Dandavat pranamas to all the devotees and friends.
By the causeless mercy of Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga we have completed another wonderfully successful retreat.
The retreat this year was on the beautiful island of Sardinia. Mathura Prasada prabhu and his good wife Rukmini didi hosted almost 20 devotees in their large villa beside the sparkling blue Mediterranean sea. In the very relaxed and congenial atmosphere devotees gathered to intensify their bhajan and develop their understanding of the deeper precepts of our philosophy.
The devotees seriously chanted the maha mantra for many hours each day. All regularly attended Mangal Arti and Gaura Arti, as well as the 2 classes a day, which mainly focused on the teachings of Mahaprabhu, as given in His Siksastakam prayers.
Every evening we would gather for long kirtans and group discussions on Krsna’s and Mahaprabhu's pastimes. All the devotees participated in the sharing of these talks. The devotees were so satisfied and happy that we extended the retreat for an extra five days. This was our first twelve day retreat!
More and more I am witnessing the devotees’ satisfaction with the retreat programs. Many comment that their enthusiasm and inspiration to plunge deeper into the waves of spiritual sweetness has “kicked off” again. They leave with determination and focus to continue rising early in the morning and giving prominence more and more to take Harinama as their principle source of joy in life.
Guru and Krsna have arranged these retreats and with each one I am personally astonished to see such positive results. By depending on Their grace alone surely our hearts will be satisfied and our material desires naturally slacken, and our attraction towards Them and Sri Vrndavana will automatically blossom more fully.
This is our goal, to develop our natural attraction for Guru and Radha-Krsna by rendering Them unmotivated and uninterrupted service - anyabhilasita sunyam… then the soul will be fully satisfied …yenatma suprasidati. This is our program.
I humbly offer all my thanks and appreciation to my beloved Gurudeva, Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami Maharaja, for guiding our efforts towards the shelter of his divine lotus feet. It is he alone who is inspiring the love and affection within the hearts of his devotees towards the divine couple Sri Sri Radha Krsna Yugala Kisora.
Srila Gurudeva ki jaya
Srila Prabhupada ki jaya
Rupanuga guru varga ki jaya.
Vaisnava dasanudas
BV Tridandi Swami
Comment from Tamal Krsna Prabhu
from Sicily.
It seems that real and lasting efficiency and functionality within groups or organizations may not be possible with the idea of an autocratic leader. The concept of the leader is now also seen as something obsolete and outdated even in materialistic holdings.
They look to a future society as a society without leaders, without a head. Especially voluntary companies like ours where there is no monetary compensation. Everyone must become leaders in themselves, we do not need a coordinator, it is unnecessary and even harmful.
Everything will work as a harmonious dance and the exchanges between devotees will be as a melodious song. You will not need to say "Prabhu, you do this”, because Prabhu will come and say instead:" Oh Prabhu, what can I do for you? How can I serve you? "
So the new leader will be "the inspirer", the one who with love and affection inspires others by their example.
It seems a mere utopia, but we have had experience of just this during the "Japa retreat" this year in Sardinia with BV Tridandi Maharaja.
During that week and even in the days following, everything worked most perfectly, with no organization, nothing at all. There wasn't any efficient organization or boring leader issues. No rosters for cooking (only the first day). No rosters for cleaning. No assignments to go shopping. Nothing at all! Total anarchy! However, it triggered an incredible cooperative, helpful, contagious spirit amongst the devotees. Everyone would say: "Today I want cook" “Oh Prabhu please, then let me cook tomorrow?” Just after prasadam a devotee would be cleaning the floor immediately, there was no time to grab this seva, I managed only two times in 12 days, but only because I was early to take the broom in hand, and so on. Even once I saw two devotees, younger men, 17 and 19 years old, wrestling with each other to wash the others plate. This was astonishing and heart warming to see this spontaneous mood of service!!!
Of course, the "leader" was there clearly and that was Maharaja, but he never said once to someone do this or do that, instead he would personally serve prasadam every day and helped in the kitchen washing pots always. He has been an inspiration for everyone, and everyone spontaneously has honored and respected him.
From this we understood that organization is a consequence, one of the byproducts of affection and sympathy.
If this is the effect of anarchy with the total absence of control, then we are all anarchists. We want to travel this path. We are dreamers and we have the dream of that kind of world and especially society of devotees. We believe this is in the wake of the true thoughts and desires of our beloved Gurudeva.
Yours in service to Srila Gurudeva.
Tamal Krsna Dasa Sicily.
