View source for Prabhupāda's Love for His Students

When Śrīla Prabhupāda spoke of his disciples, his words overflowed with the profound affection of a perfect spiritual father. He did not see his students merely as followers, but as divine gifts sent by his spiritual master to help him push forward the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Reading his loving exchanges, one feels deeply inspired to surrender to Śrīla Prabhupāda, knowing that his strict instructions were given solely to protect us and elevate us to the highest platform of pure devotional service.

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=== A Fatherly Love and Obligation ===

Śrīla Prabhupāda often reflected on his early days when he was completely alone in the West. He was deeply moved by the fact that thousands of young men and women had dedicated their entire lives to executing his orders. Their enthusiasm and preaching successes were his very life-breath, and he always assured them that any chastisement he gave was born strictly out of a desire to see them perfect their lives. 

* [[Vaniquotes:It is simply out of love that I chastise any of my students|It is simply out of love that I chastise any of my students.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:At New York I felt at Home on account of so many beloved students like you. As you are feeling my absence so I am feeling for you. But we are all happy on account of Krishna Consciousness either here or there|At New York I felt at Home on account of so many beloved students like you. As you are feeling my absence so I am feeling for you. But we are all happy on account of Krishna Consciousness either here or there.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Four or five years ago, I came here, I had no student. I was loitering in the street. Nobody was caring for me. Now I have got hundreds and thousands of student. They are executing my order simply out of love|Four or five years ago, I came here, I had no student. I was loitering in the street. Nobody was caring for me. Now I have got hundreds and thousands of student. They are executing my order simply out of love.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:All these newses are to me life-giving ambrosia, so the more you open branches, the more I increase my duration of life. Therefore, if you all my students want me to live for some days more, go on opening nice branches as many as possible|All these newses are to me life-giving ambrosia, so the more you open branches, the more I increase my duration of life. Therefore, if you all my students want me to live for some days more, go on opening nice branches as many as possible.]]

=== The Strictness of Principles ===

Because he loved his students, Śrīla Prabhupāda refused to cheat them with cheap compromises. He insisted that anyone wanting to live in his temples must strictly abandon illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, and gambling. He knew that without these foundational principles and the daily chanting of sixteen rounds of the ''mahā-mantra'', his students would remain bound by material illusion.

* [[Vaniquotes:I don't accept any cheap student or cheap disciple. My first condition is that there is no illicit sex life, there is no intoxication, there is no gambling, and there is no meat-eating|I don't accept any cheap student or cheap disciple. My first condition is that there is no illicit sex life, there is no intoxication, there is no gambling, and there is no meat-eating.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:If new students are coming and they want to live with us in the temple, they must agree before living with us to follow these principles without any exception|If new students are coming and they want to live with us in the temple, they must agree before living with us to follow these principles without any exception.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:If we want to exist as first class men in society all our students must be induced to following the regulative principles. One shouldn't think artificially he has come to the spontaneous platform. That is sahajiyaism|If we want to exist as first class men in society all our students must be induced to following the regulative principles. One shouldn't think artificially he has come to the spontaneous platform. That is sahajiyaism.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:As president, you must make sure that all the students are regularly chanting 16 rounds, taking bath, attending mangal aratrik, reading our books, and following the regulative principles. If everyone keeps strictly these principles then success is assured|As president, you must make sure that all the students are regularly chanting 16 rounds, taking bath, attending mangal aratrik, reading our books, and following the regulative principles. If everyone keeps strictly these principles then success is assured.]]

=== Immersion in Spiritual Literature ===

To ensure his followers could defeat any opposing philosophy and remain spiritually strong, Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasized heavy reading and writing. He wanted his students to immerse themselves in his transcendental books every single day and write their own realizations, equipping them with the exact knowledge passed down by his spiritual master.

* [[Vaniquotes:All of my students should read our books very diligently at least one or two hours daily and try to understand the subject matter from varieties of angles|All of my students should read our books very diligently at least one or two hours daily and try to understand the subject matter from varieties of angles.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:All students should be encouraged to write some article after reading SB, BG, and TLC. They should realize the information, and they must present their assimilation in their own words. Otherwise, how they can become preachers?|All students should be encouraged to write some article after reading Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-Gita, and Teachings of Lord Caitanya. They should realize the information, and they must present their assimilation in their own words. Otherwise, how they can become preachers?]]
* [[Vaniquotes:I am glad that you and the others are each writing one hour daily essays. That is parampara. All of our previous acaryas on our line have written substantially on the science of God-consciousness, so I would also like all my students to do this|I am glad that you and the others are each writing one hour daily essays. That is parampara. All of our previous acaryas on our line have written substantially on the science of God-consciousness, so I would also like all my students to do this.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:I wish to introduce this examination system so that in the future our students may not remained unconcerned with these books we are publishing. These books are not material knowledge|I wish to introduce this examination system so that in the future our students may not remained unconcerned with these books we are publishing. These books are not material knowledge.]]

=== Establishing Ideal Character ===

Śrīla Prabhupāda was not interested in creating mere scholars; he wanted to develop pure devotees of the Lord. He constantly reminded his students that their practical behavior and purity of character were the real test of their spiritual advancement, and that by maintaining this standard, they would earn the respect of the entire world.

* [[Vaniquotes:I always want that my students should be very ideal in character and not discredit our society|I always want that my students should be very ideal in character and not discredit our society.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Here in our institute, we teach all the students practically how to become God conscious. Theoretical knowledge will not help us. There must be practical behavior|Here in our institute, we teach all the students practically how to become God conscious. Theoretical knowledge will not help us. There must be practical behavior.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Actually our students have surpassed the category of brahmana because they are Vaisnavas which means they are transcendental to any material position|Actually our students have surpassed the category of brahmana because they are Vaisnavas which means they are transcendental to any material position.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:In our Krishna Consciousness Society we are training our students up to the standard of brahminical culture. So the great respect we are getting here in India and throughout the rest of the world is due to these restrictions|In our Krishna Consciousness Society we are training our students up to the standard of brahminical culture. So the great respect we are getting here in India and throughout the rest of the world is due to these restrictions.]]

=== Becoming Future Spiritual Masters ===

As the movement expanded, Śrīla Prabhupāda expertly trained his students to take on increasing levels of responsibility. His vision was never to remain the sole preacher, but to empower his disciples to become qualified spiritual masters themselves, carrying the unbroken chain of disciplic succession far into the future.

* [[Vaniquotes:I am also obliged to them (my students) because they are helping me in this missionary work. At the same time, I shall request them all to become spiritual master. Every one of you should be spiritual master next|I am also obliged to them (my students) because they are helping me in this missionary work. At the same time, I shall request them all to become spiritual master. Every one of you should be spiritual master next.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:All of them will take over. These students, who are initiated from me, all of them will act as I am doing|All of them will take over. These students, who are initiated from me, all of them will act as I am doing.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Every student is expected to become Acarya. Acarya means one who knows the scriptural injunctions and follows them practically in life, and teaches them to his disciples|Every student is expected to become Acarya. Acarya means one who knows the scriptural injunctions and follows them practically in life, and teaches them to his disciples.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:I am training some, I mean to say, advanced students so that they may be very easily take up the charge. I have made them GBC. They are under my direct training, and I think they will be able to conduct this movement|I am training some, I mean to say, advanced students so that they may be very easily take up the charge. I have made them GBC. They are under my direct training, and I think they will be able to conduct this movement.]]

=== The Pride of Preaching ===

Śrīla Prabhupāda took immense transcendental pride in his students. He boldly stated that his young disciples could speak better than any mundane philosopher or politician because they carried the absolute truth. Knowing his physical time was limited, he lovingly challenged his students to take the movement into their own hands and push it forward with explosive energy.

* [[Vaniquotes:If you talk to whatever small number of followers I have, you will find that they talk better than any great philosopher, better than any scientist or politician. That is the quality of my students. What's the point in talking nonsense?|If you talk to whatever small number of followers I have, you will find that they talk better than any great philosopher, better than any scientist or politician. That is the quality of my students. What's the point in talking nonsense?]]
* [[Vaniquotes:I am confident that in the future all my student boys and girls will preach this Krishna Consciousness in the western world more successfully|I am confident that in the future all my student boys and girls will preach this Krishna Consciousness in the western world more successfully.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Any of my student who will understand (the science of Krsna consciousness), he will keep it running on. This is the process. It's not a new thing. It is the old thing. Simply we have to distribute it properly, as we have heard from our predecessor acarya|Any of my student who will understand (the science of Krsna consciousness), he will keep it running on. This is the process. It's not a new thing. It is the old thing. Simply we have to distribute it properly, as we have heard from our predecessor acarya.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:I'm getting old and can not move, so if you all my students work 10 times more than me that will be great pleasure for me|I'm getting old and can not move, so if you all my students work 10 times more than me that will be great pleasure for me.]]

=== Conclusion ===

Śrīla Prabhupāda’s relationship with his students provides the perfect model for how love is practically applied in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. His affection was never separate from his duty to his spiritual master; he loved his disciples enough to correct them, train them, and demand absolute purity from them. In return, his students found true freedom and happiness in executing his desires. By reading his books, following the regulative principles, and taking up the mantle of preaching, we step directly into that exact same loving relationship with him today. Śrīla Prabhupāda’s deepest pleasure remains the same: seeing his students vigorously pushing on the ultimate mission of spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

=== Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani ===

Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category [[Vaniquotes:Category:My Students (Prabhupada)|My Students (Prabhupada)]]. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.

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