I Should - Prabhupāda's Sense of Duty and Fatherly Guidance
When Śrīla Prabhupāda used the phrase "I should" or instructed us on what "we should" do, he was not speaking from the platform of mundane morality or personal ambition. He was giving us a transparent look into his own surrendered heart and extending a loving, fatherly invitation for us to join him in his pure service. Every action he took—from giving up a potentially wealthy business career to traveling the globe at an advanced age—was driven by an absolute conviction that he must execute the order of his spiritual master. Śrīla Prabhupāda did not want us to follow a rigid set of dogmas; he wanted us to catch this same spirit of spontaneous, loving duty. By understanding what Śrīla Prabhupāda felt he should do for the world, we can discover our own spiritual responsibilities. His words empower us to step forward, cooperate in love, and enthusiastically take up the mission of delivering Kṛṣṇa consciousness to a suffering humanity.
Executing the Order of His Spiritual Master
Śrīla Prabhupāda's entire life was a testament to his unbreakable vow to serve his Guru Mahārāja. He constantly reminded his disciples that his presence in the West, his immense struggles, and his literary output were all the direct result of understanding what his spiritual master desired he should do.
- Even when I was a householder I was publishing Back To Godhead since 1947. But then my Spiritual Master dictated that I should take to writing books which will be a permanent affair.
- His Divine Grace, my spiritual master, somehow or other liked me, that I should take up this responsibility. And on the first day I met him, I was at (that) time a very young man, a nationalist, and engaged in a very responsible office.
- I am ordered by superior, my spiritual master, that "Whatever you have learned, you should go to the Western countries, and you must distribute this knowledge." So in spite of all my difficulties, all my inconveniences, I am here because I am in duty.
- I should have joined and executed his (My Guru Maharaja's) desire immediately, but due to my ill luck I could not immediately execute his order, but it was in my heart that it is to be done.
Boundless Compassion and Universal Preaching
The duty Śrīla Prabhupāda felt was deeply rooted in compassion. His spiritual master convinced him that true welfare work meant saving the soul, not just patching up the temporary body. This conviction made him feel that he should preach widely, maintain centers in major cities, and ensure the spiritual and physical nourishment of every living entity.
- My Guru Maharaja, he convinced me (Prabhupada) that "Dependence, independence, they are temporary. But we are concerned with the eternal benefit of the human kind, and therefore you should take up this matter."
- Alone in this world I am struggling, and the so-called intelligent persons, they will not come. They have business. Why? If it is actually beneficial to the human society, why I should alone try.
- Our philosophy is that expanded - not only human being but animals also. Our philosophy is, if there is one lizard in your room, I should see that he is not starving. This is our philosophy. Not only human being but animals, even an insect.
- Your proposal to move Tokyo Temple back to the center of Tokyo is very good. This was my Guru Maharaja's policy that we should remain in the big cities in order that the maximum amount of people could take advantage of our preaching.
Relinquishing Management to Write Books
As the International Society for Krishna Consciousness grew into a massive global organization, Śrīla Prabhupāda expressed his intense desire to retire from day-to-day administration. He strongly felt that he should sit peacefully to translate the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, while his trained disciples should step up to manage the society and print his books in huge quantities.
- Practically my health does not permit me to take up any active management or administration. I should now retire and GBC should kindly give me relief in this connection. Now our organization is expanding. We must have good GBC management.
- When disciples are grown up and are able to preach, the spiritual master should retire and sit down in a solitary place to write and execute nirjana-bhajana.
- If the book distribution program is going so nicely, then we should produce books on our own press in great quantity.
- Not that we should use all collected money for maintenance. Better to print books and distribute.
Establishing Pure Standards for Disciples
As a perfectly loving father, Śrīla Prabhupāda did not simply flatter his disciples; he actively corrected them and set uncompromising standards for their spiritual protection. He clearly defined what we should do: avoid interpreting Kṛṣṇa's words, strictly evaluate candidates for initiation, and work cooperatively together to please the Lord.
- It is the duty of the spiritual master to find fault with his students so that they may make progress, not that he should always be praising them.
- Why should we interpret Krsna's words? Am I more than Krsna? Or did Krsna leave some portion to be explained by me by interpretation? Then what is the importance of Krsna?
- Initiation should be given as a future hope, but we should be careful about the second initiation.
- We should all work together for satisfying Lord Krishna and in that way the feelings of separation will transform into transcendental bliss.
Conclusion
When we meditate on what Śrīla Prabhupāda said he should do, we are given the perfect blueprint for a successful spiritual life. He lived entirely for the pleasure of his spiritual master, sacrificing his own comfort to traverse the globe and deliver the ultimate spiritual science to a lost humanity. He meticulously trained us, corrected us with love, and begged us to take up the responsibilities of management and book distribution so that his immortal translations could be completed. Now, the burden of love rests upon us. We must deeply reflect on his instructions and ask ourselves what we should do to protect, expand, and purely maintain the glorious mission he sacrificed everything to build.
Dive Deeper into Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives eternally within his instructions. This article is a loving summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category I Should (Prabhupada). We enthusiastically invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation, immerse yourself in his mercy, and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.