Vanipedia:Promotional Tools

Five Principles of a Vanirecruiter

Principle 1 - Be on the lookout

Always think that the person you meet could be a potential Vanisevak. Try to attend programs, festivals and get to know as many devotees as you can. Make friends.

Principle 2 - Begin with the goal in mind

Think straight... Think Vanipedia. Whatever the conversation, try to mold it so that you can introduce the subject of Vanipedia. Look for an opportune moment and ask the basic question - "Have you heard of Vanipedia, the online encyclopedia on Srila Prabhupada's quotes?"

Principle 3 - Express the simplicity of the program

Judge by the facial expressions the success or failure of your explaination about Vanipedia. Either way, talk about how simple it is that even a child can do it. Cite examples.

Principle 4 - Reach out with a demo

If time and circumstances permit, give a short demonstration of Vanipedia. Or give them the website address on the Vanipedia flyer. Try to arrange a hands-on very soon before the interest dwindles.

Principle 5 - Stress the importance of Vanipedia Be convinced and then convince others about the importance of Vanipedia. Bring out printouts of articles on Vanipedia. Show the philosophical side of Vanipedia.

Articles

Independently written

January 2008

By Antardwip Dasa for Vaisnava Connection on 1 Jan 2008

Vanipedia, a new program being developed by the Prabhupada Vani Research Academy based in Radhadesh, Belgium, represents a seismic change in the way we can approach Srila Prabhupada's teachings. Why? Because for the first time it enables lSKCON devotees web access to reference whatever they do with Srila Prabhupada's instructions by providing a means of easily sifting through the vast mountain of literature and teachings left by Srila Prabhupada.

There have only been a limited number of printed compilations of Srila Prabhupada's teachings over the years, and those dating back many years. Ajamila prabhu compiled the "Shikshamrita," with excerpts categorized by title and compiled from Srila Prabhupada's letters and done entirely without computer search capabilities. Subhananda prabhu also did excellent work on three topics with the "Preaching is the Essence", "Namamrita" and the "Spiritual Master and the Disciple." A few other compilations have also been produced. Now the same principle is being extended to reference not just the letters but also the books, lectures and conversations by Srila Prabhupada with the most efficient search engines, and not restricted to any particular subject but to eventually cover every possible subject from every possible angle (for instance, what did Narada Muni say about devotional service, what did Lord Brahma say about devotional service, etc) from Srila Prabhupada's teachings.

The collating stage will use a collaborative approach with different devotees contributing towards analyzing search results on a particular subject, finding the beginning and end of each thread, separating such quotes further into titled sub-grouping, and with each quote linking back directly to the original document/conversation/book it came from as well as any MP3 or video which was also source material.

Project leader Visnu Murti prabhu calls the central database (which you may remember as the Vedabase) "Vanisource," which he describes as the base of the lotus with the following areas surrounding it like petals - the area we just described (a "wiki" to computer nerds), where devotees collaboratively sift through the search results on a topic. This is called "Vaniquotes," and when such work is complete, it becomes the resources for developing the other petals of Vanibooks, Vanipedia articles and online courses in Vaniversity.

Thank goodness ISKCON has big lotuses or they would have run out of vani-petals, as there are more: Vanimedia for Srila Prabhupada audio, video and images and Vanictionary, which is very interesting. It will have a Sanskrit/English and Bengali/English compilation of all Srila Prabhupada's translations of different words in those languages.

It will also hold statistical data such as: Did you know the top speakers by number of verses spoken are:

Sukadeva Goswami (4846 verses ) (when he is saying what someone else said, it doesn't count) Lord Krishna (1116 verses) Maitreya Rsi (1077 verses) Narada Muni (830 verses) Suta Goswami (741 verses)

Here is an example of how a compilation in Vaniquotes will develop: From a search on "The Krsna consciousness movement" there were 350 references found in Srila Prabhupada's Srimad Bhagavatam. After first choosing the beginning and ending points of each thread, the devotees on the wiki came up with the following headings under which those 350 quotes were categorized:

Contribution to Human Society Origin and Authenticity Establishment of the KC movement Principles Purposes Members Leadership Propagation

The quotes are then put under those headings with links back to the original text/sound file. The reader will be able to approach Vaniquotes via philosophical and social themes, the personalities who present them, or via Srila Prabhupada's usage of the English, Sanskrit and Bengali languages.

The project will be launched at Gaura Purnima for volunteer participation. Vaniseva is the name the devotees at Vanipedia give to all the services needed to make the project a success.

If you want to become a volunteer to do some Vaniseva you can at this time contact Visnu Murti prabhu at [email protected]

This project gives the ISKCON society the opportunity to confirm or deny – or find no reference - at source the validity of any philosophical positions, management policies, established cultures, etc, through this thorough research of Srila Prabhupada's teachings. It will provide a practical method for the society to maintain Srila Prabhupada's teachings at its center.

Vanipedia officially goes online in March 2008.

November 2008

By Madhava Smullen on 22 Nov 2008

Free online encyclopedia Wikipedia has become as integral a part of the internet as Google. Type virtually any word, place or famous name into a search engine and the Wiki entry will be in the top three hits.

Can you imagine an encyclopedia of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings with the same scope?

Well the folks at Vanipedia.org are working hard to make this a reality. They take the project very seriously, and will be taking their time to ensure the creation of a staggeringly vast resource.

“We already have Vanisource, where you can read all of Prabhupada’s works, and Vaniquotes, where we have amassed 50,000 quotes so far,” says project manager Vishnu Murti Dasa, referring to two of the website’s “Lotus Petals.” “Within seven years we would like to complete the compiling in Vaniquotes, link the Vanisource, build the Vanictionary, populate the Vanimedia with Srila Prabhupada's audio, video and photos, make the compendiums in Vanibooks, write all the introductory articles in Vanipedia, and create all the educational courses in Vaniversity.”

But why seven years?

“In seven years, on the 4th of October 2015, many festivities around the world will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada first arriving on western shores,” Vishnu Murti explains. “So we’d like to have everything ready by then.”

There’s more. The following twelve years will see many more 50th anniversary festivities celebrating Srila Prabhupada’s activities and achievements. These will culminate on the 2nd of November 2027, the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s departure from this world. “We would like to spend these twelve years serving with all the devotees to truly establish a culture of deep dependency on Prabhupada's teachings (Vani),” Vishnu Murti says. “If we can do that, the second fifty years of ISKCON will be gloriously successful.”

The Vanipedia team are now sending out the call for devotees to assist in compiling Vaniquotes. Vishnu Murti says it’s a perfect chance to study Prabhupada’s teachings while building Vanipedia for the benefit of all. “By following the simple methodology of studying via themes and then compiling them one can understand the deep significance of each word, phrase, concept or personality that Srila Prabhupada is presenting. His teachings are without a doubt our life and soul, and when we study them thoroughly we can appreciate this even more.”

The Vanipedia team are committed to creating a dynamic platform for the teachings of Srila Prabhupada, the greatest modern exponent of Vaishnavism; a platform through which they can be “profusely distributed, properly understood, and joyfully acted upon.”

And they want you to help.

“There are many ways that you can compile,” Vishnu Murti says. “Simple editing of pages, compiling of quotes, researching and creating page titles, and developing different pages and categories that help link everything together.”

Volunteers can begin compiling with just a couple of hours training over Skype. Further training courses can then cement your qualification.

“This is history in the making – we are creating our future by serving together,” Vishnu Murti finishes. “Please consider being a part of it.”

To begin training or to find out more, contact [email protected] or visit www.vanipedia.org