{"id":3212,"date":"2002-09-19T08:58:12","date_gmt":"2002-09-19T08:58:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/?p=3212"},"modified":"2023-04-14T12:28:31","modified_gmt":"2023-04-14T06:58:31","slug":"more-on-prasadam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/writings\/krishna-talk-articles\/srila-bhakti-gaurava-narasingha-maharaja\/more-on-prasadam\/","title":{"rendered":"More on Pras\u0101dam"},"content":{"rendered":"

Devotee: <\/strong>In a recent article you mentioned that we should appreciate pras\u0101dam<\/em> more deeply, but I have also heard you say that everything called \u2018pras\u0101dam<\/em>\u2018 may not actually be pras\u0101dam<\/em>. This seems to be inconsistent, so can you please explain this more clearly?<\/p>\n

Swami Narasi\u1e45gha: <\/strong>There are gradations in all things, pras\u0101dam<\/em> included. There are many things to consider. It is easy to say it is pras\u0101dam<\/em> because it comes from a \u2018temple,\u2019 but in fact the offering may not have been accepted by K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a.<\/p>\n

In the Hyderabad temple it so happened that \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da once asked to taste the pras\u0101dam<\/em> that was being distributed to the guests. When he tasted the pras\u0101dam<\/em> he was upset and he called for the leaders of the temple. He asked them, \u201cWhat is this?\u201d To which they replied, \u201cIt is pras\u0101dam<\/em> \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da.\u201d Then to everyone\u2019s dismay \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da said, \u201cThis is not pras\u0101dam<\/em>, this is garbage! You cannot offer just anything to K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a is not a garbage disposal.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was discovered that the cook was not a qualified Vai\u1e63\u1e47ava and he was then removed from that service. \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da did not forget about that incident for a long time. A few days later while taking pras\u0101dam<\/em> in the home of \u015ar\u012b Bhogilal Patel, a prominent life member, \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da commented to Bhogilal that, \u201cThese boys eat garbage. Before I came they ate all garbage.\u201d<\/p>\n

There had been a controversy in the Hyderabad temple for some time and some of the devotees were saying that the \u2018pras\u0101dam<\/em>\u2018 was not actually pras\u0101dam<\/em>. Something was wrong and some devotees could sense that. But, whoever said that was called an offender. Later when \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da gave his opinion they were of course vindicated. (Editor\u2019s Note: The devotee who had pointed out to the temple president that the offerings were improper was Swami B. G. Narasi\u1e45gha)<\/p>\n

The offerings in the Hyderabad temple had not been prepared properly and therefore the offerings were not accepted by K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. Many things are required for the preparation of an offering to K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. The consciousness of the cook is very important in preparing an offering. The consciousness of the one who makes the offering is also important and also the consciousness of the person distributing the pras\u0101dam<\/em> and also the consciousness of the person taking the pras\u0101dam<\/em> is important.<\/p>\n

If one takes pras\u0101dam<\/em> of the Deity but does so in the mood of enjoyment then he does not get the full benefit of pras\u0101dam<\/em>, but rather he falls victim to his senses. This has been explained by \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da as follows:<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, if one accepts pras\u0101da<\/em> only because of its palatable taste and thus eats too much, he also falls prey to trying to satisfy the demands of the tongue. \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu taught us to avoid very palatable dishes even while eating pras\u0101dam<\/em>. If we offer palatable dishes to the Deity with the intention of eating such nice food, we are involved in trying to satisfy the demands of the tongue. In Caitanya-carit\u0101m\u1e5bta<\/em> (Antya-l\u012bl\u0101<\/em> 6.227) it is stated:<\/p>\n

jihv\u0101ra l\u0101lase yei iti-uti dh\u0101ya
\n\u015bi\u015bnodara-par\u0101ya\u1e47a k\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a n\u0101hi p\u0101ya<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2018That person who runs here and there seeking to gratify his palate and who is always attached to the desires of his stomach and genitals is unable to attain K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a.’\u201d<\/p>\n

Even the selling of bona-fide pras\u0101dam<\/em> may be an offence against pras\u0101dam<\/em>. The accepted tradition is that a temple may sell mah\u0101<\/em>\u2013pras\u0101dam<\/em> to the temple visitors and the revenues from those sales are to be directly utilized in the service of the Deity. However, if the pras\u0101dam<\/em> is sold to a third party who in turn sells the pras\u0101dam<\/em> for a profit and uses that revenue for material sense gratification then an offence to pras\u0101dam<\/em> is created.<\/p>\n

The power of pras\u0101dam<\/em> and mah\u0101-pras\u0101dam<\/em> is always transcendental, but if allowed to be exploited by anyone for material purposes then an offence is created.<\/p>\n

There is a story in this regard that once R\u0101m\u0101nuj\u0101c\u0101rya fed a fish the maha<\/em>\u2013pras\u0101dam<\/em> of the Deity. The fish jumped out of the water to grab the pras\u0101dam<\/em> in its mouth and before it could enter the water again the fish assumed a Vaiku\u1e47\u1e6dha form and entered the Vaiku\u1e47\u1e6dha planets. The disciples of R\u0101m\u0101nuja saw this and inquired from their guru as to why they had not yet received a Vaiku\u1e47\u1e6dha form since they had received mah\u0101-pras\u0101dam<\/em> many times. R\u0101m\u0101nuja replied that his disciples were trying to enjoy the pras\u0101dam<\/em> which is an apar\u0101dha<\/em>, offence. The fish he said made no such apar\u0101dha<\/em> and therefore he attained Vaiku\u1e47\u1e6dha.<\/p>\n

There was also once an incident wherein some devotees came to \u015ar\u012bla \u015ar\u012bdhara Mah\u0101r\u0101ja to ask him about the \u201cpras\u0101dam<\/em> cookie distribution\u201d in Los Angles. They informed \u015ar\u012bla \u015ar\u012bdhara Mah\u0101r\u0101ja that thousands of people were taking the \u2018pras\u0101dam<\/em> cookies\u2019 and they wanted to know if by taking such pras\u0101dam<\/em> the people were guaranteed at least a human body in their next life? \u015ar\u012bla \u015ar\u012bdhara Mah\u0101r\u0101ja said that would depend on what type of pras\u0101dam<\/em> it actually was. He commented that there is gradation in all things and that there are considerations about the pras\u0101dam<\/em>, such as who cooked it, who offered it, who distributed it, and in what consciousness it was honoured, etc. \u015ar\u012bla \u015ar\u012bdhara Mah\u0101r\u0101ja did not simply accept that anything in the name of \u2018pras\u0101dam<\/em>\u2018 was actually pras\u0101dam<\/em> or that all \u2018pras\u0101dam<\/em>\u2018 was the same.<\/p>\n

\u015ar\u012bdhara Mah\u0101r\u0101ja spoke the following in regard to this issue:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe current must be there. Only wiring has no value. Do you follow? Connecting wiring but no current. So vaiku\u1e47\u1e6dha-n\u0101ma graha\u1e47e<\/em>, the Vaiku\u1e47\u1e6dha connection, transcendental connection must be there. Otherwise form is form, useless. But the spirit must be within the form. Form is also necessary, wiring also necessary to utilize the electric current. But mere wiring has got no utility. The current must be there. So pras\u0101da<\/em> distribution, all these external exhibition. But if the real connection with divinity otherwise all trade. Otherwise ulterior motive may be there as a business. J\u0101ti-gosv\u0101m\u012b<\/em>, the Bh\u0101gavata<\/em> reading, taking money and reading Bh\u0101gavata<\/em> is a class of trade. That may be trade but if the man who is at the back he has got sincere connection with the Lord then the connection coming and pervades everywhere, that is pras\u0101dam<\/em>. Otherwise imitation. Imitation is not a real thing. So Bhaktivinoda \u1e6ch\u0101kura\u2019s congregation sa\u1e45k\u012brtana<\/em>. At least one man, the leader of the party must be \u015buddha<\/em>\u2013bhakta<\/em>, pure devotee, the k\u012brtana<\/em> party guided under the pure devotee. Then we shall otherwise we will be dancing and jumping in the mundane plane. Connection must be there the electric connection.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOne may perceive that connection who has got eye. For that we have to get eye, om<\/em> aj\u00f1\u0101na<\/em>\u2013timir\u0101ndhasya j\u00f1\u0101n\u0101\u00f1jana-\u015bal\u0101kay\u0101<\/em>. Our own realisation will be the guarantee, our own knowledge. We see that sort of eye, that is given by Gurudeva. The cataract is removed by Gurudeva, gives the divya<\/em>\u2013dar\u015bana<\/em>, divine eye. Divya-cak\u1e63u d\u012bk\u1e63\u0101, d\u012bk\u1e63\u0101<\/em> means transcendental knowledge imparted.\u201d<\/p>\n

Similarly, we try to maintain that same discrimination, at least as far as our disciples are concerned. This is the prerogative of a bona-fide guru in teaching his disciples proper discrimination. Sometimes the guru may advise his disciples not to associate with a certain group of devotees, or even to accept so-called pras\u0101dam<\/em> from them if he thinks that such association is not good for their K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a consciousness. We have seen similar instructions from \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da, instructions which he changed according to different circumstances. Of course, a neophyte disciple may reject the order of his guru thinking that he knows more than his guru. Such disciples are usually attached to the society of guru-bhog\u012bs<\/em> (enjoyers of the gurus property and mission), friendship, and mundane love, but such a guru-ty\u0101g\u012b<\/em> (one who has rejected his guru) has no real access to the realms of pure devotion.<\/p>\n

There was once an incident wherein one of my disciples informed me that he was attending a temple in which all varieties of apa-siddh\u0101nta<\/em> were being preached from the vy\u0101s\u0101sana<\/em>. He informed me that there were varieties of strange things happening in the temple, such as punk-rock k\u012brtanas<\/em>, excessive womens-lib, different types of mentally imbalanced persons living in the temple and many other improper activities. He even once informed me how on Narasi\u1e41ha Caturda\u015b\u012b, a Deity of Lord Narasi\u1e41ha Deva was placed in the fire with firecrackers in its belly. The firecrackers ignited and the Deity was blown to pieces. This was stopped upon our pointing out it\u2019s offensiveness, but reveals a total lack of discrimination. After some time, I instructed this disciple to stop attending that temple and stop associating with those devotees, at which he showed me his guru-ty\u0101ga<\/em>, revealing his deep attachments to social life and desiring to be the guru himself, rather than to take instruction from his guru.<\/p>\n

If one is an offender to the pure devotees of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a then we do not accept their so-called pras\u0101dam<\/em>. One may not directly be an offender, but if he resides in an institution wherein grievous offences have been committed to the Lord\u2019s dear-most servants then to a certain extent even the innocent devotees will be affected by the offences. This is called institutionalized apar\u0101dha<\/em>. We may then consider their so-called pras\u0101dam<\/em> and association as undesirable.<\/p>\n

It is mentioned in chapter thirteen of Caitanya-bh\u0101gavata <\/em>as follows:<\/p>\n

\u201cSuch company, where Vai\u1e63\u1e47avas are offended may consist of highly pious persons still all their mercy is depleted. If Vai\u1e63\u1e47avas are offended even by an assembly of sanny\u0101s\u012bs<\/em> such an assembly is more irreligious than a group of drunkards. For the drunks there is still a chance for salvation but for those who are critical of Vai\u1e63\u1e47avas there is no hope for liberation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Deity also may withdraw from the association of the offenders. K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a may not accept to be present or remain where the pure devotee has been offended.<\/p>\n

It has been mentioned in Bhakti-ratn\u0101kara<\/em> that whenever \u015ar\u012b Abhir\u0101ma \u1e6ch\u0101kura offered his da\u1e47\u1e0davats<\/em> before a Deity that was being worshipped by an offender that the Deity would burst into pieces. This is of course an extreme example, but the lesson is universal \u2013 K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a does not reside where the Lord or his pure devotees have been offended.<\/p>\n

Of course, there are many original Deities in V\u1e5bnd\u0101vana and elsewhere that are no longer being worshipped by pure devotees, some are even being worshipped by offenders. However, when going to such temples on a holy pilgrimage we may honour the pras\u0101dam<\/em> of such Deities, remembering that these were the Deities of \u015ar\u012b R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b, \u015ar\u012b San\u0101tana Gosv\u0101m\u012b, \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da and so forth. That is a special case.<\/p>\n

In the case where, for example, a \u2018\u1e5atvik<\/em>\u2018 (one who has rejected the guru-parampar\u0101<\/em>) establishes a temple to worship the Deity, accepting only the previous \u0101c\u0101rya \u2013 <\/em>that too is not authorised. Even if that temple cost millions of dollars, we do not regard that K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a is present there in His Deity form. K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a is only present where his pure devotee and the parampar\u0101<\/em> are in full regard. Simply following rules and regulations and reading books of the previous \u0101c\u0101rya<\/em> does not constitute pure devotional service or even an honest attempt to follow in the line of pure devotion.<\/p>\n

There was an incident during the time of \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da wherein the Deity of Subhadr\u0101 in San Diego burned on the altar leaving only a pile of ashes behind. On the left and right stood K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a and Baladeva but They were unaffected by the fire. When the news of this incident reached \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da he commented that Subhadr\u0101 has departed due to apar\u0101dha<\/em>, offences being committed in the temple. Again this is an extreme case and we should not think that such is the only proof that K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a has withdrawn.<\/p>\n

For example there are many references in the \u015b\u0101stra<\/em> to offenders being stricken down with leprosy etc. Yet we should not think that just because an offender has not contacted leprosy that he is not an offender. The main punishment for the offenders of pure devotees is that they are deprived of the association of a mah\u0101-bh\u0101gavata<\/em> or pure devotee of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. There are some temples in the world wherein not even a single person in those temples has ever come in proper connection with a mah\u0101<\/em>\u2013bh\u0101gavata<\/em> other than by reading books. Thus a bona-fide guru, considering the neophyte nature or offensive nature of persons in such temples, might instruct his disciples to avoid that type of association.<\/p>\n

Another example of the Deity withdrawing from a temple due to offences made against the Lord\u2019s pure devotee can be cited in relation to the M\u0101y\u0101pura temple wherein the R\u0101dh\u0101-K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a Deities (worshiped by \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da in his childhood) and the main Deity of \u015ar\u012bmat\u012b R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b left the altar under the plea of being carried away by the dacoits and never returned. This unpleasant event took place during the height of offences being committed against \u015ar\u012bla \u015ar\u012bdhara Mah\u0101r\u0101ja. This was indeed an extreme example of the Lord\u2019s dissatisfaction, but historically the blame was placed on the dacoits and the members of that institution never considered a deeper meaning behind that most unfortunate and unprecedented event.<\/p>\n

Without proper discrimination a devotee will fall from the path of pure devotional service and become a hodgepodge devotee like so many Hindus. We are to honour pras\u0101dam<\/em>, mah\u0101-pras\u0101dam<\/em> and the association of real Vai\u1e63\u1e47avas but in doing so we must accept the instruction of our spiritual master. If he tells us to avoid a particular association, we should accept that and always remain humble and obedient to his order. The presence of the Deity, the Holy Name, the potency of pras\u0101dam<\/em> and some many things in K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a consciousness always depend on the dispensation of the director, the good will of the higher Vai\u1e63\u1e47ava.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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