Re: Prasadam to Non Devotees

"One should give non-devotees unoffered items or wealth, but one should offer the Lord's prasada to the Vaishnavas."  (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 9.327)

svabhavasthaiu karmajadmn vascayan draviradibhiu
harer naivedyasambharan vaisnavebhyau samarpayet

Exactly there is no "unoffered" word in Sanskrit in this verse nor does it specifically say that one should give prasadam ONLY to devotees and NOT OFFER it to the non-devotees. The exact translation of this verse is as follows:

"In the normal course, one should give day to day items like wealth etc. to those who are materialistic by nature and humbly offer the remanants of the Lord Hari to Vaishnavas or devotees."

There are two kinds of non-devotees. One is open-minded and the second is close-minded and antagonistic. Basically the injunction is there to not give prasadam to antagonistic close-minded people since they may reject the prasadam and throw it away due to their faithlessness and commit a big offense. But as our Acharyas have shown by their practical example, once can certainly distribute and offer prasadam to open-minded non-devotees who are willing to accept and eat it even though they may not initially have full faith in prasadam. The power of purification of prasadam is much higher and it will slowly diminish their doubts and lack of faith in God if they just have an open-mind to it and just accept the prasadam without disrespecting it by throwing it away.

Daaso'smi, BR Sadhu Swami Gaurangapada.

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