Unity in Diversity

By Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti - 3.10 2015

Vina is the instrument of Narada Muni. He can travel on sound vibrations, distributing love for God wherever possible. Vina.cc was created to increase the unity of all those who believe in the Vishva Vaisnava Raj (which is another name for Lord Chaitanya). He is the King of all Vaisnavas around the world. And his Sabha (Vishva Vaishnava Raj Sabha) is also known in the western world as the World Vaisnava Association (WVA).

Vina.cc is the spokesplatform for the WVA, giving shelter and providing a place to share topics of common interests among the Vaishnavas. Running for more than 16 years, Vina.cc stands out as the one and only website which is serving the purpose to anounce and glorify any effort made for the welfare of the world by any branch or individual belonging to the Chaitanya tree. This tree is known for some famous original branches such as the Nityananda-branch, Advaita-branch. Gadadhara-branch, Vakresvara-branch, etc.

After the branch of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada was revealed, the Sabha started taking roots in all countries around the globe to the happy surprise of the original branches. He accomplished what had not been succesful previously. People from all tribes and countries came to appreciate the gift of love which Lord Chaitanya distributed. Both him, his father Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur and the illustrious Srila Jiva Goswami had in their vision a major distribution of His mercy. Thus appeared the need to create a network of spiritual families under the guidance of several spiritual masters (vande ham sri gurum).

Some of the missions became rather large and there was no website with appreciation for all Vaishnava efforts. Also from an organisational point of view no platform comparable to the WVA previously existed (where common goals are presented and where any mission could happily participate). Vina.cc stood out and kept faithfull to its principle to not favour one mission over the other. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur said that sectarianism is the worst enemy of truth.

The term “umbrella organisation” is a concept that shall help to protect the true interest of Lord Chaitanya as manifested through the different mission-families of the branches of his tree. Even until today some missions cannot appreciate the full benefit and importance of such an effort (such as the WVA). Like in a palm tree we find the roots, the main tree and the umbrella of the palmleaves. But the tree of Lord Chaitanya has many branches and subbranches. A larger umbrella was required to cover all of them and accommodate them, their needs and contributions. This has been the effort of the participating members of the WVA.

To enact the function of an umbrella it is nessesary to locate the trunk and the root of the people and mission who are supposed to be protected and represented. The umbrella is connected to the root. It is not floating in the sky. Without the root there is no chance of any umbrella to appear.

Now it is up to all of us to benefit from it, develop it and to gain strength when any Vaishnava or their missions are in need. Those who are not deep-rooted and thus cannot see the need or the reality of the umbrella effort as something which was envisioned by our Acaryas, will keep ignoring the effort. We pray for them to discover the good intentions of the WVA for the benefit of all participants.

At one of the first WVA meetings it was decided that any acarya who will later join the WVA with his Vaishnava family will be treated just as the other founding members who united in Modi bhavan Vrindavan 1994 under the guidance of Srila Bhakti Pramod Puri Maharaj.

I personally thank all the participating members for giving us their kind association in this effort. Their happiness keeps us going.