Prabhupāda Explains to His Disciples That Kṛṣṇa Provides All Facilities
The successful expansion of a spiritual movement requires significant material resources, yet these resources are never the result of mundane manipulation. To ensure his followers maintain the correct spiritual perspective, explaining that Kṛṣṇa is the source of all facilities is the foundational lesson Śrīla Prabhupāda provides. He teaches his disciples that the Lord personally arranges for buildings, money, and equipment specifically for those who are determined to preach His message. By guiding his followers to utilize every available facility for the mission while remaining personally detached from luxury, he proves that sincere devotional service is the only requirement for attracting the unlimited resources of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Facilities as a Gift for Sincerity
The Supreme Lord is not indifferent to the struggles of His devotees. Assuring his followers that Kṛṣṇa perfectly reciprocates with a sincere heart, promising that the Lord will supply every necessity for preaching is the profound encouragement Śrīla Prabhupāda offers. He points to his own arrival in the West with nearly nothing as the ultimate example, explaining that when Kṛṣṇa sees a disciple working very hard to serve the mission, He personally arranges for palaces, temples, and all other required facilities.
- 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.
- From your description I can tell that there is great field for spreading this Sankirtana movement. If you are sincere and determined in your efforts then surely Krishna will give you all facility. So work very hard to make our new branch a grand success.
- Krishna is giving us all facility to serve Him, and I am so pleased with the nice cooperation that my students are giving me in spreading this most important philosophy around the entire world.
- Krishna will send you help in men and money. So do not be agitated. If no one will come then you may live alone with Krishna and I am sure that Krishna will give you all facilities for progress in the very near future.
- Your description of Copenhagen is very encouraging, and I am also glad that you are realizing that actual help does come from Krishna. Our duty is to render service unto Him sincerely, and immediately Krishna arranges for all facilities.
The Principle of Yukta-vairāgya
Renunciation does not mean the rejection of useful things, but their engagement in the service of the Lord. Defining the proper use of modern technology, instructing his disciples to use everything for Kṛṣṇa is the practical philosophy Śrīla Prabhupāda establishes. He explains that facilities like cars, airplanes, microphones, and publishing presses are actually Kṛṣṇa's property and must be used vigorously to broadcast the transcendental message of the Bhagavad-gītā to the entire world.
- If we get opportunity, preaching facilities for going on car, on airplane, using typewriter, dictaphone, microphone, we must use it. Because this is Krsna's property, it must be used for Krsna. This is our philosophy.
- We can understand that we may change our dress in any way to facilitate our service. When our members change their dress to meet the public or to introduce our books, they are not breaking the devotional principles.
- Arjuna had to fight in the battlefield, but at the same time he heard Bhagavad-gita. Our motto shall be like that. Neither we shall fight alone, without Krishna consciousness, nor we shall give up all possible facilities in Krishna consciousness.
- Do everything very nicely there now. You now have very good facility for broadcasting our Krsna consciousness propaganda. Just do everything very carefully and soberly.
- You may adopt this principle, that whatever conditions increases your facility to preach this Krishna Consciousness Movement should be accepted. If we accept this all of these discouragements etc. . . will disappear.
Avoiding Luxury and Sense Gratification
When great facilities are provided, the danger of laziness and sense gratification immediately arises. WARNING his disciples against the pitfall of material comfort, demanding that all resources be utilized exclusively for harder work is the strict standard Śrīla Prabhupāda maintains. He teaches that receiving a nice building or a large estate from Kṛṣṇa is an indication that the devotees must now double their efforts to serve Him, rather than becoming luxurious or idle.
- My Guru Maharaja's policy was to give nice facility to devotees so that they may chant Hare Krishna Mantra peacefully and make advancement. But we cannot be luxurious.
- We have been given such a nice big facility at Bhaktivedanta Manor so it is not for our eating and sleeping. Rather, on receiving such a nice place from Krsna we should take it as an indication that we must now work harder.
- We should always ask: "Krsna, I don't want any facility of this material world. I am not worthy to serve You; still, I am begging. Give me this facility so that I can get the chance to serve You."
- We are not for facility; we are for service.
- Hard struggle. So Krsna gave us some facility. Now we have got some framework. Do it very cautiously.
Providing for Students and Children
A successful society must carefully provide for its dependents and newcomers. Instructing his senior disciples to take full responsibility for the well-being of the youth, ensuring they have first-class facilities for spiritual training is the compassionate leadership Śrīla Prabhupāda demonstrates. He personally approves of the school in Dallas and the gurukula in Vrindaban, explaining that providing these specific facilities is essential for training the next generation in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
- All of our children should go to Dallas when they are four and begin their training program there. In Dallas, they have full facility approved by me, I have personally seen that they are doing very nicely there.
- Give them (the newly initiated students) all facility to perfect their lives by protecting them and instructing them nicely, that is now the duty of my senior disciples.
- You must take the full responsibility to give them all guidance and facility for perfecting their lives in Krishna consciousness. The trick is to keep everyone always engaged happily in Krishna's service, then they will advance rapidly.
- The school should be moved to India, specifically to our new gurukula project in Vrindaban, where the facility will be just to our needs and the needs of the brahmacary to develop spiritually because it is based on authentic scripture.
- Give facility to the people. Here (in New Mayapura) is very nice arrangement. Now make plan how to utilize. You have got enough land. You can utilize for supplying the necessities of life.
Management and Facility Coordination
Efficient spiritual organization requires the practical coordination of physical assets. Directing his leaders to ensure that every temple department has the necessary facilities to function smoothly is the administrative oversight Śrīla Prabhupāda provides. He mandates that temple offices be well-equipped for prompt communication and that specific facilities be arranged for key services like book distribution, publishing, and Deity worship, so that no obstacles hinder the mission's progress.
- We must have a very efficient office at each temple, with facilities for prompt distribution of mail to the proper persons, not that the mail is simply left in a corner for everyone to pick through and find out for themselves.
- Book distribution is my most important concern and these devotees should be given facility to distribute books profusely throughout America.
- We must be very very careful as to not commit offenses in worshiping the Deities, so therefore there must be sufficient facilities and Brahmins to worship the Deity.
- If moving the press to New York is convenient, I have no objection. You must have all facility of work—that I want.
- As far as a centralized medical plan for the whole society, no such plan or facility or insurance has seemed practical as yet. The best thing is to work it out locally.
Gratitude and Dependence on Kṛṣṇa
Devotees must always remember that they are simply instruments and that Kṛṣṇa is the only true maintainer. Cultivating a deep sense of gratitude and dependence within his society, teaching his disciples to never take their facilities for granted is the final lesson Śrīla Prabhupāda imparts. He explains that even if material facilities are temporarily lacking, a devotee must remain detached and determined to serve, knowing that the ultimate "facility" is the chance to always remember Kṛṣṇa and His instructions.
- When I came to your country first, I had no center. But who has provided all these hundred temples, big, big palaces, temples? To remain under the protection of Krsna you get so much facility. Why not be grateful to Krsna?
- If the facility for serving the Deities is not there, then we should not be discouraged. This is real detachment.
- Krishna will give us all facilities. After all, it is Krishna's business. We are simply servitors. Our sincere desire is to serve Him and this is our bona fide position.
- You are brought up in a different standard in Europe and America, and in India it may be difficult because you haven't got all the facilities. But you learn tolerance. Execute Krsna consciousness. That should be our business.
- So long you require some material facilities, you'll get material facilities, but that is not solution of the problems of your life.
Conclusion
Material facilities are the biological and physical "fuel" that powers the preaching engine of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. By perfectly teaching his disciples that Kṛṣṇa provides all facilities in exchange for sincere service, Śrīla Prabhupāda destroys the false ego of ownership and the illusion of personal acquisition. He proves that when every building, car, and press is engaged with gratitude and strict regulation for the mission, the entire society becomes spiritually empowered to conquer the material world.
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 Facilities (Disciples of SP). We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.
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