I am not a devotee

I am not a devotee.

This is quite possibly the most difficult thing I have ever written. In an effort to become humble, clear my heart of envy, and fall at the feet of every person in this world and beg selflessly for your mercy, I am begging for your mercy. I need your mercy.

There once was a time in Krishna consciousness when we loved selflessly, we gave our time and money freely in His service, we cared not about the past, about the future, but only about the present, making everyone happy, fulfilled, and satiated with the Holy Name, prasadam, festival after festival, gulabjamuns coming out of our ears! J

There was once a time, back in the spiritual world, when we did the same.

Today, I find myself in a world where I say I’m a “devotee” but really I am looking out for my own interest, I don’t trust anyone else, I fight about the past, I worry about the future, and I rarely stop to think about how I spend the present, day after day, moment after moment, struggling against all odds to take care of myself and build that nest egg because “gosh darn it if I don’t nobody else will.”

Stop! (I hear a voice inside me.)

I beg of you stop! (The voice grows louder.)

Turn back the clock. (The voice grows ever louder.)

Wake up! (He’s screaming now.)

It’s 1972 all over again. (The year I was born.) Krishna is my mother, Krishna is my father, Krishna is my best friend. Krishna is my protector. To the degree that I surrender unto Him, He rewards me accordingly. So He says. So He does. There is no religion in this world that I care for but Krishna. There is no rich man or retirement scheme richer than Krishna. The only thing worth talking about is Krishna. The only music worth listening to is Krishna Kirtana. The only food worth eating is what a devotee has cooked with love and devotion and Srila Prabhupada has accepted and offered to Krishna. The only entertainment worth seeing is that which reminds me of Krishna.

Balance. (Another voice inside of me mumbles.)

What happened to balance, prabhu? (The voice gets louder.)

We need to balance our material and spiritual lives. (The voice intensifies.)

Sense gratification in moderation has never hurt anyone. (It’s getting every louder in my head.)

If we try to renounce artificially, you know, you’ve seen what happens… (You’re screaming at me now, bro!)

Shut up! Oh wretched, foolish mind, shut up! I’m tired of you! Enough!

Balance.

A small word. A big trick of that lady who always wants to test my faith in You.

Balance is Lord Balarama, balancing the cosmos on His Ananta Shesha hoods. Balance is to live in this world but NOT be of this world. The lotus growing from the mud. Not a muddy lotus.

Balance is to live a regulated lifestyle (look at me, Krishna, I’m your living proof of imbalance.) To eat in moderation, only as much as required, only Your Krishna prasadam. Balance is to use at least 50% of my time and wealth and income and resources in Your pure devotional service. 51% would make me a devotee, at least aspiring. (I would like that.) Balance is to not let my demonic qualities get the upper hand.

How much wealth do I have today? How much more will I have tomorrow?

Such should not be the trick of the lady who likes to test my faith in You, that I succumb to those thoughts in the name of balance. Balancing my pleasure with Yours, Krishna, in equal proportions was never your devotee Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s idea of making progress on both the material and spiritual tracks of my life. Rather, not to lose touch with the world and still interact in the world yet always, always, always wear Your Lotus Feet on my forehead, and keep Your Holy Names at the forefront of my mind, words, and actions.

I need only take a look at the lifestyle of the proponent of balance.

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Daily Schedule

7:30-8:00 PM - take rest.
10:00 PM - rise, light oil lamp, write.
4:00 AM - take rest.
4:30 - rise, wash hands and face, chant 'Hare Krsna Mahamantra japa'.
7:00 - write letters.
7:30 - read.
8:30 - receive guests, or continue to read.
9:30-9:45 - take rest.
9:45 - morning bath, breakfast of half-quart milk, couple of 'chapatis', some fruits.
9:55 - go to court in carriage.
He would wear coat and pants to court, with double-size Tulasi neckbeads, and Vaishnava Tilaka. He was very strong in his decisions; he would decide immediately. He did not allow any humbug in his court; no upstart could stand before him. He would shave his head monthly. He never allowed harmonium in his 'sankirtan', considering it a distraction from the sound of the 'Nama Prabhu'.
He never had any debts.
10:00 - court began.
1:00 PM - court finished. He'd come home and bathe and refresh.
2:00 PM - return to office.
5:00 PM - translate works from Sanskrit to Bengali.
Then take evening bath and meal of rice, couple of 'chapatis', half-quart (1 pint - 20 onces, or approx half litre) of milk.

He always consulted a pocket watch, and was always accountable keeping time very punctually.

Balance.

To my dear mind, who constantly reminds me that Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura preached that I should lead a balanced life, I nod my head gently in the direction of his daily schedule.

Dedicate at least 50 precent of your life to selfless giving--dear mind--selfless love in Krishna consciousness. Do that – at the very least – do that much to live a balanced life.

Unalloyed, pure, unmotivated devotional service. Hear about Krishna. Read about Krishna. Write about Krishna. Serve Krishna. That is 12 hours of our day – oh capable mind – can we do that?

Take another look at Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura’s schedule. Add up the hours he gave to Krishna every day. How many hours a day?

Real balance.

Giving 12 hours a day, 50% of my life, to Krishna.

Impossible. (I hear you.)

Impossible. Never. I can’t. (I hear you loud and clear.)

So be at least 40% devotee, 60% demon. (Hmmmm… Nope.)

Or 30% of our time for Krishna, 70% time for yourself. (Nope… but I like where this is going...)

Still impossible? Can’t do it? (Sorry.)

10% ? (Nope. But incidentally, the Mormons do this in the way of tithing = 10%)

Can you give 10% of your life to Krishna?

Two and a half hours a day? (Now, now… you know how it goes…artificial renunciation Prabhu. How many of us can keep even that up for more than a week? Pffff. Two and a half hours a day for Krishna. We spend almost that much time on email every day. You’d have to give that up.)

And so I sit here and can simply weep.

I would like to say I’ve made progress in my Krishna consciousness. Progress in balancing my spiritual and material life.

I am all for balance. And I would like it to no longer be the 9 for me and 1 for You kind of balance.

Therefore I beg for the mercy of Your devotees, to please give me the strength to become a devotee someday. Please encourage them to take me under their wing. Guide me in what it is that they do.

That by the end of my life I’ll be at least at the 51% level, giving 1% more to You than I’m keeping for myself.

I am not a devotee.

Far from it.

I am, by all accounts, a Karmi (a worker for my own material sense gratification.)

Saragrahi Vaishnava

by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur


Alas for those who spend their days
In festive mirth and joy.
The dazzling, deadly, liquid forms
Their hearts fore'er employ.

The shining bottles charm their eyes
And draw their heart's embrace;
The slaves of wine can never rise
From what we call disgrace.

Was man intended to be
A brute in work and heart?
Should man, the Lord of all around,
From common sense depart?

Man's glory is in common sense
Dictating us the grace,
That man is made to live and love
The beauteous Heaven's embrace.

The flesh is not our own alas;
The mortal frame a chain;
The soul confined for former wrongs
Should try to rise again.

Why then this childish play in that
Which cannot be our own;
Which falls within a hundred years
As if a rose ablown.

Our life is but a rosy hue
To go ere long for naught;
The soul alone would last fore'er
With good or evil fraught.

How deep the thought of times to be!
How grave the aspect looks!
And wrapt in awe become, O, we,
When reading Nature's books.

Man's life to him a problem dark -
A screen both left and right;
No soul hath come to tell us what
Exists beyond our sight.

But then a voice, how deep and soft;
Within ourselves is left;
Man! Man! Thou art immortal soul!
Thee Death can never melt.

For Thee Thy Sire on High has kept
A store of bliss above,
To end of time, thou art Oh! His -
Who wants but purest love.

O Love! Thy power and spell benign
Now melt my soul to God;
How can my earthly words describe
That feeling soft and broad.

Enjoyment, sorrow - what but lots
To which the flesh is heir?
The soul that sleeps alone concludes
In them it hath a share.

And then, my friends, no more enjoy
Nor weep for all below;
The women, wine, and flesh of beasts
No love on thee bestow.

But thine to love thy brother man
And give thyself to God,
And God doth know your wages fair -
This fact is true and broad.

Forget the past that sleeps and ne'er
The future dream at all
But act in times that are with thee
And progress thee shall call.

But tell me not in reasoning cold,
The soul is made alone
By earth's mechanic lifeless rules
And to destruction prone.

My God who gave us life and all
Alone the soul can kill
Or give it all the joys above
His promise to fulfill.

So push thy onward march, O soul,
Against an evil deed
That stands with soldiers Hate and Lust -
A hero be indeed.

Maintain thy post in spirit world
As firmly as you can
Let never matter push thee down -
O stand heroic man.

O Sharagrahi Vaishnava soul
Thou art an angel fair;
Lead, lead me on to Vrindaban
And spirit's power declare.

There rests my soul from matter free
Upon my Lover's arms
Eternal peace and spirits love
Are all my chanting charms

How I came to Krishna Consciousness...

Recently I've been writing to a lot of new friends on MySpace and Facebook and what invariably comes up in the discussion is this: How did you first come into contact with Krishna, with devotees, with Krishna consciousness?

I'm always fascinated to find out how people come back to Krishna and become attracted to take up devotional service again. What was it about ISKCON / and Krishna, that attracted you and made you stay attracted?

Personally, I was brought into Krishna consciousness by my mother, when I was six years old. She had been a yoga teacher and one of her students had obtained a random second canto of Srila Prabhupada's translations and purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam, in German, in a small village in southern Germany. The student didn't know what to think about the Bhagavatam, and gave it to his teacher, my mother, who read it from cover to cover, broke into tears, and called the temple and said "how can I join?" I still remember her lying on the living room couch, reading the Bhagavatam, and crying, and I was like "Why are you crying mom?" And she said "I have found what I was looking for all of my life."

So we stayed on in our little village in southern Germany for a couple of years more, and I went to first and second grade public school. When I was 8, we moved to Vrindavan, India, where I attended the Bhaktivedanta Swami Gurukula ("Ashrama" boarding school). Looking back at those days, I am thankful that I had the opportunity to live and study in Vrindavan at such a young age, and it has left a life-long impressing on me.

When I was 10, we moved to France, to the ISKCON farm community at New Mayapura, where I again attended the gurukula "ashram" boarding school. I stayed there for four years, and again have many fond memories of growing up among devotees, festivals, kirtanas, the deities there...

At 13, my mother passed away suddenly, and both myself and my brother were left orphans of the gurukula - the headmistress adopted us as her sons for a couple of years. When I was 15, my non-devotee father came to pick us up - custody had transfered over to him and he wanted to do the right thing and try to be a dad for us after all these years (he had divorced my mom when I was 3 and I had hardly seen him in the meantime.)

So at 15 I moved to Germany again, attended public middle school (what a change!), and struggled there for three years until I was 18.

At that time, we had a gurukula reunion at New Mayapura, and after three years of being away from devotees of Krishna, I had a very strong and lasting realization. I wanted to be a devotee of Krishna. I did not have much in common with my public school friends and with their career goals (becoming famous, wealthy, powerful, whatever...) The devotee youth at the gurukula reunion were my family. This is who I wanted to be with and live with and be around.

So shortly thereafter, at 18, I moved out and and back into a temple situation. I moved to England, and served with some devotees at a small preaching center in Romford, and later at Bhaktivedanta Manor in the Gurukula school there. Around that time I started a newsletter for ISKCON youth / gurukula alumni called "What's Up?" - in order to keep in touch and encourage communication among the devotee youth I had grown up with, and their friends and siblings.

This was in the days before Internet, before e-mail.

At age 20, I moved to Los Angeles and, with a team of wonderful people, helped with an international youth newsletter called AS IT IS, and later, SPIRIT NOT THIS BODY. There, I lived at the Los Angeles temple, helped run a "Vaishnava Youth Ashram" out of my apartment, and was somehow involved in helping to start ISKCON Youth Ministry and the Harinama Sankirtana Bus Tours (currently Krishna Culture Festival Tours.) That was back in 1995.

Today, my wife Jaya Radhe and I serve, work, and live in the New Raman Reti devotee community in Alachua, Florida. I'm still very active in promoting youth ministry work in ISKCON, trying to encourage the next generation of young people like yourself to organize and systematically create youth programs to inspire yourself and others in Krishna consciousness, and to go out there into the world and spread this enthusiasm to others. Give others the Holy Names, association of devotees, and prasadam.

So dear friends, kindly let me know how I can serve you. How can we inspire the youth in your community to get together more often, have bhajans to sing the Holy Names together, and start doing more inspiring, Krishna conscious, Krishna centered activities together?

Email me at youth at Krishna {dot} com

(oh the spammers... you should be able to decipher the email address from that, right?)

Your aspiring servant,

Manu dasa

volunteer at ISKCON Youth Ministry

My dream of being a famous rock musician...

I'm also a rock musician at heart - like many of you.

I've always idolized the fame that rock musicians enjoy, and have been tempted by the thought that "we could do so much preaching if we had famous devotee bands."

All you have to do is look around MySpace at the profiles of our siblings and you'll see just how attractive non-devotional music is - Maya is beatiful.

I play drums (trap set), keyboard / piano and harmonium and mridanga. As I get more and more into kirtana and japa in my life I have been losing my taste for playing drums (which invariably means listening to other famous non-devotee drummers and their music in order to learn.)

To the horror of any budding rock musicians among devotee youth reading this right now, I am slowly losing my taste for rock music - losing my taste for rehearsing with my fellow devotee rock musicians - as I see the need for kirtana in its simple form with traditional mridanga and kartals in the world.

In North America, there's a huge surge in the popularity of Kirtana. Yoga studios from New York City to San Francisco to Mexico City to Guatemala City are craving kirtana - not with western instruments - but with traditional instruments. On stage at Ratha-yatra festivals (and my life is putting on those festivals every summer for the past 12 years) when we have a rocking kirtan with traditional instruments and everyone dressed in saris and dhotis, we attract a crowd. Thousands of other musicians are so much better at rock music. I am waking up to the realization, slowly but surely, that what is unique, what we have to offer to the world, is sweet, traditional kirtana. We should be famous for having the best kirtana in the world. When people want kirtana, and they want the best kirtana, they should know to come looking for devotees of Sri Krishna, who is the object of Kirtana.

Anyhow, there are plenty of devotee bands who are preaching with rock music. But it's a long and tiring road to fame. (Dhira in Spain, Shelter in NYC - off and on) You may or may not become famous. In the meantime, while you wait for fame and fortune, you can walk the parallel track and hang out with the humble servants of the most famous and wealthiest person in the universe... Hang with the sadhus while you wait for material fame, and just put on a dhoti, tilak, and take a mridanga and kirtana party into any street and you're engaged in the Yuga Dharma, Harinama Sankirtana, the eternal occupation of all servants and lovers of Krishna. Sit under any tree and chant Hare Krishna sincerely and Krishna will send so many people to join in the chanting :-)

Yes, yes... so many devotees have desires to preach to the world through rock music. That is fine. It is also good. (At least let me rationalize it in this way - even though I am telling you I'm losing attraction to this type of music by the minute, as I get more and more attracted to kirtana.)

So I try to figure out what it is about kirtana that is so different, so unique, and so much more attractive. Here are my thoughts so far. You can probably add more.

Ultimately we strive to present ourselves in such a way that is genuinely attractive to Krishna, so that Krishna will take up residence in our heart.

We strive to perform activities that are attractive to the demigods and pure devotees, and attractive, in their pure form, to all living entities. After all, whatever we do is also a form of association for our self, our mind, and those who hang out with us. So presenting Krishna consciousness in the mode of shuddha sattva, pure transcendental goodness, and to bring it back to the topic, sincere devotional kirtana in the way Krishna and His devotees like Srila Prabhupada and all the previous acharyas like to do it, is most powerful.

You want people who will be attracted to music and activities and spiritual culture in the mode of shuddha sattva - pure devotional activity meant for pleasing Krishna and which is beyond the laws of karma, beyond even the mode of goodness. You don't want to mislead people to think that we are promoters of death metal, thrash, trash, punk, and its associated cultures in other modes of nature. So look at the culture that goes along with the types of music you play, and meditate on the whole package that you want people to become attracted to. What is unique about the Krishna conscious culture that we can offer people? What is the ultimate culture we would like people to live by? Once they become devotees, lovers of Krishna, what kind of music will they be hearing every morning and evening at the temple? What kind of bhajans should they become attracted to?

Devotees in the early days of the Hare Krishna movement once asked Srila Prabhupada about this, about whether or not they should play rock music on stage at the Ratha-yatra festivals... and his answer was interesting. "They will be attracted initially, but they will not stay." Because they will be attracted to the rock music, not to the transcendental sound vibration of the Holy Name.

In my quest for answers, I look to books like Harinama Chintamani by Bhaktivinode Thakura.

Bhaktivinode Thakur gives specific instructions for how to present kirtana to the public ("with khol and kartalas.") Even at his time there were so many other groups doing popular kirtana with other instruments. So attempting to faithfully follow in the footsteps of the previous acharyas, I am personally having to renounce my taste for rock and roll, my desire to become a famous drummer (like Steve Gadd, Dave Weckl or other famous drummers)... and simply transform that desire and play the brihad mridanga of Harinama Sankirtana, book distribution, of Harinama Sankirtana in the sense of singing the Holy Names in public, in the street (following in the footsteps of the most merciful incarnation of Krishna, Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu), or on Krishna.com by promoting Krishna Kirtana, Japa, Bhajans, and chatting with visitors about Krishna via live help, instant messaging.

Krishna is the most beautiful, the most wealthy, the most famous, the most knowledgable, the most powerful, and the most renounced.

Whatever music would please him the most is what I should like to play for him. After all, it would seem, that love means to serve Krishna and try to please Him and fulfill His wishes. So, if Krishna was sitting in the room with me right now, what music do I think would please Him the most? That's a difficult question - because Krishna is so kind he would probably say play rock music with devotion and that's fine. But in the spiritual world, what music do I feel in my heart that the devotees are playing for Krishna? What music would please Srila Prabhupada and the other devotees the most?

I fall at your feet and beg your forgiveness for speaking such words that are probably discouraging you right now from pursuing your passions. I know I have so little time in this world and I am becoming more and more weary of activities that distract me from pursuing Krishna consciousness, and from sharing it with others in some way to repay my debt to those who gave me this gift... And so I share with you here my personal realizations about how and why I'm losing all taste for rock and roll music, even devotionally themed. (Try as I might, it no longer does the same thing for me as a sweet kirtana or bhajana with mridanga and kartals. I've gone over to the bright side. Kirtaniyas, you've finally done it to me. :-)

Career Choices: College degree to become a lover of the Lord?

I've spent some years teaching career guidance classes at gurukulas. The subject of career guidance is one dear to the heart of anyone concerned about the future of the children in the Hare Krishna Movement.

I am torn these days about recommending that people stay in University when they have a current, burning desire to get more serious about their Krishna consciousness. I have seen at least three generations of youth now fall for this trap--so many hundreds of my friends, brothers, sisters... all similarly enthusiastic when they were 18--that they will get serious just as soon as they finish their schooling, settle down, get a job, get married... It doesn't seem to work. For most people the prolonged association with people interested primarily in sense gratification and material advancement seems to rub off and before you know it, by your choice of association, friends, and environment, you're floating waaaaay out there in material desire-land and are unable to find your way back to desiring the service and association of devotees of Krishna. So don't let that happen to you, please. (Sure, you say, I am strong. I can resist Maya's urges... Uh hmmm.)

I know H.H. Radhanatha Swami encourages new bhaktas to finish their university degree before he allows them to move into the ISKCON temple in Chowpatty... but I think for gurukulis and youth who have grown up in the movement, it is detrimental if we are not very, very vigilant to maintain our strength and spiritual life while out there in the world of people who are literally looking for happiness in ALL OF THE WRONG PLACES. You will be influenced by the association you keep.

Personally, I dropped out of school when I was 18 and moved back into the temple and have never regretted it. Not that I would ever recommend this to most people - only to those who already know that they just want to dedicate their life to Krishna (yes, to you I say quit the school of material life now and go for it, just do it, just surrender your life to Krishna and He is the most wealthy person in the universe, He will surely maintain you.)

Through my services at temples, at devotee businesses, at ISKCON Youth Ministry, I've learned so many real-world job skills that when I went to go and work at a karmi job for two years (some years ago), I had a resume that was better than any they'd seen in years and I got hired on the spot. We're getting to a point in ISKCON where there are plenty of devotee enterprises you can work for if getting rich is not your priority, and devotee association and service is your primary benefit and desire (BBT, Krishna.com, any ISKCON temple, ISKCON prasadam businesses, ISKCON restaurants, Festival Tours, etc.)

I am beginning to think that the career choices of so many young people today is nothing but another trick of Maya to keep you away from Krishna. Just like chanting japa... your mind will come up with so many excuses of why not to do it... and why to stop chanting. So collectively, our minds have come up with so many excuses of why not to give the best years of our lives to Krishna. "First we should get our college degree, and a good job, and then settle down, have kids, and then, sometime when we're 60 and the kids are out of the house and we're sufficiently tired of material life, at that time we'll think about doing some meaningful service in ISKCON."

That is the trap I see most of my peers, most of my younger siblings, brothers and sisters, falling into. The "chasing after Laksmi instead of Krishna" trap.

I wish they would have an epiphany and get firm faith by the association of sincere devotees... to please chase after Krishna - become a servant of the servant of Krishna - and Laksmi devi will follow.

Give the best years of your life to Krishna, now, when you're young, when your body is healthy, when you have life, enthusiasm, idealism... (because that idealism fades as you get jaded by the harsh nature of this world.)

Ask any army recruiter and he / she will tell you the same. Serve in the Army while you're finishing college, not after :-) They know exactly when the best time for service to God and country and freedom and justice is for young people.

I have so many kirtaniya friends who would love to travel and preach on a bus tour, but won't. Their excuses range from school to work to other responsibilities. Ultimately, the mind will come up with a million reasons why not to. Jaya Radhe and I work hard nine months out of the year in order to travel and preach as best we can for three months. Nobody is saying to be lazy for Krishna. (And I only bring this up in humility to show that I'm not promoting laziness.)

Do we offer a flower to Krishna when it is in its prime, just fresh, full of life and fragrance? Or do we wait until it is old and wrinkled?

So dear friend, offer your life to Krishna while you are in your prime, not when you're old and tired and worn out and don't have the physical stamina to travel and preach. You can always go back to university. (See the older devotees.) There are a million university graduates, but only one person like you, enthusiastic to share Krishna consciousness with others.

Sorry for preaching so strongly. I see tremendous potential within each of you. And you can put that to good use and spread Krishna consciousness now, while you're young and able. (See what the older devotees were able to do when they were 18, 19, 20, 21.... before they settled down and had kids.)

To look at it from another perspective, over the years I've worked with several aspiring youth ministers. Before they got married, they were very enthusiastic to organize youth ministry programs in their region. They did so for about a year or two. Then spouse and child came into their life, and I haven't heard from any of them since. Life has a way of getting to you before you know it and you're stuck for 20 - 30 years before you can again afford to reach out to anyone outside of your own immediate family and spread the Holy Name around, keeping only Krishna as your father, mother, protector, shelter, husband, wife, child...

So do what you want to do for Krishna and for Srila Prabhupada and for his sincere disciples, our parents, godfathers, gurus... before you find that girl friend or boy friend, settle down, get married, and have kids. Because it will take a great rajarshi to do all that and still travel and preach vigorously. There are spiritual warriors, and there are spiritual warriors. To take up Krishna consciousness fully and spread it to others is the most glories occupation - in the three worlds.

For any of you who are thinking about dedicating your life to preaching, Radhadesh Bhaktivedanta College is a great option, and gives you college credits.

Whatever time you've put into University / College up to this point will never be lost. You can always go back to that. Who knows where you'll be in two years time with your enthusiasm and commitment to Krishna consciousness? Don't take that risk. Immerse yourself now :-) Give the next four years to Krishna! (Then settle down and do whatever else you must.)

Again, sorry for being so strong in my words. I may be making a great offense to you and obviously Krishna has a plan for you... but my gut feeling is that Krishna is your servant. He lovingly carries out your plan for yourself and doesn't impose His love on yours. If you sincerely love Krishna and want to please Him, then do so. Nothing is holding you back. Not school. Not work. Not friends. Just do it. (He's there in your heart facilitating your every desire. He'll happily facilitate your desire to be a spiritual warrior for Him.)

And if there were a college where you could get a degree to become a lover of the Lord, I'd recommend it to you with full heart and conviction. Seems, at this point, that is what the school of life is all about, and the sooner you start living, the better.

The below poem by our great-grandfather spiritual master, Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur, is not as much about death as it is an instruction how to live our lives.


He reasons ill who tells that Vaishnavas die
While thou art living still in sound.
The Vaishnavas die to live, and living try
To spread the Holy Name around.

- Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur