oldchakra.com

What do We Offer Sri Guru? Bhoga or Prasada?
by Romapada Dasa

Dear Devotees,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to the Gaura Bhakta Vrndas.

I wondered if the readers of Chakra could show some compassion by answering a question that has been dogging me for some time:

Whilst offering bhoga to Srila Prabhupada on the altar, we do not put tulasi leaves on his plate. Such bhoga has not been offered to Krishna, and is directly offered to Srila Prabhupada. The two questions that arise are:

1. Whilst offering the bhoga to Srila Prabhupada, are we requesting Prabhupada to offer it to Krishna, before honouring it? If so, why don't we put tulasi leaves on the plate to facilitate Srila Prabhupada to make the offering to Krishna? If Srila Prabhupada were present in his vapu-vigraha, would we not offer tulasi leaves to him so he could make the offering to Krishna? If we do not put tulasi leaves how would Srila Prabhupada offer the bhoga?

2. However, if our mood is that the bhoga is directly offered to Srila Prabhupada, then the question that arises is: what is fit for Sri Guru— bhoga or prasada? If Srila Prabhupada were present in his vapu-vigraha, would we ask him to honour bhoga or prasada?

I hope the devotees do not feel offended by these questions, but I have had this doubt for a long time, and it has never been satisfactorily resolved.

Your servant,
Romapada Dasa
Bhaktivedanta Manor London

© CHAKRA 15 February 2002