Bhakti, Feeding the Poor and Charity.

HARI PĀRṢADA DĀS·SUNDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2017·READING TIME: 7 MINUTES

[A series of Questions and Answers compiled by Hari Parshad Das]

Question) Should a devotee feed the hungry and poor? Should a devotee be
charitable towards needy living entities?
Answer) Yes, as long as these do not become his primary activities in life.
These activities should not overshadow one’s bhajana (personal worship)
and pracāra (preaching). A devotee’s primary activity should always be
bhajana and pracāra. Charity according to one’s strength must be done
compulsorily as a secondary activity.
Question) But feeding the hungry and serving the poor is not mentioned
anywhere by the previous ācāryas.
Answer) Anyone who says this has not read the previous ācāryas carefully.
Question) Who exactly has spoken in favor of feeding the hungry and
serving the poor?
Answer) Srila Jiva Goswami.
Question) Did he specifically say that devotees should feed the hungry and
serve the poor? Or did he recommend it for the non-devotees?
Answer) He recommended it specifically for the devotees of the Lord.
Question) Where exactly did he say that?
Answer) In the commentary to that particular chapter of the Śrīmad-
bhāgavatam where Kapila Muni describes devotional service. I am quoting
here Śrīmad-bhāgavatam (3.29.26) along with the commentary of Srila Jiva
Goswami and its translation:
ātmanaś ca parasyāpi
yaḥ karoty antarodaram
tasya bhinna-dṛśo mṛtyur
vidadhe bhayam ulbaṇam
Translation (as per Srila Jiva Goswami's commentary): For a person
having a differential outlook, who differentiates between the belly of himself
and of other living entities, I (the Supreme Lord) appear in the form of all
devouring death and continue his existence in the fearsome material world.
Commentary by Srila Jiva Goswami: atha sva-karma-pūrvakam arcanaṁ
kurvaṁś ca bhūta-dayāṁ vinā na siddhyati ity āha — ātmana iti |
antarodaraṁ udara-bhedena bhedaṁ karoti, na tu mad-adhiṣṭhānatvena
ātma-samaṁ paśyati | tataś ca kṣudhitādikam api dṛṣṭvā svodarādikam eva
kevalaṁ sambibhartīty arthaḥ | tasya bhinna-dṛśo mṛtyu-rūpo ’haṁ ulbaṇaṁ
bhayaṁ saṁsāram ||
Translation of Commentary: This verse specifies how devotional service
does not attain perfection for a person who is devoid of bhūta-dayā, mercy
to other living entities.
The term 'antarodaram' means that such a devotee differentiates between
his own belly and the belly of others. Not seeing me (the Supreme Lord)
situated in everyone's heart, such a person does not consider others to be
like himself. Moreover, even if such a person sees someone to be hungry,
needy etc., he ends up filling only his own belly.
For such a person having a differential outlook, I appear in the form of death
(mṛtyuḥ) and generate deep fear i.e. I continue his existence in the material
world. (End of Commentary)
Question) Anything else to be noted here?
Answer) It is to be noted that this entire chapter (Canto 3, Chapter 29) is
describing devotional service i.e. bhakti-yoga. Thus, all these instructions are
especially meant for devotees.

Srila Sridhar Swami has said in his commentary to the first verse of this
chapter — bhakti-yogas tu bahudhocyate — in this chapter, devotional
service is being primarily described. Therefore, these instructions are
primarily for devotees.
Question) Does the commentary above by Srila Jiva Goswami also indicate
other types of mercy towards needy living entities? Or does it simply speak
about feeding the hungry?
Answer) It speaks about other types of mercy too. We should note the term
'kṣudhitādikam' in the commentary of Srila Jiva Goswami. The 'ādikam'
means etc. In other words, he includes other types of distressed living entities
in his commentary.
Question) But more recent ācāryas such as Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati
Thakura have spoken against charitable service and feeding the hungry/poor.
Answer) This is another major misconception. Trying to show that a latter
ācārya was speaking against the conclusions of the previous ācārya will never
benefit the sampradāya. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura was never
against charitable acts. He was against these acts only if they started
overshadowing one's Krishna-bhakti. As specified above, these acts of charity
should not become our primary engagement. Bhajana and pracāra should
remain our primary engagement, while charity must be done as a secondary
engagement.
There are many who have an artificial zeal of their own imagined pseudo-
bhaktisiddhantism. Actually the mood of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati
Thakura can be understood simply by observing his own activities, and these
activities were witnessed directly by so many of his disciples.
One of his disciple — Śrīmatī Latikā Devi is on record describing how she
personally saw Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura feed unlimited
number of poor and hungry people without any distinctions. The video can be
viewed at :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdWwECtTgmU (watch from 1 minute
45 second onwards for a precise description of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta
Saraswati Thakura's charitable nature).
I am typing out her statements here for anyone who cannot access the video:
Śrīmatī Latikā Dāsī: “When Prabhupada (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati
Thakura) was present (in the Bagh-bazar Gaudiya Matha), then every single
day so many beggars and sādhus were fed. They were all served. There was
an overhead sheet erected, a permanent sheet. And there were so many
people continuously cooking. There the sādhus and beggars were fed. So
many poor people came to eat there. Prabhupada did this a lot.” (end of
quote, emphasis added)
Question) So Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura too sumptuously fed
the hungry and poor?
Answer) Yes. However, an obvious fact should be noted here that Srila
Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura never compromised his bhajana as well
as pracāra for the same. When one's bhajana and pracāra become
overshadowed by other activities, one fails to satisfy the criteria of 'jñāna-
karmādy anāvṛtam' (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhuḥ 1.1.11). In other words, one’s
devotional service becomes covered with less important activities and it no
longer remains pure.
Question) What about ISKCON's founder-ācārya Srila Prabhupada? He too
criticised mundane welfare activities on many occasions.
Answer) Srila Prabhupada's criticism was specifically regarding those
māyāvādīs who gave up their Vedanta study and started rendering charity as
their primary occupation. Sometimes, Srila Prabhupada accepted the
achievements of those māyāvādīs who did not get so much into charity but
were instead fixed in their own spiritual understanding:
Quote: Aurobindo, he approached up to Brahman liberation. (Lecture on
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971)
However, if a spiritualist gave up their primary sādhana and started
performing charitable work as their main activity, Srila Prabhupada was
critical of that.
Quote: Because Māyāvādī philosophers have no information regarding the
transcendental service of the Lord, even after attaining liberation from
material activities and merging into the Brahman effulgence, they must come
down again to this material world to open hospitals or schools or perform
similar philanthropic activities. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi 8.19, Purport)
So it should be noted clearly that Srila Prabhupada's problem was specifically
with someone who gives more importance to philanthropic acts as compared
to one's sādhana/bhajana/pracāra. He did not have a problem with charitable
acts if they did not overshadow one’s bhakti.
 If Srila Prabhupada would be against all sorts of charity, he would never have
instructed his disciples that — "Nobody should go hungry within ten miles of
our temples" (Conversation, 13 January 1977, Allahabad).
Both Srila Prabhupada and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura have
carefully studied the conclusions given by Srila Jiva Goswami in his
commentaries. It would be unwise to artificially assume that they instructed
their disciples in doing something against the conclusions of their previous
ācārya in this regard.
Question) Is charity towards the poor/needy a limb of bhakti?
Answer) No. It is not a direct limb of bhakti-devī herself. However, it is
certainly a limb of the pristine character of a devotee.
The Śrīmad-bhāgavatam (11.11.29 - 31) describes the twenty-eight primary
traits (qualities) of a devotee. One of those traits is — sarvopakārakaḥ.
While explaining this character trait of a devotee, Srila Sridhar Swami says —
yathā-śakti sarveṣām apy upakārakaḥ — the devotee bestows all sorts of
help towards other living entities according to his limited capacity.
Therefore, mercy and charitable nature must be a part of the character of all
those who wish to be devotees. If one does not cultivate and practice mercy
as a devotee then as specified above, the Supreme Lord bestows fear to that
devotee and continues his/her existence in the fearful material world.
Question) Can you summarize the siddhānta in brief?
Answer) We must feed the poor. We must be charitable. We cannot be hard
at heart. However, we must give first priority to our bhajana/pracāra and
never let acts of charity take precedence over bhajana or pracāra.

(HPD)
(24-December-2017).

 Abhay S. Deolekar I have learned to give money to beggers for food by looking at you
whenever a begger approached us while we were on bike. Since then I do give some money to
beggers.

 Krishna Dharma Here in London I know for a fact that most beggars will use any laxmi they receive
for drugs and alcohol. Not all, but it is hard to know. Charities advise not to give money to street
beggars as it does not really help them.

Hari Pārṣada Dās True. London is an exception in this regard. Other dravyas (resources) can be
given as charity in such situations.


o

Krishna Dharma We try to give prasad or at maybe laxmi to devotees engaged in that service, like
Food for Life. Interestingly Srila Prabhupada writes: "In this age, distribution of prasāda has replaced
distribution of money. No one has sufficient money to distribute, but if we distribute kṛṣṇa-prasāda as
far as possible, this is more valuable than the distribution of money." (SB 4.924)

Jai Simman I guess for such cases, giving in kind would be better e.g. Prasadam, clothes, medicines,
books, etc. And if the intended recipients reject them and demand money for their nefarious habits,
then they are not fit for receiving charity.

 Jahnava Nitai Das “Those who think that devotion to God and kindness to the jivas are
mutually different from each other, and perform accordingly in their life, such persons will not be
able to follow the devotional culture. Their performance is only a semblance of devotion. Therefore,
all the types of beneficence to others, like kindness, friendliness, forgiveness, charity, respect, etc.
are included in Bhakti. Charity of medicines, clothes, food, water, etc. shelter during adversities,
teaching of academic and spiritual education, etc. are the activities included in the devotional
culture” – Bhaktivinoda Thakura
o
 Jahnava Nitai Das “Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated June
25, 1975 and have noted the contents. The Gurukula and poor feeding programs should be
developed and it will make us very popular.” – Srila Prabhupada

“The rich man should distribute prasadam through Krishna consciousness to the poor man, and the
poor man should not be envious of the rich man. Then there will be happiness prosperity.” – Srila
Prabhupada

“It is the duty of a householder to feed first of all the children, the old members of the family, the
brahmanas and the invalids. Besides that, an ideal householder is required to call for any unknown
hungry man to come and dine before he himself goes to take his meals. He is required to call for
such a hungry man thrice on the road. The neglect of this prescribed duty of a householder,
especially in the matter of the old men and children, is unpardonable.” – Srila Prabhupada

“That prasadam is also Isa [God]. The prasadam accepted by Krishna, offered to Krishna, is also
Krishna. So if we give prasadam, then he is getting the opportunity of associating with Krishna. This
is our idea. But people very much appreciate poor-feeding. So that, you can take it.” – Srila
Prabhupada

“Just like poor-feeding. This program we also follow. In our temple, especially in India, any man can
come and take his food. Yes. We have got arrangement.” – Srila Prabhupada
 “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.” – Srila Prabhupada

“Just like feeding the poor. It is also yajna. But the same thing, if it is dovetailed in consciousness,
that becomes perfect. People are very much inclined to feed the poor with sumptuous food, but it
can be done in a little different way, that the foodstuff offered to Vishnu, prasada, that distribution
foodstuff is better than ordinary distribution of foodstuff. Ordinarily, that is punya, pious activities,
but when it is connection with Krishna, this is called yajna.” – Srila Prabhupada

“Everywhere. In the hospitals, charitable societies, Industrial places, everywhere – distribute this
prasada and chant this Hare Krishna. Just see what is the result. You want peace? These are the
processes of peace.” – Srila Prabhupada

 Adi Purusha Das Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that even dveshis have to be helped, if we
are in the position:

What upeksha, 'avoiding, or ignoring, the envious (demoniacally-minded), means: "Avoiding them
does not mean that one should renounce all ordinary dealings…See More


Madhavananda N Krishnakund Thank you for a thoughtful article. As indirectly indicated herein

vaiṣṇavism is subtle and should be considered from different sides. Either quickly condemning or
promoting feeding the poor may be problematic.

Personally, especially in India, I rarely give money to the poor. I want to give, it's my gṛhastha
dharma, and for all of the good reasons given in this article, however, as you may see from the many
links below there is a good reason why I don't. Generally, I like to give prasadam. The only time I give
cash is if I have confidence that: a) The person is in genuine need; and b) They won't use it for
something sinful like drugs.

The sad fact is that in India today many of the beggars are extremely rich. They don't want to work,
even if someone offers them a job they don't want it as they make more money by begging and in
some cases they own several properties worth crores of rupees.

Consider any of the following 5 news articles, which came up quickly with a simple Google search:

https://www.storypick.com/professional-beggars-in-india/

https://www.deccanherald.com/.../beggar-property-worth-rs...

https://www.indiatoday.in/.../mumbai-rich-beggar-coind...

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/.../arti.../48043557.cms

https://www.odditycentral.com/.../young-indian-beggar-has...

Compassion is an important quality for vaiṣṇavas, but it can be misplaced.

Thank you again for your thoughtful presentation Hari Pārṣada Prabhu.

 Hide or report this

Arvind Sharma Dear Madhavananda N Krishnakund / Hari Pārṣada Dās Prabhu

I faintly remember hearing a pastime where Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada observed one of his
disciple not giving money to a beggar in Jagannath puri dham for the reason mentioned above I.e
unsure if the charity would be used in a Bhakti conducive way. Seeing that it was making him hard
hearted, Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada told him to give a donation since Kripalu was the first of the
26 vaishnava qualities and head a higher weightage than risking the type of charity given. I have not
found a reference to this. Can you throw some light Prabhuji if you have come across this pastime . 🙏

Madhavananda N Krishnakund Arvind Sharma.

It sounds like the following story told by Bhakti Vikasa Maharaja in volume 1, part 2, chapter 22 of his
book, Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava. I’m pasting it below in two parts with some additional comments on
the same topic.…See More

Madhavananda N Krishnakund Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī’s practice, which he told his

disciples to emulate, was to give paise to Vraja pāṇḍās even if not taking their help; when crossing
rivers, to give the boatmen a little more than the standard fare; and to treat hired laborers
courteously and pay them well.

Nevertheless, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī’s generosity and compassion for the disadvantaged
was honed with a conviction that they could be truly benefited only by accepting śuddha-bhakti:

We shall offer such aid as food and clothes to whoever has faith in Godhead and has begun
devotional service. We should feed and clothe the poor and provide them other benefits in order to
make them serve Hari. Otherwise, what is the use of nourishing a snake with milk and bananas? That
is not kindness; rather, it entraps people in māyā.[346]

Ālālanātha Artashram
In Ālālanātha Śrīla Sarasvatī Ṭhākura established an ashram for lepers who had taken to śuddha-
bhakti. That most lepers were from the ranks of the socially backward, the malnourished, and the
unclean, compounded the stigma against them based on the prevalent misconception that leprosy is
highly infectious, and on śāstrīya descriptions of its being are action for previous grave sins.
However, the Harmonist pointed out that such leprous devotees were unlimitedly more fortunate
than the physically able who lacked śuddha-bhakti,and that the service-oriented attitude of those
apparently diseased devotees was the key not just to their gaining relief from the gross affliction of
leprosy, but for all persons to overcome all types of misery:

The inmates of the local leper colony came in due course to learn about the teaching of Mahāprabhu
from the preachers of Śrī Puruṣottama Maṭha. A few discharged lepers have offered their service to
Śrī Brahma Gaudīya Maṭha at Ālālanātha and have been permitted to organize an Artashram for the
purpose.

Ālālanātha Artashram is not a colony of discharged lepers trying by the method of cooperation to
improve their material body and mind. They have no such purpose. They have in view the benefit of
their souls and their methods are in entire conformity with their purpose. They have offered to serve
Śrī Brahma Gaudīya Maṭha in the same manner as the devotees residing at the Maṭha.

The spirit of service that prevails among the inmates of Ālālanātha Artashram deserves to be made
known to the public as affording a clue to the nature of the solution of the manifold evils of our
mortal sojourn that is offered by the teaching of Mahāprabhu. The members of the Artashram have
settled on the outskirts of the village on a few acres of wasteland belonging to the Maṭha and have
taken to agriculture and horticulture. Their activities are dedicated to the service of Kṛṣṇa under the
guidance of the devotees of Śrī Brahma Gaudīya Maṭha. They follow voluntarily the rules of
devotional life that are observed at the Maṭha. They participate in the services of the Maṭha and
attend to discourses on the teaching of the Supreme Lord from the lips of devotees of the Maṭha by
humbly avoiding personal contact with other persons. During their leisure they talk about what they
have heard, and study or read aloud to themselves devotional books in Oriya and Bengali that are
approved by the mission.

They are not ambitious of social uplift. They are content to serve the devotees in the spirit of
unreserved humility and complete submission. This spirit is incomprehensible to those who do not
possess their purity of trust in Mahāprabhu. The members of the Artashram are grateful to the
devotees of the Maṭha for arranging their effective segregation from the rest of the world and are in
a position to realize the mercy of Mahāprabhu for accepting their unique method of service. They
have been relieved of all thoughts of their poverty,disease, and other physical hardships through
their accepted service of the Supreme Lord. They not only do not grumble, but are unspeakably
grateful to the devotees of the Maṭha for providing them the chance of service.

Their behavior to one another is on the ideal of the Maṭha. No one among them wishes to receive any
personal service on one’s own account from another; but, at the same time, everyone is anxious to
serve others in their service of Mahāprabhu. Their organization is based upon the principle of
spiritual service. They accept the service of others only when they are commanded by the devotees
of the Maṭha to accept such service. They welcome all kinds of hardship for the service of the
mission, being in a position to realize that such trials afford them the opportunity of learning to serve
the Lord without any expectation of return in any mundane shape.

No member of the Artashram would like to exchange his condition for that of any other person, either
prince or peasant, of this world. Every member only prays to be kept constantly employed in the
service of the Lord and His devotees.

The article further underlined how the Ālālanātha Artashram demonstrated the spiritual altruism that
was the raison d’être of the Gaudīya Maṭha:

There is categorical distinction between the popular conception of altruism and the service that is
rendered to all souls for their lasting benefit by pure devotees of Mahāprabhu. A person who loves a
leper or studies the cure of leprosy forgetful of his duty to the soul,that is characteristic of empiric
science, thereby commits an act of malice against his own soul as well as the soul of the person
whom he wants to help. This is unfortunately are volutionary statement as things go nowadays, but
is fully entertain able if the facts of our ordinary experience are viewed in the light of the teaching of
the śāstras as illustrated by the career of Mahāprabhu.

Kindness to the body and mind is cruelty to the soul. The soul’s concerns are thereby suppressed by
the hostile claims of the body and mind. But we should really be concerned only about our souls. We
should be interested in the body and mind for the sake of the soul.

The service of Mahāprabhu is open to all persons through the service of His pure devotees who bear
no malice to anyone. The devotees of Mahāprabhu are neither altruists or ascetics who practice
malice against the soul of man by wilfully pandering to the needs of the material body and mind
which are opposed to the requirements of the soul. The realization and active service of this truth
can alone restore peace and contentment to our souls during our mundane sojourn.
Response to Hari Parsada Prabhu's
Essay on "Bhakti, Feeding the Poor
and Charity.” By Murari Das
MURARI DAS·TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 2020·READING TIME: 15 MINUTES

The paper by Hari Pārṣada Prabhu being responded to can be found here
A paper titled “Bhakti, Feeding the Poor and Charity”, dated 24th December
2017, was recently found on the Facebook page of its author; Hari Pārṣada
Dāsa, a member of the Sastric Advisory Council to the GBC. The paper cites
verse SB 3.29.26 and its commentary to Jīva Gosvāmi’s Krama Sandarbha
(commentary to Śrīmad Bhāgavatam) to show that devotees should do
charity like feed the poor and the needy, ‘compulsorily’ as a secondary
activity to their main activity of bhajan and pracāra. However the secondary
activity should not overshadow the main activity. This paper is a response to
that claim.
1. The main Photo in the article
The first point I noticed was that the article was advocating feeding the poor
and needy, but the picture shown is not of poor hungry people, but practically
all sadhus. Sadhus and brahmanas in the traditional culture voluntarily placed
themselves in poverty to maintain purity and to be dependent on god, to
assist in their surrender process. They are not poor and needy in the sense of
beggars. Of course, it may be that HP Prabhu just put the picture without
seeing them as poor and needy.
2. Jumping over the Guru
Whereas anyone in a sampradaya may study teachings of and take directions
from previous acaryas teachings, we are encouraged not to ‘jump over the
guru’. The Vedas are vast and for proper understanding we are required to
see them through the eyes of the acarya;
dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ
The solid truth of religious principles is hidden in the heart of an
unadulterated, self-realized person.
[Mahābhārata, Vana-pārva 313.117, Quoted by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in
Cc Madhya 7.186]
The acarya presents the eternal Vedic truths to us according to our
circumstances. Without going through the acarya, we are prone to be misled.
Our acarya is Śrīla Prabhupāda. We are required to absorb his teachings and
instructions and ‘see’ sastra through him. Śrīla Prabhupāda has given a lot of
information about this subject, so I feel before going to Śrīpāda Jīva Gosvāmī
we should have studied his teachings.
3. Jīva Gosvāmī’s Commentary to Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.29.26
HP Prabhu had used the verse and commentary by Srila Jīva Gosvāmī (given
in the link above) to conclude that all devotees should compulsorily feed poor
people and do charity work. If we put the verse in the context of this whole
section it would help us to get a better understanding of its import. As I see it,
this particular section starts at verse 15 of this same chapter where Lord
Kapila is telling Mother Devahūti;
“The mind should be purified by following varṇāśrama duties approved by
previous devotees, without desire for results, and which are favorable for
bhakti, and by always performing powerful pañcarātrika deity worship with
best choice of items, and without unnecessary violence.” [Śrīmad
Bhāgavatam 3.29.15]
Hereafter the same subject is discussed in successive verses from various
angles. This theme continues till verse 25, which is the verse before the one
under consideration;
When a person does not know that the Lord is situated in all beings, that
person should worship me in the deity form along with prescribed duties
without attachment. [Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.29.25]
In verse 15 and 25 above, two words are in bold; ‘varṇāśrama’ and
‘prescribed duties’ (sva-karma) which denote that here the subject of sva-
karma should be considered also with regard to feeding other living entities.
According to varṇāśrama it is the duty of gṛhasthas to give charity and feed
all living entities before they eat, and they have to see the equality in all
beings in that they should see the supersoul in all of them. This is consistent
with Śrīmad Bhāgavatam where we see great kings who are devotees,
making sure all are fed in their kingdom. Śrīla Prabhupāda would also
mention how grhasthas should take care that all living entities even the
snakes and ants are fed, before they honor praṣādam.
However we cannot extrapolate this verse to say that a whole spiritual
society (ISKCON) should endeavor to feed poor people by collecting funds to
pay for it. This should be done on an individual basis. We cannot also say that
sannyāsīs, vānaprasthīs or brahmacāris should do so as their sva-karma is
different. In Srīmad Bhāgavatam we see when the great rajṛṣis renounced
and went to the forest, then they were not taking care of feeding other living
entities in the forest but fully absorbed in their bhajan. Therefore we cannot
say that all members of a devotee society should engage in feeding the poor
or charity work, it is primarily for grhasthas (see first quote in section 4
below).
4. Śrīla Prabhupāda’s opinion on feeding the poor and charity work.
In the paper by HP Prabhu it is mentioned; “Śrīla Prabhupāda's criticism was
specifically regarding those māyāvādīs who gave up their Vedanta study and
started rendering charity as their primary occupation. Sometimes, Śrīla
Prabhupāda accepted the achievements of those māyāvādīs who did not get
so much into charity but were instead fixed in their own spiritual
understanding…..However, if a spiritualist gave up their primary sādhana and
started performing charitable work as their main activity, Śrīla Prabhupāda
was critical of that”.
However we will see in this section that Śrīla Prabhupāda was unconditionally
against mundane welfare work like feeding the poor, medical aid etc. for
sādhus, sannyāsis and devotees. This pertains to sannyāsīs in the bhakti
school also, and not just māyāvādīs. He mentioned it was the duty of the
government to feed poor people.
Suppose he begins in philanthropic work, some hospitalizing or opening
educational institution. That is nice, but these things are being done by the
government and many philanthropic persons. That is not the duty of a
sannyāsī. A sannyāsī, a renounced order of life, his main business is
to spread Krsna consciousness, or God consciousness. That is his real
business. But if one has not the taste what is Krsna consciousness, simply
accept sannyasa, then he will do all this nonsense work.[ Bhagavad-gīta 3.1-5
-- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968]
Śrīla Prabhupāda said simply feeding people is a Karma kanḍa activity (shown
in a quote below) and thus not meant for one on the path of bhakti. An
exception will be for individual householders to do some charity act within
their means but not to establish an organization to travel around and feed
people by collecting donations for it.
In the beginning of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Bhagavad-gīta As It Is, is his opinion
about mundane welfare work in the purport of Bg 2.1
Material compassion, lamentation and tears are all signs of ignorance of the
real self. Compassion for the eternal soul is self-realization....No one knows
where compassion should be applied. Compassion for the dress of a
drowning man is senseless. Similarly, a man fallen in the ocean of
nescience cannot be saved simply by rescuing his outward dress -- his
material body. One who does not know this and laments for the outward
dress is called a sudra, or one who laments unnecessarily. [Bg 2.1, purport]
The whole instruction of the Bhagavad-gīta is that Arjuna was lamenting for
the outward dress, the body, and Krsna told him that a wise person does not
lament for the body (BG 2.2). In the purport above Śrīla Prabhupāda says that
compassion for the body of someone (like feeding the poor, medical aid etc)
are signs of ignorance, and compassion for the soul (preaching Bhagavad-gīta
or Kṛṣṇa consciousness ) is a sign of self-realization. Therefore, the highest
welfare work is preaching Bhagavad-gīta, not mundane bodily welfare work;
The sufferings of humanity are due to forgetfulness of Krsna as the supreme
enjoyer, the supreme proprietor, and the supreme friend. Therefore, to act to
revive this consciousness within the entire human society is the highest
welfare work. [Bg 5.25 purport]
Sometimes, a letter written by Śrīla Prabhupāda to Satyhit in 1974 is cited as
proof that he wanted to feed poor people. The letter specifically mentions
that Śrīla Prabhupāda was, “especially concerned to distribute grains, rice,
wheat in the form of dahl and rice prasadam to hungry people all over India”.
It also mentions that “partly due to the punishment of Nature, and partly due
to the mismanagement of the demon class of men, food is not available.”
However note the motivation for Śrīla Prabhupāda wanting to distribute the
grain/food. It was not to relieve hunger per say but part of his mission to
spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As he mentions in the letter that, “If the people
do not even have sufficient food they will not even be able to receive
spiritual instructions.” So feeding the poor was not an end in itself but
rather the goal was to make them more receptive to spiritual instruction. Still
we see that Śrīla Prabhupāda did not really pursue this idea or repeat it.
Śrīla Prabhupāda did order us to do prasādam distribution to one and all.
Actually it was an instruction to all temples; but that distribution should be in
the temple premises, as we can see from the first quote below. The famous
quote that "Nobody should go hungry within ten miles of our temples"
(Conversation, 13 January 1977, Allahabad), meant that they will come to the
temple and take prasādam, otherwise why use the temples as a reference
point in the quote? If Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted that we travel around and feed
hungry people he would have said so.
Some more quotes of Śrīla Prabhupāda on poor feeding;
Temple worship means you must distribute prasadam... You
should... To the poor. Everyone is poor. Not that the rich man is not
poor… So there is no question of, if one is financially poor, he should come to
the temple. Everyone should come to the temple and ask for prasada.
That is required. So paratma-nistham. The sannyāsī should worship the Deity
in the temple and feed the poor. Poor does not mean that one who has no
legs, no ears, or no... Poor... Everyone who is spiritually poor, he should be
given prasadam. By eating, prasade sarva-duhkhanam hanir
asyopajayate……[Sannyasa Initiation Lecture -- Calcutta, January 26, 1973]
So far prasada distribution, it is not a question of rich or poor. That
will be Karma Kanda. Our program therefore is that we offer prasada to
everyone. Make our temple so nice that everyone who comes is offered some
prasada. Not that we are after poor men. It is nice that we are feeding
200 daily, but gradually try to increase. But do not advertise, we shall be self-
advertising. And do not go to poor areas, this is not our philosophy.
Our philosophy is prasada distribution, without discrimination rich or
poor.[Honolulu 15 May, 1972]
Poor people, so far concerned, that... Are we not taking care of the poor
people? That is automatically taken. Who is poor? A man who is poor in
knowledge, he is poor. Poor means poor in knowledge…..Why you are
concerned about the poor? Who is poor? Poor means who has no
knowledge. He is rascal. He is poor. Poor means poor in knowledge.
Otherwise nobody is poor. Everyone is getting his food according to
his karma. Karmana daiva-netrena jantur deha upapattaye [SB 3.31.1].
These are wrong theories. Wrong means because they are rascals, they
are putting something rascal, idea. ….. We want to stop all this
nonsense. That is our mission. [Second Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April
24, 1977, Bombay]
There are different kinds of welfare activities in this material world, but the
supreme welfare activity is the spreading of Krsna consciousness.
Other welfare activities cannot be effective, for the laws of nature
and the results of karma cannot be checked. It is by destiny, or the laws
of karma, that one must suffer or enjoy. For instance, if one is given a court
order, he must accept it, whether it brings suffering or profit. Similarly,
everyone is under obligations to karma and it reactions.[Śrīmad Bhāgavatam
8.7.44, purport]
The last quote above summarizes this point. There are laws of karma at work
and we cannot stop or change them, everyone has to suffer or enjoy their
results. We should simply try to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness to awaken the
dormant love of god in everyone and that will make them stop sinning and
suffering. Krsna did not tell us to do mundane welfare work or feed poor
people in his instructions in Bhagavad-gīta. Rather his instructions to us are
eternally enshrined in BG 18.68-9; preach Bhagavad-gīta.
Click here for a full essay on Śrīla Prabhupāda’s opinion on Mundane
Welfare Work.
5. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura’s view on mundane
welfare work
In his paper HP Prabhu cited a quote from a disciple of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta
Saraswati saying that he engaged in feeding the poor;
“When Prabhupada (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura) was present (in
the Bagh-bazar Gaudiya Matha), then every single day so many beggars and
sādhus were fed. They were all served. There was an overhead sheet
erected, a permanent sheet. And there were so many people continuously
cooking. There the sādhus and beggars were fed. So many poor people came
to eat there. Prabhupada did this a lot.” [Śrīmatī Latikā Dāsī (Disciple of Srīla
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvatī Thākura)]
This quote supports my point that the temple is the medium for prasadam
distribution. ‘Our Śrīla Prabhupāda also wanted all; rich, poor, sādhu or
asādhu to come and take prasadam in the temple. Note that in the quote it
says that not just poor but sādhus also came, so it was not poor feeding but
prasādam distribution. This activity of feeding people in the temple is not
mundane poor feeding but rather giving people a chance to be purified by
prasādam. This idea of distributing prasādam in the temple is very much a
Vedic concept and a devotional activity. Going out to feed poor people is not.
The idea is that when they come to the temple they may take darśan of the
lord, meet devotees, chant Hare Krsna and hear Bhagavad-gita śikṣā.
A quote revealing the mind of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura on
welfare work;
The thousands of karmis who have opened innumerable hospitals, old age
homes, centers for the poor, and schools, and the thousands of jnanis who
have undergone meditation and severe austerities, are insignificant
compared to a single kanishta-adhikari Vaishnava once ringing the
bell before the Lord’s deity. This is not sectarianism, but plain truth.
Atheists are wholly incapable of realizing this; thus they become either direct
or indirect blasphemers of devotional service, or adherents to the doctrine of
harmonistic all-inclusiveness (Amrta Vani 102 – 3; Sri Srila Prabhupadera
Upadesamrta 174).[From Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Vaibhava, page 421]
It is better to ring the bell in front of the deity (a devotional act) rather than
start mundane welfare work for the poor (a Karma Kandi act).
Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura was not in favor of mundane welfare
work.
6. Is welfare work ‘compulsory’? – Faith that Devotional Service is
complete in itself
After giving Śrīla Prabhupāda’s opinion I shouldn’t need to write anymore as
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s opinion settled the matter since he is the founder acarya
of ISKCON and he has given its teachings and activities to be carried out. Yet I
will write a few more points. HP Prabhu wrote in his paper that mundane
welfare work is compulsory for the devotees. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu spoke
on pure devotional service and said
’śraddhā’-śabde—viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya
kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya
Translation:
Śraddhā is confident, firm faith that by rendering transcendental loving
service to Kṛṣṇa one automatically performs all subsidiary activities. Such
faith is favorable to the discharge of devotional service. [Caitanya-caritamṛta
Madhya-līla 22.62]
Devotional service is complete in itself. We need not do any further activities.
By devotional service we satisfy the Personality Of Godhead and if he is
satisfied, what more needs to be done? As Śrīla Prabhupāda would quote,
“yasmin tuṣṭe jagat tuṣṭam”. We also recall the story of Durvasa Muni
showing up with his ten thousand disciples after the Pandavas and Draupadi
had eaten, thus making it impossible for the akśaya pātra to produce any
more food. Krishna told her to just give her a small particle of leftover
prasadam and he was satisfied with it. After he was satisfied Durvasa muni
and all the ten thousand disciples were satisfied. So if we feed Krsna, every
living entity is satisfied.
Often when Śrīla Prabhupāda was asked what he was doing for the poor he
would reply with the verse from SB 4.31.14 which says that just as by
watering the root of a tree the benefit is had by the whole tree and by
feeding the stomach the whole body is nourished, so by worshipping Krsna all
the living entities have been served, tathaiva sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā. So be
rest assured that we need not compulsorily do any other activity.
7. HP Prabhu’s conclusion; “We must feed the poor. We must be
charitable. We cannot be hard at heart. However, we must give first
priority to our bhajana/pracāra and never let acts of charity take
precedence over bhajana or pracāra.”
We have seen how Bhagavad-gīta (Krsna), our guru parampara and Śrīla
Prabhupāda advocated grhasthas feeding other living entities, and prasadam
distribution to be done from temples to which all can come poor, rich, young,
old etc. However they do not advocate compulsory charity for everyone
(maybe grhasthas in an individual capacity), especially not sannyāsis,
brahmacāris and they don’t advocate feeding the poor or anyone else like
students in schools by collecting donations and without spiritual elevation
activities like chanting, lecture, kirtan.
This is not hard heartedness. According to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s purport to
Bhagavad-gīta 2.1; “No one knows where real compassion should be applied.
…Compassion for the dress of a drowning man is senseless. Similarly, a man
fallen in the ocean of nescience cannot be saved simply by rescuing his
outward dress -- his material body.” And one who doesn’t know this “laments
unnecessarily.” Real compassion is to help someone spiritually so that he will
not take another material body that will cause him to suffer again and require
mundane welfare.
Actual hard heartedness is ‘not preaching Bhagavad-gīta’;
Nonviolence is generally taken to mean not killing or destroying the body, but
actually nonviolence means not to put others into distress. People in general
are trapped by ignorance in the material concept of life, and they perpetually
suffer material pains. So unless one elevates people to spiritual knowledge,
one is practicing violence. One should try his best to distribute real
knowledge to the people, so that they may become enlightened and leave
this material entanglement. That is nonviolence.[Bhagavad-gīta As It Is 13.8-
12, purport]
So according to Śrīla Prabhupāda one is cruel if he is not preaching
Bhagavad-gīta As It Is, not if he neglects mundane welfare work.