By Mathura Gonzales
Hing Correspondent
FLORIDA - When the International Society for Krishna Consciousness was first incorporated in 1965, the Society consisted mostly of young men and women, but as its members grew older, the dynamics of the movement changed.
Many of the nation’s elderly live in nursing homes, enduring chronic pain and loneliness. Though the aged are greatly inconvenienced, they lack better options. This is where the devotee-fronted business Nursing Temple, Inc. comes in.
“Today, you will find only old folks here,” says the President Sad-Isvara das, 94. “Our scriptures advise us to care for our elders.”
While nondevotee nursing homes are fully staffed with trained nurses and doctors to tend to the round-the-clock care of the residents, Nursing Temple sees this as an affront to God.
“We prefer to depend soley upon Krishna, says Tyagini dasi, 69, Nursing Temple’s board president. “Why waste time on maintaining this body, which is nothing but a decaying bag of puss, stool and urine?”
West Coast Governing Body Commissioner, Drishtaketu dasa (102), said: “The youngest devotee in my zone joined 1979. He’s a rookie. I don’t trust those young whippersnappers. They don’t know what we had to go through in 1966.”
The activities at Nursing Temple are focused mainly around the grhastas. This has angered Rishi das, 86, the lone brahmacari in the community. “The grhastas never treat me as an equal. They think brahmacaris are immature and escapists.”
Though most of the relationships within Nursing Temple are blissful, not everyone has been able to cultivate friendly relationships in the temple community. “I’ve bickered with Pari since 1968, when he was leading the college preaching in Iowa,” said Maha Yudha das, 94. The 95 year old Pari replied: “Now you can see his mentality, he doesn’t even call me by my full name, Paritoshananda, although I am an older devotee.”
Sexism, too, is a common problem. A radical feminst group calling themselves “The Prabhus” wrote numerous letters of protest to the GBC. “We want to park our wheelchairs on the right-half of the temple room during the arotik, not in the back,” demanded Prabhus’s spokeswoman Bhima dasi, 87. Adding, “we know where they keep their Geritol!”
In the early days the society was accused of depriving its members of sleep and forcing them to overwork. “It’s true, we went through some rough times,” the president said, “we were young and inexperienced. Nowadays it’s completely different. We have several nap times throughout the day. Quiet hour starts at 6pm.”
Since even the management of Nursing Temple is elder, the question of who will replace them once they leave their bodies and go back home back to Godhead has been raised. “Ma suchah, do not fear. We are strict vegetarians. We have another decade or two before we will leave our bodies,” said the 94 year old Sad-Isvara. “Some have been saying that I should let the youngens take over. That’s hogwash. They can have my position when they pry it out of my cold, dead hands.”
Other senior disciples agreed. Drishtaketu added, “my GBC zone will collapse the day I give it up. They just need me. Sure, at 102, I am getting little older, but there’s still juice in me.”
Nursing Temple, Inc. is providing the aging vaisnavas a positive alternative to their kids throwing them in karmi-run nursing homes.
Tyangini agreed, “Karmi nursing homes are simply waiting rooms for the hellish planets. Come to Nursing Temple and take a nice long sponge bath in the mercy of Lord Mahaprabhu.”
Print This Article
Email This Article
15 responses so far ↓
1 jaganat // Jun 13, 2008 at 9:51 am
“They can have my position when they pry it out of my cold, dead hands.” So true, like life itself.
2 Rati // Jun 13, 2008 at 7:03 pm
Hahahaha!!!
Thumbs up to the hing’s new correspondent.
Hmmmm…. A temple full of seniors…quiet hour begins at 6… that kind of reminds me of NV during the good ol’ robe days…
3 phanisvara das // Jun 13, 2008 at 7:23 pm
where’s the contact address? i’m 51, going on (and feeling like) 100. that’s the place i’ve been looking for!
phani.
4 Hari Das // Jun 14, 2008 at 10:00 am
The hing has lost its zing
5 Devak // Jun 14, 2008 at 1:48 pm
June 14
Deshnoke, Rajasthan, India
Dear Devotees:
I’m finally settled in with the 20,000 brown rats or kabbas as the locals call them.
When one stays at the ashram here you also have to eat with the rats . There are several other fallen souls here on their journey back up the steep hill of redemption. ‘Our’ food is set out in big brass plates and we gather around for the prasadam. I guess I just have to get used to it.
Here at the Karni Mata Temple the resident diety is Durga, the Goddes of Power and Victory. No male demi gods are with us. I can see why.
I never thought that I would go from riding around in the temple limousine to living with rats. Is there some message in all of this?
Devak….. I hear the bell…it’s lunch time!
6 Devak // Jun 15, 2008 at 2:07 am
Deshnoke, Rajasthan, India
Dearest Mathura:
There is no wifi at the Temple so I had to go to the Internet cafe. It’s 625Rs per one half hour. Yikes! Plus you have to buy some coffee or tea or they stare at you in a cruel manner. I don’t like that.
Anyway, I am sending you some very hot spices for your kitchen. I know the older ones like to keep the bowels open and this will work wonders.
All the best on the new home for the elder ones.
Devak…….
PS: I’m not sure I should drink the same milk as the rats do. Do you think it is clean? I don’t think that Praphupada would have advised it.
7 Madhava Gosh // Jun 15, 2008 at 8:30 am
But are the medications offered to Krishna?
When half your daily calories come from your meds, shouldn’t they be offered?
Which brings up the question, who gets the Maha Celebrex? Is the it the most senior senior and if it is by seniority is it calculated by age, time since initiation, or longest time since the last falldown?
Will they be separate prasadam rooms for those with and without dentures with specially soft gummable prasada for those who spent a lifetime on temple dental plans and have no teeth and no dentures?
8 Rati // Jun 15, 2008 at 10:38 am
Madhava Gosh, you’re too funny!!!
I love all your various categories. Reminds me of the three types of managers in NV. Those that can count, and those that can’t.
Thanks for the laugh!
9 Devak // Jun 15, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Rajasthan, India
Dearest Rati:
Sure, I like Madhavas’ categories but let’s be serious. The ‘Last Falldown’ is the best one. Why?
Age: a big, big number….no good.
Initiation: a long time ago, also a big number.
Last Falldown: best….because that could have been in the last five minutes.
I don’t need the Celebrex right now but you never know.
Devak…..hoping to get back to USA by election time.
PS: Am I still welcome there at NV? Is my old vasanya still around? You know I’m trying to clean up my act.
10 Rati // Jun 17, 2008 at 10:06 am
I agree, longest time without deviation is surely the best.
I would think your chances of being welcome in NV are pretty high. I can’t imagine you’ve done worse than many of the others who are.
Especially for the 24 hour kirtana this weekend!!!
As for the vyasasana, there aren’t too many of those around these days. But there are many chairs, if that would be acceptable.
11 Devak // Jun 17, 2008 at 6:10 pm
At the Sacred Rat Temple - Rajasthan, India
Dearest Krsna Sister Rati:
No Vyasan? I’m so glad you said what you did. I immediately checked on EBay and there is one for sale and it’s very famous. I dearly want to buy it for NV.
There is no way this exquisite piece of furniture can fall in the hands of offensive karmi non-believers. Karmis are totally controlled by their tongues, bellies, and genitals. They lack the finer brain tissues and subtle intelligence to understand the value of this couch. This sacred seat was touched by the sacred lotus bottom of the divinest teacher of all times! The power of this seat must be unfathomable.
It even has the phallus symbol as the backrest. Can you imagine anything more powerful!
I just hope the Vatican, Bilderburgs, Zionists, or New Age scientists won’t try and buy it before my check arrives. I’m sure they would love to perform some deep, dark, black magic on it.
It’s $19,000 - free shipping. I had my old Temple send a chceck right away. It’ll be delivered to NV where it belongs!
All the very best for you,
Devak…..that was a close call!
12 Devak // Jun 18, 2008 at 12:12 am
Rati:
Just one more quick thought. A folding chair would be OK for me at NV. Also, I only take rest after the Dieties are in their night clothes.
Devak……please, no sugar added to my milk….I’m trying to loose a few kilos.
13 Devak // Jun 19, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Rajasthan, India
Dearst Devotees:
I can’t stand these kabbas[rats] any more. I’ve just about had it. Maybe this is why the swamiji sent me here? He knew it would drive me crazy. I’m just not used to living with wild animals.
Oh, please Krsna, save me from this. I’ve hit rock bottom. This is like a Hitchcock film gone mad.
Devak…….calling the ticket agent in the morning. I may see the doctor also.
PS: Dandavats Rati…..thank you for your kind invitation to New V. Do they still have that 50 foot tall statue of Prabhupada at NV? I hope and pray that era of wearing robes is over. Is it?
14 Devak // Jun 24, 2008 at 7:33 pm
India
June 24
Dearest Devotees:
I’m staying at the home of the cab driver that rescued me from the Sacred Kabba Temple. He has a lovely wife and two little children. They are sincere devotees of Lord Krishna. They don’t go to Temple that often because it is all so complicated.
So I hit on a great new idea: Hare Krishna Lite
The local newspapers have been notified and are anxious to get my upcoming report about the new movement I call Hare Krsna Lite.
Many things will remain the same but there are going to be lots of changes. First off, no more gaudy temples. An old metal factory building is fine. No diety statues taller than twelve inches. This is going to save a lot of money for sure.
More ideas to follow.
Take care and Haribol,
Devak……taking over were ACB left off many years ago.
15 Devak // Jun 25, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Jn 25……Raj.
Dear Devotees:
PAMHO
Also here are a few more ideas on HKL. That means Hare Krishna Lite….our new movement.
OK, When you write a letter or email always start with PAMHO. You all know what that means. If now, let me know.
End all emails with YS. Same as before.
We’re not going to be wasting our typing time with a lot of drawn out formal stuff for now on. Krsna could care less about that. He only wants our devotion…not a lot of ritual.
HK
YS,
HH..D
Got it?
Leave a Comment - If you have something to say, make sure it's topical and not just ranting. Rants will be deleted or edited. Ok? Ok! Keep it clean and keep it fun. Play along or take it somewhere else. See "Policy" for more details.