Prabhupāda Guides His Disciples to Understand Their Ultimate Purpose
In any large, rapidly expanding society, it is easy for individuals to lose sight of the original goal amidst the daily pressures of management and survival. To prevent his followers from being distracted by mundane affairs, Śrīla Prabhupāda continually reminded them why they had dedicated their lives to the mission. He firmly established that every single project, from farming to publishing, must directly support the dharma of reawakening pure bhakti and delivering the conditioned souls from material existence.
The Core Spiritual Mission
The foundation of the entire movement rests on a single, uncompromising spiritual objective. Instead of working to merely improve the temporary conditions of the material world, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that his disciples must strive to end the cycle of birth and death altogether. The buildings and institutions are simply tools to facilitate this eternal yoga process. By keeping their focus fixed on the Supreme Lord, devotees ensure that their activities remain completely transcendental.
- Our purpose is not to construct big, big buildings. That is required for propaganda work, for giving shelter to people. But our main business is how to turn the face of the bewildered conditioned souls towards Krsna.
- Our fight is for this purpose, no more death. This is real fight. Your, what is your fight? You may save yourself for two years or three years or ten years, but you have to die. You have no such program not to die. But here is a program, no more death.
- We are going to give education how to become spiritually advanced. That is our purpose.
- Our real purpose is to spread Krsna consciousness. This means that there is one God; Krsna, one scripture; Bhagavad-gita As It Is, one mantra; Hare Krsna, and one work; service of Lord Krsna. We want to preach this cult all over the world.
The Role of ISKCON Centers and the GBC
To manage a global preaching effort, a structured organization with dedicated leadership is necessary. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda makes it clear that the Governing Body Commission and the society's temples exist solely to maintain the highest standard of devotion. The centers are meant to be active hubs of continuous service and training, not comfortable residences for lazy individuals. The ultimate metric of success for any center or leader is how effectively they bring people to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.
- I have organized the GBC for the purpose of spreading Krsna consciousness all over the world.
- I have established ISKCON centers for the purpose of catching up the lotus feet of Krsna by intimate connection with the spiritual master; these are my authorized centers for that purpose.
- That is our real work, to educate people in spiritual life by giving them the practical example, so I wanted that the GBC would be a chosen body of men for that purpose, to see how the students are learning and reporting to me as my secretaries.
- There must always be activity. Not that we have a nice house for comfortable living. We simply want to bring people back home, back to Godhead. That is the purpose of our temples, of our books, and our festivals, and preachings.
The Vital Importance of Literature and Preaching
Distributing transcendental knowledge is the most effective way to change the consciousness of the global population. Recognizing this, Śrīla Prabhupāda invested enormous energy into printing books and ensuring his disciples understood the gravity of their publication work. Even if it requires adopting different strategies or facing financial difficulties, the press and the distribution of literature must go on. It is through these pure philosophical texts that the timeless wisdom of the paramparā is preserved and spread.
- Our only hope is books and literature. So we have to start press, and for that purpose, and publish varieties of books and literature for getting some financial help as well as propagating our mission.
- Back to Godhead is already in difficulty for financial matter. It is giving me some anxiety. Back to Godhead may not be stopped publication—it will be a great setback for our missionary purpose.
- Our only purpose is to present this Bhagavad-gita As It Is in order to guide the conditioned student to the same purpose for which Krsna descends to this planet once in a day of Brahma, or every 8,600,000,000 years.
- 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.
Utilizing All Resources for Kṛṣṇa
A fundamental principle of spiritual realization is that everything emanates from the Lord and must be utilized in His service. Rather than rejecting the world entirely, Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches his followers how to seamlessly integrate money, property, agriculture, and family life into their devotional practices. Whether running a farm to grow prasāda or entering the gṛhastha-āśrama, the activities must be strictly regulated and aimed at advancing in spiritual life, not fulfilling selfish desires.
- You must try to utilize the whole thing for the purpose of Krsna because everything belongs to Krsna. That is your duty.
- Growing, cultivating, producing, there will be not possibility of, and we don't want more than the necessity. If by God's grace we get more, then you can make sale, but we are not going to work for selling purpose.
- That is the real purpose of married life; to live together peacefully, execute Krsna consciousness, bring up children in Krsna consciousness, so they will not again have to enter into this world of birth and death.
- Those who collect contributions on behalf of ISKCON should be very careful not to use even a farthing of the collection for any purpose other than the transcendental loving service of the Lord.
Sincerity and Spiritual Strength
To execute such a massive undertaking, a devotee must be internally fortified. In numerous instructions, Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that mechanical management or external qualifications are useless without deep sincerity and spiritual purity. By strictly following the regulative principles and chanting the holy names with devotion, disciples attract the necessary empowerment from the Lord to carry out their great purpose with enthusiasm.
- Without being empowered by Krsna, nobody can preach Krsna consciousness. It is not academic qualification or financial strength which helps in these matters, but it is sincerity of purpose which helps us always.
- The only thing we require for this purpose is to remain in our spiritual strength by chanting regularly and following the rules and regulations. I am sure you are already strict on this point, and it is my duty to remind it for your steady strength.
- Now I have given you everything, but I do not see that even the basic principles of advancement in spiritual life are always there, and sometimes there is tendency to neglect what is our real purpose of life, namely, to become mad after Krsna.
- Krsna consciousness is such a nice thing that the more you work for the cause, the more you become enthusiastic to execute the purpose.
Conclusion
By providing clear boundaries and lofty goals, Śrīla Prabhupāda safeguards his disciples from drifting into useless material activities. When devotees remember that their sole reason for existence is to serve Kṛṣṇa and distribute His message, every aspect of their lives becomes spiritually potent. Through the proper utilization of temples, literature, and resources, this unified purpose continues to offer the greatest benediction to human society.
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 Purpose (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.