JA/Vanipedia's Manifesto

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はじめに

シュリーラ・プラブパーダは師の教えを非常に重要視していたため、Vanipediaは書籍、録音された講義や会話、書簡などからなる師の作品群にのみ捧げられています。完成すれば、Vanipediaは、本物の精神的な案内を求める何百万もの人々が、シュリーラ・プラブパーダの輝かしい教えから答えとインスピレーションを見いだす神聖な空間を提供する、世界初のヴァニ寺院となるでしょう。 できるだけ多くの言語で書かれた百科事典形式.

ヴァニペディアの視野声明

　シュリーラ・プラブパーダの多言語ヴァニ・プレゼンスを呼び起こし、完全に顕現させるために協力することで、何億もの人々がクリシュナ意識の科学に元ずいて生きることを助け、人間社会を再び精神的にするためのチェイタニヤ・マハープラブ神のサンキルターナ運動を支援します。

共同作業

　ヴァニペディアで明らかにされる百科事典を構築することは、何千人もの献身者が協力してシュリーラ・プラブパーダの教えを編纂し、熱心に翻訳する大規模な共同作業によってのみ可能です。

　私たちは、２０２７年１１月までに、少なくとも１６ヵ国の言語でのシュリーラ・プラブパーダのすべての本、講義、会話、手紙の翻訳を完了し、ヴァニペディアの何らかの代表作品を少なくとも１０８の言語に到達したいと考えています。

　２０１７年１０月現在、聖書全巻は6７０か国の言語に、新約聖書は１５２１の言語に、聖書の一部や物語は１１２１のその他の言語に翻訳されています。これらの統計は、シュリーラ・プラブパーダの教えの大幅な増加を考慮したうえ私たちの目的が、キリスト教徒が彼らの教えを世界に広めるために行っている努力に比べれば、まったく野心的ではないことを示しています。

　全人類の利益のために、シュリーラ・プラブパーダの多言語ヴァニ・プレゼンスをネット上で呼び起こし、完全に顕在化させるというこの崇高な試みに、献身者の皆さんが参加するよう私たちは呼びかけます。

呼びかけ

　１９６５年、シュリーラ・プラブパーダは招かれることなくアメリカに到着しました。シュリーラ・プラブパーダの栄光のヴァプは１９７７年に終わりましたが、シュリーラ・プラブパーダはまだヴァニとして存在しています。シゥリーラ・プラブパーダが現れるように呼びかけ、懇願することによってのみによって、シュリーラ・プラブパーダは現れます。シュリーラ・プラブパーダを私たちの間に迎えたいという私たちの強い願望が、シュリーラ・プラブパーダを現わすための鍵なのです。

完全な顕在化

　私たちは、シュリーラ・プラブパーダが私たちの前に部分的に存在することを望んでいるのではありません。私たちは彼の完全なヴァニ・プレゼンスを望みます。師の記録された教えはすべて完全に編集され、多くの言語に翻訳されるべきです。これが、この惑星の未来の世代の人々への私たちの捧げものです。-シュリーラ・プラブパーダの教えの完全な保護（アシュラヤ）です。

ヴァニ・プレゼンス

　シュリーラ・プラブパーダの完全なヴァニ・プレゼンスは、２つの段階で現れます。最初の段階は、シュリーラ・プラブパーダのすべての教えをあらゆる言語で編集し、翻訳することです。 第二の段階は、より困難な段階ですが、何億人もの人々が彼の教えを完全に実践することです。

様々な学び方=

　*現在までの調査で、私たちは、シュリーラ・プラブパーダが献身者たちに彼の本を読むように指示した６０通りの方法があることを発見しました。

　* シュリーラ・プラブパーダの本を６０通りの方法 学ぶことによって、私たちはそれらを正しく理解し、同化することができます。テーマ別に勉強し、それをまとめるという方法論に従うことで、シュリーラ・プラブパーダが提示しているそれぞれの言葉、文脈、概念、人格の意味の深い意義に簡単に入り込むことができます。彼の教えは間違いなく私たちの人生であり魂であり、私たちがそれらを徹底的に勉強するとき私たちは多くの深遠な方法でシュリーラ・プラブパーダの存在を知覚し経験することができます。

１０００万人のアチャーリヤ

　

  • 今、１万人いるとすれば、それを１０万人まで拡大しましょう。それが必要です。そうすれば、１０万人が１００万人になり、１００万人が１０００万人になります。そうすれば、アチャーリヤが足りないことはなくなり、人々はクリシュナ意識をいとも簡単に理解するようになるでしょう。だからその組織を作って下さい。虚勢を張ってはいけません。アチャーリヤの指示に従い、自分自身を完璧に、成熟させるように努めて下さい。そうすれば、マーヤと戦うのはとても簡単になるでしょう。そうです。アチャーリヤはマーヤの活動に対して宣戦布告します。 – シュリーラ・プラブパーダの講義『シュリー・チェイタンヤ・チャリタㇺリタ』１９７５年４月６日

解説=

　シュリーラ・プラブパーダのこの視野声明は、人々がクリシュナ意識を容易に理解するための完璧な計画であることを物語っています。シュリーラ・プラブパーダの１０００万人の力を与えられたシクシャ弟子たちは、私たちの創始者であるアチャーリヤの教えの基に謙虚に生き、常に完璧さと成熟のために努力しています。シュリーラ・プラブパーダは明確にその組織を作ると述べています。 ヴァニペディアはこの視野を実現するために熱心に協力しています。

クリシュナ意識の科学

　『バガヴァッド・ギーター』の第九章では、このクリシュナ意識の科学は、あらゆる知識の王、あらゆる秘奥事項の王、超越的実現の至高の科学と呼ばれています。クリシュナ意識は超越的な科学であり、神に奉仕する用意のある誠実な献身者に啓示されます。クリシュナ意識は、辛口の議論や学問的資格によって達成されるものではありません。クリシュナ意識は、ヒンズー教、キリスト教、仏教、イスラム教のような信仰ではなく、科学です。もし誰かがシュリーラ・プラブパーダの本を注意深く読むなら、人々はクリシュナ意識の最高の科学を理解し、真の福利の利益としてすべての人に同じことを広めるよう、より啓発されるでしょう。

主チェイタンヤのサンキールタナ運動

　主シュリー・チェイタンヤ・マハープラブはサンキールタナ運動の父であり、創始者です。サンキールタナ運動のために自分の生命、金銭、知性、言葉を犠牲にして主を崇拝する者は、主に認められ、主の祝福を授かります。なぜなら、人がエネルギーを注ぐことができるあらゆる犠牲の中で、サンキールタナ運動のために捧げられる犠牲は最も輝かしいものだからです。クリシュナ意識運動全体は、シュリー・チェイタンヤ・マハープラブによって始められたサンキールタナ運動の原則に基づいています。ですから、サンキールタナ運動を媒介として神の至高の人格を理解しようとする人は、すべてを完璧に知っています。その人はスメーダであり、実質的な知性を持つ人です。

人間社会を再び精神化する

　現在、人間社会は忘却の闇にあるわけではありません。物質的な快適さ、教育、経済発展の分野では、全世界で急速な進歩を遂げています。しかし、社会全体のどこかにピンとくるものがあり、それゆえ、さほど重要でない問題をめぐってさえ、大規模な論争が起きています。人類が共通の大義をもって平和、友情、繁栄のうちにひとつになるにはどうすればいいのか、その手がかりが必要なのです。『シュリマド・バガヴァタム』はこの必要性を満たすものであり、人類社会全体の再精神化のための文化的プレゼンテーションです。一般的に、大衆は現代の政治家や指導者たちの手中にある道具です。もし指導者たちだけが心を入れ替えれば、世界の雰囲気が激変することは間違いありません。 　真の教育の目的は、自己実現、魂の精神的価値の実現であるべきです。誰もが、世の中のあらゆる活動を精神的なものにする手助けをしなければなりません。そのような活動によって、実行者も実行される仕事も精神性を帯び、自然の様式を超越するようになります。

ヴァニペディアの使命声明

  • シュリーラ・プラブパーダに、世界中のあらゆる言語でクリシュナ意識の科学を説き、教育し、訓練するための継続的で世界的な基盤を提供すること。
  • シュリーラ・プラブパーダの教えを多角的な視野から探求、発見し、総合的に編纂すること。
  • シュリーラ・プラブパーダのヴァニを簡単に入手でき、理解しやすい方法で提示すること。
  • シュリーラ・プラブパーダのヴァニに基づく多くの話題の本の執筆を促進するために、包括的なテーマ研究の貯蔵所を提供すること。
  • シュリーラ・プラブパーダのヴァニに様々な教育的取り組みのための教材源を提供すること。
  • シュリーラ・プラブパーダの誠実な従者に、個人的な指導のためにシュリーラ・プラブパーダのヴァニを参照し、あらゆるレベルでシュリーラ・プラブパーダを代表するために十分に学ぶことの必要性を明確に理解させること。
  • 上記のすべてを達成するために、あらゆる国のシュリーラ・プラブパーダの従者を引き付け、世界的に協力すること。

ヴァニペディアを作る動機は何か？

  • 私たちは次のことを受け入れます。

＊シュリーラ・プラブパーダは純粋な献身者であり、主シュリー・クリシュナ神から直接、生きとし生けるものを神への愛に満ちた献身的奉仕に従事させる力を授けられています。 このように師が力を授けられていることは、彼の教えの中にある絶対的真理についての比類なき暴露の中で証明されています。

＊現代において、ヴァイシュナヴァ哲学の偉大な提唱者であり、この現代世界をありのままに説明する社会批評家として、シュリーラ・プラブパーダ以上の人物はいません。

＊シュリーラ・プラブパーダの教えは、何百万人もの献身者たちにとって、将来にわたって第一の拠り所となることでしょう。

＊シュリーラ・プラブパーダは、師の教えが豊富に配布され、適切に理解されることを望んでいました。

＊シュリーラ・プラブパーダの教えに対するテーマ別に取り組むことは、その中にある真理を理解する過程を大いに高め、あらゆる視野の角度から師の教えを探求し、発見し、徹底的にまとめることに計り知れない価値があります。

＊シュリーラ・プラブパーダの教えのすべてを特定の言語に翻訳することは、シュリーラ・プラブパーダをその言語が話されている場所に永遠に住むように招くことと同じです。

＊シュリーラ・プラブパーダが物理的に不在の間は、この使命のために多くの献身者を必要とします。

このように、私たちは、シュリーラ・プラブパーダの教えの中に見出された完璧な知識と悟りを豊かに配布し、正しく理解することを促進するために、真に躍動的な基盤を作ることに全力を尽くしています。それはとても明快なことです。ヴァニペディアの完成から私たちを隔てている唯一のものは、時間と、この視野に献身する献身者たちによってまだ提供されていない多くの神聖なヴァニセヴァの時間です。

グル・マハラジャに命じられ、義務として行おうとしている私のささやかな奉仕を評価していただき、皆さん、本当にありがとうございます。私の弟子たち全員が協力的に働くようお願いします。そうすれば、私たちの使命が間違いなく前進することを確信しています – タマラ・クリシュナ・ゴスワミ(GBC)宛の、シュリーラ・プラブパーダの手紙１９７１年８月１４日

Srila Prabhupada's Three Natural Positions

A culture of shelter at the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada's teachings can only be realized when these three positions of Srila Prabhupada are awakened in the hearts of all his followers.

Srila Prabhupada is our pre-eminent siksa-guru

  • We accept that all of Srila Prabhupada's followers can experience his presence and shelter within his teachings – both individually and when discussing them with each other.
  • We purify ourselves and establish a firm relationship with Srila Prabhupada by learning to live with him as our guiding conscience.
  • We encourage devotees feeling separation from Srila Prabhupada, to take the time to seek his presence and solace within his Vani.
  • We share Srila Prabhupada's compassion with all his followers, including those who take initiation in his line as well as those who follow him in different capacities.
  • We educate devotees in the truth of Srila Prabhupada's position as our pre-eminent siksa-guru, and our sisya relationship with him in separation.
  • We establish a succession of siksa-empowered disciples to uphold Srila Prabhupada's legacy throughout successive generations.

Srila Prabhupada is the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON

  • We promote his Vani as the primary driving force that keeps the members of ISKCON connected and faithful to him, and thus inspired, enthused and determined to make his movement everything that he wished it to be – both now and in the future.
  • We encourage the sustainable development of Vaishnava-brahminical standards centered on Srila Prabhupada's teachings and his preaching strategies – a "vani-culture."
  • We educate devotees in the truth of Srila Prabhupada's position as the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON and our service to him and his movement.

Srila Prabhupada is the World-acharya

  • We increase the global awareness of the significance of Srila Prabhupada's spiritual stature as the world-acharya by establishing the contemporary relevance of his teachings in all circles in every country.
  • We inspire a culture of appreciation and respect for Srila Prabhupada's teachings, resulting in active participation in the practices of Krishna consciousness by the world's population.
  • We realize the premise that Srila Prabhupada built a house in which the whole world can live by establishing his Vani as simultaneously the foundation and roof – the shelter, the ashraya – that protects this house.

Vital to Establish Srila Prabhupada's Natural Position

  • Our ISKCON society needs educational initiatives, political directives, and social culture to facilitate and nurture Srila Prabhupada's natural position with his followers and within his movement. It will not happen automatically or by wishful thinking. It can only be achieved by intelligent, concerted and collaborative efforts offered by his pure-hearted devotees.
  • Five Key Obstacles Concealing Srila Prabhupada's Natural Position within his Movement:
  • 1. ignorance of Srila Prabhupada's teachings – he has given instructions but we are not aware they exist.
  • 2. indifference to Srila Prabhupada's teachings – we know the instructions exist but we do not care about them. We ignore them.
  • 3. misunderstanding of Srila Prabhupada's teachings – we apply them sincerely but due to our over-confidence or lack of maturity, they are misapplied.
  • 4. a lack of faith in Srila Prabhupada's teachings – deep within we are not fully convinced and think of them as utopian, neither realistic nor practical for the "modern world."
  • 5. in competition with Srila Prabhupada's teachings – with full conviction and enthusiasm we go in a completely different direction than what Srila Prabhupada has instructed, and in so doing influence others to go with us.

Comment

We believe these obstacles can easily be overcome with the introduction of integral, structured educational and training programs aimed at nurturing our relationship with and increasing our knowledge of Srila Prabhupada's teachings. This will only succeed however if fueled by a serious leadership commitment to create a culture deeply rooted in Srila Prabhupada's Vani. Srila Prabhupada's natural position will thus automatically become, and remain, apparent to all generations of devotees.

Devotees are Srila Prabhupada's Limbs, ISKCON is his Body, and his Vani is his Soul





  • You should always remember that whatever we are doing, it is in the parampara system beginning from Lord Krishna, down to us. Therefore, our loving spirit should be more upon the message than the physical representation. When we love the message and serve Him, automatically our devotional love for the physique is done. – Srila Prabhupada Letter to Govinda dasi, 7 April 1970

Comment

We are Srila Prabhupada's limbs. To successfully cooperate with him to his full satisfaction we must be united in consciousness with him. This loving unity develops from our becoming fully absorbed in, convinced by and practicing his Vani. Our holistic success strategy is for everyone to assimilate Srila Prabhupada's teachings and boldly place them at the heart of everything we do for his Krishna consciousness movement. In this way, Srila Prabhupada's devotees can flourish personally, and in their respective services to make ISKCON a solid body which can fulfill Srila Prabhupada's desire to save the world from complete disaster. The devotees win, the GBC wins, ISKCON wins, the world wins, Srila Prabhupada wins, and Lord Caitanya wins. There will be no losers.

Distributing the Teachings of Parampara

1486 Caitanya Mahaprabhu appears in order to teach the world Krishna consciousness – 534 years ago

1488 Sanatana Goswami appears in order to write books on Krishna consciousness – 532 years ago

1489 Rupa Gosvami appears in order to write books on Krishna consciousness – 531 years ago

1495 Raghunatha Gosvami appears in order to write books on Krishna consciousness – 525 years ago

1500 Mechanical printing presses begin to revolutionize the distribution of books throughout Europe – 520 years ago

1513 Jiva Gosvami appears in order to write books on Krishna consciousness – 507 years ago

1834 Bhaktivinoda Thakura appears in order to write books on Krishna consciousness – 186 years ago

1874 Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati appears in order to write books on Krishna consciousness – 146 years ago

1896 Srila Prabhupada appears in order to write books on Krishna consciousness – 124 years ago

1914 Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati coins the phrase "brhat-mrdanga" – 106 years ago

1922 Srila Prabhupada meets Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati for the first time and is immediately requested to preach in the English language - 98 years ago

1935 Srila Prabhupada receives the instruction to print books – 85 years ago

1944 Srila Prabhupada starts Back to Godhead magazine – 76 years ago

1956 Srila Prabhupada moves to Vrndavana to write books – 64 years ago

1962 Srila Prabhupada publishes his first volume of Srimad-Bhagavatam – 58 years ago

1965 Srila Prabhupada arrives in the West to distribute his books – 54 years ago

1968 Srila Prabhupada publishes his abridged Bhagavad-gita As-It-Is – 52 years ago

1972 Srila Prabhupada publishes his full version of Bhagavad-gita As-It-Is – 48 years ago

1972 Srila Prabhupada establishes the BBT to publish his books – 48 years ago

1974 Srila Prabhupada's disciples start the serious distribution of his books – 46 years ago

1975 Srila Prabhupada completes the Sri Caitanya-caritamrta – 45 years ago

1977 Srila Prabhupada stops speaking and leaves his Vani in our care – 43 years ago

1978 The Bhaktivedanta Archives is established – 42 years ago

1986 The world's digitally stored material amounts to 1 CD-ROM per person – 34 years ago

1991 The World Wide Web (brhat-brhat-brhat mrdanga) is established – 29 years ago

1992 The Bhaktivedanta VedaBase version 1.0 is created – 28 years ago

2002 The Digital Age arrives - worldwide digital storage overtakes analog – 18 years ago

2007 The world's digitally stored material amounts to 61 CD-ROMS per person, that makes 427 billion CD-ROMs (all full). – 13 years ago

2007 Srila Prabhupada's Vani-temple, the Vanipedia begins construction in the web – 13 years ago

2010 Srila Prabhupada's Vapu-temple, the Temple of the Vedic Planetarium begins construction in Sridhama Mayapur – 10 years ago

2012 Vanipedia reaches 1,906,753 quotes, 108,971 pages and 13,946 categories – 8 years ago

2013 500,000,000 of Srila Prabhupada's books have been distributed by ISKCON devotees in 48 years – an average of 28,538 books every single day - 7 years ago

2019 21st March, Gaura Purnima day at 7.15 Central European Time, Vanipedia celebrates 11 years of inviting devotees to collaborate together to invoke and fully manifest Srila Prabhupada's Vani-presence. Vanipedia now offers 45,588 categories, 282,297 pages, 2,100,000 plus quotes presented in 93 languages. This has been achieved by over 1,220 devotees who have performed more than 295,000 hours of vaniseva. We still have a long way to go in order to complete Srila Prabhupada's Vani-temple thus we continue to invite devotees to participate in this glorious mission.

Comment

The unfolding of the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu under the banner of the modern day Krishna consciousness movement is a very exciting time to be performing devotional service.

Srila Prabhupada, the Founder-acarya of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness has brought onto the world scene a life-changing phenomenon in the form of his Translations, Bhaktivedanta Purports, Lectures, Conversations, and Letters. Here lies the key to the respiritualization of the whole human society.

Vani, Personal Association and Service in Separation - Quotes


  • In the absence of physical presentation of the Spiritual Master the Vaniseva is more important. My Spiritual Master, Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura, may appear to be physically not present, but still because I try to serve His instruction I never feel separated from Him. I expect that all of you should follow these instructions. – Srila Prabhupada Letter to Karandhara das (GBC), 22 August 1970


  • From the very beginning I was strongly against the impersonalists and all my books are stressed on this point. So my oral instruction as well as my books are all at your service. Now you GBC consult them and get clear and strong idea, then there will be no disturbance. Disturbance is caused by ignorance; where there is no ignorance, there is no disturbance. – Srila Prabhupada Letter to Hayagriva das (GBC), 22 August 1970




  • Please be happy in separation. I am separated from my Guru Maharaja since 1936 but I am always with him so long I work according to his direction. So we should all work together for satisfying Lord Krishna and in that way the feelings of separation will transform into transcendental bliss. – Srila Prabhupada Letter to Uddhava das (ISKCON Press), 3 May 1968

Comment

Srila Prabhupada offers many revealing truths in this series of statements.

  • Srila Prabhupada's personal guidance is always here.
  • We should be happy in feelings of separation from Srila Prabhupada.
  • In Srila Prabhupada's physical absence his Vaniseva is more important.
  • Srila Prabhupada had very little personal association with his Guru Maharaja.
  • Srila Prabhupada's oral instruction, as well as his books, are all at our service.
  • Feelings of separation from Srila Prabhupada transform into transcendental bliss.
  • When Srila Prabhupada is not physically present, if we follow his Vani, we get his help.
  • Srila Prabhupada never left Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's association, not even for a moment.
  • By consulting Srila Prabhupada's oral instructions and his books we get clear and strong ideas.
  • By following Srila Prabhupada's instructions we will never feel separated (disconnected) from him.
  • Srila Prabhupada expects all his followers to follow these instructions in order to become empowered siksa-disciples of him.

Using Media to Spread Krishna's Message



  • I am very encouraged by the reports of the tremendous success of your TV and radio programs. As much as possible try to increase our preaching programs by using all the mass media which are available. We are modern day Vaishnavas and we must preach vigorously using all the means available. – Srila Prabhupada Letter to Rupanuga das (GBC), 30 December 1971


  • If you are able to arrange everything so that I can simply sit in my room and be seen by the world and speak to the world, then I shall never leave Los Angeles. That will be the perfection of your L.A. Temple. I am very, very encouraged by your proposal to flood the medias of your country with our Krishna Consciousness program, and see that it is practically taking shape under your hands, so I am all the more pleased. - Srila Prabhupada Letter to Siddhesvar das and Krishnakanti das, 16 February 1972



Comment

Following in the footsteps of his Guru Maharaja Srila Prabhupada knew the art of engaging everything for Krishna's service.

  • Srila Prabhupada wants to be seen by the world and speak to the world.
  • Srila Prabhupada desires to flood the media with our Krishna Consciousness programs.
  • Srila Prabhupada wants his books distributed through the press and other modern-media.
  • Srila Prabhupada was happy to hear about the plan for a subject by subject encyclopedia of his teachings.
  • Srila Prabhupada says we should increase our preaching programs by using all the mass media that is available.
  • Srila Prabhupada says we are modern day Vaishnavas and we must preach vigorously using all the means available.
  • Srila Prabhupada says we can use everything – television, radio, movies, or whatever there may be – to tell about Krishna.
  • Srila Prabhupada says that the mass-media can become such an important instrument in spreading our Krishna consciousness movement.

Modern-media, modern opportunities

For Srila Prabhupada, in the 1970's, the terms modern-media and mass-media meant the printing press, radio, TV and movies. Since his departure, the landscape of mass media has dramatically transformed to include Android phones, cloud computing and storage, e-book readers, e-commerce, interactive TV and gaming, online publishing, podcasts and RSS feeds, social networking sites, streaming media services, touch-screen technologies, web-based communications & distribution services and wireless technologies.

In line with Srila Prabhupada's example we are, since 2007, using modern mass media technologies to compile, index, categorize and distribute Srila Prabhupada's Vani.

  • Vanipedia's aim is to increase the visibility and accessibility of Srila Prabhupada's teachings on the web by offering a free, authentic, one-stop resource for
• ISKCON preachers
• ISKCON leaders and managers
• devotees studying devotional courses
• devotees wishing to deepen their knowledge
• devotees involved in inter-faith dialogues
• curriculum developers
• devotees feeling separation from Srila Prabhupada
• executive leaders
• academics
• teachers and students of religious education
• writers
• searchers of spirituality
• people concerned about current social issues
• historians

Comment

There is still more to be done to make Srila Prabhupada's teachings accessible and prominent in the world today. Collaborative web technologies provide us the opportunity to surpass all our previous successes.

Vaniseva – the Sacred Act of Serving Srila Prabhupada's Vani

Srila Prabhupada stopped speaking on the 14th of November, 1977, but the Vani he gave us remains ever fresh. However, these teachings are not yet in their pristine condition, nor are all of them readily accessible to his devotees. Srila Prabhupada's followers have a sacred duty to preserve and to distribute his Vani to everyone. We are therefore inviting you to perform this vaniseva.

Always remember that you are one of the few men I have appointed to carry on my work throughout the world and your mission before you is huge. Therefore, always pray to Krishna to give you strength for accomplishing this mission by doing what I am doing. My first business is to give the devotees the proper knowledge and engage them in devotional service, so that is not very difficult task for you, I have given you everything, so read and speak from the books and so many new lights will come out. We have got so many books, so if we go on preaching from them for the next 1,000 years, there is enough stock. – Srila Prabhupada Letter to Satsvarupa das (GBC), 16 June 1972

In June of 1972 Srila Prabhupada said that "we have got so many books" that we have "enough stock" to preach from for the "next 1,000 years." At that time, only 10 titles had been printed, so with all the extra books that Srila Prabhupada published from July 1972 to November 1977 the number of years of stock could easily be expanded to 5,000. If we add to this his oral instructions and letters, then the stock expands to 10,000 years. We need to expertly prepare all these teachings to be accessed and properly understood so that they can be "preached from" for this whole period of time.

There is no doubt that Srila Prabhupada has unending enthusiasm and determination to preach the message of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It does not matter that his vapu has left us. He remains in his teachings, and via the digital platform, he can now preach even more widely than when he was physically present. With complete dependence on Lord Caitanya's mercy, let us embrace Srila Prabhupada's vani-mission, and with more resolve than ever before, expertly prepare his Vani for 10,000 years of preaching.

Over the past ten years I have given the framework and now we have become more than the British Empire. Even the British Empire was not as expansive as we. They had only a portion of the world, and we have not completed expanding. We must expand more and more unlimitedly. But I must now remind you that I have to complete the translation of the Srimad-Bhagavatam. This is the greatest contribution; our books have given us a respectable position. People have no faith in this church or temple worship. Those days are gone. Of course, we have to maintain the temples as it is necessary to keep our spirits high. Simply intellectualism will not do, there must be practical purification.

So I request you to relieve me of management responsibilities more and more so that I can complete the Srimad-Bhagavatam translation. If I am always having to manage, then I cannot do my work on the books. It is document, I have to choose each word very soberly and if I have to think of management then I cannot do this. I cannot be like these rascals who present something mental concoction to cheat the public. So this task will not be finished without the cooperation of my appointed assistants, the GBC, temple presidents, and sannyasis. I have chosen my best men to be GBC and I do not want that the GBC should be disrespectful to the temple presidents. You can naturally consult me, but if the basic principle is weak, how will things go on? So please assist me in the management so that I can be free to finish the Srimad-Bhagavatam which will be our lasting contribution to the world. – Srila Prabhupada Letter to All Governing Body Commissioners, 19 May 1976

Here Srila Prabhupada is stating "this task will not be finished without the cooperation of my appointed assistants" to help him make "our lasting contribution to the world." It is Srila Prabhupada's books that have "given us a respectable position" and they are "the greatest contribution to the world."

Over the years, so much vaniseva has been performed by BBT devotees, book distributors, preachers who have held firmly to Srila Prabhupada's words, and by other devotees who have been dedicated to distribute and preserve his Vani in one way or another. But there is still much more to do. By working together via the technologies of the brhat-brhat-brhat mrdanga (the World Wide Web) we now have an opportunity to build an unparalleled manifestation of Srila Prabhupada's Vani in a very short period of time. Our proposal is to come together in vaniseva and build a Vani-temple to be completed by November 4th, 2027, at which time we will all be celebrating the final 50th anniversary. 50 years of serving Srila Prabhupada in separation. This will be a very appropriate and beautiful offering of love to Srila Prabhupada, and a glorious gift to all the future generations of his devotees.

I am glad that you have named your printing press the Radha Press. It is very gratifying. May your Radha Press be enriched in publishing all our books and literatures in the German language. It is a very nice name. Radharani is the best, topmost servitor of Krishna, and the printing machine is the biggest medium at the present moment for serving Krishna. Therefore, it is really a representative of Srimati Radharani. I like the idea very much. – Srila Prabhupada Letter to Jaya Govinda das (Book production manager), 4 July 1969

For the better part of the 20th century, the printing press provided the tools for successful propaganda from so many groups of people. Srila Prabhupada stated how expert the communists were to spread their influence in India via the pamphlets and books they distributed. Srila Prabhupada used this example to express how he wanted to make a large propaganda program for Krishna consciousness by distributing his books all over the world.

Now, in the 21st century, Srila Prabhupada's statement "the biggest medium at the present moment for serving Krishna" can undoubtedly be applied to the exponential and unparalleled power of internet publishing and distribution. In Vanipedia, we are preparing Srila Prabhupada's teachings for proper representation on this modern mass distribution platform. Srila Prabhupada stated that the Radha Press of his devotees in Germany was "really a representative of Srimati Radharani." We are therefore certain that he would consider Vanipedia to be a representative of Srimati Radharani as well.

So many beautiful Vapu-temples have already been built by ISKCON devotees – let us now build at least one glorious Vani-temple. The Vapu-temples offer sacred darshans to the forms of the Lord, and a Vani-temple will offer the sacred darshan to the teachings of the Lord and His pure devotees, as presented by Srila Prabhupada. The work of ISKCON devotees will naturally be more successful when Srila Prabhupada's teachings are situated in their rightful, worshipable position. Now there is a wonderful opportunity for all his current "appointed assistants" to embrace the vani-mission of building his Vani-temple and to inspire the whole movement to participate.

Just as the enormous and beautiful Vapu-temple rising from the banks of the Ganges in Sridham Mayapur is destined to help spread Lord Caitanya's mercy all over the world, so too can a Vani-temple of Srila Prabhupada's teachings strengthen his ISKCON mission to spread all over the world and establish Srila Prabhupada's natural position for thousands of years to come.

Vaniseva – Taking Practical Action to Serve

  • Completing Vanipedia means Srila Prabhupada's teachings will be presented in a way that no one has ever done for the works of any spiritual teacher. We invite everyone to take part in this sacred mission. Together we will give Srila Prabhupada a unique exposure to the world on a magnitude only possible via the web.
  • Our desire is to make Vanipedia the No.1 reference encyclopedia of Srila Prabhupada's teachings in multiple languages. This will only happen with the sincere commitment, sacrifice, and support of many devotees. To date, over 1,220 devotees have participated in building Vanisource and Vaniquotes and translations in 93 languages. Now in order to complete Vaniquotes and build the Vanipedia articles, the Vanibooks, the Vanimedia, and the Vaniversity courses we need more support from devotees with the following skills:
• Administration
• Compiling
• Curriculum Development
• Design and Layout
• Finance
• Management
• Promotion
• Researching
• Server Maintenance
• Site Development
• Software Programming
• Teaching
• Technical Editing
• Training
• Translating
• Writing
  • Vaniservants offer their service from their homes, temples, and offices, or they can join us full-time for certain periods in Sridham Mayapur or Radhadesh.

Donating

  • For the past 12 years Vanipedia has been primarily financed by the book distribution from Bhaktivedanta Library Services a.s.b.l. To continue its construction, Vanipedia needs funding beyond the current capacity of BLS. Once completed, Vanipedia will hopefully be sustained by small donations from a percentage of many satisfied visitors. But for now, in order to complete the initial phases of building this free encyclopedia, the service of offering financial support is crucial.
  • Supporters of Vanipedia can choose from one of the following options

Sponsor: A person donating any amount they desire

Supporting Patron: An individual person or legal entity donating at least 81 euros

Sustaining Patron: An individual person or legal entity donating at least 810 euros with the possibility to make 9 monthly payments of 90 euros

Growth Patron: An individual person or legal entity donating 8,100 euros with the possibility to make 9 yearly payments of 900 euros

Foundational Patron: An individual person or legal entity donating 81,000 euros with the possibility to make 9 yearly payments of 9,000 euros

We Are Grateful - Prayers

We Are Grateful

Thank you Srila Prabhupada
for giving us this opportunity to serve you.
We will do our best to please you in your mission.
May your teachings give shelter to millions of fortunate souls.


Dear Srila Prabhupada,
please empower us
with all good qualities and abilities
and continue to send us long term
seriously committed devotees and resources
to successfully build your glorious Vani-temple
for the benefit of All.


Dear Sri Sri Panca Tattva,
please help us to become dear devotees of Sri Sri Radha Madhava
and dear disciples of Srila Prabhupada and our Guru Maharaja
by continuing to facilitate us to work hard and smart
in the mission of Srila Prabhupada
for the pleasure of his devotees.

Thank you for considering these prayers

Comment

Only by the empowering grace of Srila Prabhupada, Sri Sri Panca Tattva, and Sri Sri Radha Madhava can we ever hope to achieve this herculean task. Thus we incessantly pray for Their mercy.

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