namahatta.org - Congregational Development Ministry

The need for taking care of devotees is becoming a popular topic of discussion in ISKCON. During the last GBC meetings in Mayapur I have been invited to take part in the GBC sub-committee for devotee care. In our last meeting HH Radhanath Maharaja was requested to give a presentation on the principles the Chowpatty temple in Mumbai, India, applies to develop their community and take care of devotees, with the Counselor System being the main focus. Maharaja's final comment was: "Why re-invent the wheel? You are already so much ahead of us, doing so many wonderful things over there—maybe we should simply apply the same principles everywhere!"

Chowpatty is becoming more and more an example for ideal community development within ISKCON. However, sometimes it is not easy to convince senior devotees of the value of the much discussed and glorified Counselor System. And without full and active support from senior devotees it is rather difficult to put into practise. Often we hear the opinion, "the Bhakti-vriksha Program does the same thing." Some devotees conclude, therefore: "No need for any new systems!"

There are basic differences between these two programs; it is not that one is better than the other. If we analyze them more deeply we discover that they have fundamentally different goals, and that there is plenty of room for both programs to run side by side in a yatra.

Superficially they might appear similar, since the common goal of all programs within Krishna consciousness is to build relationships on the basis of sravanam and kirtanam. As long as we don't have spontaneous attraction and taste to come together and associate on the basis of hearing and chanting, we have to create forums to gradually cultivate this taste.

However, this is only the general purpose of both programs. The main difference is that Bhakti-vriksha preaching focuses on expansion and spreading, whereas the Counselor System aims to 'boil the milk' and 'give substance'.

The Bhakti-vriksha Program accompanies a person through their first eighteen months in Krishna consciousness, bringing them to the level of first initiation. Then the group should divide into new cells, and those initiated devotees can become leaders of the next Bhakti-vriksha groups.

In this way the main emphasis is on spreading and expansion—bringing more and more living entities to the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada. But what happens to them after initiation? The system is not offering much further support and guidance.

The Counselor System accompanies devotees throughout their whole devotional lives. It addresses the need of each and every devotee for confidential relationships with senior Vaisnavas, where they can find inspiration, support, and guidance. As long as we are in the material world we will always need such relationships in order to provide nourishment to our bhakti lata bijas. It is a basic principle of Vaisnava relationships: accepting dependence on others with similar goals and tastes. Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself was placing certain ddevotees under the care of others.

The counselor system recognizes that one can give only shelter to others if one has shelter oneself; therefore counselors are advised to have counselor relationships themselves. It also puts great emphasis on equal association—counselors meet regularly among themselves and develop affectionate and confidential relationships on the same principles of sravanam and kirtanam. Association among equals brings subtle anarthas, such as envy, to the surface. In this way the main emphasis of the Counselor System can be described as 'giving substance' and 'boiling the milk.'

In this regard I would like to quote the famous letter Srila Prabhupada wrote to Rupanuga (1972):

"Now I want that we shall concentrate on making our devotees Krishna conscious and ourselves becoming Krishna conscious, and not be so much concerned with expanding ourselves widely but without any spiritual content. Just like boiling the milk, it becomes thicker and sweeter. Now do like that, boil the milk."

Expansion is only meaningful if it is well balanced with giving substance. However, giving substance is always more difficult than expanding. External development is more attractive to the masses, because it gives quick and big results, and it is pleasing to the senses and the ego. Internal development is pleasing to the heart and soul. It requires internal work, and the results are more difficult to assess and long term. Very often the more external mood of expanding is sufforcating the internal mood of giving substance.

Sometimes we find that devotees are extremely enthusiastic, if not to say fanatic, about one particular program at the exclusion of others. In one lecture HH Radhananth Maharaja gave a nice definition of fanaticism: "If our enthusiasm is not guided by higher intelligence than our own, it becomes fanaticism."

Often some material motivation is hiding behind our fanatic enthusiasm for one particular program or system—the motivation for power and control. If a person is the main propagator of one particular system, naturally his power and influence will increase the more devotees he can convince of "his" system. Then he will not be open to other programs, but simply try to bring as many people as possible under his control.

A preacher who has no other motivation than serving and uplifting others will always be open to other programs. He will be able to discover and appreciate their values and goals, able to implement them simultaneously, according to time, place, and circumstance.

Let us put aside our personal ambitions and accept as our real identification being humble servants of the Vaisnavas. Only with such a frame of mind can we act for the benefit and upliftment of the devotees and living entities at large. And only with such a frame of mind will we be able to turn ISKCON into what Srila Prabhupada wanted it to be: Vaikuntha.

Your servant, Devaki dd