European disciples

Expressions researched:
"European and American disciples" |"European continent new disciples" |"European disciples" |"many thousands of disciples, young American and European" |"my European and Indian disciples" |"my disciples, European, American boys" |"thousands of my disciples, European"

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 19.71, Translation and Purport:

Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya said, "Since these two are constantly chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, how can they be untouchable? On the contrary, they are most exalted."

Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya's admission of the brothers' exalted position should serve as a lesson to one who is falsely proud of his position as a brāhmaṇa. Sometimes so-called brāhmaṇas do not recognize our European and American disciples as devotees or brāhmaṇas, and some brāhmaṇas are so proud that they do not allow them to enter temples. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu herein gives a great lesson. Although Vallabha Bhaṭṭācārya was a great authority on brahmanism and a learned scholar, he admitted that those who chant the Lord's holy name are bona fide brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas and are therefore exalted.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 7.9.43 -- Visakhapatnam, February 22, 1972:

Karmaṇā, by our act. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). By pious activities, one can get these four things: birth in high family, rich family, brāhmaṇa family, cultured family, janma; aiśvarya—riches, opulence; śruta—education; and śrī—beauty.

So I say to my American and European disciples always that your nation, American nation, you have got your birth in a very rich nation or rich family. In America, every family is rich because there the poorest man earns monthly not less than four to five thousand of rupees, according to our (indistinct). The poorest man. And what to speak of the richest man. So janma, aiśvarya, śruta, śrī, these things are achieved out of pious activities. Therefore, in the Vedas, the karma-kāṇḍa vicāra, performing great sacrifices, they are mentioned. (Sanskrit) Performing yajña. In order to keep ourself happy within this material world, we have to perform yajña. That we are forgetting. There is no yajña performance.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 8.128 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 24, 1977:

We should approach, we must approach, yei kṛṣṇa tattva vettā. We must learn from him about Kṛṣṇa. Then we can understand Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise not possible. Go on reading. (break) ...movement here giving this yajñopavita to the Europeans and Americans because they are now qualified. So sometimes we are criticized in India, that "Bhaktivedanta Swami is spoiling Hindu religion." But it is not actually the fact. We are increasing the number of Hindus. Unfortunately these, our these European and American disciples, these so-called brāhmaṇa priests of Jagannātha Purī, they do not allow.

General Lectures

Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972:

Respectable Fathers, Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your kindly giving me a chance to speak about this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, which is going on all over the world with the, especially with the assistance of my American and European disciples. Long, long ago, prehistoric age practically... Because the modern history cannot give account of the world more than three thousand years. But about five thousand years ago a meeting was held at Naimiṣāraṇya. Naimiṣāraṇya is a place in India still existing. Perhaps some of you who might have visited India... This place is situated near Lucknow in the northern India provinces, a very nice place, sanctified place. Still people go and find peace for spiritual meditation. In that tract of land, Naimiṣāraṇya, from time immemorial this place was especially recognized for spiritual meeting.

University Lecture -- Calcutta, January 29, 1973:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is all-embracing. It can solve all the problems of the world—political, social, economical, religious, everything. It is all-embracing. So my request is that I am working now with my American disciples and European disciples. Why not Indians? I think in this meeting there are many young men, educated, learned scholars. Join this movement and, according to the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu,

bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya janma haila yāra

janma sārthaka kari' karo paropakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

This is the time to do welfare activities for the whole world. They are merged into confusion, everywhere. You know that in the Western countries, the hippy movements. What are the hippies? They're also educated, coming from very rich family also, but they do not like the way of envelopment as their fathers and grandfathers liked. They have rejected.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Dr. Arnold Toynbee, Famous Historian, at his home or office -- July 22, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: The politicians, they (say that) "These books are useless. Throw them in the water." They say like that publicly. They are not interested. Rather, this movement, as I have now began with my disciples, European, American boys, they're... They are not very satisfied, the present politicians. They are not very satisfied. They don't want. Everywhere this, more or less the same mentality, but it is our duty on behalf of Kṛṣṇa to push on this movement. So we are doing, and we are getting response. It is not without response. It will increase. That is also stated, that for ten thousand years Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will increase. Yes.

Śyāmasundara: Ten thousand years.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 17, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, our point is not that, just to bring them and proselytize them to Hinduism. No. Take prasādam, take dress, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, dance. That's all. I never said to all these European and American disciples that "You become a Hindu." I never said. Ask them. I never said.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Neither we would have agreed.

Prabhupāda: Why shall I ask them to be? I asked them, "Just become lover of God. That's all. If you can love God through your religion, that's all right. You do that." I said that. I never said that "You become Hindu." Then I would not have been able to...

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- May 8, 1975, Perth:

Paramahaṁsa: Still, even after you went to America and brought back so many European and American disciples, still the Indians are so slow to come and join.

Prabhupāda: Because they have been... The disease is very chronic. They are not opulent. That diagnosis already given. They have become poverty-stricken. So daridra-doṣa guṇa naśe. Although they are born in India, they have got many qualification, due to this poverty-stricken position, they... Their first business is how to... Because they have got family attachment, so they cannot sacrifice. They will work very, very hard. You have seen how they are going to office, how..., because they have got the responsibility of family. That is Indians another feature. They take family responsibility.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Tirtha Maharaja -- Los Angeles 7 February, 1969:

If you want to lay down the foundation stone for this building during the Jubilee celebration, I am prepared to send you the required money for this special purpose. Or else, on your approval of this scheme, I may at once go to India along with some of my American and European disciples to do the needful. As a bona fide disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja, and because I am trying my best to fulfill His holy desire in the matter of preaching work in this part of the world, I have got the right to ask from you a plot of land for this purpose. Now it is up to you to cooperate with me.

I shall be very glad to receive your reply to this letter. On receipt of your favorable reply, I may start immediately for India to take part in the matter of the foundation stone of the building during the Jubilee celebration.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Sriman Bankaji -- Los Angeles 13 March, 1970:

And that is practically experienced during the last three or four years. There are thousands of my disciples, European and American; their background is not Hindu culture, and still they are accepting this Krishna Consciousness philosophy. Some of my students are from the Mohammedan sect also; but all of them conjointly are chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, dancing in ecstasy, honoring Krishna Prasadam, and happily living on Vedic principles; namely as Brahmacari, Grhastha, Vanaprastha, or Sannyasa, not to mention their personal dealings in the matter of four kinds of prohibitive regulations; namely no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat eating, and no gambling.

Letter to Turya Shramy Maharaja -- Los Angeles 8 April, 1970:

By the grace of Srila Prabhupada the preaching work is going on nicely and the most important factor is that I have got a number of youthful American and European disciples who are helping me very seriously. As you know the western boys and girls are educated and trained up in practical life.. They are spreading this movement better that any Indian could do. So whatever success is there, it is due to them; I am simply instrumental in giving them direction. They are very kind upon me and offer me the best facilities of comfort. So things are very satisfactory here.

Letter to P. Gangulee -- Tokyo 16 August, 1970:

In this connection I may inform you that although there is no law by which the Temples can bar anyone's entry in India, still sometimes practically I have felt the difficulty in respect of my American and European disciples. Last time when I was in India one of my students, Harivilasa Brahmacari, felt the same difficulty when he was in the Temple of Jagannatha Puri. Similarly one disciple was refused entry in the Ranganatha Temple in Vrndavana.

So if you kindly issue a general letter, suggestively reading as follows:

"Certified disciple of Swami A.C. Bhaktivedanta, the missionary preacher of Vaisnava cult in the Western world, is strictly following the Vaisnava regulations. They are regularly initiated in Vaisnava culture.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 4 November, 1970:

My European disciples have written that there are no books available in Europe. I want that each and every one of my centers should be fully stocked with all of my books, never mind if they can pay or not. The principle is that every center must pay for whatever books they order, but if for some financial difficulty a center is not able to pay for books still we should supply them whatever they need.

You will be pleased to know that I am resuming my translating work here in the peaceful surroundings of a Sita-Ram Temple in the suburbs of Bombay.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to President of United States -- Los Angeles 28 June, 1972:

I am seventy-six years of age and am in the renounced order of life. I came to this country from India six years ago to introduce Krishna Consciousness, the scientific process of spiritual life, to the English-speaking people of the Western world. Now by the grace of Krishna I have many thousands of disciples, young American and European boys and girls. Many of them have come to me bewildered, rebellious, and addicted to all sorts of sinful activities. Like so many of the young people today, they were lost and confused. Now they are all leading a disciplined and regulated life. They follow strict principles of spiritual life, with no desire for intoxication of any kind, or illicit sex life. They are always engaged in meaningful work, serving God and their fellow man. They have become the flower of your country and all over the world they are being treated with the highest respect.

Letter to Sri Jogeswar Chowdhury -- Paris 22 July, 1972:

I am glad to inform you that a party of my disciples will be coming to Bangladesh soon for spreading the message of Lord Caitanya there. They will be stationed at Jessore, but will travel wherever they are invited and hold Sankirtana. So if you are very much eager to receive them, about six or eight of my foreign American and European disciples, you can invite them to Chittagong and they shall be happy to stay with you there and hold programs of kirtana and preaching.

Kindly do the needful and make all arrangements among the prominent Vaisnava citizens in Chittagong for programs and for the board and keep for the Hare Krishna party, and meanwhile I am forwarding a copy of your letter to the leader, Sriman Tamala Krishna das Goswami, and you may write to him also, c/o ISKCON World Headquarters, P.O. Sridhama Mayapur, Nadia district, West Bengal, India.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Revatinandana -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:

So now if there are two of you that will give me great relief. Kirtanananda will chant on the beads for new devotees in America, Canada, like that, you can chant on the beads for the European continent new disciples. They shall, of course, still be considered as my disciples, not that they shall become your disciples, but you will be empowered by me to chant their beads and that is the same effect of binding master and disciple as if I were personally chanting. They may continue to send me their letters of request, along the President's recommendation, and I shall give them name and it will be entered by my Secretary in our records, only I will send my letter of reply to you and you will purchase beads there and chant them and send, along with my letter to the new initiates. Is that all right?

Letter to Indira Gandhi -- New Delhi 6 November, 1973:

So we in our humble way are trying to spread this cult of Bhagavad-gita all over the world, and my American and European disciples, two samples of them are meeting with you, are helping me in this connection. After all, Bhagavad-gita is the sublime cultural knowledge, and of course religion is included there, but it is not fanaticism or sentimental religion. It is based on pure science, philosophy, and logic.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Los Angeles 21 December, 1973:

As he states therein, he is willing to teach our students Hindi and Sanskrit. We want to introduce this program of teaching our students Hindi and Sanskrit for two reasons. First of all, as I have already explained in a previous letter, if we can establish a bona fide language school then our American and European disciples can acquire student visas for coming to India. This will solve our visa problem. Secondly, if our students can actually preach in Hindi, periodically quoting Sanskrit, it will be a very good credit for us and very respectfully received by the Indian people. I have asked Dr. Kapoor in Vrindaban and also one pandita named Nrsimha Vallabha to also teach our students Hindi and Sanskrit. The curriculum can be two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening and the panditas can be paid Rs. 200 per month. Our students, however, must be prepared to apply themselves and actually learn the languages.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Mayapur 19 October, 1974:

Regarding the farm, farm opening is not very essential, but if you can do it conveniently, then do it. The varnasrama system is for convenience sake in the material world. It has nothing to do with spiritual life. Acceptance of varnasrama means a little easy progress to spiritual life, otherwise it has no importance to us. For example, all my European and American disciples have no varnasrama position, but spiritually because they have followed the rules and regulations and also my instructions, their advancement spiritually is being appreciated by everyone. Always remember that varnasrama life is a good program for material life, and it helps one in spiritual life; but spiritual life is not dependent upon it. After all the system of varnasrama has to be realized before accepting spiritual life; and the renounced order of sannyasa is the last stage of varnasrama.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Sri Singh -- Bombay 12 November, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter from Imphal, Manipur dated August 18, 1975 forwarded to me by my disciple Dr. Svarupa Damodara das. I am prepared to go to Manipur with some of my European and Indian disciples some time in April, 1976. I have written to Sri. N. Tombi Singh in New Delhi as per your instructions. Please find enclosed copy of letter.

Letter to Sri N. Tombi Singh -- Bombay 12 November, 1975:

I have received a letter from the Manipur Gita Mandal in Imphal dated August 18, 1975 inviting me and my disciples to Manipur for putting on my programs. I am prepared to go to Manipur with 6 or 7 or my European and Indian disciples in April, 1976. So if you can arrange for my going there, I am prepared.