July 3: Sometimes Krishna Will Crush You
"If you want to know Kṛṣṇa, if you want to know God, then you have to take this process. That is... Bhaktyaikayeśam, ābhajet tam bhaktyaikayeśaṁ guru-devatātmā: 'He is the Supreme Lord, He is the Supersoul, and He is the supreme spiritual master.' In this way. He's the supreme spiritual master within you. As soon as you will take to devotional service, He'll give you dictation, 'You do this.' What dictation? To go to hell? No. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. In the Bhagavad-gītā: 'I give him intelligence.' Why? What for? Yena mām upayānti te: 'By which he can come back to Me.' That buddhi-yogam. He'll help you. If you think something... If He takes seriously about your case, if you are fully surrendered, then He'll direct you in such a way that you cannot go elsewhere except to Him, even sometimes you may find that 'He is doing something against my will.' I have got my personal experience. I never tried, never accepted that I shall become a sannyāsī. And I tried my best to keep myself in this material world. And He has, several times He has frustrated me and has brought me by force to this life. And now I am happy. I can understand that how much favor has Kṛṣṇa showed me. Yes. I did not understand in the beginning.
So sometimes, if Kṛṣṇa takes special care for you, He'll do in such a way that you will have no other way than to go back. He'll take charge, take charge. If we sincerely want Kṛṣṇa, if He sees that 'Here is a person. He wants Me. But he's a foolish. He wants Me; at the same time he wants to enjoy this material world. So crush this, crush this, his material propensities, and let him become simply devoted.' Yes. Sometimes we see like that."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, New York, November 23, 1966)
June 19: I Am the Initiator Guru
"The GBC should all be the instructor gurus. I am in the initiator guru, and you should be the instructor guru by teaching what I am teaching and doing what I am doing. This is not a title, but you must actually come to this platform. This I want."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, August 4, 1975)
June 13: By the Divine Grace of the Lord's Servant
"The Lord says that the service of His servants is greater than His personal service. Service of the devotee is more valuable than the service of the Lord. One should therefore choose a bona fide servant of the Lord constantly engaged in His service, accept such a servant as the spiritual master and engage himself in his (the spiritual master's) service. Such a spiritual master is the transparent medium by which to visualize the Lord, who is beyond the conception of the material senses. By service of the bona fide spiritual master, the Lord consents to reveal Himself in proportion to the service rendered. Utilization of the human energy in the service of the Lord is the progressive path of salvation. The whole cosmic creation becomes at once identical with the Lord as soon as service in relation with the Lord is rendered under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. The expert spiritual master knows the art of utilizing everything to glorify the Lord, and therefore under his guidance the whole world can be turned into the spiritual abode by the divine grace of the Lord's servant."
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.5.23, Purport)
June 11: The League of Devotees, Delhi
Delhi
25 December, 1955
Names of the Executive members of the Delhi section of the League of Devotees.
(1) Rai Bahadur Pandit Narain Das, 21 Pusha Road, N. Delhi
(2) Rai Sahale Seth Girdharilal, Bag Diwar, Delhi
(3) Seth Baseswar Natha, 9 Barkhnkakau Road, N. Delhi
(4) Sat Narayana Gurvala, Malibara, Delhi
(5) Rai Sahale Ram Saran Das, 11 Ramanagar, N. Delhi
(6) Sri Makhanlal Gupta, ___, Delhi
(7) Sri Bipin Candra Misra
(8) Lala Maha Sankara, Ramanagar.
(9) Pandit A.C. Bhaktivedanta
(10) Lala Mohanlal Advocate. c/o Girohilal
(11) Sri Ram Prakash, ___, Chawn Bazar
(12) Sri Direndra Kumar, Siddhomal & Sons, Chawn Bazar
Dear Sirs,
With reference to the inaugural meeting of the Delhi section of the League on 22/12/55 the gentlemen named above have been selected to be the executive members. The immediate program of work is to find out some suitable place for the central office as also to provide the place of residence for the workers.
When I was at Jhansi, I was provided with a big palatial building to live in associated with 40 workers who are being trained up for intinerary preaching work. The expenses were about Rs 1000/- per month. I approached the Govt for help but even after one year no definite decision could be arrived at by the Govt and the matter is still pending. Jhansi was a poor place & I shifted to Delhi.
My associates were therefore disbursed & I came to Delhi to give it a new life. Delhi is the only centre where from this cultural movement could immediately be given effect because it is the centre of international political, social educational & cultural movements. What I want to do immediately are as follows:—
(1) To hold consecutive meetings at different Mohallus & houses of Delhi for impressing the ideas of the mission.
(2) To give training to at least 7 to 10 educated young men in the "parampara lessons of Bhagavad-gita'' and then to "Brahma Sutra,'' Bhagavata & Caitanya Caritamrta
(3) To publish an English monthly paper to sell specially to the English knowing heads of the society and to get printed some relative literatures __.
A meeting of the executives has to be called for discussing the above subjects but before doing so I wish that you all gentlemen may kindly fill up the typed membership forms enclosed herewith—so that following your foot prints other members of the public may __ members of this institution in large numbers.
Thanking you in anticipation.
Yours faithfully,
For the League of Devotees (Reg. J.S.)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Founder Secretary
To __ of the following immediately
(1) Letter Heading (English)
(2) Visiting Cards (English)
(3) Japa Appeal (English & Hindi)
(4) Membership forms (English & Hindi)
(5) Rubber Stamps
June 11: A Hard Struggle in the Beginning
Prabhupāda: ... Prabhākāra was first-initiated by me.
Devotee: Your first disciple.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Hari-nāma-mantra he was given.
Devotee (2): What year was that?
Prabhupāda: Nineteen fifty-four, I think. He did some service. In Jhansi...
Devotee (2): You had that League. I saw photos of that. That League of Devotees.
Prabhupāda: Hmm. A very nice building.
Devotee (2): Yeah. That was nice.
Prabhupāda: Oh, you have seen.
Devotee (2): I have seen the photo. Big place.
Devotee: That is still existing?
Prabhupāda: Very big place. That you have seen this Keśavajī Gauḍīya Maṭha in Mathurā? No. There is Caitanya Mahāprabhu Deity. That Deity was there. When I closed that, I brought, that big, big sannyāsī, and delivered Them. They will show.
Devotee: One man cheated you there? Some land? No.
Prabhupāda: The building belonged to a big zamindar. So Prabhākāra arranged. So it was to be given to me, and I wanted to start the League of Devotees from there.
Devotee (2): Yes, big institution.
Prabhupāda: So I spent some money, whatever money I had, and it was going on. But in the meantime, this Lilavati Munshi...
Devotee (2): Oh, that Mr. Munshi.
Prabhupāda: Mrs. At that time she was wife of the governor. Her husband, K. M. Munshi. She had some organization of foreign women. So somehow or other she got imagination that "This house is very nice." She was governor's wife. So it was not given to me rightly, but I was using. So she wanted that house. So through collector and through all government officials' pressure. She wrote me later on, that "Bhaktivedantajī, you wanted to organize, but you could not. But I have got this institution. Why not give it to me?" So, of course, there were many lawyer friends. They advised me that "You do not give up. You should litigate." So I thought, "Who is going to litigate? Let me go to Vṛndāvana." So I left. So at Mathurā I delivered the Deity to this Keśavajī Gauḍīya Maṭha, and I made my place in Vṛndāvana.
Devotee (2): You had such a hard struggle in the beginning.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Devotee (2): Because that place, I saw in the photo, everything was there. Nice big sign.
Prabhupāda: It was a very good place. This Prabhākāra helped me. Ninety percent was... But if I did not leave, nobody could drive me, that was a fact. But I thought, "Who is going to..., for litigation? She is the governor's wife, and she is pressing through collectors, through..." The manager who was in charge, he had some cinema house. So they had to renew the license, cinema house. And the collector pressed him, that "Unless you arrange for this house, we are not going to renew your license." So I thought, "Unnecessarily this man will be in trouble. I'll have to pay so many rupees, and she is governor's wife." And that lady came to me in Bombay several times: "You take my press. You have got so many publications." So I said, "I can take your press. I have got money. But what shall I do with it? It is letterpress. Now printing is done by offset." That press, Associated Press, it is very good press. It was... They got so many government contracts. The whole telephone guides were printed there. But because it is letterset press, it is costly. The government got offset press, cheaper price. So that contract was cancelled. So for her nefarious activity she is punished. Her husband died. She has no more importance, and she was one of the trustees of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. So she was exempted. Now she's an ordinary woman. Press is not working.
Devotee (2): All they have is that Bhavan's Journal.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Devotee (2): Nobody reads that.
(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, Hyderabad, August 21, 1976)
June 9: Beginning Is the Guru
"Beginning is the guru, the spiritual master, because he is the representative of the paramparā system, disciplic succession. Therefore, whatever we do, we must first of all try to understand from guru."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Mayapur, March 3, 1974)
June 8: I Am the Spiritual Master of This Institution
Interviewer: Now, are you a guru?
Prabhupāda: Yes, I am the spiritual master of this institution, and all the members of the society, they're supposed to be my disciples. They follow the rules and regulations which I ask them to follow, and they are initiated by me spiritually. So therefore the spiritual master is called guru. That is Sanskrit language.
Interviewer: Guru means teacher.
Prabhupāda: Guru means not exactly teacher. Guru, the word, means heavy. Heavy. H-e-a-v-y, heavy.
Interviewer: Is guru and swami the same thing?
Prabhupāda: Swami means practically the same idea. Swami means the master of the senses. One who has not control over senses, he cannot become guru. The renounced order means he's strictly away from all kinds of sense gratification, especially sex life. Therefore, he's called swami. Swami means the master. One who has become the master of the senses, he can become the spiritual master of the society. That is the idea.
(Srila Prabhupada KGO Radio Interview, March 12, 1968, San Francisco)
June 7: How Is the Desire for Service Born?
Devotee: How is devotion for service... how is it born? How does it arise?
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Devotee: How do we develop devotion for service, desire for service?
Prabhupāda: If you are serious, you come to us. I shall teach you.
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Mexico City, February 15, 1975)
June 7: Brahmana Means Perfect Gentleman
"Brāhmaṇa means perfect gentleman. A rogue, thief, cannot become brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa is perfect gentleman. Who feels for others, that is gentleman. Who does not feel for others, for his sense gratification, he is a rogue."
(Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, Vrindavan, April 9, 1976)
"It is a gentleman’s greatest duty to be compassionate upon a person who is distressed."
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.27.26)
"There is no gentleman in the world. All rogues and thieves, cheaters, bluffers. Now we are creating gentlemen. Otherwise there is no gentlemen."
(Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, Vrindavan, April 9, 1976)
Interviewer: "How would I recognize a true follower of the Krishna consciousness movement by his behavior? What would his traits be? What would his outward expressions be?"
Srila Prabhupada: “He will be a very perfect gentleman, that's all. You could not find any fault in him."
(Srila Prabhupada Interview, Gainesville, July 29, 1971)
June 6: We Do Not Want Any Remuneration
"We do not want any remuneration for this service because we have engaged ourselves in the service of the Lord and we love each and every living being as part and parcel of the Lord."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Los Angeles, March 10, 1970)
"So the nature of love is this, that the lover wants every moment to see without any remuneration, without any return. That is real love."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, New York, December 19, 1966)
"Kāryam means 'It is my duty.' I am not forced, but voluntarily, out of love, transcendental love. Just like mother serves this child out of love. There is no question of salary or remuneration."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, New York, September 2, 1966)
"Brāhmaṇa cannot accept any salary. Just like you have accepted me as your ācārya, but you do not pay me any salary. This is forbidden. The teacher will not accept salary. Then he comes down to the śūdra platform. The śūdra accepts salary. 'I serve you, you pay me.' And the brāhmaṇa will distribute knowledge freely, and the kṣatriya will give protection to the brāhmaṇa. This is the system of Vedic system. Even in fifty years ago, education in India, there was no charges. A learned brāhmaṇa will sit down in corner of a neighborhood and all the children will come there. They will learn primary education. And the parents of the children will send, somebody will send rice, somebody will send ḍāl...
The whole system was that. Love exchange. I give you some service; you give me something, out of your love. Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti. Love means six symptoms. I give you something, you give me something. I give you something for eating, you also give me something for eating. Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti bhuṅkte bhojayate, guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati. If I am in trouble, I express my mind, I open my mind before you, and you also try to help me. These are the six signs of love. That is Vedic civilization. Everything exchange of love. No business, mercantile."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Los Angeles, June 22, 1972)
"We do not want anything as personal remuneration. Because nobody can write up this transcendental transaction who will work for material gain. That is the secret of this movement. Every member & worker must learn to sacrifice for God's sake that is the principle of this movement."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, June 22, 1951)
June 6: A Brahmana's Business
"Those who give education in exchange of money, they are not brahmanas. Just like we are lecturing, educated, educating people. We don't say that 'Give us salary.' We simply ask them, 'Please come.' Therefore we are making food. I'll give you food. I'll give you good seat. Please come and hear. We are not asking money, that 'First of all pay the fees. Then you come and learn Bhagavad-gita.' We never say so. So those, these so-called teachers, they first of all set up salary, 'What salary you'll give me?' That is dog's business. That is not brahmana's business. Brahmana will never ask. Brahmana is eager to give lesson only. That's all. Brahmana is eager to see that people are educated. 'Take free education and be educated. Be a human being.' This is brahmana's business. I came here not to ask for any money. But I want to give lesson. This is brahmana's business."
(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, Paris, June 11, 1974)
June 5: A Devotee Serves Krishna Out of Duty
"A devotee can worship Kṛṣṇa anywhere, underneath a tree. Because Kṛṣṇa is in everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). So if underneath a tree you think of Kṛṣṇa and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, that is sufficient. Kṛṣṇa does not require any big paraphernalia. He only wants how you are a sincere devotee. That's all. And that devotional service can be discharged in any condition. Ahaituky apratihatā. It cannot be checked by the material circumstances. This is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And you see the five-years-old boy, how he was protected from all kinds of dangers and he refused to take any benediction. He refused. The devotee should not be a mercantile man: 'If you give me something, then I shall give you something.' That is business. A devotee is not like that. He understands that he is eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, his duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa. In the material world a servant works when money is paid, wages. A devotee is not like that. A devotee serves Kṛṣṇa out of duty. That is God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that 'It is my duty.' And then Kṛṣṇa takes the responsibility, 'It is My duty to protect this devotee.' This reciprocation is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no question of business transaction. Then he will be protected. Kṛṣṇa is nobody's servant, but everyone is Kṛṣṇa's servant. If everyone becomes Kṛṣṇa's servant, then everyone is protected by Kṛṣṇa."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Honolulu, May 25, 1975)
June 3: My Only Concern
"All my disciples they are good boys, intelligent, and hard working. I pray to Krishna that you all may use your intelligence for Krishna's service and not for any personal ambition. We have worked very hard and established a great institution, but if we think for our personal benefit then it will become ruined. This is my only concern."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, November 1, 1974)
June 1: Awaiting on You All by George Harrison
Click here to watch 2 1/2 minute video of Sriman George Harrison preaching Krishna consciousness in his own unique way and to the best of his individual capacity as per the instructions he received from Srila Prabhupada.
June 1: To Err Is Human
"To err is human. Anyone commits mistake. There is no doubt about it. But after committing mistake, if I stick to that mistake, that is foolishness. When it is detected that it is mistake, you must admit. That is greatness."
(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, Bhuvanesvara, February 1, 1977)
May 31: When the Acharya Disappears
"Whenever an ācārya comes, following the superior orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative, he establishes the principles of religion, as enunciated in Bhagavad-gītā. Religion means abiding by the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Religious principles begin from the time one surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is the ācārya’s duty to spread a bona fide religious system and induce everyone to bow down before the Supreme Lord. One executes the religious principles by rendering devotional service, specifically the nine items like hearing, chanting and remembering. Unfortunately, when the ācārya disappears, rogues and nondevotees take advantage and immediately begin to introduce unauthorized principles in the name of so-called svāmīs, yogīs, philanthropists, welfare workers and so on. Actually, human life is meant for executing the orders of the Supreme Lord, and this is stated in Bhagavad-gītā (9.34):
man-manā bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru
mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam
ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ
'Engage your mind always in thinking of Me and become My devotee. Offer obeisances and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.'
The main business of human society is to think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead at all times, to become His devotees, to worship the Supreme Lord and to bow down before Him. The ācārya, the authorized representative of the Supreme Lord, establishes these principles, but when he disappears, things once again become disordered. The perfect disciples of the ācārya try to relieve the situation by sincerely following the instructions of the spiritual master. At the present moment practically the entire world is afraid of rogues and nondevotees; therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is started to save the world from irreligious principles. Everyone should cooperate with this movement in order to bring about actual peace and happiness in the world."
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.28.48, Purport)
May 30: A Dangerous Conspiracy
"Now by the grace of Krishna we have got sufficient properties all over the world, so there cannot be any diplomacy or conspiracy by any sane man. All these properties and opulences, whatever we have got, this will not go with me when I go away from this world. It will remain here. I am training some of my experienced disciples how to manage after my departure. So if instead of taking the training, if in my lifetime you people (the GBC) say I am the Lord of all I survey, that is dangerous conspiracy."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter to Karandhara, October 8, 1974)
May 29: Hog Civilization
Dr. Patel: One friend of mine told me that this culture is vultures' culture. They eat anything and everything.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Not vultures; it is called hog civilization. The hog, they eat anything and they have sex with anyone.
Dr. Patel: Yes, yes. These animals don't distinguish between their own, I mean, bodily relatives.
Prabhupāda: Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭan kāmān arhate yad viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). This is the instruction. Where is culture? Culture is lost. So therefore there is no value of education. And besides that, education means spiritual education, brahma-vidyā. This education how to make aeroplane or a nice bridge or a machine, this is called kalā-vidyā. This is not vidyā.
Dr. Patel: Parā and aparā vidyā.
Prabhupāda: No, kalā. Kalā means artistic. Suppose a carpenter, he knows how to make a very nice, good furniture, does it mean that he is educated? He knows the art, some artistic way, that's all; but he is not educated. But nowadays it is going on if you know some art, technology, then you are educated. This is not education. Education means culture.
Dr. Patel: Yes. And culture means man with morality and...
Prabhupāda: Culture means human life. Culture means human life. Otherwise dog's life. There is... There are so many things. There are amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam (BG 13.8). Everything is described. Amānitvam: first of all you have to learn how to become humble. And here, all the people, they are educated how to become proud. What is education?
Dr. Patel: Christ says, sir, "The meek and humble shall inherit this earth." They, unfortunately, the followers of Christ are not meek and humble.
Prabhupāda: And this culture cannot be maintained unless one is God conscious. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā (SB 5.18.12). There cannot be any culture for a godless person. That is not possible. And, yasyāsti-bhaktir bhagavaty-akiñcanā (SB 5.18.12). Just like this European, American boy is offering obeisances to the guru, this is culture. Why he has learned this culture? Because he has become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Therefore, yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā, sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate... (SB 5.18.12). If you make one devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then all culture will automatically come. One thing.
(Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, December 19, 1975, Bombay)
May 28: A Devotee Is Always a Gentleman
"Brāhmaṇa means perfect gentleman. A rogue, thief, cannot become brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa is perfect gentleman. Who feels for others, that is gentleman. Who does not feel for others, for his sense gratification, he is a rogue."
(Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, Vrindavan, April 9, 1976)
"Devotee means he is able to tolerate all kinds of discomfort and whims of the material nature, and because he is so much absorbed in serving Krishna, he takes no time to become angry or take offense with others or find out some fault, no. Devotee means very liberal and kind to everyone, always gentleman under all kinds of conditions of life."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, December 10, 1972)
Interviewer: "How would I recognize a true follower of the Krishna consciousness movement by his behavior? What would his traits be? What would his outward expressions be?"
Srila Prabhupada: He will be a very perfect gentleman, that's all. You could not find any fault in him.
Srila Prabhupada Interview, Gainesville, July 29, 1971)
May 27: Imitation Is Dangerous
"We cannot imitate. We can simply follow.
Anukaraṇa, anusaraṇa, there are two Sanskrit words. One is imitation, and one who is following the footprints. If one tries to follow the footprints of great personalities, that is very nice, but we cannot imitate. Imitate. Imitation is dangerous."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Los Angeles, December 23, 1968)
May 27: A Gentleman's Greatest Duty
"It is a gentleman’s greatest duty to be compassionate upon a person who is distressed."
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.27.26)
May 26: Don't Try to Imitate a Pure Devotee
"One should not imitate the behavior of an advanced devotee or mahā-bhāgavata without being self-realized, for by such imitation one will eventually become degraded."
(Nectar of Instruction 5, Purport)
"The sunshine is so strong that it is absorbing the moisture of the filthy place, contaminated place where one is passing stool and urine, but still it is sun because sun is so powerful. But if you live in that place for some time where urine and stools are thrown, then you'll be contaminated immediately because you are not powerful. Tejiyāsāṁ na doṣāya (SB 10.33.29).
Those who are powerful, if they somebody does something which is very extraordinary, that is not to be imitated. You have to follow the rules and regulations. That will give you progress. Don't try to imitate. Just be in your position, try to follow the rules and regulations, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and gradually you'll get result. There is no need of being hasty."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Los Angeles, December 23, 1968)
"So don't try to imitate. My Guru Mahārāja has strictly forbidden, 'Don't try to imitate big personalities like Haridāsa Ṭhākura, Rūpa Gosvāmī.' He used to say, rūpa gosvāmī ke mogha vāñchā. Rūpa Gosvāmī, because he used to put on a loincloth... Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthā... So it is no use imitating Rūpa Gosvāmī, to imitate the dress, and then, as soon as there is opportunity, smoke biḍi. (laughter)
Don't do this nonsense. This is no use, imitation. Anusaraṇa, not anukāraṇa. Anukāraṇa is dangerous. Anusaraṇa. Sādhu-mārgānugamanam. This is bhakti. We shall try to follow the footsteps of big, big devotees, sādhus. We cannot... We shall try to follow. Don't try to imitate. That is very dangerous."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Mayapur, February 25, 1977)
May 24: Prabhupada Says We Should Reject Fake Gurus
Reporter: I wondered how many people you think might have been taken in by fake gurus.
Prabhupāda: Practically everyone. There is no question of counting. Everyone.
Reporter: This would mean thousands of people, wouldn’t it?
Prabhupāda: Millions. Millions have been cheated, because they want to be cheated. God is omniscient. He can understand your desires. He is within your heart, and if you want to be cheated, God sends you a cheater.
(Science of Self-Realization, Chapter 2)
"According to scriptural codes, a teacher who engages in an abominable action and has lost his sense of discrimination is fit to be abandoned. Bhīṣma and Droṇa were obliged to take the side of Duryodhana because of his financial assistance, although they should not have accepted such a position simply on financial considerations. Under the circumstances, they have lost the respectability of teachers."
(Bhagavad-gītā As It Is 2.5, Purport)
"According to revealed scriptures, a teacher or spiritual master is liable to be rejected if he proves himself unworthy of the position of a guru or spiritual master. A guru is called also an ācārya, or a person who has personally assimilated all the essence of śāstras and has helped his disciples to adopt the ways."
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.7.43, Purport)
"According to śāstra, the duty of the guru is to take the disciple back home, back to Godhead. If he is unable to do so and instead hinders the disciple in going back to Godhead, he should not be a guru. Gurur na sa syāt (SB 5.5.18). One should not become a guru if he cannot enable his disciple to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness."
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.20.1, Purport)
Prabhupāda: Unqualified guru means who does not know how to guide the disciple. Guru's duty is to guide. So such kind of guru can be at least rejected. That is Jīva Gosvāmī's... Kārya-kāryam ajānataḥ. A guru who does not know what to do and what not to do, but by mistake, by mistakenly I have accepted somebody as guru, he can be rejected. By rejecting him, you can accept an actual bona fide guru. So guru is not killed, but he can be rejected. That is the injunction of the śāstra. So Bhīṣmadeva or Droṇācārya, certainly they were gurus, but Kṛṣṇa indirectly giving indication to Arjuna, that "Although they are in the position of guru, you can reject them." Kārya-kāryam ajānataḥ. "They do not know factually."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, London, August 5, 1973)
Prabhupāda: In the beginning you may commit some mistake, but when you study Bhagavad-gītā—who is sādhu, who is mahātmā, who is guru—then why shall we make, commit mistake again? If you have done mistake—you have gone to a rascal who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious— then when you read Bhagavad-gītā, you can understand. Why you are misled? Why you should be misled? If it is written on the road, "Keep to the left," why should you be misled and go to the right? Go to the left. Then you are not misled. So here it is said, mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13).
A mahātmā means who is always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Why do you accept somebody as mahātmā who does not speak about Kṛṣṇa? Then you are misleading yourself. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (Bg. 7.19). Everything, direction, is there. Why you create your own mahātmā? If you want to be cheated, who can check you? That is your fault. In Bhagavad-gītā, it is clearly said,
bahūnāṁ janmanām ante
jñānavān māṁ prapadyate
vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti
sa mahātmā...
(BG 7.19)
That is mahātmā. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanty ananya-manasaḥ (BG 9.13). Sādhur... Api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk (Bg. 9.30).
He's mahātmā. He's sādhu. We shall go to him. Why shall we go to a rascal? Simple directions. So if you are misled, if you are cheated, whose fault it is? But if you want to be cheated, who can check?
Even though somebody by mistake has gone to a rascal, the book is there. As soon as you find out, "Here is a rascal who does not know anything about Kṛṣṇa, and I have come to him," reject him. That is stated in the śāstra. Gurur apy avaliptasya kāryākāryam ajānantaḥ parityāgo vidhīyate. Even by mistake you have come to a rascal who does not know how to become guru, you can reject him. Why should you stick to him? Reject him. And by mistake I have come to rascal. Why shall I continue to accept him as guru?
Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said, tyaja durjana-saṁsargaṁ bhaja sādhu-samāgamam: "Give up all rascals. Associate with sādhus." If you do not do that, that is your fault. Tyaja durjana-saṁsargaṁ bhaja sādhu-samāgamam. We have to mix with sādhu. Sādhu means who are twenty-four-hours engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. Things are there. Why should you mix with asādhu? Then how can you understand? Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (CC. Madhya 23.14-15). If you have got little faith, then next business is to associate with sādhus.
(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, Bhuvanesvara, January 31, 1977)
"Srila Jiva Goswami has described in his Karamasandharvha that one should be anxious to accept a spiritual master who is bona fide in spiritual knowledge. And if need be one should relinquish the connection of hereditary spiritual master and accept a real bona fide spiritual master."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, July 3, 1968)
Reporter: Have you ever had people come to you who had previously been involved with a fake guru?
Prabhupāda: Yes, there are many.
Reporter: Were their spiritual lives in any way spoiled by the fake gurus?
Prabhupāda: No, they were genuinely seeking something spiritual, and that was their qualification. God is within everyone’s heart, and as soon as someone genuinely seeks Him, He helps that person find a genuine guru.
Reporter: Have the real gurus like yourself ever tried to put a stop to the false gurus—that is, put pressure on them to put them out of business, so to speak?
Prabhupāda: No, that is not my purpose. I started my movement simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. I chanted in New York in a place called Tompkins Square Park, and soon people began to come to me. In this way, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement gradually developed. Many accepted, and many did not accept. Those who are fortunate have accepted.
Reporter: Don’t you feel that people are suspicious because of their experience with fake gurus? If you went to a quack dentist and he broke your tooth, you might be suspicious about going to another dentist.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Naturally, if you are cheated, you become suspicious. But this does not mean that if you are cheated once, you will always be cheated. You should find someone genuine. But to come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you must be either very fortunate or well aware of this science. From the Bhagavad-gītā we understand that the genuine seekers are very few: manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Out of many millions of people, there may be only one who is interested in spiritual life. Generally, people are interested in eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. So how can we expect to find many followers? It is not difficult to notice that people have lost their spiritual interest. And almost all those who are actually interested are being cheated by so-called spiritualists. You cannot judge a movement simply by the number of its followers. If one man is genuine, then the movement is successful. It is not a question of quantity, but quality.
(Science of Self-Realization, Chapter 2)
May 17: Srila Prabhupada Letter to Brother
Unknown Place
September 1955
Dear Brother,
I am in due receipt of your kind enquiry and I am glad that you wish to become a member of the League of Devotees for learning the science & techniques of Theism or spiritualism of the highest standard. The Prospectus is enclosed herewith please find & decide for yourself for becoming a permanent member of this noble institution.
The membership fees are mentioned below which is the extract from the Leagues registered rules & regulations.
Rule 1. "The general body of the League will consist of members of the four orders of life namely (a) Brahmacaris (b) Grhasthas (c) Vanaprasthas (d) Sannyasis or Tyagis''.
Rule 4. "The members will be of three classes defined as class A, B and C in accordance with the membership fees paid. (a) Those who will contribute Rs 500/- and above per month will belong to the "A'' class. (b) Those who will contribute Rs 50/- and above per month will belong to the "B'' class. (c) Those who will contribute Rs 10/- and above per month will belong to the "C'' class.''
Rule 16. "Every member is entitled to one vote either in person or by proxy at a general meeting held for its elections of the members of the Executive Committee. or for any other purposes.''
If you think yourself unable to pay either of the above mentioned membership fees per month, then you can apply for free membership or for a lesser value of monthly subscription for consideration of the Executive Committee., who will decide on the subject.
But if you become preacher member, in that case you will have to pay once Rs 10/- only for the degree of "Bhakti-sastri'' which will be awarded to you by registered certificate of degree for your becoming preaching member of the League and doing the necessary preaching work on behalf of the League. The preaching work is conducted as follows:
(1) As soon as you get the certificate of degree of "Bhakti-sastri'' at once you become a bona fide preacher of this institution and for this you will have to read "Bhagavad-gita'' regularly.
(2) As you go on reading "Bhagavad-gita'' question will arise in your mind for so many teachings in that Book & you are at liberty to ask us for answers of those questions which will be replied to you very clearly for your understanding.
(3) Some of the general questions are already answered in different pamphlets & one of them is sent herewith for example and your understanding.
(4) These questions & answers you will have to preach to others, so that both yourself & your audience will be benefited by that process.
(5) If you cannot go to others outside your hearth & home, you can do the preaching work amongst your family members only and in this meeting your other friends, neighbors & relatives also can join.
(6) Hold this meeting regularly for one hour in your home or any other suitable place near about your home, and chant the hymns or slokas of "Bhagavad-gita'' with reverence & devotion. If possible the reading of Bhagavad-gita may be preceded & followed by a congregation chanting of the holy name of God as mentioned below—Hare Krishna . . . Hare Hare.
(7) Now relevant questions that may be arising out in the meeting may either be answered relevantly & just according to the authority of "Bhagavad-gita''. But if it is found difficult the question may at once be referred to us and it will be very nicely & clearly answered by us for clear understanding of all concerned.
(8) Some of the audience also may be interested in becoming a preaching worker of this League & we shall be glad to substain him in the same way as we shall be dealing with you. We are interested more in preaching members than in the sleeping members.
The motto of preaching shall always be aimed at the ultimate goal of life. The ultimate goal of life is to re-establish our lost relation with Godhead who is the Absolute Whole, and we all living entities are His parts & parcels.
We have forgotten our relation with Godhead from time immemorial by somehow or other & due to our forgetfulness of the relation, we are roaming life after life in different species of bodies which are 84 lacs in number. This process of transmigration from one body to another after death is a __ of disease of the living entity & the chance of curing the disease is possible very effectively in this human form of life.
The value of this human form of life is therefore immense and a moment lost of this life means a loss of immense value. Do not therefore neglect the time that you have been allotted by the laws of Nature and utilize it fully—not in the matter of animal life but in human life. Eating, sleeping, fearing & sense gratifying process are meant for the animal portion of our life, but as human being we have got the special prerogative for searching out the cause of our threefold miseries & to rectify it in this very life without any further loss of time.
The League of Devotees stand to serve the humanity in this spirit & the preaching member's cooperation in this noble act of human behavior will reciprocally benefit both the League and its preaching members.
The highest benefit that is possible to do to the humanity is this act of preaching for receiving the Divine Consciousness of the living being. By doing so, we do not only send a living entity back to home & back to Godhead but at the same time we ourselves also go back to home back to Godhead. Rise up to the occasion of this preaching work & be a real benefactor to the people in general & your family members in particular.
[PAGE MISSING]
(Srila Prabhupada Letter to Dear Brother, Unknown Place, September 1955)
May 15:
An Appeal
The League of Devotees will give all help to you by personal touch, by literature, by instruction and by correspondence. Do not leave the opportunity. Make your life perfect by contacting our relation.
Membership Form
The League of Devotees (Regd)
Calcutta and Delhi
_____________________
To
Sri Abhay Charan Bhaktivedanta
Founder Secretary
The League of Devotees,
1797, Ranu Bagh Extension
P.O. Shakurbaati, Delhi
Dear Sir,
Please enrol my name as constitutional member of your League and I shall contribute my membership fee at the rate of Rs.........................
....................... per month
Yours faithfully
Signature.......................................
Name in full....................................
Address.........................................
Town.............................................
District..........................................
Province........................................
Date..............................................
May 14
Prabhupāda: Because I was trying to organize a League of Devotees from that house, and Kṛṣṇa wanted, "What is this nonsense? You are stick here, in Jhansi? You come here, in open field." That was Kṛṣṇa's intent. But I thought that "Even Kṛṣṇa took away this?" This Lilavati Munshi.
Devotee: Now her institution is . . .
Prabhupāda: But my intention was to start this movement.
Devotee: Yeah.
Prabhupāda: I was simply planning in different way. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's favor. I never deviated from this plan. Since I heard it from my Guru Mahārāja, I've simply planning how to do it successfully. But I thought at that time that, "I'll be able to do it if I get some money. Let me do some business for the time." That I was thinking. But Kṛṣṇa said: "Even if you are pauper, you try; you'll get everything." But I thought, "Without money, how this can be done?" That was difference of opinion with Kṛṣṇa, argument. And I was dreaming also, Guru Mahārāja asking me, "Come on." So I was going. So I was, "Oh, I have to go? I have to take sannyāsa?" (laughs)
Devotee: You, you dreaming?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Guru Mahārāja said, "Come. Come with me." I was going. But that . . . many things happened before this. Yes. And at last it became, in America.
Devotee: Did you tell everyone you were leaving, or you simply disappeared?
Prabhupāda: No, I never said. Oh, why shall I? I lost all friends, money, everything.
Devotee (2): I met one gentleman from Allahabad . . .
(someone enters)
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Get this light. (break) . . . Do it nicely. It is the greatest movement for making the whole human civilization happy. Take it seriously. Don't . . .
(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, Delhi, November 3, 1973
May 10, 2021
Devotee: The League of Devotees, was that Godbrothers again? Was that some Godbrothers that you joined up with, or was that just...
Prabhupāda: No, after leaving Jhansi I went to this Godbrother.
Devotee: Keśava.
Prabhupāda: I lived there for few months. Then I went to another Godbrother, that Imlitala, Delhi. Then I left there. I used to live alone in Delhi. Then I took one house in Keśī-ghāṭa. Then the Rādhā-Dāmodara men, they called me that "You can live here. We give you two rooms. We don't charge. We give you the place." I came to Rādhā-Dāmodara. And from Rādhā-Dāmodara temple I went USA.
Devotee: I was just wondering what exactly the League of Devotees was.
Prabhupāda: Oh, League was that, that was... I was trying to collect some devotees. Some of them, they were medical... Yes. Medical students. So they came and used to live with me. But still, I lived there for two years, from 1954 to '56...This Prabhākāra and... They were not full time; they were students, that's all. They were living with me.
Devotee: But your Bhāgavatams, it says they were published by the League of Devotees. Does that just mean yourself, or there were others?
Prabhupāda: (laughs) That was... League of Devotees was my organization. Therefore I gave that name.
Devotee: But actually it was just you. Oh.
Prabhupāda: That League of Devotees, I was alone doing. (laughs)
Devotee: (laughing) I was trying to understand who it could be.
Prabhupāda: I am everything at that time. There were some students, but they were not many active. I was doing everything. That League of Devotees means I am everything.
(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, Vrindavan, October 3, 1976)
