The Real Home According to Prabhupāda
Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches us that the concept of home is fundamentally linked to our consciousness and our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. While the world seeks security in temporary domestic arrangements, Śrīla Prabhupāda demonstrates through his own life that a real home is where the Lord is served and remembered. By following his guidance, we can transform any place into a spiritual residence and prepare ourselves for our ultimate return to the eternal kingdom of God.
Relinquishing the Material Concept of Home
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s transition from a householder to a world-traveling preacher was marked by a profound sense of detachment. He viewed his departure from his material home as a special grace of the Lord, allowing him to fully commit to the instructions of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.
- I accepted my father's advice, and by his blessings only, I was never attached to my wife or home, which resulted in my complete liberation from worldly attachment and my devoting myself fully in Krishna Consciousness.
- I gave her (my wife) final, that "Either you have to give up your tea or your husband." (laughter) So she agreed to give up husband, not tea. (laughter) So I left my home. That's all.
- My only hope is Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakura. I have no one else. In my house my wife and son did not help me, so I left my home. I thought the Godbrothers would help me, but even that I did not get.
- I have become profited, profitable, or I have acquired profit. I left my home, my children and everything. I came here as a pauper, with seven dollars. That is no money. But I have got now big properties, hundreds of children.
The Spiritual Family as the True Residence
For Śrīla Prabhupāda, the presence of his beloved students and the existence of a spiritual family defined his sense of belonging. He often remarked that he felt at home in the West because of the sincerity of his disciples, proving that spiritual relationships transcend geographical and cultural boundaries.
- Practically your country is my home now. India is foreign country for me. The reason is that my spiritual family is there and my material relationships are in India; therefore factually where my spiritual family exists, there is my home.
- 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.
- I have left my hearth and home in India but here by the Grace of the Lord I have got good sons and daughter like you.
- Sometimes I think that I left my home leaving aside all children and grandchildren, and Krsna is giving another batch to whom I am becoming attached. But this attachment is nice because the center is Krsna.
Sacred Residences for Devotional Service
Śrīla Prabhupāda maintained a deep attachment to specific sacred locations, such as his rooms at the Rādhā-Dāmodara Temple, viewing them as essential for his service. He also utilized modern facilities in cities like Los Angeles and New York as strategic headquarters for the worldwide propagation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
- I have come back to my home, Vrndavana. If anything should go wrong, at least I will be here in Vrndavana. Vrndavana is for residence, Bombay is office for organization, and Mayapur is for worship of the Supreme Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
- While in Vrndavana, you may also see my rooms at Radha-Damodara Temple and they should be repaired and made very nice. They are my rooms and I want that they should be made ready.
- Do not destroy that cottage where I stayed last time, that is very dear to me.
- My program is to visit some of our U.S.A. branches for some time, keeping Los Angeles as my home base and then to return to India by Lord Caitanya's Appearance Day.
Returning to the Eternal Abode
The ultimate goal of Śrīla Prabhupāda's life and mission was to lead everyone back to their original home in the spiritual world. He explained that a temple is not a mundane building but a manifestation of the spiritual world, where Kṛṣṇa is always present for the benefit of His devotees.
- My home is back to home, back to Godhead. That is my real home. That means every temple is my home.
- In that sense I'm not in America; I am in Vrndavana because wherever I go in my apartment or in my temple I live with Krsna and Krsna consciousness.
- It does not mean that when Krsna was present on this planet, Krsna was absent in Goloka Vrndavana. No. It is not like that. Just like I am now present here, I am absent in my apartment. Krsna is not like that. Krsna can be present everywhere.
- As the devotees think, so I also in that way thought. - "I thought it a special grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." "And I at once took leave of my so-called home and went away." So that is the difference between the devotees of the Lord and materialistic person.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s life is a testament to the fact that our real home is found in our service to Kṛṣṇa and the association of His devotees. By detaching himself from the material concept of home, he was able to establish a spiritual home for the whole world. As we study his teachings, we learn that whether we are in a temple or a simple apartment, if Kṛṣṇa is the center, we are already on the path back to our eternal home in the spiritual world.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vāṇī
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category My Home (Prabhupada). We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.