prasada to poor people

[Guest guest]

> > I haven't seen Jayadvaita M.'s comments

>

> So, I'll paste it below for you. Maharaja sent the same post today, on

> Prabhupada Disciples, without taking in consideration the replies. And of

> course, he can go into the folio and find quotes that will reinforce his

> fondamentalists views. But I don't think it is enough for a spiritual

> leader like him to quote Srila Prabhupada the way fondamentalists do. His

> has to enounce also a philosophy that will make us understand how Caitanya

> Mahaprabhu's message can be regarded by the media, intellectuals, artists

> and the masses, -and devotees- as an alternative to the present demonic

> world. Do you think we can do something without their sympathy? Maybe

> Maharaja don't care for that; his ideas are maybe more relevant or more

> perfect. Ok, but let's hear them instead of just pasting some quotes!

> Akhiles

>

> Mukta Purusa Prabhu asks:

> > What is wrong if the devotees go to the poor areas and distribute

> > Prasadam.?

>

> Jayadvaita Swami answered:

> "So far prasada distribution, . . . do not go to poor areas, this is not

> our philosophy."

> --Srila Prabhupada, letter to Giriraja, 15 May 72

>

> Offense 3: "To disobey the orders of the spiritual master."

>

> I hope this answers the question. Hare Krsna.

 

My own understanding of this comment of Srila Prabhupada's is that

we should not ONLY go to poor areas for distribution of prasadam. Prasada

distribution should be done everywhere to everyone. The danger Srila

Prabhupada saw of prasada distribution being done only to the poor is that i

might then be taken by the givers as well as the recipients as some kind of

mundane altruism. This would lead to the tendency to restrict our

understanding of its potency and effect which would be equivalent to the

offence of thinking of the glories of the holy name to be an exaggeration or

an imagination.

 

I personally don't agree with his analysis that distribution of prasada to

poor people is 'disobeying the orders of the spiritual master'. Some

distribution is better than no distribution. To go the to poor areas is

better than not going anywhere. But we should note carefully Srila

Prabhupada's concern that prasada distribution is not SIMPLY for the

materially poor; it is, as he said in one of the quotes I provided, for the

spiritually poor, which is practically everyone.

 

Your humble servant,

Hari-sauri dasa