Just in the mail box...

Dr. Syamalal Prabhu from the Bhaktivedanta hospital asked Guru Maharaja to give his right hand and he responded to it. The doctor asked Guru Maharaja to squeeze his hand and Guru Maharaja squeezed his hand. The doctor asked Guru Maharaja to move his legs then he started shaking the legs vigourously. Even the bed started to shake. Therefore the doctor wanted him to stop and Guru Maharaja immediately stopped. Whenever the doctor speaks to Guru Maharaja he opens his eyes and looks at the doctor.

Guru Maharaja is still in a delicate situation and the hospital has strictly ordered not to disturb him.

# Posted by Aniruddha at 26/10/08; 10:11:57 PM to the News dept.
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From Ratnavali

Just in from Ratnavali...

Revati Raman Prabhu, the Temple President of Tirupati, AP, India one of the senior disciples of Guru Maharaja is rendering a very important service for the care and safety of Guru Maharaja in the hospital by the ICU. Today under the supervision of the doctors and nurses he approached Guru Maharaja to tie a pavitram of Tirupati Balaji Deity. While tying the pavitram on Guru Maharaja's hand Revati Raman Prabhu spoke, "We love you so much. Every one around the world wants you. They are all praying for you and sending so many emails." As Guru Maharaja heard this he opened his eyes looking at Revati Raman prabhu for 2 minutes and raised his left hand pointing to his mouth.

The doctors and nurses were amazed and said that Guru Maharaja perfectly understood what Prabhu said and indicated that he was unable to speak because of the tubes in his mouth.

# Posted by Aniruddha at 26/10/08; 2:42:51 PM to the News dept.
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Jayapataka Swami

This has been something of a marathon now that I think about it. Bhaktarupa and I have been working on the ISKCON Law Book for the last six years. Today was the second day of work although I must admit to tidying up a backlog of email and other tasks rather than doing much Law Book work today.

Our plan is to have most of the new book online by the end of the meeting. Along with the revised Laws we will offer comprehensive views of the following;

• all GBC resolutions
• the 1995 Law Book
• the current revision alongside the old showing what changes were made
• the new revised edition of ISKCON Law
• all in a searchable Wiki

Initially it will only be available for reviewers till it is approved by the GBC. We don't have a time frame when this will be final.

Even though it has taken six years we have really only spent a week of each year on the actual task so that works out to approximately 50 days in total which isn't a lot. The extra days are work done at the GBC meetings with the Deputies. We just have to keep plugging away.

Little drops of water wear away the stone.

# Posted by Aniruddha at 26/10/08; 12:42:03 AM to the News dept.
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Law Book Work in Mumbai

Here's the latest two updates from Ratnavali received today. The first is from this morning and the second from early afternoon Mumbai time. There's also a new web-site dedicated to this subject.

Doctor Hegde, the incharge of ICU Unit said that Guru Maharaja is in a stable condition. They have diagnosed that Guru Maharaja has a chronic liver disease and that could be the cause of the decrease in platelets count. Previously they were not able to identify the reason for the decrease in platelet count. He also said that there is a good chance of removing the ventilator tomorrow.

Doctor Hegde, the in-charge of ICU Unit said that Guru Maharaja is in a stable condition. They have diagnosed that Guru Maharaja has a chronic liver disease and that could be the cause of the decrease in platelets count. Previously they were not able to identify the reason for the decrease in platelet count. He also said that there is a good chance of removing the ventilator tomorrow.

Let us keep on praying for Guru Maharaja's recovery.

This just in at 8.00 pm Mumbai time.

Hare Krsna. Please accept my most humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Srila Gurudeva.

HH Bhakti Purushottam Maharaja and other senior leading disciples have decided to put up a new health web-site which is www.jpshealth.info. All devotees can visit the web-site for the latest information of Guru Maharaja's health. This web-site will have regular updates on Guru Maharaja's health, any message to the disciples and other info. The link of this web-site will also be in www.jpsoffice.com and www.mayapur.com The special offerings that is going on around the world for the recovery of Guru Maharaja's health like chanting of extra rounds, pujas, yajnas, 24 hour kirtana will also be posted on website. If you have any pictures and videos you can send it to this email. We will inform you when it is up.

Different devotees have been asking us how they can help Guru Maharaja at this critical moment. One very important service that is required now is to donate for the hospital and medical expenses. Separate bank accounts have been created for this purpose. We will let you now in one or two days.

Your humble servant,

Ratnavali dd

# Posted by Aniruddha at 26/10/08; 12:28:50 AM to the News dept.
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New Web-site for Jayapataka Swami Health Updates

Prior to the GBC Strategic Planning meeting held this week in Mumbai another significant initiative of the Guru Services committee took place. I received this report from Tattvavit Prabhu and thought I'd share it with you.

BEING A GURU IN ISKCON: A SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP SEMINAR

By Tattvavit Dasa

Anuttama Prabhu, ISKCON's Director of Communications and a member of the GBC's Guru Services Committee, and Hanuman Prabhu, a GBC Deputy from Spain and the BBT Director for South America, facilitated a four-day seminar on spiritual leadership in mid-October in Mumbai. Sessions were held six hours a day and were being taught for the second time; last February, the pilot course was launched in Ujjain.

Six initiating gurus took part, along with eight mature devotees who now act as instructing gurus, some of whom may become initiating gurus. Had the course included only initiating gurus, perhaps it would have differed, but it was open to these other devotees.

Two attendees, Bhakti Caitanya Swami and Prahladananda Swami, are members of the Guru Services committee, which envisioned the course in February 2006. In May 2007, a steering committee met in Washington, D.C. Later, a smaller team prepared the seminar material.

Also present in Mumbai were Sivarama Swami, Bhakti Vijnana Goswami, and Guru Prasada Swami (GBC Members and initiating gurus). Six devotees from India attended: Siddhartha Prabhu, Mahaman Prabhu, and Bhaktivinoda Prabhu (disciples of Srila Prabhupada), Suradas Prabhu (based for many years in Mumbai), Sarvaisvarya Prabhu (a sannyasa candidate and regional secretary), and Vedanta Caitanya Prabhu (a temple administrator). Two devotees from America attended: Vaisesika Prabhu, a famous book distributor, and Ekalavya Prabhu, who now serves in Nagpur. Kaunteya Prabhu, from Italy, a new member of the GBC, also attended.

Once everyone got used to everyone else's accent, much interaction took place. The educational approach in the seminar was to value the dialogue between scriptural truths and individual perceptions. Although a limited number of scriptural texts were discussed in depth, the highly participatory learning methods drew out the individuals' viewpoints on many topics: the guru's role and identity, the guru's relationship with ISKCON, cooperation with ISKCON managers, guru/disciple relationships, disciples' expectations, brahminical leadership skills, life management, spiritual health, peer support, and establishing a healthy sanga of gurus (eventually a retreat will also be organized as an additional part of the seminar, where special topics will be more deeply explored). One aim of the seminar was that participants collaboratively produce guidelines for gurus in these ten areas. The other aim was for the attendees to write action points for their own benefit.

Someone may wonder how it is that gurus can attend training seminars. The question was answered this way: Learning from one another is a strength, not a weakness, and wanting to always learn and improve in devotional service is the sign of Vaishnava humility.

Given the nature of ISKCON, a multi-guru institution, the gurus' effectiveness depends on fidelity to Srila Prabhupada, allegiance to ISKCON, brahminical leadership, cooperation and unity, spiritual strength, scriptural knowledge and realization, an exemplary and balanced lifestyle, concern for everyone's welfare, reflection and self-awareness, social responsibility and accountability, empowerment of followers, and peer association and support. The course stressed these ten principles and values.

At the end of the seminar, Sivarama Swami expressed thanks for the hard work that had gone into preparing it. Future generations of gurus will be better able to serve Srila Prabhupada's mission thanks to programs like this, he said.

Prahladananda Swami thanked Anuttama and his wife, Rukmini, for donating the funds for the seminar's development. Anuttama thanked Hanuman for spending hours on refining the resource material after the pilot seminar was taught.

Bhaktivinoda Prabhu expressed an appreciation that seminars like this one are the proper use of Hare Krishna Land at Juhu Beach, because Srila Prabhupada instructed that people should stay comfortably here to learn about India's spiritual culture.

Finally, Suradas Prabhu appreciated the way Anuttama and Hanuman humbly and lucidly expressed themselves, always smiling, and he compared the strong facilitation team to two lions.

# Posted by Aniruddha at 26/10/08; 12:16:43 AM to the Education & Training dept.
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Spiritual Leadership Seminar in Juhu