Prabhupāda's Training - From Childhood Vaiṣṇava to Global Preacher
In this article, Śrīla Prabhupāda discusses the profound impact of the spiritual training he received throughout his life. He explains how his childhood upbringing in a Vaiṣṇava family and the later guidance of his spiritual master provided the exact blueprint he used to train his own disciples and spread the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement across the globe.
Childhood Training in a Vaiṣṇava Family
Śrīla Prabhupāda often reflected on his immense fortune to be born into a pure Vaiṣṇava family. He explains that his early childhood training under his father set the foundation for his entire life's mission, instilling in him a deep reverence for Deity worship, prasādam, and Vaiṣṇava etiquette.
- My father was of this Vaisnava line, and he trained me from childhood.
- My father was pure Vaisnava, and he gave me and my sister the Radha Krishna Deities to worship, and in this way we were trained.
- We are trained up, because we belong to Krsna family. So this Radha-Krsna worship is our family tradition. Our forefathers, my father, my maternal uncles, we are Vaisnava family. Belonging to the Caitanya-sampradaya.
- Actually what I am doing, it was all taught in our childhood by our parents, my family. We were taught, "There is a grain of rice on the ground, and if it is touched by your feet, you should pick up the grain and touch on your head." This was our training.
The Guidance of the Spiritual Master
Building upon his family upbringing, Śrīla Prabhupāda received formal training in devotional service from his spiritual master, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. He attributes all his subsequent successes, including the worldwide introduction of Ratha-yātrā and book distribution, to simply imitating this authoritative guidance.
- Both of us (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja and Srila Prabhupada) were trained in the devotional service of the Lord from the very beginning of our lives. Later on we met by the order of the transcendental system.
- I was trained as brahmacari, as grhastha by the mercy of our spiritual master. Therefore I don't feel anything. But abruptly, if we take to sannyasa order, then...
- Under the discipline of our Spiritual Master we were all trained up for preaching this gospel of chanting the Holy Name, and I am trying to do my bit in these western countries.
- This Ratha-yatra, Radha-Govinda seva, prasada distribution. Only the new thing I am doing-writing of books by the order of Guru Maharaja. Otherwise, whatever I have introduced, I was trained up in childhood. I simply imitated. I am simply surprised.
Training Disciples to Preach
Recognizing the vast scope of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, Śrīla Prabhupāda dedicated himself to training young men and women to become active preachers. He established centers and organized preaching parties to systematically educate his followers in the paramparā teachings of the Bhagavad-gītā.
- I am now considerably old; I will be 72 years next September. But the work which I have begun in the western world is not yet finished, and I require to train some of the American boys to preach this cult all over the western world.
- What I want to do immediately are as follows: To hold consecutive meetings at different Mohallus and houses of Delhi for impressing the ideas of the mission. To give training to at least 7 to 10 educated young men in the parampara lessons of Bhagavad-gita.
- When I was at Jhansi, I was provided with a big palatial building to live in associated with 40 workers who are being trained up for intinerary preaching work.
- We should train our disciples as well as ourselves in such a spirit that even if the whole world is against us, which is impossible to happen, the Sankirtana Movement must be pushed on without any reference to archeological evidence.
Empowering Future Spiritual Masters
The ultimate goal of Śrīla Prabhupāda's training was not merely to create followers, but to empower his disciples to become future spiritual masters. By insisting on strict adherence to chanting sixteen rounds and following the regulative principles, he ensured the purity and continuity of the disciplic succession.
- I (Prabhupada) shall send chanted beads for him if you recommend. As we are doing here. Don't be allured by such maya. I am training you all to become future Spiritual Masters.
- Just like I have got many Godbrothers, they are all acting. Similarly, all these disciples which I am making, initiating, they are being trained to become future spiritual masters.
- In our KC movement we are teaching our followers to chant the Hare Krsna mantra continuously on beads. Even those who are not accustomed to this practice are advised to chant at least sixteen rounds on their beads so that they may be trained.
- In this Krishna Consc. Movement, I am training boys and girls all over the world how to act nicely by practically serving Krishna in their everyday lives. That is more important than trying for something which I may like to do but which will never happen.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda's method of training demonstrates that the perfection of spiritual life is achieved not through independent invention, but through faithful reception and transmission. Because he strictly internalized the training given by his father and his spiritual master, he was perfectly equipped to train thousands of others. His global movement stands as the practical result of this unbroken chain of spiritual education. By continuing to follow the clear, practical standards he established—such as chanting the holy names and serving the mission—his followers remain continuously trained and empowered to act as the future vanguards of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
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 Training (Prabhupada). We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.