VEDIC VILLAGE REVIEW # 41

January 25, 2015.  Adventures in New Jaipur, Prabhupadanuga Farm in Fiji

 

A TALE OF TWO COWS

A few weeks ago we moved our three cows from our Decumbens bracharia/setaria paddock on the hillside back down to the batiki beach paddocks. We use rotational grazing- where cows are frequently shifted through separately fenced paddocks to better manage pasture growth and grazing efficiency. We have four paddocks in active use. One day on Sridevi’s afternoon cow inspection visits, she saw Padma, our Zebu, behaving very lackluster and noticed her sunken flanks ( sides) which meant she had not been eating for a good while. There was a loss of hair and a rash on the legs, thighs, and face, and she moved very little with head hung low. The next day her condition appeared worse and we consulted the local vet, who suggested she be wormed. The next morning I drove to Savusavu town and bought three medicines, and cut my trip short due to an urgent call that Padma was now lying down. We gave the antibiotic and vitamin injections, plus the oral deworming liquid. I had to get some workers to roll Padma into a sitting position as she was too weak to do so herself.

But soon we found Padma on her side again; her eyes had turned bluish, breathing was labored. Sridevi poured deity maha-water and a Tulasi leaf down her throat, and chanted the Holy Names, watching helplessly as Padma groaned three times, tried to move her legs, and then with a final exhalation, tongue extended… she was gone. Sridevi was deeply affected by the experience of witnessing the separation of the soul from the body. The dim news seriously dampened our moods; the whole affair had transpired so quickly in just two days. We buried Padma’s body right there. This was not a case of parasites. I asked Sridevi to call her friend Dr. Sian Watson, the Biosecurity veterinarian in Suva, to describe the symptoms and get an opinion. Right away, Dr. Watson said it sounded like Lantana poisoning- the rash and no eating were trademarks of a worldwide problem with horses, cows, goats, and sheep. Quickly we looked up lantana on the net- we recognized this common weed from our farm, all around Fiji, and in Panama and Hawaii.

WIKIPEDIA: (edited)  Lantana is a genus of about 150 species of perennial flowering plants in the verbena family. They are native to tropical regions of the Americas and Africa but exist as an introduced species in numerous areas, especially in the Australian-Pacific region. Lantana’s aromatic flower clusters (called umbels) are a mix of red, orange, yellow, or blue and white florets, shrubs growing to 2–7 ft tall. Some species are invasive, and are considered to be noxious weeds, such as in South Asia. In the USA, lantanas are naturalized in the southeast. The spread of lantana is aided by the characteristic of their leaves, which are somewhat poisonous to most animals, while their fruit is a delicacy for many birds which distribute the seeds. Biological control of introduced lantanas has been attempted, without robust success. In Australia, about 30 insects have been introduced in an attempt to control the spread of lantanas, and this has caused problems of its own. The Swamp Wallaby is one of the few mammals that eat Lantana leaves without apparent ill effect. Consequently, as total eradication of Lantana seems often impossible, it may in many cases be better to simply remove plants with immature (green) fruit to prevent them from spreading. Lantana species, especially L. camara, contain pentacyclic triterpenoids that cause hepatotoxicity and photosensitivity when ingested by grazing animals such as sheep, goats, bovines, and horses. This has led to widespread livestock loss in the US, So Africa, India, Mexico, and Australia.

It became clear that Padma had succumbed to Lantana blood poisoning. The other two cows showed no ill signs. Immediately I went and saw numerous Lantanas in the hillside paddock. We had a work crew moving around the farm to locate and dig out the variously colored lantanas, little bushes found here and there, but not everywhere. Interestingly, the plant has a strong medicinal odor and is used by locals for cuts and as diabetes treatment without adverse reactions. Locals have no knowledge of lantana’s poisonous effects on animals, although some of their animals have died without any explanation. I called Kalim, the Brahman-Zebu breeder in the Labasa area from whom Padma had been purchased, and he confirmed that he too suspected he had lost several animals to lantana on his farm. We arranged to visit his farm on Sunday. Arriving there ahead of Kalim, we parked in the middle of the field where his 70 cows were grazing. Two huge Brahman bulls, seven white, pure Zebu cows, and a wide variety of tan and grey cows and calves idled around before us, as we stood on a high ridge discussing which might be suitable choices to replenish our New Jaipur dairy program. We chose four possibilities. Kalim drove up and recommended one of those four, reasoning that it was much tamer than most of his cows, it was 5 months pregnant, plus it was used to being milked. It was primarily Zebu, as Padma had been. After looking at all alled, we confirmed his choice and loaded her… into the back of our Toyota pickup!

Sridevi had her name ready, and began talking to Sushila, stroking her cheek softly. Sushila behaved calmly and gently for the entire slow, three hour ride back, often resting her head and chin on the roof. I backed up to an embankment, took out the side rails and untied her. When Sushila saw the lush grass on the New Jaipur roadside, she did not bother to come out the rear of the pickup, but just leaped over the side. In two steps she was ripping grass with graceful head movements, left and right. Sushila followed Sridevi to the pasture gate and her excitement was obvious as she plowed into the knee high batiki grasses. I have never seen such a hungry cow- Sushila busied herself for hours tearing grass and stuffing it into her mouth; where exactly was all that grass going? I guess they chew their cud later… She even ignored the other two cows who curiously, playfully nudged and smelled her. Everything was ok again. The grass on Talim’s farm had always been scarce, and Sushila was content in her new home. We were also mollified- the attempt to develop a dairy program with quality A2 cows    was back on track once more. Kalim had a 6 month old weaned heifer calf that we are considering- a Zebu-Brahman cross that is soooo cute. We’ll decide soon.

(a skinny Sushila enters grass paradise, below)

  THE ISSUE OF LAND OWNERSHIP:      (Note: DVD = Daivi varnashrama dharma)

Several responses to VVR #40 were about whether varnashrama dharma should include outright land ownership as opposed to the lease arrangements we have set out for New Jaipur. One comment was: “As you know, Prabhupada told us the adage that ownership turns sand to gold, yet in New Jaipur there is no “ownership” per se. Everything there is in the Deities name. Under these conditions, I think you will find it very difficult to attract devotees. The most basic need for material security is ownership.”

Another old friend wrote: “Vedicly, that begins with land ownership. Vedic culture is based upon that intimate relationship between land and people and it was ‘their’ land passed through the generations and in India, they did so for millennia.”

The land issue is one we have studied and pondered over ever since starting ISKCON’s second farm community in New Talavan (1974). Afterwards, I was involved in six more projects, and New Jaipur Fiji is the eighth. Based on these experiences I will try to explain the reasoning behind keeping the New Jaipur property title intact and unsubdivided, not selling parts of the farm to devotees, and instead negotiating with new members a conditional lease-participation agreement, otherwise called a private treaty.

First, Prabhupada never specifically told us to subdivide and sell parts of a farm project to devotees. It is very interesting to note that those farm projects in ISKCON history where the land was subdivided and sold outright to devotees have experienced serious unintended consequences- such as in New Vrindaban, Prabhupada Village, Three Rivers, Efland NC. Once sold, there is no longer any guarantee that these farm parcels will not be re-sold to non- devotees or devotees of other, incompatible affiliations. The project administration then would be powerless to do much of anything. Soon our children could be going to a karmi neighbor’s house to associate with deep maya. By selling parts of the community land, how can we then maintain the direction, purity, or standards of a spiritual community?

In one project where we anticipated this problem, we had arranged to repurchase land parcels from devotee buyers when they later wanted to leave, but there were two new problems with this: (a) it was difficult to arrive at a fair value to both the administration and the devotee, and (b) the administration was thus burdened with the uncertainty of great future financial risk. What if several devotees all at once wanted their money back for the land and whatever they spent to develop it (often in ways which were of no use to other incoming members)? So, this was not at all a practical solution.

Another scenario: if we want a grouping of assorted devotees of all stripes, in a neighborhood where all have outright ownership of their land parcels, then an Alachua or New Vrindaban situation would fit. Certainly a nice neighborhood in many ways, but cohesive varnashrama implementation is impractical under those circumstances except in a piecemeal, fragmented way by trying to ignore the non-participants mixed in all around. In these types of “communities” of devotees, some attend temple programs or host home programs, but practically all are fully involved in the “outside” world with jobs and activities, being part of the present materialistic society and not really part of a revival of the Vedic DVD civilization.

As long as we live under a secular government which allows animal killing, illicit sex, intoxication, pornography, and all types of sinful activities, the administration of a DVD project cannot sell land and expect to maintain spiritual standards on those sold parcels. This is because private landowners are not constrained to do so due to the law of the present government. So if the state does not uphold true religious principles, what kind of Krishna conscious project will it be after selling land to members? Sometimes devotees change philosophical persuasions, fall down, or fail to live up to their agreements. If we are trying for a Prabhupadanuga rtvik project, what if Gaudiya Math devotees move in? (serious rasabhasa 🙁  )

Well, should Vedic government force everyone to follow a particular religion or siddhanta (bonafide philosophical interpretation)? No, my understanding is that would not be the proper function of a Krishna conscious government, which someday will be a reality somewhere (so we may as well start talking about it!) Government’s duty is to ensure that all are honestly following their religion, provided it is based on bonafide scriptures. For example, animal killing or forced conversion of “infidels” cannot be tolerated by government, even though some might claim their religion permits it. Vedic government would need to educate its citizens on the universal principles of religion and work to resolve cultural or historical defects and aberrations in certain interpretations of a religious system. Perhaps via the sponsoring of grand councils of religious discourse and research, government could “purify” religious systems which are nowadays obviously mixed with dubious practices. It reminds of St. Augustine who established in Christianity that animals have no soul, therefore it is no sin to kill them- but it is noted he was an avid flesh consumer, and his interpretation was not only wrong but selfish too.

Each adherent of a particular spiritual path should be tolerant of other bonafide religious systems, and civil debate and philosophical research is always fully appropriate to broaden one’s understanding of his own persuasion. This is why ISKCON is failing- because no discussion is allowed. I myself was excommunicated in 1990 for raising discussions in early VVR’s on the guru issue. Srila Prabhupada explains Christianity and Islam are actually sub- religious systems that advocate codes of morality, but he also recognized they were bonafide “religions” that taught love of God. Although one may understand Krishna consciousness to be superior to a modern day religion, he should not discourage or try to convert their practitioners but rather should encourage them to practice more perfectly, the test of efficacy being progressive development of love of God. Of course, we should always encourage the addition of the chanting of Hare Krishna mantra or other names of God to any religion.

Those who wish to set up homogenous communities and maintain a specific siddhanta and set of standards, such as we Prabhupadanugas do, must find suitable methods to do so. If privately owned land cannot guarantee specific practices and siddhanta in a spiritual project, and if government does not (and should not) compel abidance to such, and does not even today uphold universal religious principles- what land ownership method should we use to effectively establish a Prabhupadanuga Vedic village?

Although government restriction to a “state religion” appears inappropriate in Kali Yuga, this is something I would love to hear comments on… Why couldn’t non-cheating followers of Christianity, Islam, etc apply DVD as well? That is, after the anomalies in their practices have been rectified. For that matter, government would be responsible to clean up anomalies in ISKCON and all Vaishnava organizations as well. It may very well be feasible and possible to clear up most if not all differences of philosophy and practice simply by setting venues and rules for debate, discussion, and conclusion, if it is  facilitated and encouraged by government. At the least, it would do away with a lot of cheating, corruption, and pretense in all the religious and Vaishnava groups. This could lead to establishing common ground and mutual appreciation of the remaining differences. Of course, ultimately, there is one absolute truth, but in the material world it is appreciated or understood from different angles according to one’s guna or mode of consciousness. Government’s primary objectives should be to stop sinful activities, in particular unwarranted violence, and to see that all citizens are making spiritual progress.

  Back to the privately owned spiritual project- in today’s secular legal regime- it is certainly the right of its administration to maintain a community fully consistent with its starting principles. That entails having sufficient control over their members, who join the project because they also desire these principles and a homogenous community. Ultimately, if a member deviates from the community’s principles and the community decides that member is definitely a non-suitable participant, the means for removal of that person is required to protect its identity and standards. Also the means must be there to restrict entrants to those that agree in advance to follow the intentional spiritual community Standards.

Our project, New Jaipur, is holding the private land ownership for the deities and community through a properly-chartered, charitable foundation. Our siddhanta, principles, and participation conditions are contained in our Village Constitution, e.g., the four regulative principles and Srila Prabhupada being the sole diksha guru. The charter and Constitution pro- vide security to both the community and individual members, as a farm village project based on Prabhupada’s teachings. The project thus will maintain the PRABHUPADA STANDARD, and members will be satisfied with good management and full opportunity for Krishna consciousness.

The desire for private landownership very often reflects a deeper issue- TRUST, or rather a lack of trust in a community administration where bad experiences or horror stories from the past in ISKCON have caused devotees to abandon cooperation and take to independent, disconnected lives. Many are fearful of mismanagement and unfair treatment. But a fear-based approach is usually another failure. The agents of Kali have managed to shatter the love and trust that Srila Prabhupada created in his movement, but we should be aware that to abandon future attempts at cooperation is ceding victory to those Kali-chelas. Prabhupada wanted us to try and work together. In New Jaipur, however, our humble attempt to generate a cooperative community of mutual trust is not based on blind sacrifice nor loss of independent thinking. It is based on faith in Srila Prabhupada’s guidance through his instructions and mercy.

Entry into New Jaipur is easy and inexpensive because the housing, land, temple, water, and an amazing opportunity to live in a Prabhupada-centered village is provided AT NO COST; there is not a whole lot at stake. These facilities for private homes and gardens are offered FREE, and at any time, a participant can depart without having lost much more than plane fares. There is very little risk involved in participation in New Jaipur. Its founders have already taken the risks of financial expense and labors of development so that members will not have to spend their savings on buying land, building a house, providing utilities, building a temple, and so on. All this is already in place. The only requirement is to read the Village Constitution and if it is one’s own persuasion, simply agree to follow its principles while living here. It is nothing other than Prabhupada’s standard and thus the convictions of a Prabhupadanuga’s heart. Thereafter a member can be assured that his position, home, and allotted land is reserved for his secure use indefinitely- via our New Jaipur conditional lease/participation agreement, or private treaty, which provide for:

1. No lease payment or rent. A donation is requested based on the finances and generosity of the incoming participant, even if it be only a token.
2. Community service based on varna/ ashram, negotiated and mutually agreed upon.
3. 20% of production and local income goes towards the project development.
4. No water, sewage, garbage, utility, homeowner or community fees- all is free.
5. The time period is for life (life estate), transferable to other family members upon meeting the same conditions, namely agreement to the Village Constitution.
6. There are provisions for revocation of the lease in extreme circumstances to preserve the spiritual standards of the community.

These agreements are private treaties, signed, on paper. They are simple documents, not meant to address complexities of fine legal nuances or be brought into the courts of the Maya Matrix world, but to memorialize the trust we are putting forth in the handling of our own affairs as spiritual brothers and sisters, Vaishnavas, and servants of Srila Prabhupada.

Talking about the ills in ISKCON- and whether they could appear in New Jaipur- they have been invariably due to the plague of DADS (dreaded acharya disease), where leaders and members adopt various degrees of insanity by replacing and minimizing Srila Prabhupada. But New Jaipur does not have this problem, because Srila Prabhupada is the sole diksha guru and the sole authority, through the legacy of his divine and perfect instructions. What happened in ISKCON under bogus gurus cannot happen in any Vedic village based on Prabhupada’s arrangement that he remains the initiating guru. These kind of anomalies occur when the true acharya is disobeyed or neglected. We must learn from the lessons of ISKCON history, and we must have the determination and courage to try again, and again if necessary, to please Srila Prabhupada by developing trust in cooperation with likeminded devotees, and thus succeed in carrying on our spiritual master’s mission.

We should further note that modern private land ownership is highly over-rated (as is modern democracy, or “demon-crazy”). Theory and ideals differ greatly from practice and reality. In today’s world, who really owns “their” land? The secular government and corrupt courts have ultimate power via property taxes, zoning codes, lawsuits, eminent domain, endless  regulations, presidential executive powers, separated mineral/water/oil & gas rights, “Terrorist” and drug laws, etc. Private ownership, sometimes called fee simple or freehold title, is too often a conditional ownership. Death is the final restriction, which comes after disease, divorce, debt, enemies, court judgments, taxes, mortgages, etc. The original New Jaipur community in USA was seized and auctioned off in 1991 by prejudiced “authorities” WITHOUT TRIAL. Our tax exempt status was ignored and income taxes assessed in arrears without any investigation or explanation. Where was the security of land ownership in that case? Asset seizure and forfeiture is a very common procedure, netting billions annually for law enforcement agencies, making them legal bandits. Security in the material world is an illusion. At least in Fiji, these things are practically non-existent and there are no property taxes outside the towns.

Another point about private ownership: How many devotees are able to purchase private land and build a cottage or house without a life enslaving mortgage? New laws in Fiji require a US$125,000 home be built within 2 years on any foreign land purchases lest heavy penalties be applied. The cost of private land ownership and home construction is a great challenge. If we promoted private ownership in New Jaipur, only a very few persons with big pockets would be able to do so, severely limiting interested parties and the village growth.

The conditional lease-participation agreement offers free cottages and gardens, and possibly, agricultural land allowing devotees to use their savings for living costs, transition to self-sufficiency, and future security by keeping resources available for a plan B should they decide to go elsewhere for whatever reason. Also the project is able to maintain the spiritual standards and does not devolve into a mixed neighborhood of all types of residents. If someone comes to New Jaipur but later decides to leave, at least there was no large expense- all basics are provided, and the memory will be one of a transcendental adventure in the South Seas. Of course, there are some individuals who will not fit well into a close situation with others due to Kali Yuga extreme personality traits, even they be sincere devotees. They should live near a temple or other devotees, and associate as possible, practicing strictly at home. That is why New Jaipur has a policy of interested parties visiting for discussions and making proper mutual determinations that all is suitable, compatible, and workable. Let us look at the definitions of private ownership (land tenure) and leasehold estate.

Land tenure:   From Wikipedia (excerpts) Land tenure is the name given, particularly in common law systems, to the legal regime in which land is owned by an individual, who is said to “hold” the land (the French verb “tenir” means “to hold.”) The sovereign monarch, known as The Crown, held land in its own right. All private owners are either its tenants or sub-tenants. The term “tenure” is used to signify the relationship between tenant and lord, not the relationship between tenant and land. Over history, many different forms of land ownership, i.e., ways of owning land, have been established. A landholder landowner is a holder of the estate in land with considerable rights of ownership or, simply put, an owner of land.

Any modern government- whether a monarch, republic, democracy- retains the first preeminent claim of ownership on all land (the “Crown”). I am pretty sure that even in Vedic times before Kali Yuga, the same principle existed as does today, that governments were the first landowner and all others were granted limited or considerable rights to “hold” and use defined pieces of land, subject to laws, taxation, etc. The government or monarch was the representative of God, who is the ultimate proprietor. The 16 th  to 19 th  century Muslim rulers of India and Bengal appointed zamindars who were the secondary landholders of vast districts, which were then leased to others. “Private” land in Fiji is termed freehold, namely held freely, but by the grace of government. The difference between Vedic times and modern times therefore, is that previously God conscious monarchs would justly protect their citizens’ rights in land and all things, whereas today we too often have legalized plunder by corrupted politics.

Leasehold estate:  From Wikipedia  (excerpts) A leasehold estate is an ownership of a temporary right to hold land or property in which a lessee or a tenant holds rights of real property by some form of title from a lessor or landlord. Leasehold is a form of land tenure or property tenure where one party buys the right to occupy land or a building for a given length of time. A leasehold thus differs from a freehold or fee simple where the ownership of a property is purchased outright and thereafter held for an indeterminate length of time, and also differs from a tenancy where a property is let (rented) on a periodic basis such as weekly or monthly. Until the end of the lease period the leaseholder has the right to remain in occupation as an assured tenant paying an agreed rent to the owner. Terms of the agreement are contained in a lease, which has elements of contract and property law intertwined.

The modern concept of private land ownership, individual sovereignty, and anarchy was a reaction to the tyranny of evil-minded kings and politicians. Actually nothing is ours, it all belongs to Krishna, but while we are here for a few years, we become the lord of our own domain- and the notion that we “own” something is commonly a misunderstanding on more than one level. As spiritual aspirants, our foremost concern should simply be to “own” a situation where I can securely and peacefully practice my Krishna conscious sadhana and service. New Jaipur offers an inexpensive opportunity to take up Krishna consciousness in a nice setting with likeminded dedicated souls. As Lord Chaitanya’s movement grows around the world, these places will become more numerous although so far the choices may be limited.

As for the exact formula for Vedic villages and how to implement DVD- unfortunately Srila Prabhupada was called away before he could impart further detailed instructions, and so we are left to try our best, guided by his teachings, books, mercy, and our purified intelligence, through which Prabhupada and Krishna will inspire and guide us. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. As the Golden Age of Lord Chaitanya unfolds over the next 9500 years or so, we expect in the future the first Krishna conscious government to appear somewhere, with a Vedic law system based on Prabhupada’s teachings. The principles of Lord Rama’s rule a million years ago in Ayodhya (Ram rajya) will then be reintroduced. New Jaipur life estates or private treaties are like the advertisement for a famous luxury Swiss watch: “You don’t really ever own it, you just look after it for the next generation…”

 

LINK TO NEW JAIPUR’S EARLY VEDIC VILLAGE REVIEWS # 5- 18 (1986-1992):

http://prabhupada-books.de/english-book-scans/vvr.html

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

16. How much could it cost to outfit a cottage with furniture and appliances? Maybe a few thousand Fiji dollars (2 FJD=1USD). The simpler we live, the less expensive. We can learn to eat sitting on the floor, sleep on a mat, use shelves rather than fancy furniture. It is all up to us, how simple our life could be and to decide what we really “need.”

17. How do members cook and eat- together or separately? The basic theme is that everyone provides for themselves with their own labor and gardens. We aim to build a community of thriving, cooperative families and individuals as opposed to an all for one, one for all type ashram, temple, or commune/ collective/ kibbutz. Communalism implies that members receive in return for their participation only basic needs, as in a monastery. However, we aim to develop Daivi-varnashram, with brahmanas supported by charity, ksatriyas managing, vaishyas producing (and being taxed), sudras assisting the others and being cared for nicely. Each cottage has its own kitchen. Families will generally cook at home and may invite others (like brahmacharies) for meals. We also have a guest kitchen for the longer term guests staying in the 5 guest rooms. As for cooperative cooking, that is up to the women or devotees to decide…it may make sense to work together, alternating with lunch at various houses. There is also a farm kitchen intended for processing the milk (skimming, butter, curd, distribution to devotees) and for preparation of the Sunday feasts.

18. What will residents do there, or can they just do whatever they like? Well, no lazies and crazies should apply 🙂 … When someone is actively working according to his nature or varna, he is happy and productive. Administration is responsible that everyone is properly engaged, but this doesn’t mean by dictating and blind control. Varnas are all too often very mixed up or obscure in Kali Yuga, so a best effort should be made to deter- mine the most appropriate occupation of an individual through discussion, horoscope, parental guidance, past work history, and even by some experimentation. It is not that someone will be forced to accept work they do not like, rather it should be a cooperative and exciting journey to unlock and develop our natural talents- not to become whatever you want to be, as is commonly said these days, but be who you are without artifice. We are not interested to work outside the farm to make money- we want to live simply and locally in a Krishna conscious village community, working in our varna to support our families and meet our routine obligations, all the while by pleasing Prabhupada and Lord Krishna. We should save time to study Prabhupada’s books and practice sadhana, tapasya and preach by example. Prabhupada explains in his purport to S.Bhag. 5:19:19, quoting from Parasara Muni in Vishnu Purana:

Varnasramacaravata   Purusena parah puman Visnur aradhyate pantha  Nanyat tat-tosa karanam “The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu, is worshipped by the proper execution of prescribed duties in the system of varna and ashrama. There is no other way to satisfy the Lord.” (….) Because there is no institution to teach people how to become brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras or brahmacharis, grhasthas, vanaprasthas and sannyasis, these demons want a classless society. This is resulting in chaotic conditions. In the name of secular government, unqualified people are taking the government posts. No one is being trained to act according to the principles of varnasrama-dharma, and thus people are becoming increasingly degraded and are heading in the direction of animal life. The real aim of life is liberation, but unfortunately the opportunity for liberation is being denied to people in general, and therefore their human lives are being spoiled. The Krishna consciousness movement, however, is being propagated all over the world to reestablish the varnasrama- dharma system and thus save human society from sliding down to hellish life. Although the Constitution mentions all members should offer minimum 8 hours a week of service to the community, it also means that also they should be totally busy in their varna, working for the pleasure of Vishnu or Krishna, and Prabhupada. Not that one works for one hour and then retires for the day to take it easy, staying busy with cooking, eating, resting and doing nothing practical in his varna.

19. What about ways for residents to earn money?
The big issue is always money, at least as long as we are conditioned to be dependent on it rather than producing our basic necessities locally. Our challenge is to reduce our dependency on the outside world as far as we can or as far as we can tolerate (!) First, self sufficiency in food, schooling, recreation. Then no need to go anywhere, saves on auto costs, repairs, fuel. We must learn to make our own cloth too, grow our own herbs and medicines. We can use sand, gravel, coral to make our own cement, the forest provides timber, bullocks to do plowing and provide transport locally. It is a new way of life. It will take us time, effort, and cooperation to develop it, while reading what Prabhupada said about it to inspire us. Krishna and Prabhupada will guide us as we go forward. The temptation is to bring the old way of life with us to the farm with one foot in, one foot out, trying to do things for money that are really unnecessary. All of us have been so conditioned to make money… But now instead we have to learn to “make Vrndaban”… To endure the transition to simple local life in a Vedic village, some savings are advised. As the community grows, the support system grows as well. The Amish look after their own and so shall we. We aim to build a local and complete village economy, and by barter of extra production we can obtain what we not producing. Fund raising by donations, seminars, and agriculture are feasible (I grow an annual crop of dalo for the town market that helps pay outside workers and construction costs). Krishna is our rich father; He will provide.

  20. Why would New Jaipur not be another horror story like those we endured in ISKCON? It is totally understandable about the worries of having yet another bad experience with the devotees… we all have horror stories aplenty. Therefore it is good to visit first and review the Constitution. We would be quite happy to stay here alone and avoid any risks by having others come to live here. Most Prabhupadanugas are doing just that wherever they are- avoiding risk and maintaining themselves separately. However, it is Prabhupada’s desire that we cooperate to establish farm projects. Our family has decided that we want to serve Prabhupada’s mission to change the world, step by step, however little we can, and please him with a Vedic village community. Yes, the love and trust that we had when Prabhupada was physically present has been mostly lost, and it will be slow to regain. But it can (and must) be done,and if we just center everything on Srila Prabhupada, all will be fine. There are no bogus gurus in New Jaipur asking for your money or worship. I am very sensitive to the welfare and contentment of devotees that will be coming here. Prabhupada is watching…

21. Is New Jaipur under the control of any other organization?
No, it is an independent center as Prabhupada wanted. We are affiliated with the Hare Krishna Society which offers association to anyone willing to follow Prabhupada’s standards and his arrangement for future initiations. We are friendly with ISKCON Group Bangalore, IRM, and most devotees actually, because we just want to do something positive, choosing our debates and close associations carefully. Many devotees are reviled by the pervasive infighting that can be seen amongst Prabhupadanugas worldwide, as are we, and in which we decline to get very much involved. We do not compromise our hearts and principles, neither do we feel a need to “convert” the world to our view of siddhanta either. There is a critical need for unity and cooperation amongst Prabhupadanugas, and it is sad that many rtviks cannot cooperate very well. Much of that is due to a few individuals who often are good at raw criticism, impolite debate, and endless arguments. Anyway, we should first keep our own noses clean and pray to Krishna that Prabhupada’s mission will be rectified, restored, or reformed. Meanwhile chant & be happy! To us, it is more important that Prabhupadanugas are united in the basic principle of Prabhupada being the sole diksha guru as outlined in the July 9th letter, than it is to focus on the minor differences between them. Also in the material world there will always be clashes of personalities, and we must learn to deal with and accept that reality to a large degree, although maybe not always. We would be naïve to expect all Prabhupadanugas to be above all faults, simply because they are Prabhupadanugas. It will take time for a practitioner to become purified, and everyone will do so at their own speed.

QUOTES 690401rc.sf                 Conversations                320914/530501 Prabhupada: So that… Bhagavata says that for economic solution… religion is not meant for economic solution. Economic solution is there, either you be religious or not religious. In God’s kingdom there is wheat, there is rice, there is water, rainfall, and the production. Everything is there. There is fruit, there is flower. So either you be religious or not religious, it doesn’t matter. Your economic problem is settled already. Just like in the prisonhouse, they are all criminals. That does not mean they will starve to death. The government has all arrangement to feed them. Similarly, although this material world is prisonhouse, all criminals are here, revolt, to a person are here, those who do not care for God. But still, their fooding problem, their lodging problem is there by arrangement of God. Everything is there. So Bhagavata says, dharmasya hy apavargyasya nartho ‘rthayopakalpate. Don’t execute religious principles for making your economic problem solved. Then? “We require some money.” Yes. “What for?” Narthasya dharmaikantasya kamo labhaya hi smrtah. And even if you get money, that is not for your sense gratification. Narthasya dharmaikantasya. If you are religious, really, actually, a man of religiosity, then your money is not for sense gratification, as we are teaching our boys.  …..But what is my… What is your main business? Jivasya tattva-jijnasa nartho yas ceha karmabhih. Your only business is to understand what you are, what God is, what is this world, what is your relationship. This is your main business. This is your main business. Not that you earn money and employ it for sense gratification, as it is going on in this materialistic way of life. Kulasekhara: The country is more peaceful. It’s easier to think of spiritual life. Prabhupada:  Yes. Less disease. Less braintaxing. Everything is less. So balance time, utilize for Krsna consciousness. And if you have got temple, it is very happy life. Just for your food work little, and balance time engage yourself in Krsna consciousness. This is ideal life.  Just see minute fibers on the flower. Can anyone manufacture this? So small fibers. And how brilliant it is. If you study only one flower, you become God conscious. There is a machine which we call nature. From that machine, everything is coming. But how machine is perfect? And who has discovered this machine?

 

760627mw.nv                 Conversations                430033/53050 Pusta Krsna: Is considered, Srila Prabhupada, that when a brahmana is engaged in the activities of plowing and cultivating, that he has become a vaisya? Prabhupada: No. If there is nobody to help, he can do.

 

751019mw.joh                Conversations                400136/530501 Prabhupada: Lazy intelligent means brahmana, and busy intelligent means ksatriya. So sastra says, “There is no use of becoming busy for your food. Food is there already.” Food is already there. He’ll get his food. That is arrangement by God. But they are busy fool. They do not understand the God’s arrange- ment. Only for food they are busy whole day and night like cats and dogs. Now this land is there. You can… Everyone can grow food if he works for 2 months. Everyone can grow his whole year’s foodstuff. There is so much land. But no, they’ll not grow food. They will grow hammer, manufacturing it. You see? Tire tube, then atom bomb, then this and that. They are busy. They are busy fool. Actually they are fools, and they are very busy. Everyone is busy. There are so many parts in the motorcar, three thousand part, and they are busy in manufacturing three thousand parts of motor parts. So everyone is busy in producing things unwanted. But they have created a society in such a way that they have to do that.

 

Letter to:  Hamsaduta, Los Angeles, January 11, 1968 “We should utilize our time for elevating ourselves in Krishna Consciousness than for so-called economic development. If we are satisfied with plain living, with minimum time  and the balance time is engaged for elevating our Krishna Conscious program,  then every man can be transferred to Goloka Vrindavana, just in this very life.”

SUMMARY New Jaipur is a positive alternative to the rapidly devolving situation in the crazy modern civilization. Nuclear war approaches, and humanity is due for much turmoil which can only be alleviated by establishing Prabhupada’s varnashram Hare Krishna farms. Our Vedic Village farm project retains Srila Prabhupada as the sole diksa guru, via rtvik representatives. As an affiliate of the Hare Krishna Society, we are part of Prabhupada’s transcendental ISKCON which is situated beyond the now-corrupted original institution. There are 857 acres of titled, fully-paid land in a pristine South Seas rainforest environment on Vanua Levu, Fiji’s second largest island. We have openings for a few qualified devotees based on adherence to certain conditions as contained in our Village Constitution (available by email). Anyone who might like to participate, please inquire. The standard is: chant 16 rounds daily, follow the four rules, attend regularly the morning program, and become a productive participant, one fifth of produce and income going to the deities, Sri Sri Radha Govinda. Become fully engaged in your varna and ashrama, and devote life to the advancement of one’s own dormant Krishna consciousness. Nice-standard cottages are available on a donation basis. Vedic villages are the future of the world. Please consider a visit to New Jaipur, and be our guest in paradise. Several families are preparing for their journey to take up life in New Jaipur; and the invitation is open to Prabhupadanugas anywhere. Life here is simple (but not austere), with pure Fiji running water, high standard construction, Hawaii climate. We also welcome temporary residents who would like to serve Prabhupada with any skills they may have.  Exit the Maya Matrix… Enter your transcendental future.

Yours in Prabhupada’s service,
Nityananda das

 

If you would like to be added to our regular mailings of Vedic Village Reviews, make a donation, or comment, please send us an email at srigovinda@gmail.com. Hare Krishna! All Glories to Prabhupada!

 

NEW JAIPUR FIJI WEBSITE (in progress):  www.vedicvillage.org

Dalo (taro) harvest

The farm’s first avocado and pomegranates (4 year trees)