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!

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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. "

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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.

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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. _

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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. "

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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)

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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.

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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.

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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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Sri/a Prabhupada establishedthe ivorship o] Tulasi deviforadvancement in spiritua/life.

5rila Prabhupada established Krishna consciousfarm communities where cows could be protected.

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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.

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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.

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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

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or through His bona fide representative as the

good son of God. Such incarnations or sons of

~6..~' .'-../

,~{~.~'.·].1l~,.~~

~~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.

41

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