My direction (Prabhupada)

Expressions researched:
"my direction" |"my ideas and direction" |"my personal direction"

Notes from the compiler: Refers specifically to Prabhupada's direction

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:

Just like anything you want to learn, you must associate with such kind of men. If you want to learn business, there are so many business corporation, association. So sometimes you become member in the stock exchange and other association to learn their business and make progress in their business. Similarly, if you want to increase your love for Kṛṣṇa, or God, you must associate with persons who are interested in this business—devotees. These devotees, they have no other interest. All these boys and girls who are under my direction, they have no other interest, simply Kṛṣṇa. So we have to associate with such persons, Adau śraddhā tato sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.54). Sādhu-saṅga means to associate with the devotees.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.7.27 -- Vrndavana, September 24, 1976:

If we think that "Here is a stone statue," then it will not prolong many days. It will not... Galagraha. No more vigraha, but galagraha. Suppose I have established this temple. Now under my direction, my disciples are worshiping vigraha. Vigraha means the form of the Lord, rūpa. But if there is no following of the regulative principles, then after my death it will be galagraha, a burden, that "Our rascal Guru Mahārāja established this temple, and we have to worship, early rise in the morning, all botheration." This will be... That is called galagraha, a burden, "He has left with us a burden." This is the risk. Then this, such a big temple will be mismanaged, and you'll find that "This is breaking" and "This is unclean," and there is no attention. This will be our... That is called galagraha. "The rascal has given us a burden."

Wedding Ceremonies

Wedding Ceremony and Lecture -- Boston, May 6, 1969:

So we want to give chance to all to raise oneself on that platform of goodness. And on the platform of goodness, there is no chance of indulging in passion and ignorance. Therefore although it is not my duty... Because I am a sannyāsī, I have nothing to do with social activity. Still, because in this country, mostly I see the boys and girls are not married, I have introduced this marriage system in our society, and the result is very good. You'll be very pleased to know that in London I have sent six boys and girls who were married by me in my presence. Formerly, they were not married. You know as the other boys and girls lived, they were also living in that way. But the result has been very excellent. They are preaching there Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are not very big philosopher, nor Vedantist, neither, I mean to say, born in the Vedic civilized way—just like ordinary way—but they have been trained only under my direction for only two years. But they are working in London very wonderfully, so much so that people have come to know that there is a movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and London Times, in big heading, they wrote, "Kṛṣṇa Chanting Startles London." So formerly many sannyāsīs went there to introduce this movement, but they failed. But these sincere boys and girls... They are not very aged also—not more than twenty-six years, any one of them. But they are doing very nice.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Interview -- March 9, 1968, San Francisco:

So every student has to follow these four prin... Otherwise I don't initiate. I don't take cheap students, that "You can do whatever you like, and you pay me some money. I give you some mantra, and you become God." I don't say like that. I don't bluff like that. I have not come to earn money from your country, but I have come to your country to give you something sublime, not to take you, not to take from you, not to exploit you, but to give you something sublime. You see? So that is the third stage, initiation. And then, if you are situated in the third stage nicely—that means if you follow the regulative principles under my direction—then the fourth stage automatically comes. After this third stage, the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, up to eighth, automatically comes. That is gradual development.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Journalists -- August 18, 1971, London:

Journalist (2): What do you mean by being pure? Does it mean that you have seen Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Yes. I am seeing every moment. And if you want to see, I can show you.

Journalist (2): Please do.

Prabhupāda: Yes. But it is not so easy. It is not so cheap that you want to see immediately, I can show you. You have to become student like him. Then you can see.

Journalist (2): I would have to become a member of the Kṛṣṇa movement.

Prabhupāda: Not only member, a student like him. There are many members they pay some money. But they are learning according to my direction.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 24, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (citing verse)

mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ

sūyate sa-carācaram

hetunānena kaunteya

jagad viparivartate

(BG 9.10)

Dr. Patel: That means...?

Prabhupāda: "Because of My direction." Hetunānena. "On this account." Mayādhyakṣeṇa. "Under My Supreme control." Just like these boys and girls, my students, they are working under my direction. They are individuals, I am also individual. And they have got their independence, to obey or not to obey, but still, they are directed under my supervision. Similarly, this material nature has got individual power. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni vibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). But still, yasya icchānurūpam api ceṣṭate sā. That material nature is working under the direction of the Supreme Person. Therefore govindam ādi-puruṣam.

Room Conversation -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:

M. Roche-dieu: Whose are those pictures?

Yogeśvara: Our students. We have our painting workshop in New York City. All of these books have color illustrations.

M. Roche-dieu: Indian students?

Yogeśvara: No. He asks if our students are Indian. He likes the paintings. He was wondering whether they were done by Indian students.

Prabhupāda: No. American students under my direction.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with the GBC -- March 27, 1975, Mayapur:

Haṁsadūta: Yeah, but we've just already read one portion where it says that we will follow direct instructions of Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: That's it.

Haṁsadūta: So again he's repeating it.

Prabhupāda: Instruction, follow that.

Atreya Ṛṣi: So then it's not necessary about this "only" sort part of...(?)

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Madhudviṣa: What if there is no direct instruction?

Prabhupāda: Yes. I don't think that part is anymore important.

Atreya Ṛṣi: "I further state that I am holding monies and movable and immovable..."

Prabhupāda: No, why he's...? He's not holding money, GBC.

Atreya Ṛṣi: So this I'll take out.

Prabhupāda: No, GBC, practically does not hold any money.

Atreya Ṛṣi: No.

Prabhupāda: Then why you...?

Haṁsadūta: You can say, "Any monies or properties under my direction..."

Jayatīrtha: That's what it should say.

Prabhupāda: Eh? What is that?

Haṁsadūta: Under, under his direction. Any monies or properties under his direction.

Atreya Ṛṣi: That would be a separate oath. That would be a separate thing, Prabhupāda.

Haṁsadūta: Maybe that should just be left out because if we're going to have some legal document like an umbrella, then that will take care of all those things.

Atreya Ṛṣi: Well, that should be in the pledge, in the agenda.

Prabhupāda: No, no, GBC... Does GBC members deal with money?

Haṁsadūta: No, he does not personally. He doesn't have anything personal.

Prabhupāda: No, no. I mean...

Brahmānanda: But he puts his signature.

Atreya Ṛṣi: No, no. As GBC, we do not deal with money. In other words, if you're dealing with money, it's the temple president.

Prabhupāda: The GB...

Atreya Ṛṣi: Not as...

Prabhupāda: The GBC should see that it is being done properly. Why he should...?

Haṁsadūta: But sometimes it...

Prabhupāda: ...involve himself in the...

Rūpānuga: Well, for example, in New York...

Prabhupāda: ...internal management?

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Reporter -- June 4, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: His idea.... His question, Prabhupāda, is also, suppose someone wants to buy a farm or wants to do some new project. Do they ask your permission first?

Prabhupāda: Yes. The whole society is going on under my direction. Whatever they do, they take my permission and they put into (indistinct). Nothing is allowed without my permission.

Interview with Professors O'Connell, Motilal and Shivaram -- June 18, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: First beginning is brahmacarya. Therefore according to Vedic system, brahmacārī first—to teach how to become brahmacārī. Brahmacārī guru-gṛhe vasan dānto guror hitam. The children should be trained up in such a way that they will be able to control the senses and act only for the benefit of guru. That is brahmacārī. They have no personal interest. So they are collecting daily not less than one lakh of rupees, up to five lakh, these boys. But their expenditure at my direction. Not a single paisa they can spend in their own discretion. They are laboring hard to get this collection, but the money is mine. This is the arrangement. Now in Hyderabad they immediately require two lakhs. The money is there, they can take it, but they are asking by telegram my permission. I'll give them, but this is the arrangement. Guror hitam, brahmacārī. Vasan dānto guror hitam. So the prescription is there, the formula is there, the literature is there. If we take this culture, then the whole human society will be happy. That is our mission.

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So when Kṛṣṇa said, mayā tatam idam, mayā means, "I am there." But "I" is existing. That "I", person, is existing. Just like if I say that "It is I who has expanded, I am expanded all over the world by this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement," that's a fact. But that does not mean I am not a person. If I say that "I am, this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement means I am, I am spread by spreading this movement," that's a fact. But does it mean that I am imperson? That is, Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā. Avyakta. So the same example we can give you that in all my branches, 110 branches, they worship me as their guru. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). "Everything is existing on My management." Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ. "But I am not there." It is a fact. All these 110 branches, they are going on under my direction, but not that I am present everywhere. But that does not mean I am not a person. So the supreme, the supreme manager, the supreme controller, how he can be nirākāra? That is my first question.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Conversation -- April 29, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: From my part, whatever is possible. Now you take care. That is my request. Don't spoil it. Now it is up to you. My, this ailment... I can pass away at any moment. My health is not good. I am old man. It is not surprising. Now you GBC, young boys, all, American, expert, you have got all intelligence, resources, so don't spoil. Let the movements go forward more and more. Now you have got nice places, filled with devotees. Don't be anxious for me. That, Kṛṣṇa will take. And even if I go, where is the harm? Old man. I have given my ideas and direction in my books. People appreciate. I think from my side I have done everything. Is it not? Do you think or not?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, you have done everything.

Prabhupāda: Hm? So you are young men, American boys.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Still, we want the whole Bhāgavatam, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: That will be done. Even it is not fulfilled, so there is no harm. But don't send me, in any case, in hospital. Now I am pointing out this. They are useless.

Room Conversation with Mr. Myer -- July 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Where...? Would you eat with them?

Prabhupāda: No. I was eating also, not necessarily with them. I was seeing that they are...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You were in the room, though, while they were...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Acyutānanda was also doing very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Cooking.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Acyutānanda, Satsvarūpa, Kīrtanānanda, these three persons would, on my direction, "Do like this. Do like this..."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They were cooking.

Prabhupāda: Hm. And stocked at night.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And Brahmānanda was eating. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: In the very beginning, when I was simply alone, Rāyarāma, he was there. He was helping me, cooking, washing dishes, carrying my luggage, everything. Very good boy.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What about Hayagrīva?

Prabhupāda: Hayagrīva was eating also. (laughter) And he was typing. He's a very good typist. He'll type very swiftly and correctly. Then I started this Back to Godhead, Hayagrīva and Rāyarāma, editors.

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Tirtha Maharaja -- New York 8 November, 1965:

Immediately I want some good assistants to work with me. They must be educated and able to talk in English as also read Sanskrit nicely. For preaching here two languages English and Sanskrit will be very much appreciated. I think under your leadership every camp of our god brothers should supply a man good for this purpose and they must agree to work under my direction. If that is possible then you will see how our beloved Srila Prabhupada will be satisfied on all of us. I think we shall all forget now the past fratricidal war and now come forward for a good cause. If they are not agreeable then do it yourself and I am at your service. Please therefore consider this and let me know by wire if you are agreeable. Otherwise I shall not extend my visa period but I shall return to India without being able to do anything tangible at my first tour. Hope you will take this matter as very urgent and let me know your decision by immediate return of post or by wire to my above address and oblige. Hope you are all well and thanking you in anticipation.

1966 Correspondence

Letter to Madhava Maharaja -- New York 1 August, 1966:

Sriman Brahmacari Mangalaniloy has already agreed to come here to assist me fully but I wish that each and every one of the different Gaudiya Math organizations may kindly send one person respectively to work under my direction in these foreign countries and thus become individually a member of the international organization abovementioned. The qualification of such intending candidates must be that he must be able to speak in English or be well versed in playing khol or singing. If one is qualified with all the above qualifications it is very good otherwise he must be qualified at least one of them. So far their coming here I shall take all the responsibility for passage and maintenance. Would kindly consider this proposal immediately and let me know your decision per return of post?

Letter to Madhava Maharaja -- New York 1 August, 1966:

Srila Prabhupada wanted us to do everything in complete cooperation and thus I am inclined to have full cooperation in this great attempt of preaching in the foreign countries. All the camps of our various camps may at least cooperate in the matter of special activities and I may be able to provide any number of men who may be now inclined to come here and work under my direction. There is great possibility of Lord Caitanya's cult being preached amongst the younger section of the Americans and some of them are hearing me very seriously to accept the philosophy. Our men in the ideal line of activities chalked out by Srila Prabhupada will be great help to me and the persons who are now seriously attending my classes.

Awaiting to hear from you as early as possible with the list names of the persons who will come here from different camps.

Letter to Panchu -- New York 11 October, 1966:

When I first came to your temple you measured the land yourself. Now if your father is agreeable to the proposal, the construction of the buildings can now be taken up and my American disciples are ready to spend for the proposed building of Sri Rupanuga Para Vidya Pitha. If your father decides to give me any other land within the compound of Sri Sri Radha Damodara Ji Temple for the above building that also can be accepted. If so please open correspondence in this connection and I shall place the matter to my American disciples for consideration . They are eager to do something at Vrndavana according to my direction. Now here is the opportunity to reconstruct the temple compound of Sri Sri Radha Damodara Jeu. So I shall be very glad to hear from you or your father in reply to this letter and I am thanking you in anticipation.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Kirtanananda -- San Francisco 10 February, 1967:

I am in due receipt of your letter of 7th (March) February 1967 and I am very glad to learn that you are improving your department very nicely. I learn also that you made the new kachori according to my direction and it has come out very successful.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Purusottama -- Montreal 19 June, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your letter of June 15, 1968. I thank you very much for your feelings about me, but you should know that you are always with me. Because you are sincere servitor of Krishna and following my direction sincerely, so you are always with me. In future, of course, I shall try to keep you in my association as soon as there is such opportunity; in the meantime, I shall request you to open correspondence with Mr. Marcial Tamayo, or Mr. David J. Exley, chief of the NGO section of U.N., to get some appointment for meeting so that we can furthermore impress them about the importance of this movement, and thereby seeking cooperation from the U.N. for disseminating our great philosophy to the responsible personalities of each and every nation.

Letter to Acyutananda -- San Francisco 15 September, 1968:

I am in due receipt of your note along with Jaya Govinda's. The Bengali which you've written are simply nonsense. They are full of mistakes. And each and every word is misspelled. Just like you have written, "Bhutale" as "Bhuthale." It is not very much encouraging. Neither it is good that you do something wrong and at the end you simply write please forgive us. The best thing will be that both of may go to Bombay and begin a positive work under my direction. Don't be carried away by whims, and waste time and money. As there is no possibility of printing in Delhi, you kindly pack up the manuscript and send it to New York.

Letter to Acyutananda, Jayagovinda -- Seattle 13 October, 1968:

I have already written you about this in my last letter, that we require many Deities for our temples as well as for our many devotees who want to worship Radha Krishna at home. So we want to introduce this Deity worship in this country and as such, we may require 100's of pairs of Deities of different sizes, and many other goodies in this connection. So if you remain there as our representatives there will be tremendous possibility of working for our society. After all you have to work with confidence and faith in Krishna, under my direction, and I am sure you will come out successful.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Jagannatham Prabhu -- Los Angeles 8 February, 1969:

You have written to say that Tirtha Maharaja will give me all facilities to present before the audience during the Golden Jubilee function a picture of my "marvelous work that is being done in the USA and East European countries," but I do not think he has any intention to give me such facility because he has in his pamphlet presented one picture of Bon Maharaja's preaching work which is defunct for the last 40 years, but he has purposefully not mentioned even a single line about the preaching work now going on in Europe, Canada, and America under my direction. You will read a copy of my reply which will speak for itself.

Letter to Jayagovinda -- New Vrindaban 7 June, 1969:

I am very glad to learn that you are feeling enthusiastically in the German center, and it is clear that Krishna wanted you there. Please work there with your full energy in cooperation with your other godbrothers. Krishna Das, yourself, Sivananda and Uttama Sloka all are good souls and sincere devotees of Lord Krishna. So as you faithfully continue to work under my direction, your further advancement is sure. I have received a letter from Mandali Bhadra that they are reaching there on the 27th June, and when they arrive, do everything very nicely in a cooperative spirit.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 13 August, 1969:

Regarding your recording of Nama Om and Hare Krishna, it is very, very good and everyone says that it is technically all-perfect. So your endeavor to induce the Beatles to cooperate with us is successful to a greater extent. Now when I shall go to London I shall carry with me various other recordings sung by me, and if these recordings can be attuned in the same technical perfection, then under my direction we can produce at least one dozen Hare Krishna recordings in varieties of tunes. I am sure people will like them very much when they are presented through Mr. George Harrison and his company.

Letter to Hamsaduta -- London 18 November, 1969:

But the university course should be given more stress than purchasing the house or securing the land. This is a very important thing. If such courses are taken by you, then practically there is no need of my employment there. Regarding Citsukhananda, I do not know whether his Spanish education is sufficient for the purpose of right translation, but he can make some portion and send it to me. I shall examine it and then give my direction.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 9 January, 1970:

That does not matter because you are not personally tending me in Boston, that is formality. I want to see that all my disciples are engaged 24 hours in the service of the Lord. If one is engaged full time in the service of the Lord, under my direction, that is my personal service.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 15 February, 1970:

I understand there is some confusion about the press working and it is also understood that this confusion is due to my direction. I do not know what they mean by this. Yourself, Brahmananda, and Advaita are appointed as three directors of the press, and why there should be confusion on account of me? So many things daily I here from Gargamuni and he again speaks to Brahmananda, so let me know clearly what direction you want from me in writing.

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

I am very glad to know that you are very much anxious to cooperate with my movement in the Western world. And if you kindly do so, it is not only welcome, but also Krishna will be very much pleased upon you and bestow His blessings. If your friends who are "educated and ambitious band of young workers" will agree to follow my direction, I think they can render a great service to the human society. We should not any more think in terms of Hindu society. If we limit ourselves to Hindus, then there will be many competitors like the Christians, Mohammedans, Buddhists, and so on. But if we preach the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness in right earnest, it will be accepted throughout the whole world.

Letter to Balmukundji -- Los Angeles 17 April, 1970:

Hindus generally are not so liberal, but Lord Caitanya is very liberal and he embraces anyone from any corner of the world provided he takes to the service of Krishna. This is a great missionary activities, so I am trying to execute this mission to the best of my capacity and if my Indian brothers, at least those who are outside India, will join with me and act according to my direction which is strictly on the Vedic way, then there will be tremendous success of this movement.

Letter to Acyutananda -- Los Angeles 14 June, 1970:

"Anyone who has got full faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead and similar faith in the Spiritual Master, to him the secret of Vedic knowledge becomes revealed." The Supreme Spiritual Master is Krsna Himself, and the chain of disciplic succession is the dearmost confidential servant of Krsna. So whatever you are doing under my direction, it is going to my Spiritual Master and thus up to the Gosvamis and then to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Caitanya or Krsna. I have marked very minutely that you have a tendency to push rightly the words of Lord Caitanya and that will make your life successful.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Calcutta 22 September, 1970:

Regarding the motion picture, it is a great opportunity, and if they actually want to do something wonderful I can come there personally and see to its direction. If it is an important film I think my personal direction is necessary. If not, then I think you can send me a synopsis of the script so that there may be nothing objectionable from the start. If this film is properly done it will be very profitable, even from the commercial point of view; and if they are interested, we can give them hundreds of stories from Bhagavat which will make wonderful films, and simultaneously the people will be educated to the proper religious and moral standard. So please try very seriously for this and I think Krishna will give you all intelligence and facility.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Sankara -- Delhi 9 December, 1971:

I think you have written me two letters. Your former letter was also received by me. So far I remember I have replied it. In any case, very soon I shall be going to Calcutta, and there I shall call you and you may remain with me for some time for translating under my direction. Then I shall be able to see how you are translating my books. If you can do it very nicely, then I shall entrust the whole matter to you. This will be a great pleasure for me.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Giriraja -- Los Angeles 24 May, 1972:

Yes, that is good proposal about Hindi translating. Ksirodakasayi has written to me that he is unable to translate, layout and compose everything himself there in Vrindaban. So if he is able somehow or other to get the things translated there in Vrindaban let him send the matter to you in Bombay for composing and layout. In addition there is one man and his wife here in Los Angeles who will be also translating in Hindi language under my direction. They will also send their manuscripts to you for composing and laying out, or if it is better we may do the composing and layout in Los Angeles. Kindly consult with Ksirodakasayi in this regard.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Hanuman -- Bombay 18 March, 1975:

I have received one letter from Narayana dasa, saying that he has been informed by some of your men that you are GBC there and that he must subjugate to your authority. I never said that you were the GBC there. You cannot say that. If you are unable to work under the direction of Hrdayananda Gosvami, then you must work under my direction, but you are not independent. You cannot interfere with the programs that are now going on there. If you can work co-operatively, that is wanted, but if you cannot work with Narayana, that doesn't mean that you can disturb his program. He is working hard under the direction of Hrdayananda Gosvami. He is not under your authority. If you want to preach there, that is alright, but you cannot interfere with the work that Narayana is doing. If there is any difficulty, we can discuss it in India.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to S. N. Sharma -- Vrindaban 9 November, 1976:

What Krishna preaches is meant for the weaker section. If they feel weak and abide by my direction, it is not my direction, it is Krishna's, they can be raised to the standard of the most exalted persons, even if they are all fools and rascals. The teaching is very simple, "man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru" (BG 18.65). Even a child can do it. Even the weakest child can do it if he is trained up. Let all the weaker section come to me. I shall train how to become first class men by chanting Hare Krishna Maha mantra and be fit for Krishna consciousness. That will solve all their problems. It is doing practically all over the world. I don't think there is any other institution throughout the whole world which can take charge of a weaker section and raise them to the standard of most exalted persons.