Jagabandhu das: “O Lord! This material body is a lump of ignorance, and the senses are a network of paths leading to death. Somehow or other, we have fallen into the ocean of material sense enjoyment, and of all the senses the tongue is most voracious and uncontrollable. It is very difficult to control the tongue in this world, but You, Dear Krishna, are very kind to us. You have sent us this nice prasada to help us conquer the tongue; therefore, let us honor this prasada with complete joy and Glorify Your Lordships Sri Sri Radha and Krishna and, in Love, call for the Help of Lord Chaitanya and Prabhu Nityananda.” (Prasada-sevaya —Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur)

In the late 90s, in Gainesville and Alachua, Florida—my wife and I did a food relief program which we called Prasada-Seva Inc. We translated this essential idea of Mercy into English as “the Service of Unconditional Kindness.” This notion was the basis and heart of our meager attempt to unconditionally extend Relief to others on behalf of Sri Guru and Gauranga Mahaprabhu.

This experience in combination with our previous food relief efforts on the streets of downtown Oakland caused us to have many profound thoughts about the nature of prasada. Our eventual conclusion became that the primary ingredient in true prasada is Highest Love. Which is why Srila Prabhupada taught us to pray with namo maha vadanyaya krishna-prema pradaya te when offering foodstuffs for the real satisfaction of Sri Guru and Gauranga. Which brings up another important consideration about how a bhakta’s life must be one of self-sacrificing/self-control dedicated only the that single-pointed existence of service to Guru, God and all others. In such a state of consciousness, the pettily misperceived priority of satisfying one’s own senses becomes conspicuous by it’s absence. The body then becomes merely an organic machine with which to perform Service. Not dissimilar to how an automobile is driven with detachment by an autonomous operator, so also may a soul forget the illusory idea of mundane sense satisfaction through positive service attachment to Sri Guru and Gauranga and the complete absorption of distributing Their Mercy (prasada) to all others.

The distribution of such Mercy (prasada) into the suffering world doesn’t even require foodstuffs to retain It’s Divine flow of influence upon the consciousness of others. Each and every word which emanates from the Holy Mouth of Sri Guru is resplendent with Mercy and might therefore be considered of utmost spiritual nutritional value in satisfying the real hunger which eats away at the heart of all suffering jivas. The essential ingredient of prasada is Love with which it has hopefully been cooked along with the Loving Appeal (Heartfelt Prayer) with which it is offered to Divinity in Loving Sacrifice. Such Loving Sacrifice also doesn’t require a formal altar to be consummated with Blessings from Above. As is the case in all transactions of Heart and Substance.

I can remember reading long ago in Srila Prabhupada’s Supremely Gorgeous commentary on Sri Chaitanya-caritamrta how he considered three ways in which one might offer foodstuffs to become transformed into prasada. The third method was to simply chant Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur’s famous prayer while offering.

Srila Prabhupada emphasized many times in many places how the devotion was the key in ingredient in preparing or offering foodstuffs for hopeful Divine Sanctification. God does not require fine foodstuffs offered without devotion under the pretense of Divine supplication when in reality the “supplicant” primarily seeks their own satisfaction under the guise of religiosity. Without Love, mantras alone cannot sanctify foodstuffs.

Because he himself was the personification of Love Itself, many times Srila Prabhupada would unceremoniously affectionately distribute slices of an orange that only moments before had been considered bhoga. Nonetheless, the heartfelt transaction of Mercy prasada) took place between Vaishnava and jivas with the primary component being affectionate exchange.

This brings up another important point. That for those souls who are truly awakened with real Krishna Consciousness and who have therefore completely sacrificed their false egotistical sense of “self” for an existence of sincerely inspired Divine Dedication: there is no question of bhoga (mundane sense enjoyment). Rather, their perception is that everything is manifest by the Mercy (prasada) of the Divine Will which surrounds and suffuses the atmosphere of any such true servants of Sri Guru, Gauranga and all suffering jivas.

Sometimes it’s not well-known that in Srila Saraswati Thakur’s conception of seva proper the nomenclature “das” is more appropriately translated as “slave.” Because of the level of completely selfless dedication which was required by the aspirant dedicant, he was accused of impugning the dignity of humanity by trying to re-introduce “slavery” into India. He responded by clarifying that this conception of highest self-sacrificing dedication actually represents the true dignity of humanity.

From the perspective of such genuine self-less dedication with loving devotion as the primary essential component throughout all aspects of one’s entire existence, one might well ponder that “all you need is Love” is the paramount consideration of anyone’s humble appeal to transform mundane elements into hopeful carriers of the consciousness of Divine Mercy. As a medium for the exchange of Affection. For the real spiritual benefit of you, me and all others. Without condition or pretense.

“It is called prasada-seva, not ‘prasada-enjoyment.’ Seva means giving service.” Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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