What did Prabhupada Desire Regarding Prasad Distribution?

BY: BASU GHOSH DAS (ACBSP)

Oct 25, 2011 — BARODA, INDIA (SUN) — In response to the short message from Brhat Shloka Prabhu regarding prasad distribution at Bombay, there are two letters from Srila Prabhupada that highlight his outlook on the subject.

Before reading the letter to Giriraj (now) Swami, notice the sentence: “and actually, OUR TEMPLE should be the via media for feeding the poor with food and spiritual knowledge.” [Caps added for emphasis herein above]. This seems to be the letter that Brihad Shloka Prabhu is referring to.

My contention is that there is a difference between “prasad distribution” inside the premises of ISKCON temples and “mundane social welfare activities” as outlined by Prabhupada in his response to the late Tokarshilal Kapadia, that is found in the Science of Self Realization.

These two letters clearly support this contention, and I feel that they refute the contention that we – the ISKCON institution – should engage in providing/sponsoring/managing mid-day meals programs, medical relief (hospitals and medical relief camps), and other such activities that other “so-called spiritual institutions” engage in.

Mass distribution of prasad to the poor at Mayapur was “an exception to the rule” that was directly sanctioned by Srila Prabhupada.

The following exchange of letters appears in The Science of Self Realization, Chapter 6, under the heading “Altruism: Temporary and Eternal”.

In 1972, the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh was stricken by a severe drought that affected millions. Hoping that the International Society for Krishna Consciousness would provide assistance, T. L. Kapadia, Secretary of the Andhra Pradesh Relief Fund Committee wrote to Srila Prabhupada. Srila Prabhupada responded with this surprising and edifying letter:

Revered Swamiji,

The residents of the twin cities are happy to have this opportunity to meet you and your esteemed followers. You may be aware that due to inadequate rainfall during the last two years and its complete failure this year, more than half of our state [Andhra Pradesh, a state in southern India] is in the grip of a serious drought. With a view to supplementing governmental efforts to combat this evil, a Central Voluntary Organization of citizens drawn from various walks of life has been set up. The members of this organization surveyed the areas affected by drought. The situation is pathetic. There are villages where drinking water is not available for miles. Due to the scarcity of fodder, the cattle owners are parting with their cattle for a nominal price. Many of the stray cattle are dying away due to the unavailability of fodder and water. The food problem is also very serious. Due to the high prices of food grains on the open market, the purchase of grains at market prices is beyond the reach of poor villagers, with the result that at least five to six million people are hardly having one meal a day. There are many who are on the verge of starvation. The entire situation is most pathetic and heartrending.

We, therefore, appeal to your revered self to consider how your Society could best come to the rescue of these millions of souls who are in unimaginable distress. The Committee would like to suggest that members of your Society appeal to the bhaktas [devotees] attending your discourses to contribute their mite to the Andhra Pradesh Relief Fund.

The Committee is prepared to send some of its representatives along with members of your Society wherever you wish to distribute Prasada to the hungry millions in the state.

As manava-seva is madhava-seva [“Service to man is service to God”], the Committee is confident that even a little effort by your gracious Society will go a long way in mitigating the sufferings of hundreds and thousands of people.

Yours ever in the service of the Lord,

T. L. Kapadia, Secretary
Andhra Pradesh Relief fund Committee

Hyderabad, India

The following was Srila Prabhupada’s response to Kapadiaji:

My dear Mr. Kapadia,

Please accept my greetings.

With reference to your letter and your personal interview, I beg to inform you that without pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, no one can become happy. Unfortunately people do not know who God is and how to make Him happy. Our Krishna consciousness movement is therefore meant to present the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly to the people. As stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Seventh Canto, Sixth Chapter: tussle ca tatra kim alabhyam anent adye/ kim tair guna-vyatikarad iha ye sva-siddhah.

The idea stated in this verse is that by pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we please everyone, and there is no question of scarcity. Because people do not know this secret of success, they are making their own independent plans to be happy. However, it is not possible to achieve happiness in this way. On your letterhead I find many important men in this country who are interested in relieving the sufferings of the people, but they should know for certain that without pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead all their attempts will be futile. A diseased man cannot live simply on the strength of the help of an expert physician and medicine. If this were so, then no rich man would ever die. One must be favored by Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Therefore if you want to perform relief work simply by collecting funds, I think that it will not be successful.

You have to please the supreme authority, and that is the way to success. For example, due to the performance of sankirtana here, the rain has begun to fall after a drought of two years. The last time we performed a Hare Krishna Festival in Delhi, there was imminent danger of Pakistan’s declaring war, and when a newspaper man approached me for my opinion, I said there must be fighting because the other party was aggressive. However, because of our sankirtana movement, India emerged victorious. Similarly, when we held a festival in Calcutta, the Naxalite [Communist] movement stopped. These are facts. Through the sankirtana movement we can not only get all facilities for living, but also at the end can go back home, back to Godhead. Those who are of a demoniac nature cannot understand this, but it is a fact.

I therefore request you, as leading members of society, to join this movement. There is no loss on anyone’s part for chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, but the gain is great. According to Bhagavad-gita (3.21), what is accepted by leading men is also accepted by common men:

yad yad acarati shreshthas
tat tad evetaro janah
sa yat pramanam kurute
lokas tad anuvartate

“Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow in his footsteps. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues.” The sankirtana movement of Krishna consciousness is very important. Therefore, through you I wish to appeal to all the leading men of India to accept this movement very seriously and give us all facility to spread this movement throughout the world. Then there will be a very happy condition, not only in India but all over the world.

Hoping this will meet you in good health,

Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Srila Prabhupada’s Letter to Giriraja, Tokyo, 23 April, 1972:

Bombay
My dear Giriraja,

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated April 15, 1972 and I have noted the contents. This food distribution program is to be done very, very nicely as I have already written in my last letter. Generally people make a plea that why are there so many hungry and naked. So we invite all hungry and naked people to come to us and we will give them food and clothing and Krishna consciousness as well. This will attract the general public and there will never be any shortage of food-stuffs, so continue regularly. In Bombay there are many generous persons who like food distribution programs, and actually, our temple should be the via media for feeding the poor with food and spiritual knowledge. Our Bombay program should be based on giving Krishna consciousness through the English medium and distribution of prasadam without any discrimination. This will enhance our prestige and will accelerate our spiritual life as well. The temple program of arati, kirtana, bhoga offerings, discourses, etc. should continue. There should be no neglect of that program.

Bhaktivedanta Book Trust