I Have Got – Prabhupāda’s True Spiritual Wealth
When Śrīla Prabhupāda used the phrase "I have got," he rarely spoke of material possessions or temporary wealth. Instead, he spoke of his profound spiritual opulence: the instructions of his spiritual master, the absolute authority of the Vedic scriptures, and the thousands of sincere young men and women who had dedicated their lives to assist him. Arriving in America penniless and alone, he saw the rapid expansion of his movement—the temples, the books, and the devotees—as the direct, undeniable mercy of Kṛṣṇa and his guru. He viewed himself merely as a humble instrument, acknowledging that whatever success or elevated position he had gotten was due strictly to his fidelity to the paramparā system. Through these intimate reflections, we can feel Śrīla Prabhupāda’s deep gratitude, his fierce determination to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness globally, and his fatherly love for the disciples who became his spiritual family. He teaches us that true opulence is not found in mundane accumulation, but in the divine opportunity to serve the Supreme Lord unconditionally alongside sincere devotees.
Prabhupāda's Spiritual Authority and Paramparā
Śrīla Prabhupāda's unwavering confidence did not stem from mundane ego, but from his strict adherence to the disciplic succession. He often challenged mundane scholars by reminding them that while they relied on imperfect, manufactured theories, he had got the perfect knowledge of the ancient ācāryas.
- I am not speaking my own views. I have got my acaryas, my teachers, Ramanujacarya, Sankaracarya, Madhvacarya. So it is all right. It is all right. I have got so many authorities. What authority you have got?
- I have got this authentic literature; you have nothing. So my position is better than yours.
- I am not the greatest. I have got my spiritual master. He has got his spiritual master. He has got a spiritual master. In this way, we go up to Brahma who is the original spiritual master within this universe, who gave us the Vedic knowledge.
- Avaroha-pantha means a descendence, or deductive process. So our Krsna consciousness movement, we claim that we have got perfect knowledge of everything because we are taking knowledge from the perfect person.
Prabhupāda's Wealth of Sincere Disciples
Having left his family in India to execute the order of his guru, Śrīla Prabhupāda was blessed with a global family of dedicated followers. He frequently expressed his deep emotional connection to his disciples, marveling at the hundreds of thousands of spiritual children he had got who served the mission purely out of love.
- I have got hundreds and thousands of servants who I haven't got to pay. This is spiritual relationship.
- Only five years back I was sitting alone under a tree in your park thinking that perhaps no one will join me, but let me try. Now I have got so many wonderful sons and daughters, that we require huge arrangement for chanting in the park.
- Because by Krishna's Grace I have got good assistants like yourself, therefore I am successful. Now I have built the skyscraper framework, you fill it in nicely.
- I take America as my fatherland. India is motherland, and here is fatherland. So many fathers. My father was very affectionate to me. He would do everything for me. I lost one father, I have got so many fathers.
Prabhupāda's Rapid Expansion of Centers
The phenomenal growth of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement in the late 1960s and 1970s was unprecedented. Śrīla Prabhupāda viewed every new temple, property, and center he had got as Kṛṣṇa's direct facilitation to offer shelter and spiritual education to the suffering souls of the material world.
- I have a plan for opening 108 centers all over America, Europe, Canada, Japan, and Australia. I have got at present 26 centers. I have sent some of my devotees in Germany where people are more interested in this Hare Krsna movement.
- I have got branches everywhere. I want to see that every center, things are going on nicely.
- We have got already fifteen branches as follows: New York City; Boston; San Francisco; Vancouver, B.C.; Canada; Honolulu, Hawaii; New Vrindaban, an ideal Krishna Consciousness community; and London, England; and Berlin, Germany.
- As Krsna sees the sincerity of our hearts, He supplies the facilities. Just like I came to your country with only 40 rupees, and now we have got this huge institution.
Prabhupāda's Distribution of Books and Knowledge
Translating and publishing transcendental literature was the heart of Śrīla Prabhupāda's mission. He expressed immense joy whenever he received reports of massive book distribution, knowing that the transcendental knowledge he had got to share was the only real cure for a misguided human society.
- What strength our Movement has now got is due in large part to the enthusiasm we have had to distribute our literatures profusely throughout the world. I have got very, very encouraging reports how my books are being distributed vigorously.
- Whatever books we have got, it should be studied. Bhakti-sastri means Nectar of Devotion, Bhagavad-gita, Nectar of Instruction, Beyond Death -- in this way we select some ten books. That is bhakti-sastri.
- We have got tremendous business. Village to village, distribute these books and sankirtana. You don't require language. Chant Hare Krsna and distribute the... Bas. And prasada distribution. It doesn't matter who is doing.
- This was the subject matter of my Guru Maharaja's satisfaction. He liked to distribute books more than constructing temples. He personally advised me to print books if I have got some money.
Prabhupāda's Personal Humility and Guru's Grace
Even as thousands worshiped him and his movement grew to global prominence, Śrīla Prabhupāda remained perfectly transparent. He consistently credited his spiritual master for every ounce of his success, stating that whatever he had got was simply the result of his sincere desire to carry out the order of the paramparā.
- Whatever little success I have got, it is due to this process, that I do not present anything which is created by me. That is the secret of success.
- Whatever position I have got it is by guru's mercy and the Vaisnavas' blessings, otherwise I am insignificant. So I wish that Sridhara Maharaja may bestow his blessings as he was doing always, and my Guru Maharaja may help me.
- I am simply an instrument in the hands of my Spiritual Master. I do not know how far I have got the capacity to carry His order, but I may say that I have a sincere desire to do it. This is Parampara system.
- I thought I was to do this humble service to His Divine Grace (Bhaktisiddhanta), and by His blessings, I am getting good cooperation from the local boys and girls. That is my satisfaction. Otherwise, none of my Godbrothers is helping me substantially.
Prabhupāda's Vision for Global Preaching
Because Śrīla Prabhupāda possessed the highest truth, he felt an urgent, compassionate duty to share it everywhere. He enthusiastically outlined his ambitious preaching plans, noting that the transcendental process he had got could save the entire world from the pessimistic darkness of modern, godless civilization.
- We have got a very heavy task before us. Together we have to push on this Krishna Consciousness movement for a revolutionary change all over the world.
- I have got a very ambitious program to organize a nice Sankirtana Party both in Oriental and Occidental style, so that we can thus attract all classes of people in the world to Krishna Consciousness.
- This Indian culture is being accepted all over the world. We have got fifty branches all over the world. Now we have come to establish some branches in India.
- We have started this Krsna consciousness movement to educate people in perfect knowledge. So we have got so many branches, and we have to travel and encourage them.
Conclusion
When Śrīla Prabhupāda reflected on what he had got in his life, he provided the ultimate standard for spiritual fulfillment. He proved that an individual operating purely on the order of his spiritual master is never truly alone or impoverished. Though he began with nothing in a foreign land, by his implicit faith he got the whole world to assist him in Lord Caitanya's mission. His incredible legacy of books, temples, and devoted followers stands as a testament to the power of the paramparā and the limitless grace of Kṛṣṇa. By studying his statements, we are reminded to be grateful for the authentic spiritual culture we have received, and we are inspired to take up the heavy, joyful task of sharing that same transcendental wealth with others.
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 Got (Prabhupada). We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.