We Are a Family, a Team
by Sureshwari Didi
When she gave this short presentation, Srimati Sureshwari Devi had just returned from a three month pilgrimage to see His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Maharaj, and visit the Holy Land of Sri Nabadwip Dham.
This place will succeed! Our Guru's mission will flourish. His spiritual master Srila Sridhar Maharaj composed a poem many years ago when he founded Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math. He foretold that this mission would be famous worldwide and its' banners would fly high on the banks of the Ganges. At that time he only had one small building and a small group of servitors. His beautiful temples had not been built yet, where orange flags now fly high from its' domes and decorate local views of the Ganges for miles all around. His name was not yet known outside of India, but now his mission has in fact spread all over the world: to the United States, Russia, South Africa, Italy, Australia, Venezuela, and in so many other countries. It has spread all over the world! Srila Sridhar Maharaj was right.
Srila Govinda Maharaj has made this happen. With his Guru's fully mercy and blessings behind him, he has given his whole life's energy to make Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math a worldwide mission. Although huge, his mission is characterized by affection and intimacy. We have a very large family.
The devotees I met in India were amazing souls but most of them did not have so much wealth to return home to when they left India. In Santa Cruz and San Jose we are so fortunate. We have a fortune here and we must always appreciate it. Here Srila Gurudev has beautiful land, the beautiful Deities Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharvika Girdihari, and a large community of devotees to help us on our path and to practice Krishna Consciousness with.
Srila Govinda Maharaj is such an attractive person that people in Santa Cruz will inevitably continue to seek shelter here at his Seva Ashram. This is his place and we have to remember how lucky we are. We are so lucky!
Expansion
Srila Gurudev says this place will flourish. Hasyapriya Prabhu has such big plans to develop the Seva Ashram. He can see that it will happen, like Srila Sridhar Maharaj when he wrote that poem. He has the faith to see the grand future of this place. We must also see like he does.
This mission will progress and flourish with or without us. It is the Lords' own desire and arrangement. We can either stay and flourish with it, or we can leave, but if we stay we will be successful in our spiritual lives. If we leave, the mission will just grow without us. Hasyapriya is too responsible for us, we must take some more burden on ourselves and relieve him and Bimala. Bimala is someone I would carry around if I could, and instead we wear her out. I am desperate for everyone to help more. We have a crisis right now and that is what it takes for us to come together.
We must try to make ourselves the best we can be and we are not to criticize others. We cannot change anyone but ourselves and everyone can increase their effort.
The important projects we need to get rolling are: preaching in the large Indian community here (Srila Gurudev is always asking us to do that), tithing (regular monthly contributions from everyone in the community), a new business that will help pay the bills, and our Sadhana as a group. We have to read and chant together.
The following is an excerpt from a lecture by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj on Nrsimha Chaturdasi, May 1st, 1996 on a related topic.
We Must Take This Opportunity
by Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev Goswami Maharaj
As I have told you all before, we need a progress report every week. That will come if we join in congregational chanting and discourses. Every week it is necessary, otherwise our practicing life will not increase. If I see some nice flowers and the Deity and everything in front of me, through that I must get some happiness, some inspiration. And if I see other devotees practicing happily, I also will get inspiration from that.
Mahaprabhu said sankirttan. Sankirttan means congregational chanting. Alone you can do bhajan, but sankirttan not possible. Sankirttan is the yuga-dharmma in this age of Kali. Also loudly if you chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, other disturbances must be lessened in your mind.
My prayer to you is that you all try to chant congregationally.
Then you reciprocate with each other and get encouragement from each other. That is necessary. You need heart transactions with all the devotees. Everybody's heart will be one temple if you all have loving exchanges with each other -- you will learn from everybody the teachings of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
We must take that opportunity. Everybody has some difficulties, everybody has some problems. But we can solve them when we meet with the devotees. It may not be possible to meet everyday but it is very nice if once weekly everybody can join together in a program. Many questions we can solve in our assembly of devotees. Then it is my prayer to you all, that you will give your attention for that. If you will give your attention for that, that is very good for your spiritual life. If we want to practice, then we'll get a good result. And we like to practice, it is proved. That is, so many have taken initiation. It is true, you like it. I have seen your faces and now also I am seeing your faces and I feel, "It is within you, it is only that good nourishment is necessary." Otherwise I shall go from here and all will be dark. That is not good. The flame I ignited, that must grow in an exalted way in everybody's heart. What light I am bringing, I want that to go happily within everybody's heart. That is my prayer to you all.