50. The Māyāpur Community

50. The Māyāpur Community:

Who should live in Māyāpur? “If your heart is set on crossing over the ocean of repeated birth and death, enjoying the sweet nectar of hari-nāma, and hankering to play in the ocean of Kṛṣṇa-prema, then please reside in Māyāpur City.” (Navadvipa Sataka)

“Śrīla Prabhupāda envisioned Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur as an integrated community of diverse people; all contributing to produce an exemplary social and economic atmosphere with Kṛṣṇa in the center. Such a city must be self-sufficient, or as Śrīla Prabhupāda put it, ‘The idea is we must have the necessities of our life as far as possible independently.’” (Mayapur Journal)

“Regarding our proposal for West Bengal, people may come and join us without any distinction of caste and creed. The occupation will be according to one’s capacity. They will be employed in cottage industry, backed by spiritual advancement of life to understand the mission of human life, their relationship with God and how to act accordingly.

“The idea is that we are prepared to give all facility for maintenance of the body without sinful activities like illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. Everyone should live peacefully in healthy condition of life with the purpose of advancing in spiritual consciousness. In this concept we can accept anyone from any part of the world, what to speak of West Bengal, and give them shelter, food, occupation, and enlightenment.” (SPL 76/28/9)

“Our Māyāpur math is for you foreigners to give you facility for offering respects to Lord Caitanya.” (Srila Prabhupada Letters 72/4/7)

Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted a self-sufficient spiritual community complete with schools and food production. “I want that Māyāpur to be self-sufficient by having its own production of grains, vegetables, fruits, and milk products. Our men must learn these 4 things: doll making (diorama), mṛdaṅga making, karatāla making, and if possible making sarīs.

“We should have a varnāśrama college to teach international students from all over the world to learn to be educated as brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras.” (Srila Prabhupada Letters 73/5/9)