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Here is a sample of some sanskrit devanagari text and |
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Key Points for Getting Large Donations
For most orgainizations, the vast majority of contibutions they receive will be small, but the majority of their income will come from a few big donations. That’s why it’s essential to have a clear understanding of how to get those big donations. Grassroots fundraising expert Kim Klein lays out the basic principles of securing major gifts and provides a step-by-step approach to the fine art of asking. She also answers some common questions about the care and feeding of major donors.
What should you do if you go with someone from your board and that
person makes a fool of you and your organization?
This depends on what the board member does to make your organization appear foolish. If it is a matter of the board member talking too much, interrupt from time to time and turn the conversation back to the prospect with a phrase such as, “Yes, that’s a good point, Talking Board Member. What do you think of that, Ms. Bucks?” If the board member gets into an argument with the prospect or swears or gives out information about the organization that is inappropriate, try to change the subject quickly. If all else fails, say to the prospect, “Well, thanks for seeing us. I’ll be back in touch. Let’s go, Foolish Board Member.” Afterwards, get that board member off of the Major Gifts Committee, and apologize to the prospect. Keep in mind that the prospect is rarely as aware of how foolish someone seems as you are.
What if the donor promises a certain amount and then sends less?
Send a gracious note for the amount received and don’t mention that you thought it would be more. Next year you can return for a higher gift.
What about sending a person to solicit a gift who is not a donor to
the organization but is personable and charming?
This is a mistake. The chances of getting a gift are significantly reduced when the person asking has not given. It doesn’t matter whether or not the prospect is told. At some level, the prospect will intuit that he or she is being asked to do something that the solicitor has not done. The gift the solicitor makes does not need to be the same size as the prospect’s, but it must be significant relative to the solicitor’s resources. Sincerity is much more important than charm.
How important is it to name a specific amount?
In a study of New York City panhandlers the panhandlers that asked for a specific amount, or for a specific purpose (“So that I can get on the subway”) were more likely to get something than those who asked for the vague “spare change.” The same is true for larger gifts. “We need some money for our important work and we would like you to help” is too vague. The prospect
doesn’t know how much money is needed, or what an appropriate gift would be. Is $50 too cheap? Is $1,000 ostentatious? Is there a plan for the use of the money? Say something like, “We need $10,000 for our community organizing project, and we hope to raise $5,000 of that in gifts of $50-$500. Can you help?” Or, “We want to raise $15,000 in gifts of $200-$1,000. We have already received $5,000 from ten individuals, and hope that you can give $500.” It is
much more convincing and specific.
What if I can’t answer a question that I am asked?
Whatever you do, don’t make up an answer. Say you don’t know the answer but you can find it out and let him or her know. If you do say you will get an answer to a question for a donor, do so as promptly as possible.
When during a meeting should I ask for the gift?
Toward the end. Use the beginning of your meeting to connect with the donor and to make a “case” for support of your organization. Bring the donor up to date on the organization’s activities, talk in some detail about one or two particularly exciting projects, and give the donor the opportunity to raise any questions or concerns he or she might have. Ideally, all of the donor’s questions or concerns should have been answered before he or she is asked for the gift.
If my organization is in a serious financial crisis, should I tell the
donor that or not?
If donors are going to invest in your organization, they should have the benefit of knowing about your financial health. Don’t dwell on the crisis, but let them know that it exists and provide them with all of the excellent reasons you know that the crisis will pass. Then move on to the positive developments and efforts you are making to ensure the organization’s financial stability.
Should all donors be treated the same?
One thing that fundraisers do wrong is to treat everyone alike by making
assumptions about what people want. And often these assumptions are very wrong. What they need to do is ask each individual what most interests him or her about the organization, and how he or she would like to be treated.Then they need to treat donors differently, based upon what they learn from asking.
When individuals indicate that they are interested in certain aspects of your program, you should be providing them with information about those aspects of your program, not other aspects that don’t interest them. And you should be asking them for support for those aspects of your program.
For instance, experts believe that older people give for different reasons than younger people, and that women give for different reasons than men. As an example of this, if you are an environmental organization talking to a 75-year-old about cleaning up an environmental problem over the next 20 to 30 years, you should not be talking about how this solution is going to impact on his or her future. Instead, you should be talking about how it’s going to impact his or her grandchildren’s future. On the other hand, if you are speaking with someone who is 25 or 30 years old, cleaning up an environmental problem would affect his or her future directly and the wise fudraiser will discuss the issue accordingly.
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For most orgainizations, the vast majority of contibutions they receive will be small, but the majority of their income will come from a few big donations.
Recommended Resources
Grassroots Fundraising has many excellent books about fundraising and publishes The Grassroots Fundraising Journal.
www.grassrootsfundraising.org
The Grantsmanship Centerin Los Angleles is an excellent resource for information and training on Management, Proposal Writing/Grantseeking, Foundation/Corporate Funding, Government Funding, Fundraising, Nonprofit Business Ventures, Internet Issues, Consulting, Nonprofit Law, and International Funding. They offer a free magazine subscription to staff members of nonprofit organizations and you may access articles from recent issues. www.tgci.com
The South Indian Wedding
The South Indian Wedding
Introduction to Hinduism
Hindus believe in the existence of a Supreme Being. This Being is described in the Vedas (scripture) as “unmanifest, unthinkable, and unchanging.” The Supreme Being manifests in this world in different forms and at different times as Rama, Krishna, Vishnu, Shiva, etc. Hindus also believe that the soul is divine and eternal. It is neither created nor destroyed, but is reborn through many lifetimes in this world. When a soul has found release from this cycle of rebirth is it said to have achieved liberation (moksha).
Hindus also accepts all religions as true and valid paths to God. In theBhagavad Gita, Shri Krishna says, “Whenever there is a decline indharma (righteousness) and an increase in adharma (unrighteousness), at that time I manifest Myself.” In this way, all religions are seen as the manifestation of the Divine into this world.
The Hindu Wedding
The traditional Hindu wedding is a deeply meaningful and symbolic combination of rituals and traditions. It is a ceremony that is about 4000 years old. Each phase of the ceremony has a symbolic, philosophical, and spiritual meaning. The ceremony not only to joins the souls of the bride and groom, but also creates a strong tie between two families. The ceremony is traditionally performed in Sanskrit, which is the language of ancient India and Hinduism. Today the ceremony will be performed both in Sanskrit and English. The following sequence of rituals represents the highlights of the ceremony.
The Sanskrit word for marriage is vivaha, which literally means “what supports or carries.” The Vivaha ceremony is therefore a sacred ceremony meant to create a union that supports and carries a man and woman throughout their married life in the pursuit of righteousness (dharma).
Gauri Puja
In a separate location Ganesha puja and Gauri puja are performed in the presence of the bride. This puja is performed to remove obstacles and to bring good fortune to the bride. The bride offers prayers to the goddess Gauri seeking the blessings of prosperity and a long and happy married life. This puja also includes Raksha Bandhanam for the protection of the bride.
Avahanam/Sankalpam
The groom and his family are greeted by the bride’s family and guests. The priest begins the wedding ceremony by invoking the presence of God and the divinities to witness the marriage and bless the occasion.
Ganapati Puja
The wedding ceremony begins with the worship of Lord Ganesha, the remover of all obstacles and the provider of good luck. His presence is invoked to insure the successful completion of the wedding ceremony. Other pujas are also performed to invoke the presence of other forms God to preside over the wedding ceremony.
Punyaha-vachanam and Yagnopavitra Dharanam
Prayers are recited to sanctify the water used during the ceremony. Holy water is sprinkled to purify the location. The groom receives a sacred thread signifying the beginning of family life. (optional)
Raksha Bandhanam
A red thread is tied to the groom’s right wrist to protect him from any evil influences during the ceremony.
Kashi Yatra
For a higher spiritual purpose the groom is given a final opportunity to leave before the bride enters. He is asked if he would like to abandon worldly life and lead the life of an ascetic. The father of the bride requests the groom not to leave, but to stay and marry his daughter.
Vara Puja
The groom is received with respect by the bride’s parents. The parents of the bride may wash the feet of the groom.
Bride Enters
The bride enters the wedding hall while a cloth is held in front of the groom so that he cannot see her. During the bride’s entry auspicious music is played (usually nada-svaram).
Lagnastakam
After the bride enters she sits in the wedding mandapam facing the groom. The bride and groom each place a paste made of cumin seeds and jaggery on each other’s head with their right hands. After some prayers the cloth is removed and the bride and groom see each other for the first-time.
Jaya Mala
The bride and groom exchange garlands indicating their acceptance of each other.
Exchange of Gifts
The bride and groom now exchange gifts. Usually new clothes are offered to both the bride and groom. The bride may leave and get dressed in a new sari at this time while snacks are served to the guests. (optional)
Kanya Danam
Kanya Danam literally means the “giving of the bride”. The parents of the bride place hands of their daughter into the hands of the groom. The bride’s parents ask the groom to except their daughter as his equal partner throughout life.
Vivaha Homam
The great messenger of the gods, Agnidevata (the fire god), is invoked to witness the proceedings. The priest lights a sacred fire in the presence of the bride and groom. Throughout the ceremony, the priest adds ghee, clarified butter, to the fire to keep it burning. Rice and other ingredients are also added to the fire at various times.
Pani Grahanam
The bride and groom hold hands as a symbol of their union.
Granthi Bandhanam
The bride and groom exchange seats so that the bride is now sitting to the left of the groom. One corner of groom’s shawl is tied to the end of the bride’s sari. This signifies the union of two souls.
Aajya Homam
The groom places offerings of ghee into the sacred fire, asking for the protection of the bride.
Ashma Kramana/ Laaja Homam
The bride places her right foot onto a stone and with the assistance of her brothers makes offerings of puffed rice into the sacred fire, asking for the protection of her husband. The stone symbolizes the earth. The act of placing the bride’s foot upon the stone means that she should become strong and fixed like the earth.
Druva and Arundhati Darshana
The bride and groom gaze up at the pole star (Druvaloka) and meditate on stability in the marriage union. Each night as the stars rotate in the sky, the pole star always remains fixed. In the same way as life is constantly changing the union of the bride and groom should remain fixed like the pole star, Druvaloka. Arundhati is the wife of the great sage Vashistha. Arundhati and Vashistha are stars in the big dipper (sapta rishi).
Pradakshinam
The bride and groom walk around the holy fire four times, symbolizing the walk of life. Human life is seen to have four great goals calledpurusharthas: dharma, artha, kama and moksha. The bride leads the groom through the first three rounds while the groom leads the bride through the last round. The first round represents the attainment ofdharma, or righteous conduct and the fulfillment of civic and religious responsibilities. The second round is for the attainment of artha, the accumulation of wealth and prosperity. This leads to the third round, which is for the attainment of kama, life’s enjoyments. Finally, the bride and groom exchange places and the groom leads the bride around the fire on the fourth round enacting the attainment of moksha, life’s spiritual values.
Mangalya Dharanam/Ring Exchange
The groom gives the bride a mangala sutra, a necklace made of gold that includes two talis or emblems representing each family. The mangala sutra identifies a lady as a married woman. The mangala sutra is the equivalent of the wedding rings, which may also be exchanged at this time.
Saptapadi
The bride and groom take seven steps together, symbolizing the beginning of their journey through life as partners. These seven steps reflect their guiding principles in life. As they take each step, the bride and groom exchange the following vows:
| Together we will:
Share in the responsibility of the home Fill our hearts with strength and courage Prosper and share our worldly goods Fill our hearts with love, peace, happiness, and spiritual values Be blessed with loving children Attain self-restraint and longevity Be best friends and eternal partners |
Declaration
The bride and groom make an oath to each other declaring that they love each other and will remain devoted to each other through all times.
Upon the completion of the seven steps and the declaration, the bride and groom are officially considered husband and wife.
Purusha Sukta Homam
The priest chants an ancient hymn of praise to God while the couple places offerings of rice and ghee into the fire. This act of worship is the couple’s first act of dharma as husband and wife.
Talambralu
The bride and groom pour rice over each other’s head symbolizing prosperity.
Prasadam
The newly married couple feed each other sweets representing their first meal together.
Ashirvad
The priest gives blessings to the couple. The newly married couple then seeks the blessings of the priest, family and friends. The family and friends bestow their blessings by showering them with flower petals.
Bhaktivinoda Biography
Kedarnath Datta Bhaktivinoda
Bhaktivinoda, Kedarnath Datta,
Born September 2, 1838, Birnagar, Bengal — died June 18, 1914, Calcutta. Vaishnava theologian, songwriter and religious leader.
Born of a wealthy family of landowners in 1838, Kedarnath Datta Bhaktivinoda grew up in a traditional Hindu household of rural Bengal. He lived in his maternal grandfather’s home in the village of Birnagar (Ula) 60 miles (100 Km) north of Calcutta. There he received a village education. By age 14 he left rural Bengal and moved to Calcutta with his maternal uncle Kashi Prasad Ghosh (1809–1873) a famous patriot, author and newspaper man. Bhaktivinoda continued his education at Hindu College in Calcutta where he became an associate of such noteworthy men as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, his college teacher and lifelong friend; Keshub Chandra Sen, a classmate; Michael Madhusudan Datta, a literary associate; Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, a civil service colleague and eminent novelist; and Sisir Kumar Ghosh, a prominent newspaper publisher in Bengal.
At Hindu College Bhaktivinoda received a Western education and was exposed to the influences of European culture. During this time he became influenced by American Unitarianism through the efforts of Charles Dall. Bhaktivinoda’s presentation of Caitanya Vaishavism shows the influence of such American Unitarians as Theodore Parker (1810–1860). By age 18 he left the ferment of modern Calcutta and moved to rural Orissa to stay with his paternal grandfather, Raj Vallabha Datta. Moving through various low-paying teaching jobs in rural Orissa and Bengal he eventually acquired a government job with the British in the Judicial Service. For the next 25 years he worked as a career civil servant in the Judicial Service where he worked himself up to the position of District Magistrate. During his working years he fathered fourteen children. He retired from government service in 1892. Kedarnath Datta Bhaktivinoda passed away in Calcutta on June 23, 1914 at age 75.
At age 29 Bhaktivinoda became a follower of Caitanya Mahaprabhu (1486–1533), and eventually a leader within the Caitanya Vaishnava movement in Bengal. The title Bhaktivinoda was conferred on Kedarnath Datta in 1886 in recognition of his prominence as a Vaishnava theologian. Bhaktivinoda made a lifelong study of Vaishnava philosophy, theology, and literature. He edited and published over 100 books on Vaishnavism. Some of his major works include five theological works: Krishna-samhita (1880), Caitanya-sikshamrita (1886) Jaiva-dharma (1893), Hari-nama-cintamani (1900), Tattva-sutra (1893) and Tattva-viveka (1893) and four books of Vaishnava songs: Kalyana-kalpa-taru (1881)¸ Aranagati (1893), Gitavali (1893) and Gita-mala(1893). Bhaktivinoda also published a monthly journal entitled Sajjana-toshani between the years 1886 and 1910. He also produced an autobiography entitled Svalikhita Jîvani (1896).
As early as 1880 he sent copies of his works to Ralph Waldo Emerson in American and Reihost Rost in Europe in attempt to export the teaching of Caitanya to the West. By 1896 some of Bhaktivinoda’s English writing turned up in Canada, Britain and Australia. During his later years Bhaktivinoda conducted a preaching program called Nama-hatta that traveled from town and village throughout rural and urban Bengal spreading the theology of Caitanya. He was also responsible for building a prominent temple at the site of Caitanya’s birth at Navadveep.
Kedarnath Datta Bhaktivinoda is representative of an important group of Bengali intellectuals, the so-called bhadraloka that lived during the Bengal Renaissance. The incursion of European education and culture forced many educated Bengalis to face the traumas of modernization that challenged many traditional Hindu beliefs and practices. As a result, many of the bhadraloka, including Michael Madhusudan Datta (1824–1873) and Krishna Mohan Bannerjee, became Christians. Others such as Keshab Chandra Sen (1838–1884) and Protap Mazumdar (1840–1905) become members of the Brahma Samaj. Still others like Kedarnath Datta Bhaktivinoda and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (1838–1894) found the means to reinterpret their Hindu religious traditions in the light of nineteenth century European thought.
Bhaktivinoda’s spiritual insights divide religion into two constituent parts–-the phenomenal and the transcendent. This allowed him to combine modern critical analysis with the best of Hindu mysticism, Krishna-lila. Instead of relinquishing the modern approach, he utilized it in his writings; instead of rejecting Hindu tradition, he strengthened it.
Bhaktivinoda’s particular synthesis of traditional Hindu belief and nineteenth century rational thought is a particularly important religious and cultural blend. It spawned the development of the Gaudiya Math in India during the 1920s and 1930s and later, in the West, the development of the ISKCON (Hare Krishna) movement during the 1960s and 1970s. As a result Bhaktivinoda is credited as being the great-grandfather of Caitanya Vaishavism in the West.
Copyright © 2002 Sanskrit Religions Institute. All Rights Reserved.
Bibliography:
Dasa, Shukavak N. (1999). Hindu Encounter with Modernity, Kedarnath Datta Bhaktivinoda Vaishnava Theologian. Los Angeles: SriPublications.
Dasa, Shukavak N. (1998). Svalikhita Jivani Los Angeles: SriPublications.
For an in-depth look at Bhaktivinoda’s life and theology: Hindu Encounter with Modernity
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Kedarnath Datta
Hindu Encounter with Modernity
An in-depth look at Kedarnath Datta’s life and theology.
Pdf downloads
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Kedarnath Datta’s Family History
Chapter One of Kedarnath Datta’s Autobiography
The Bhagavata: Its Philosophy, Ethics and Theology
This is the text of the famous Dinajpur speech given by Kedarnath Datta Bhaktivinoda in 1868. It is one of the few extant samples of English writing that came from the pen of Kedarnath Datta Bhaktivinoda.
Panca-samskara
An article written by Kedarnath Datta Bhaktivinoda about the Vaishnava initiation process.
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