Sastra Dana?

Wat is dat zult u zich misschien afvragen. Letterlijk betekent het: de Geschriften – aan een ander-schenken. Het is volgens de traditie een van de beste cadeau’s die je kunt weggeven; transcendentale kennis in de vorm van een boek. Vroeger gebeurde dit vooral door getrainde boekverspreiders (predikers), maar tegenwoordig staat dit open voor iedereen en zijn de mensen steeds inventiever in het bedenken van methoden om te kunnen meedoen in de boekverspreiding van Srila Prabhupada’s boeken. Het is de bedoeling dat uiteindelijk iedereen een kans krijgt om in aanraking te komen met de prachtige spirituele kennis zoals die door Srila Prabhupada is doorgegeven.

Hoe worden de boeken verspreid?

Door de boeken in speciale displays te leggen die op strategische (goed verzorgde) plekken worden geplaatst, alwaar mensen er een kunnen meenemen of lezen. Goede plekken zijn bijvoorbeeld: bibliotheken, scholen, hotels, ziekenhuizen, wachtkamers van dokters en tandartsen. Sastra Dana kan ook worden gedaan door boekjes te verspreiden onder bekenden, familieleden, en collega’s.

In praise of Sastra Dana

The following is a quote by His Holiness Kadamba Kanana Swami:

This program of Sastra Dana, to place scriptures in different public libraries and so on, is a very nice program. Many people, in this way, get the opportunity to read Srila Prabhupada’s books, the whole library gets purified, and it is a very powerful way of getting Krishna consciousness into the world…

Srila Prabhupada, of course, had a library party. At that time the library party used to visit the different libraries in different countries, very systematically, trying to get the libraries to purchase Srila Prabhupada’s books. Of course in the more wealthy countries and in the bigger libraries that was possible. But there are many, many smaller libraries that don’t have the budget for purchasing the books. So over the years the program of Sastra Dana was developed, a program where devotees are sponsoring the books and then the books are offered as a gift to the libraries. Then, generally, libraries are very happy to receive them and then, as I said before, people can get a lot of benefit.

Because whoever reads Srila Prabhupada’s books, his life is permanently changed. Just by touching the pages of Srila Prabhupada’s books one’s spiritual life has begun. In this way the potency of Srila Prabhupada’s books is so extraordinary. Srila Prabhupada pointed out that these books are the principle means for changing the entire world and therefore any program that relates to the distribution of Srila Prabhupada’s books, as this Sastra Dana does, is very important! So everyone should help. Partake either by going to the libraries or by financially supporting the program.

Greetings from the Sastra Dana team!

This is a blog describing the adventures of devotees at Radhadesh (ISKCON Belgium) in their efforts to distribute the books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. We have just started the blog, so keep tuned for the next entries!