con't from here https://monkeywarrior.com/detail/13871/
HpS - Did not know about blind fellow. Just one student? What do you do for him?
ND - Yes, one kid, that is the program for this kind of disability. He is going to regular elementary school with 500 other students. I help him walk and move around (he usually uses a stick but in the school that is impossible as school is a small building full of kids, so it is very crowded), emotional support, help him follow the classes (for example telling him what is written on the board or presentation), make digital documents for him from teacher’s presentations and papers (he has kind of a tablet adjusted for blind men), etc.
Able to preach in the environment?
I chant HK (before/after job) and then smile at people, and if they ask why I am so calm and serene, I reply according to circumstances.
HpS - Smile, comportment, Kirtan. Three Sankirtan tools Srila Prabhupada says we have and should use, no?
Can you introduce pantheism in your professional work eg. taste of water, light of the sun?
ND - Not really. Mostly to the boy. With him yes. As he is blind but intelligent, although teenager. When we are alone, he asks questions. We talk. We covered different topics, God has many names, vegetarianism (not just for health but because suffering of the animals), man woman attraction, …
Regarding this point of sharing Krsna consciousness - I gleaned from listening to Radhika Ramana Prabhu and his childhood, how different is USA from Pula, Croatia. Multi cultural vision, specially sharing spiritually or faith is very much more closed here than in USA. Sure, it can be done, but there is no supported possibility (ex. presentations in town palace, radio, TV, news web portals) and when doing it, not much people will come.
Why is so?
Between other things, it could be not just because people are very demoniac. Could be because devotees are not finely developed so -preach- fanatically (above their understanding and realisation - birds can fly as their wings allow), not according to kala desa patra and put emphasis on aspects that are not needed at the moment.
Also, town is small, SP left Butler and went to New York ...
However, all that being said, maybe/hopefully the sharing is not big in numbers but is penetrating subtly and maturely by devotees smiling in their workplaces.
HpS - Yes, that is new aspect of this movement. Srila Prabhupada says that Chapter Two of BG is not sufficiently detailed for Arjuna to apply, so Chapter Three is 'vrtti', professional devotional service. What we are talking about in terms of peoples professions.
Most people need to see the example, no?
Sannyasa?
ND - So many aspects/thoughts to it. Some of it are:
- Forbidden in kali yuga.
- Adjusted for kali yuga.
- Markata vairagya.
- Srila Prabhupada : “no more sannyasa”. Which follows dress “rules” - SP : “No more this showbottle, cheating. It is very ludicrous. Even there is a promise that "We shall not fall down again," that is also not believable. What is the use? Better go and speak philosophy in your gṛhastha dress, not this dress, but you have nice coat, pants, gentleman. Who says no? I never said. Rather I shall be glad to see that up-to-date (my emphasis) gentlemen with tilaka and śikhā are speaking. That is very prestigious everywhere. Why this false dress? What is the wrong to become gṛhastha? …”
HpS - Here is citation about 'forbidden in Kali-yuga'https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/1/6/13/
I am talking about the formalities in VAD and ISKCON, but especially about the natural spiritual development that VAD presents.
It is a big and deep topic. As is Krishna consciousness, bhakti yoga. Wide, deep and individual, as well as collective (Hari Nama sankirtana).
Thank you for engaging in correspondence with me. I understand we are miles away by air, but hopefully 'packed together' as per SP (you chant here, I chant there...)
YS ND
HpS - Thank you. We are packing..... !!! ... Fly tomorrow.
