“Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Kīrtana Standards,” installment 55
Śrīla Prabhupāda was particular in making sure that kīrtana was followed by prasādam. In my experience at 26 Second Avenue, after his class and kīrtana he would have a little cut fruit handed out to everyone. I remember an engagement at the Arlington Street Church in Boston where no arrangement had been made for distribution of prasādam. Śrīla Prabhupāda insisted that there be prasādam, and I remember devotees sitting on the stage cutting up fruit before the program ended so that prasādam could be distributed.
In the Bhagavad-gītā (17.13) Lord Kṛṣṇa says that any sacrifice performed in which no prasādam is distributed is in the mode of ignorance.1
Sometimes Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasized simply kīrtana and prasādam. For example, he told Satsvarūpa Mahārāja:
Kīrtana and prasāda distribution. This is our preaching mainly. And if they hear little philosophy, that is very good. Otherwise simply kīrtana and prasāda distribution is sufficient. Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to do that. He was not speaking philosophy to everyone. Kīrtana and prasāda distribution. So our men can perform very nice kīrtana, and if they [the public] come to take little prasādam, that is preaching. You have to maintain this standard, that kīrtana must go on and prasādam should be distributed.2
Similarly, Śrīla Prabhupāda wrote to Mahāṁsa Dāsa:
Lord Caitanya personally traveled all over India for 6 years. His program was simply kirtana and prasadam distribution. Lord Caitanya never spoke philosophy in public. When he met big scholars like Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya he spoke philosophy, otherwise for the mass of people, kirtana and prasadam distribution. So continue this program, it is very pleasing to Lord Caitanya.3
Notes:
1 vidhi-hīnam asṛṣṭānnaṁ mantra-hīnam adakṣiṇam
śraddhā-virahitaṁ yajñaṁ tāmasaṁ paricakṣate
2 Room conversation, January 29, 1977, Bhubaneswar.
3 December 17, 1975.
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