Week 32

Organizing picnics or get-togethers on certain week-ends is a wonderful way of creating

a family feeling among the members. It will also gradually make them associate more
with one another for close inter personal relationships, rather than with their materialistic
friends. It is also ideal for the children of the group to feel comfortable and happy in the
association.
Organizing will not be a strain for any one individual if you let everyone take part and
volunteer their services. At the end of the day, you will be happy you undertook it as you
find all the members blissful and happy.
You can make the outings / get-togethers Krsna conscious, by including Kirtan, Krsna
conscious games or quiz and sharing personal realizations etc.
We will give you a list of suggestions for these outings as a separate sheet after this
week’s lesson.
Satsanga : 15 minutes

Share an interesting and useful point that you have learnt from Srila Prabhupada’s books
during the week, and ask others also to do so in turn.

For those who are still a little new to the group or are somehow not reading yet, you
could ask the question: “What do you like most of going to the Temple?”
Kirtana : 15 minutes
If any of your members have started to chant 16 rounds of japa, then you can encourage
them by asking them to lead the kirtan. Of course you should do so after giving them
sufficient training and have tested that they are able to do so effectively. This will also
enthuse the other members by giving them hope to make further progress and feel a sense
of achievement.
Japa…. 15 minutes
Read out first, the following passage from :

Sri Namamrta

The Hare Kåiñhëa mantra is the greatest benediction:

It is said that once a poor brähmaëa worshiped Lord Çiva for a benediction, and Lord
Çiva advised the devotee to go to Sanätana Gosvämé. The devotee went to Sanätana
Gosvämé and informed him that Lord Çiva had advised him to seek out the best
benediction from him (Sanätana). Sanätana had a touchstone with him, which he kept
with the garbage. On the request of the poor brähmaëa, Sanätana gave him the
touchstone, and the brähmaëa was very happy to have it.

He now could get as much gold as he desired simply by touching the touchstone to iron.
But after he left Sanätana, he thought, "If a touchstone is the best benediction, why has
Sanätana Gosvämé kept it with the garbage?" He therefore returned and asked Sanätana
Gosvämé, "Sir, if this is the best benediction, why did you keep it with the garbage?"
Sanätana Gosvämé then informed him, "Actually, this is not the best benediction. But are
you prepared to take the best benediction from me?" The brähmaëa said, "Yes, sir. Lord
Çiva has sent me to you for the best benediction."

Then Sanätana Gosvämé asked him to throw the touchstone in the water nearby and then
come back. The poor brähmaëa did so, and when he returned, Sanätana Gosvämé
initiated him with the Hare Kåñëa mantra. Thus by the benediction of Lord Çiva the
brähmaëa got the association of the best devotee of Lord Kåñëa and was thus initiated in
the mahä-mantra, Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare/ Hare Räma, Hare
Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare.
Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.7.6

Chant a mala of japa together loudly after chanting the Panca tattva mantra 3 times
together. Enquire from the members after the japa , how they feel now after chanting 8
minimum rounds at home everyday. You could ask one or two members to share their
realizations. The others you could ask in the subsequent weeks.
Discussion- 45 minutes

If there are new comers to the group, then you should give them a brief introduction on
Krishna consciousness and a summary of what you have been doing so far. It is better to
give them the first week’s edification to go through. If there is more than one member,
you can facilitate a discussion between them separately. This should not be difficult as
the other members are also going to be discussing in smaller groups as you will find out
below:

You should divide the group into 2 or 3 groups and make them sit in circles. Make sure
that the group is evenly distributed with regard to the number of senior, junior and new
members in them.

Distribute the sheets containing the spiritual edification to the members. You could ask a
senior member in each group to be the group spokesman/woman.

The leader of each group has to facilitate the participation of all the members,
encouraging each one to answer the question addressed to them. Let the leader take down
their points. This procedure is only for the Discovery and Understanding sessions.
After this the whole group can sit in a circle. You can ask the leaders to read out the
consolidated answers of their respective groups for each of the questions.

After this, you can ask each one of them to answer the application question one by one.
You can then sum up the spiritual edification lesson once again and add more points
relevant to the topic. You can also include interesting pastimes of the Lord and his
devotees,current topics etc, to substantiate the topic.
SPIRITUAL EDIFICATION
From “Bhagavad-gita As it is
BY DIVINE GRACE A.C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI PRABHUPADA
Bg. Ch-6 Text-24
sa niçcayena yoktavyo
yogo 'nirviëëa-cetasä
saìkalpa-prabhavän kämäàs
tyaktvä sarvän açeñataù
manasaivendriya-grämaà
viniyamya samantataù
TRANSLATION
One should engage oneself in the practice of yoga with undeviating determination
and faith. One should abandon, without exception, all material desires born of false
ego and thus control all the senses on all sides by the mind.

PURPORT
The yoga practitioner should be determined and should patiently prosecute the practice
without deviation. One should be sure of success at the end and pursue this course with
great perserverance, not becoming discouraged if there is any delay in the attainment of
success. Success is sure for the rigid practitioner. Regarding bhakti-yoga, Rupa Gosvämé
says:
utsähän niçcayäd dhairyät tat tat karma-pravartanät
saìga-tyägät satovåtteù ñaòbhir bhaktiù prasidhyati
"The process of bhakti-yoga can be executed successfully with full-hearted enthusiasm,
perseverance, and determination by following the prescribed duties in the association of
devotees and by engaging completely in activities of goodness."

As for determination, one should follow the example of the sparrow who lost her eggs in
the waves of the ocean. A sparrow laid her eggs on the shore of the ocean, but the big
ocean carried away the eggs on its waves. The sparrow became very upset and asked the
ocean to return her eggs. The ocean did not even consider her appeal. So the sparrow
decided to dry up the ocean. She began to pick out the water in her small beak, and
everyone laughed at her for her impossible determination. The news of her activity
spread, and at last Garuòa, the gigantic bird carrier of Lord Viñëu, heard it. He became
compassionate toward his small sister bird, and so he came to see the sparrow. Garuòa
was very pleased by the determination of the small sparrow, and he promised to help.
Thus Garuòa at once asked the ocean to return her eggs lest he himself take up the work
of the sparrow. The ocean was frightened at this, and returned the eggs. Thus the sparrow
became happy by the grace of Garuòa.

Similarly, the practice of yoga, especially bhakti-yoga in Kåiñhëa consciousness, may

appear to be a very difficult job. But if anyone follows the principles with great
determination, the Lord will surely help, for God helps those who help themselves.
Bg 6.25
Discovery:
1)What are the ingredients neccessary for success in our spiritual lives?

Understanding:
1) With the example of the sparrow explain how we should be determined to continue
with our spiritual lives in spite of all obstacles..
2) Why is it guaranteed that we will succeed in our spiritual path if we persist?

Application:
1)Share some of the obstacles you encountered in practicing Krsna consciousness, and
how you overcame them.If you have not already overcome them, mention those also.

Preaching Session : 15 minutes

Read out the following passage:

Preaching is the essence

Out of compassion for materialists, devotees preach Kåñëa

consciousness:
The duty of those who follow in the footsteps of Prahlada Maharaja is to teach the entire
world how to be Kåiñhëa conscious and thus be really happy.... Materialistic persons are
engaged in striving for temporary benefits, whereas persons advanced in spiritual
knowledge, such as Prahläda Mahäräja, are not interested in the materialistic way of life.
Instead, they want to be elevated to an eternal life of knowledge and bliss. Therefore, as
Kåiñhëa is always compassionate to the fallen souls, His servants, the devotees of Lord
Kåiñhëa, are also interested in educating the entire populace in Kåiñhëa consciousness.
The mistake of materialistic life is understood by devotees, and therefore they smile upon
it, considering it insignificant. Out of compassion, however, such devotees preach the
gospel of Bhagavad-gétä all over the world.
Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.5.55
With more devotees now on the Krishna sadhak sadhak level, you can start entrusting
more preaching responsibilities to them .
Making phone calls to remind the new members of the Bhakti Vriksha programs,
enquiring the well being of the newer members during the week and slowly encouraging
them to start chanting, visiting new members in their homes to give them some
association and encouragement etc.. can all be distributed to the senior members of the
group.
The juniors could try to get their colleagues at work, their neighbors, friends relatives,
etc to bring them to the program.
 So after you share your preaching work done for the week, entrust all the members with
their respective responsibilities for the week, and note it down. You should ask them for
the report the subsequent week and give them further tasks to do.
Discuss any doubts or queries they may have about their preaching services.
You can also engage all of them in book distribution to their friends and acquaintances.
Fill in this table in your Preaching session note book:

Date Member Preaching Target Additional notes

Assignment Achieved:
Yes/ No

Prasadam : 20 minutes
Let the entire distribution of the prasadam, including the cleaning up be organized by the
members themselves. They can take turns every week in doing the services. You can
ensure that no one is burdened and at the same time every body gets a chance to share in
the services. Do not force any one to do the services, but ask for volunteers.
If children volunteer to read out the prasadam mantra, they can be given turns to do so.
Devotees repeat each line after them.
You can spend time giving your association to the members while everyone honors the
prasadam.

Enquire from the members if they are cooking food for the Lord and offering it to Him
before honoring the prasadam. Encourage them to cook and offer to the Lord. If someone
is doing it regularly, express your appreciation. These are big milestones in their spiritual
advancement. Teach them how to do the offering to the Deity pictures if you have not
already done .Also tell them the rules to follow while cooking for the Lord and the
consciousness in which it must be prepared.
Give them some vegetarian, non onion and garlic recipes to follow.
You can also ask each of them to share a recipe they know. You can ask one of the
members who volunteer to compile the various recipes, type them out for distribution to
all the members.

Please enter the details about your members attending this week:
No: Members Attendance Current Siksa Remarks
status
Names Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Remarks
A S A S A S A S A S
EFFORTS
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week5 Total
1 No. of Mails
2 No. of Telephone Calls
3 No. of Home Visits
4 No. of Service Donors
5 No. of Money Donors
Abbreviations: A= Attendance, S= Siksha level