That is the duty of every Temple | Sannyasa Initiation Lecture

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video: If you use the tongue for material taste | Sri Shukadeva Das

Prabhupada, Calcutta, January 26, 1973: […] Just like in our temples, everywhere, we are daily feeding so many daridras (poor people). So many. In Los Angeles, in New York, and Mayapur also, daily we are feeding five hundred to one thousand people. They are daridras. So that is the duty of every temple.

There we’re feeding not only Hindus and, only, but Muslims also. Anyone. Anyone come here and take prasadam. And the whole village is so satisfied with these activities. Temple means there must be sufficient foodstuff. Anyone who comes for foodstuff, he should be given. So by worshiping Krishna, these things automatically done. There is no need of extra endeavor.

Paratma-nistha. This is called paratma-nistha. Etam sa asthaya paratma-nistha. Not only now. From time immemorial, all the temples in India, they have got sufficient foodstuff. Even at Natha-dvara, if you pay them only one anna or four annas, they’ll give you so much nice prasadam. The two annas, four annas, the priestly order, they take. Otherwise, prasada is distributed.

So by worshiping Krishna… Krishna is not hungry. He’s fully satisfied. He doesn’t require to eat. Temple worship means to distribute the prasadam to the poor. That is temple worship. Temple worship does not mean that you, you bring some rice from the neighborers and cook it and eat yourself and sit, sleep down, nice. No. Temple worship means you must distribute prasadam… You should… To the poor. Everyone is poor. Not that the rich man is not poor.

Actually I have seen one rich man, he was coming for asking some prasadam. In my, before when I taking, when I was grhastha, I was going in so many temples, asking for some prasadam. That’s a long history. So there is no question of, if one is financially poor, he should come to the temple. Everyone should come to the temple and ask for prasada. That is required.

So paratma-nistham. The sannyasi should worship the Deity in the temple and feed the poor. Poor does not mean that one who has no legs, no ears, or no… Poor… Everyone who is spiritually poor, he should be given prasadam. Full Lecture