Help Us Make the Austin Center a Grand Success

It was truly an amazing time when Vishnujana Swami arrived here in Austin in the spring of 1971 all alone with no money, no vehicle, and no helpers and in a very short time was able to open a temple full of devotees near the University of Texas campus at 2906 Dancy Street. I was very attracted by the lifestyle, ecstasy, philosophy and compassion of this amazing sannyasi who convinced me to give my life to Srila Prabhupada. Then in August on 1971 the greatest event in my entire life happened. I received a letter from Srila Prabhupada in which he accepted me as his disciple and gave me the order: "Make our Austin center a grand success." I sincerely and enthusiastically preached on behalf of Srila Prabhupada and he personally recognized me for this.

Then after some time in Austin under the direction of my ISKCON authorities I served Srila Prabhupada's mission in many capacities in Dallas, Miami, Gainesville, Atlanta, Houston, and San Diego. But I was always remembering the order Srila Prabhupada gave me in my initiation letter to preach in Austin, wondering when I would get the opportunity to return. Finally in 1992 a devotee who had been authorized to reopen ISKCON Austin after its having been closed for many years invited me to come back here to assist him. So I came here along with my wife, Vishnupriya devi dasi. After a short while that devotee left Austin, and my wife and I continued preaching here from our residence. Immediately we attracted a nice congregation who regularly attended our weekly programs. Our preaching was very much appreciated by the GBC for the Texas, His Holiness Tamal Krishna Goswami, who announced at his Vyas Puja celebration that what we are doing here in Austin is exemplary. Over more that two decades with the help of many wonderful devotees we have brought people to Krishna consciousness, distributed Srila Prabhupada's books, organized harinam sankirtan parties, celebrated major Vaisnava festivals, nicely worshipped Sri Sri Radha Damodar deities, spoken on Krishna consciousness in various venus such as on the radio, and maintained regular Sunday programs.

Now the most wonderful opportunity to expand our outreach has occurred. There is a building which can be used as a church available for sale on a major four lane street near the interstate highway in a good neighborhood. (Our present building cannot be advertised as a church or a temple due to deed restrictions.) There is a constant flow of traffic up and down the street. By putting a sign on this street we can attract people to come to our programs. We have put the building under contract with an option to purchase it. The price is $280,000. We already have $200,000 available and still need $80,000 in donations to make up the difference. Because the building needs a lot of renovation we do not want to finance the $80,000 and be stuck with debt. By paying off the building in full we can use our funds for renovation instead of paying off a mortgage.

So we are asking you now as a member of our mission to dig deep into your heart to see how much you can contribute to help us raise the needed $80,000.

If you decide that you would like to donate or give an interest free loan to help us meet out goal you can do so at:

http://www.ultimateselfrealization.com/donate/

Or you can mail a check to:

ISKCON Austin
10700 Jonwood Way
Austin, Texas 78753
(Check payable to ISKCON.)

Or if you prefer you can send a wire transfer:

Bank name: Austin Telco Federal Credit Union
Address: 8929 Shoal Creek Blvd., Austin, Texas USA 78757
Telephone Number: +1 512-302-5555
Bank AB (or routing number): 314-977-175
Beneficiary Account Name: Sri Sri Radha Damodar Temple, Inc.
Beneficiary Account number: 1800133608

If you participate in our transcendental fund drive, please send us an email indicating whether it is a donation or an interest free loan.

We will keep you posted regularly how to fund drive is progressing.

Please contribute whatever you can big or small because every
little bit helps.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

His Holiness Vishnujana Swami in Pease Park--Austin 1971

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version:

Question: Does Free Will Transform into False Ego?

Does the free will of the spirit soul (living entity) and the independence which he enjoys with the Supreme Lord in the spiritual world transform itself into false ego when the spirit-soul is in the fallen conditioned state in the material world. This false ego then makes him forget the Supreme Lord and due to bodily identification stops his path of self-realization. Am I correct?

Veerendra E.

Answer: Free Will Always Exists Whether Used or Abused

Free will and independence are the same thing. Free will does not transform into false ego when the spirit-soul falls into the material world. Free will always remains as free will. If free will is properly used one is situated in his real ego that I am the eternal servant of Krishna. If free will is abused one is situated in false ego thinking himself to be the center of all existence. It is a fact that when one is covered over by false ego that he forgets God and does not adopt the path of self-realization. So you are partially correct.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari