Srila Prabhupada's vision of prasadam distribution

Satsvarupa dasa Goswami: He liked to give prasadam from his hand and everyone liked to receive it. It was not just food, but the blessings of bhakti, the essence of devotional service. Srila Prabhupada gave out prasadam happily, calmly, and without discrimination. When he gave to children, they liked the sweet taste of it, in the form of a cookie or sweetmeat, yet also they liked it as a special treat from Prabhupada, who sat on the vyasasana leaning forward to them. Women liked it because they got a rare chance to come forward and extend their hands before Prabhupada. They felt satisfied and chaste. And stalwart men came forward like expectant children, sometimes pushing one another just to get the mercy from Prabhupada. To Prabhupada it was serious and important, and he would personally supervise to make sure that a big plate was always ready for him to distribute. He wrote in Srimad-Bhagavatam, "No Vedic sacrifice is complete without distribution of prasadam." Although now prasadam distribution in the Krishna consciousness movement is done on a huge scale, as Prabhupada desired, it all started from his own hand, as he gave it out one-to-one. "Come," he would say, "take prasada." The fortunate receiver would extend his arm, right hand, palm up, and Prabhupada touched him or her with a small amount of foodstuffs. It fully satisfied the mind, body, and soul. With his deft hands and shapely fingers selecting pieces from the plate, he gave it out. He knew that the urchins in Bombay and Bhubaneswar were coming mainly because their bellies were hungry, and he also arranged to give out thousands of full plates of kitchri in Mayapur. In the U.S.A. he introduced delicious vegetarian "love feasts," teaching Westerners the art of cooking and eating. So all prasadam distribution goes back to the simple act initiated by Prabhupada his offering his remnants. No guest could leave his room without it, even a hostile onlooker. "Come, please take."