Dina Sharana Dasi Becomes Second Woman Gbc

7/26/2019 Dina Sharana Dasi Becomes Second Woman Gbc

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Dina Sharana Dasi Becomes Second-Ever Female GBC Member

By Madhava Smullen for ISKCON News on 26 Mar 2011

Dina Sharana Dasi

A his year!s meein"s of he #overnin" Body Commission$ISKCON!s ulimae mana"in"

auhoriy$in Maya%ur& India& #erman Srila 'ra(hu%ada dis)i%le Dina Sharana Dasi (e)ame only

he se)ond*ever woman o a))e% he %osiion of full*voin" #BC mem(er+

,er %ah here sars a de)ade a"o- One day& while washin" %os in her .i)hen& she had wha

she )alls eingebung in #erman$a .ind of ins%iraional vision in her mind$where Srila

'ra(hu%ada old her somehin" ha would )han"e her life+

Dina Sharana is )areful o )larify ha he ins%iraion was in her mind only& no some mysi)al

vision$she!s a very %ra)i)al& down*o*earh woman wih no a ou)h of he New A"e a(ou her

and no illusions of %remaure s%iriual advan)emen+ Bu she is )erain ha he words she heard

Srila 'ra(hu%ada say in her mind were o (e a.en seriously+ In he /aishnava radiion& words

s%o.en (y he "uru in a ni"h*ime dream are o (e a.en seriously$so why should his (e any

differen

I am disur(ed in my mediaion& (e)ause my movemen in #ermany is fallin" a%ar& and

no(ody is loo.in" afer i& Srila 'ra(hu%ada said+

A he ime& Dina Sharana wasn! sure wha she )ould do a(ou his& why she was "ein" his

s%iriual ins%iraion+ She wasn! involved in mana"emen& and she wasn! even livin" near a

em%le+

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In fa)& her sory said a lo a(ou he )ondiion of he #erman 3ara 4devoee )ommuniy5+

Dina Sharana Dasi had oined ISKCON in #ermany in 1789& and had (een iniiaed (y Srila

'ra(hu%ada he same year a he S)hloss :eershof )asle em%le& ISKCON #ermany!s

head;uarers a he ime+ She had served as a (oo. disri(uor and %ries o Sri Sri :adha Madan

Mohan for many years& while her hus(and Cha.ravari Dasa had %rined over a million (oo.s for

Srila 'ra(hu%ada+

Bu in he years afer Srila 'ra(hu%ada %assed away& durin" various "uru )onroversies and

%olii)al u%heaval& Dina Sharana and her family were %ushed ou of he 3ara+ <hey ravelled he

world for many years& wih Cha.ravari Dasa servin" as em%le %residen and Dina Sharana

assisin" him in =asern )ounries su)h as Malaysia& Sin"a%ore& and he 'hili%%ines& as well as

New /rinda(an in he >SA+

?inally& in 177@& hey had moved (a). o #ermany (e)ause heir )hildren were ired of feelin"

u%rooed and waned o reurn home+ <hey lived in ies(aden& where here had on)e (een a

hrivin" em%le+ Bu sin)e he #BC and leadin" mana"er of ISKCON #ermany had lef he

movemen& he em%le had shu down+ <he devoee )ommuniy was de%leed& s%read ou& and

divided (y %olii)s+

Soon afer& a friend of Dina Sharana!s who had (een or"aniin" a small "rou% of devoees o

mee on)e a monh in a rened room& moved and %assed her servi)e on o Dina Sharana& who

oo. i very seriously+

?or several years& Dina Sharana )oo.ed all he %rasadam for he "aherin" herself& drove i alon"

wih he Deiies$formerly of he ies(aden em%le$o he lo)aion& )arried i u% hree soreys&

and se everyhin" u%+

Afer he %ro"rams& I would )lean u%& drive he Deiies and all he e;ui%men (a). home& and

)arry hem u% he sairs o my room& she says+ I would a.e me one wee. o "e everyhin"

(a). o normal a"ain+

I was a servi)e Dina Sharana had done ri"h u% unil he day of her .i)hen ins%iraion+ I was

a lo of wor.& and showed )ommimen+ Bu now& as she sood here sarin" a her %os& she

wondered if she would really (e a(le o do anyhin" o hel% he disine"raed #erman 3ara+

ihou an offi)ial %osiion in ISKCON& she didn! hin. so+ Bu sill& she fel o(li"ed o Srila

'ra(hu%ada+



I )alled my hus(and e)iedly and old him ha I fel li.e my whole life had )han"ed& she says+

My )ons)iousness had (een s%read ou hrou"hou my life& li.e so many differen railway ra).s

$now& hey seemed o all )onver"e o"eher as one and "o in one dire)ion+ ?or he firs ime in

my life& I fel ha I was really )omin" ino my own+

A(ou si monhs afer his e%erien)e& Dina Sharana found herself invied o he ISKCON

#ermany Naional Coun)il meein"s+ :efle)in" he sae of he 3ara& he meein"s were

ar"umenaive and un%rodu)ive& (uildin" in ension as hey wen on+ ?inally& Dina Sharana )ould

a.e no more& and said& e )an! "o on li.e his+

She s%o.e sron"ly& insisin" ha her monhly %ro"ram (e )alled a em%le& alhou"h i didn!

have a %ermanen lo)aion+ Afer all& he ori"inal Deiies were in her )are& and a "rou% of

devoees were "aherin" around hem+ ?eelin" her enhusiasm rise& she )oninued o s%ea.&

e%ressin" her ideas and o%inions on oher o%i)s+

Soon afer he meein"s& she was ele)ed de%uy for ISKCON #ermany& alhou"h mos of he

mem(ers of he Naional Coun)il didn! even .now her+ hen she as.ed hem why hey had

voed for her& hey re%lied sim%ly& 3ou!re he one who made he mos sense+

I s%o.e o all he leaders and oher devoees& and undersood how de%ressed hey were a he

)ondiion of ISKCON #ermany& she says+ <hey waned nohin" o do wih he movemen or he

#BC anymore$hey were only )oninuin" heir servi)e (e)ause hey didn! .now how o do

anyhin" else+ e were over one million =uros in de(& various ,indu "rou%s were ryin" o a.e

over our em%les& and he whole 3ara was )om%leely fallin" a%ar+

Dina Sharana old he disrau"h leaders ha she had a %lan o re)ify he siuaion+ Bu firs&

she needed o al. o he #BC+

In 200& wih )hara)erisi) deerminaion and )onfiden)e& she flew o Maya%ur& ISKCON!s

head;uarers& and old mana"emen& I wan o al. o he #BC+

Ei.e mos devoees& des%ie all my years in he movemen& I didn! really undersand how he

#BC was or"anied or how i wor.ed& she says+ Bu now I learned ha no us any(ody )ould

wal. in and say wha hey hou"h$here was a %ro)edure o follow+ Over he ne hree days& I

learned everyhin" I )ould a(ou how he #BC fun)ioned+ <hen& hrou"h some devoees I .new&

I a%%roa)hed he se)reary& and se% (y se%& I made my way ino he #BC meein"s+



<he #BC "ave Dina Sharana weny minues o s%ea.+ She s%o.e for over an hour+

She old hem wih ur"en)y and %ower how mu)h diffi)uly #ermany was in& how mu)h i was in

need& and how no(ody was a.in" )are of i+ She %resened o hem her deailed %lan for %ullin"

ISKCON #ermany ou of he mess i was in+

Krishna and Srila 'ra(hu%ada )arried me hrou"h i& and I was in su)h an ins%ired eu%horia ha

I wasn! even ashamed o al. in ha way o all hiry*si #BC mem(ers$who had served in

heir %oss for over hiry years and were my senior #od(rohers& she says+ Normally I mi"h

have (een oo nervous o even s%ea.+ Bu I was ins%ired o hel% my devoee )ommuniy so

mu)h ha I did i+ And hey lisened+

On Dina Sharana!s way ou& ,un"arian #BC Sivarama Swami followed her and as.ed her o

e%lain her %lan for #ermany in more deail+ Afer she had s%en he ne wo hours doin" so& he

said& I wan o su%%or you& and "ave her a donaion of &000 =uro+ <he #BC (ody ma)hed i&

"ivin" her anoher &000 =uro from heir (ud"e+ I was only a dro% in he o)ean of #ermany!s

de(& (u i made Dina Sharana feel ha he #BC had heard her& ha hey were su%%orin" her

and ryin" o hel%+

hen she reurned home& here was wor. o (e done+ <here were si %endin" )our)ases over

he one million =uros ISKCON #ermany owed o various devoees& who were very inimi)al

owards he movemen as a resul+ Dina Sharana se a(ou addressin" ea)h and every one of

hem %ersonally& re;uesin" hem o (e %aien and %romisin" ha she was a(ou o do

everyhin" she )ould o %ay hem (a).+

She hen )onvin)ed all he em%le %residens in #ermany o "e on (oard wih her %lan& and wih

he small amoun of finan)ial su%%or hey )ould "ive& wen on a fundraisin" )am%ai"n o %ay

(a). he de(+

<he firs donaion I "o was from a %enniless old lady& who %led"ed F2+0 every wo monhs

(e)ause she was ins%ired (y my effor& alhou"h she had nohin"& says Dina Sharana+ In urn& I

was so ins%ired (y her ha& usin" her eam%le& I was a(le o raise F800&000 and erase almos

all our de(+

<o ma.e sure ha no new de( was in)urred& Dina Sharana (e"an resru)urin" sysems& and

soon found herself fully involved in he mana"emen of ISKCON #ermany on all levels+ She was&

essenially& he a)in" #BC for he )ounry+



Bu here was a %ro(lem+ Dina Sharana was a woman+

Many of he men didn! li.e his woman )omin" from nowhere and ma.in" all hese de)isions

and ellin" hem wha o do& she says+ I didn! hel% ha I didn! even have any offi)ial %osiion+

?or he firs four or five years& here were los of %olii)s a"ains me& and i was very %ainful+ I

hou"h ha I mi"h have a nervous (rea.down+ I de)ided I was no doin" myself or anyone else

a favor (y sim%ly doin" he o( of a #BC wihou havin" he %osiion+ I hou"h& GIf I!m "ood

enou"h o do he wor.& I should (e "ood enou"h o )arry he ile+ If I!m no "ood enou"h o

)arry he ile& hen some(ody else should do he wor.+

Eeavin" he resul u% o Krishna& Dina Sharana a%%lied as a )andidae for he #BC+ She was

unanimously voed in& and alhou"h he %ro)ess usually a.es four years$firs a%%li)ans (e)ome

a )andidae& hen an assisan& hen an a)in" #BC& and finally a full voin" #BC$Dina Sharana

was fas*forwarded hrou"h i sin)e she had already (een servin" in he )a%a)iy of #BC for

some ime+ In 2010& she (e)ame an a)in" #BC& and a he 2011 Maya%ur #BC meein"s& she

was nominaed as a full voin" #BC for #ermany& Ausria& Swierland& and Ei)hensein+

Now& for he %as wo years& all my )ollea"ues in ISKCON #ermany have (een su%%orin" me in

hel%in" he 3ara& and I feel ha we!re %ro"ressin" %osiively& she says+ <here are sill so many

la).s$nohin" has ha%%ened here for en years$(u we!re headed in he ri"h dire)ion+

Dina Sharana is deermined o insill )onfiden)e in he #erman devoees& who have (een (adly

hur and disa%%oined (y %as leaders+

As he #BC& I am %ersonally res%onsi(le for for he s%iriual well(ein" of every devoee& and I

have %u myself down in he )onsiuion as le"ally res%onsi(le for everyhin" ha ha%%ens in

ISKCON #ermany& she says+ Some %eo%le have as.ed me& GAre you )ray! Bu i!s he only way

o show hem ha I!m differen+ I won! (e runnin" away and ellin" hem& G3ou have o fi your

%ro(lems on your own+!

She!s serious+ If some(ody in ISKCON #ermany ma.es a (i" (lunder& I "o o ail+ I wan o

ma.e sure ha hin"s are done %ro%erly a))ordin" o he law& moraliy& and /aishnava (ehavior

and ei;uee+ I wan o ma.e sure ha ISKCON #ermany (e)omes an or"aniaion ha he

whole )ounry )an res%e)& and ha he devoees wihin i )an res%e)+ And he only way o

a)hieve ha& is for me o %u my own head on he sa.e+



As well as a.in" full res%onsi(iliy herself& Dina Sharana is rainin" ohers o a.e i on+ Alhou"h

a firs she had o wear many differen has& a.in" )are of everyhin" herself& las year she was

a(le o hand on si maor res%onsi(iliies o devoees she has rained for he %osiions+

New =uro #BC Man"alananda Dasa& a leadin" (oo. disri(uor in #ermany for he %as hiry

years& is assisin" Dina Sharana in her duies& and is ma.in" sure (oo. disri(uion )oninues o

in)rease$a maor %rioriy+ 'radana #o%i.a Dasi& a hi"hly ;ualified youn" devoee wih a 'hD in

s)ienifi) ournalism& is handlin" he (rand new )ommuni)aions de%armen wih ins%irin"

resuls+ And anoher youn" devoee 'hD has (e)ome he dire)or of edu)aion& an im%oran

de%armen wor.in" on rainin" and su))ession+

e!re also wor.in" wih 3adunandana Swami and Haya Krishna Dasa& who!s headin" u% he

su))ession )ommiee& o ma.e %lans for he fuure& says Dina Sharana+ <em%le %residens who

have su). i ou for years are %assin" heir .nowled"e and e%erien)e on o he new "eneraion+

<he whole yara is wor.in" o"eher in a smooh and very ni)e manner+ I!s wonderful+ e!re

very ha%%y+

On (ein" only he se)ond*ever woman full*voin" #BC mem(er& Dina Sharana says& 3es& here

have (een imes in he %as few years where I!ve (een more )ons)ious ha I!m in a woman!s

(ody han a any oher ime in my life+ Bu I didn! feel any resisan)e a all from he #BC+ I

don! hin. ha here are only wo women in he #BC (e)ause he male mem(ers have

somehin" a"ains i$I hin. i!s us (e)ause no many women did he o( re;uired for ha .ind

of %osiion (efore+ I!m )onvin)ed ha he %erson who does he o(& "es he o(& re"ardless of

heir (ody+

She adds- <here!s no womanman issue+ An issue only arises if men (ehave li.e men and

women (ehave li.e women& raher han rans)endin" heir menaliies and heir (odies and us

(ein" servans of Krishna+

She does (elieve& however& ha women #BC mem(ers )an (rin" %osiive advana"es o

ISKCON!s leadershi%+ e are mohers& so we have a differen way of hin.in" and rea)in"& she

says+ <here are )erain hin"s ha men don! see& or ha hey don! .now how o deal wih+ I!m

sure ha ;ualified women )an hel% s%o a lo of hin"s ha wen wron" in ISKCON!s %as& and

%rovide valua(le in%u on how o fi hese %ro(lems and avoid more misa.es in he fuure+



<here!s no dou( ha he %as few years have (een life*)han"in" for Dina Sharana+ She feels

ha (y he mer)y of Eord Krishna and Srila 'ra(hu%ada& she!s (een a(le o rea)h her full

%oenial& (oh (y im%rovin" her s%iriual life and (y usin" her alens o serve he Eord and his

devoees+

My (i""es "oal for he fuure as a #BC is o do whaever I )an o hel% all of ISKCON #ermany!s

leaders rea)h heir full %oenial

:ead more- h%-news+is.)on+)omnodeJ292011*0J*

26dinasharanadasi(e)omesse)ondeverfemale"()mem(erLi1/A)e#w?

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Dina Sharana Dasi Becomes Second Woman Gbc