Prabhupāda's Global Touring - Spreading Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Worldwide
In this article, Śrīla Prabhupāda discusses the massive scale and underlying purpose of his continuous world tours. He reveals his profound dedication to spreading the saṅkīrtana movement, his deep desire to personally encourage his disciples, and his strategy to maintain his rigorous book translation schedule while constantly on the move.
Unprecedented Global Travel
Śrīla Prabhupāda began his worldwide preaching at an age when most people retire. He describes his extensive itineraries across multiple continents, noting that the immense response to the saṅkīrtana movement required his constant presence and oversight.
- I began my traveling in foreign countries at very ripe old age, seventy years. Ten years I'm traveling. This is the fifteenth tour all over the world.
- I am now on world tour. I left Bombay on Jan. 24th, 1975 and traveled to Hong Kong, Japan, Hawaii, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Caracas, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, New York, London, and now I am at our Tehran center.
- Presently I am touring many cities in India and the response to our Sankirtana Movement has been tremendous with thousands upon thousands actively participating.
- I travel all over United States. Then I will go to Europe. Then I will go to Africa. I have got my touring program for 4 months.
Encouraging the Devotees
The driving force behind Śrīla Prabhupāda's travel was his deep affection for his disciples. Even when facing severe health challenges like heart trouble, he continued to tour simply to inspire his young followers and ensure they did not deviate from the pure standard of bhakti.
- My touring is natural. I have started this movement. I want to see that it is going on nicely. So you kindly help me. Don't deviate. That is my only request. (starts to cry) Then you will remain solid.
- Regarding preaching tour, it has become a little difficult for me because I have got the same heart trouble as you have, and still I am moving just to encourage these young boys who are working on my behalf.
- I am traveling all over the world. I am going to see how things are going in Dallas or New Vrindaban and another . . . so my touring is natural. I have started this movement. I want to see that it is going on nicely.
- Even my own son does not render such service. By your mercy, I did not become fatigued while on this tour.
The Saṅkīrtana Ambition
Beyond visiting his established temples, Śrīla Prabhupāda envisioned a dynamic, mobile preaching force. He expressed a strong desire to take a team of expertly trained devotees from village to village, spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness directly to the public through a continuous world tour.
- As I have told you several times that I want at least twelve trained devotees and let us tour all over the world for preaching the gospel of Krishna Consciousness. That will satisfy me.
- We wish to make a world tour with this Sankirtana Party—that is my ambition. I do not know what is Krishna's desire, but if it is successful, I am sure to push our movement very nicely this will be the way.
- I can immediately take up this program and tour village to village and town to town. It will be very, very effective, I know that.
- If Indian young men join me I am immediately ready for this travelling touring from village to village, town to town.
Balancing Touring and Translating
Translating the Vedic literatures remained Śrīla Prabhupāda's most crucial work. To manage this alongside his travel, he brought a team of assistants with him, allowing the book production to continue uninterrupted, even as he frequently expressed a desire to retire and write full-time.
- At the present moment I take with me three assistants, so my books writing is going on, so that is not stopped by my travelling. So now I can go on touring and my writing will go on. So if we have got our own bus that will be very nice.
- My future contemplation is to have tours all over the world for 6 months, and sit down in a nice place for the balance 6 months, for training boys and girls as well as editing our publications.
- So far as I am concerned, as I already told you, after this European tour I am going to retire from active work and retire for writing books.
- Now I want to stop touring and begin full-time my translating work.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s touring was an extraordinary display of spiritual compassion and determination. By traveling the world well into his advanced years, he provided the essential personal guidance needed to solidify his newly established centers and inspire his young disciples. His ability to balance continuous global movement with the monumental task of translating the Vedic scriptures demonstrates his pure empowerment. Ultimately, his travels were not just administrative visits, but transcendental journeys designed to ignite the saṅkīrtana movement in every town and village.
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 Touring (Prabhupada). We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.