In the purport to Sri Caitanya Caritamrita Madhya 8.246, Srila Prabhupada explains that of all gopis in the pastimes of Lord Krishna, Srimati Radharani is the topmost. Srila Rupa Goswami and Srila Sanatana Goswami are the most exalted servitors of Srimati Radharani and Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And those who adhere to their service are known as Rupanugas. Srila Prabhupada, thereupon, requested all the members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness to publish and distribute as many books as possible and thereby, following in the footsteps of Srila Rupa Goswami, one can become a Rupanuga devotee. Thus, although we partake in this “Krishna-consciousness movement,” we begin with our allegiance to the previous acaryas that made Lord Krishna and the path of devotion unto Him, more and more accessible to us. And one quality that makes the mercy of Krishna accessible is also gratitude to the spiritual master.
Srila Prabhupada is the Founder and Principal Acarya of the ISKCON movement, and it is our profound gratitude towards Him that determines our strength and connection with the previous acaryas and ultimately, the Lord Himself. It may seem bold to echo such a statement, however, the Gurvastaka of Srila Visvanath Cakravarti Thakur and the Guru-vandana of Srila Narottama Das Thakur enunciate how the spiritual master is one’s life and soul. The question then arises, how may we endeavour to remember Srila Prabhupada as our life and soul?
One way to do that is by keeping Srila Prabhupada in the centre of all activities and relationships. To understand this, an analogy of a growing tree may be taken. A tree may have deep roots under the soil, which may be invisible to the eye. This tree may have several branches, which may have several differently coloured/shaped leaves, and every fruit may ripen at different times in a season. However, it is the trunk that holds everything together. The trunk connects what is above the soil and below, it carries the nutrient in all motions, and it is the most powerful and strong portion of the tree withstanding all challenges. The sign of a healthy tree is the harmony between different limbs and its dependence on the trunk. Similarly, the health of our community is in recognising the central position of Srila Prabhupada, who is like the trunk of the ISKCON tree.
A famous quote of Srila Prabhupada, relevant to this context is “Your love for me will be shown by how much you cooperate….” Therefore, Srila Prabhupada emphasized, how to love is to cooperate. And being an International community which can be quite variegated in different senses of the term, coming together in our love for Srila Prabhupada is an asset for both our congregational and individual relationships.
Thus, this series “In Praise of Srila Prabhupada” is our opportunity to explore and express that love.
Jaya Srila Prabhupada!
Editorial Team
In Praise of Srila Prabhupada – Essay 1
5 November 2024 on the occasion of Srila Prabhupada’s Tirobhava
Comments