108 Glories
1st Set
Meditations on the Infinite Qualities and Pastimes
of
Om Visnu-pada Paramahamsa Parivrajakacarya
Astottara Sata Sri Srimad
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
by Paratrikananda dasa
___________________
1. Srila Prabhupada is my deity. His majesty is sculpted in the stone core of my heart. It is not my doing but his.
The photos of my murti are very nice. The murti of the Spiritual Master should be treated as good as the Deity. Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair, uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih/kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya, The guru should be treated as good as God. This is stated in all the sastras. The difference is that God is master-God and guru is servant-God. So the installation ceremony for such a murti should be similar to that done for other Deities. All Temples can have this Deity if they like.
Srila Prabhupada letter
Mayapur, January 29, 1976
2. Srila Prabhupada is my beacon. He stands forever in the glory of pure devotional service to Krsna. His radiance washes away the darkness and illumines my path.
"Only an empowered personality can distribute the holy name of the Lord and enjoin all fallen souls to worship Krsna. By distributing the holy name of the Lord, he cleanses the hearts of the most fallen people; therefore he extinguishes the blazing fire of the material world. Not only that, he broadcasts the shining brightness of Krsna's effulgence throughout the world. Such an acarya, or spiritual master, should be considered nondifferent from Krsna -- that is, he should be considered the incarnation of Lord Krsna's potency. Such a personality is krsnalingita-vigraha -- that is, he is always embraced by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna."
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura
cited in CC, Madhya 25.9
We are giving a light which was unknown in the world. That's a fact. Lokasyajanato vidvams cakre satvata... Anarthopasamam saksad bhakti-yogam adhoksaje. This is the secret of making the world happy.
Room Conversation
Bhubaneswar, January 21, 1977
3. Srila Prabhupada is my mentor. One who has a bona fide spiritual master is supposed to know everything. Prabhupada is all I know.
Satsvarupa: Prabhupada, in one purport in the Bhagavad-gita, you write that a disciple of a bona fide spiritual master is supposed to know everything.
Prabhupada: Yes, if he follows the spiritual master.
Satsvarupa: But how could he know...? What does that mean, "everything"?
Prabhupada: Everything means whatever his guru knows, he should know, that much. Not like God, everything. Within his limit, that's all. If he tries to understand whatever his guru has said, that much is "everything." Otherwise, "everything" does not mean that we know everything, like God, like Krsna. That is not possible. If he regularly chants and follow the regulative principles, follows the orders of guru, then he knows everything.
Morning Walk
Mayapur, April 8, 1975
4. Srila Prabhupada is my exemplar. He exposes my hypocrisy by his impeccable behavior. I want to be like him.
I am successful only because I am following strictly the orders of my Guru Maharaja, and I do not deviate. Therefore people respect what I am saying and they listen because I do not say one thing and do another. So now you are doing my work and you shall be like me and be yourselves the worthy representatives of our disciplic succession.
Srila Prabhupada letter
Los Angeles, June 16, 1972
5. Srila Prabhupada is my savior. He comes to me in my time of need. He delivers me from my own evil.
A post peon -- the money order is there, he has to simply carry and deliver to the person. And if he gets at time of need, he thanks the peon, "Oh, you have saved my life." It is like that.
Garden Conversation
Los Angeles, June 8, 1976
Guest : If man be part and parcel of God, how do you explain the evil deeds of man? Prabhupada: Because he likes to do that.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.31
Mauritius, October 4, 1975
6. Srila Prabhupada is my confidant. He knows all my prayers and secrets. He does not consider those that are corrupt.
If your prayers are sincere then Krishna will accept them and if Krishna accepts them then automatically I accept them, and if I accept them then automatically Krishna accepts them. So like this Krishna is everywhere. He is even between the atoms. So therefore wherever you are He will accept your prayers, and therefore I automatically accept. But the most important part again, the prayer must be sincere.
Srila Prabhupada letter
Sydney, February 19, 1973
There are some highly qualified persons who accept only the good qualities of others. Just as a bee is always interested in the honey in the flower and does not consider the thorns and colors, highly qualified persons, who are uncommon, accept only the good qualities of others, not considering their bad qualities, whereas the common man can judge what are good qualities and what are bad qualities.
SB 4.4.12
7. Srila Prabhupada is my liaison. He bridges the endless separation between Krsna and myself. He is an expressway to the spiritual sky.
Personally I am humble servant of Krishna as you are also, but I am deputed to accept your service just to transfer it to Krishna as via media. I shall try to do this service to you and Krishna throughout my life, and I am so proud to have such assistants as you are to help me in my mission to push on the Krishna Consciousness Movement.
Srila Prabhupada letter
Allston, Mass, May 1, 1969
8. Srila Prabhupada is my investor. He has provided the means for liberation. I cannot repay him but I will try.
If you feel at all indebted to me then you should preach vigorously like me. That is the proper way to repay me. Of course, no one can repay the debt to the spiritual master, but the spiritual master is very much pleased by such as attitude by the disciple. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said: vyavasayatmika buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana, "Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose, and their aim is one." Our only business is to be fixed up in devotional service by pleasing the spiritual master.
Srila Prabhupada letter to Residents of New Dvaraka
Bombay, August 14, 1976
(Cont'd on next page.)
