He invited anyone interested in rendering service to Krishna to become an ISKCON Life patron. Men, especially, are weakened when in contact with women just as butter in a pot will melt in proximity to fire. There is no limit to how many people can become involved and we need to get everyone involved. Search. Even if one can do it only for a week, a day, nay, even an hour, one should submit himself as a humble servant in the ashram of the spiritual master. Lifestyle of a Monk. In 1966, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder-acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, performed a great, unprecedented, revolutionary task by re-establishing the monastic order in the midst of the decadent social milieu of modern America. We may sometimes be an animal, sometimes a demigod, a fish, an insect or a plant. Vedic Museum Opens in Andhra Pradesh, India, Bhaktivedanta College Principal Accepts Renounced Order, The Notion of ‘Free Speech’ in ISKCON, Interview: Yadunandana Swami Discusses Sannyasa, Ancient Henna Wooing Hollywood Celebrities, Gaura Vani & As Kindred Spirits Break Through With New Release, Karnataka: Iskcon Heritage Fest Engages Schools in Tradition, George Harrison's Spiritual Music & Yusuf Islam, ISKCON Manipur Dance Promotes Culture of Love and Devotion. Skip navigation Sign in. Rama Lakshman Das answered this question for Hatke Story and gave us a peek into his life. There is a common idea that “romance” and sexual “love” is a requirement for all persons to be emotionally, psychologically well. 2:15. That is one type of monk. He takes this to be his primary duty as a human being, and rightly so. Along our sojourn through the cosmos, as we associate with varieties of groups and societies, we develop our desires accordingly and thus take on various types of bodies among millions of species. Powered by. After that they can decide if they prefer to continue as monks or as married Grihasthas. These were finally brought to the West by Srila Prabhupada, Bhaktivedanta Manor´s founder. It certainly isn’t a popular calling or vocation in modern society, but by the most powerfully enlightening teachings of Srila Prabhupada, which are based on the Vedas, many have enthusiastically accepted the simple, pure, and happy life of loving service to God. He yearns to be rapt in spiritual ecstasy, which far exceeds the so-called pleasure of mundane sex life. Would you care to know a long-forgotten secret, not even guessed at by the greatest thinkers of the modern era? Any apparently attractive feature exhibited by any living entity is but a faint glimmer of the unlimited splendor of Krishna, the all-attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead. The first step is to come and stay at the monastery to see the way of life at first hand. -Isn’t separation from women artificial?-. The typical image is that of a person living alone in the forest, or away from the commoners, and having no excitement in his expression. To become a monk at Downside you need to be a confirmed and practising Catholic, a man over the age of 18, in good mental and physical health, if possible involved in the life of your parish or something similar, unmarried, with no dependents. Brahmacari older than fifty years (as per ISKCON rule) can become sannyasi. Moreover, he gradually becomes self-disciplined and strong in his conviction that love of God is the only true goal of life. Such responsible, self-controlled persons are freed up to pursue a more meaningful goal of life. …By becoming a servant of the senses, one becomes a great material hero, and by becoming master of the senses, he becomes a gosvāmÄ«, or spiritual hero.”, -I may be interested to try it out. A Computer Engineering graduate from NIT Surat, Mr. Caitanya Avatar Das is monk and a spiritual coach. After seeing some express bewilderment as to how these kinds of abuses can go on within a spiritual community, I’ve decided to … Curious folks are also welcome to come hang out with the Krishna monks at RVC to get a better impression of our way of life. A monk is someone who intelligently, diligently strives for the purest, most enlightened state of consciousness. In this way, he simultaneously learns to be a student, a servant, a friend, and a guide. To become an Einstein, one has to start with the basic knowledge of laws of physics and then work his way up. Who is a candidate for becoming a Krishna monk?-. A monk is a boon to society. What is ISKCON? By His Holiness Jayapataka Swami Every devotee should be engaged in spreading Krsna consciousness. 4) must renounce his family and other things like job etc., Everyone should see that they have a very important part to play in developing Krsna conscious communities. So, in any form of life, if I develop an attachment to the body of the opposite sex and fan the flames of that arousal, do I come any closer to my actual identity? Although its practitioners say they aren’t in a cult, the Hare Krishna religious movement has cult-like qualities. Preparing for a Monastic Life Devote yourself to religion. For example, the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, which is being carried forward by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, fosters a mood of joyful song and dance, and colorful festivity, even among its monastic order. New persons joining ISKCON as full-time members (living in its centers) first undergo a three-month Bhakta training, which includes learning the basics of brahmacari (monastic) life. But there are various traditions imbued with diverse moods. ogling a woman or touching her) will inevitably yield painful results. One’s natural kindness towards his own mother is expanded to all women, young or old, emphasizing their role as merciful caregivers and givers of higher knowledge (one’s mother is his first guru). In every species we may find ourselves as male, or as female. Socially, a monk experiences a variety of fulfilling relationships with his brothers in the course of his maturation. Or is it?-. E-mail me when people leave their comments –. The ultimate reward for such a selfless individual is entrance into the unlimited ocean of enjoyable tastes and humors (rasas) in association with the all-beautiful Supreme Friend and Lover, Lord Sri Krishna. How many times have we heard Srila Prabhupada use the term joining ISKCON or joining the society? Such a disposition reflects the basic understanding that spiritual life is vibrant and celebratory, not staid or stagnant. This is a simple fact of nature. He learns to be friends with his peers, other men who have also taken up the path of enlightenment. Similar in appearance to Buddhist monks, monks from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), or Hare Krishnas as they are popularly known, are the best known Vaishnava monks outside India. If anyone can do that then the purpose of Iskcon is successful. But let us not think that we can now become saints without first becoming humans. Ask a Monk (Norway) - Can I become a Hare Krishna? Even modern youth, who have lived a life of sensual gratification, eagerly engaging themselves in whatever “feels good”, can now take the great fortune to be trained as a monk. After that they can decide if they prefer to continue as monks or as married Grihasthas. Well, I am not going to attempt to count every time Srila Prabhupada has used this term, but we can easily see that he has used this term many, many times in his books, letters and lectures. This video is unavailable. -Ok, sure. Then, when he becomes a little grown up in spiritual life, he gives his knowledge and training to newer men. Does a monk get to experience intimacy ever again?-. However, there are many examples of men advanced in age who have become adherents of the codes of monk life and enjoyed success. In theory, anyone can join the community (one monk was a computer consultant in a former life, on a salary of 45K a year). These purifying activities, meant to uproot the causes of ignorance, are prominent features of the Hare Krishna movement. Even one who may not become very strong in resisting the allurements of maya cannot be disparaged in any way for his brave endeavor, much as an infantry soldier who goes to fight in a time of need is a hero no matter the outcome. This is due to misuse of one’s minute degree of independence, or, said differently, the foolish desire to imitate God. However, in the past many aspirants have had difficulty maintaining their vows which created controversy and scandal. In other words, it is a significant advantage for those fortunate enough to take it up. He sees how all living entities are equal. True love means love for God, Krishna, the most attractive Personality. Vaisnava culture emphasises renunciation therefore ISKCON has many people who have accepted a role as a sannyasa, or traveling monk. Terms of Service, © 2021 ISKCON Desire Tree | IDT   These centers may also be termed “oases” within the desert-like atmosphere of the material world. A living entity is not forced to come into the material world. Within a few months he had moved into the temple to become a full time monk. The News Agency of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Unless otherwise stated, all content on ISKCON News is licensed under a Creative Commons. Have I considered that the soul in that female body is the same in quality as me, i.e., not actually of a different “gender”? Freed from the false glorification and artificial stimulation of sexual appetite, the aspiring monk pursues a deeper sense of wholeness in touch with the Supersoul. It’s this: there is no happier lifestyle than that of a celibate monk! In truth, there is only one eternal Divine Couple in all of existence – the Supreme Absolute Truth, Sri Krishna, and His feminine counterpart, Srimati Radharani (Her name indicates one whose worshipful mood is unequaled). Men and women who mingle freely create sexual tension among one another. Even if one is not strong enough to maintain life as a monk, or even if one may be attached to the comfort of hearth and home, any amount of training will propel one toward becoming a sane, responsible, and enlightened member of society. Similarly, to be a Hindu monk, one would have to go to a temple regularly, associate with other devotees, learn to do puja and meditation in order to raise his level of consciousness and then look for ways to become a monk. So he quit to become a monk in his Hare Krishna faith, a monotheistic offshoot of Hinduism. Sarah Palin: A Pit-bull Wearing Lipstick? For most devotees who become a monk they rarely get the approval of their parents and their family members. Loading... Close. Brahmacari older than fifty years (as per ISKCON rule) can become sannyasi. What compels an ordinary man to become a monk? Born as Lakshma This is the primary text that you must study. Said differently, one returns back home, back to Godhead to live an eternal life of everlasting bliss and knowledge. Anyone with a sincere desire to dedicate himself to the pursuit of ultimate self-realization, which includes the development of genuine compassion, can submit himself as a student at various ISKCON temples or training centers. Please check your browser settings or contact your system administrator. One should only learn to love God like Iskcon teaches. Inking With the Supreme: Are Tattoos Taboo? He trained young men, and women too – which is unusual for a traditional ashram setting in India – in the life of a celibate devotee of God, or Krishna. The boy becomes accustomed to addressing and treating all women as his mother. According to the great spiritual scholar (brahmana) and political adviser Chanakya Pandita, the true education of a boy begins by training him to see all women as “mother”. Let’s see how this notion holds up under closer inspection. One of his last posts on Instagram (September 2015) was an image of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder preceptor of ISKCON. Every monk is a great hero. Mainly it is a preaching organization to spread Krishna-consciousness all over the world and it was very successful doing this in the seventies. The monk-in-training will sometimes feel strong urges to return to or explore a style of music, or fast food, drugs, or association with attractive women. ISKCON responded to the issue by developing a system by which we can better ensure the maturity and qualification of candidates. (3 min video) You are already a “Hare Krishna”, is a question of realizing it! TO BECOME A MONK/SWAMI OF RAMAKRISHNA MATH. … How to become a Monk/Devotee. At first, he learns to be a submissive servant of those who are farther along the path than he is. It is true that to practice devotional life one does not have to become a monk. Becoming a monk or friar is a gradual process that gives you time to be sure that this is God’s will for your life. No need to become monk. You can submit your article, report, announcement, ad etc. He met Krishna devotees in 1968 when there was a lone monk visiting Germany. You need to be a member of ISKCON Desire Tree | IDT to add comments! Therefore, love for Him is the supreme love, obtained when one’s love affair with all things material is over. When passions are inflamed, boundaries are crossed, and all kinds of distress ensues. This seems to be like a childhood disease, something one has to live through in order to gain lifelong immunity. Jaya Chaitanya Das, 30, recently went from being a hip-hop producer to ISKCON’s top book distributor in the U.S., selling 85,000 of Srila Prabhupada’s books in one year. One aspiring to be a formal member of the Ramakrishna Order of Monks:-1) must be under 30 years of age 2) have at least a degree 3) be reasonably healthy and pass a physical exam. ISKCON devotees have shared dynamic musical expression with the world, and many have gone on to become accomplished singers and musicians. Bhaktivedanta Manor propagates the teachings of the authentic Vedic scriptures. To become god conscious there is no need for kids or anyone else to join iskcon because it was a time in the existence of prabhupad that he created iskcon to bring peace in this world not for pain and suffering but humans are imperfect and now and even when he existed the so called devotees all were misguided and blasfamed krishna, iskcon has become corrupt and full of all bogus gurus this … Bhaktivedanta Manor is the largest UK centre of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Besides, Krishna is the superlative lover, unapproachable even by the most alluring seducers and seductresses of this little planet. Young men tend to accept the lifestyle adjustments more readily. Now, he has come up with an innovative new program that shows young Americans today may be more interested in staying in ISKCON’s brahmachari ashrams than we might think. This path can be taken up by any person in any walk of life. Most temples in North America stopped offering Life Memberships twenty years ago. How to become a monk. When women are viewed as mothers and separation is encouraged, the exploitive attitude is curtailed and acknowledgement of their true value as spiritual entities can arise. The Swastika: A Symbol of Goodness or Hate? His thirst to serve the society found shape when he got connected to the timeless teachings of Bhagavad Gita through ISKCON, during his early B.Tech days.He finally dedicated his life in the service of suffering humanity by becoming a fulltime monk in 2010 at ISKCON Kolkata. -But today’s world is chaotic, with little appreciation for the pure life. We are born and die again and again, only to repeat the cycle, dressed up in a new “costume”. Do I have to become a monk. To conquer the unrelenting demands of the mind and senses and strive for complete surrender to the will of God is the most heroic undertaking. Let us first address the preconception that conjugal union between man and woman leads to contentedness. In the year 2007, he came in touch with the spiritual wisdom of Bhagavad Gita. They are a common sight in many places around the world. His mere presence reminds others that pure happiness is in giving oneself in devotion to God. 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