We should Facilitate devotees in every

possible respect, so that they feel

secured and thus evolve firmly in KC.

A community is the shadow of its

leaders, whatever they give emphasis

to, becomes the model the devotees strive to achieve.

FORMULAFORMULA

AnalogyAnalogy“Although the

foundation of a building cannot be seen, it holds up the entire building. Without a

strong foundation, in time, even the most glorious palace will

crumble.”

Foundation

Our community’s foundation is in our

1. Spiritual practices,

Foundation2. Moral values

Foundation

3. Personal relationships.

ProcessEffective leader will make the devotees

realize that they are

1. Loved, 2. Cared for and3. Appreciated.

As Lord Chaitanya compared Krishna Consciousness to

cultivating the seed of bhakti in the field of the

heart. The devotee’s hearts will become

sustainable to remain faithful and enthused throughout their lives.

We push devotees to get the fruit of some result but as time passes the tree of his or

her enthusiasm dies. Srila Prabhupada would call that ‘penny wise and pound foolish.’ He stressed sustainable farming wherein we are very sensitive toward living in harmony

with Krishna’s natural plan.

Paradigm shift

Analogy Like modern corporate

farming, it aims at immediate results with little concern for how it affects the environment

in the future. Srila Prabhupada

condemned it.

So, we should always give more priority for education and encouraging healthy relationships.

Top priority

Srila Prabhupada is a perfect leader….

He could push his devotees to get big results but at the same time his love, compassion and care would nourish, sustain

and bring the highest joy to our

hearts

Devotees felt nourished and empowered by his

love and care even from thousands of miles away

and even if they only personally saw him every

couple of years. Once when stressing the

importance of caring for the devotees, he

exclaimed, “I have shed buckets of blood for each

and every devotee.

He profoundly cared for each devotee who came to his society and expected his

leaders to do so on his behalf. He expressed his concern

again and again for our sadhana, and service attitude but also our health, the quality

of our Prasad, our children and he was especially

concerned that we felt happy, protected and inspired in our

devotional service.

What we should do

now….

We leaders need to take serious

responsibility, on Srila Prabhupada’s

behalf, to be caretakers of his beloved children.

Focus

OUR MISSION

To care for the devotees spiritually,

emotionally and physically, thus

Srila Prabhupad and Krishna will be pleased

and the projects will naturally flourish.”

• The foundational priority of our The foundational priority of our leadership is to create a community leadership is to create a community wherein every possible need of a wherein every possible need of a devotee was considered and tendeddevotee was considered and tended

FacilitateFacilitate

• We should strive to give each We should strive to give each individual an experience of genuine individual an experience of genuine protection and inspiration. The aim protection and inspiration. The aim is to ensure, as far as possible, that is to ensure, as far as possible, that devotees remain happy, devotees remain happy, enthusiastic and grateful to our enthusiastic and grateful to our mission through every phase of lifemission through every phase of life

Action plan - 1

Carefully reading Srila Prabhupada’s books and applying the teachings in his Bhaktivedanta purports as the guiding principles of our lives.

Carefully reading Srila Prabhupada’s books and applying the teachings in his Bhaktivedanta purports as the guiding principles of our lives.

Action plan - 2Having strong sadhana by attending the morning program, chanting attentively and hearing Srimad Bhagvatam in the association of devotees.

Action plan - 3

Striving to develop a genuine concern for devotees thus spread real vaisnava culture by our example.

All of our policies and decisions should be built upon this foundation. Perhaps more than anything else we do, what will transform peoples hearts is to give them an experience of a caring community of sincere souls who are united through life’s joys and struggles by the philosophy and practice of pure bhakti.”

All of our policies and decisions should be built upon this foundation. Perhaps more than anything else we do, what will transform peoples hearts is to give them an experience of a caring community of sincere souls who are united through life’s joys and struggles by the philosophy and practice of pure bhakti.”

Essence

•From the principle From the principle of caring, the idea of caring, the idea of establishing a of establishing a ‘counselor system’ ‘counselor system’ came, wherein the came, wherein the counselor would counselor would humbly serve as a humbly serve as a friend, philosopher friend, philosopher and guide,and guide, based based upon the teachings upon the teachings of Srila of Srila Prabhupada.Prabhupada.

CounselingCounseling

• When the counselor system was When the counselor system was introduced, within the first two years introduced, within the first two years it collapsed twice. The reason - it collapsed twice. The reason - devotees felt ‘Why give so much devotees felt ‘Why give so much attention to this? We can get greater attention to this? We can get greater results by putting our energy into results by putting our energy into other priorities? other priorities?

• But, by the persistent But, by the persistent efforts of Radhanath efforts of Radhanath Swami, it was Swami, it was restarted and restarted and eventually it became eventually it became the very fibre of Radha the very fibre of Radha Gopinath temple. Gopinath temple. When the priority was When the priority was fixed to ‘devotee care’, fixed to ‘devotee care’, the imagination of the imagination of devotees expanded devotees expanded and amazing projects and amazing projects unfurled. unfurled.

DeterminationDeterminationStory of a determined sparrowStory of a determined sparrow

• Radhanatha Swami envisioned that Radhanatha Swami envisioned that senior devotees extend themselves to senior devotees extend themselves to assist their juniors in such a way that assist their juniors in such a way that they feel a homely, family they feel a homely, family atmosphere in Srila Prabhupada’s atmosphere in Srila Prabhupada’s dwelling place of ISKCON dwelling place of ISKCON

Helping handHelping hand

• Without proper assistance, it Without proper assistance, it becomes difficult for a leader to help becomes difficult for a leader to help a growing number of devotees. All a growing number of devotees. All too often devotees feel, ‘Nobody too often devotees feel, ‘Nobody really cares about me or my family’. really cares about me or my family’.

Support

• In an attempt to minimize this In an attempt to minimize this problem and keep the fire of problem and keep the fire of devotion burning for the rest of their devotion burning for the rest of their lives, this counselor system was lives, this counselor system was introduced. Based on the simple introduced. Based on the simple principle of Rupa Goswami, “dadati principle of Rupa Goswami, “dadati pratingranati…”pratingranati…”

GiftGift

• The system was gradually divided into The system was gradually divided into four categories- Grihasta counseling, four categories- Grihasta counseling, brahmacari counseling, youth counseling brahmacari counseling, youth counseling and counseling for the elderly. and counseling for the elderly.

• Through the system devotees were Through the system devotees were trained in philosophy, etiquette, trained in philosophy, etiquette, sadhana and the proper conduct for sadhana and the proper conduct for their particular ashram. Soon the joy of their particular ashram. Soon the joy of vaisnava seva became a living reality vaisnava seva became a living reality and we taxed our brains on how to and we taxed our brains on how to better care for and engage every type better care for and engage every type of devotee. From this spirit emerged of devotee. From this spirit emerged several projects. several projects.

Success

• What is crucial to develop healthy What is crucial to develop healthy community is the community is the committed spiritcommitted spirit of caring for the devotees. If that of caring for the devotees. If that spirit is pursued we believe spirit is pursued we believe whatever form you choose will whatever form you choose will transform and empower devotees transform and empower devotees hearts. hearts.

CommitmentCommitment

Our deep gratitude to HH Our deep gratitude to HH Radhanath Swami and Radhanath Swami and

devotees of Chowpatti devotees of Chowpatti for this exceptional gift?for this exceptional gift?

Hare KrishnaHare Krishna

Sama veda bhakta vrinda ki Jaya Sama veda bhakta vrinda ki Jaya

Srila Prabhupada ki Jaya !Srila Prabhupada ki Jaya !

Designed by devotees of ISKCON ,TirupatiDesigned by devotees of ISKCON ,Tirupati