Bhakti Vikasa Swami's Blog, page 322
September 20, 2012
Prasadam Business
Question:
One devotee in our community started a business with prasadam and developed a whole company. The prasadam is widely distributed in whole country in shops and devotees themselves sell it on farmers’ markets. The company is source of money for several families of devotees and presently it is main economical pillar of our community.
Although we produce large quantities of prasadam the process is not mechanized – everything is hand-made and offered to Krishna by initiated devotees. We use just pure natural and bonafide ingredients – no chemical stuff etc. We are very strict in this regard and do no compromises.
The company has professional image. It is not directly advertised that it is Hare Krishna company although we do not hide it in any way that we are devotees and the food we distribute is prasadam.
We are sometimes criticized by some devotees that it is questionable if the food we produce is really prasadam and that whole company has nothing to do with devotional service and it is simply karmic work. It is mainly because of the professional look of the company and because we produce big quantities of food packaged in the way the karmi food is packaged.
I would like to ask you what is the proper understanding of the topic of "prasadam business" and our situation.
Download Prasadam Business
One devotee in our community started a business with prasadam and developed a whole company. The prasadam is widely distributed in whole country in shops and devotees themselves sell it on farmers’ markets. The company is source of money for several families of devotees and presently it is main economical pillar of our community.
Although we produce large quantities of prasadam the process is not mechanized – everything is hand-made and offered to Krishna by initiated devotees. We use just pure natural and bonafide ingredients – no chemical stuff etc. We are very strict in this regard and do no compromises.
The company has professional image. It is not directly advertised that it is Hare Krishna company although we do not hide it in any way that we are devotees and the food we distribute is prasadam.
We are sometimes criticized by some devotees that it is questionable if the food we produce is really prasadam and that whole company has nothing to do with devotional service and it is simply karmic work. It is mainly because of the professional look of the company and because we produce big quantities of food packaged in the way the karmi food is packaged.
I would like to ask you what is the proper understanding of the topic of "prasadam business" and our situation.
Download Prasadam Business
The guru always remains a student
It is not that you have become a student and you’ll remain student. No. One
day you shall become also guru and make more students, more students, more.
That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission, not that perpetually… Yes, one
should remain perpetually a student, but he has to act as guru. That is the
mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is not that because I am acting as guru,
I am no longer student. No, I am still student. Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught
us this instruction that we shall always remain a foolish student before our
Guru Maharaja. That is the Vedic culture. I may be very big man, but still,
I should remain a foolish student to my guru. That is the qualification.
Guru more murkha dekhi’ karila sasana [Cc. Adi 7.71]. We should be always
prepared to be controlled by the guru. That is very good qualification.
Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. Ara na kariha mane asa **. So we should
become always a very obedient student to our guru. That is the
qualification. That is the spiritual qualification.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Gosvami Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day, Lecture — Hyderabad, December 10,
1976
day you shall become also guru and make more students, more students, more.
That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission, not that perpetually… Yes, one
should remain perpetually a student, but he has to act as guru. That is the
mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is not that because I am acting as guru,
I am no longer student. No, I am still student. Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught
us this instruction that we shall always remain a foolish student before our
Guru Maharaja. That is the Vedic culture. I may be very big man, but still,
I should remain a foolish student to my guru. That is the qualification.
Guru more murkha dekhi’ karila sasana [Cc. Adi 7.71]. We should be always
prepared to be controlled by the guru. That is very good qualification.
Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah **. Ara na kariha mane asa **. So we should
become always a very obedient student to our guru. That is the
qualification. That is the spiritual qualification.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Gosvami Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day, Lecture — Hyderabad, December 10,
1976
September 19, 2012
Paid devotional service
Srila Prabhupada explained that if one takes money for devotional service,
that is all he will get–the money. But not Krishna bhakti. He said it is
better to do some business and make money separately than to serve Krishna
and Guru and expect to be paid. That will not give the desired result of
Krishna bhakti; one will get only the money. And, moreover, to take money
from the Guru is considered to be a very bad thing. One should give to
one’s guru, not take. There is a saying in India, “The Guru’s money is Bad
money.” This saying says a lot. In India, there is an age-old
understanding that to take from one’s guru ultimately brings great
misfortune. Instead, out of gratitude for the loving instructions and grace
coming from the Satguru, one should offer one’s mind and heart, as well as
one’s wealth and time.
Govinda dasi
that is all he will get–the money. But not Krishna bhakti. He said it is
better to do some business and make money separately than to serve Krishna
and Guru and expect to be paid. That will not give the desired result of
Krishna bhakti; one will get only the money. And, moreover, to take money
from the Guru is considered to be a very bad thing. One should give to
one’s guru, not take. There is a saying in India, “The Guru’s money is Bad
money.” This saying says a lot. In India, there is an age-old
understanding that to take from one’s guru ultimately brings great
misfortune. Instead, out of gratitude for the loving instructions and grace
coming from the Satguru, one should offer one’s mind and heart, as well as
one’s wealth and time.
Govinda dasi
September 18, 2012
Frog philosopher
We have to become Krsna conscious. We haven’t got to become a learned man to
argue with another learned man. If it is possible we can do that, but that
does not make any difference if I cannot argue with others or if I cannot
teach very nicely Bhagavad-gita to others. Simply if I remember this
picture, that is perfection. Because we have to become Krsna conscious. We
have to simply think of Krsna. You think in any way. That is your
perfection.
And if he does not come to this stage, his so-called scholarship, learned
argument, this or that — all nonsense, finished. Useless. One has to come
to this stage, thinking of Krsna always. So if one does not come to this
stage, simply by academic education, he says “It should be like this. The
interpretation should be like this,” he’s simply wasting time. Frog
philosopher.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.1-10 and Talk — Los Angeles, November
25, 1968
argue with another learned man. If it is possible we can do that, but that
does not make any difference if I cannot argue with others or if I cannot
teach very nicely Bhagavad-gita to others. Simply if I remember this
picture, that is perfection. Because we have to become Krsna conscious. We
have to simply think of Krsna. You think in any way. That is your
perfection.
And if he does not come to this stage, his so-called scholarship, learned
argument, this or that — all nonsense, finished. Useless. One has to come
to this stage, thinking of Krsna always. So if one does not come to this
stage, simply by academic education, he says “It should be like this. The
interpretation should be like this,” he’s simply wasting time. Frog
philosopher.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.1-10 and Talk — Los Angeles, November
25, 1968
September 17, 2012
Visvayoni, Part-2
[B]Where:[/B] Los Angeles, California, USA[BR]
[B]When:[/B] 24 Aug 12[BR]
[B]Scripture:[/B] Visnu Sahasranama, Verse-13[BR]
[B]Language:[/B] English
[CUT]
Download Visvayoni, Part-2
[B]When:[/B] 24 Aug 12[BR]
[B]Scripture:[/B] Visnu Sahasranama, Verse-13[BR]
[B]Language:[/B] English
[CUT]
Download Visvayoni, Part-2
reschedule
I can go to Delhi 15 Oct morning then on 15 evening or 16 morning to
Ahmedabad.
Ahmedabad.
reschedule
Gujarat leader meetings have been rescheduled so I will have to go from
Rajpura to Ahmedabad. The Rajasthan trip will have to be cancelled.
Rajpura to Ahmedabad. The Rajasthan trip will have to be cancelled.
Study Gita, argue, convince
…read very carefully Bhagavad-gita. You have to meet so many opposing
elements; so you have to argue and convince them.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.8-12 — Los Angeles, November 27, 1968
elements; so you have to argue and convince them.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.8-12 — Los Angeles, November 27, 1968
September 16, 2012
Krsna might reject you
Krsna, if He does not like you, He may refuse you Krsna consciousness. Not
that because you are following all the rules and regulations, Krsna is
obliged to accept you. No. If He thinks that “He’s nonsense; I cannot accept
him,” He’ll reject you.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.8-12 — Los Angeles, November 27, 1968
that because you are following all the rules and regulations, Krsna is
obliged to accept you. No. If He thinks that “He’s nonsense; I cannot accept
him,” He’ll reject you.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.8-12 — Los Angeles, November 27, 1968
September 15, 2012
From a letter sent me by Govinda Dasi
Once in Boston in 1968, I was peeking in through the big old-fashioned
keyhole into Srila Prabhupada’s room. I was just checking to see if it
looked like he needed anything, as I would often check throughout the day.
But I didnt want to walk in and disturb him, as he was singing and enjoying
himself so much, singing the Srimad Bhagavatam slokas. So when I peered
inside, he was sitting alone, singing, with total absorption, facial
gestures, and hand movements, as if speaking before a large assembly.
As I continued to look, I felt like I was looking into another world, and
there were unseen beings congregated in his room, and hearing his exalted
teachings. Like a ton of bricks, it hit me that, “I have no idea who this
person really is…I am serving him daily, cooking cleaning, maintaining
the household and typing letters etc…but truly I have no idea who he
really is–or how great he really is.” It was an overwhelming realization
that has stuck with me all these years.
He truly is watching over things.
keyhole into Srila Prabhupada’s room. I was just checking to see if it
looked like he needed anything, as I would often check throughout the day.
But I didnt want to walk in and disturb him, as he was singing and enjoying
himself so much, singing the Srimad Bhagavatam slokas. So when I peered
inside, he was sitting alone, singing, with total absorption, facial
gestures, and hand movements, as if speaking before a large assembly.
As I continued to look, I felt like I was looking into another world, and
there were unseen beings congregated in his room, and hearing his exalted
teachings. Like a ton of bricks, it hit me that, “I have no idea who this
person really is…I am serving him daily, cooking cleaning, maintaining
the household and typing letters etc…but truly I have no idea who he
really is–or how great he really is.” It was an overwhelming realization
that has stuck with me all these years.
He truly is watching over things.
