer I was elected by the devotees of the New Vrajamandala as Vice President and National Council immediately intervened to say I do not even belong to the ACK what to speak of holding any post. Previous temple president made me legally member of the temple, accepted even by the National Council, but they overrode the elections declaring me persona non grata.
This is one of the biggest failures in this yatra, Yadunandana Swami mainly changed the statutes of the ACK giving unlimited power to the National Council, making any choice or decision at the local level is likely to be revoked by the National Council. That is called absolute power corrupts absolutely.
You only have to read the statutes to realize how this is a reality.
There are several addenda to the association becoming ridiculously bureaucratic, ltrying to compartmentalize and box to the devotees in different castes in order to better control politically.
Nice words give the appearance of openness but the fact remains that the National Council is now a centralized authority and everything has to pass through its hands. Not a blade of grass moves without their sanction usinf a devotional simile. And that stupid bureaucracy stifles the enthusiasm and entrepreneurship of any devotee and intelligent ideas, the impasse is such that the water and smell.
That would not be a problem if they were saintly kings or brahmanas engaged in teaching Krishna consciousness with no interest in political power. Unfortunately it is not the case.
New Vrajamandala —
I will explain what I would do to raise the project:
Having been in a position of vice president for a short time and acting temple commander throughout the summer, I have some first hand knowledge of the actual situation of the farm.
First good thing is that the farm has not heavy economic burden, there are not to my knowledge mortgages or external loads.
Neither the state of repair of buildings is as dramatic as Prabhu Vedavyasa depicted to sell the farm (remember this please, use your historical memory or crooks always get their way).
It is true that repairs are needed, details were submitted to European GBC, but nothing that can not be solved with a little time, dedication and intelligence. There are many part-time devotees living in temples and in fact many have helped such as Bhakta Joaquin with the building wiring, etc etc.
Nothing is so serious to have to put undue pressure on the devotees of the farm creating non-existent emergency, probably for political reasons.
On the other hand my experience as commander invited this summer has made me see that the daily maintenance of the farm is not very difficult and is solved with a few devotees even in this situation of helplessness and confusion.
What to say if the atmosphere is raised and that will appeal to many people, more than needed for regular maintenance, which of course can be transformed to have people to IMPROVE facilities and the site in general.
I would accept large sums of money only if there was an emergency at some point in the facilities, something that was legally dangerous or subject to public health.
But generally, service is best done locally giving the community an opportunity to develop a sense of responsibility for their temple. it is far better to engage people from the area, encouraging by example to work for Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Govinda candra that pumping money as a drastic solution but without the devotional component of developing the community, which is what really would give life to project.
Therefore, if I were in charge of the NVM, I would not accept large donations for major projects at this time. I would focus on bringing together a contingent of devotees united and happy to give part of their time for service. Only accept large sums in printing books, distribute or mass prasadam in emergency infrastructure or serious legal jeopardy.
The vaishya mentality is to fix everything with money, but a spiritual project has other priorities if you want to develop as such and the money is not a priority but only a part of the operation.
I can hear some laugh and see others smile after hearing that. They are the vaishyas: they do not have faith that Krishna will feed us tomorrow if you spend all you have for him today.
These people should NOT be in positions of organization, rather than perhaps accountants or fund-raisers for specific projects.
All evil comes from situating people without faith in the eternal principles of Krishna consciousness in positions of political administration. They will juggle with economics to keep a movement that mainly operates on personal sacrifice and ecstatic example that sincere souls unite to. Then the settings will be perhaps more humble but spiritually powerful, stable and over time, that stability will bear fruits.
My experience in the NVM this summer is that everything is working almost on remote control. The Deities are consistently well served by Venudhara Prabhu and practically as commander of the temple I did not have to intervene more than a couple or three times and to resolve a service, primarily to organize the pujaris could go on sankirtan. The Department of Deities works very well and as I say in remote control from the point of view of the President of the temple.
Cows, same as above. The in charge is devoted to the cows, he treats them as queens and is also active in implementing ideas for maintenance and expansion. Again, it was intervention 0 and 0 problems from the standpoint of general organization. Rather, a regular visit to the cowshed was needed to find the good association of the Prabhu in charge and his “girls”.
General maintenance of cleanliness is not a drama either. Just a bit of service from the devotees who always pass through, you can keep that in order with no strenous efforts.
What must be avoided at all costs is outside devotees taking possesion and use of the premises as they want to do now. Not by a sense of physical possession or ego but because the project is only going to be “alive” if activated from within. There are many people who would like to control and have those facilities and space “leased” but that will kill even more the true development of the project.
Outsiders making decisions only makes people who live there and might somehow identify themselves and do service refrain to do so.
That is why I insist that everything must be organized locally. And not based on money, but in the fresh spirit of service, the pioneering spirit of doing things and spreading Krishna sankirtan movement.
Any amount of money and big plans made without organizing the participation of all devotees of the farm, is doomed to fail and I tell the people who are thinking to donate, that better use that money to print books, or mass prasadam distribution or financially help in times when needed as emergency money.
Let the local devotees “cook their beans” because that is what gives substance to any project. Give real opportunity to organize and see how it will be all arranged. Better a humble and small effort based on genuine spirit of service that a large project based solely on money.
I have at your disposal an organization plan I started last summer and which details the various projects so that they can see the whole and may be putting energy and resources in a solid work plan.
Krishna consciousness always manifests from the simple Srila Prabhupada’s instructions not from the grand plans of businessmen and politicians.
The next letter I will focus on general principles and ideas to convert the two urban temples from being businesses with some components of preaching to preaching centers with some components of business.
And the last one for the temple of Churriana so that it becomes a vibrant spiritual center in the Costa del Sol, not just a place to eat, sleep and be enjoyed only by residents.
