Śrī Godruma Kalpāṭavī – Third Desire Tree

Instructions to the Employees of Śrī Nāma Haṭṭa

All employees of Śrī Nāma Haṭṭa are hereby humbly requested to send to the publisher of the Godruma Kalpāṭavī relevant news or details of any function regarding pure Vaiṣṇava dharma, Vaiṣṇava festivals, hari-nāma festivals, or the disappearance days of pure Vaiṣṇavas. Any exceptional Vaiṣṇavas activities (old or new) or developments should be sent in detail.

Why is the sweeper of the Nāma Haṭṭa the signatory of the Godruma Kalpāṭavī newsletter?

As the sweeper cleans the market daily, he finds scattered letters here and there. Whatever he finds in those letters he gives to the saharatdāra to broadcast. At the time of publishing, since the information comes from the sweeper, the saharatdāra signs the sweeper’s name. The origin of all these bits of information are known by the chief trader, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu.

Special Note: The dālālas were mentioned in the previous issue. These are all pure Vaiṣṇavas of the Nāma Haṭṭa. But apart from them, there are many well-wishers of the Nāma Haṭṭa who are also brokers but not yet pure Vaiṣṇavas. They assist the pure Vaiṣṇavas to strengthen the market-place. In the future, when by the potency of the holy name they also become pure Vaiṣṇavas, their names will be mentioned as Nāma Haṭṭa employees.

A Caution

The workers of the Nāma Haṭṭa mentioned in the Second Desire Tree should deal with one another in a mood of true brotherhood. No one should consider another to be less perfect than himself. Just as on a tulasi plant one does not consider the leaves to be more or less pure according to their large or small size, so a pure Vaiṣṇava is not to be considered higher or lower according to his wealth, physical strength, material learning, caste, physical appearance, or age. Consideration of high caste, wealth, family, Vaiṣṇava birth, and the subsequent receiving of respect therefrom is simply social and has nothing to do with transcendental life.

The consideration of senior and junior amongst godbrothers should be based on how advanced one is in pure devotional service to the Lord. Pure Vaiṣṇavas naturally offer all respect to other senior Vaiṣṇavas, and to members in the hereditary family of the Lord or His great devotees. They also observe matters of Vaiṣṇava etiquette, respect pure devotees, honor guests, and respect others according to the degree that they have renounced material life. Apart from the above-mentioned considerations, pure devotees make no other distinctions regarding high or low, and carefully avoid them.

Announcement

All the rules, regulations, and happenings of the Śrī Nāma Haṭṭa and all the news of the market that the public should know will be published in this Godruma Kalpāṭavī. This newsletter has no specific time of publication—sometimes each month, sometimes every two months, sometimes twice in a month—and there is no cost. All traveling salesmen, storekeepers, and other employees of the market shall receive one free copy. Those who, from the first issue, save and bind all of them together will benefit greatly in the end. Apart from this newsletter, a publication of the name Śrī Vaiṣṇava-siddhānta Mālā will arise from the Śrī Nāma Haṭṭa. One issue of this publication is termed a guṭi (bead). One hundred and eight guṭis will make a complete mālā. Whenever a guṭi is printed, the traveling salesmen, the storekeepers, and all other employees of the market will receive a free copy. This issue will reveal truths of Vaiṣṇava philosophy and also establish pure Vaiṣṇava songs. Traveling salesmen, storekeepers, and other Nāma Haṭṭa employees may chant and bring others to chant this nāma-saṅkīrtana. The truths of the holy name and truths of devotion, and the revelations of scripture and related teachings, all of which will appear in this paper, should be preached from village to village in like manner. The employees of the Nāma Haṭṭa should very carefully save their copies of the guṭi from the first issue. Although the first issue was published some time ago, it will be printed once again and go into the hands of the employees. Each guṭi will be of a fixed size. If one wants more copies of the guṭi, he should pay one paisa for each. The workers can write to the saharatkāra to request as many copies as they want and will receive them accordingly.

A Request

O great souls who are traveling salesmen and storekeepers of our market of the holy name: we humbly request you to send, in clear writing, the name, village, address, and district of any pure Vaiṣṇavas whom you may know. Then we can request them to allow us to print their name as a traveling salesman in our Śrī Nāma Haṭṭa newspaper.

Prapannāśramas and Śraddhā-kuṭīras

In the village where he resides, each shopkeeper should establish a store for selling the holy name—in a kuṭīra, hut, shelter, or room. That kuṭīra will be known as a prapannāśrama. Faithful devotees of the holy name will gather from near and far to taste the nectar of the holy name and preach the glories of the holy name. The Vaiṣṇavas will recognize and respect the storekeeper as their spiritual brother. But the saintly people who are connected with the ashram should not think that they are obliged to feed him. A sadhu is not eager to take assistance from another for the purpose of mitigating his bodily requirements. However, according to one’s capability one may make any offering to his brother. The storekeeper will not take offense if a devotee brings his own food and stays overnight at the ashram. If in serving his brother one gives personal possessions as an offering, he should not feel any pride by thinking that he is the giver.  Everyone should endeavor just so that the victory flag of the pure name may be raised. No one should think “I” or “mine” or “other” and feel false respect or disrespect. To mitigate one’s own wants, one should practice his required work; that is the general rule. The name of each prapannāśrama will include the name of the village or area—e.g., Amla Jora Prapannāśrama, Bagh Bazar Prapannāśrama, and so on.

Wherever a traveling salesman stays is called a śraddhā-kuṭīra—e.g., Phula Kusum Śraddhā-kuṭīra, Nakhuria Śraddhā-kuṭīra, and so forth. There is no need to construct a separate house or building.

Whenever a worker connected with the Nāma Haṭṭa visits a village where a traveling salesman is situated, he should first visit the śraddhā-kuṭīra and meet with that salesman. Nāma Haṭṭa workers should pay for their expenses from personal funds. However, since the traveling salesman has feelings of brotherly affection for all, if he wishes to take a brother-worker as a guest in his home, then whatever is pleasing to both—a mutual exchange of happiness—should be settled on.

A Further Announcement

In the course of his ordinary business, whenever any Nāma Haṭṭa worker visits another village, then, at a general place pre-established for the purpose of preaching, he should train the local people how to give lectures and sing devotional songs for the public’s benefit. If this is done, then within a few days, qualified speakers and singers as traveling salesmen and storekeepers will be available. In this regard everyone should take special care. Humble, enthusiastic, learned, and intelligent young persons should be taught in a secluded place to lecture and sing. Little by little, engage these trained young persons in giving lectures in public places—in the markets and other places. An account of any such attempt that is successful should be sent to the newspaper for publishing.