"These children are given to us by Krishna, they are Vaisnavas and we must be very careful to protect them. These are not ordinary children, they are Vaikuntha children, and we are very fortunate we can give them chance to advance further in Krishna Consciousness. That is very great responsibility, do not neglect it or be confused. Your duty is very clear."
"I may inform you that all our children born of the Krishna conscious parents, they are welcome and I want hundreds of children like that. Because in future we expect to change the face of the whole world, because child is the father of man."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, August 21, 1968)
"So take care of these children. If you can make one child Krishna conscious, it is a great service. Krishna will be very pleased. So, so many children will come."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, New Vrindaban, June 22, 1969)
"If we are able to make a whole generation of our children into fine Krishna Conscious preachers, that will be the glory of our movement and the glory of your country as well. But if we neglect somehow or other and if we lose even one Vaisnava, that is very great loss."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, June 20, 1972)
"Just like this child. She has taken birth having Vaisnava father and mother. So she must have been a Vaisnavi or a Vaisnava in her previous life. Because this is an opportunity from the... All our children, those who are born of a Vaisnava father, mother, they are very, very fortunate. From the very beginning of life, they are hearing Hare Krishna maha-mantra. They are associating with Vaisnava, chanting, dancing. Imitation or fact, it doesn't matter. So they are very, very fortunate children."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Vrindavan, March 13, 1974)
"Please take care of your children and make them perfectly Krishna Conscious. That is very great service. If by your endeavor one or two souls who come under your protection become liberated in this life, that is a great transcendental service to the Lord."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, Septemer 30, 1969)
"I think that your child is very nice, and Krishna has given him a great opportunity to perfect himself in spiritual life because He has placed him under the care of a mother who is a sincere devotee. Try to help him grow up peacefully in Krishna Consciousness, and Krishna will certainly smile upon you for your efforts."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, January 19, 1969)
"So you are very fortunate. Krishna has blessed you with a very good devotee son. Take care of your son, and take care of Krishna and you will be happy."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, March 14, 1970)
"Gurukula is our most important project. If the children are given a Krishna Conscious education from early childhood then there is great hope for the future of the world."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, January 27, 1973)
"Regarding your question should force be used on children, no, there shall be no forcing the children to do anything. Child should not be forced. This is all nonsense. Who has devised these things? If we want them to become great devotees, then we must educate the children with love, not in a negative way."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, December 10, 1972)
"Now I am concerned that the Gurukula experiment should come out nicely. These children are the future hope of our Society, so it is a very important matter how we are training them in Krishna consciousness from the very childhood."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, April 11, 1973)
"Forcing will not make me agree. But if there is love, oh, I shall gladly do it. That is bhakti, that is Krishna Consciousness. So similarly, if we train children by developing and encouraging their propensity to love Krishna, then we shall be successful in educating them to the topmost standard."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, November 18, 1972)
"If they are not spoiled by an artificial standard of sense gratification at an early age, children will turn out very nicely as sober citizens, because they have learned the real meaning of life. If they are trained to accept that austerity is very enjoyable then they will not be spoiled. So you organize everything in such a way that we can deliver these souls back to Krishna—this is our real work."
