Editorial: Preaching in the 21st Century

Dear Prabhus, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

“Krsna’s things must be used in the service of Krsna. That is our vision.” (His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Svami, Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 14)

“Lord Caitanya was appreciated by Rupa Gosvami as the most munificent man of charity because love of Krsna, which is very difficult to achieve, was distributed freely by Him.” (His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Chapter 11 - “The Universal Form,” Verse 54 Purport)

Srila Prabhupada wanted to spread the science of Krsna consciousness as far and wide as possible. The example of napster.com clearly demonstrates the potency of making something available, that people consider valuable, on the Internet for free. Why be misers? Whatever Srila Prabhupada has given us, and whatever we might create by using the talent which Lord Sri Krsna has so kindly loaned to us, MUST be made available to as many people as possible. Obviously, the way to do this the most effectively is to make these things available for free on the Internet.

I have previously enumerated many ideas for devotee cooks, writers, musicians, artists, programmers, and Web developers to use their talents to preach via the Internet (http://pratyatosa.com/WebPageIdeas.htm).

In the future, more and more, devotees from all over the world are going to be associating almost exclusively by email, by participating in Internet conferences, and by browsing Krsna conscious websites. These devotees of Lord Sri Krsna, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and Srila Prabhupada need to be facilitated, preached to, and given the ammunition that they need in order to preach to others.

Let’s help them and also help ourselves to go back to home, back to Godhead in this lifetime! It is our sacred duty, as disciples of Srila Prabhupada, to do whatever we can to provide such facility for them for now, and in the future.

Devotee writers and musicians MUST publish their works on the Internet, so that other devotees and potential devotees, all over the world, may benefit.

Devotees who are good cooks MUST do research into how to easily create delicious, nutritious preparations to offer to Krsna. Devotees who live by themselves or in small family units do not have time to prepare complicated, time consuming recipes. Most people are not going to have access to East Indian grocery stores, and many are not going to want to have to pay a premium for the privilege of shopping at health food stores. Therefore, the traditional Vedic recipes MUST be simplified and adopted so that ingredients which are readily available at the local grocery store can be utilized, and so these preparations can be made very quickly and easily. The results of this research MUST be published on the Internet so that the whole world may be benefited.

All of Srila Prabhupada’s musical recordings, lectures and recorded conversations MUST be made available in the form of MP3 files on the Internet, and on CD-ROMs which are compatible with both computers and MP3 players.

Devotee scientists MUST do research to prove scientifically that the Vedic truths that Srila Prabhupada has revealed to us are, indeed, facts, and they MUST publish the results of their research on the Internet, and in as many other types of publications as possible.

In short, no matter what type of God given talent that we might have, there is a great deal of preaching work to be done. This transcendental endeavor, or devotional service, is the supreme welfare work, and is also of the utmost benefit to our own spiritual lives.

I am completely convinced that the more that we can do along these lines, the more that our beloved spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, will be pleased with us.

Srila Prabhupada has taught us that brahmins should not ask for payment for their service, but should simply give, give, give, without asking anything in return. We MUST have faith that if we do this, then the Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna, will provide for us in every way.

Your servant,
Pratyatosa Dasa