Prabhupāda Teaches His Disciples How to Execute the Preaching Work
The mission of Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu is to deliver the conditioned souls of the material world, and this monumental task is accomplished entirely through preaching. Śrīla Prabhupāda trained his disciples to understand that distributing Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the most urgent business of human society. By teaching them to maintain strict personal purity, distribute books profusely, expertly handle practical management, and remain patient in the face of inevitable opposition, he equipped his followers with everything necessary to wage a successful war against illusion.
The Primary Duty of the Mission
Whether a disciple is an unmarried monk or a family person, their ultimate responsibility is the same. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasized that preaching is the actual business of the movement, and all other managerial duties are secondary. When disciples place their full attention on spreading the message of Kṛṣṇa, all other organizational problems are automatically resolved, and they earn the highest recognition from the Supreme Lord.
- Our main business is preaching. Either do it as a grhastha or as sannyasi, it does not matter. This is only formality. The real work is preaching.
- Real business is preaching work, and if there is full attention on this matter only, all other businesses will be automatically successful.
- I simply want to engage everyone in the service of Krishna, that's all. And that means preaching. So if the preaching work has stopped, what can I do? In that case you must expect there will be so many troubles.
- Those who are in the preaching work, they are very much recognized by Krsna. He says, Nobody is dearer than him, one who is preaching, engaged in the preaching.
- If one wants to be recognized as a devotee by Krsna, he should take to preaching work, following the advice of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Then one will undoubtedly attain the lotus feet of Sri Krsna Caitanya, Lord Krsna Himself, without delay.
The Secret of Preaching: Personal Purity
A preacher cannot give what they do not possess. If a devotee's personal spiritual practice is weak, their words will carry no weight. Śrīla Prabhupāda instructed that the secret to successful preaching is maintaining an uncompromised standard of personal purity. By strictly rising early, chanting sixteen rounds, and attending temple classes, the disciple remains spiritually fit, allowing the message to naturally transform the hearts of the audience.
- The secret of preaching work is that one must keep himself fit in spiritual strength by maintaining always the highest standard of purity in Krsna consciousness.
- Preaching work is strong if our routine work is strong. Never neglect our regular programme and that will be your success.
- The first preaching work is that yourself should become an ideal devotee. Lord Caitanya said that one should first make himself perfect and then attempt to instruct others.
- Such regular activities like attendance of Arati, chanting of rounds, study of literatures in the class will keep you fit for effective preaching work in the outer field.
- If our preaching work is neglected, or if we fall down in following the regulative principles such as rising before four, chanting 16 rounds, like that, if these things are not strictly observed then maya will enter and spoil everything.
Book Distribution as the Best Preaching
While speaking and lecturing are vital, spoken words are eventually forgotten. Śrīla Prabhupāda constantly reminded his followers that the mass distribution of transcendental literature is the ultimate form of preaching. By aggressively organizing the printing and selling of books and magazines, the disciples create a solid, permanent foundation for the movement, allowing the philosophy to be studied deeply by people all over the world.
- Book distribution is our best preaching work.
- Continue with this program of standing orders. It is very important preaching work. At least if they read our books they will not speak nonsense that kirtana is nuisance.
- Formally you proposed Sundar Nagar. What happened to that? If the book distribution facility is there, then it is a first class place. The more we distribute books, the more we get solid ground of preaching work.
- I shall be glad to hear from you about your other progress in the matter of Sankirtana Party and selling BTGs. That is our main strength for preaching work.
- It is very good that you are progressing with the book proving scientifically that Lord Sri Krishna is the origin of life. Yes, do it slowly but surely. It is important work for our preaching mission.
Patience and Determination Against Obstacles
Preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a direct challenge to the atheistic principles of the modern age. Therefore, opposition is guaranteed. Śrīla Prabhupāda described the preaching mission as a "declaration of war with māyā." He instructed his disciples to remain completely steady, patient, and unagitated when facing difficulties, uncooperative people, or public criticism, knowing that such struggles are an inherent part of delivering the conditioned souls.
- Those who have taken to Krsna consciousness preaching work, they should always know that things are not going to happen so easily. Maya is very, very strong. But still, we have to struggle against maya. It is a declaration of war with the maya.
- We have to take little patience. That is preaching work. Don't be impatient. Let us do our duty on behalf of Krsna. Even the result is not very appreciable, still we have to do it.
- Don't be agitated by trifle things. Remain steady and go on with preaching work. Krishna will help you in every way.
- You have to meet many opposing elements in the matter of preaching work therefore you should always be careful to follow the principles of Bhagavad Gita as it is.
- A Krsna conscious person should not be disturbed whether his preaching work is being accepted by the people or not.
Utilizing Money Without Material Attachment
A worldwide preaching movement cannot operate without financial resources. Śrīla Prabhupāda was highly practical; he knew his disciples had to deal with significant amounts of money and property to advance the mission. However, he warned them that they must remain spiritually detached, ensuring that every cent is strictly utilized for pushing forward the preaching work and never diverted toward personal sense gratification.
- Maya's most attractive feature is women and money. We Krishna Conscious men have to deal with women and money in course of preaching work, and the only prophylactic measure to save us is not to accept them for our sense gratification.
- In our preaching work also, we deal with so much property and money and so many books bought and sold, but because these dealings all pertain to the Krsna consciousness movement, they should never be considered material.
- To help the preaching work, that is also preaching. If you can get money to help expand our preaching activities, that is preaching. We require money.
- These debts must be paid, that is important business. Along with our preaching and propaganda work, we must also give attention to financial matters, otherwise the whole thing will collapse and it will be a farce.
- We should not make exorbitant profit by exploiting each other in the matter of vital Krishna Consciousness paraphernalia such as books, tapes, etc. which are vital for our preaching work and for the devotees' personal advancement in Krishna Consciousness.
Training Preachers and Expanding Globally
The goal of a Kṛṣṇa conscious center is not to remain permanently dependent on imported leadership. Śrīla Prabhupāda taught that the true success of preaching is found in training the local population. By dispatching enthusiastic sannyāsīs and dedicated married couples across the globe to recruit local youth and train them as self-sufficient leaders, the movement successfully establishes deep, unbreakable roots in every country.
- That is not a good policy that for preaching work one has to get men from another country. One has to create manpower from the local environment. That is success of preaching.
- I never wanted that any of my temples shall be dependent upon the other temples; rather, our main business is to train up men to be self-sufficient and competent in many ways to carry on the preaching work.
- I have a great hope to train some of my disciples for preaching work, even in my absence; I wish to leave some trained preachers so that they can do the work of Krishna Consciousness in the western world.
- I have adopted the method of sending young married couples for such preaching work, and you will be pleased to know that this system in these countries has proved more effective.
- If we can attract this student class of men by our preaching work, that will enhance everything and we are very much in need of intelligent preachers for expanding this movement all over the world.
Conclusion
Preaching is the most compassionate and demanding service in the material world. By giving his disciples exhaustive instructions on how to execute this monumental task, Śrīla Prabhupāda ensured the global expansion of the saṅkīrtana movement. When his followers remain strictly pure in their daily habits, intensely focused on book distribution, and highly patient in the face of obstacles, their preaching work becomes an unstoppable force that effortlessly turns the iron-like hearts of conditioned souls into pure gold.
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 Preaching Work (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.