"Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone." Srila Gour Govinda Swami called his ashrama the school for crying, but now he is also gone, so here we are.
The only thing i have of value is Srila Prabhupada's teachings. I started this devotee life at age 16, now 60, and i can say it has been wonderful and horrible at the same time. If not for a handful of good associates at https://puredevoteeseva.ning.com/, my life would be empty now. A man with no money and no family is not wanted in his old age; no one told me that when i was asked to shave up and ship out. i do not regret, as what needed to be done was done, and now we have millions of devotees worldwide. I feel like my job is about done here, though we have only just gotten started.
So i advise the younger ones; get married to a good person, get money or sustenance issues taken care of, acquire a home, be independent and strong, and practice Krsna consciousness from that position. Do not be too quick to jump into renunciation or full time service at a temple that may or may not welcome you years later, wasting your youthful opportunities. You may end up broke, no family, alone, old of body, and typing on a computor like me, otherwise. Word to the wise.
I wanted to make the world a better place. It was like the sparrow seeking to drain the ocean to retrieve the lost eggs; only by Divine Grace. Obeisances to my Godbrothers, even those who abuse we the ritivk devotees for pointing out the martyrdom of the greatest saint of our age, and insisting that he is as good as God. Srila Prabhupada is not going away; we have established that beachhead.
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