Prabhupāda Explains to His Disciples How to Revive Their Relationships with Kṛṣṇa
In the material world, conditioned souls constantly form and break attachments based on the temporary physical body. Exposing the illusion of these mundane interactions, Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the only true purpose of human life is to re-establish our forgotten, eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord. He guides his students to understand that by centering their marriages, friendships, and societal dealings entirely around spiritual advancement, every aspect of human connection can be perfectly purified and utilized for going back to Godhead.
Awakening Our Forgotten Bond with the Lord
At present, our eternal identity is suppressed by the illusions of material energy, leading us to falsely identify with temporary family and national designations. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the process of bhakti-yoga is specifically designed to cleanse the heart and revive our original consciousness. By constantly hearing from authorized scriptures, chanting the mahā-mantra, and actively remembering Kṛṣṇa, a devoted soul gradually realizes that their true and everlasting relationship is with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- Human life is especially meant for reviving our lost relationship with God by following the instructions of God contained in religious books like the Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, etc.
- We are eternally related with Krsna. At the present moment it is simply forgotten, suppressed. Therefore we are thinking that we have no relationship with Krsna. But that is not the fact. Because we are part and parcel of Krsna.
- The highest stage of spiritual consciousness is Krsna consciousness. Krsna consciousness means, "I am Krsna's," that's all. Krsna says, "All these living entities, they are My part and parcel." So you have to understand this relationship with Krsna, that you are Krsna's.
- These bodily relationships are only temporary. Our real relationship is with Krishna. Try to cultivate that.
- If you chant always, twenty-four hours, without any payment, so it will cleanse. It will cleanse your heart so that you will be able to analyze your position, God's position, the world's position, your relationship, your activities.
The Indestructible Tie to the Spiritual Master
Unlike the fleeting interactions of the material world, the bond between the guru and the disciple is an eternal covenant. Displaying immense spiritual affection, Śrīla Prabhupāda assures his followers that their relationship as spiritual father and son can never be severed, provided the student remains faithful to the instructions. He reveals that this transcendental connection becomes firmly fixed through the mutual effort of spreading the philosophy, to the point where the spiritual master is willing to return from the spiritual world to ensure his sincere servants are safely delivered.
- I have accepted you as my disciple and you have accepted me as your spiritual father. This relationship cannot be ended anymore. It will be my duty always to pray to Krishna for your further and further improvement in Krishna Consciousness.
- So far I am concerned, because our relationship is father and son, so nobody will be more satisfied than me by seeing your successful preaching work.
- Our relationship is based on Krishna Consciousness, so the more successful you preach and help Krishna Consciousness movement, the more our relationship in transcendental platform is firm and fixed up.
- In relationship with my disciples who are so kindly cooperating with me in the matter of my rendering service to my Spiritual Master, for them I am always ready to come back from Goloka Vrindaban, if they are not delivered along with me.
- In the absolute platform, there is no difference of separation and meeting. The separation is also meeting, rather in separation one relishes the loving relationship more tasty.
- Our relationship is eternal. But if somebody lags behind, so in spite of our eternal relationship one may not meet other at the destination.
- Anyone who defies and therefore disconnects the relationship with the Spiritual Master can hardly expect the assistance of the Spiritual Master life after life.
Cultivating Love and Trust Among Devotees
A global spiritual movement cannot survive if its members are plagued by envy, interpersonal conflicts, and mundane politics. Warning his leaders of these dangers, Śrīla Prabhupāda insists that the internal relationships within the society must be strictly governed by genuine love and trust. He teaches that devotees must learn to tolerate minor personal difficulties and offer proper respect to one another; otherwise, endless fighting will completely derail their actual mission of saving conditioned souls.
- Our Society is like one big family and our relationships should be based on love and trust. We must give up the fighting spirit and use our intelligence to push ahead.
- Relationship between Godbrothers must be very genuine and pleasing, otherwise the future of our institution will not be very hopeful. After all, very soon you have to manage.
- I have got hundreds and thousands of servants who I haven't got to pay. This is spiritual relationship.
- If we have to constantly move until we find the situation where there is no personal difficulty in relationships then we may never get down to our real work.
- Treat Kirtanananda as bona fide and address him as Kirtanananda Maharaja. He should be first offered obeisances and he will return the respect to his Godbrothers.
Spiritualizing Family and Societal Dealings
Taking up spiritual life does not require a person to become entirely callous toward their worldly relatives or society at large. Instead of advocating for an artificial severance of ties, Śrīla Prabhupāda encourages his students to maintain good relations with their families and slowly introduce them to the philosophy. Whether dealing with close parents, the broader Hindu community, or influential leaders, interactions should be patiently built up and utilized practically to expand the service of the Lord.
- I have never said that my disciples should sever all relationships with friends, relatives and others.
- It is a good opportunity both ways: to keep good relations with your father and to make money and serve Krishna with the money profusely. Your plan for supplying the temples with nice ornaments for their Deities is also very good.
- Our Krsna Consciousness Movement is preaching these four varnas and four asramas, so naturally it has got some relationship with the Hindus.
- Our experience is that such big men will not help us - except if there is some rare soul like Mr. George Harrison, and they must be guided also by our personally contacting them again and again and slowly build-up the relationship.
The Standard for Spiritual Marriage
Household life in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is entirely distinct from the mundane, sense-driven partnerships of the material world. As a sannyāsī, Śrīla Prabhupāda had no personal interest in worldly affairs, yet he lovingly arranged marriages for his disciples to ensure their peaceful advancement. He establishes that a genuine spiritual marriage is not based on physical attraction or illicit affairs, but on an intellectual and spiritual partnership where the husband and wife constantly help each other understand absolute knowledge.
- I am a sannyasi and I have no interest with family life, neither we are expected to take part in this man and woman relationship. But still, purposely I have married so many couples, boys and girls, just to see them happy.
- The wife is supposed to inquire from the husband about spiritual advancement of life, and the husband must be competent to reply all the questions of wife. That will keep relation very nice.
- I have heard a serious complaint against you that you are in intimate relation with Aradhana's wife Santanu. I am not only surprised but I cannot believe that a nice boy like you should be thus accused.
Conclusion
While the temporary connections of the material body eventually fade, the spiritual ties forged in devotion remain forever. By following the profound guidance of Śrīla Prabhupāda, dedicated seekers learn to transform their everyday interactions into powerful tools for transcendental advancement. Cultivating love and trust among peers, respecting the spiritual master, and strictly keeping Kṛṣṇa at the center ultimately restores the soul's lost, eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord.
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 Our Relationships. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.