My Dear Devotees,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I have been receiving feedback lately that many of you are benefiting from the classes, articles, workshops, daily videos, whatsapp messages and counseling I am offering. I am always encouraged to hear that my work is of help to you and want you to know I am dedicated to continue to give my life for the service of the devotees, Srila Prabhupada, and ISKCON.
I am writing to share with you the challenge I currently face in continuing this service and to ask for your support.
In an ideal world, a devotee dedicating his life to important services within a non-profit or religious organization would be supported by the organization. Alternatively, within a varnasrama society brahminical work would be supported by the people benefiting from the education (or by the king). But these realities are yet to be well implemented in Iskcon.
Although my services naturally require funding, and like all of us, I have personal expenses, I offer my services freely and manage (although sometimes a great challenges) with whatever financial support I receive. I feel what I do for Iskcon is important” I counsel hundreds of devotees yearly, often dealing with difficult problems that require the specialized skills I have acquired over the years; I offer three online classes a week; daily videos and whatsapp messages; 15 workshops yearly and travel extensively giving numerous morning and evening classes. In addition, I maintain disciples and manage other services in Iskcon. Like other devotees in positions like this, it is not unusual to be engaged 15 plus hours a day seven days a week.
I am returning from India to the US for some time for my daughter’s college education. This will substantially increase my overhead, making it a very real challenge to continue my preaching on the same level I have been doing (i.e. considerably time may need to be directed towards work that directly generates income thus compromising the time I would have for the present services I am offering devotees).
Of course, if I charged devotees for every class, every counseling session, every email consultation, there would be no need of writing this letter. But I live as a brahmana, and brahmanas don’t charge but are supported voluntarily by their students. So this letter is an appeal to those who appreciate what I am doing or who directly benefit for your financial support.
I know there are many of you that are not aware of my financial challenges. So in the interest of maintaining the same level of service I offer you and others, I decided to explain my situation in hopes that those of you who appreciate and/or benefit from my services would help me through a one time or monthly donation.
And also consider spreading the word so that others who might wish to help are made aware of my situation by personally speaking to them and/or passing on this letter.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. I pray for your continued advancement in Krishna consciousness and that I will be able to continue to serve you without interruption.
Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada,
Mahatma das
To help, please click here.