HR/Vanipedia's Manifesto

Revision as of 17:23, 21 November 2022 by Jadranka (talk | contribs) (→‎Što Nas Motivira da Izgradimo Vanipediju?)


Uvod

Srila Prabhupada pridavao je veliku važnost svojim učenjima, stoga je Vanipedija isključivo posvećena njegovom opusu koji se sastoji od knjiga, snimljenih predavanja i razgovora, pisama, itd. Kada bude dovršena, Vanipedija će biti prvi ikada Vani-hram u svijetu nudeći sveti prostor gdje će milijuni ljudi tragati za autentičnim duhovnim vodstvom i gdje će pronaći odgovore i inspiraciju iz znamenitih učenja Srila Prabhupade, predstavljenih u jednom enciklopedija formatu na što je moguće više jezika.

Očitovanje Vanipedije o Misiji

Suradnjom prizvati i potpuno manifestirati Srila Prabhupadino višejezično Vani-prisustvo, olakšavajući pritom stotinama milijuna ljudi živjeti nauku svjesnosti Krishne i asistirati pokretu sankirtane Gospodina Caitanya Mahaprabhua ponovno produhoviti ljudsko društvo.

Suradnja

Izgradnja enciklopedije do stupnja iskazane u Vanipediji je jedino moguće ogromnom predanošću i zajedničkom suradnjom tisuća bhakti udruženo sastavljajući i marljivo prevodeći Srila Prabhupaddina učenja.

Želimo dovršiti prijevod svih Srila Prabhupadovih knjiga, predavanja, razgovora i pisama na najmanje 16 jezika i dosegnuti najmanje 108 jezika s dijelom zastupljenosti u Vanipediji do studenog 2027.

Do listopada 2017. cijela je Biblija prevedena na 670 jezika, Novi zavjet je preveden na 1521 jezik, a dijelovi Biblije ili priče na 1121 drugih jezika. Ove statistike pokazuju da naši ciljevi, iako su značajno povećana Srila Prabhupadovih učenja, nisu nimalo ambiciozni u usporedbi s naporima koje kršćani ulažu da šire svoja učenja globalno.

Pozivamo sve bhakte da nam se pridruže u ovom plemenitom nastojanju pozivanja i potpunog očitovanja Srila Prabhupadove višejezične Vani-prisutnosti na webu za dobrobit CIJELOG čovječanstva.

Pozivanje

Godine 1965. Srila Prabhupada nepozvan je stigao u Ameriku. Iako su dani njegove slavne Vapu prisutnosti završili 1977., on još uvijek postoji u svojoj Vani i to je prisutnost koju sada moramo prizvati. On će to učiniti samo pozivom i preklinjanjem Srila Prabhupade da se pojavi. Naša intenzivna želja da ga imamo među nama je ključ koji držimo za njegovu pojavu.

Potpuna manifestacija

Ne želimo djelomičnu prisutnost Srila Prabhupade pred nama. Želimo njegovu potpunu Vani-prisutnost. Sva njegova zapisana učenja trebalo bi u potpunosti sabrati i prevesti na mnoge jezike. Ovo je naša ponuda budućim generacijama ljudi ovog planeta - potpuno utočište (ashraya) Srila Prabhupadovih učenja.

Vani-prisutnost

Srila Prabhupadova puna Vani-prisutnost pojavit će se u dvije faze. Prva - i laka faza - je sastaviti i prevesti sva Srila Prabhupadova učenja na sve jezike. Druga - i teža faza - je da stotine milijuna ljudi u potpunosti žive njegova učenja.

Različiti Načini Učenja

  • Do danas, u našem istraživanju, otkrili smo da postoji 60 različitih načina na koje je Srila Prabhupada uputio

bhakte da čitaju njegove knjige.

  • Proučavajući Srila Prabhupadove knjige na ove reazličite načine možemo ih pravilno razumjeti i asimilirati. Slijedeći tematsku metodologiju proučavanja, a zatim ih kompilirajući, može se lako prodrijeti u duboko značenje značenja svake riječi, izraza, koncepta ili osobnosti koje Srila Prabhupada predstavlja. Njegova su učenja bez sumnje naš život i duša, kada ih temeljito proučavamo možemo uočiti i doživjeti Srila Prabhupadovu prisutnost na mnoge duboke načine.

Deset milijuna Acarya

  • Pretpostavimo da sada imate deset tisuća. Proširit ćemo se na sto tisuća. To je potrebno. Zatim sto tisuća do milijuna, pa milijun do deset milijuna. Dakle, neće biti nestašice acharya i ljudi će vrlo lako razumjeti svjesnost Krišne. Pa napravite tu organizaciju. Nemojte se lažno nadimati. Slijedite acharyine upute i pokušajte se učiniti savršenim, zrelim. Tada će biti vrlo lako izboriti se s Mayom. Da. Acharye, oni objavljuju rat Mayinim aktivnostima. – Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, 6 April 1975

Komentar

Ova izjava Srila Prabhupada o viziji govori sama za sebe - savršeni plan za ljude da lako razumiju svjesnost Krišne. Deset milijuna opunomoćenih šikša-učenika Srila Prabhupade ponizno žive upute našeg Osnivača-acarye i uvijek teže ka savršenstvu i zrelosti. Srila Prabhupada jasno kaže "napravite tu organizaciju." Vanipedija s entuzijazmom pomaže u ostvarenju ove vizije.

Nauka o Svjesnosti Krishne

U devetom poglavlju Bhagavad-gite ova znanost o svjesnosti Krišne naziva se kraljem sveg znanja, kraljem svih povjerljivih stvari i vrhovnom znanošću transcendentalne spoznaje. Svjesnost Krishne je transcendentalna znanost koja se može otkriti iskrenom bhakti koji je spreman služiti Bogu. Svjesnost Krišne se ne postiže suhoparnim argumentima ili akademskim kvalifikacijama. Svjesnost Krišne nije vjera, poput hinduističke, kršćanske, budističke ili islamske vjere, već je znanost. Ako netko pažljivo čita knjige Srila Prabhupada, shvatit će najvišu znanost o svjesnosti Krišne i biti više nadahnut širiti istu svim osobama kao svoju stvarnu dobrobit.

Sankirtana pokret gospodina Caitanye

Gospodin Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu je otac i inaugurator pokreta sankirtana. Onoga tko Ga štuje žrtvujući svoj život, novac, inteligenciju i riječi za sankirtana pokret, Gospodin priznaje i obdaruje svojim blagoslovima. Za sve druge može se reći da su budalasti, jer od svih žrtava u koje čovjek može uložiti svoju energiju, žrtva učinjena za sankirtana pokret je najveličanstvenija. Cijeli pokret svjesnosti Krišne temelji se na načelima pokreta sankirtane koji je inaugurirao Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Stoga onaj tko pokušava razumjeti Svevišnju Božansku Osobu kroz medij sankirtana pokreta ima savršeno znanje. On je sumedhas, vrlo inteligentna osoba.

Ponovno Produhovljenje Ljudskog Društva

Ljudsko društvo, u sadašnjem trenutku, nije u tami zaborava. Ostvarilo je brzi napredak u području materijalne udobnosti, obrazovanja i ekonomskog razvoja u cijelom svijetu. No, negdje u društvenom tijelu postoji trzavica, pa stoga postoje velike svađe, čak i oko manje važnih pitanja. Postoji potreba za tragom kako čovječanstvo može postati jedno u miru, prijateljstvu i prosperitetu sa zajedničkim ciljem. Srimad-Bhagavatam ispunjava ovu potrebu, jer je to kulturna prezentacija za ponovnu produhovljenost cijelog ljudskog društva. Masa ljudi, općenito, oruđe je u rukama modernih političara i vođa naroda. Ako dođe do promjene razmišljanja samo vođa, zasigurno će doći do radikalne promjene u svjetskoj atmosferi. Cilj pravog obrazovanja treba biti samoostvarenje, spoznaja duhovnih vrijednosti duše. Svatko bi trebao pomoći da se produhove sve aktivnosti svijeta. Takvim aktivnostima, i izvođač i djelo koje se izvodi postaju produhovljeni i nadilaze gune prirode.

Izjava o misiji Vanipedije

  • Ponuditi Srila Prabhupadinu stalnu, svjetsku platformu za propovijedanje, obrazovanje i obuku ljudi u znanosti svjesnosti Krišne na svim jezicima svijeta.
  • Istražiti, otkriti i sveobuhvatno kompilirati Srila Prabhupadova učenja iz raznih gledišta.
  • Predstaviti Šrila Prabhupadov Vani na lako dostupan i razumljiv način.
  • Ponuditi arhivu sveobuhvatnog tematskog istraživanja kako bi se olakšalo pisanje mnogih tematskih knjiga temeljenih na Šrila Prabhupadovom Vaniju.
  • Ponuditi izvore kurikuluma za razne obrazovne inicijative u Srila Prabhupadovom Vaniju.
  • Usaditi među iskrene sljedbenike Srila Prabhupada nedvosmisleno razumijevanje potrebe da se konzultiraju sa Šrila Prabhupadovim Vanijem za osobno vodstvo i da postanu dovoljno učeni da ga predstavljaju na svim razinama.
  • Privući Srila Prabhupadove sljedbenike iz svih nacija da globalno surađuju s ciljem postizanja svega navedenog

Što Nas Motivira da Izgradimo Vanipediju?

  • Mi prihvaćamo
  • Srila Prabhupada je čisti bhakta, izravno opunomoćen od Gospodina Sri Krishne da uključi živa bića u predano služenje Bogu s ljubavlju. Ovo osnaživanje je dokazano u njegovom neusporedivom izlaganju Apsolutne Istine koja se nalazi unutar njegovih učenja.
  • Nije bilo većeg eksponenta vaišnavske filozofije u moderno doba, niti većeg društvenog kritičara koji objašnjava ovaj suvremeni svijet KAKAV JEST, od Srila Prabhupada.
  • Srila Prabhupadova učenja bit će primarno utočište za njegove milijune sljedbenika za sve buduće generacije.
  • Srila Prabhupada je želio da se njegova učenja obilato šire i pravilno razumiju.
  • Tematski pristup Srila Prabhupadovim učenjima uvelike poboljšava proces razumijevanja istina unutar njih, te da postoji golema vrijednost u istraživanju, otkrivanju i temeljitom sastavljanju njegovih učenja iz svakog kuta gledanja.
  • Tematski pristup Srila Prabhupadovim učenjima uvelike poboljšava proces razumijevanja istina unutar njih, te da postoji golema vrijednost u istraživanju, otkrivanju i temeljitom sastavljanju njegovih učenja iz svakog kuta gledanja.
  • U njegovoj fizičkoj odsutnosti, Srila Prabhupada zahtijeva mnogo pomoćnika da mu pomognu u ovoj misiji.

Stoga smo predani stvaranju istinski dinamične platforme za olakšavanje obilne distribucije i pravilnog razumijevanja savršenog znanja i spoznaja koje se nalaze unutar učenja Srila Prabhupade, tako da se s ove platforme može s radošću djelovati. Tako je jednostavno. Jedina stvar koja nas dijeli od završetka Vanipedije je vrijeme i mnogi sveti sati vaniseve koje tek trebaju ponuditi bhakte koji se posvete ovoj viziji.

Puno vam zahvaljujem, svima vama, što cijenite moju skromnu službu koju pokušavam izvršiti kao dužnost koju mi ​​je naredio moj Guru Maharaja. Tražim od svih svojih učenika da surađuju i siguran sam da će naša misija napredovati bez ikakve sumnje. – Srila Prabhupada Letter to Tamala Krishna das (GBC) - 14 August, 1971

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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