Help Uttamaśloka get to India!
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Hi, Hare Krishna! My name is Uttamaśloka das. I’m a student monk, practicing Bhakti Yoga, and I’m raising money to go to India this year!
The purpose of my trip is 4 fold.
Firstly, I want to go on pilgrimage with my guru (spiritual teacher, pictured middle in the photo. I’m on the left!) to visit sacred places and learn from him.
Secondly, I want to visit a holy village called Vrindaban as a personal pilgrimage.
Thirdly, I want to participate in a systematic study program called Bhakti Sastri, and obtain a Bhakti Sastri degree from the Mayapur Institute.
My fourth reason is overlapping, I want to photograph my travels to share with those who aren’t able to travel, to fulfill my monastic duties of studying, traveling, and visiting sacred and holy places. Another duty of someone in my monastic order is to beg for what I need, and that’s where this GoFundMe comes in!
My travels will approximately be as follows.
- Travel from Chicago to Delhi, then to Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Badrinath in the first part of September. While there I will go on guided tours of various temples, and other sacred places with my Guru and other pilgrims.
- In the last part of September, travel from Haridwar to Vrindaban. I will travel with a small group of friends, and together we will visit many more places of pilgrimage such as Vrindaban town, Govardhan, Barsana, Gokula, and other holy sites.
- In the first part of October, I will travel from Vrindaban (via Delhi) to Kolkata, and from Kolkata to Mayapur. In Mayapur, I will take the Bhakti Sastri course and attain the related degree. While there I will also travel to sacred sites in my free time. The Bhakti Sastri course lasts till February, when I will return to my home-base of Chicago.
- Throughout my journey, I will study sacred scriptures, learn and discuss spiritual topics, and take photographs of all the wonderful places I travel to.
As a full time renounced monk, I have no regular income source. My days are instead devoted to spiritual practice, missionary work, study and teaching and sharing what has been shared with me. Due to this renounced lifestyle, all of my travels and activities rely on the mercy shown to me by kind people like yourself. When you donate to me, however, you are not just giving and supporting a spiritual seeker and ascetic, you also gain spiritual benefit.
In the Srimad Bhagavatam, the benefits of giving in charity are elaborated as such; “Money given in charity to a suitable person is guaranteed bank balance in the next life. Such charity is recommended to be given to a brāhmaṇa. If the money is given in charity to a non-brāhmaṇa (without brahminical qualification) the money is returned in the next life in the same proportion. If it is given in charity to a half-educated brāhmaṇa, even then the money is returned double. If the money is given in charity to a learned and fully qualified brāhmaṇa, the money is returned a hundred and a thousand times.” Though I am a simple monk, with no brahminical qualities, the latter purpose of my travels, namely the Bhakti Sastri degree, is a marked step towards brahminical qualification. This will only be possible though with your loving and charitable contribution. Please give what you can, and know that every penny given will be used wisely, in service of Krishna, the Supreme Personaly of Godhead.
From the bottom of my stone-like heart, I sincerely thank you.
Your Insignificant Servant,
Uttamaśloka Das brahmachari
Organizer
Uttamaśloka Das
Organizer
Chicago, IL