What Pleases Prabhupāda
To read the letters of Śrīla Prabhupāda is to witness the heart of a loving spiritual father who was deeply invested in the well-being of his spiritual children. He did not ask for grandiose displays of wealth; rather, he was very pleased by the sincerity and the small, steady steps his disciples took toward the Lord. This personal touch was the engine of the early movement, as every disciple knew that their efforts—whether selling a book, painting a picture, or chanting their rounds—brought genuine happiness to their spiritual master. When Śrīla Prabhupāda expressed his pleasure, he was not just offering a compliment; he was confirming that the disciple had successfully pleased his spiritual master and was thus making certain progress back to Godhead. By focusing our lives on the specific activities that brought him joy, we can find the same enthusiasm and success that fueled the pioneers of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
The Vitality of Preaching and Books
The expansion of the saṅkīrtana movement and the mass distribution of transcendental literature were the primary sources of joy for Śrīla Prabhupāda. He viewed every book sold as a step toward a global revolution in consciousness and was always enlivened by reports of his disciples' success in this area.
- I (Prabhupada) am greatly pleased to hear from you that you have increased the selling books five times more in Chicago centre. That is very good news to me.
- I am so pleased that you have published. Even I have not seen them, I am pleased and obliged to you. Continue this work. Whenever there is any publication in any language, it enlivens me 100 times.
- I am very pleased to hear that you are distributing many of my books, especially Krsna Book. You are a very sincere girl.
- I am very pleased with your monthly Bhagavata-Darsana. That is a solid program. Please continue it steadily.
Personal Purity and Sādhana
Śrīla Prabhupāda often emphasized that the movement’s strength lay in the individual purity of its members. He was deeply pleased when he heard that his disciples were strictly following the daily sādhana he established, as this ensured they would remain steady and happy in their service.
- I am so pleased that you are chanting the Hare Krsna mantra 16 rounds regularly and following the principles. Stick to these rules and regulations and Krsna will bless you with Krsna consciousness.
- I am very pleased that you are keeping to a very strict schedule and are reading my literature daily. If you continue in this manner you will grow up to be a first class preacher of Krsna consciousness. And this is the highest service that you can perform.
- I am so pleased to hear that you are chanting a minimum of 25 rounds daily. It is a good example as the president to be followed by others.
- I am very much pleased to know that you are chanting at least the prescribed number of rounds daily and studying our literatures so carefully. Especially for girls this is absolutely necessary, and that will uplift you position in Krishna Consciousness.
Engaging Individual Talents
It brought great satisfaction to Śrīla Prabhupāda to see his disciples use their natural proclivities in the service of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Whether it was the talent for business, the ability to paint, or even beautiful handwriting, he encouraged his students to offer everything to the Lord.
- I am pleased to note that your store, the Spiritual Sky, is doing successfully. Krishna has given you nice talent for doing business, and I am glad to see that you are using it well.
- I am so pleased to see the picture. And you have improved very much in your painting capacity also by serving Krishna so faithfully by the talent which Krishna has endowed you with.
- I am very pleased that Jayadvaita Brahmacari will be going to Boston soon for typing BTG and our books. He is the first class typist in our society so far I have heard, so he can create so many assistants.
- I am very much pleased to see your good handwriting. I shall therefore request you to utilize your talent in the service of Krishna.
Vaishnava Qualities and Cooperation
The character of a devotee was a central concern for Śrīla Prabhupāda. He took great pleasure in observing his disciples develop the qualities of a Vaiṣṇava, such as humility and the ability to work together harmoniously despite the natural competition that arises in dynamic preaching.
- I (Prabhupada) am always very much pleased with your humble attitude, and a Vaisnava devotee of Lord Caitanya always thinks himself as naradhama, the lowest of mankind; although he is narottama, the best of the mankind.
- Go on like this, transcendental rivalry, just like San Francisco and Los Angeles, this pleases me very much. But it is not that we are envious.
- I find in you some good qualities. You think yourself as very humble but you appreciate the services of your God-brothers and I am very much pleased on your such behavior.
- For my (Prabhupada) part, there is no question of dissatisfaction, I am very much pleased with your sincere service and humble attitude of Krishna Consciousness devotee.
Outreach to the Intelligent Class
Śrīla Prabhupāda was especially eager to establish the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement as a rigorous academic and social force. He was always pleased to hear of successful programs in colleges and universities, and he valued the participation of scholars and the social elite.
- I am especially pleased that you are infiltrating the schools and colleges with improved programs, how to encourage the student class to participate in Krishna Consciousness. I completely approve of this program.
- I am pleased also to learn that you are teaching university course in Krishna Consciousness. Try to make this program very stimulating for all the students at the university by challenging anyone and everyone to try to defeat our Krishna philosophy with their philosophy.
- I am very much pleased that a learned scholar like you is prepared to cooperate with our preaching activities. If you kindly come in Calcutta along with your papers, I shall be very glad to meet you and talk with you on the subject matter.
- I am so much pleased to hear that you are travelling with a few men to each and every college campus to preach. That is wonderful news. Now try to build up and develop that programme to perfection.
Conclusion
The pleasure of Śrīla Prabhupāda is the most valuable asset any disciple can possess. As we have seen through these numerous expressions of satisfaction, he was pleased by anything that brought a person closer to Lord Kṛṣṇa—be it the distribution of a book, the chanting of a round, or a sincere attempt to cooperate with others. His fatherly affection was available to all who took up the mission with a humble heart. By aligning our lives with the activities that brought him pleasure, we ensure that our spiritual journey is successful. The secret of spiritual life is to please the spiritual master, for in his pleasure, the pleasure of the Lord is guaranteed. Let us always strive to act in a way that allows us to hear those most auspicious words: "I am very pleased."
Dive Deeper into Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category I Am Very Pleased (Prabhupada). We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.