Prabhupāda Guides His Disciples to Direct Their Wishes Toward Kṛṣṇa
The ultimate perfection of human life does not require the artificial suppression of our natural desires, but rather their complete purification. By engaging with the varied hopes, plans, and aspirations of his followers, Śrīla Prabhupāda perfectly illustrates how a genuine spiritual master dovetails every individual tendency into transcendental service. He patiently regulates their wishes for marriage, independence, and personal comfort, ensuring they remain firmly situated in safe spiritual practices. Simultaneously, he vigorously encourages and blesses any wish aimed at expanding the preaching mission, proving that when our desires are aligned with Kṛṣṇa's will, they become the very fuel for our liberation.
Navigating the ISKCON Family
A cohesive and loving spiritual society is the bedrock of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Acting as a deeply affectionate spiritual father, Śrīla Prabhupāda expresses genuine sorrow whenever his disciples harbor wishes to unnecessarily separate from the main body of the society or abandon their current posts. He continuously reminds them that they are part of a global, transcendental family, and that whimsical desires to leave their assigned duties or isolate themselves only invite the dangerous influence of material energy.
- As the father becomes unhappy when one of his children wishes to break family connections I also become unhappy when there is difficulties within our ISKCON family. So please do not consider leaving as you are spiritual children of mine.
- You have written that you are wishing to leave for Toronto with Kanupriya, but this can be done only if there is no sacrifice of the Montreal temple. You are doing so nicely there as you have written, so why should you leave.
- So far as you writing you are lonely I think that there is no need for this. Such sentiments of wishing for me to be there is nice but a girl is meant for living with her husband and not her father.
- One thing is, I have just received one letter from the black devotees in Cleveland who wish start their own ISKCON Center independently of the white devotees there. In principle, it is alright, birds of a feather will flock together.
Regulating the Desire for Marriage
The transition into household life is a serious spiritual commitment that requires maturity, responsibility, and strict regulation. When disciples express the wish to marry, Śrīla Prabhupāda generally grants his sanction, but he attaches profound warnings against the frivolous, modern mentality of "free love" and easy divorce. He insists that those who wish to live separately as householders must take up honorable employment to maintain their families, thereby establishing an ideal, responsible example of Kṛṣṇa conscious family life for the rest of society.
- The so-called institution of free love marriage is ruining the human society and it is our duty to reestablish the correct procedure of human life by encouraging our disciples who wish to marry to enter into a contract of spiritual wedlock.
- I receive so many letters daily that "I wish to marry." Immediately I sanction, "Yes, you get yourself married." But one who is strict, one who can follow very rigidly the orders of brahmacari and sannyasi, they continue.
- Now so many cases are there of unhappiness by the wife who has been abandoned by her husband against her wishes. So how can I sanction such thing?
- If you wish to live separately you have to earn your livelihood by business, by taking some employment to maintain your home and family. But not by chanting in the street; this is not a good idea for householders.
Expanding the Desires for Preaching
While material desires naturally bring anxiety and exhaustion, spiritual desires invigorate the soul and bring boundless joy. Śrīla Prabhupāda highly praises those disciples who express the wish to increase their service, open new centers, or print more literature, explaining that because the Supreme Lord is infinite, our desire to serve Him must also expand infinitely. He emphasizes that the truest expression of mercy is the intense wish to awaken the dormant spiritual consciousness of the suffering humanity through widespread preaching.
- I am glad to learn that now you wish to increase your service still further. Krsna is unlimited, and His devotees' service should also be unlimited.
- Unless we know what mercy really is, we may create an undesirable situation. If we wish to show real mercy, we will preach Krsna consciousness in order to revive the lost consciousness of human beings, the living entity’s original consciousness.
- I am so glad the press workers have become enlivened in their work. This is required if we at all wish to be a truly worldwide organization. Worldwide means worldwide distribution of literatures.
- We wish to see distributed in India a small, very inexpensive abridged edition of The Bhagavad Gita As It Is by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. Such important knowledge as contained in The Bhagavad Gita As It Is is vitally needed by all of humanity.
Maintaining Purity and Cooperation
The strength of the preaching mission relies entirely on the strict purity and unified cooperation of its members. Śrīla Prabhupāda firmly instructs that if the movement wishes to maintain its spotless reputation and spiritual potency, it must absolutely refuse to compromise its principles or merge with unauthorized, degraded groups. By working conjointly to execute grand projects like the Ratha-yātrā festival, and by offering heartfelt good wishes to the spiritual master, the disciples ensure the ultimate success of the society.
- Our good standing will be diminished if we join with groups who permit the use of intoxicants, etc. We should not compromise on this point, if we wish to remain pure and strong.
- There is Rathayatra Festival propogation, and Tamala Krishna wishes that all branches on the Western Coast may conjointly perform this ceremony very pompously. I do not know if you have got any news already, but if you have, please cooperate fully.
- If you wish to make progress further in your educational career, that will be a nice asset for our Krishna Consciousness Movement. You have a taste for psychology and divinity studies, and this is very nice.
- You have wished me to live until all of my publications are finished, and I thank you very much for these good wishes. May it be fulfilled by the good will of all of my disciples.
Conclusion
The journey of bhakti is a profound transformation of the heart's deepest longings. Through these instructions, Śrīla Prabhupāda perfectly demonstrates the art of spiritual management by expertly regulating the material wishes of his disciples while fanning the flames of their transcendental desires. By guiding them to take their responsibilities seriously in household life, maintain the strict purity of the institution, and endlessly expand their desire to preach, he ensures that all their wishes ultimately lead them back to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.
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 Wishes (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.