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Bhakti Yoga-Devotional Service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna

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Gopis performing Devotional Service to the Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krishna

The "Fifty Percent" Puzzle

The “Fifty Percent” Puzzle

by Rohininandana Dasa

While reading Srila Prabhupada’s books, I’ve often puzzled over passages like this: “Charity is meant for the householders. The householders should earn a livelihood by an honorable means and spend fifty percent of their income to propagate Krishna consciousness all over the world” (Bhagavad-gita 16.3).

When I lived in the temple, I would repeat the phrase “fifty percent of your earnings” rather thoughtlessly. Now that I live outside and have in some ways come out of my ivory tower, I’m a bit more thoughful.

For most people giving fifty percent of their grossincome seems too difficult. So I’ve been trying to understand what “fifty percent of one’s income” actually means.

Let’s look at a modest British income of $20,000. After taxes you’re left with $16,200. Then comes the mortgage or rent, and you’re down to $9,000. Fifty percent is already gone. Chalk off another $700 for travel and $1200 for telephone, electricity, and other services. Then maybe $5,000 for food, clothes, repairs and renewals, family recreation, and other expenses. You’ve only got $2,100 left

In speaking about “fifty percent,” Srila Prabhupada cites the example set by Srila Rupa Gosvami when he retired from household life. Srila Rupa Gosvami allocated half of his accumulated funds for Lord Krishna’s direct service, a quarter for his family members, and the rest for personal expenses and emergencies. Note that these were accumulated funds

In commenting on the Gita (9.27),Srila Prabhupada mentions “surplus money accumulated.” And in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.17.42) he further explains, “One’s accumulated wealth may be divided into three parts for distribution, namely fifty percent for the service of the Lord, twenty-five percent for the family members, and twenty-five percent for personal necessities. Spending fifty percent for the service of the Lord or for propagation of spiritual knowledge in society by way of the sankirtana-yajna is the maximum display of human mercy. … When everyone is taught to sacrifice fifty percent of his accumulated gold for the Lord’s service, certainly austerity, cleanliness, and mercy automatically ensue.”

It’s pretty clear, then, that “fifty percent of one’s accumulated wealth” refers to one’s wealth after essentialexpenses. When Rupa Gosvami made his contributions, he didn’t include the expenses he had before he took sannyasa.

When a devotee I know heard this explanation, he suddenly felt that a cloud of confusion, guilt, and apprehension had been lifted. He now felt that it was possible to dedicate fifty percent of his income for Lord Krishna’s direct service. Instead of feeling bad about himself and struggling with thoughts like, “If I can’t possibly come up to the mark, why bother at all?” he felt encouraged. In fact, he began to look for ways to cut his expenses to have more for Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada didn’t pressure people into giving their hard-earned money. By his pure teaching, people understood what is what and naturally surrendered not only their money but their lives as well.

If anyone has further thoughts on this matter, I’d like to hear them. Please write to me c/o BTG in San Diego/



--
Yours
Dinesh

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Fwd: BG



Krishna : Those who have excessive attachment or aversion cannot become a devotee. 


Arjuna: How does anyone ever become a devotee. It seems to be impossible to become a devotee. 



Krishna: Those who are pious in the previous and in this life, by the mercy of pure devotees attain devotion to Me. The pure devotees wander all over the earth to give mercy to the fallen conditioned souls.


- HH.Purnachandra Goswami BG audio rendition chapter 7


--
Yours
Dinesh

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Krishna Prasadam

Yours
Dinesh
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Submission by the wife is a psychological tactic for a peaceful and strong marriage.

TEXAS FAITH 127: In faith and gender politics, what does submission mean - as in, submissive spouse? 
In order to have a stable culture stable family life is necessary. If there is irreligion in the form of divorce it breeds lack of faith and stability in the children along other degrading qualities. Submission by the wife is a psychological tactic for a peaceful and strong marriage. Men in general like to feel that they are in charge. If a woman can give him that illusion, that he is the leader, the relationship can be more strongly supported from the danger of break up. In a traditional Vedic marriage the wife is the queen at home and the husband in the king in public. Because of this ancient social science there is hardly any divorce in India and outside of the modernized urban areas it is practically non existent.
Ultimately one is to become submissive to God. The material world is a place where souls go who have ego problems. Those of us in the material world have a tendency to lord it over others. Because a good and peaceful family life is conducive towards dharma and spiritual life, a spiritual aspirant will try to cooperate with their spouse towards that goal. The idea is that pleasure and happiness comes by serving the whole just as watering the root of the tree supplies water to its leaves. Similarly a spiritual relationship is free from mentality of getting something out of another but rather to work together to serve the whole. When a couple truly serves the root with love, they, the leaves, become nourished and satisfied. -Nityananda Chandra Das

Yours
Dinesh

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Embrace the change - Coz Change is eternal here!!!

Embrace the change - Coz Change is eternal here!!!
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