Responses from San Jose, Prasadam Poor

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Ponton Kate [kumkumdd ]

Sunday, December 30, 2001 1:08 PM

Raghunata (John) Anudasa

Re: Feeding 19,000 Kids Daily vs. Couch Potato's Talking

 

Hey Raghunathaji,

 

It is certainly wonderful to read this news of huge

and constant distribution of Krishna prasad. I have

no doubt this is very, very pleasing to His Divine

Grace, who taught us that whatever else we do, we can

always distribute prasadam. It is Mahaprabhu's

teaching, and Srila Prabhupada always emphasized that.

 

It's also a fact that there are some things that we

would do only to open the door to more preaching, or

to create enough friendliness with the external

environment to allow our programs to thrive. (Here in

downtown San Jose, where the city has bad parking

problems, we park behind the temple and in the

driveway - inconvient to us, but appreciated by our

neighbors.) So prasadam distribution is preaching,

and also opens the door to more preaching. Where I

work at Hewlett Packard, we often hire programmers

from India. One South Indian gentleman showed me a

picture of the Bangalore temple that he carries

everywhere. He was truly grateful and faithful that

it was the best temple that his family, a long line of

Vaisnavas, knew of! What a treat for me to encounter

at the office.

 

I recently heard Srila Govinda Maharaj answer someone

who thought that prasadam distribution was merely

"feeding the poor" (karma kanda). He explained, if

you feed many thousands of people daily, perhaps you

will eventually serve at least one who is vaisnava.

Then you will have attained vaisnava seva!

 

All glories to the devotees of the Lord!

 

Humbly,

Kum Kum

 

 

 

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Prabhupada.Said (AT) pamho (DOT) net [Prabhupada.Said (AT) pamho (DOT) net] On

Behalf Of Mahanidhi (das) (S)

Sunday, December 30, 2001 12:18 PM

Bhakti Vikasa Swami; Jayadvaita Swami; Kavicandra Swami (GBC Japan);

Tattvavit (das) ACBSP (NE-BBT); Balarama LOK; usarama; GBC Unmoderated;

India (Continental Committee) Open (Forum)

prasada to poor people

 

>

> So Srila Prabhupada said apparently different things at different

times,

> which Hari-sauri Prabhu has reconciled thus:

>

> > The danger Srila Prabhupada saw of prasada distribution being done

only

> > to the poor is that it might then be taken by the givers as well as

the

> > recipients as some kind of mundane altruism.

 

If that reconciliation would mean a kind of conclusion "Thus

no more such prasada distribution to poor" then it would be

a wrong reconciliation. It would mean that we are more

intelligent than Prabhupada. It would mean that we do not mean

to repeat the "mistakes" done by Prabhupada who, in the mentioned

occasions, not only did not stop but he even instructed his

disciples to do it in spite of being aware of the above

mentioned danger.

 

Being brought to the attention the possible dangers of the

road does not mean you don't walk anymore. There is no such

thing in this world as a risk-free walking. Just as with the

sannyas asrama. As if Prabhupada never spoke about any danger

there? And so many sannyasis are falling down on the regular

bases, still the sannyas-waiting list is ever longer.

 

> It seems that although Srila Prabhupada surely wanted devotees to

> distribute prasada widely, he also did not want the "Help the

starving" --

> "Every minute x children die of hunger" approach, which is not

conspicuous

> by its absence in ISKCON today.

 

My impression is that Prabhupada was also a very practical

person when it comes to the concrete results that would be

beneficial for both his mission and the people.

 

No soliciting the potential donors, and you can cross away

30'000 of prasada plates being daily given out to the conditioned

souls of this world. Who will give the money? Many temples

charge money even for the Sunday "Love" feasts. What is the

realistic alternative? I see the variety** in the number of the

attempts to invalidate FFL activities, but not a single reasonable

and realistic solution proposal that would make what Prabhupada

"really" wanted to come into existence.

 

--------------------------

** a short overview of some arguments aimed to invalidate FFL:

 

- it's an offense to Prabhupada

- it's a discrimination based on the bodily concept

- it's only a mundane charity and a fruitive activity

- it's a false concept of feeding "daridra-narayana"

- it's a danger for the spiritual consciousness of givers&recipients

- it's "prasada" merely in the name only

 

Any possibility still left out?

 

 

 

- mnd