Vanipedia:Promotional Tools
Vanipedia Flyer
[Click here for the link] to the Vanipedia Flyer in PDF format for printing three different size flyers. note, if anyone knows how to get the picture to link to the pdf file then please edit this, thank you.
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
Written Independently
June 2007
Submitted by Caitanya Dasi on June 22, 2007
http://friendsofthebbt.org/vanipedia
Few Internet users will not be familiar with Wikipedia, the vast online encyclopedia compiled by volunteering users. Well, soon you may be able to look up any aspect of Srila Prabhupada's instructions and teachings in the same way! Using the same software as Wikipedia, The Prabhupada Vani Research Academy, based in Radhadesh, Belgium, is developing a comprehensive encyclopedia of Prabhupada's teachings. These will be predominantly available via www.vanipedia.org , and may later appear as a series of books printed by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, who are collaborators on the project. The site is designed as a lotus flower, with six "petals" including Vanibooks, Vaniquotes, Vaniversity, Vanimedia, Vanisource, and Vanictionary.
January 2008
By Antardwip Dasa - 1st January 2008 - for Vaisnava Connection
http://news.iskcon.com/node/780/vanipedia_prabhupada_research_program_go_online
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.
February 2008
News in Brief - July 2007 - Friends of the BBT Newsletter
http://friendsofthebbt.org/newsletter/Jul07.html
Vanipedia - A New Approach to finding Srila Prabhupada Online Few Internet users will not be familiar with Wikipedia, the vast online encyclopedia compiled by volunteering users. Well, soon you may be able to look up any aspect of Srila Prabhupada’s instructions and teachings in the same way! Using the same software as Wikipedia, The Prabhupada Vani Research Academy, based in Radhadesh, Belgium, is developing a comprehensive encyclopedia of Prabhupada’s teachings. These will be predominantly available via www.vanipedia.org, and may later appear as a series of books printed by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, who are collaborators on the project. The site is designed as a lotus flower, with six “petals” including Vanibooks, Vaniquotes, Vaniversity, Vanimedia, Vanisource, and Vanictionary.
Internet Service- By Antony Brennan - 3rd February 2008 - for Dandavats website
http://www.dandavats.com/?p=5232
As manager for a government department I use Internet services as a tool to develop new business processes. This requires me to spend some time looking at new internet developments and services.
As I have to keep up with internet developments for my work it is good to know I can look at Krishna related sites and see what they are up to as well. I often use the Internet to research Srila Prabhupada’s books and teachings. So I spend some amount of time each week surfing the search engines and other likely locations.
Whilst poking around one day on a devotee Internet forum, I came across a reference to a new web site called Vanipedia. I was attracted straight away by the name and wanted to find out more about it. The forum message explained Vanipedia was a new development which would provide access to the teachings of Srila Prabhupada and that interested people should email Visnu Murti dasa from Bhaktivedanta Library Services (BLS) to offer assistance in developing the site.
‘Well I am interested already,’ I thought to myself. ‘I can’t write computer code, I can’t work out computer network and I am also far, far away, beyond South East Asia, in Australia, a long way from Europe where this project is going on. But I can research and report and write.’ I sent an email to Visnu Murti das asking for more information. It read ‘I am wondering if there is any assistance I can give toward your project please let me know. I can read, research and write in English.’
I thought perhaps I wouldn’t hear back because they must be looking for some real hardcore computer skills. But then an email arrived which read as follows: ‘We need writers to make articles, and researchers to compile. As you fulfil both requirements, we are very thankful that you want to be a part of our team.’
Through this email, and further emails I received, the Vani-servants I communicated with told me more about the vision for Vanipedia. The Vani-vision I call it. It goes like this:
They tell me Vanipedia will be an online encyclopedia of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings. Currently under development, it will be a dynamic resource for devotees and a vast library of Vedic knowledge available to anyone with internet access. They say it will contain a reference and index facility that allows you to easily find information based on the subject you are looking for. Containing text, audio and video, Vanipedia has the potential to become the ultimate on-line reference site for Srila Prabhupada Vani.
The first two areas being developed are Vanisource and Vaniquotes. Vanisource contains all of Srila Prabhpada’s books, and Vaniquotes will be a comprehensive compilation of the themes found throughout Srila Prahupada’s work. At the moment there are headings for 3,000 articles at Vanipedia and they won’t rest until there are 100,000.
They tell me launching time is for Gaura Purnima and they are getting things ready for engaging volunteers in the first wave of service. If you are interested in providing some Vani-service, or just in finding out more, I recommend you contact Visnu Murti das at [email protected].
November 2008
By Madhava Smullen - November 22nd 2008 - for Iskcon News
http://news.iskcon.com/node/1480/2008-11-22/vanipedia_takes_prabhupada%E2%80%99s_teachings_online
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
Written by various Vanipedians
November 2007
Researching Srila Prabhupada’s Teachings - November 3rd 2007 - by Visnu Murti dasa
http://www.dandavats.com/?p=4679
The Prabhupada Vani Reseach Academy is establishing a new website named “Vanipedia” (vanipedia. org). It will be launched at Gaura Purnima 2008.
Vanipedia will not only feature all Srila Prabhupada’s teachings but also compilations on various subjects that he discussed in his books, lectures, letters, and conversations.
These compilations will be built in a section called Vaniquotes and once a specific subject is thoroughly researched and developed it will be published as a “Vanibook” in the section “Vanibooks”. The result will be a fantastic resource and shelter to better faciltate the devotees in the pursuance of both their individual spiritual lives and their respective services.
However, to make all these research activities and compilations relevant for you, we would be very interested to hear which subjects in Srila Prabhupada’s teachings you think need to be better understood, both in devotees’ personal lives and in the Hare Krishna movement as a whole.
We would, therefore, be most grateful if you would kindly take a few moments to answer the three questions below.(*)
Please send your answers to me personally at [email protected]
Thank you very much for your time. With kind regards and appreciation,
Your servants at Vanipedia
(*) You can answer these questions briefly with one word or give more extended answers if you prefer. You can also give the same answer to more than one question. And if you want, you can add more than three subjects to each question. All replies are confidential. However, we do intend to publish statistics of how many persons consider the same subjects to be important.
11:19, 10 March 2009 (UTC)~
SURVEY QUESTIONS
1. According to you, which three subjects in Srila Prabhupada’s teachings should be comprehensively researched to help you in your individual pursuit of Krishna consciousness?
1a):__________________________________________________
1b):__________________________________________________
1c):__________________________________________________
2. According to you, which three subjects in Srila Prabhupada’s teachings should be comprehensively researched to help you carry out more effectively your service responsibilities for Srila Prabhupada’s mission?
2a):__________________________________________________
2b):__________________________________________________
2c):__________________________________________________
3. According to you, which three subjects in Srila Prabhupada’s teachings should be comprehensively researched to help the overall improvement of the Krishna Consciousness movement in executing Srila Prabhupada’s mission?
3a):__________________________________________________
3b):__________________________________________________
3c):__________________________________________________
December 2007
Progress report on the Vanipedia survey - December 3rd 2007 - by Visnu Murti dasa
http://www.dandavats.com/?p=4861
Today on the 1st of December we received response number 101 for our Vanipedia survey. I would like to thank all of the devotees who have offered their reflections into what are the most important subjects in Srila Prabhupada’s teachings that need to be better understood. These reflections are helping us to set up the theme structure in Vaniquotes.
There are quite a few devotees who have contacted me requesting more time to send in their responses as some have been in India for Kartika.
We will wait until the 16th of December until we begin the process of grouping the responses together.
It would be wonderful if we could get another 100 responses in the next 15 days, as that would really help to offer a more conclusive evaluation from the sanga of devotees.
thank you for your time
your servant
Visnu Murti dasa
please respond to me with a private letter to [email protected]
SURVEY QUESTIONS
1. According to you, which three subjects in Srila Prabhupada’s teachings should be comprehensively researched to help you in your individual pursuit of Krishna consciousness?
1a)__________________________________________________
1b)__________________________________________________
1c)__________________________________________________
2. According to you, which three subjects in Srila Prabhupada’s teachings should be comprehensively researched to help you carry out more effectively your service responsibilities for Srila Prabhupada’s mission?
2a)__________________________________________________
2b)__________________________________________________
2c)__________________________________________________
3. According to you, which three subjects in Srila Prabhupada’s teachings should be comprehensively researched to help the overall improvement of the Krishna Consciousness movement in executing Srila Prabhupada’s mission?
3a)__________________________________________________
3b)__________________________________________________
3c)__________________________________________________
February 2008
Results from the Vanipedia Survey - February 1st 2008 - by Visnu Murti dasa
http://www.dandavats.com/?p=5221
I want to thank everyone who participated in our survey. The vast majority of responses were from senior devotees with a variety of social natures. So I believe that the survey accurately represents a wide cross-section of Srila Prabhupada’s followers.
At this stage I have had only enough time to process the results for the third question, which was:
“According to you, which three subjects in Srila Prabhupada’s teachings should be comprehensively researched to help the overall improvement of the Krishna consciousness movement in executing Srila Prabhupada’s mission?”
Results of the Survey:
A total of 124 devotees offered 391 responses to question 3. I have grouped these responses into six natural categories. Two responses suggested researching everything from Srila Prabhupada’s teachings.
- 30% of the responses referred to philosophical issues
- 26% of the responses referred leadership issues
- 21% of the responses referred to social issues
- 10% of the responses referred to varnasrama
- 8% of the responses referred to preaching
- 5% of the responses referred to education
Note: Answers that specifically mentioned varnasrama were categorized as such. So actually out of the total responses received, an overall 31% referred to social issues.
Philosophical issues included these sub-categories:
- 31% Guru Tattva
- 11% Krsna Consciousness
- 9% Qualities
- 9% Holy names
- 8% Siddhanta
- 4% Sadhana
- 4% Krsna
- 4% Application
- 2% Association
- 2% Bhakti
- 2% the Future
- 2% Relationships
- 2% Studying
- 10% Miscellaneous
Leadership issues fell into these sub-categories:
- 32% Iskcon
- 18% Leadership
- 13% GBC
- 13% Management
- 8% Srila Prabhupada’s position
- 2% Institution
- 2% Justice
- 2% Temples
- 10% Miscellaneous
Social issues included these sub categories:
- 49% Relationships
- 11% Rural community living
- 6% Women
- 5% Economics
- 5% Qualities
- 4% Civilized behavior
- 4% Marriage
- 3% Interfaith
- 3% Vegetarianism
- 10% Miscellaneous
Varnasrama topics fell into these sub-categories:
- 60% Varnasrama
- 12% Sannyasa
- 8% Brahmanas
- 5% Application of
- 5% Cow protection
- 3% Grhastha
- 3% Devotees’ relationship to
- 2% Vanaprastha
- 2% Protection of Women
The following 10 sub-categories totaled 54% of all the responses:
- 11% Relationships
- 9% Guru Tattva
- 8% Iskcon
- 6% Varnasrama
- 5% Preaching
- 4% Leadership
- 3% GBC
- 3% Management
- 3% Qualities
- 2% Education
I leave it to the readers to reflect upon why the devotees considered these subjects important to research and better understand for the overall improvement of the Krishna consciousness movement.
We have found this exercise important in helping us create the framework for Vanipedia and are continuing to build the website. We are on schedule for a public release at Gaura Purnima. In the month of April we will be requesting anyone who could kindly volunteer time to help build the articles inside of the first section to be developed - Vaniquotes, which consists of articles containing exclusively Srila Prabhupada’s written and spoken words.
A brief introduction to Vanipedia
Srila Prabhupada was a prolific spiritual and social commentator who resourcefully drew from the vast and timeless wisdom of the Vedas. The shear volume of his comments sometimes makes it difficult for readers to grasp the proper conclusion.
Vaniquotes collects together Srila Prabhupada’s comments under naturally accruing themes, thus facilitating the reader in gaining a deeper access to the powerful messages that Srila Prabhupada is giving. Quotes are presented in scriptural order and by date. Each quote is also linked to Vanisource, (Prabhupada’s books, lectures, conversations and letters) thus keeping everything very much in context.
The reader can approach Vaniquotes via philosophical and social themes, the different personalities who present them, or from such interesting directions as Srila Prabhupada’s usage of the English, Sanskrit and Bengali languages. All pages will be extensively interlinked.
Vaniquotes will supply the resources to enable the further development of the Vanipedia website; other sections, such as Vanipedia articles, Vanibooks, and Vaniversity online courses will be created.
As Vaniquotes develops, Srila Prabhupada’s lectures and conversations will be compiled along with the audio version, offering a profound hearing experience for the reader and thereby keeping the individual quotes even more in context.
Our first goal is to complete 10,800 articles. To date we have 3,850 articles which are either completely finished, partially finished, or have only a name attributed to them.
Our ultimate aim is to have 100,000 completed articles.
The more articles we have in Vaniquotes, the richer the articles in Vanipedia will be, the more comprehensive the Vanibooks will be, and the more variegated and inclusive the Vaniversity online courses will be – all representative of the siddhanta of our disciplic succession.
There is no doubt that the Vanipedia website will prove to be an extremely valuable resource in assisting devotees to improve their services to Srila Prabhupada, by putting the entire body of his instructions at their fingertips.
Our motto is: “Before enlightenment, copy and paste; after enlightenment, copy and paste.”
Completing all the sections of Vanipedia will be achieved in either of the following ways; a few committed people taking a long period of time, or many committed people taking a much shorter period of time to accomplish this task.
My personal aspiration is that many of us can collaborate in offering this dynamic platform for Srila Prabhupada to continue training numerous assistants to help him give Krsna consciousness to the world.
Your servants at Vanipedia
April 2008
Vanipedia 0.1 successfully launched - April 3rd 2008 - By Visnu Murti Dasa
http://www.dandavats.com/?p=5593
Dear Prabhus,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
We are happy to announce that on the 21st of March at 7.15 A. M. European time, the auspicious appearance anniversary of Lord Caitanya, Sri Gaura Purnima, version 0.1 of www.vanipedia.org was successfully launched.
Vanipedia is a dynamic, interactive encyclopedia of all of Srila Prabhupada’s words (vani). It is a resource for any spiritual and devotional seeker and a vast library of profound knowledge. Given the nature of its potent presentation, the reader quickly experiences the multifarious qualities of the Supreme Lord, His names, devotional service and teachings.
Many devotees contributed in various ways to bring the Vanipedia vision to its first level. I want to thank everyone. I am especially awestruck at the devotional service offered by Acyutananda Caitanya Prabhu and Bhakta Eivind throughout the last year. My deepest respects and gratitude to them! I look forward to many years of Vaniseva with them.
The Vanipedia team draws great inspiration and strength (to succeed in the long voyage we have undertaken) from the single-minded faith and conviction that giving Srila Prabhupada this wonderful platform to preach, teach, and train could very well become the most uniting principle that all of his followers could ever hope to experience. The Vani vision, as we have come to call the vision of Vanipedia, has many far reaching goals.
Version 0.1 has been released to give an introduction to the depth and breadth of the vision. Regular releases will be made as we continue along our voyage to the completed version which will be anywhere between 2015, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada appearing on the Western shores, and 2027, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada leaving our external vision.
If devotees can please visit the site and offer any thoughts they have, I am sure this will help us to successfully complete the full Vanipedia vision.
Your servant, Visnu Murti Dasa
March 2009
Vanipedia celebrates first year online
Labangalatika dasi (SDA), 28 March 2009
http://news.iskcon.com/node/1874
March 21 marked the first anniversary of Vanipedia, the multifaceted and ambitious web-based encyclopedia dedicated to preserving and promoting the legacy of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder-acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
“Vani” is a Sanskrit term which refers to words; instructions; messages; teachings. Operating from the popular and powerful Wiki platform, Vanipedia’s goal is to compile the complete range of Srila Prabhupada’s archived teachings from all angles of vision and make them freely accessible via internet.
The Vanipedia project contains seven components. At present, two of the seven are up and running: Vanisource, which contains the full text of all of Prabhupada’s books, letters, conversations and lectures, and Vaniquotes, the comprehensive mapping and compilation of Prabhupada’s teachings.
Project activity is currently focusing on Vaniquotes. Here, quotes from Srila Prabhupada are extracted, catalogued, presented and linked back to Vanisource. Organized in categories thematically, lexically, by scriptural reference and via reference to scriptural personalities, Vaniquotes places the quotes into wiki pages which in turn link to the categories for ease of identification and research.
Since its official launch on Gaura Purnima of 2008, Vaniquotes content has grown substantially. As of March 21, 2008, the site contained 875 categories, 4,702 pages and 15,386 quotes. One year later, it tallies at 4,780 categories, 10,601 pages and 57,637 quotes. Pages have more than doubled, quotes have nearly quadrupled, and categories have increased by nearly 5½ times. And the pages themselves are filling more and more, with 6,350 now complete and 4,251 in process. The goal: 100,000 completed pages containing between one and two million quotes.
“This is a great result, but when looking back on the year I consider the greatest achievement of all is how the devotees have come forward to offer seva and to bless me with their inspired association,” says Visnu Murti Dasa, the founder, visionary and director behind Vanipedia.
The project is based on a decentralized, collaborative model of participation by volunteers from around the globe who contribute via internet from their homes. This “Vaniseva” is the heart of Vanipedia. Vanipedia’s vision is to gather participation from the broadest possible base of contributors, to bring together any and all persons desiring to penetrate and propagate Srila Prabhupada’s teachings in a collegial, service-oriented atmosphere.
One example of this working model comes from Singapore. The first volunteer, Archana Dasi, stepped forward to serve as a compiler in September 2008. Inspired by her personal experience, and enthusiastic to share that experience, she has gone on to bring 14 more compilers from Singapore to join the project in the last six months.
Vanipedia’s organizers look forward to the continued development of such regional teams from around the world. In addition to the group from Singapore, contributors from India, Europe, Australasia, North America and South America are actively involved with Vanipedia, and the first participant from China has started training in Vaniseva.
At this stage, Vanipedia is being developed in English. The larger vision is that it be developed it in other languages as well.
“Opportunity for participation in Vanipedia is wide open,” says Labangalatika Dasi, who joined the project in December 2008. Originally looking to spend two or three hours a week on Vanipedia, she now serves full time as a compiler, editor and tutor for Vaniquotes.
“Compiling is the entry point,” she explains. “Vaniquotes invites you to study Prabhupada’s works in a focused and disciplined way, serve his mission and maintain good devotional association, all at the same time. For my part, it offered an efficient way to do what I really wanted and needed to do.”
“There’s amazing depth and breadth to this experience,” Labangalatika continues. “It’s missionary, it’s exploratory, it’s devotional. As compilers, we approach the texts with a determination which requires us to understand what we’re reading and present it faithfully for others to understand easily and clearly. In the process, we associate intimately with Prabhupada and the Krishna-conscious philosophy. We grow on two levels: inwardly through the thoughtfulness, introspection and self-cultivation that follow our absorption in the teachings, and outwardly through our propagating spiritual education and culture.”
“And it’s not that you have to be an especially saintly or scholarly type of person to do this, either,” she adds. “That’s the beauty of Vaniseva. All we are doing is re-presenting. Prabhupada is the power.”
Although there is plenty of technical expertise at work behind the scenes, Vaniseva doesn’t require technical savvy. “It doesn’t take a lot to get started compiling,” says Labangalatika. “All you need is a good internet connection, a bit of time to give, and the desire to do it.”
“This project operates a lot on inspiration. Each of us has our own personal offering and connection with it, and the inspiration comes to us in an endless variety of ways.”
One volunteer, Sahadeva Dasa, offered to research and develop pages related specifically with the personalities portion of Vaniquotes. In addition to his contributing pages to Vaniquotes, he pursued an idea he had to utilize a mind map software for the project. Sahadeva is now perfecting a graphic presentation of the Bhagavatam family tree which will be available for viewing in Vaniquotes and linked to Vaniquotes pages on the respective personalities.
Radha Madan Gopal Dasa contributes to Vaniquotes as his schedule allows. “Through Vaniseva we get more hands-on with the authority of the scriptures and their practical application,” he says. “This seva is also very good for preachers because it reflects different moods and intricate issues which Prabhupada resolved from time to time in a very simple way.”
Sixty-four-year old Serene Ramasamy has experienced compiling in a very heartfelt way.
“When reading the letters by Srila Prabhupada to the devotees,” she relates, “I came to know the hardship he went through as a single man at the beginning, and I couldn’t stop admiring his courage and determination. We have the chance to learn a lot, not only about the scriptures and the material and spiritual worlds, but also about Prabhupada’s commitments. It is very impressive and inspiring. My only wish now is that, if I’m given the opportunity, I would like to work with Vanipedia until the last day of my life in this world. I’m sure all the Vanisisters and brothers will have the same feeling after reading about Srila Prabhupada.”
Vaniquotes, along with Vanisource, will provide the basis from which the rest of the Vanipedia project will be realized. Vanictionary will be a Sankrit-to-English and Bengali-to-English lexicon based on Srila Prabhupada’s definition and use of Sanskrit and Bengali words. Vanibooks will be thematic compendiums of Srila Prabhupada’s teachings similar to the books Siksamrta by Ajamila Dasa and Preaching is the Essence, Sri Namamrta, and Spiritual Master and the Disciple by Subhananda Dasa. Vaniversity will be the educational vehicle of the site aimed at levels ranging from children’s activities to college-level coursework. Vanimedia will present all of Srila Prabhupada‘s audio, video and photographic recordings, and Vanipedia, the centerpiece, will contain articles introducing readers to the various parts of the project.
The Vanipedia project is one of years in the making. The vision was seeded in 1987, when Visnu Murti started a thematic compilation of Srila Prabhupada’s letters from the 5-volume Letters from Srila Prabhupada. In subsequent years the vision grew through Visnu Murti’s service with the Bhaktivedanta Archives, publishing and distributing Prabhupada’s teachings to devotees. In 1995, Visnu Murti founded the non-profit Bhaktivedanta Library Services (BLS) based adjacent to ISKCON Radhadesh in Belgium. In 2006, Prabhupada Vani Research Academy was established as a department of BLS, and it is through this branch of the organization that Vanipedia is being developed.
“We are presently constructing additional office and living space at BLS for Vanipedia core participants as well as for other devotees who wish to visit Radhadesh for their own little Vaniseva retreats,” says Visnu Murti. “Our new facility will offer a great opportunity for devotees who want a profound experience studying Srila Prabhupada's books.”
Vanipedia currently has seven core team members who serve as facilitators, coordinators, and specialists in various aspects of the project. Service opportunities include beginning and advanced compiling, IT coordination and website promotion.
Visnu Murti looks to 2015 to have all seven Vani components running – specifically 4 October 2015, the fiftieth anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s arrival on Western shores.
As yet, Vanipedia is still in its beginning stages. As Visnu Murti puts it, “A baby of one year does not manifest much glory, but everyone knows that over time if the baby stays healthy, it will grow into a strong adult. Vanipedia is growing, and after one year he has a clean bill of health.”
To learn more about Vanipedia, start by visiting http://vanipedia.org. For information and access to Vaniquotes, go to http://vaniquotes.org. To inquire about service opportunities with Vanipedia, email [email protected].