Don't Mess with Texas Day 2:
"Upgrade to First Class" (7/6/07)
"Upgrade to First Class" (7/6/07)
TKG's Quarters, Dallas – There is something about these rooms that just seem inhabited by TKG’s spirit. I don’t mean that in a "haunted house" sort of way; I mean that his essence and his mood waft through each of these rooms like the lingering fragrance of really good incense. The quarters are actually more than just a bedroom – an intricate maze of corridors and doorways help one to navigate through a little world containing a bedroom (off limits), a guest room (where I am staying), an executive office (with TKG’s massive desk), a bathroom, a sitting room (comfortable couches, his favorite easy chair), and a formal dining room for entertaining guests (TKG was the consummate host).
This morning I woke up, chanted some rounds, and then went to the temple room for Bhagavatam class (given by Hridayananda Goswami, who was pleasantly surprised to see me and – in characteristic HdG style – took the time to crack a few jokes right from the vyasasana). After class, I joined the Swami and a large group of devotees for breakfast at the home of a local disciple of Srila Prabhupada. Over breakfast, I got to catch up with Brahma Tirtha Prabhu (better known as Bob Cohen, who as a young peace corps worker engaged Srila Prabhupada in such an interesting dialogue that Prabhupada had it turned into a book – Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers). We discussed everything from mediation to his son’s law practice (his son, incidentally, graduated from GW Law School a year before I started there).
After breakfast, I returned to the quarters to get some work done.
Walking around, breathing in this place… If I had to sum up ISKCON Dallas in two words, they would be these: first class.
The ISKCON community in Dallas is a special place. The mood of excellence permeates everything here; its ingrained in all the details and nuances of this place.
We use the term "first class" a lot in ISKCON -- its one of those slightly antiquated Indian phrases we inherited from Srila Prabhupada -- but I was thinking about how accurate it is in this case.
One way to understand "first class" is to mean the best. This is certainly the mood of Dallas, a la Tamal Krishna Goswami. TKG had this amazing drive to offer nothing but the best to his guru, Srila Prabhupada. He wouldn't settle for anything less; to not offer the topmost spiritual master the topmost of everything to use in Krishna's service was just not an option for him. This is how he was trained, and -- from the stories I've heard recently from some of his senior disciples -- how he trained others. He wanted to give them what Prabhupada gave him, but to do that he needed them to take on that mood of nothing but the best.
It is apparent in Dallas... it almost seems like the managers and leaders wear WWTKGD bracelets and base any decision -- from the menu at their award-winning restuarant Kalachandji's to which kind of paper towel to stock the restrooms with -- on what is the best offering to Prabhupada.
Another meaning for "first class" is rooted in the culture of varnashrama: brahminical. The brahmanas were considered "first class men" (and their feminine counterpoints were "first class women") in this ancient culture, not just because of the family they were born into, but because of qualities such as cleanliness, honesty, humility, a commitment to deity worship, and a desire to give others the highest wealth of spiritual knowledge. Taken in that way, it is clear that Dallas is following TKG's example to the tee. This is probably the cleanest ISKCON temple I've seen in America. The hallway sparkles, the restaurant is classy and neat, the temple room is very stylish and opulent without appearing cluttered or garish. Sri Sri Radha-Kalachandji's worship is conducted to exacting high standards, but still emits an aura of simplicity and intimacy.
Finally, "first class" can be used to denote above and beyond the norm, the way we regard the first class section of an airplane. And like the first class section of an airplane, its all the little extras that make the difference. Sure, the folks sitting in coach will get to the destination just the same; but the first class passengers are treated to luxuries and benefits that exceed expectations or requirements. Goswami Maharaj was a visionary, and couldn't tolerate just settling for something, even if it was the way that everyone else was doing it. He was an aristocrat without being an ego-driven snob -- by meditating on creative ways to go the extra mile to represent Krishna in this world. The Dallas temple imbibes this attitude wonderfully. The devotees are always pushing themselves to give more, to come up with new and exciting ways to share Krishna with others. They are detail oriented in a way that is rarely seen in ISKCON, being conscious of the most minute considerations to ensure that guests and visitors have the best experience they can.
A few days before, on the fourth of July, I had attended a very special Vyasa Puja celebration honoring Goswami Maharaj. And now I found myself sitting in his darshan room, reflecting on these qualities, and grateful to be here.
My meditation was soon broken however, when BB Govinda Maharaj came into the room and reminded me that it was almost show-time.
This morning I woke up, chanted some rounds, and then went to the temple room for Bhagavatam class (given by Hridayananda Goswami, who was pleasantly surprised to see me and – in characteristic HdG style – took the time to crack a few jokes right from the vyasasana). After class, I joined the Swami and a large group of devotees for breakfast at the home of a local disciple of Srila Prabhupada. Over breakfast, I got to catch up with Brahma Tirtha Prabhu (better known as Bob Cohen, who as a young peace corps worker engaged Srila Prabhupada in such an interesting dialogue that Prabhupada had it turned into a book – Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers). We discussed everything from mediation to his son’s law practice (his son, incidentally, graduated from GW Law School a year before I started there).
After breakfast, I returned to the quarters to get some work done.
Walking around, breathing in this place… If I had to sum up ISKCON Dallas in two words, they would be these: first class.
The ISKCON community in Dallas is a special place. The mood of excellence permeates everything here; its ingrained in all the details and nuances of this place.
We use the term "first class" a lot in ISKCON -- its one of those slightly antiquated Indian phrases we inherited from Srila Prabhupada -- but I was thinking about how accurate it is in this case.
One way to understand "first class" is to mean the best. This is certainly the mood of Dallas, a la Tamal Krishna Goswami. TKG had this amazing drive to offer nothing but the best to his guru, Srila Prabhupada. He wouldn't settle for anything less; to not offer the topmost spiritual master the topmost of everything to use in Krishna's service was just not an option for him. This is how he was trained, and -- from the stories I've heard recently from some of his senior disciples -- how he trained others. He wanted to give them what Prabhupada gave him, but to do that he needed them to take on that mood of nothing but the best.It is apparent in Dallas... it almost seems like the managers and leaders wear WWTKGD bracelets and base any decision -- from the menu at their award-winning restuarant Kalachandji's to which kind of paper towel to stock the restrooms with -- on what is the best offering to Prabhupada.
Another meaning for "first class" is rooted in the culture of varnashrama: brahminical. The brahmanas were considered "first class men" (and their feminine counterpoints were "first class women") in this ancient culture, not just because of the family they were born into, but because of qualities such as cleanliness, honesty, humility, a commitment to deity worship, and a desire to give others the highest wealth of spiritual knowledge. Taken in that way, it is clear that Dallas is following TKG's example to the tee. This is probably the cleanest ISKCON temple I've seen in America. The hallway sparkles, the restaurant is classy and neat, the temple room is very stylish and opulent without appearing cluttered or garish. Sri Sri Radha-Kalachandji's worship is conducted to exacting high standards, but still emits an aura of simplicity and intimacy.
Finally, "first class" can be used to denote above and beyond the norm, the way we regard the first class section of an airplane. And like the first class section of an airplane, its all the little extras that make the difference. Sure, the folks sitting in coach will get to the destination just the same; but the first class passengers are treated to luxuries and benefits that exceed expectations or requirements. Goswami Maharaj was a visionary, and couldn't tolerate just settling for something, even if it was the way that everyone else was doing it. He was an aristocrat without being an ego-driven snob -- by meditating on creative ways to go the extra mile to represent Krishna in this world. The Dallas temple imbibes this attitude wonderfully. The devotees are always pushing themselves to give more, to come up with new and exciting ways to share Krishna with others. They are detail oriented in a way that is rarely seen in ISKCON, being conscious of the most minute considerations to ensure that guests and visitors have the best experience they can.A few days before, on the fourth of July, I had attended a very special Vyasa Puja celebration honoring Goswami Maharaj. And now I found myself sitting in his darshan room, reflecting on these qualities, and grateful to be here.
My meditation was soon broken however, when BB Govinda Maharaj came into the room and reminded me that it was almost show-time.
... to be continued...
1 comment:
Howdy!
Are devotees of Krsna considered Brahmins?
I remember reading that the 'Krsnacore' band Cro-mags considered themselves as Ksatriyas as they were not monks, but hard-lined supporters of Krsna Consciousness that had the tendency to get rather violent at their shows.
Are working lay followers considered Vaisyas, or even Sudras? Or is the Varna system redundant in ISKCON?
Thanks, Dhanya
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