VOLTAR PARA A PÁGINA ANTERIOR - VOLTAR A PÁGINA PRINCIPAL
The History of the WVA
Many times in the history of mankind, Vaisnavas have organized meetings in order to increase their association and to serve the world. We daily read in the Srimad Bhagavatam of the great meeting in Naimisaranya to counteract the age of Kali. It is a fact that our Sampradaya has thousands of years of history, simply by the guru to disciple transmission. Thus organized religion, as we know it in the western world has not been an important aspect of Vaisnavism. Here and there great temple institutions have tried to maintain their inspiration, along with an organized transmission of Acaryaship. More recently we have also observed how great Vaisnava Institutions such as the Gaudiya Matha and Iskcon have tried to combine the natural flow of divine transmission with certain institutional structures.
Even though all these attempts have been made, there is still a great gap to be filled. The WVA is not another institution founded by some Acarya and circulating around him and his missionary work. Much more in the line of thought, as we can appreciate the idea of the Visva Vaisnava Raj Sabha it is the meeting, sharing and enlightening each other of all those who actually try to be dedicated to Sri Guru and Gauranga. The meaning of Vaishnava Raj Sabha is the congregation of pure devotees. If we would ask all the pure devotees to come foreword to meet with each other though, nobody would come, as they are not considering themselves qualified to attend. Therefore we are inviting all those who are eager to serve their spiritual master and to help to provide a Vaisnava forum to the world as our Acaryas have envisioned it. Now it is not an easy task to decide what such an Association could and should accomplish. To define that is your first service. Here we are presenting an outline of Ideas which could actually be the form of such an association. But in order to make it complete we invite further comments from you on all these ideas. Please read all the points carefully and write your respective opinion down.
Srila Jiva Goswami starts the Visva Vaisnava Raj Sabha.
Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur revives the Visva Vaisnava Raj Sabha.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati presides over the Visva Vaisnava Raj Sabha.
Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami started the League of devotees. Later he requests his disciples to try to unite all Vaisnavas.
The Gaudiya Math and several of their later branches expand into multiple Vaisnava missions. ISKCON, founded by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami branches out into several new missions, while within Iskcon many Acaryas start to function simultaneously.
Several members of the Vaisnava Community meet in Vrindavan with B.V. Tripurari Swami, B.G. Narasingha Swami and B.A. Paramadvaiti to discuss the possibility of founding the WVA. The idea is very enthusiastically received but for a lack of time and clear ideas postponed to 1993.
Meeting again in 1993 we decide to approach the seniormost Vaisnava on the planet to bless and guide this attempt. Originally reluctant, due to his advanced age of 97 years and due to his humility Srila B.P. Puri Maharaj finally agrees to become the President of the WVA and thus help to unite the so many Vaisnavas and their missions. He also proposes to invite all the Acaryas and leading Preachers and Sannyasys to co-found the WVA, rather then starting it amongst a very few and then invite all the others.
Following his guidance a Premiere edition of the World Vaisnava Association Newsletter was published in February 1994 and widely distributed to all Vaisnava Acaryas in the family of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur. This publication invited everyone to sent in their suggestions on how such a Vaisnava Forum could be created and to participate.
We published all suggestions as we received them and we gave all Acaryas the chance to go over all the suggestions.
Every Acarya who filled out the proposals and his own presentation sheet duly signed, became a Founding member of the WVA.
On the 14th of November 1994 the first Foundation meeting was celebrated in Vrindavan in the Modi Bhavan at 3 PM. 120 persons attended and 28 Acaryas and Sannyasis qualified as founding members.
For the next three days a committee of volunteers analyzed all the proposals which were given to the secretary for that purpose.
This committee presents the first 10 members of the Managing Committee as well as the first three Vaisnava Council supervisors in accordance with the proposals and votes received.
On the 18 of November 1994 this result is presented to the general assembly together with the approved bylaws of the WVA.
The managing Committee signed the respective form to authorize the legal registration of the WVA in AGRA.
The WVA
All Vaisnavas belong to a big wonderful family. In the past we had not been able to communicate much with each other amongst the Vaisnava Acaryas, their mission and projects. Geographical distances and a lack of contacts or any joint Forum limited us to only meet here and there amongst some godbrothers and friends.
In the vedic times no doubt meetings were held and the fame of certain wonderful contributions to the Vaisnava world spread all around by the spoken word or holy writings.
The plurality of the divine universal Acarya principle and the reality of the increased communication facilities of the present age bring about the possibility to create a body which can serve as a strong stand to amplify the efforts of all sincere and nonsectarian Vaisnavas to be loudly heard by other Vaisnavas as well as by the general people of the world.
Even though individual Acaryas have organized their missions within certain institutionalized structures, we can say that no forum was created and is functioning at this moment to share the efforts of all Vaisnavas around the world, to serve the cause of enlightening humanity. This also serves to increase a cultish image in a time when so many speculative impersonal cults are gaining size and bad reputation worldwide. We, as followers of the eternal duty of the soul (Sanatan Dharma) could easily be recognized as a truthful religion revealed by God himself if all of our missions and individual devotees have a connection to a large world Vaisnava family. It would be an revealing fact in the history of religion, if the different branches who practice the true Gaudiya Vaisnava Siddhanta would form a loose affiliation for voluntary cooperation amongst themselves.
The history of our Sampradayas have shown that the genealogical tree of each disciplic succession tends to individualize and multiply in such a way that the institutional structures, which originally coordinated the missionary activities amongst godbrothers, can become ineffective.
The WVA therefore is trying to create that type of structure which will please the Supreme Lord and all of his devotees, without interfering into those areas where all the devotees need their own devotional privacy.
Many Vaisnavas have meditated a long time how such a worldwide Vaisnava Association actually could come into existence, without becoming implicated with any offenses against Vaisnavas or with complications arising from apasiddhantas presented by lower distorted versions of certain schools.
The best solution is to make membership conditioned to certain rules and basic common goals.
The whole Vaisnava world is aware of the need for a change. A combined effort of the Vaisnavas without a doubt can intensify their contributions to the world. Thus we can try to follow the advise of Srila Rupa Goswami, which is to use everything in Krsna's service, including a worldwide Vaisnava organization. Other religions, no doubt, have such joint forums. Even the impersonalists influence is widely spreading, since their presence can be found in all kind of organizations, while the vaisnavas are little or not organized. It could also help to council the many problems of this world with increased unity amongst the Vaisnavas. Also if we use the communication facilities of this age to share the results of our preaching efforts then our preaching will increase definitely.
The supreme Lord and his expansions
Krishna is the Lord of Gokula, Rama the Lord of Ayodhya, Narayana the Lord of Vaikuntha and Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who came as a renunciate to spread his Samkirtan movement in this age of Kali, all are different aspects of the one Supreme Lord. Sastras like the Vedas, Upanisads, Puranas, as well as more recently the Chaitanya Caritamrita, all these scriptures are the heart and the soul of the vaisnavas and they help us to get a clear knowledge how our scriptures and saints have harmonized even sometimes apparent contradictions in the vast body of the Vedic Wisdom.
To please this Supreme Lord and his devotees the WVA is providing a very broad and informative insight into the Vaisnava world, history and literature for the benefit of all. It will give the opportunity to all members to fully appreciate the plurality of the Divine Revelations and to thus learn from the devotional services of others.
Knowing well the detrimental effects of the Vaisnava aparadhas, the WVA welcomes all those who are open minded and very determined not to let the arrogant mentality of Vaisnava aparadha disturb this effort in the world's history to create a real UNITY IN DIVERSITY.
This forum is supposed to be very happy and informative. It shall increase information and communication like never before.
Approved goals and bylaws to start the WVA
The name of the established organization is World Vaisnava Association.
The office of the WVA is at No. 154. Gopeswar Road, Mohala, Vrindaban, U.P. Dist. Mathura Pin 281121 INDIA
Offices of the WVA can be established everywhere in the world.
The WVA logo-sign has the Jagannath temple of Puri in the background.
The WVA headquarter can issue membership certificates which entitle the members to use the WVA Logo.
Constitution and WVA bylaws:
The character of the WVA is a nonprofit cultural, educational and spiritual association. The purpose of the WVA is to provide an international forum to all Vaisnavas in the world to come together and to enthuse each other independent from their respective concerns they have regarding their local management's and spiritual continuity.
The WVA wants to promote Vaisnava unity for the purpose of helping the world and other religions to a better understanding of real Hinduism Sanatan Dharma, the roots of pure theism and the best way how to resolve the problems of our modern world.
The WVA wants to give all Vaisnavas the chance to let others know what services they are doing and how other Vaisnavas can take advantage of their accomplishments to increase their local preaching.
The WVA wants to enthuse preachers of pure theism and re-enthuse devotees worldwide to participate in the mission of Lord Caitanya who are momentarily discouraged for any reason.
The WVA wants to promote the publication and distribution of vaisnava literature in all languages in all over the world.
The WVA envisions through international publications as well as through the grassroots system of their members to help and change the face of the world. Rejecting all systems of exploitation, the WVA wants to inspire the loving dedication which becomes natural in someone who really accepts the authority of the Supreme Lord.
It is the purpose of the WVA to show the deep meanings of the shastras to the world and to explain the clear understanding of the Supreme Lord and his great amount of expansions, as well as the position of the many devas and their worship.
The WVA wants to clarify that real authority can only be accepted if its properly backed by Guru, Shastra and Sadhu.
By promoting all Vaisnava Grantha (scriptures) the WVA will increase the ability of all vaisnavas to present the Glory of the one Supreme Lord, who attracts all searching souls in many different forms.
The WVA emphasizes that the world can learn unlimited from the Vaisnavas. Thus the WVA will try to provide true sadhusanga through its publication and by other means to all those who desire it. There will be space in our publications to bring to light topics which may arouse some nice exchange of opinion, exclusively for the happiness of the devotees without any polemical tendencies.
The WVA Journal
The backbone of the WVA is be the WVA Journal. Articles from the different Missions, Acaryas and leading writers will be published. News of new publications will be given.
World news will give information of Vaisnava preaching activities. Every issue of the journal will give a small report on the financial situation and report any donors.
The journal can accept advertisements which are not conflicting with Vaisnava goals, do not offend the members.
In the beginning the Journal will come out two times a year. There will be a Gaura Purnima issue and a Kartik issue.
The Journal could expand from a member Journal to the size of a big magazine which could be purchased by all people interested in Vaisnava life.
The WVA Journal could also cover following subjects:
- List of new members
- One introduction issue could list all WVA Rules and bylaws (Constitution)
- a questionnaire form to be filled out for aspiring new members. This form could report all the details of prospective members or member institutions.
This magazine provides a forum to show the universality of Vaisnava unity in diversity, and gives a great forum for the great Vaisnava teachers to reach everyone interested in Vaisnava Siddhanta.
The journal will be financed through the subscriptions and the income from advertisements. Sriman Ramdas das has volunteered to organize the publication of the WVA Journal. He will also publish a general introduction to the WVA for potential new members. The publication will be organized from his San Francisco office. All members are requested to send their news contributions, photos and articles directly to him.
Address is: Attn. WVA Journal c/o Mandala Media 1585A Folsom Street, San Francisco CA 94103 USA
Sripad B. V. Tripurari Maharaja, Sripad Bhaktisaranga Maharaja and Sriman Vidagdha Madhava promised to help in the editing and compilation of the Journal.
International subscriptions could be sent to the address above or to the Vrindavan address of the WVA.
The WVA is going to work on as low a budget as possible. In this way the magazine subscriptions and advertisement income can cover the expenses.
Since mailing these days is very expensive we suggest for an approximate price of 2.50 US$ for each issue inside of India and 5.-US$ for the subscriptions outside of India.
Subscription cost is the only active financial contribution any member, who wants to be informed and connected has to pay.
No other membership fees are necessary, thus giving chance also to financially poor Vaisnavas to be members.
The WVA will have a donation account in Vrindavan in the State Bank of India. Subscription money and possible other donation will go to that account.
Send free newsletters as much as it is possible to potential future members of the WVA, to increase the service we like to render.
Since communication is the main purpose of the WVA, we expect every member to pay his first year subscription and include the transfer receipt in his envelope. Members without a subscription to the newsletter will not receive any news about the WVA and are practically disconnected.
Being totally unmotivated, Vaisnava members will not receive any salary for their WVA work. (They are either maintained by their missions or they must separately work for their own necessities.)
Some office work can be done by employees who will receive only the lowest rate of salary, which is in Vrindavan around 30-40 US$ monthly.
If for some auspicious reason the donations of the WVA are accumulating above the needs of running the WVA operation, such money can be used to get a proper facility for the WVA Headquarter in Vrindavan, for expanding the Journal and to send free subscriptions to poor Vaisnavas.
The WVA will yearly publish statements on all its expenses and incomes so that all members can be assured of its non-interested nature, basic to all real Vaisnava services.
Many Vaisnavas have volunteered to serve the WVA. The Journal will inform the WVA members of the services and donations received.
Legal questions
Registration of the WVA in India:
In order to have a functioning and registered WVA we will need to register the founding members legally and with the managing rules. The registration procedure is handled by the secretary and a legal adviser.
We present here a list of all the Founding members. All of them are eligible to be members of the Managing Committee.
Founding Members (30)Sripad B.V. Tripurari Svami (Eugene, USA)
Sripad Govinda Maharaj (Nandagram)
Sripad Bharati Maharaj (Nandagram)
Sripad Mangal Maharaja (Calcutta)
Sripad B.V. Visnu Maharaj (Vrindavan, Puri)
Sripad Madhava Maharaj (Vrindavan, Gurukul Road)
Sripad B. B. Bodayan Maharaj (Mayapur)
Sripad B. Vamana Maharaja (Mayapur)
Sripad B. K. Harijan Maharaj (Mayapur)
Sripad B.S. Sroti Maharaj (Nandagram)
Sriman Bhagavad das (Vrindavan)
Sripad Narasingha Maharaj (Vrindavan)
Sripad B.S. Visnu Maharaj (Vrindavan)
Sriman Atulananda das (Chile)
Sripad B.A. Paramadvaiti Maharaj (Vrindavan)
Sriman Krsnananda das (Hungary)
Sripad B.K. Tirtha Svami (Hungary)
Sriman Turiya das (Hawaii)
Sripad B.S. Damodar Maharaj (Manipur)
Sripad Santo Maharaj (Behalar)
Sripad Bhakti Saranga Maharaj (Hawaii)
Sriman Bhaktisiddha das (Vrindavan)
Sriman Ramdas das (San Francisco)
Sriman Srinivas das (Hawaii)
Sripad B. P. Madhusudana Maharaja (Mayapur)
Sriman Khirodakasayee das (Vrindavan)
Sriman Anath Bandu das (Delhi)
Sripad Vaisnava Maharaj (Germany)
Sripad Hrishikesh Maharaj (Columbia)
Sriman Ramesh das (Costa Rica)
The Managing Committee:
President: Srimad B.P. Puri Maharaj (Mayapur)
Vice president: Sripad B.V. Tripurari Svami (Eugene, USA)
Secretary: Sripad B.A. Paramadvaiti Maharaj (Vrindavan)
Publisher, editor: Sriman Ramdas das (San Francisco)
Treasurer: Sripad B.S. Visnu Maharaj (Vrindavan)
Trustees: Sripad B.B. Bodhayan Maharaj (Mayapur)
Sripad B.S. Damodar Maharaj (Manipur)
Sripad B.S. Sroti Maharaj (Nandagram)
Sripad B.K. Tirtha Svami (Hungary)
Sriman Khirodakasayee das (Vrindavan)
Vaisnava Council Supervisors
In order to assure the purity and fairness in all articles and other activities we choose three members, who live in Vrindavan and who are capable to dedicate some time to the WVA. In case any complain would arise they would study it and write their opinion in the Vaisnava Journal.
Those Vaisnava Council supervisors should live like sadhus in Vrindavan and should not be maintained by the WVA.
Sripad B.V. Visnu Maharaj (Vrindavan, Puri)
Sripad B.P. Madhusudana Maharaja (Nandagram)
Sriman Saksi Gopal das (Vrindavan)
It was decided the all the living disciples of Srila Prabhupad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami are considered Honorary Members of WVA.
Many more have shown keen interest but if you know any other Acarya, Sannyasi or leading preacher who would like to render a service to the WVA feel free to write down their names and addresses.
Members of the following missions participated in the Foundation meeting:
Chaitanya Math
Gaudiya Vaisnava Society
Sri Chaitanya Math
ISEV
ISKCON
Gaudiya Sangha
Sri Caitanya Gaudiya Math
Vedanta Samiti
Sri Caitanya Bhakti Gemeinschaft
VRINDA
Bhaktivedanta Ashram
Hungarian Vaisnava Association
Sri Sri Radha Govindaji Trust
Gaudiya Mission
Bhaktivedanta Institute
Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mission
Gopinath Gaudiya Math
Mantra Meditation Hawaii
General technical resolutions
The WVA will initially establish a donation accounts.
All donations will be transferred to our account in Vrindavan State Bank of India.
Three persons must have the right to sign the accounts. And to move the accounts the signature of two out of three is necessary. One is the treasurer and the other two are delegated by the Secretary.
The Vrindavan headquarter of the WVA will establish full office facilities with local CLERK EMPLOYEES if there is any lack of voluntaries.
The headquarter will hire a certified accountant to give financial statements to all members.
The headquarter will try to establish:
1. Fax communication so that all members can send in their reports.
2 A Computer center for: (A computer was already donated for that purpose to the WVA)
a. keeping track of all members
b. keeping the accounts
c. desk top publishing of WVA newsletter
d. mail outs of all newsletter
e. inventory of the WVA library and archives
3. Printing facilities for the WVA newsletter.
4. WVA library
5. Acquire a property in Vrindavan to accommodate the above needs, rent before it can be purchased. (Temporary office facility has already been sponsored by Vrinda.)
Above that the WVA may organize WVA meetings in Vrindavan or Navadvipa serving the general cause of the WVA and of the holy Dham.
The WVA cannot at any time favor any particular mission with their moneys.
Furthermore any additional project to be financed would require the majority approval of the Vaisnava Council.
The WVA can receive properties as donation or buy them as needed. Unless such properties are necessary for the WVA offices and functions they should be sold and the money should be spent in accordance with the bylaws.
To approve any sales/purchase transaction the simple majority of the Managing Council Board has to approve by signature in the meeting register of the transaction.
In case of dissolution of the Association all the assets of it shall be transferred to the municipality of Vrindavan to restore holy ponds and ghats.
Rules of membership
Every member should give recognition to five transcendental revelations the Lord chooses to bless the world:
a. The Holy Name of the Lord (Samkirtan)
b. The Holy Scriptures and their regular study (Sastras)
c. The Holy Deities of the Lord (Arca Vigraha)
d. The Holy Places of the Lords pastimes (Dhamas)
e. The Holy Devotees of the Supreme Lord (Bhakta)
Members can be:
1. Acaryas and their disciples.
2. Preaching projects with their leader and members.
3. Individual Vaisnavas anywhere in the world.
4. Any institution or business which is exclusively dedicated to the
Lord's service.
The WVA would have common members, affiliated institutions and Acaryas, Vaisnava Council Members, Managing committee members and Vaisnava Council Supervisors.
Membership with the WVA is mainly based on the individual interests of any individual Acarya or any individual Vaisnava to actually further the cause of the WVA. Therefore within one mission many individuals may be members of the WVA or an entire mission may choose to be associated with the WVA.
This permits a much broader approach and will give the chance to OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS to the cause of all Acaryas to be recognized by all Vaisnavas of the world.
Everyone who considers to become a member of the WVA should carefully study the Goal and Bylaws and see if he really fulfills the conditions and wants to honestly become a member of the WVA.
The acceptance of new members to the WVA could be done by the secretary and one more trust member. Members sign a paper with all information regarding their position and accept the goals and rules as given to them.
In case the secretary and the trustee objects to accepting somebody's application to become a member of the WVA, the application will wait until the next managing committee meeting. If the managing committee also rejects the application, it may or not give some written reason for not accepting the request. A rejected applicant can as last resource ask the Vaisnava Council to vote on the application, by entering a written petition answering the objections issued by the managing committee. The same applies to those whose membership has been canceled by the supervisors of the Vaisnava Council. This could bring about some very interesting enlightenment's regarding our Siddhanta.
Practically all Vaisnava institutions could have an office which directs their communication with the WVA, and every individual member should keep in mind how to promote the goals of the WVA in his area.
Members should be respectful and humble in their dealings with other Vaisnava members.
Members should give full information about their siddhanta, Sampradaya and actual service connection.
The WVA will not accept applicants who endorse meat eating and animal slaughter, intoxication consumption, gambling or non marital sexual relationships.
The WVA will refrain from accepting as members those, who follow or are strongly influenced by the impersonal Mayavada teachings or by the imitationist Sahajias.
The WVA will not accept those as members, who do not accept the universal principle of God's protection to all sincere devotees nor those who are eager to impose their opinions on others with some claim on exclusive monopoly on the truth above all others.
The WVA reserves itself the right to accept members and publish their contributions or not at the criteria of the president and the editorial board of the newsletter.
The WVA also tries to preach to the four sampradyas to try to share Lord Gauranga's Glory with them.
In order to accept members who are not clearly in the line of the Brahma Madva Gaudiya Sampradaya we need to establish a criteria. The Journal will invite other Vaisnava Sampradayas to contribute to the Journal. This will start communication with them.
The Rules of WVA
At least in the beginning the WVA will be limited with the English and Bengali medium for its newsletter and voting procedures. Local translations are naturally welcomed but would entirely depend on private initiatives of local members.
The WVA DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY INDIVIDUAL GURU-DISCIPLE RELATIONSHIPS of any kind. The individual spiritual connection of all members must be outside of the WVA. But if with the blessings of his spiritual master, someone wants to voluntary cooperate with the WVA anywhere in the world, that would be highly welcomed.
Since THE WVA DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY ASHRAM FACILITIES, it would not be able to accommodate full time volunteers who would depend on the WVA for their maintenance. Such volunteers nevertheless may find accommodation in the Ashrams of member organizations such as Vrinda, the Vrindavan Institute for Vaisnava Culture and Studies, which has offered their premises to be used to further the cause of the WVA in the beginning.
Whoever is displeased with the managing committee and their actions, is requested to send their comments and their suggestions. A fully independent voluntary board of the Vaisnava council will study it carefully to see how we can serve the Lord and his Devotees in the best way.
The WVA cannot be held responsible for any mistakes done by its members. The proper line of conduct as a member of the WVA is to make every effort to make others happy, and not give any distress to the living entities.
Since the WVA is a voluntary association of Vaisnavas for an united goal, it has no means to correct somebody except by showing it's disapproval of some members' action by canceling his membership if any proven wrongdoing which may harm the Vaisnava and the WVA image is found in them.
A Vaisnava Council of the WVA will consider to first suggest correction to any wrong party before it would expel any member.
The WVA will only deal in a fraternal way with its members and their possible conflicts. The WVA is trying to provide a happy and positive forum and it is not the place to resolve conflicts amongst others, save and except if that could be accomplished by suggestions given by the Vaisnava Council to all involved parties.
The Managing Committee and the Vaisnava Council
The managing committee will be elected from the Vaisnava Council.
The Managing committee will meet once a year one day before the proposed WVA festivals in Kartik. A quorum of minimum 6 members should be present to make decisions. A simple majority could be utilized to reach decisions.
Members of the board could also sent a representative to a meeting.
The managing committee for the first 5 years was chosen by the founders of the WVA. The services were distributed by the voluntary subcommittee in accordance with the proposals of the founding members and in consideration of the personal abilities and wishes of the members.
The managing committee has appointed the three Vaisnava council supervisors for the first five years. In case of any members demise, renunciation or removal for not acting in the interest of the WVA, the remaining members will elect by simple majority a new member to the managing committee or as a Vaisnava Council supervisor. In the duration of time until the next meeting of the Managing committee the secretary will select an interim substitute out of the Vaisnava Council membership. All topics of the yearly meetings will be announced in written form in the WVA newsletter.
The accountant will present the yearly balance and the secretary will report on the general achievements.
The managing committee could appoint representatives of the WVA to coordinate with other organizations like the United Nations any facilities to contribute Vaisnava Wisdom to the world. Such representatives can exist to represent Vaisnava interests in many fields, such as:
- International Vaisnava Relief Efforts
- International Vaisnava Education Efforts
- Vaisnava Culture and Art Groups
- Vaisnava Holy Places Restoration Groups
- Vaisnava Scientific Research Groups
- Vaisnava Ecomenic Exchange With Others Religions
- Vaisnava Contacts with Secular Organizations
The Vaisnava Council
The Vaisnava Council of the WVA is a unique Vaisnava Network using our modern world to create a net of selfless dedicated servants of God and mankind to help others on the spiritual path.
Every ashram or Vaisnava community could have one or more members on the Vaisnava Council.
Qualifications to become a member of the Vaisnava Council.
1. They must be a member of the WVA
2. They should have duly received the Gayatri Initiation in Disciplic succession
3. They should have the recommendation of some Acarya or Mandir which is also a registered member of the WVA.
If the recommendation mentioned in point 88. is not available to somebody who wants to become a member of the Vaishnava Council, he/she should search out at least three other members of the WVA in his/her area who give a written testimony that he/she fulfills the following qualifications:
- give 100% of their time and energy to the service of guru and God if they are Sannyasys or brahmacaris
- give as much of their time and energy to the Vaisnava goals as they
can if they are married or about to marry
- follow strictly the moral rules of their initiation
- are kind hearted and eager to help others
- they should actively organize and participate in daily Hari Katha programs.
Member of the Vaisnava Council of the WVA have the duty to be an excellent representative of the WVA ideas in their area. They should organize meetings in their area with other Vaisnavas and sympathizers every time the newsletter come out or on regular basis. They should read it together and make plans how they can further Vaisnava unity in diversity in their local area.
The Vaisnava Council can vote in the future the members of the Managing committee and also on other issues which may come up.
Since it would be impractical to hold discussion amongst such a big group of the Vaisnava Council, the Vaisnava Council members receives a special questionnaire when any new vote comes up. Any issue and any vote would be previously described in the Newsletter and also afterwards the outcome will be reported.
The candidates for the managing committee will be announced in the WVA newsletter with a short bio data and with their own writing to offer their service to the Vaisnava community.
The Vaisnava council members will vote amongst themselves the officers for the next 5 years.
At the end of every 5 year period each managing member should submit a report to the Vaisnava council. Reelection is possible. Each Vaisnava council member will choose candidates and give them a respective post of the eight serving positions in the managing Committee. According to the votes the services will be distributed.
The bylaws of the WVA can be changed by a simple majority vote of the Vaisnava Council on the proposal of change.
The Vaisnava Council supervisors
The Members of the Vaisnava Council, who would like to be elected as a Vaisnava Council Supervisor can offer their services at the time of election to the managing committee and to the Vaisnava Council supervisors. Since we are in the computer age there should not be any problems arising from to many candidates or voting members. Anyway the most outstanding contributors to the WVA and the Vaisnava world will be easily recognized. In the case of inability of any Vaisnava Council supervisors the secretary of the managing committee could appoint an substitute out of the Vaisnava Council membership until the next election.
The WVA will organize a Sannyasi board and a Acarya board to increase the loving relationships between different missions.
The WVA will organize a Vaisnava Business board (Vaisya Rishis) and a Vaisnava Artist board to increase exchange and enthusiasm in those communities and fields.
The WVA will publish a book every year or two to report all members addresses and services.
Managing committee duties
Duties: Leading positions:
Preside yearly meetings ---- President
Substitute president in absence ---- Vice President
Supervise society activities, accounting, accept new members ---- Secretary
Supervise petty cash and bank book keep check book ---- Trust member, Treasurer
Represent to the local government ---- Trust member
Accept new members ---- Trust member
Edit newsletter ---- Trust member Publisher
Countersign checks ---- Trust member
Extra services:
Duties: Leading positions:
Keep all books and make regular statement ---- Accountant
Revise all decisions to be according to Indian and international laws ---- Legal adviser
Supervise all departments, look at accounts and correspondence, supervise votes and make decision regarding problems with members who are accused to harm the WVA ---- Vaisnava Council Supervisors
Sending and answering mail ---- Mail order dept. in charge
Newsletter production ---- Desktop Publishing in charge
Keep member lists accounts analyze votes ---- Computer Dept. in charge
Meetings of the WVA in different localities of the world will be up to be locally organized by more powerful member institutions or by capable members of the Vaisnava Council.
The purpose of such meetings could be:
To increase the Vaisnava unity in diversity.
To celebrate Holy Days such as Gaura Purnima and Janmastami or Ratha Yatra on a scale that goes beyond the local concerns of each mission.
To make plans how to help others with increased preaching.
To promote Vaisnava culture activities endorsed by the WVA such as
theater, dance transcendental music, scientific lectures in their locality.
To help to coordinate pilgrimages to India in participation with the yearly WVA Kartik Festival in Vrindavan.
It was decided that the WVA will hold two meetings and festivals a year. One will be celebrated one day before Gaura Purnima in Mayapur, the birthplace of Lord Caitanya and the second one on Rama ekadasi in Kartik in Sri Vrindavan dhama.
In 1995 the Gaura Purnima festival is scheduled to be held at the Gopinath Gaudiya Math in Mayapur, at the permanent address of the President of the WVA, Parama Pujyapad B.P. Puri Maharaja at three PM.
All member institution are invited to offer their premises to celebrate meetings and festivals of the WVA. The WVA Journal will announce, which places the next meetings will be held, and the President will the choose the most adequate facility.
Please write your preferred schedule for such a meetings of the managing committee as well as of the general yearly Vaisnava Festival combining formal and administrative aspects with the festive Samkirtan spirit.
Please give us a list of names and their addresses who you feel may be interested to know about, or to become members of the WVA, so that some information could be mailed to them!
AS TRÊS GRANDES ONDAS DE SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU NO BRASIL
(História do Movimento Hare Krsna no Brasil - por Vyasa Dasa)
Relato Histórico do Inicio do Vaisnavismo no Brasil em 1973, com A.C. Bhktivendanta Swami Prabhupada, e os demais momentos importantes que se seguiram com a continuidade evolutiva do Estabelecimento de Grandes Acaryas Vaisnavas, sendo Srila Sridhara Maharaja a partir de 1.980 e atualmente Srila Narayana Maharaja.
