Prabhupāda Instructs His Disciples on What is Most Important For Them
While all aspects of devotional service are absolute, Śrīla Prabhupāda specifically highlights certain duties as the most critical for his disciples. In these profound instructions, he identifies the ultimate priorities that sustain both individual spiritual life and the global preaching mission. By delineating that printing books, performing public saṅkīrtana, expanding strategic centers, and pleasing the spiritual master are the highest priorities, Śrīla Prabhupāda ensures his followers remain focused on the activities that yield the maximum spiritual impact.
The Priority of Book Distribution
To defeat the dense ignorance of the material world, transcendental knowledge must be heavily distributed. Śrīla Prabhupāda repeatedly states that publishing and distributing his books and magazines is the most important engagement, as it forms the very foundation of the preaching movement.
- Producing and distributing books is our most important engagement, all other engagements culminate in this one end - distribution of books.
- Actually that is our most important business-to distribute our Back to Godhead magazine and if you will go on in this way with enthusiasm and determination for distributing BTG to everyone you meet then Krishna will surely bless you more and more.
- Book distribution is my most important concern and these devotees should be given facility to distribute books profusely throughout America.
- Please dedicate your life to publishing all our books. It is our most important work.
Foundational Spiritual Practices
A preacher cannot be effective without profound internal strength. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that individual spiritual vitality depends entirely on the most important practices of śravaṇam (hearing), associating with devotees, and strictly following the basic regulative principles.
- The most important item is sravanam, or hearing. If you do not do anything else, if you simply sincerely hear about God, then gradually you will be God conscious.
- The most important point is that everyone, especially the leaders, must always stick to the basic regulative practices that I have given, especially 16 rounds each day. So, now what can be done?
- Individual strength is most important. And that individual strength is achieved in the association of devotees also.
Public Preaching and Saṅkīrtana
The essence of Lord Caitanya's mission is to freely distribute the holy name to the public. Śrīla Prabhupāda makes it clear that inducing people to chant through street saṅkīrtana is the most important aspect of active preaching.
- Sankirtana or street chanting must go on, it is our most important program. Lord Caitanya's movement means the sankirtana movement.
- The most important aspect of our preaching is Kirtana. Induce the people to chant, that is the only thing. Then everything else will follow. The goal is to make devotees and books; both are required. Distributing the books will make devotees.
- Preaching is our most important business. People are suffering for want of this Krsna consciousness, so as representative of Krsna, it is our duty to enlighten them, and we should accept all kinds of . . . but there is no difficulty.
Pleasing the Spiritual Master
Mechanically performing duties without the proper internal disposition misses the essence of bhakti-yoga. Śrīla Prabhupāda establishes that the central, animating principle behind all spiritual success is the sincere desire to please the spiritual master.
- 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.
- Do not forget our most important business which is to develop pure Krsna Consciousness by following our strict regulations and Vaisnava standards, and always be engaged in service.
Strategic Preaching Centers
To effectively capture the attention of the world, Kṛṣṇa consciousness must be prominently established in major cultural and political hubs. Śrīla Prabhupāda targets specific locations like London, Paris, and Delhi, calling them the most important fields for broadcasting the mission.
- London is the most important city in the world and I want that our center there be a grand success.
- Paris is a most important city of the world. Work with great enthusiasm and make Krishna more prominent than Napoleon and Eiffel tower.
- Delhi is the most important city in India because the capital is established there. Mostly the population is educated. Many foreigners are there also and embassies of different countries. So from the cultural point of view Delhi is the most important city.
Deity Worship and Immaculate Cleanliness
The temple is a sacred embassy of the spiritual world, requiring an exceptional level of care. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that strict punctuality and absolute cleanliness are the most important requirements for maintaining the standard of Deity worship.
- Always keep to this high standard of Deity worship, never become neglectful. Everything must be done very timely, and the temple must be immaculately cleansed daily. These things, cleanliness and promptness, are the most important points for Deity worship.
- These are the most important duties for the brahmacarinis - namely cleansing. By nicely cleansing one can get promotion in the spiritual kingdom in some of the Vaikuntha planets.
Conclusion
By identifying what is truly the "most important," Śrīla Prabhupāda expertly guides his disciples past secondary concerns and into the heart of the preaching mission. He confirms that while all devotional service is pure, the highest spiritual impact is achieved through the mass distribution of literature, enthusiastic public saṅkīrtana, and the strategic expansion of temples in key cities. Simultaneously, he reminds his followers that these external successes depend entirely on their internal commitment to the most important personal practices: chanting, hearing, maintaining impeccable temple standards, and ultimately, striving to please the spiritual master.
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 Most Important For Us (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.