Morning walk notes, Venice Beach, L.A.
I asked Srila Prabhupada whether a sannyasi should worship a Deity while traveling. He said a sannyasi is not required to worship the Deity. He said, Lord Caitanya never carried a Deity. I asked about the danda. Is it a Deity? No, he said. I asked if you could offer food to the danda (as with a Deity)? He laughed and said, No. He said that the danda means body, mind, and words dedicated to Krsna's service. He said hari-nama is the thing for a sannyasi. The holy name is our only shelter. Always carry your beads and danda. The short mantra is to be said before the other gayatri-mantras, and the verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam is to be remembered occasionally.
There will be so many questions and opposing elements. He gave the example how the preacher is the best devotee and gets special consideration from the Lord, just as the soldiers in Germany got butter, even if no one else did.
The first thing is enthusiasm. Don't be dead. He said, You have to work more than me. Anyone who has life, he can preach. I say to my Godbrothers, 'You are all dead. You have no strength, no life. What have you done?' Because I am trying my best, blessing is coming from my Guru Maharaja. It is not to be advertised, but seen.
We have to take great responsibility. Whatever they have without God is zero.
Simply touring is not required. By traveling we have to do something substantial to increase the society.
We must spread conviction by literature, speaking, and preaching. The preacher is the best devotee because he is the soldier.
We have to be spiritually strong. If superficially we want to be managers, it won't be good.
We have to work sincerely. We are servants. We have to satisfy the master. Bring back all these fools (back to Godhead).
Don't try to be the proprietor of bricks and wood. That is not life. Preach.
Go and preach, Go and preach, Go and preach!
Our literature is the gospel truth. It is not ordinary literature. It has to be cautiously prepared so that it will not be contradictory in any way.
We need Krsna conscious men in public office. If the president is Krsna conscious, then it will be God's will enacted. We have to educate the American public. Then it will be God's favored nation. Otherwise, they are not pleasing God. Lenin with just a few men took over the entire country. It is up to us to spread God consciousness.
Don't be stagnant. Go and preach.
- From "ISKCON In The 1970s" by HH Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami, May 31
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