By Radha Jivan Das
An initiated devotee of ISKCON, who wishes to remain anonymous, approached his Guru Maharaj, His Holiness Devamrita Swami, that he wished to donate 1 million dollars to some project in ISKCON. Devamrita Swami immediately motivated his disciple to donate this money to the TOVP project, which is at the present the most important project of ISKCON, building the headquarters that Srila Prabhupada had been wanting for so long.
When asked, Maharaj explained that he has many projects where he requires money, and he could have directed his disciple to donate in those places. But he considers the Mayapur Chandrodaya Mandir to be of first priority, and therefore he encouraged his disciple towards the TOVP.
Devamrita Maharaj’s act of allegiance to Srila Prabhupada’s Mayapur project is an inspiration to all the leaders and devotees of ISKCON, and if everyone gives priority to this project as he has shown, then the temple can be built without any difficulty, and offered to Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
I thank Maharaj and his disciples, who have so kindly considered this very large donation for the TOVP. Hare Krsna.
Radha Jivan Das
Campaign Director TOVP
This glorious. We pray the many others will follow this example. Contributing for this project is the supreme way to protect one’s wealth.
The materialistic way of pious activities like charity is recommended in the smrti-sastras as quoted by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. Money given in charity to a suitable person is guaranteed bank balance in the next life. Such charity is recommended to be given to a brahmana. If the money is given in charity to a non-brahmana (without brahminical qualification) the money is returned in the next life in the same proportion. If it is given in charity to a half-educated brahmana, even then the money is returned double. If the money is given in charity to a learned and fully qualified brahmana, the money is returned a hundred and a thousand times, and if the money is given to a veda-paraga (one who has factually realized the path of the Vedas), it is returned by unlimited multiplication. The ultimate end of Vedic knowledge is realization of the Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna, as stated in the Bhagavad-gita (vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]). There is a guarantee of money’s being returned if given in charity, regardless of the proportion.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 2.3.17