Sridhama Slides

Counselor or Devotee Counselor or Devotee Care SystemCare System

Taking Care of Devotees of Taking Care of Devotees of KrishnaKrishna

Two Principles in Kali YugaTwo Principles in Kali Yuga

Chanting the Holy NamesChanting the Holy Names

Service to VaishnavasService to Vaishnavas

PrinciplesPrinciples

To give quality care and service to To give quality care and service to every single devotee that comes every single devotee that comes forward to take shelter of Srila forward to take shelter of Srila Prabhupada so that he remains a Prabhupada so that he remains a devotee throughout his life. Our devotee throughout his life. Our movement is not just to attract movement is not just to attract people for few ypeople for few yeaears and then they rs and then they evaporate!evaporate!

Story of Bhakti Siddhanata Story of Bhakti Siddhanata Saraswati ThakurSaraswati Thakur


Taking care of devotees of ‘Taking care of devotees of ‘KRISHNAKRISHNA’ . ’ . Extremely rare that someone takes to Extremely rare that someone takes to worship of Krishna....’bhagyavan worship of Krishna....’bhagyavan jiva’.. ..let him continue to remain jiva’.. ..let him continue to remain ‘bhagyavan’‘bhagyavan’

Effort to see that each and every Effort to see that each and every devotee can ‘hear & chant’ peacefully.devotee can ‘hear & chant’ peacefully.


What is the greatest Preaching ?What is the greatest Preaching ?

HAPPY DEVOTEEHAPPY DEVOTEE Srila Prabhupada said..’Chant Srila Prabhupada said..’Chant

Hare Krishna and Be Hare Krishna and Be Happy’Happy’

IntroductionIntroduction


Why do people leave our movement?Why do people leave our movement?– Do they get a better more beautiful Do they get a better more beautiful

temple?temple?– Do they get better prasadam?Do they get better prasadam?– Do they get better philosophy?Do they get better philosophy?– Do they get better Kirtans?Do they get better Kirtans?

– They leave because they do not find They leave because they do not find satisfactory relationships, adequate love satisfactory relationships, adequate love and care!!and care!!

– Story of Permanent Guest in DallasStory of Permanent Guest in Dallas



Unhappy devotee is vulnerable to Unhappy devotee is vulnerable to many temptations, doubts, social many temptations, doubts, social and financial temptations …but a and financial temptations …but a happy devotee has the strength happy devotee has the strength to overcome those temptationsto overcome those temptations


Devotee care is to make Devotee care is to make EVERY EVERY POSSIBLE INTELLIGENT EFFORT POSSIBLE INTELLIGENT EFFORT to to help help EVERYEVERY single devotee single devotee ON ALL ON ALL LEVELS LEVELS of his life of his life

PhysicalPhysical SocialSocial Emotional andEmotional and SpiritualSpiritual



From a lecture By Sacinandana Swami From a lecture By Sacinandana Swami Maharaj.Maharaj.– All conditioned souls are driven by All conditioned souls are driven by

several essential needs. several essential needs.

1. The need for security1. The need for security

2. The need to be loved2. The need to be loved

3. The need to express lov3. The need to express lovee Old Christian StoryOld Christian Story

– HHeaven is a place of selflessness and hell is for eaven is a place of selflessness and hell is for the selfish. Heaven is a community of care and the selfish. Heaven is a community of care and hell a community of struggle for survival.hell a community of struggle for survival.



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

Letter to Rupanuga May 9Letter to Rupanuga May 9thth, 1972, 1972



First part of Srila Prabhupada’s First part of Srila Prabhupada’s mission was to establish and mission was to establish and expand and the 2expand and the 2ndnd part is to part is to establish systems whereby establish systems whereby every devotee is HAPPY in every devotee is HAPPY in Krishna Consciousness.Krishna Consciousness.


Srila Prabhupada said that ‘We should Srila Prabhupada said that ‘We should do the needful…’do the needful…’

So there is a need of a system where So there is a need of a system where there are there are qualified devotees qualified devotees who are who are ready to offer the required shelter, ready to offer the required shelter, care, training, education and support care, training, education and support and in doing so they also get sheltered and in doing so they also get sheltered and cared and make progress in and cared and make progress in Krishna Consciousness.Krishna Consciousness.

Thus Counselor has various role to play Thus Counselor has various role to play in the mood of servant of the servant…in the mood of servant of the servant…

Responsibility of Responsibility of CounselorCounselor Counselor is a PreacherCounselor is a Preacher

– Preaches exemplarily role model Preaches exemplarily role model (Quality)(Quality)

– Preaches effectively (Quantity)Preaches effectively (Quantity)

Responsibility of Responsibility of CounselorCounselor Counselor is a Mentor and Counselor is a Mentor and

TrainerTrainer– Gives spiritual guidanceGives spiritual guidance– Train practical skillsTrain practical skills– Assess and correctAssess and correct– Convey knowledgeConvey knowledge– Instills in others the value and Instills in others the value and

principles of real spiritual lifeprinciples of real spiritual life

Responsibility of Responsibility of CounselorCounselor Counselor is a friendCounselor is a friend

– Cares for emotional well beingCares for emotional well being– Listens to problems and finds best Listens to problems and finds best

possible solutionspossible solutions– Accessible and open mindedAccessible and open minded– Ensures ongoing personal Ensures ongoing personal

development of the counseleesdevelopment of the counselees

Responsibility of Responsibility of CounselorCounselor Counselor is a Manager and Counselor is a Manager and

FacilitatorFacilitator

– Provides manpower for the temple Provides manpower for the temple services keeping that as priorityservices keeping that as priority

– Inspires them to perform practical Inspires them to perform practical servicesservices

Responsibility of Responsibility of CounselorCounselor Liaison between temple Liaison between temple

management and Counseleesmanagement and Counselees– Ensures a communication flow Ensures a communication flow

between those in his care, other between those in his care, other counselees group and temple counselees group and temple managementmanagement

– Ensures that there is cooperation Ensures that there is cooperation between those in his care, other between those in his care, other counselee groups and managementcounselee groups and management

Responsibility of Responsibility of CounselorCounselor SadhakaSadhaka

– Chants 16 rounds attentively Chants 16 rounds attentively especially in publicespecially in public

– Strictly follows 4 regulative principlesStrictly follows 4 regulative principles– Studying Srila Prabhupada’s booksStudying Srila Prabhupada’s books– Attending morning program on a Attending morning program on a

regular basisregular basis

Responsibility of Responsibility of CounselorCounselor PsychologistPsychologist

– Basic counseling skillsBasic counseling skills

– Knows when and whom to send the Knows when and whom to send the counselee to, when the problem is counselee to, when the problem is beyond his scope (Referral system)beyond his scope (Referral system)

Children’s committeeChildren’s committee Women’s committeeWomen’s committee Marriage BoardMarriage Board Varishtha Vaishnava CommitteeVarishtha Vaishnava Committee Business CommitteeBusiness Committee Housing CommitteeHousing Committee Yamuna Kinara (Bank of Yamuna)Yamuna Kinara (Bank of Yamuna)

The CommitteesThe Committees

To train children in Krishna consciousness To train children in Krishna consciousness and engage them accordinglyand engage them accordingly

Once a month a special children’s program Once a month a special children’s program conducted by children themselvesconducted by children themselves(Dramas, story telling, sloka recitation, (Dramas, story telling, sloka recitation, kirtans, puppet show, etc )kirtans, puppet show, etc )

Sunday SchoolSunday School Music SchoolMusic School

Children’s CommitteeChildren’s CommitteeThe CommitteesThe Committees

Look into women issues (problems, Look into women issues (problems, services etc.)services etc.)

Discussion on saintly women like Discussion on saintly women like Kunti, Draupadi etc.,Kunti, Draupadi etc.,

Sharing realizationsSharing realizations Meeting once a monthMeeting once a month

Women’s CommitteeWomen’s CommitteeThe CommitteesThe Committees

Consists of 3 grhasthas couples who Consists of 3 grhasthas couples who assist to find partnersassist to find partners

Maintains data bank for boys and girls.Maintains data bank for boys and girls.

Marriage BoardMarriage BoardVarious CommitteesVarious Committees

Yamuna KinaraYamuna Kinara

Bank run by devotees for the Bank run by devotees for the devoteesdevotees

Devotees can invest and also get Devotees can invest and also get loansloans

Professionally runProfessionally run

Help for accommodation, by searching Help for accommodation, by searching for a place or financial helpfor a place or financial help

Temporary Shelter in needTemporary Shelter in need

Housing CommitteeHousing CommitteeVarious CommitteesVarious Committees

Thank YouThank You

Srila Prabhupada Srila Prabhupada Ki JaiKi Jai