A cordial embrace for the Vaisnava family, and my reverences to all the mothers on Mother's Day.

What makes the mothers wonderful is that they have patience with their children, and they permit them to grow in this world surrounded by motherly love. The children hardly know what reality is in Kali Yuga as long as they are under the motherly protection.

And mothers are the symbol of the religion; they are the Laksmi Devi in the home and worth adoration. So respect for them should not be limited only to Mother's Day. When in a society one loses respect, tenderness and gratitude for the mothers, society is condemned to degradation. This is notable nowadays where they talk a lot about women's liberty, but where the woman is openly the symbol of instinctive exploitation among men. The patience that mothers have with their children, and their practical function of protecting the family and connecting them with Mother Earth, Mother Nature, is a great gift from her for everybody.

Forgive me for saying it a little crudely, but men are generally not even capable of cleaning around themselves, what to speak of putting things in order, decorating or creating a cosy atmosphere. Men are a disaster without Mother Earth and Krishna in the centre. Mothers are in general more religious, more honest; they do not act irresponsibly or get intoxicated, etc. The balance between men and women, the aspect of complementing each other with the blessings of the Vaisnavas, is what is fundamental in a sane family and society. Brahmacaris are the fruit that come from a nice home of a Krishna conscious family. All kinds of sentiments about men being superior to women, is born from a mind of competition and from an inferiority complex. It is really very far from Krishna consciousness.

Vishnupriya ashrams and Brahmacari ashrams have the opportunity to serve each other lovingly and grow that way. Men should support the Vishnupriya ashrams with what they can, and especially recommend that all women participate or even better, live in the Vishnupriya ashrams and serve Krishna there with all their heart. In exchange, the mothers in the ashram preach to all men to become good devotees to serve their Guru as they should, but hopefully, in a Brahmacari ashram, to qualify is to become a pure and useful human being. The mothers are the mainstay for the men to take their refuge to Krishna. So there should be a strong appreciation and commitment of service towards the Vishnupriya ashrams in everyone and for all times.

It is a bit amazing that there exists so little consciousness of service towards children and mothers in our world today. Forgive my frankness, but few parents are successful in attaining all didactic material in Krishna consciousness for their children, and even less they pay attention to the Vishnupriya ashrams, considering that these ashrams are the refuge for all children and later for their adolescent daughters. This makes me ashamed, or rather, I don't understand, because the children are our most important capital, and if they do not see that our interest for their spiritual growth is intense, what can you expect them to catch? Many parents give their children an amount of material things and spoil them too much, but there is not much time to take care of them and give them a mystic atmosphere. There is not much consideration of appreciating the sadhus and feel happy to develop devotional faculties. The children are not very welcome in the temples during the preaching, because the majority of the temples do not have facilities for this, and disturb cultivating people with a kindergarten above, while in the Vishnupriya ashrams the mothers and their children are always welcome. They adapt the preaching and practice around the children, with happiness, feast and challenge for everyone.

So the Vishnupriya ashrams are the most important to support families with children; a school of love, and the mothers who are to carry it through, are our saints. It is very important to see, to present and to practice the saint that is the symbol for religiosity, and that the image of the spiritual hero is wide and well presented in the life of both our youngsters and our old people. Lacking heroes and values, the child takes refuge in its own world and searches its own heroes in the world of illusion. Our children should find mother and father together, Krishna as the goal, the Vishnupriya ashram with weekly programs or more for children, appreciation among devotees, happy reunions, hard work and an enthusiasm to get purified to become a pure devotee of Krishna. This is the task of the men and of the mothers as well. But what do the mothers if the men do not value this?

The Vishnupriya ashram culture should be very strong. I know that it is difficult and that many obstacles will appear. But so what? Who said it was going to be easy? Who said that there would not be problems to solve? Come on, friends... This is our challenge; that the mothers and children feel fine to advance and so the men can advance in addition. Not the contrary, thinking of oneself and nothing more.

I asked Vraja Gopal, the son of Govardhana Prabhu in NY to make a Bhagavad Gita in pictures; to look for fitting photos for each verse in Bhagavad Gita and compose them in Photoshop. He is only 14 years old, but he was very enthusiastic to make it. We may not ignore the creativity in the children. To look for nice services for Krishna for their lives is part of the concept of their education. The mothers have talents to conduct these things, but definitely they need support from the men's part in this.

The Vishnupriya ashrams should not be poor. It should be natural for each man to donate 100 euros a month to a Vishnupriya ashram or what he can. Like his religion somehow, not because they ask for it on their knees at a reunion. Most of all, the grihastas with children have this sacred duty. Of course the integrant mothers also should be fruit-bringing and working devotees, this is natural. But poor ashrams cannot attend the children sufficiently. This is important. Children, good prasadam, harinam for children, bhajan for children, conferences and studies of the holy scriptures for children, this should be a basic part of the life of any child in Krishna consciousness.

Motherhood is a sacred spirit, but accompanied by the children in the world, we can see what it is, because it is the very life, and without her we would be living dead. Like a body of lust without the disposition to receive the fruit in form of a family. So this day we also ask forgiveness from all the mothers who were made to feel unjust neglected in our family. A lack of education from many men. The lust in the men sometimes manifests like a strong rejection of the women by simple lack of maturity, not to speak about the hours of sadness that exist in the woman when the men seriously fail with them. Of course it is a fact and it is good to consider that all suffering of mine must have some reason in my own infractions from the past, but even with that, only thinking of the suffering of the woman when she finds herself abandoned with children by the so called fathers of them, is difficult to imagine. And sadly this is a very common scene today.

The single mothers etc are everywhere in our degraded world, and even for them, the Vishnupriya ashrams have a great relief. They are received and treated with the dignity that a mother deserves, the woman devotee with a similar packet. And the most important, they educate them how to improve their situation, understand the philosophy and search forms to live with dignity. In Europe, the single mothers go to ask money from the state and live as they can. In South America, the only hope is the parents' house. And if this refuge does not exist for them, it is a too complicated life and they are to be even more exploited. So the Vishnupriya ashrams are a basic necessity in the world society. They should be everywhere and there should also be some of them specialized in organizing the life of single mothers, who are really devotional, serving and without any other refuge.

Organizing all of this is fundamental. And more, I want to make something very very clear. Even one single Mother who lives alone in some part and who wants to serve Krishna seriously should be considered a Vishnupriya ashram. It is not necessarily that they are many. Of course it is better that several mothers come together under the spiritual master and build a very well organized ashram. But Vishnupriya ashram is the place of refuge in consciousness in separation from Mahaprabhu. Sacimata and Vishnu priya devi with the support from Isana Prabhu are our inspiration and guide. We want to make every woman happy who wants to get out of this world and who has taken Mahaprabhu as her ista, as the Lord of her heart. So the concept of a Vishnupriya ashram is like that; wide, generous, being happy by making others happy, representing the mission of the spiritual master. To be happy by practicing the transcendental principles. Open your house for the others looking for the very refuge of Krishna katha and plans of devotional service. Every woman who realize something of this, is a new defender of the Vishnupriya ashrams, and also the men who want to support this culture and show their gratefulness to their own mother, wife, daughters, etc, etc

A sad mother but a shamelessly happy man?????? It is impossible my dear. This task is about being dedicated to the happiness of everyone, otherwise our selfish life is a disgrace, and will be the reason for equal experiences for us in this or other lives to come. So, Vishnupriya ashrams is not only a good idea - they are religiosity in the society of the devotees. In the same way, the mothers who live with their husbands and children (if they are happy) should be much aware of these ashrams and of the plan of the spiritual master to be able to participate and to have a balance between the personal life and the life of the refuge centres.

The grihastas are good, but they do not have the capacity to offer much refuge to other mothers, because it takes lot of privacy to educate their children and a couple should also have their calm.

The ashrams that can receive new devotees, receive visitors for the weekends or for vacations where there is an encouraging spiritual atmosphere and adoration, etc, is a place of extraordinary value. It is more worth than the airport, the municipality and the pool. Because in those places nobody can have refuge, while in an ashram the doors are open to help for anyone to find herself spiritually, and sometimes find herself again in the very life in a sane way. How many people haven’t managed to leave the drugs in this nice atmosphere. So, one who participates in maintaining an open place that offers this refuge is a fortunate soul in advance. And the mothers who maintain in front of these Vishnupriya ashrams are really stars that shine in this dark world. It is to them that we offer our respects today (and always) and wish them strength and illumination so that they can guide those who come with this light that Srila Prabhupada gave us.

All Vishnupriya ashrams should have a folder to explain their programs to encourage people to donate. Really, it is something natural that people want to donate to support such a program. Many times they maybe don't do it, because they don't see it, so it is not in their mind. Thus one has to move and make known the programs and what they try to realize, so that the others get encouraged to support our sacrifice.

It is a tremendous work from all points of view to be a mother. This is so nice; how they work to realize their love to accomplish with their duties. What a shame in comparison to a lazy man who wants to do nothing, who is a sleeper, begging from the government and stays in bed to eat and watch TV. Disgusting, really. One should get up every day with energy and gratitude. I am going to work hard for my ideals. I will not stop for a moment, like my mother never stopped her multiple service to make her children to grow and have everything. Laziness and lack of determination are elements of pure tama guna, and the remnants of a life in drugs. The sacred mother so often bears even men who take drugs, who don't support her and that besides that even abuse her. It is not an easy Karma to have been born in a female body, since one has to tolerate the men.

Yet, fortunately there exist men like Srila Prabhupada who dedicated his comfort and privacy to all his sons and daughters equally. And he taught his daughters to paint, cook, build and decorate temples, give conferences, etc. Srila Prabhupada made his spiritual daughters to preach in Pandal programs where there were 20000 Hindus listening. Srila Prabhupada is proud of his daughters who have opened these Vishnupriya ashrams everywhere. A place to feel the separation from the Lord and where there is a desire for devotional service - this is a Vishnupriya ashram. A place of Hari-katha and in perfection a place to receive new students to grow on the path.

I wish that women, who have become great examples in our family, were capable to share their vision with the others and that they be known. For this woman I have started the page on Internet, called Vaisnavi.com. Kesava Priya is doing a nice job for the spiritual woman. Besides that, we are planning together with Radha Caranji from Medellin, also a Vishnupriya ashram page in Spanish. It is only missing some urgent things to put attention to this new project that was already planned by mother Aditi.

Imagine, the Vishnupriya ashrams also permit that elder mothers can travel and visit ashrams in the world. They can preach, encourage and become each time happy in their big family. To maintain a Vishnupriya ashram is heroic, but to visit and encourage them is also of great value, because it is fundamental for the women to share with each other how to protect themselves on their way home, on their return to the spiritual home. Only here there is something that gives no reason for them to discourage for a single moment. All women are members of the Vishnupriya ashrams if they want, so this is a women’s union against the abuse and lack of dignity. At the same time it is a manifestation of the wide motherhood, because from this situation the integrants of the Vishnupriya ashrams protect the world of men and teach them the importance of being a perfect man - whether a brahmacari or a grihastas - perfect, attentive and thus happy.

We are not creating an artificial division. Quite contrary; it is a good base, like a family where the woman is well protected as a daughter by her father and brothers, in the Vishnupriya ashram she is protected by the spiritual values, by her guardians and by the body of the women; merciful mothers who support, correct and inspire the new couples as well. So our society has a kind of control towards the family on part of the more interested, yes, almost everyone, at least the responsible ones. If the Vishnupriya ashrams are for serious people in spirituality, even though they desire to marry or whatever, this is only a part of life, and hopefully Krishna will give wonderful husbands to my dear daughters.

There will always be a movement from the ashrams by the new devotees and others who get out for their marriages. With a vigilance towards the matrimonial quality and the way to educate the children. Of course vigilance is offered, because they stay in contact. The rascal wants to hide so nobody can see his dirty tricks. Like in South America, a criminal always fears that his own mother will know about his disgrace. This is the last of a good sentiment that is left in a person. May my mother not burrow her way down because of my madness. When even this is lost, the shame has won and it is little hope for one’s life. My mother should be happy with what I am doing!!! With all security.

So Srila Prabhupada taught us that the best gift a child can give to his/her parents is to become a pure devotee of the Lord. This is a way of give thanks for everything one has received from the parents and more from all the world, because one who nourishes the root, automatically nourishes all parts of the body; in this case all parts of our genealogic tree. Therefore a pure devotee saves many generations of his/her past and of his/her future by surrendering completely to the source of everything.

Ever since the birth of the little Vaisnava and until the death of the pure mother, the Vishnupriya ashrams, his/her greatest treasure. Like this it should be. We should aspire for this everywhere. The Vishnupriya ashram is the facility of all women to take refuge in the truth for the whole life. When the structure of the big family existed in India, every house had its own Vishnupriya ashram with its 10-20 integrants. But today there is no house of that big family. Even the very small one is in danger. So we must give much value to do the difficult and nectarian at the same time. Hands to work and not so much mental speculation, so that all the temples have Vishnupriya ashrams with their own autonomy and dignity. A Vishnupriya ashram is not a house where a few women live, who do not have or send anything, not even participate in organizing the things.

In the past there existed groups of women who collected for some temples and who had a man in charge of them. Sincerely, I have seen this leading to madness. Some of these men got nuts and wanted to turn the group of mothers into a harem. And with the despair of some mothers it led to more confusion than preaching. So the Vishnupriya ashrams have very nice principles the mothers themselves have the authority to protect these principles. The cooperation with the temples of the men depends always of the common agreement that they make in the reunions like the brahmanic reunion of the preachers of the city. Despite that we are all weak in this world, the union of the women will be very strong, autonomic and at the same time happily cooperating with what the spiritual masters are doing in general.

You should know that in India the maternity power is predominant in general at home. The woman is the base of the good economy, of not becoming crazy, of not wasting away the things and to seriously educate the family. Outwards it appears as though the man has the things well organized, but within it is she who assures that everything does not fall to pieces. Of course, as in everything, there are exceptions from all rules.

Therefore, on Mother’s Day I want to establish once and for all a very strong root of inviting them to take part everywhere to protect the dharma and the success in our family. That they feel well, appreciated and invited to always inform about any discrepancy within this task and the practice of the life they have to struggle with. Even though the world has a lot of imperfections, it is possible to go forward and become every day more servants of Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga and of the humanity. Nobody should feel excluded from this responsibility.

Brahmans are people who think for themselves and make things good, because they realize that it is the best to do it good. This is the goal, and the Vaisnavas are our support to confirm that our criteria are really the most adequate. Self-criticism, humility etc., are instruments for success for every woman and man, and the woman has an excellent additional criterion; the heart of a mother, unparalleled. And therefore she is so necessary to form all kind of duties with loving criterion. So, this day of the Vishnupriya, I end my chat, offering my thanks to all mothers, and my joy that you share your life in our family and my best wishes that you always be accompanied by resolute Vaisnavas and Vaisnavis in this sojourn that we still have in this dimension.

Always your well-wisher,

B.A. Paramadvaiti Swami