GIVING AND ACCEPTING SHELTER AS BASIS FOR DEVOTEE CARE

- Giving and accepting shelter is the basis for Vaisnava relationships and
Vaisnava culture.

Jiva Goswami in Madhava Mahotsava: "Though one usually ignores others in
attaining one's goals, those aspiring for prema accept dependance on others
with similar goals and tastes. Thus, cooperating with each other, they
worked together keeping in mind the goal of prema."

=> materialistic culture:

* separatism and individualism, ignoring each other while pursuing ones
goals pushing each other out of the way.
* higher standard of life gives illusion of independance and freedom. *
relationships are superficial and external, no respect towards each other
and no mood of service. Everyone is busy with their own scedule.

=> spiritual culture:

* internal dependance on others, based on humility and the cultivation of
transcendental helplessness.
* seniors uplift juniors * relationships are deep and meaningful, based on
respect and mood of          service towards each other.

=> We are conditioned by materialistic culture and need facilitation to
cultivate the mood of accepting internal dependance on others.

=> Need for system to facilitate care and shelter

Garuda Purana: "One cannot be liberated without association with a pure
devotee of the Lord. And unless one shows mercy to those in an inferior
position, one's life will be superficial."

=> Giving guidance and accepting guidance is an ongoing process

* giving and receiving nourishment, guidance and shelter
* requires willingness to extend oneself to help others in the spirit of
self-sacrifice.
* If care giver is not truly selfless, his care will be motivated and can
thus become 'political'.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati: "I wish that every selfless, tender-hearted
person of the Gaudiya Math will be prepared to shed two hundred gallons of
blood for the nourishment of the spiritual coprus of every individual of
this world."

Examples from sastra:

* Mahaprabhu: put Ragunath Das Goswami under the care of Svarupa Damodara. *
Even in the spiritual world is a Divine hirarchy - we serve UNDER someone

- Basic principle of brahminical culture: to have aloof brahminical adviser

SB 2.7.9. "The brahmanas, by their learned labor of love, would instruct the
administrator-king's how to rule the country in complete righteousness, and
thus the process would go on as a PERFECT WELFARE STATE."

=> Everyone needs such brahminical aloof advisor

* our vision of ourselves and others is easily cloudied by attachments and
material desires, by having to meet managerial goals

- Care which is not based on accepting shelter and guidance is easily
exploited

* We want to care for people who mainly come for spiritual care and
shelter. Why should we give material care to people who don't accept
instruction and guidance?!

* The price for shelter and care is to give up one's independance (in
regards to Krsna as well as His devotees)

=> I learnt the painful lesson of giving care (also financially) which was
not based on accepting shelter and guidance, and devotees took advantage
of it and misused it.

FURTHER PRINCIPLES FOR ANY SYSTEM OF CARE:

- One can only give shelter and care if one has shelter and is cared for.

* The basis of 'self-care' is to cultivate nourishing and sheltering
relationships with equals and seniors.

=> if the leaders receive shelter and care, then it filters down throughout
the society

- Importance of equal association (in terms of equal power of influence)

=> equal association brings the most subtle forms of envy to the surface and
thus is most purifying.

* in SB: envious competition between Prthu Maharja and Indra when
performing the 100th horse sacrifice (SB 4.20.18.)

* most conflicts are based on the difficulty in associating with those of
equal power of influence

* Formula of HH RNS: 60% equal association, 20% junior, 20% with senior

=> Every system of care and shelter needs the aspect of strong association
of those giving shelter and care. Otherwise we easily get a competitive mood
amongst the care givers.

Your servant, Devaki dd