The End of Poverty
a talk by His Grace Vijay das

Submitted by Candrasekhar Acarya (das) BCS
Posted December 5, 2002

In a purport in the Srimad Bhagavatam, Srila Prabhupada says that people in this world are very poverty stricken because of a lack of Krsna Consciousness. The mission of this Krsna Consciousness movement is to end this poverty that is now so rampant in society by giving people Krsna Consciousness. In this purport Srila Prabhupada says that there are three treasures that can dispel this poverty, namely knowledge of Krsna, service to Krsna, and love of Krsna. Someone who has these things is considered to be very wealthy.

For example, when Srila Prabhupada was in India before he came to the West, he was distributing his Back to Godhead magazines, and he suddenly collapsed due to heat stroke in the 130-degree temperature. He just lay there on the ground without any help. Then someone who knew who he was happened to pass by, picked him up, and took care of him.

One may say that at that time, Srila Prabhupada was poverty-stricken. Indeed, he had only two dhotis and no money, and he was struggling. But actually, because he was so Krsna Conscious, he was the wealthiest person on the planet. Materially, he practically had nothing, but because he was so Krsna conscious, because he was so fixed on the order of his spiritual master and on pleasing Krsna, he was very, very wealthy. Similarly, the more we take to Krsna Consciousness, the more we become wealthy. During this marathon we want people to receive this great wealth of Krsna-conscious knowledge.

Srila Prabhupada said that the way to become empowered to spread Krsna Consciousness is that we ourselves have to be very strict devotees in terms of following the four regulative principles, chanting sixteen rounds, and studying his books attentively. In fact, many times Srila Prabhupada chastised his disciples because they were distributing his books but were not reading them. It is very important that we read scrutinizingly, very carefully, with a desire to become purified and to understand Krsna. If we take this very seriously, we will become Krsna Conscious.

Then, when we approach people, they'll see, "There's something here. There's something here with this person. And he is giving me something that might also help me become like him." Even though we're in the marathon we should find some time to read Srila Prabhupada's books. This will give us strength and purity.

The goal of the Prabhupada Marathon is to put extra effort into giving Krsna to others, to increase our desire to introduce Lord Caitanya to the conditioned souls who are burning in the fire of material desire. These teachings of Lord Caitanya are the soothing rays of the benediction moon that will relieve them of this fire of material existence.

A devotee feels happiness and unhappiness at the same time. He's happy because he's engaged in Krsna's service; he's unhappy because people are suffering due to forgetfulness of Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

— to be continued

© dipika.org December 5, 2002

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