SRILA PRABHUPADA GAVE US EVERYTHING

IN PRAISE OF SRILA PRABHUPADA – ESSAY 8: JUNE 1, 2025

- Bh. Yamuna

Born in ignorance and confusion, I wasted my valuable time in a human form of life, which is very, very rarely achieved. I felt so shelter-less in my life, going to school, having so many nonsensical qualities and manners of behaviour of an engrossed materialist.

It was another pitiful, so called momentary joyful day, but full of confusion, illusion and suffering, when my brother Abhay Prasad came to my room and told me that I should start listening to Srila Prabhupada’s lectures. They would be very powerful, he said. When I told him that I don’t understand Srila Prabhupada and that my English is very bad, he made the point that Srila Prabhupada actually doesn’t speak English but that He speaks directly to our hearts. I must simply try to understand. So, I did. And Srila Prabhupada never let me feel alone anymore - never let me feel completely hopeless and useless again. Another time, through my brother, I received so much mercy of Srila Prabhupada, which in the future, would bring me to the temple, my current home.

Srila Prabhupada spent His whole life preparing for this most important mission, to preach Krishna Consciousness all over the world, especially through His books, chanting of the Holy Name and distributing Krishna prasadam. He gave every bit of His energy… Working extremely hard to publish “Back to Godhead” magazines, leaving home and family to renounce everything and live under most modest conditions, crying for the mercy of Srila Rupa Gosvami in the nights while sweeping the floor of the courtyard in Radha-Damodar temple in Vrindavan, being bereft of any support from his godbrothers, and, almost penniless, entering the cargo ship “Jaladuta” at the age of 69, having an extremely hard time which culminated in two heart attacks on the ship…

He was fully depending on Krishna and His Spiritual Master, in greatest humility, and the famous poem in His journal depicts this very beautifully:

"(…) I don't know why you brought me here (…) But I believe you have something planned for me here—why else would you lead me to this terrible place? (...) Oh spiritual master of all worlds!... If you wish, give me the strength to speak so that they can understand. I possess neither devotion nor knowledge, but I have strong faith in Krishna's holy name."

In this way He departed on the cargo ship, not knowing whether to turn right or left, being surrounded by the sinful lives of the Lower East Side in New York, in the coldest winter on record for 50 years, without proper shelter, he began to sing the Holy Name of the Lord accompanied with the sweet sound of his cymbals: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare…This pure Holy Name captured thousands and thousands of hearts, and finally the whole world…

Srila Prabhupada’s most genuine loving care was and still is, the most beautiful thing we can ever get in this world. His ingenious way of presenting Krishna Consciousness is reflected in His books being the foundation, which he established by translating every night. In addition to his lectures, letters and teachings, preaching programs, the perfectly compiled morning program, etc… and finally, his emphasis on establishing the Varnasrama dharma, the perfect system of society.

His Holiness Srila Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja says it so beautifully: “Prabhupada gave us EVERYTHING! Including raganuga bhakti. (…) Therefore, never, ever think Srila Prabhupada doesn’t give us everything. What Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to give, Srila Prabhupada gave in a perfect way. Those who think that Prabhupada didn’t give everything and they have to go somewhere else, they are very, very unfortunate. They are making a very serious mistake. So, I will request you all not to ever make that mistake. That’s why I tell everybody: never leave ISKCON.”

Therefore, we can never, ever repay Srila Prabhupada for what He gave us… But we can try to be part of His mission: to establish this Krishna Consciousness movement as the most popular movement in this world and offer Him our lives in service.