What is that Mark on Your Forehead?
Our clearing of passport control for departing yesterday from Romania took quite some the time because the official had a very difficult time locating our arrival stamps to verify that we had legally arrived in Romania. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Our passports are very fatty with extra pages added twice by the US government. There are over one hundred arrival and departure stamps from our practically constant travel all over the world.
The advantage of the long delay was that one of other officials in the booth had the opportunity to strike up a conversation with me. She inquired, "What is that mark on your forehead?" I explained to her this is the marking of one who has conquered over death, and that if she likes I can teach her how to conquer over death. She was amazed by my statement. And then another border agent who was sitting beside her immediately spoke up asking if this is a religion. I explained that it is not a religion, that we are instead presenting the science of God. I then offered her my card and she accepted it. I wanted her to have the ability to get the further information that is available to her by signing up for this e-course.
It is fact. We are not presenting a dogmatic religion. We, perhaps for the first time in history, are making available on a wide global scale the science of God completely free of any sectarian bias. This is the original form of pure theism.
Do not think that because some external trappings are there such as tilaka, the clay marking on the forehead, that this is a particular sect of religion. Do not think that because we chant some particular names of God that we are therefore sectarian. Just because God has unlimited names does not mean that you can therefore not address Him by any particular name. He is person and He likes to personally addressed. Persons do not like to be treated like impersons. One can choose to address Him by any one of His many millions of names. The secret of spiritual success is that one must call out Him with genuine love in the heart. God is unconquerable, but He happily agrees to be conquered by those who call out His names in love.
Although I am feeling much better, my faith can drop to zero in seconds, it happens just out of the blue, and is causing great anxiety to whether this will be temporary, or that I will just lose the battle.
You wrote me about the concern you have for your reputation. My mind is totally confused about that. Can you please explain why this is important for a spiritual master? Is it because it can have negative effects on the preaching?
Your servant
No matter how many setbacks you may face at the hands of the material energy, if you will continue to fight the battle against it, you will never be defeated. Krishna guarantees the ultimate victory of all those who remain in the fight against maya.
Therefore, arise thou and fight the battle, valiant warrior! You will ultimately emerge victorious. Even if you lose many battles, you are guaranteed to win the war.
Lord Caitanya has taught one should not desire material reputation. So personally the spiritual master does not care a fig for his reputation. But because of his compassion for the suffering souls of this material world the spiritual master has a desire to successfully attract everyone to hear the message of Krishna. For this purpose it is very good if the spiritual master has a good reputation. Therefore the spiritual master always carefully conducts his activities in such a way that he will have the best possible reputation.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
The advantage of the long delay was that one of other officials in the booth had the opportunity to strike up a conversation with me. She inquired, "What is that mark on your forehead?" I explained to her this is the marking of one who has conquered over death, and that if she likes I can teach her how to conquer over death. She was amazed by my statement. And then another border agent who was sitting beside her immediately spoke up asking if this is a religion. I explained that it is not a religion, that we are instead presenting the science of God. I then offered her my card and she accepted it. I wanted her to have the ability to get the further information that is available to her by signing up for this e-course.
It is fact. We are not presenting a dogmatic religion. We, perhaps for the first time in history, are making available on a wide global scale the science of God completely free of any sectarian bias. This is the original form of pure theism.
Do not think that because some external trappings are there such as tilaka, the clay marking on the forehead, that this is a particular sect of religion. Do not think that because we chant some particular names of God that we are therefore sectarian. Just because God has unlimited names does not mean that you can therefore not address Him by any particular name. He is person and He likes to personally addressed. Persons do not like to be treated like impersons. One can choose to address Him by any one of His many millions of names. The secret of spiritual success is that one must call out Him with genuine love in the heart. God is unconquerable, but He happily agrees to be conquered by those who call out His names in love.
Answers According to the Vedic Version
Questions: Faithlessness and Reputation...
Thank you for your ever ongoing mercy.Although I am feeling much better, my faith can drop to zero in seconds, it happens just out of the blue, and is causing great anxiety to whether this will be temporary, or that I will just lose the battle.
You wrote me about the concern you have for your reputation. My mind is totally confused about that. Can you please explain why this is important for a spiritual master? Is it because it can have negative effects on the preaching?
Your servant
Response: Arise Thou and Fight the Battle...
You must guard your faith as your most important asset. The key to keeping faith is seek out and take shelter of the association of those persons whose faith is very strong. These persons are known as the devotees of God. If you will always remain in the shelter of the Lord's devotees you will be protected from the deadly disease known as faithlessness. By regular contact with the Lord's devotees you will regularly inoculated against the dread disease of faithlessness and will never succumb to itNo matter how many setbacks you may face at the hands of the material energy, if you will continue to fight the battle against it, you will never be defeated. Krishna guarantees the ultimate victory of all those who remain in the fight against maya.
Therefore, arise thou and fight the battle, valiant warrior! You will ultimately emerge victorious. Even if you lose many battles, you are guaranteed to win the war.
Lord Caitanya has taught one should not desire material reputation. So personally the spiritual master does not care a fig for his reputation. But because of his compassion for the suffering souls of this material world the spiritual master has a desire to successfully attract everyone to hear the message of Krishna. For this purpose it is very good if the spiritual master has a good reputation. Therefore the spiritual master always carefully conducts his activities in such a way that he will have the best possible reputation.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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