Jun 07, 2020 — FRANCE (SUN) —
A Daivi Varnasram Dharma project in France
'New Shantipur' is a property situated across the road from New Mayapur, a community established by Srila Prabhupada in 1975 with Sri Sri Krsna Balaram as main Deities. It's story is given in this presentation.
We had to face great opposition from legal authorities, ISKCON authorities and devotees non solidarity. Although the project began in late 1980's, it was abandoned after the dismissal of the 'zonal acarya' and his close associate's leaders. It has been a real 'good fight' which needed determination, enthusiasm and patience, but 'New Shantipur' is now at disposal of Srila Prabhupada's sincere followers, ready to accomplish the 2nd half of his mission.
We are strong with the experience of being ostracized with many others by New Mayapur authorities, and decades of mistakes done in the name of 'yuktavairagya', like mismanagement, waste of Krsna's energies in terms of money and manpower, leading to Vaisnavas Aparadhas and ruin of the French yatra.
Lessons have to be learned.
This is our history, not to be ignored, but we know how history has a tendency to repeat itself. Therefore we have to be very vigilant and push on the mission according to the voluminous instructions given by our Founder-Acarya, with an inflexible faith along with acts of faith in a mood of unmotivated seva.
Long term commitment in a community is possible only with Trust and Love, a feeling of safety, without fear to be banned from 'our great family' for any other reason than to be 'lazy or/and crazy'. A criminal attitude condemned by Srila Prabhupada in SB IV-3-19 purport: ...one suffers the effects... day and night... the injury becomes so intolerable that one can commit suicide.
Yamuna Devi: But we have been told that because we don't have the association of devotees, we cannot make any advancement.
Srila Prabhupada: Association can be two or two hundred. But you must be compatible. If you are two and you are compatible, you can go back to Godhead. But if you are two hundred and not compatible (his eyes opened widely), then no one will make any advancement.
Yamuna Devi: But Srila Prabhupada, some of the leaders are saying that we have lost your mercy because we left ISKCON, and without your mercy, there is no meaning to our lives.
Srila Prabhupada: ISKCON is where you are chanting the Holy Names of Krishna. This is ISKCON
(Yamuna Devi, A Life Unalloyed Devotion, Offering the Gift of Bhakti to Others, ch 9 p 68, by Dinatarini devi)
"The soul animates the body, even a Governing Body."
Your servant,
Laksminath das
