Oh no! Its that nasty PADA thing on the internet!
Maharaja, what will we do now?
ys pd]
Mukunda Goswami blessed his disciple to find a wife at the age of 61.
Dear devotees, below is a letter - a comment by Medini-pati prabhu on his marital status.
Dear devotees, please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
In order to avoid omissions and misunderstandings in my family situation, I want to state the state of things as I see them.
Gauri Mataji and I have been married for 24 years together. All this time, we were under the guidance of spiritual masters, trying to live in Srila Prabhupada’s mission and fulfill the prescribed dharma. During our life together, Gauri ideally performed her feminine dharma, being an example of complete selfless dedication as a wife, mother and devotee, which greatly inspired all of us.
As our spiritual progress progressed, it became increasingly clear that our priorities in devotional service diverged. By my nature, I was more into mentoring, preaching and lecturing. Whereas Gauri is for kirtanas and harinamas. After repeated serious conversations with Purnacandra Goswami, Mukunda Goswami and Bhakti Vijnana Goswami, we partially balanced our different natures in serving the mission of Srila Prabhupada and performing our dharma. As a result, we were able to lead a fairly large Nama-Hatta, sing kirtans and raise full-fledged children in Krishna Consciousness. Spiritual masters were pleased with our practice.
The next serious crisis began in 2010, due to the relocation to Sochi and the founding of the Balaramovka community. By this time it was clear that the move was in some sense a violence for Gauri, and she herself honestly said that she could not cope. But at that time it was the only right way for me - to surrender to the instructions of the guru, and Gauri followed me as her husband, selflessly carrying my mission all this time.
Dear devotees, below is a letter - a comment by Medini-pati prabhu on his marital status.
Dear devotees, please accept my obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
In order to avoid omissions and misunderstandings in my family situation, I want to state the state of things as I see them.
Gauri Mataji and I have been married for 24 years together. All this time, we were under the guidance of spiritual masters, trying to live in Srila Prabhupada’s mission and fulfill the prescribed dharma. During our life together, Gauri ideally performed her feminine dharma, being an example of complete selfless dedication as a wife, mother and devotee, which greatly inspired all of us.
As our spiritual progress progressed, it became increasingly clear that our priorities in devotional service diverged. By my nature, I was more into mentoring, preaching and lecturing. Whereas Gauri is for kirtanas and harinamas. After repeated serious conversations with Purnacandra Goswami, Mukunda Goswami and Bhakti Vijnana Goswami, we partially balanced our different natures in serving the mission of Srila Prabhupada and performing our dharma. As a result, we were able to lead a fairly large Nama-Hatta, sing kirtans and raise full-fledged children in Krishna Consciousness. Spiritual masters were pleased with our practice.
The next serious crisis began in 2010, due to the relocation to Sochi and the founding of the Balaramovka community. By this time it was clear that the move was in some sense a violence for Gauri, and she herself honestly said that she could not cope. But at that time it was the only right way for me - to surrender to the instructions of the guru, and Gauri followed me as her husband, selflessly carrying my mission all this time.
We tried to organize kirtans and harines as much as possible. But we could not travel much and visit the kirtana-mela, due to the minority of children and the need to develop the community. Gradually, the internal tension and discontent of Gauri grew. By 2016, my physical health had deteriorated significantly and my age began to take its own, I could not fully support my spouse emotionally, while she experienced strong emotional stress from the lack of frequent kirtans and harinams.
The situation was also complicated by repeated surgical interventions in my body. We began to physically live separately, so as not to harm each other. Over time, she was forced to stop performing women's duties in serving me as a husband. Gradually, these responsibilities were transferred to members of our community.
In 2017, after a long serious analysis, being fully informed about the physical and mental state of me and Gauri, Mukunda Goswami gave the instruction to give Gauri the opportunity to make all the decisions himself. Decisions, first of all concerning her spiritual practice. Gopal Krishna Goswami, Gauri's spiritual master, refused to give her any specific solution. Considering us mature devotees, he granted us the right to look for a way out of this situation own.
From that moment on, I had to relieve myself of some pressure on Gauri. She continued to serve in the temple, but not to me personally, as it conflicted with her spiritual life. I repeatedly offered her to return to the ministry to me, as a husband, as to the main ministry, but this did not inspire her.
Our family life was moving towards the vanaprastha stage.
It was decided to separate spiritual practice, the children became completely independent. I retained my husband’s duties as financial support for my wife, but I took off her emotional protection, which was also dictated by my natural state — old age. But this form of renunciation came into conflict with the needs of my preaching mission. I needed support on trips, on operations, on dieting, socializing and household issues.
This situation was described in detail in a letter to my spiritual master. What happened next (the divorce and the subsequent wedding of Gauri) is not my initiative. This is entirely a decision of Gauri Mataji and I was forced to agree with this, since from a legal and ethical point of view I could not resist it. Even with my refusal to sign a divorce, Gauri had the opportunity to get papers through the court.
After the events that took place, we had a discussion in the community, trying to analyze this situation as objectively as possible, and as a result another letter was written to Mukunda Maharaj. Gurudev instructed to maintain the functioning of the Temple and to transfer financial responsibility from my shoulders to the community. As for my ashram (status), Guru Maharaj explained that content is first and foremost important, and form is just a tool for maintaining this essence. Our strength is in purity, which we draw from chanting and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books.
To carry out further preaching and my normal functioning requires a certain physical care of my body and life. The community at this stage of its development cannot fully support me because of the small number of its members and the presence of young children in families. In this regard, Guru Maharaj blessed me to find a prabhu or mataji who will take responsibility for taking care of me. Guru Maharaj specifically emphasized that he does not see any problems if this is a mataji with which I will have to formalize relations with time. I have a record of this darshan, and the evidence is in SB 8.2.30, SB 8.19.2.
Dear devotees, I would like to humbly recall that the purpose of our spiritual practice is to satisfy a spiritual master. Therefore, in my decisions I do not rely on my own desires, but I try to keep the guru’s precepts in priority and follow them as precisely as possible. Perhaps externally, the implementation of these instructions may seem strange and incomprehensible to someone, nevertheless, the essence of my actions is as that.
If you are disturbed by my actions, then the best way is to turn to my elders - Mukunda Maharaj or Bhakti Vijnana Goswami for clarification. Any other discussion about me with Vaisnavas should be considered prajalpa, a waste of time that could lead to Vaisnava aparadhas. Please protect your spiritual life, only these two Vaisnavas have a complete picture of the situation. Minor misunderstandings and questions can be found out from my secretary Kazachenko Natalia.
Your servant,
Medini-Pati das
In 2017, after a long serious analysis, being fully informed about the physical and mental state of me and Gauri, Mukunda Goswami gave the instruction to give Gauri the opportunity to make all the decisions himself. Decisions, first of all concerning her spiritual practice. Gopal Krishna Goswami, Gauri's spiritual master, refused to give her any specific solution. Considering us mature devotees, he granted us the right to look for a way out of this situation own.
From that moment on, I had to relieve myself of some pressure on Gauri. She continued to serve in the temple, but not to me personally, as it conflicted with her spiritual life. I repeatedly offered her to return to the ministry to me, as a husband, as to the main ministry, but this did not inspire her.
Our family life was moving towards the vanaprastha stage.
It was decided to separate spiritual practice, the children became completely independent. I retained my husband’s duties as financial support for my wife, but I took off her emotional protection, which was also dictated by my natural state — old age. But this form of renunciation came into conflict with the needs of my preaching mission. I needed support on trips, on operations, on dieting, socializing and household issues.
This situation was described in detail in a letter to my spiritual master. What happened next (the divorce and the subsequent wedding of Gauri) is not my initiative. This is entirely a decision of Gauri Mataji and I was forced to agree with this, since from a legal and ethical point of view I could not resist it. Even with my refusal to sign a divorce, Gauri had the opportunity to get papers through the court.
After the events that took place, we had a discussion in the community, trying to analyze this situation as objectively as possible, and as a result another letter was written to Mukunda Maharaj. Gurudev instructed to maintain the functioning of the Temple and to transfer financial responsibility from my shoulders to the community. As for my ashram (status), Guru Maharaj explained that content is first and foremost important, and form is just a tool for maintaining this essence. Our strength is in purity, which we draw from chanting and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books.
To carry out further preaching and my normal functioning requires a certain physical care of my body and life. The community at this stage of its development cannot fully support me because of the small number of its members and the presence of young children in families. In this regard, Guru Maharaj blessed me to find a prabhu or mataji who will take responsibility for taking care of me. Guru Maharaj specifically emphasized that he does not see any problems if this is a mataji with which I will have to formalize relations with time. I have a record of this darshan, and the evidence is in SB 8.2.30, SB 8.19.2.
Dear devotees, I would like to humbly recall that the purpose of our spiritual practice is to satisfy a spiritual master. Therefore, in my decisions I do not rely on my own desires, but I try to keep the guru’s precepts in priority and follow them as precisely as possible. Perhaps externally, the implementation of these instructions may seem strange and incomprehensible to someone, nevertheless, the essence of my actions is as that.
If you are disturbed by my actions, then the best way is to turn to my elders - Mukunda Maharaj or Bhakti Vijnana Goswami for clarification. Any other discussion about me with Vaisnavas should be considered prajalpa, a waste of time that could lead to Vaisnava aparadhas. Please protect your spiritual life, only these two Vaisnavas have a complete picture of the situation. Minor misunderstandings and questions can be found out from my secretary Kazachenko Natalia.
Your servant,
Medini-Pati das
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