I Have Also – Prabhupāda’s Personal Example and Spiritual Connection
When we read the words of Śrīla Prabhupāda, we do not merely find the instructions of a distant preceptor; we discover the heart of a loving spiritual father who walked closely alongside his disciples. By frequently using the phrase "I have also," Śrīla Prabhupāda created a profound sense of intimacy and shared experience. He assured his followers that just as they thought of him and dedicated their lives to his mission, he also constantly remembered them and accepted them eternally as his spiritual children. He revealed his own humble beginnings and his deep attraction to his spiritual master, showing that he was also a faithful student simply passing on a perfect, received message. Furthermore, he shared his own realizations of detachment and his unwavering dedication to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, inviting his disciples to view the material world through the very same transcendental lens. This deeply personal exchange of love, realization, and shared spiritual heritage is the true essence of the master and disciple relationship.
Prabhupāda's Eternal Bond with His Disciples
Śrīla Prabhupāda reciprocated the love of his disciples perfectly. He assured them that distance could not break their bond, and he deeply appreciated the sincere efforts they made to spread saṅkīrtana and distribute prasādam.
- Even I am far away, as you say you are remembering me, so also I am remembering you, and in that sense we are never separated.
- You have accepted me as father, so I have also accepted you as my dear and real son. Relationship of father and son on spiritual platform is real and eternal, on the material platform such relationship is ephemeral and temporary.
- I appreciate your sincere interest in this Krishna Conscious philosophy and this Sankirtana movement of Lord Caitanya. I have also heard how you typed Sri Sri Brahma Samhita and I am very pleased with your sincere service.
- I have also appreciated the photos showing you distributing Prasadam and performing Kirtana. Southeast Asia is a very good field for our activities, so you should continue vigorously in the same way you have been.
Prabhupāda Following His Spiritual Master
Setting the ultimate example of a disciple, Śrīla Prabhupāda reminded his followers that he was simply repeating what he had heard. By sharing his own attraction to his Guru Mahārāja, he showed how the chain of disciplic succession remains unbroken.
- I am so pleased to learn that you are constantly trying to follow my instructions. Of course, I have no particular instructions, save and except the instruction which I have also heard from my Spiritual Master.
- I (Prabhupada) was also attracted by my Guru Maharaja when he convinced me that God lives and we can live with Him. I find the same conviction in you and it has given me so great pleasure. Yes, it is the greatest discovery.
- In our (Prabhupada's) householder life we also (like Bhaktisiddhanta) sometimes visited this temple of Vallabhapura and took prasadam there at noon. The Deities of this temple, Sri Sri Radha-Govinda and the Gauranga vigraha, are extremely beautiful.
- In my childhood, Radha-Govindaji were the source of my enjoyment. I asked my father to give me Radha-Govinda deities and he gave me and I worshiped. And I also asked him to give me ratha.
Prabhupāda Appreciating Sincere Service
Śrīla Prabhupāda took immense pleasure in the successes of his growing society. When his disciples painted for Back to Godhead, decorated the Deities beautifully, or distributed books, he eagerly shared his personal joy and approval.
- One Bengali gentleman from London has sent me a letter praising your decoration of the Deities. The exact words he has used are that one cannot turn his face once turning towards the Deities. I have also seen the slides and my opinion is also the same.
- I have also seen the article in our new issue of Back to Godhead and I am very much encouraged to see how you are all working so carefully in the service of Krsna in the matter of painting transcendental pictures of the Lord.
- I have also received some photographs of your Rathayatra Day ceremony, sent to me by Sri Govinda. It appears to be very, very nice, and I am having these photographs reprinted together on one page.
- I have also received word from Karandhara about the book distribution program. It is very encouraging. So our books will have to be produced in great numbers. On our own press, they can do so, provided it is economically sound proposal.
Prabhupāda Sharing the Devotee's Vision
To teach his disciples how to navigate the material world, Śrīla Prabhupāda shared his own deeply personal realizations about detachment, life, and death, showing that a pure devotee sees every circumstance as Kṛṣṇa's arrangement.
- 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.
- When my mother died, as the devotees of the Lord think, I also thought in that way. What is that? 'Oh, it is a grace of the Lord. My mother is now dead... I am now free'.
- Suppose you are to live for hundred years. So twenty years you have already lost, or you have already died up to the amount of twenty years. I am seventy-six years. That means I have also died up to the amount of seventy-six years.
- Our purpose is to teach our own philosophy. Do not lose sight of that purpose or become distracted by other things. I have also made one book about other philosophies of your western philosophers, but I did not make compromise.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s use of "I have also" highlights the unique nature of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition, where the spiritual master is not merely a teacher of theory but a living example of the philosophy in practice. By revealing his own feelings of separation, his joy in service, and his absolute reliance on his own spiritual master, Śrīla Prabhupāda bridges the gap between the practitioner and the goal. For his disciples, these statements provided the ultimate encouragement: that their struggles, their service, and their aspirations were shared and understood by their spiritual father. Following in his footsteps becomes a journey of love, where the disciple simply tries to see what Śrīla Prabhupāda has also seen and do what he has also done for the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa.
Dive Deeper into Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category I Have Also (Prabhupāda). We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.