A Saragrahi is a person who seeks the essence of things.  In the Vedas, it is said that the swan can extract the milk from a mixture of milk and water. The swan is therefore symbolic of the discrimination required to perceive, and accept the essential spiritual truth regardless of the form in which it is presented, which is the principle of “Desa-kala-patra”.  “According to Time, Atmosphere, &the Performer”; also known as the principle of “time, place, and circumstances”.

Current and future Modern Technology, and the Internet, will facilitate the preaching of Srila Prabhupada’ s Krishna-consciousness movement, and its dissemination all over the planet Earth.

  Srila Prabhupada did say,

“Tax your brain and develop different ways of spreading Krishna consciousness.”

In this regard, “different ways” are unlimited.  Because Krishna is unlimited. 

Therefore, the principle of “Desa Kala Patra” is essential to the intent and purpose for the renewal of Saragrahi.org.

“Desa”, means situation.

“Kala”, means time.

“Patra”, means the subject/circumstance. 

Hence, “time-place-and-circumstance”, is very inherent to preaching Krishna-consciousness.  Srila Prabhupada made many references to this principle, and it’s importance in preaching; many of these you will find in Featured Presentation 1, A Treatise “Moving Forward”, Section 4, Segments 61-65 on this website.

We have to adept, according to time, according to place, and circumstance.  But we must keep our principles as it is, while making arrangement according to the circumstances.

Let us see what Srila Prabhupada wrote or spoke in regards to this principle.

In “Eight Prayers in Separation from My Spiritual Master by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada December 1958”, Seventh Octet Distributing the Pure Devotional Process; Srila Prabhupada, wrote about his Spiritual Master:

“Lord Gauranga used many tricks just to engage the conditioned souls in devotional service, and you have also understood how to use all those tricks perfectly well.

You understood time, place, and circumstance, and utilized everything as a strategy for preaching.  Although observing your activities with their very eyes.  those who are blind like owls and other creatures of the night could not see your true purpose.”

Srimad-bhagavatam 1.5.16 Purport:

“The expert devotees also can discover novel ways and means to convert the non-devotees in terms of particular “time and circumstance“.

“Devotional service is ‘dynamic activity’, and the expert devotees can find out competent means to inject it into the dull brains of the materialistic population.  Such transcendental activities of the devotees, for the service of the Lord can bring a new order of life to the foolish society of materialistic men. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His subsequent followers exhibited ‘expert dexterity’, in this connection.  By following the same method, one can bring the materialistic men of this age of quarrel into order for peaceful life and transcendental realization.”

Such discrimination is an essential condition, that is absolutely necessary, and indispensable requirement of progressive spiritual life; so much so, that a saint of the highest spiritual attainment, is honored in India as a paramahamsa, which means, “supreme swan”. 

This site is devoted to the encouragement of the Saragrahi mentality; primarily in relation to the philosophy, theology, and sadhana of Gaudiya Vaishnavism as presented by the acharyas Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, Srila Jiva Goswami, Srila Krishna-dasa Kaviraja, Srila Vrindavana Dasa Thakur, and the Six Goswamis of Vrindavana.

However, we also recognize that spiritual wisdom and truth, are also to be found in non-Vedic sources of knowledge, such as the Jewish, Christian, Islamic traditions; and in addition, the Western philosophical tradition, and modern psychology, among others.  Integration of ideas from such sources, with the Vedic knowledge, and the teachings of the acharyas, are of great benefit to devotees living in modern society, particularly in the preaching field, and such diversity, will frequently be incorporated into these pages.

We hope to stimulate, and help develop our readers’ capacity for critical thinking, about “Spiritual Truth”; recognizing that such thinking, is the means to attain a deep understanding of the essence of the teachings of shastra, sadhu, and guru.

This Website is intended to Facilitate:

• Sadhana-bhakti— the beginning phase of devotional service, consisting of regulated practice, by following the rules and regulations of devotional service, to develop natural love for Krishna.
• The Kanistha-adhikari—a neophyte devotee in the lowest stage of Vaisnava life.
• The Madhyama-adhikari—devotee who worships the Lord with firm faith, makes friends with His devotees, preaches to the innocent, and avoids atheists; also known as a Madhyama-bhagavata.