|
How Prasadam distribution began in ISKCON
Excerpt from a lecture by HH Jayapataka Maharaj
Submitted by Krpa Moya Gouranga Das
It was the second or third international Mayapur festival. We had just finished the four storeyed building which is today known as the Lotus building. (This Lotus building was the temporary mandir at that time). Srila Prabhupada had invited several devotees from all over the world for the inauguration of this mandir. On this occassion we had a big feast. After the feast Prabhupada took the prasadam and then a little rest. But his rest was disturbed by the howling of the dogs and he got up. Prabhupada said, "Bring all the sanyasis, bring the GBC immediately ! Bring them !"
Usually if Prabhupada wanted to say something, he would say, "Bring my secretary”. But in Mayapur he would call everyone. He would want everyone to hear what he was saying. At that time the devotees were just 'recovering' from a big feast.
When Prabhupada called, all devotees came down rushing, "what is Prabhupada calling for? What is happening?". They saw Prabhupada looking out of the windows intently with tears in his eyes - he was crying ! They looked out and saw a big pile of leaf plates thrown at the back of the temple after the feast. There were about fifteen dogs, and about fifteen to twenty boys and girls, little kids between eight and fourteen years, picking through the leaves and fighting off the dogs. They were eating the leftovers and licking the leaves. They were ordinary village children who were basically clean but poor.
Prabhupada was silent, and everyone was astonished as to what Prabhupada was trying to communicate. Then Prabhupada revealed his mind, "How hungry they must be! They are picking the prasadam from the pile - they must be so hungry! We must arrange for their prasadam! If you want to make this a mandir, a house of Krishna, then you must see that within ten kilometers radius, no one goes hungry. That will be your success. Krishna is everyone's father. How can the son go hungry in the presence of the father? Immediately arrange to distribute the prasadam."
When prabhupada wanted something done immediately, it meant the next day was too late. But anyway, we could not get it together before the next day. We just had a big tent in those days, and since Prabhupada wanted prasadam distribution, we cooked some kichidi, and in this way started to distribute the prasadam.
Prabhupada said that if we could have prasadam distribution center at every ten square kilometers throughout India, then we would transform the whole of India. People will become so grateful to ISKCON that they will all definitely accept Lord Caitanya's movement - it will be the most important movement, and they will follow very strictly. Simply by prasadam distribution, all the effects of Kali Yuga can be stopped.
(Excerpts from tape no. JSAT/N-708-Sri Guru mukha padma vakya.)
Transcribed by: Ramananda Gaura das.
[BACK]
|