Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Jaya Shri Guru Parampara! Pranams! 
Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada and his illustrious disciple Shrila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada constructed many temples for the community propagation of Nitaai Gaura Krishna Consciousness. Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada clearly said: "prana ache jaar se hetu prachaar" that as long as there is genuine enthusiasm to propagate Naama and avoidance of politics (manipulative behavior and ulterior motives), such endeavours will be succeed. Shrila Swami Prabhupada also said the same that when politics and beareaucracy enters everything is finished. As we are seeing Kali Yuga progressing more and more, the maintainence of even devotional temples without politics and beareaucracy is becoming a very difficult task. This has already been predicted by Shrila Sacchidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura in Hari Naama Chintamani where he states that the temples may no longer remain the pure sources of inspiration for pure unalloyed Bhakti.
Even though we know that Vani (spiritual books, videos, audios, instructions etc.) is much more important than Vapu (personal physical association), the devotees in the neophye stage depend a lot on the physical association in a devotional community of devotees. In fact, without it, some of the beginners are not able to practice Naama Bhajana at all. And they may also easily give up all their spiritual pratices if they experience or see something wrong in their devotional community. We all have to live with the fact that this kind of quality devotional community association is becoming increasingly difficult to find as Kali Yuga advances more and more. As the degraded Kali Yuga moves in, It has become much more difficult now, than what it was even at the time of Shrila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada only around 30 years ago, to find a good, non-political and pure gathering of Vaishnavas, though these certainly do exist in this world.
When a Gaudiya Vaishnava organization or society or institution is formed in the present environment of Kali Yuga, immediately there is a tendency for those with manipulative behavior and ulterior motives to enter such an organization, because an institution means that property, money, assets, power and positions are involved. And in my personal opinion, the presence of even one such person in the garb of a devotee, disturbs the whole pure atmosphere of pure Naama Bhajana. In big institutions, it is very difficult, almost next to impossible, to restrict this fully at the local level. Institutions or groups can somehow avoid these weeds of politics and manipulative behavior to a considerable extent, if there is no beareaucracy in the top leadership and if the leader or Acharya is very strict about not entertaining such things and takes appropriate action to keep the Sanga as pure, simple and sublime while concentrating only on Bhajana, Katha and Prachara, which is the life of Bhakti.
Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada used to say that is better to rent temples than to buy them because of this precise reason. He did not want the devotees to be attracted by the desire for properties, power and position etc. which are the material allurements a big institutions offers. If the property is rented, no one will become attracted to that institution for getting control over that property or for living a luxorious life. Only those who are sincere to advance in Naama Bhajana will come.
What are we do in such a situation? This question may arise in the minds and hearts of many sincere devotees. The only direct answer would be that the spiritual aspirants have to advance a step further and learn to depend and associate more with the real substance of spirituality which is Vani or spiritual teachings and association of our Gurudeva, Guru Varga and the Acharyas (in the form of books, videos, audios, instructions, qna, live internet sanga etc.). Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Shrila Sarasvati Prabhupada and Shrila Swami Prabhupada knew this so they stressed more on writing, publishing and disseminating spiritual books (Vani) than building temples. That said, I know that many new spiritual aspirants are not able to quite understand the ultimate importance of Vani until they have had the opportunity to considerably associate physically with devotees and receive a lot of Vapu. But there also have been many instances of totally new people becoming devotees and practicing Naama Bhajana daily simply by coming in touch with the Vani of our Guru Varga and the Acharyas, without physically meeting other devotees. I have full faith in the infinite power of the Vani of our Acharyas. I consider this Vani, as the fully-independent wish-fulfilling chintamani stone. This pure Vani can fully change anyone's life anywhere in the world.
Even if we study Shrila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's life, we find that most of his inspiration and dedication to fulfil the order of his Gurudeva was through Vani or spiritual instructions and books. Previously he was a grihastha (householder) and thus his physical association with his own Gurudeva and other Gaudiya Math devotees was limited. But his faith and attachment to the Vani of his Gurudeva and the Acharyas was the real inspiration behind his successful fulfillment of the mission of his Gurudeva. So faith in the Vani can surely show wonders. Vani is certainly capable to produce new devotees in this world.
When one is inspired by the Vani of our Guru Varga and Acharyas, one can certainly follow the devotional principles like rising early in the morning, morning program, japa, sankirtana, hearing, reading, Tulasi worship, viewing spiritual videos etc. even while staying at one's home without the daily Vapu association with other devotees. That is the power of Vani. One can gradually try to teach Bhakti to one's family to increase the quality of one's association at home. One can meet with other sincere, like-minded and simple devotees on weekends and engage in Naama Sankirtana and discuss pure Bhakti Katha. Very elaborate Deity Worship is not the requirement for association in Kali Yuga. The only requirement is the quality of our consciousness. Brahmacharies can form their own sanga and stay in an Ashram with the help of the sincere householders.
For the deepening of my personal Naama Bhajana, I personally would prefer association even with a few handful of simple, humble and sincerely aspiring devotees without the political mood than the elaborate association which may be mixed with manipulative or sectarian motives and considerations for name, fame, power position etc. I would offer all my requests to all devotees but maintain my distance from such association. Of course, this is my personal mood, and it is possible that some devotees can still accept such association and accept only the good devotional things in such as association.
Anyway, I have humbly presented some of my realizations on this subject and I hope they are beneficial in some way.
Daaso'smi, BR Sadhu Swami Gaurangapada.
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