Prabhupāda Guides His Disciples to Adhere to the Principles of Devotional Service
A spiritual institution is only as strong as the purity of the individuals within it. Recognizing this, Śrīla Prabhupāda provided his disciples with clear, unwavering principles that govern both their internal spiritual development and their external preaching activities, ensuring the global movement remains an authentic force for spiritual deliverance.
The Core Regulative Principles
At the foundation of spiritual life are strict personal vows that every initiated devotee must follow. Śrīla Prabhupāda repeatedly emphasized that strictly adhering to the four regulative principles and chanting sixteen rounds daily forms an impenetrable shield against māyā. Without this basic discipline, any attempt at spiritual advancement will simply be thwarted by the overwhelming power of material illusion.
- Four don'ts and one do: No illicit sex-life, no intoxication, no gambling, no meat-eating . . . and always chanting Hare Krishna, minimum 16 rounds daily. If you take very seriously these principles then Krishna will bless you without any doubt.
- This is our process, no illicit sex, no meat eating, no intoxication, no gambling. Unless one is married, there is no sex. And unless one is going to beget child, there is no sex. Not for pleasure. This is our regulative principle.
- Our view is that we shall be strictly following the rules and regulations. Monetary matters are secondary. On principle, we should better starve than neglect our rules and regulations.
- If you very strictly adhere to the principle of Krsna consciousness, then maya will not be able to touch you. That is the only remedy. Otherwise maya is always looking after the opportunity, loophole, how she can capture you again.
- Our method is very simple. The preacher should also be ideal, sincere, serious and strictly adhering to our principles, chanting 16 rounds and following the restrictive rules.
The Principle of Pure Preaching
When establishing the preaching mission, Śrīla Prabhupāda made it clear that the society was not interested in sectarian conversions or political maneuvers. The ultimate principle of all preaching activities is simply to awaken the dormant love of Godhead residing within every living entity's heart. Rather than engaging in dry philosophical debates with those attached to material enjoyment, the movement focuses on the joy of congregational chanting.
- Our principle is not to proselytize from Christian to Hindu or Muhammadan to Hindu. We are teaching simply how to revive his own constitutional position to become servant of Krsna, how to love God. That is Krsna consciousness movement.
- We are trying our bit to educate people how to revive his original God consciousness. Then he will be happy. Our principle is how to make people happy.
- Our religious principles or natural occupational duty is to learn how to love Krishna.
- Demons, they are too much attached to material enjoyment, bhoga and aisvarya. So they cannot take to it. Therefore our general principle is to perform sankirtana, not to talk philosophy.
Unity and Management Principles
To manage a rapidly expanding worldwide institution, profound spiritual principles of cooperation must be applied. Śrīla Prabhupāda instructed that while individual centers should operate with local autonomy, they must remain conjointly united in their ultimate purpose of serving Kṛṣṇa. He also established that closing a temple is contrary to the principles of devotion, requiring careful deliberation before any new center is opened.
- As far as possible the centers should act freely, but conjointly. They must look forward to the common development. That should be the principle.
- Closing a temple we cannot do. It becomes a farce and is against the bhakti cult. Our principle must be to carefully consider before opening any temple, and once opened it cannot be closed.
- Suppose we are in a group, this, our International Society. If everyone becomes ruler or acarya, then how it can be managed? No. There must be some head. That is the principle in our practical life.
- Just like our principle is that we are working for Krsna, this is real philosophy. Every one of us, one who is offering arati, he is also working for Krsna, and one who is building this construction, temple, he is also working for Krsna.
- Our principle should be that we work for the mission with great enthusiasm, with certainty for its success, and patiently follow the regulative principles, and associate ourselves with pure devotees, and work being completely in Krsna consciousness, that will make us happy and successful.
Utilizing Everything for Kṛṣṇa
Renunciation does not mean artificially rejecting the material world, but rather utilizing everything within it for the pleasure of the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda taught his disciples that the highest principle is to accept whatever is favorable for the execution of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Whether it involves employing unique personal talents or finding practical means to distribute transcendental literature, the end justifies the means if it glorifies the Lord.
- Any activity which will please Krishna should be accepted favorably; this is our guiding principle.
- End justifies the means. End is that everyone should have a Krsna literature. Doesn't matter what is the means. Because he has taken one Krsna literature, that justifies everything. This is the principle.
- We can accept everything for Krishna's service, but not taking the risk of diverting attention to any other thing which will hinder our Krishna Consciousness. That should be our motto, or principle.
- The principle should be that we utilize our talents for the service of the Lord. That is real sannyasa.
Adapting Externals While Preserving the Core
A genuine spiritual movement must be dynamic enough to spread across different cultures without losing its purity. Śrīla Prabhupāda encouraged his followers to adapt their preaching methods according to time, place, and circumstance, even allowing for changes in dress if it facilitated their service. However, he strictly warned that while the presentation may be updated, the foundational, original principles of the śāstra must never be altered or compromised.
- Always be thinking of how to spread this Sankirtana Movement by applying our basic principles according to time and place, and I especially want that my students enter into the schools and colleges and present our Krishna philosophy and sell our books.
- That is sastra. Not that "So many years have passed and it has become old. Now let us reform it and put it into new way." No. You can put the same thing in a new way, but you cannot change the principle.
- Every precaution must be taken to preserve our basic guiding principles as they are and not change them because we want to hear something new.
- The real principle is to spread the Krsna consciousness movement, and if one has to change into regular Western dress for this purpose, there should be no objection.
- 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.
The Absolute Principle of Following the Ācārya
The most vital principle of all Vedic knowledge is to accept and faithfully serve the instructions of the bona fide spiritual master. Śrīla Prabhupāda explained that by perfectly executing the order of the ācārya, the disciple guarantees the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. Rather than concocting new methods or interpretations, the disciple's life and soul must be the pure repetition and implementation of the master's teachings.
- Our this Vedic principle is to follow the acarya. And if we have taken shelter of a bona fide acarya, and if we are sincere to follow the instruction of acarya, then our life is successful. This is the process, acarya upasanam.
- If the acarya, guru, is satisfied, then we must know certainly that Krsna is satisfied. So this is the principle, and the acaryas give us direction. It is not very difficult. Simply we have to become very serious and sincere. Then everything is all right.
- Pleasing the spiritual master is the most important principle in spiritual life so go on acting in such a way that the spiritual master may be pleased.
- Your statements expressing your surrender to your spiritual master is proper. If this principle is followed you will remain pure and always protected by Krsna. Always follow my instructions and my example. This should be your life and soul.
- My order means Bhagavad-gita. We don't say anything extra. That is our principle. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that "You become guru."
Conclusion
By carefully outlining these pure principles, Śrīla Prabhupāda perfectly shielded his disciples from the dual dangers of spiritual stagnation and material compromise. Whether navigating personal discipline, international management, or public preaching, the devotee who tightly holds to these guidelines is assured of both immediate protection from illusion and ultimate success in going back home, back to Godhead.
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 Principles (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.