THE PRABHUPADA CONNECTION
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Srila Prabhupada's Love
(Click to enlarge photo of Srila Prabhupada)

"You are all my children and I love my American boys and girls who are sent to me by my spiritual master and I have accepted them as my disciples."

(Srila Prabhupada Letter, July 27, 1970)

"Our philosophy is to educate people how to love God. That is real religion. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje (SB 1.2.6). That is first-class religion which teaches the follower how to love God. And as soon he becomes a lover of God... Just like I am Indian, but I have come to western countries to teach love of God. It is not that I am satisfied only in myself that I love God, that's all right. But due to my love to God I love others also, because I am trying to teach them to love God, the same philosophy. So if people take seriously this movement, how to love God, then human society will be first-rate."

(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, London, September 5, 1971)

"We are giving Krishna consciousness. That is loving, real loving. We are giving him eternal life, eternal bliss. Unless we love them, why we are taking so much trouble? The preacher must love the people. Otherwise why he is taking? He can do it for himself at home. Why he is taking so much trouble? Why in eighty years old I have come here if I do not love? So who can love better than a preacher? He loves even the animals. Therefore they are preaching, 'Don't take meat.' Do they love the animals, rascals? They are eating, and they love their country, that's all. Nobody loves. It is simply sense gratification. If somebody loves, he is Krishna conscious, that's all. All rascals. They are after their own sense gratification, and they will put a signboard, 'I love everyone.' This is their business. And fools are accepting, 'Oh, this man is very philanthropic.' He does not love any man. He loves only senses. That's all. The servant of the senses, that's all."

(Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, Perth, May 17, 1975)

Devotee: Prabhupada? They say, "Why you worry so much about death? We are living. We are enjoying life. Why do you worry about death?"

Prabhupada: Because we are intelligent. I love you. Therefore you'll die and you'll become a dog, so I am taking sympathy on you, that "Don't become a dog." Every human being is anxious. The example is given just like a child flying kite and is going this way, this way, on the roof. Now on the edge of the roof, so one gentleman standing, "Hey, you'll fall down." That is his duty. He says, "Why you are checking me?'" "Why you are checking me?" "Because I am human being. You are foolish boy. Therefore I am checking you." That is natural. Even a child is..., or the boy is not his son, but because he is a gentleman, he wants to give him some protection. It is the duty of gentleman. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said to the Indians that "You become perfect and go and give this knowledge to the rest of the world. They are all rascals."

  bharata-bhumite manusya-janma haila yara
  janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara
  (CC Adi 9.41)

It is para-upakara, humanitarian. You may say, "Why do you bother?" But as a human being, I bother. Every human being will do that. Krishna comes, bothering Himself. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata (BG 4.7). "When these have become rascals, fools, I come, again advise them." So those who are servants of God, they are also doing the same thing, on behalf of God. Their position is therefore exalted.

(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, New Vrindavan, June 24, 1976)

"If you want happiness, then you must learn how to love God. You are trying to love somebody, but you are being frustrated, foiled. Because except God, nobody is loving object. And if you love God, then naturally you love everything, because God is everything. The example is that if you pour water on the root of the tree, it goes everywhere—to the twigs, to the leaves, to the flowers, everywhere. But if you pour water on the leaf, it is localized; it does not spread. So we are manufacturing, inventing, so many humanitarian work, welfare work, but still, people are unhappy. Why? Because it is pouring water on the leaf, not on the root.

So learn by Krishna consciousness how to love Krishna and how to love your country, your society, your friends, everything. But without loving Krishna, you cannot love. This is the secret. And if you love... Just like because I love Krishna, therefore I have come to your country. I had no business to come to your country naturally. But we are preaching this Krishna consciousness movement means we love everyone. We don't make any distinction. We love animals also. We don't like to see animal-killing. That is also one of our propaganda: 'No meat-eating.' Why? To save the animals, because we love animals also. We love even the ant—because we love Krishna.

So this is the technique of Krishna consciousness, that if you learn how to love Krishna, then you will love everything. Otherwise, your love will be localized and you will be frustrated. It is most scientific. And our process is very simple: chant Hare Krishna. That's all. Krishna and Krishna's name—nondifferent. So chanting Hare Krishna means you are associating with Krishna. That means you are directly in touch with the root of everything. So by advancing in love for Krishna, you can love your society, your country, your community, your family, your husband, your wife, your children, your friend—everything, complete, purnam. Purnam adah purnam idam purnat purnam udacyate, purnasya purnam adaya (Iso Invocation). And that love will never be, I mean to say, ended. Purna. Love of Krishna is so complete that you go on distributing this love; it will never be expended. It will remain the same stock."

(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, London, August 11, 1971)

"Perhaps you have marked it in my preaching work that I love Lord Jesus Christ as good as Krishna; because He rendered the greatest service to Krishna according to time circumstances and society in which He appreared. Similarly Hajrat Mohammed and Lord Buddha also rendered greatest service to the human society according to circumstances. So work with more enthusiasm and we are sure to be successful in our great mission."

(Srila Prabhupada Letter, San Francisco, April 7, 1967)

"So far my chastising you at Mayapur for your questions it is simply out of love that I chastise any of my students. It is a father's duty to raise his son to be a strong, useful citizen, and sometimes he must reprimand him for some mistake in order to teach him. But this harshness is only for his son's benefit. Similarly, you are all my spiritual children, and my only concern is to see that you all become strong in your devotion to Lord Krishna, so sometimes scolding may be there, but you should always remember that it is done with love and it is only for your benefit. You are an intelligent boy, and I want to train you very nicely so that you will be able to preach this great Krishna Conscious philosophy with conviction, and help to deliver all the spiritually-starving souls in this age. Therefore, you should take this chastisement as an opportunity to advance in Krishna Consciousness and not in any other way."

(Srila Prabhupada Letter, April 12, 1972)

"When you remain fully surrendered to the supreme will, either in distress or in happiness, that is your happiness. That is real happiness. This condition cannot be without love. In any condition, you remain surrendered. It cannot be done without love. When there is lack of love, this kind of mentality cannot develop: 'In any condition I shall remain surrendered.' Just like you are; you are, a whole society is carrying my order, not because I am superior person. There is love. Without love you cannot do so."

(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, Dialectic Spiritualism, Chapter 7)

"I have invitations from other organizations to lecture on 11th, 12th and 14th at Self Realization Organization, Himalayan Academy Administration and San Francisco University College. Some of them writes as follows: 'Your Holiness: You have brought great beauty and harmony to our community through your love and devotion. Many souls have found their inner peace in your teachings of the Krishna Consciousness.' "

(Srila Prabhupada Letter, February 10, 1967)

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