Donor

Expressions researched:
"donor" |"donors"

SB Canto 1

SB 1.12.20, Translation:

This child will be a munificent donor of charity and protector of the surrendered, like the famous King Śibi of the Uśīnara country. And he will expand the name and fame of his family like Bharata, the son of Mahārāja Duṣyanta.

SB 1.12.20, Purport:

Mahārāja Śibi was so charitably disposed that he wanted to give over his acquired position in the heavenly kingdom to Yayāti, but he did not accept it. Yayāti went to the heavenly planet along with great ṛṣis like Aṣṭaka and others. On inquiry from the ṛṣis, Yayāti gave an account of Śibi's pious acts when all of them were on the path to heaven. He has become a member of the assembly of Yamarāja, who has become his worshipful deity. As confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, the worshiper of the demigods goes to the planets of the demigods (yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25)); so Mahārāja Śibi has become an associate of the great Vaiṣṇava authority Yamarāja on that particular planet. While he was on the earth he became very famous as a protector of surrendered souls and a donor of charities. The King of heaven once took the shape of a pigeon-hunter bird (eagle), and Agni, the fire-god, took the shape of a pigeon. The pigeon, while being chased by the eagle, took shelter on the lap of Mahārāja Śibi, and the hunter eagle wanted the pigeon back from the King. The King wanted to give it some other meat to eat and requested the bird not to kill the pigeon. The hunter bird refused to accept the King's offer, but it was settled later on that the eagle would accept flesh from the body of the King of the pigeon's equivalent weight. The King began to cut flesh from his body to weigh in the balance equivalent to the weight of the pigeon, but the mystic pigeon always remained heavier. The King then put himself on the balance to equate with the pigeon, and the demigods were pleased with him.

SB Canto 2

SB 2.2.5, Purport:

The renounced order of life is never meant for begging or living at the cost of others as a parasite. According to the dictionary, a parasite is a sycophant who lives at the cost of society without making any contribution to that society. The renounced order is meant for contributing something substantial to society and not depending on the earnings of the householders. On the contrary, acceptance of alms from the householders by the bona fide mendicant is an opportunity afforded by the saint for the tangible benefit of the donor. In the sanātana-dharma institution, alms-giving to the mendicant is part of a householder's duty, and it is advised in the scriptures that the householders should treat the mendicants as their family children and should provide them with food, clothing, etc., without being asked.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 2.82, Translation:

No one, not even Lord Brahmā, can ascertain or even taste a drop of this confidential ocean of ecstasy, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, out of His causeless mercy, has distributed this love of Godhead all over the world. Thus there cannot be any incarnation more munificent than Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. There is no greater donor. Who can describe His transcendental qualities?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: So it will be nice. That was started by my Guru Mahārāja. We have to take.

Gargamuni: Yes. Because after he goes there's nothing.

Prabhupāda: Tīrtha Mahārāja was planning to exchange that property with a Calcutta Muhammadan, that he would give him that property, and this Muhammadan would give him this property, his property. I checked it. I approached the donor, the Bali-hatti(?) zamindar, that "You donated this temple and it is going to be in the hands of Muhammadan. Do you like it?" So he said, "No, I don't like it." I said, "Make it inquiry." He inquired, and he immediately wrote Tīrtha Mahārāja that "You are contemplating. This we do not approve. We are the donor." So Tīrtha Mahārāja replied him that "It is no more in the hands of the donor. I am the trustee. Whatever I like, I can do."

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: The temple is nice, and let us renovate it and establish our center, and gradually, if Americans preach there, the Muhammadans will come. If Hindu preach, they'll take otherwise. But when they see the Americans have come, they'll take it little seriously. And now we have got philosophy. At least the educated class will understand. You take that, and it will be a great triumph. My Guru Mahārāja will be pleased. He established that temple, and Tīrtha Mahārāja was selling it. But he has no power to go there. He was exchanging. I told you that that I went to the donor and asked him that "Your temple is being exchanged with a Muhammadan." So they took it seriously, and they stopped it. This temple was donated by one big zamindar. They live in Sababazar.(?) They have got enough property in Dacca, big zamindar, Balihet. How he dared to exchange the temple established by Guru Mahārāja for a house in Calcutta? Just what kind of person he was, just imagine.

Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Do this seriously.

Jayapatākā: Because the secretary and the president of Gauḍīya Maṭha, Dacca, are coming June 4th to Calcutta, so it's better that I'm here to meet them to make sure that the... Because that's the best place that we've seen in whole Bangladesh. We've been offered places in Comilla, Chittagong, in Barisal. Everywhere we've been offered places, but that seems to be the best place. That's also Bhaktisiddhānta's place.

Prabhupāda: So why don't you see the donor of that place? I gave the address.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: To Prabhaviṣṇu.

Jayapatākā: I don't think he's seen him. Now the main manager has been handed authority. We've seen him. He's also favorable. But the people who are holding the main power, they are also favorable, so they've given us. Good facility for boat program. I went to a village by boat one day, and the villagers, they were very receptive also. They held a whole festival. Everyone, five hundred people, stopped their work, and they all came and chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa, and we cooked a big pot of... Official(?) said, "Everyone has provided ḍāl and rice. We don't eat at home today." And he cooked up khicuḍi and we gave everyone prasāda. And they said, "Please, if you could come every two weeks or every month, we could have a festival."

Prabhupāda: Naturally so much good reception... So organize. These people will not give.

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Members -- Bombay:

Please try to contribute the expenses for one, two, three or more up to 2 x 12 issues in a year. If not at least for one month in a year, you can accept the burden for God's sake and distribute the same with YOUR GOOD NAME PRINTED ON THE ISSUES AS A DONOR. This service of spiritual value with your hard earned money on behalf of Godhead, will be recognized by the Lord and you will be blessed with spiritual enlightenment in your life without fail. Please experience it factually exactly like a man fed in hunger.

1966 Correspondence

Letter to Tirtha Maharaja -- New York 4 February, 1966:

Kindly accept my humble dandabats, I am in due receipt of your kind letter of the 1st instant and I am glad to note that you will get the Exchange sanction on receipt of the letter of the donor. The donor is a big business magnet of India and as required by you I am enclosing here with the letter of Sri Padampat Singhania of the J.K. Organizations, Kamla Tower, Kanpur dated 14th January 1966 which will speak for itself. I think you may also know the gentleman and he is competent to spend any amount for a nice temple of Sri Sri Radha Krishna in New York. The Singhania family is traditionally devotees of Dvarakadhisa and therefore they are the right persons to take up this transcendental service of the Lord. Srila Prabhupada wanted such temples in foreign countries such New York, London, Tokyo, etc and I had personal talks with him when I first met Himat Ultadingi in 1922. Now here is a chance for me to carry put His transcendental Order and because you are Srila Prabhupada's foremost and favorite disciple and actually engaged in His service, I am just seeking your favor and mercy in making this attempt successful. Everything is ready namely the house is ready, the donor is ready and my humble service on the spot is also ready. Now you are to give the finishing touch because you are most affectionate disciple of His Divine Grace. I think Srila Prabhupada wants that in this great attempt by my humble self your valued service may also be dovetailed.

Letter to Tirtha Maharaja -- New York 16 February, 1966:

Kindly accept my humble dandabats at your lotus feet. I hope you have duly received my letter of the 4th instant with enclosure of Sir Padampat Singhania the expected donor of the Temple. Since then I have changed my room (Room No 307) as abovementioned in the same building for better air and light and on the road side of junction of two roads the Columbus Avenue and 72nd St. So please note down my change of room only the building being the same.

Letter to Mangalaniloy Brahmacari -- New York 23 June, 1966:

Now I would request you to see the Finance Minister or the President immediately and get the Exchange sanctioned. There is provision for such exchange sanction but it requires special sanction from the Finance Ministry. So we have to convince only the Finance Minister that for spreading the culture of Bhagavad-gita or the science of Krishna Consciousness this cultural propaganda from India's side has to be done. I have already explained the matter in my application but if yourself or Sripada Madhava Maharaja sees the Finance Minister immediately, I am sure the Exchange will be released. I have already informed you that the donor Sir Padampat Singhania is ready to spend any amount for constructing a nice Indian architectural temple in New York and why not take this opportunity for spreading the mission of Srila Prabhupada. Sripada Madhava Maharaja is known to the President because sometimes before His Holiness saw the President in New Delhi. I requested for this to Sripada Bon Maharaja but he has declined, I requested Sripada Tirtha Maharaja and at first he promised see the President and the Finance Minister but later on he is trying to avoid it. So I have to request Sripada Madhava Maharaja through you for this most important work to see the President and the Finance Minister immediately with reference to my application as it is acknowledged by the Embassy of India in Washington.

Letter to Mangalaniloy Brahmacari -- New York 16 July, 1966:

Regarding the Jhansi incidence referred to by your Guru maharaj I may inform you that the donor of the house did not like to hand over the estate to any individual person. I therefore registered a society (The League of Devotees) and I invited your Guru maharaj to join it as the head man. But he, as he was with the then Kunjada desired to have the property in the joint name of him and Kunjada. So I became silent and I left the whole scheme. Let us now forget all these past incidences and go forward with present responsibility.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Jayapataka -- Tittenhurst 16 October, 1969:

"We have been greatly obliged on receipt of a letter dated August 18, 1969 from Sri Krishna Das of Radha Krishna Temple, Montreal (Canada) offering us a shipment of medical stores and again a letter dated September 1, 1969 from one Administrative Asst. of world Naval Service, Montreal, offering us 20,000 bags of flour for the needy in India. We value such offers as coming at your instance. We contacted W. Bengal Govt. They are not much interested in taking charge and distributing the same. We are, however, consulting other suitable parties who can handle and deal with the matter as per object of the donor. We are personally unfit for such importing and shipping matters, as you may well understand. We shall write to the parties after we get response from a dependable local party here."

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Sumati Morarjee -- Los Angeles 4 March, 1970:

So any one of these patterns may be supplied by you, and I shall be glad if you kindly send me a list of prospective donors of such Deities from Bombay. There are many Vaisnava respectable gentlemen in Bombay, and they can cooperate with my mission.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Bombay 28 October, 1970:

We are making life members here in India and getting good response. The membership plan is as follows:

a) LIFE MEMBER receives all our books thus far published as well as all future publications, as well as a lifetime subscription to BTG. He is also free to visit any of our temples, take prasadam there and stay there if he likes. Price is 1111 rupees (7 1/2 rupees per dollar).

b) DONOR MEMBER receives all our literature thus far published as well as a life-time subscription to BTG. Price is 555 rupees.

c) SUBSCRIPTION MEMBER receives a lifetime subscription to BTG. Price is 222 rupees.

d) COMMON MEMBER receives a one-year subscription to BTG. Price is 33 rupees.

So this same system may be introduced in other parts.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Bombay 13 November, 1970:

I have read over the GBC Memo and you make the following adjustment regarding membership charges. The comparison of India to that of U.S.A. is not the exchange value of rupees and dollars in the bank, but is according to purchasing power or manifest value, so practically one rupee is equal to one dollar by this calculation. Therefore, simply change the sign from Rs. to $$ and set the figure for Life Membership at $1,111, Donor Membership at $555. and Subscriber membership at $222. An Ordinary Member should pay only $5.00, which covers a one year susbscription to our magazine. Another thing is that we welcome life members to participate fully in our Temple programs anywhere they may travel and they may stay in the Temple where they are visiting.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Bombay 27 November, 1970:

I quite approve your proposal that if the money is used for establishing Bombay center, the donors will not be encouraged. In that case you can open an account with the Central Bank of India in the name of ISKCON. The Society is going to be registered here and the arrangement is done. We have already an account here with the Central Bank H.Q. and the number is 3/953. The way we open our account is that we have passed resolution and submitted it to the bank. The enclosed copy can be adjusted by you for Calcutta. Our account here in Bombay is with the Head Office and the Calcutta branch can inquire from them.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 13 March, 1971:

So far as life membership is concerned, what is this time and circumstance of U.S.A.? To become a life member means a person has become sympathetic. They should simply be convinced of the importance of our movement, and that according to your activity. In some newspaper clippings I have read, about our devotees. "These are good men and we want more men like this in our community." That is certainly good impression. They are sympathetic and so for them to become our life member is not difficult. There are four divisions of members; life member, donor member, subscriber member, and common member. So any membership will make the people sympathetic to our movement and it will be a stride toward our progressive march.

Letter to Karandhara -- Bombay 16 March, 1971:

So far as moving the accounting department to N.Y., that is all right, but first of all let the certified accountant there do and then when the GBC sees that he is doing nicely, then you can hand over the account. Yes, you may give the donors an honorable mention page in Bhagavad-gita.

Letter to Bhagavan -- Bombay 29 April, 1971:

Please accept my blessings. Below is the second part of the list of life and donor members from India. The first part was enclosed in my letter to you dated 21st April, 1971. This list may also be distributed to all the centers so that any newsletters may be dispatched.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Brooklyn 28 July, 1971:

So far the chief guest is concerned, I have written Tamala that if Indira Gandhi or some nice donor is not available, then forget this function. I was in Calcutta when there was an attempt to post one literature in which it was falsely declared that Indira Gandhi was to perform the corner stone ceremony, and I objected. Everything should be done very carefully. We are increasing in volume and we have got some prestige. Nothing should be done irresponsibly.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Bombay 22 December, 1971:

Regarding Brahma Kunda, the donor Dinabandhu is going to give it to us in pukkha writing or legal form by the 15th January, and then we can repair that house to our living, making the doors, etc. secure. In the meantime you can use my Radha-Damodara rooms, but make the locks and doors secure.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 20 July, 1973:

Yes, your plan for people paying for a guest room at Vrindaban is very nice. The idea is they pay the price of the room and they may come there for their lifetime duration. This practice is called bhetnama, where a room is reserved for a donor for a lifetime. You will be able to secure much money in that way as many gentlemen will want to come to Vrindaban. So arrange to accommodate them in the new temple. You should also arrange for that in Mayapur building.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Mahamsa -- Bombay 17 August, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated August 2, 1975 and have noted the contents carefully. The photographs show that the Nellore land is very nice and that a nice center can be constructed there. Yes, you did the right thing in getting the Gift Deed registered. I am sending herewith the Power of Attorney in this connection that you have asked for. Gopala Krishna informed me that you plan to build the temple in Nellore with the help of local life members. This is a very good idea. You may construct a library and a meditation hall to please the donors, but as far as possible the library should carry our books and books of other Vaisnava acaryas. The meditation hall you may put pictures of Krishna on all four sides. The construction may start as soon as you have raised enough money to local help. If the climate there is nice, then I may also come there.