Los Angeles SD Newsletter VOL. 3, ISSUE 12
VANCA KALPA…
WE ARE RECOGNIZING THE MISSION
By Nitika Thapar
Our regular Sastra Dana program last week was a simple gathering of congregation members for an evening of bhajans at 3rd street Promenade. Since Friday the 1st was Nirjala Ekadasi, it was appropriate that we all remember the Lord by chanting His glories inviting everyone to enjoy the bliss too. As most of you are aware, Sastra Dana is trying its best to distribute Srila Prabhupada's books. With your generous support, in terms of time and money, we are able to pursue this mission in a steady manner. What is Sastra? Why is its propagation so important? These questions are intimately related to an even bigger question; namely—What is the goal of human life? If one is conversant with terms such as self-realization, divinity and devotional service, one can very well respond to that query. The human life is meant for consciously gravitating our thoughts toward a higher cause and establishing a link between our actual self and the Supersoul, also known in simple language as God. But how can one realize God in this multifarious world where different avenues are open for us to traverse? These paths encompass the processes of fruitive work, philosophical speculation and meditation. Can we then adopt any one of these ideologies and be convinced that we can realize God with 100% guarantee? Unfortunately the answer to this is no.
The vital issue to understand clearly is that it is not enough to simply realize what God is but rather, learn to love Him unconditionally. And this can only be possible through devotional service alone. So, can devotional service be then learnt like any other mundane profession? No! Devotional service can only be gleaned from pure devotees who have mercifully bestowed the wonderful scriptures upon us which describe the ultimate divine message. This is where the whole concept of Sastra or scriptures comes in. As Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur wrote in December 1931 in the Harmonist magazine: "What are the scriptures? They are nothing but the record by the pure devotees of the divine message appearing on the lips of the pure devotees. The message conveyed by the devotees is the same in all ages. The words of the devotees are ever identical with the scripture. All languages simultaneously express and hide the absolute. The mundane face of all languages hides the truth. The transcendental face of all sound expresses nothing but the absolute. The pure devotee is the speaker of the transcendental language. The transcendental sound makes His appearance on the lips of His pure devotee. This is the direct, unambiguous appearance of the divinity."
The pure devotee is fully empowered by the Lord to spread His glories in any way which is most suitable for a particular age. In this age of formal literacy where some people are in a mood to gain insights into deeper aspects of life, it is very appropriate to supply them the true knowledge. However, true knowledge is only realized by pure devotees, hence the need to separate the weeds of fraudulent, speculative literature from the vines of absolute fact become urgently akin. For this very reason, we are making all efforts to dissipate the writings of a pure devotee A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada—to all the people. The Sastra Dana program recognizes this mission thoroughly and is organized to encourage the people to do the same. The success of any organization, of course, does not rely on a single person but the collective contribution of many. With the understanding of you marvelous souls, we are enthusiastic to take this to greater heights and perform devotional service through this medium. We again thank you for all your help and pray that you continue to aid us any capacity possible.
HARIBOL!
