Prabhupāda’s Instructions and Guidance for His Leaders
Śrīla Prabhupāda viewed the leaders of his movement with deep affection and high expectations, seeing them as the guardians of Kṛṣṇa consciousness for future generations. He taught that a leader is essentially a "first-class disciple" whose authority stems from his own strict obedience to the principles given by his spiritual master.
Character and Spiritual Qualifications
For Śrīla Prabhupāda, leadership was inseparable from internal purity and self-controlled behavior. He expected his leaders to manifest the qualities of a brāhmaṇa, emphasizing that without a solid foundation in hearing and chanting, it is impossible to lead others toward the ultimate goal of life.
- A leader must be peaceful, self-controlled, austere, pure, tolerant, honest, wise, learned and religious.
- Leader means one who has become first-class disciple. He is leader. Evam parampara-prapta... One who is perfectly following.
- Leader means spiritually not materially. This you should understand very clearly. If spiritual potency and strength is there, then material intelligence will automatically follow.
- Without hearing and chanting, to become leader it is impossible. You can, you can become leader in the material world, but not in the spiritual world.
Leadership by Example and Obedience
The standard for leadership in the society is ācārya—one who teaches by example. Śrīla Prabhupāda insisted that leaders must strictly follow the morning program of maṅgala-ārati and study his books, as their behavior sets the template for all other devotees to follow.
- All of the leaders should study my books very carefully, since now everyone will have to appear for the examination.
- As you are my appointed leader, you must also see that the others are following very strictly the regulative principles like chanting 16 rounds, reading my books regularly, rising early for mangala aratrika.
- Definitely, the BBT cannot pay any salary to anybody. Our philosophy is "simple living and high thinking" - not sense gratification. The temple presidents and leaders (elder students) must show this by example.
- There should be ideal life, at least the leaders, the president, the GBC. They will show the example, and they will follow. Then it is beneficial. And all of them are fools? Then it is fool's paradise.
Responsibility for the Future of Society
Śrīla Prabhupāda often spoke of the grave responsibility resting on the shoulders of his senior students. He entrusted them with the survival of the movement, urging them to put aside personal differences and work together to deliver humanity from the clutches of māyā.
- I am depending on you leaders for the future of our Society, yet there is all this interest in illicit sex life. This is causing me heartache worrying how things will go on. What can I do?.
- Now upon the shoulders of you the leaders of this Movement falls the responsibility of practically saving this earth planet from the present dangerous position.
- Now you must all my senior disciples and leaders become very, very much aware of your grave responsibility to the human society for delivering them from the clutches of catastrophe.
- You are my elder disciple, you are one of the leaders of our Society; therefore, it is your duty to feel always this responsibility for seeing that the things go on properly.
Practical Management and Enthusiasm
True leadership is marked by utsāha, or enthusiasm. Śrīla Prabhupāda encouraged his leaders to be creative and tactful in spreading the mission, while maintaining a cooperative spirit that demonstrates the unity of the spiritual family.
- Enthusiasm and patience, these things required. If under changing conditions, I lose my enthusiasm, if I cannot endure the difficulties of my duty, therefore I go away. Then how I can be leader?
- If you all leaders cannot work together, then how can you expect the others to cooperate with you?
- That is the business of leader: He must be himself always enthusiastic and inspire others to be always enthusiastic. Then he is real leader.
- Your book distribution report is very encouraging. If I see our leaders are enthusiastic, that gives me more enthusiasm.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s guidance for his leaders reveals a vision of leadership based on profound spiritual integrity and affectionate service. By emphasizing that a leader must first be a surrendered disciple of his spiritual master, he ensured that the movement would remain spiritually vibrant. The heavy responsibility he placed on his leaders was matched by his deep appreciation for their efforts, provided they remained fixed in their vows and worked in a spirit of loving cooperation to fulfill the mission of his guru.
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 My Leaders (Prabhupada). We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.