prasadam Questions

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> 1. Can a sannyasi take food at a non-devotee's house?

 

it's a risk, no doubt. some think they can avoid it. "I'm sick"

CC adi 12. 50 says,

 

pratigraha kabhu n€ karibe r€ja-dhana

viay…ra anna kh€ile du˜a haya mana

SYNONYMS

pratigraha—acceptance of alms; kabhu—at any time; n€—not; karibe—should do;

r€ja-dhana—charity by kings; viay…ra—of men who are materialistic;

anna—food; kh€ile—by eating; du˜a—polluted; haya—becomes; mana—mind.

TRANSLATION

"Advaita šc€rya, My spiritual master, should never accept charity from rich

men or kings because if a spiritual master accepts money or grains from such

materialists his mind becomes polluted.

PURPORT

It is very risky to accept money or food from materialistic persons, for

such acceptance pollutes the mind of the charity's recipient. According to

the Vedic system, one should give charity to sanny€s…s and br€hmaŠas because

one who thus gives charity becomes free from sinful activities. Formerly,

therefore, br€hmaŠas would not accept charity from a person unless he were

very pious. Lord Caitanya Mah€prabhu gave this instruction for all spiritual

masters. Materialistic persons who are not inclined to give up their sinful

activities like illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating

sometimes want to become our disciples, but, unlike professional spiritual

masters who accept disciples regardless of their condition, VaiŠavas do not

accept such cheap disciples. One must at least agree to abide by the rules

and regulations for a disciple before a VaiŠava €c€rya can accept him. In

fact, a VaiŠava should not even accept charity or food from persons who do

not follow the rules and regulations of the VaiŠava principles.

šdi 12.51

TEXT 51

TEXT

mana du˜a ha-ile nahe kŠera smaraŠa

kŠa-smti vinu haya niphala j…vana

SYNONYMS

mana—mind; du˜a—polluted; ha-ile—becoming; nahe—is not possible; kŠera—of

Lord KŠa; smaraŠa—remembrance; kŠa-smti—remembrance of Lord KŠa;

vinu—without; haya—becomes; niphala—without any result; j…vana—life.

TRANSLATION

"When one's mind is polluted, it is very difficult to remember KŠa; and

when remembrance of Lord KŠa is hampered, one's life is unproductive.

PURPORT

A devotee should always be alert, keeping his mind in a sanguine state so

that he can always remember Lord ®r… KŠa. The €stras state, smartavyaƒ

satataˆ viŠuƒ: in devotional life one should always remember Lord ViŠu.

®r…la ®ukadeva Gosv€m… also advised Mah€r€ja Par…kit, smartavyo nityaaƒ.

In the Second Canto, First Chapter, of ®r…mad-Bh€gavatam, ®ukadeva Gosv€m…

advised Par…kit Mah€r€ja:

tasm€d bh€rata sarv€tm€

bhagav€n …varo hariƒ

rotavyaƒ k…rtitavya ca

smartavya cecchat€bhayam

"O descendant of King Bharata, one who desires to be free from all miseries

must hear, glorify and also remember the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who

is the Supersoul, the controller and the savior from all miseries." (Bh€g.

2.1.5) This is the summary of all the activities of a VaiŠava, and the same

instruction is repeated here (kŠa-smti vinu haya niphala j…vana). ®r…la

R™pa Gosv€m… states in Bhakti-ras€mta-sindhu, avyartha-k€latvam: A VaiŠava

must be very alert not to waste even a second of his valuable lifetime. This

is a symptom of a VaiŠava. But association with pounds-and-shillings men,

or viay…s, materialists who are simply interested in sense gratification,

pollutes one's mind and hampers such continuous remembrance of Lord KŠa.

®r… Caitanya Mah€prabhu therefore advised, asat-sa‰ga-ty€ga—ei

vaiŠava-€c€ra: a VaiŠava should behave in such a way as to never associate

with nondevotees or materialists (Cc. Madhya 22.87). One can avoid such

association simply by always remembering KŠa within his heart.

 

Prabhupada said, milk and fruit was ok to silently offer to guru, and take,

even in a meat eaters house. (suppose you are preaching in a punjabi or

sindhis house, so they like devotees but you can't eat grains or cooked

food.

 

> 2. Can a sannyasi take prasadam (which is offered by the non-devotee) at a

> non-devotee's house?

 

how can a non-devotee offer to Krsna? Will He eat? NO. so again, milk and

fruit, salads raw greens, etc are offered by a visiting devotee either

mentally, or physically to one's guru is the best.

 

> 3. Can a sannyasi take prasadam at a non-initiated grhasta devotee's

> house?

 

Prabhupada used to do it in Bombay, they do it all the time, subject to the

piety of the devotee. I've heard that one lady devotee in Dubai whos husband

was hosting Indradyumna swami in their house for some days.

 

She met IDS's femail disciple in Taiwan before and learnt govardhana

astakams etc. so she got attached to govardhana shilas, pictures.etc

 

so she asked IDS, "I'm not initated by my guru BVV narasimha swami yet, how

can I cook?that's alright, IDS said, your bhava is so nice, I'm willing

to take responsibility to offer the food to my lords".

 

again, a devotee must take responsibilty to vouch safe for a devotees

mentality.

 

4. Can a sannyasi take prasadam at a initiated grhasta devotee's

> house?

 

oh yes. if it is properly offered.

 

5. Can a grhasta take prasadam at a fellow non-initiated grhasta

> devotee's house?

 

again top rules apply.

> 6. Can a grhasta take food at a non-devotee's house?

 

see above "milk and fruit, salad " an initiated devotee personally offers to

his guru or photos of Krsna caitanya etc.

 

> The other question is:

> Are there any prayers that I can recite to inspire me and make me advance

> spiritually?

 

you have to find them out, so many are there.

 

Mukunda datta acbsp has kindly sent this verse.

 

gAdhaM me paripanthinAM hRdi paraM duSTendriyANAM gaNaH

kArA-dhAmani deha-dhAmani punaH saiSA dazA-zAzvatI |

so ‘haM moha-hatena hanta manasA dUye dayAmbho-nidhe

dInaM tvat-pada-paGkajaika-zaraNaM deva prabho pAhi mAm ||*

 

 

"At the bottom of my heart lies an obstructing array of sensual

corruptions; In the incarceration that is this body--such is but my

perpetual condition. Alas! I'm also harassed by a mind that's lost to

confusion. O ocean of mercy, O God, Your lotus feet are the only shelter

for one so fallen. O Lord, please protect me."

 

-- Bilvamangala-stava, 1.24

 

 

*Or, in Balaram font:

 

gäòhaà me paripanthinäà hådi paraà duñöendriyäëäà gaëaù

kärä-dhämani deha-dhämani punaù saiñä daçä-çäçvaté |

so ‘haà moha-hatena hanta manasä düye dayämbho-nidhe

dénaà tvat-pada-paìkajaika-çaraëaà deva prabho pähi mäm ||

(Text PAMHO:7652276) ------

 

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