Preaching is the Essence:
Srila Prabhupada'sMission
(Madana Mohan Class)
Hare Krishna Sunday SchoolInternational Society £0'£ Krishna Consciousness
Founder-acarya His Divine Grace AC. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Name: ----Class:
Preaching is the Essence:
Srila Prabhupada's Mission
Compiled by:
Sangita devi dasi
Hare Krishna Sunday SchoolSponsored by:
ISI(CON Foundation
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This book is dedicated to ISKCON Founder-llcllrya His Divine GraceA.c. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada who left his home in Vrindavana, India to
travel to a "remote corner of the world" to teach the fallen souls about Lord Krishna.
Session Verse
yoga -sannyasta - karmanamjnana-sanchinna-samsayam
atmavantam na karmaninibadhnanti dhananjaya
(Bhagavad-gita As It Is)Chapter 4, Text 41
Translation
One who acts in devotional service, renouncing the
fruits of his actions, and whose doubts have been
destroyed by transcendental knowledge, is situated
factually in the self. Thus he is not bound by the
reactions of work, 0 conqueror of riches.
Lesson Page
Introduction 1
Poem 2
Lesson One 3
Lesson Two 12
Lesson Three 20
Lesson Four 27
Lesson Five 33
Lesson Six 42
Introduction
A few days before his 69th birthday, His Divine Grace A.C.r\J3hakti~edanta Swami Prabhupada boarded a steamship with aone-way passage from India to the United States. With a trunk fullof books and barely a few dollars in his pocket, Srila Prabhupadastarted on his journey to the West to preach Krishna consciousnessto those who had never heard of Lord Krishna. He did this out oflove for his Guru Maharaja and for his love for the Lord. He did thisout of compassion for the lost and fallen souls who aimlessly wanderwithin this material world from one life to another.
Srila Prabhupada 'wrote, "...The duty of all devotees is to preachKrishna consciousness evervwhere all over the 'world, because all
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living entities without Krishna consciousness are suffering the pangsof material existence. To preach Krishna consciousness is the bestwelfare activity. Indeed, it is described by Sri ChaitanyaMahaprabhu as 'para-upakara,' work for the true benefit of others."
In this session we will learn about Srila Prabhupada's mission andpreaching activities. We will learn how only a transcendentalpersonality such as Srila Prabhupada could have accomplished somuch in such a short amount of time. By reading about his work,you will hopefully gain a greater appreciation for who SrilaPrabhupada was and what gifts he brought to this world.
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He reasons ill who tells that Vaisnavas die.
When thou art living still in sound!
The Vaisnavas die to live, and living try
To spread the holy name around!
2
Lesson One
5rila Prabhupada's Journey
On August 13, 1965, Srila Prabhupada set sail from
India to America as the only passenger on board a small, 'weathered
cargo ship named the [aladuta. Along with a small suitcase, he took
with him several boxes of books, an umbrella, a supply of dry cereal
and about seven dollars worth of Indian currency. He did know
what to expect in America, a country he had never even seen. He
was old and his health had not been good. But when he thought of
the books he was bringing--transcendental knowledge about Lord
Krishna--he became confident. He remembered the instructions his
Guru Maharaja, His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati,
had given him back in 1935.
"If you ever get money, print books," he told him, while
walking along the Radha-kunda in Vrindavana.
Srila Prabhupada never forgot that instruction. He prepared
his entire life to fulfill the order of his Guru.
..,:>
In November 1935 at Radha-kunda in Vrindavana, Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati told Srila Prabhupada, "Ifyou everget money, print books. "
4
At9:00 am, the Jaladuta, commanded by Captain Arun
Pandia, set sail. In his diary, Srila Prabhupada wrote, "The cabin is
quite comfortable." But on the fourteenth day of the journey, he
noted in his diary, "Seasickness, dizziness, vomiting--Bay of Bengal.
Heavv rains. More sickness." And bv the twentv-third day, he wrote,.,' ."./ 01
"Rain, seasickness, dizziness, headache, no appetite, vomiting." The
terrible pains in his chest made him think he might die. In two days
he suffered two heart attacks. Srila Prabhupada thought that if
another heart attack came, he would not survive. That night he had
a dream.
In his dream, Srila Prabhupada saw Lord Krishna rowing a
boat. The Lord told him that he should not fear, but should come
along. A third heart attack did not occur.
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On Friday, September 10, Srila Prabhupada wrote, "Today
the ship is plying very smoothly. I feel today better. But I am feeling
separation from Sri Vrindavana and my Lords Sri Govinda,
Gopinatha, Radha Damodara. The only solace is Sri Chaitanya
Charitamrita in which I am tasting the nectarine of Lord
Chaitanya's pastimes. I have left Bharatabhumi just to execute the
order of Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati in pursuance of Lord
Chaitanya's order. I have no qualification, but have taken up the
risk just to carry out the order of His Divine Grace. I depend fully
on Their mercv, so far away from Vrindavana.".; .,
On September 13, Srila Prabhupada wrote in his diary,
"Thirty-second day of journey. Cooked bati kichari. It appeared to
be delicious, so I was able to take some food. Today I have disclosed
my mind to my companion, Lord Sri Krishna. There is a Bengali
poem made by me in this connection." An English translation of this
poem follows:
I emphatically stry toyou, 0 brothers,you will obtain your good
fortune from the Supreme Lord Krishna only when Srimati Radharani
becomes please with you.
Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, who is very dear to
Lord Gauranga (Lord Chaitanya), the son of mother Sachi, is unparalleled
in his service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. He is that great, saintly
spiritual master who bestows intense devotion to Krishna at different places
throughout the world.
By his strong desire, the holy name of Lord Gauranga will spread
throughout all the countries of the Westenl world. In all the cities, towns,
and villages on the earth, from all the oceans, seas, rivers and streams,
everyone will chant the holy name of Krishna.
7
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As the vast mercy ofSri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu conquers all
directions, aflood of transcendental ecstasy will certainly cover the land.
VVhen all the sinful, miserable livingentities become happy, the Vaisnavas'
desire is then fulfilled.
Although my Gum Maharaja ordered me to accomplish this mission, I
am not worthy orfit to do it. I am very fallen and insignificant. Therefore. 0
Lord, now I am beggingfor Your mercy so that I may become worthy,for You
are the wisest and most experienced of all...
Today that remembrance of You came to me in a very nice way.
Because I have a great longing I call to You. I am Your eternal servant, and
therefore I desire Your association so much. 0 Lord Krishna, exceptfor You
there is no means ofsuccess.
After a thirty-five day journey from Calcutta, the Jaladuta
reached Boston's Commonwealth Pier at 5:30 am on September 17,
1965. The ship stopped briefly in Boston and then proceeded to
New York, Srila Prabhupada's destination.
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Srila Prabhupada's spiritual master,
Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati
Check for Understanding
Briefly answer the questions below: @
1. Srila Prabhupada wrote that it is the duty of all devotees to
preach Krishna consciousness. Why? _
2. How is a vaisnava who has passed away from this world "living
still in sound?" --------------------
3. What instruction did Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur give
Srila Prabhupada in 19357 _
4. In your own words, briefly explain the dream Srila Prabhupada
had of Lord Krishna rowing the boat. _
9
Something to think about and discuss:
In the Chaitanva Caritamrta, Adi-lila 3.78, Srila Prabhupada writes:
"Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is the father and inaugurator of the
sankirtana movement. One who worships Him by sacrificing his life, money,
intelligence and wordsfor the sankirtana movement is recognized by the Lord
and endowed with His blessings. All others may be said to befoolish, for of
all sacrifices in which a man may apply his energy, a sacrifice made for the
sankirtana movement is the most glorious. "
10
What If?What if someone askedyou thetranscendental qualities Srila
Prabhupada possessed in order tojourney to the West as he did?
List some of those Q-ualities below:(Hint: Refer to Nectar ofDevotion)
11
Lesson TwoSrila Prabhupada's Society
ust after his arrival in the United States, Srila Prabhupada
wrot , "Mv dear Lord Krishna...How will I make them understand./
this message of Krishna consciousness? I am very unfortunate,
unqualified and the most fallen. Therefore, I am seeking Your
benediction so that I can convince them, for I am powerless to do so
on my own ...I am sure that when this transcendental message
penetrates their hearts, they Will certainly feel engladdened and thus
become liberated from all unhappy conditions of life..."
In this poem translated from Bengali, Srila Prabhupada
expressed his humility and unending faith in the Lord. Arriving in a
strange country, knowing no one and carrying only a few
possessions, Srila Prabhupada did not even have a clear idea of how
he would accomplish his goal of presenting the spiritual knowledge
of the Vedas to Western society. After years of
much struggle and at an age when most men are
ready to retire, Srila Prabhupada ventured to do
what most would call impossible.
12
Between the years 1965 and 1977, Srila Prabhupada
spread the teachings of Krishna consciousness to every major city in
the world. He formed the International Societv for Krishna-'
Consciousness (ISKCON) comprising thousands of sincere
members. He established l08 temples and farm communities spread
across SLX continents. At an elderly age he circled the globe twelve
times to personally guide and enliven his devotees whose lives were
now dedicated to assisting Srila Prabhupada's preaching mission.
Sri/a Prabhupada inthe courtyard of IS[(COlv'sfirst temple, a storefront inNew York's Lower East Side.
----~13
Srila Prabhupada taught that Krishna consciousness was
more than another sectarian faith. To those who had never even
heard of Krishna, he taught that Krishna consciousness was a
technical science of spiritual values taught in the Vedic literatures
that historically date back thousands of Years. From his early davs of~ -' .. ..
chanting in Tompkin s Square Park in New York City, Srila
Prabhupada attracted spiritual-seekers and the curious of all ages
and taught them that the means to achieving transcendental
realization in this age was to chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra:
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Hare Krishna ,. ~,.:~ ,
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Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna
Hare Hare
Hare Rania
Hare Rama
Rama Rania
Hare Hare. I1r.: -----~_._-----_.---
Srila Prabhupada attracted a small group offollowers inNew York's Tompkin s Square Park and taught them to
chant the Hare Krishna mantra.
14
TOdav, the International Society for Krishna
Consciousness comprises hundreds of temples, farm communities,
schools and special projects throughout the world. Congregational
members hold kirtan and teaching programs within their homes.
ISKCON distributes prasadam to millions of people on a daily basis
in centers worldwide.
Srila Prabhupada ignited a spark that continues to glow years
after his disappearance from this mortal world. Through following
his teachings and working together, his sincere disciples and grand~
disciples continue to assist him with his spiritual goal of spreading
Krishna consciousness to people everywhere.
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Srila Prabhupada taught his disciples tofreely distribute prasadam.
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Check for Understanding-rs ~::1'",.,,,,,~""'\>10'_""',,",,."_""""". _._a.-.......... ''', u-t-,t.,
In October, 1966 a story about Srila Prabhupadawas on the front page of a local newspaper called
"The East Village Other. "The Headline read, "Save Earth Now."
In the space below write a headline and a shortarticle about Srila Prabhupada chanting andpreaching in New York's Lower East Side.
Date the article--October, 1966.(Hint: You can read an excerpt of the original article in
Srila Prabhupada-Lilamrta, Vol. 2, Ch. 9).
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Lesson Three
Srila Prabhupada's Books
I t was in 1939 that Srila Prabhupada first wrote,
"Introduction to Geetopanishad," a sign of his intention to one day
translate the Bnagavad-gita into English. Srila Prabhupada was
determined to follow the orders of his spiritual master and develop
into an English preacher.
Then in 1944, Srila Prabhupada wrote, edited and typed a
manuscript for a new magazine propagating Krishna consciousness.
He called it, "Back to Godhead." Above the logo of Lord Chaitanya
which Srila Prabhupada designed were the words, "Godhead is
Light, Nescience is Darkness. Where there is Godhead there is no
Nescience." The first edition was a forty-four page publication. The
theme of "Back to Godhead" magazine was to present the timeless
message of the Vedas and to simply repeat, unchanged, the
transcendental teachings of Lord Chaitanya.
Today, "Back to Godhead" continues to be written and
distributed worldwide by the followers of Srila Prabhupada.
20
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TRUTH AND BEl'tur'1'
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Srila Prabhupada first published the"Back to Godhead" magazine in 1944.
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1970, Srila Prabhupada started the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
(BBT) which eventually grevv into an international publishing
conlpany. The BBT is now t.he world ,s largest publisher of 'Vedic
literature. Through its work, millions of people have read at least
one of Srila Prabhupada's books. Srila Prabhupada often described
his work of translating the vTedas as his very life and soul. I-Ie
considered it to be his most important work.
The writings of Srila Prabhupada are mainly represented by
three works-vthe Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam and Chaitanya-
cariiamrta. Together, they comprise more than 25 volumes of
inforrnation about the science of self-realization. Their translation
into English, along with Siila Prabhupada's elaborate explanations,
represents his most significant contribution to the world.
Srila Prabhupada's teachings can be
summarized under three very generai headings:
sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana. In Sanskrit,
sambandha means AllY relationshin unth God!oJ " ... , ..... .... A. ... L .... ... '-" \,.4...... .... '"-" '-" L. l..l. t' "y ... \...1.. l. ~,
abhidheya .means acting in that relationship and
prayojana means the ultimate goal or perfection of our lives. These
common principles can be found in all religions around the world.
.,.,_...
The teachings described in Srila Prabhupada's books
allow anyone to advance in his or her understanding of the Lord.
How to love God is the sum and substance of the knowledge found
in the books of His Divine Grace.
Srila Prabhupada often described the understanding that we
are all spirit souls, separate from our material body, as the "abc's of
spiritual life." He explained that consciousness is simply the
presence of the soul 'within the body. This consciousness ends with
the death of the material body (when the soul leaves the body).
In the Bhagavad-gita, Krishna instructed
Arjuna, "As the embodied soul continuously
passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to
old age, the soul similarly passes into another
body at death. The self-realized soul is not
bewildered by such a change." iBhagavad-gita,
Chapter 2, Text 13)
Srila Prabhupada explains: "In the modem age, people
are so uneducated that they cannot understand that,/
the body is changing at every moment and that the
ultimate change is called death.
In this life one may be a king, and in the next life one nlay be a
dog, according to karma. The spirit soul is in a deep slumber caused
by the force of material nature. He is put into one type of condition
and again changed into another type. Without self-realization and
knowledge, conditional life continues, and one falsely claims himself
a king, a cat, or a dog. These are simply transformations brought
about by the suprelne arrangement."
If each of us is an eternal soul covered only by a different
temporary body, then we can easily understand that the most
irnportant work we can do in this life is to awaken our true spiritual
identity and develop our eternal relationship with the Lord. That
activity is called Krishna consciousness. In his transcendental books,
Srila Prabhupada kindly taught us about Krishna's eternal pastimes
and gave us the means to awaken our dormant relationship with the
Lord.
Let's Look it Up !
In the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, find averse about the soul, not the materialbody, being the TRuE self. Write theSanskrit verse and translation below.
Chapter , Text __
Translation:
All glories to Srila Prabhupada's Books !
Transcendental BookDistribution !
IS](CON's primary goal is to make SrilaPrabhupada's literature available to
everyone around the world. On the linesbelow, write some ways you can take partin this important mission. How can YoU
distribute 5rila Prabhupada's books?
Lesson FourScholarly Appreciation oj Srila Prabhupada's Teachings
Many times Srila Prabhupada spoke about the
colleges and universities teaching many things
except the scientific knowledge of the self and the
Lord. His writings attracted the attention of many
scholars, teachers and professors who either
personally met Srila Prabhupada or read his teachings on the science
of Krishna consciousness. Often they commented on the great
contribution Srila Prabhupada made to humanity by translating the
Vedic literature for everyone to read. In this lesson, we will read
some of the comments made by these distinguished scholars.
27
Harvey Cox, professor of religion at Harvard University
said: "Y\t'hen I first met the Hare Krishnas, ] can remember has surprised]
was, and wondered what this meant. The costumes, the chanting and the
shaved heads appeared a little strange to me. But as ] came to know the
movement, I came tofind that there was a striking similarity in the essence of
what thry were teaching and in the original core of Christianity--that is,
living simply, not trying to accumulate worldlY goods, living with compassion
toward all creatures, sharing, loving, and iiving jiljlfulfy. I am impressed with
how much the teachings oj one man and the spiritual tradition he brought
have impacted themselves into the lilies of so marty people. In rrry view Srila
Prabhupada's contribution is a very important one and will be a lasting
"one.
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iThomas Merion, Late Catholic theologian, monk, and author !i"rnt--=>c' «ru; Bhaeavad .-nf-/1 r~n~ he coo-..~ as the main literarv C1'P'11"lrt .(,0'" +l,.).I ...~ .1...l.~'-'~. .I. IIoLl , 5 14 .......... -5£. ..... ""'" t,.,<""""'1- U "''''' .... ,&. IdA> Ill- 1-,1- "'J.." J I IJ JH. t'v «r J I ....,.""1Igreat religious civilization ofIndia, the oldest surviving culture in the iiworld...tt« present translation and commenta1J! is another manifestation of I!the permanent iiving importance of the Gita. Bhaktivedanta Swami brings t~
Ithe l¥est a salutary reminder that OUT high[y activistic and one-sided adt'..lTeliisfaced with a crisis that may end in self-destruction because it lacks the I11'"z"'er denth (Jf: /1", authentic metaphysical consciousness TA/j+J~l"lll+ c..,rl~ AOl1+1~ !I .t H t' J. L:; ....,. .... ."',. ....'" I • ~".L' v ""v' ""'",. "". ,,, H, .V""' ... """'vI> l",-vt''''I>, ilour moral and political protestations are just so much verbiage. " I~ d(~ ,0)(~J ~:2ZS
"A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is a prestigiousmaster and heir to a great tradition. "-Joseph Jean Lanzo del VastoProminent French philosopher and author
"His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta SwamiPrabhupada is doing valuable work, and his books aresignificant contributions to the salvation ofmankind."--Sri Lal Bahadur Shastri
Former Prime Minister of India
"The books ofA.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada arenot onry beautiful, but also relevant to our times, as we as anation searchfor new cultural patterns for our way oj life."
--Dr. C.L. SpreadburyProfessor of Sociology
Stephen F. Austin State University
"Swami Bhaktivedanta has offered to devotees of God a blessed service with
his English translations and commentaries. The universal application oj these
truths is shown to be a promised blessing in these times ofchallenge when
light is illumining darkness. Truly this is a holy, inspired writingfor all
aspiring souls seeking the why, whence and whither of life!
--Dr. Judith M. Tyberg
Founder and Director of East-West Cultural Center, California
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thousands ofdevotees, opening the Radha-Krishna temples in the :1
major cities of the world and writing numerous works on the bhakti-yoga as II
II taught by Sri Krishna and Sri Chaitanya. " iii Professor Mahesh Mehta, Professor of Asian St~dies IIII IIII University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada II~~. ~lII 11--
~. ~II "In the diversity of religious approaches offered by theyogis of India the mostij
II significant, ofcourse, is the way ofKrishna consciousness, shown by Srila \il !II Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Swami, tenth teacher in the tradition of!I[I Mahaprabhu Chaitanya. It is amazing to see how Srila BhaktivedantaII
Ii Swami has, in less than tenyears. succeeded b)' his personal devotion and
II single-minded dedication to the task, untiring energy and efficient direction,
II in organizing the International Society for Krishna Consciousness having
During a visit to the previous Soviet Union, Srila Prabhupada
met with Professor Grigorly Korovsky, head of the India
Department at the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences. The following is
an excerpt of their conversation (taken from the book, "The Science oj
SelfRealization >7):
Srila Prabhupada: 1 am not talking religion with you. I am talking
science and philosophy. One religion may accept one way; that is
not our concern. We are concerned with the point that if the owner
of the body is permanent in spite of different changes of body, there
should be no difficulty in understanding that when this body
changes entirely, the owner of the body will have another body.
Prof. I<otovsky: Another approach is that there is no separation.
There are no t\VO phenomena--the body and the owner of the body
are the same.
,Srila Prabhupada: (emphatically) No.
Prof. I<otovsky: When the body dies, the owner also dies.
,Srila Prabhupada: No, no. But why is there no department of
knowledge in the university to study this fact scientifically? That is
my proposition--they are lacking. It may be as you say or it may be
as I say, but there must be a department of knowledge to study this.
31
Recently, a cardiologist in Toronto, a doctor, has- '-'
accepted that there is a soul. I had some
correspondence with him, and he strongly
believes that there is a soul. So there is another
point of view, but our process is to accept
knowledge from authority. We have Krishna's statement on this
subject, and He is authoritative. Krishna is accepted as the authority
by all the acaryas. The Bhagavad-gita is accepted by scholarly and
philosophical circles all over the 'world.
"J list as the soul gives up the childhood body and comes
to the boyhood body and then to youth, the soul also gives
up this body and accepts another body." (Bg. 2.13)
This statement is given by Krishna, the greatest authority according
to our tradition of knowledge. We accept such a statement without
argument. That is the way of Vedic understanding.
.-
What If?What if you were asked to write a review
praising Srila Prabhupada's books? What
would you say? Write YOllr statement below.
Be sure to include your name (and title)I
after your quote. ,
//.-r
32
Lesson Five
Preaching Is The Essence
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~/ In Lesson Five, vou will examine instructions about preaching'~JI' i
I II that Srila Prabhupada has given in his books. Obeying the \I II instructions of his spiritual master and following in the II I, footsteps of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila Prabhupada II \I lived his life to benedict the entire world with Krishna II i, I
! II consciousness. By studying his teachings, we can increase our iI \I understanding of his transcendental mission. As our \I II understanding and appreciation increases, so also will our I
I desire to participate in the sublime process of preaching !
~ Krishna consciousness. c<lI~ ()
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"Preaching is the best service to the Lord. The Lord
will immediately be extremely satisfied with one who- -engages in this service of preaching Krishna
consciousness. This is confirmed by the Lord
Himself in Bhagavad-gita (18.69). "There is no
servant in this 'world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be
one more dear." If one sincerely tries his best to spread Krishna
consciousness by preaching the glories of the Lord and His
supremacy, even if he is imperfectly educated, he becomes the
dearmost servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is
hhakti. As one performs this service for humanity, without
discrimination between friends and enemies, the Lord becomes
satisfied, and the mission of one's life is fulfilled."
-Srimad-Bhagauatam 7.6.24
"The members of this ISI(CON Society must always rerl1erl1berthat if they stick to the regulative principles and preachsincerely according to the instructions of the acaryas, surelythey will have the profound blessings of LordChaitanya Mahaprabhu, and their preachingwork will be successful everywhere throughoutthe world."-c. Adi-lila 7.1 71
34
"The Lord is ever increasingly merciful upon
the fallen souls of this material world. The
whole cosmic manifestation is a chance for
, all to improve themselves in devotional
service to the Lord, and everyone is meant"
for that purpose...The Lord gives the fallen souls the chance for this
highest perfection of life."
-Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.9.25
"Sometimes He (the Lord) incarnates Himself or
in either case the purpose is the same...The Lord,
empo\vers a suitable living being to act for Him, but
therefore, comes to propagate the
.r"
or through His bona fide representative as the
good son of God. Such incarnations or sons of
~6..~' .'-../
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~~1_.~ message of the kingdom of God,~'-Y) ~~!-{',It
--- ,-''V",~i,~ either personally as an incarnation
God are not making propaganda for going back to Godhead only
within the human society. Their work is also going on in all types of
societies, arnongst demigods and those other than human beings."
-Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.34
A devotee who tries to preach is first-class:
As far as the field of spiritual activities is concerned, 'when a devotee
is self-satisfied and does not preach the glories of Krishna, he is not
considered a first-class devotee. A devotee who tries to preach, 'who
has compassion upon innocent persons who have no knowledge of
Krishna, is a superior devotee. In his prayer to the Lord, Prahlada
Maharaja said that he was not personally interested in liberation
from this material world, rather, he did not wish to be liberated from
this material condition until all fallen souls are delivered.'
-Srimad-Bhagavatam, 4.17
Who was Prahlada Maharaja? _
How would the word "magnanimous" describe him?
(Hint: Refer to the qualities of a devotee in Nectar of
Devotion.)-----------------------
36
All devotees must preach:
When a person actually revives his consciousness with
thoughts of I<rishna by the mercy of Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu, he revives his spiritual life and becomes addicted
to the service of the Lord. Only then can he act
as an aearya. In other words, everyone should
engage in preaching, following in the footsteps
of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. In this way one
will be very much appreciated by Lord Krishna
and will quickly be recognized by Him. Actually
a devotee of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu must engage in
preaching in order to increase the followers of the Lord. By
thus preaching actual Vedic knowledge all over the world, one
will benefit all mankind.
--Ceo Madhya 7.153
What is meant by "acarya" ? _
37
~~.::;.
/)., \t.: \,~ \ , ....
\~ \ Jo
Lord Chaitanya, is the greatest missionary' activity,
join in this great movement started
by Lord Chaitanva.
and all sensible men and women of the world mav..
Krsna-katha is the only remedy for all people of the world because it
can situate one in pure consciousness of the self and
liberate one from material bondage. To preach
Krsna-katha all over the 'world, as recommended by
--Srimad-Bhagavlltam,3.5.11
What is Krsna-katha?-------------------
For one who explains the supreme secret to the devotees,
devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come
back to Me. There is no servant in this world more dear to Me
· ....
than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.
Anyone...who tries sincerely to present Bhagavad-gita as
it is will advance in devotional activities and reach the
pure devotional state of life. As a result of such pure
devotion, he is sure to go back home, back to Godhead.
-Bhagavad-gita, 18.68-69
;( ","';;" ~""._...;~~~ If one w-ants to be recoginized as a devotee by~~~ '~ " .~. ..".. ~li',"" ' -- Krishna, he should take to preaching work,
following the advice of Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu. Then one will undoubtedly attain
. the lotus feet of Sri Krishna Chaitanya, Lord
Krishna Himself, without delay.
--Cc. A1.adhya 7.148
39
Under the picture below, write a caption inviting everyoneto come to the Sunday feast program atyour temple.
Then, carefully remove the page, cut at the dotted line,and give the invitation to someone this week.
~-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~~~ Please Join Us This Sunday 'i'{~(i'
Lord Chaitanya Wants You!Please join Lord Chaitanya's preaching movement! Onthe lines below, write some oj the thingsyou can do to
preach Krishna consciousness during thenext week (and every week after that).
Ideas to get you started: Givesomeone prasadam, teach someone
the Hare Krishna mantra, givesomeone one of Srila Prabhupada's
books, etc.MONDAY: --------------TUESDAY: --------------WEDNESDAY: -------------
THURSDAY: -------------FRIDAY: ---------------SATURDAY:
SUNDAY: Bring a friend to the Sunday feast.
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Lesson SixSrila Prabhupada Lives Forever
Speaking of his life, Srila Prabhupada once said,
"I cannot remember a time when I was not Krishna-
.' .;; "',:"~::j conscious." He took his birth within a Vaisnava
l,~~ \~' family. His father was a pure devotee of Lord Krishna
and was the main influence during Srila Prabhupada's
earlv vears. His dedication in the Krsna Book reads:- -'
To myfather, Gour Mohan De (1849-1930), a pure devotee ofKrishna. who raised me as a Krishna conscious child from the
beginning ofmy life. In "!y boyhood ages he instructed me how to play
the mrdanga. He gave me Radha-Krishna vigraha to worship, and he
gave me[agannatha-Ratha to duly observe the festival as my childhood
play. He was kind to me, and I imbibedfrom him the ideas lateron
solidified by my spiritual master, the eternal father.
Describing his mother, Srila Prabhupada said she was always
concerned for his health and w~ll-being. He once said, "If my
mother was alive today, she would be happy just to see that I am
living."
42
One of Srila Prabhupada's earliest memories is of trying to fly a
kite. He and his sister ran 'with the kite and prayed, "Dear God,
please let it fly." He also told of consulting the
train schedules as a young boy and how he would
think about how he could save the train fare to go
from Calcutta to Vrindavana, the place of Lord ~~,'
Krishna's eternal pastimes.
In 1922, as a "newly married
young man," a friend took Srila Prabhupada to meet
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura, a learned
Vaisnava scholar. At their first meeting, he told Srila
Prabhupada to bring the spiritual knowledge of•.;llllIlI;l!'ol" .: '\
',.
'"'lb .; India's Vedas, Krishna consciousness, to the West.
This saintly person was to later become Srila Prabhupada's spiritual
master and his orders, Srila Prabhupada's life and soul.
Srila Prabhupada personally met with his spiritual master not
more than a dozen times, but he constantly meditated on the
instruction given to him at their first meeting, "Teach Krishna
consciousness to the English-speaking people." Srila Prabhupada
spent his entire life preparing for that mission.
43
Milestones in Srila Prabhupada's
Preaching Mission
July, 1966--0btained a storefront on 26
~~~~&fj:!:rSecond Avenue in Manhattan's Lower East
Side. ISI<CON's first temple was established.
1967--Opened temples in San Francisco, Montreal, and Boston
....
1968--0pened centers in Los Angeles, Detroit
and Philadelphia
1968--The first Ratha-yatra festival in San
Francisco
1968--Publication of Bhagavad-gita As It Is and Teachings of
Lord Chaitanya
1970--Publication of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead and The Nectar of Devotion
44
Although Srila Prabhupada traveled around the world many
times personally mangaging the affairs of [SKCON, enlivening his
disciples and lecturing on the science of Krishna consciousness, his
schedule never changed. Wherever he was, he translated the Vedas at
night by speaking into a dictaphone. He usually rested from 10 or
11 p.m. and then rose at 1 or 2 a.m. to translate the verses of
Srimad-Bhagavatam. He would sometimes translate only one page a
night.
"Little drops of water wear a"vay the stone," he once said. "In
this "vay 1 have written all these books. H
Long ago, an Indian astrologer predicted, "This is a man who
can build a house in which the entire world can live in peace."
Srila Prabhupada, an empowered intimate devotee of the Lord,
did just that. His appearance on this Earth was a blessing and
although his personal presence is greatly missed, his transcendental
disappearance from this world was also a blessing. By serving His
Divine Grace in separation he is teaching those who take shelter of
his lotus feet how to associate with him through his transcendental
instructions. That is what is meant by the following poem:
45
He reasons ill who tells that Vaisnavas d;e~VVhen thou art living still in sound!
The Vaisnavas die to live, and living tryTo spread the holy name around!
I
I
~Q-'"'---------------
In his book, "He Lives Forever," His Holiness Satsvarupa dasa
Goswami, one of Srila Prabhupada's first disciples, writes:
If a great personality departs, it is, in one sense, a matter of
rejoicing. When Bhisma left his body, the demigods showeredflowers
from the sky and beat drums. Then everyone became respectfully
silent. He passed away at an auspicious hour, and everyone knew
that he had gone back to Krishna. Actually, he was seeing Krishna
face to face as he left his body. Similarly, Srila Prabhupada was
hearing the chanting ofHare Krishna and looking at the lotus feet of
Krishna-Balarama and was surrounded by all his devotees--not just
at the end ofhis life, but he had dedicated his whole life to serving
Krishna.
"Ifyou think ofMe, becomeMy devotee,
worship Me, and offer obeisances to Me, rr Krishna
says, "then surelyyou will come to Me. "
46
Even the newspapers in India-where they're a little more
intelligent than in this part of the world--used the caption, "At
Krishna's Lotus Feet," for Srila Prabhupada's picture.
Another headline read, "Srila Prabhupada Goes Back to Heaven."
So this is the position of the pure devotee. While he's with us he's
with Krishna, and when he leaves he goes to Krishna in the spiritual
world to serve Him eternally. It's not ordinary; there's nothing to
lament for him. He has certainly gone back to Godhead.
Srila Prabhupada's contributions continue to benefit the world.
He is ever-present within his books and whenever you read them
you are associating with His Divine Grace. By following Srila
Prabhupada's instructions and by speaking to others about his
teachings you are assisting him in his preaching mission. In this way
you are pleasing Srila Prabhupada and Lord Krishna and will surely
receive their blessings.
47
PRABHUPADACENTENNIAL1,~Q64>1996
PRABHUPADACE~TE1'iNIAL
1396+['196
His Divine GraceA. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Look It Up!In the Bhagavad-gita, look up chapter 8, text 8.Write the Sanskrit verse and fill in the blanks
in the translation below:
Verse:
Translation;
He who on Me as the Supreme
of , his----- ----- ----constantly engaged in Me,
undeviated from the , he, 0 Partha, is----sure to Me.----
?•
What if you had the opportunity to preach tothe people listed below? To "role play" means
that one student pretends to be a person on thelist and another student is the devotee
preaching Krishna consciousness. Ask thedevotee questions that you think that person
might ask. For example: A high school studentmight ask, "Why do some of the Hare Krishnadevotees shave off their hair? Would I have to
do that?" --How would you answer him?
Let's Role Play!
1. A IO-year-old girl asks what the maha-mantra means.2. A high school boy asks why some devotees wear saffronrobes.3. A college student who is an economics major asks how beinga vegetarian can solve the problem of world hunger.4. A I5-year-old girl asks about reincarnation.5. A 6-year-old boy asks, "Does God live everywhere?"6. A I 7-year-old girl asks, "What do mean when you say that Iam not this body?"7. A 40-year-old business man asks aboutSrila Prabhupada.
50