Excerpts from Prabhupada Memories DVD Series
(Part 3)
(Following are selected notes taken from "Prabhupada Memories DVD Series" on YouTube
These DVDs are a series of interviews with the direct disciples of Srila Prabhupada reminiscing about him)
Note:
The credits of creating the videos are with their producers, my part is only in distilling chosen words of Prabhupada from them that I found notable.
The youtube links to the DVDs are provided by their number; I encourage you to watch them yourself and share along.
Haribol
To Acyutananda swami:
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Krishna is grave; gravity is when you never know what He is thinking
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Do something big and important (to please Krishna)
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Lord Jagannath doesnt have strict archana (worship rituals).
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Doubt is a sign of intelligence..keep asking questions
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The initiation ceremony is needed to make impression on the mind…
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The Madhurya rasa doesnt mean just talking about gopis but getting on a boat for Krishna's sake at 70 with $7 and.. (ref to Prabhupads journey to US on a freight ship with just $7 at age 70)
To Ananga Manjari devi dasi:
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Youth is the best time to start spiritual quest - like academic universities where students are young…too late for old fools..
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We can say women are sometimes less intelligent but when they come to Krishna consciousness movement they become most intelligent
To Amarendra das:
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We should enter politics - good opportunity to preach widely & distribute our books
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<even before watergate> - expose these Nixons and replace them - the only solution is God conscious leadership
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There will be war with china..they are the lowest..they will eat anything.
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Krishna puts us thro these trials but also gives us the strength to make it through
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If you can conquer (your lust for) a woman you can capture Krishna
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Krishna consciousness is not something you can just read - it is realized by study and practice and by qualifying
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To qualify you do the basics - chanting, associating, discussion of Krishna,..
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Material world is not illusion - its illusory - its (real but) just temporary
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To bring out anyone from darkness..key is prasadam
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Studying of scriptures (such as Gita) goes with you forever
To Govinda devi dasi:
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The spiritual master can know about disciples mind even from far away because of Krishna’s presence & grace in everyones heart.
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Spiritual master should never be referred to as a “man”; its the beginning of falldown
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Faith is created by the association of devotees
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Spiritual art means muscle definition is smooth - no body building type (sp called the latter as meat eater art)
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Chanting hare Krishna is service..the greatest service
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Dont forget Krishna..serving Krishna is simple (patram, pushpam..BG 9.26) but if you forget its not good karma
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When distributing books, dont sell on the reference of celebrities, talk about the book more..(eg not Beatles but about the book itself)
To Jananivas das:
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Do not try to see God..but act in such a way that God will see you
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Prabhupada kept his routine perfectly - even in Mayapur where there was no running water, electricity but lots of mosquitos
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During Prabhupads time, Govardhan shilas were not removed from Vrindavan to be worshipped in temples
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but shaligram shilas yes you could worship those in the temples
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Per shastras, you can talk to deities only in Sanskrit but you can offer prayers in your language
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To indians: export Krishna, Krishna belongs to the whole universe, not just India.
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(its a call for Indians to preach Krishna consciousness worldwide)
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(to his disciples) - Your Love for me is shown by how you cooperate (amonngst each other)
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No lamentation, no hankering — whatever happens is Your desire Lord
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Everything was serious, never trivial, even if joking, in Srila Prabhupads' preaching of Krishna
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Attention to detail was one of his unique qualities
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(About Shyamsundar pr) ‘actually he was the best servant I had”
To Caitanya Chandra:
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vani is greater than vapu
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vani = spiritual instructions, vapu = physical presence
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Without spiritual potency you can change the world just by some material adjustments
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No event is complete without distribution of Prasadam
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In Hawaii Prabhupada quipped surfers = sufferers
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Prabhupad wanted village industry not machine industry
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I wrote an undated letter to my spiritual master by post and he actually replied to it — key message was to read and chant…
To Garuda das:
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Krishna consciousness is simple for the simple but hard for the crooked.
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Srimati Tulasi = mother of devotion
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If you simply chant (your 16 rounds) & follow reg principles, you will, at the end of this lifetime go back to God.
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male or female, everyone on the dancing platform is equal; no higher or lower.
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Krishna book came out at the end of 1970; trifecta with Hare Krishna album (recorded in London) and the song "My Sweet Lord (by George Harrison) <swarup das>
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Prabhupada did not disapprove astrology but didnt favor it either..
To Kishor das:
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Brahmin means clean
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Sannyas is very serious business
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The Hare Krishna sound vibration goes straight to the soul..it does not need to go through the body, mental, intelligence layers..the Hare Krishna mantra is the highest welfare work
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Every day I pray to Krishna, please dont let me forget You
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Theres real beauty in this powerlessness and absolute surrender to Krishna knowing that Krishna will take care of you
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Krishna takes care of all living entities but for His devotees He takes specific care
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Are you convinced of the urgent necessity of Krishna conscriousnss in your life? If yes, only then can you preach
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Dont sell records, sell books..somehow or the other have them (karmis) say the word ‘Krishna’
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For neophytes (eg children) first make them Krishna conscious (ie make it fun) then give them the rules..
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There is sufficient merit in our books that if you simply describe them sincerely to anyone they will purchase..
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That art (of describing sincerely..) you must develop
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The mood of a preacher: totally dependent on Krishna, just trying to be the instrument, feeling very unworthy, unqualified.
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Srila Prabhupad always was ‘relaxed’, unfazed, because Krishna was guiding him every moment
<<Interesting instructive anecdote from Bury Place temple, London>>
A showy Indian woman to Prabhupad - Swami can you see God?
SP: Yes. you cannot? (looks around) - Krishna is everywhere, why you cannot see?
<<Pause>>
SP: Do you WANT to see God?
(the woman looks down, nods negative)
<<Pause>>
SP: THEREFORE you cannot see Him!
To Mukunda Goswami:
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Do something unusual but if you do it with enthusiasm it would be contagious & successful
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Being a servant of Krishna is more imp that any other material profession
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The Yagya ceremony at initiation is mere formality; real initiation takes place in the heart
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Krishna Consciousness is not a cult because its a Vedic system passed down from Krishna himself through disciples and not something someone concocted on his own..to get blind followers
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Srila Prabhupada walked like a noble — with purpose and grace
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The Panchatattva mantra is more powerful than mahamantra but we chant mahamantra because Lord Chaitanya said so
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Western mind is very prone to deviation
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If Krishna is in the center, your marriage will be successful
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In Kaliyuga those who chant Hare Krishna are great not the so called celebrities
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The Vedic culture is more in tact in South India; Prabhupad’s movement was to spread the Vedic culture
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Why do we follow reg principles?
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SP: to avoid going to hell
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-krishna balaram temple in vrindavan opened in apr 1975
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The Mayavadi & Vaishnavas follow the same Vedic culture but they differ in interpretations of Vedanta
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Better to worship demigod than western religions because by former you get ‘gradual elevation’ & but in the latter the notion meateater relgns supreme.
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Srila Prabhupada's presence is there in his books and our Japa and its not just about his physical presence
Jai JagatGuru Srila Bhaktivedanta Prabhupad ki Jai !
