Srila Prabhupada Training Disciples - on duty

As a well-wishing teacher, guide, and guru, Srila Prabhupada constantly trained students to progress to more mature stages of discipleship. His numerous instructions were recorded in his books, letters, lectures, and conversations. After many years of thematically mapping those instructions, Vanipedia now offers these introductory articles showing the training Srila Prabhupada personally imparted to his disciples. A delightful presentation of his instructions on our duty is found within this Vaniquotes category - Our Duty (Disciples of SP).

An introduction is given below in the following 15 quotes.

Quotes from Srila Prabhupada's teachings


vanipedia.org 		You must execute the duties. Just like we have asked our students to finish sixteen rounds chanting minimum. Sixteen rounds is nothing. In Vṛndāvana there are many devotees, they chant 120 rounds. Like that. So sixteen rounds is the minimum. (Nectar of Devotion Lecture, 20 October 1972, Vrndavana)



vanipedia.org 		In Krishna Consciousness, if anyone faces difficulties, it is considered as blessings, because without tapasya, or voluntarily accepting some inconveniences, nobody can realize the Transcendence. So when we are put into difficulties while discharging Krishna Conscious duties, it is to be understood that Krishna puts us in a field of austerities and penances which help us making progress towards realization of our goal of life. (Letter, 8 May 1969, Columbus, Ohio)



vanipedia.org 		Just like in your country it is very chilly in the morning to take bath, a little difficult task. But does it mean that those who are devotees, they will stop taking bath? No. Even it is chilly, cold, one must take bath. The duty must be done. The duty must be done. Even it is little suffering. That is called tapasya. Tapasya means we must prolong or proceed with, with our Kṛṣṇa consciousness business in spite of all dangerous and calamitous condition of this world. This is called tapasya. Tapasya means voluntarily accepting the difficulties of life. (Srimad-Bhagavatam Lecture, 17 April 1973, Los Angeles)



vanipedia.org 		Amongst all our duties surely we must not forget to complete our sixteen rounds. We should not be carried away simply by the Krishna duties which is also regarded as good as chanting, but in all circumstances we shall not forget this duty. (Letter, 24 January 1970, Los Angeles)



vanipedia.org 		We should always remember that to become a bona fide devotee of the Lord is not an easy task, but in this age, by the mercy of Lord Caitanya, it has been made very easy. But if we do not follow even the liberal instructions of Lord Caitanya, how can we expect to discharge our regular duties in devotional service? It is not possible in this age to follow Dhruva Mahārāja in his austerity, but the principles must be followed; we should not disregard the regulative principles given by our spiritual master, for they make it easier for the conditioned soul. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.8.72)



vanipedia.org 		We should not be sentimentally very much anxious—"Please give me sannyāsa, give me sannyāsa"—and then fall down and go to hell. That is not good. That is not good. If one is able to strictly follow the sannyāsa rules and regulation, he should take. Otherwise, Kṛṣṇa has said that sannyāsa, real sannyāsa, means one who does not take any remuneration for his service to Kṛṣṇa. That is sannyāsa. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ sa sannyāsī (BG 6.1). "It is my duty. I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. To serve Kṛṣṇa is my duty." Kāryam: "I must do it." Actually that mentality is sannyāsa. It doesn't matter whether we have changed the dress or not, but if we decide it, that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa; my only duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa," that is sannyāsa. (Srimad-Bhagavatam Lecture, 24 November 1976, Vrndavana)



vanipedia.org 		If simply we understand that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person. He is great, and we are all subordinate. So our duty is to serve Kṛṣṇa," these two lines, if we understand, then our life is perfect. (Arrival Lecture, 3 March 1975, Dallas)



vanipedia.org 		In Bengal there is a proverb that even if there are some dead metal utensils but when they are together they make so much noise, so what to speak of living utensils. So this is natural, but since we are all pledged to work for Krsna we should follow the principle of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. This is Vaisnavism. So my request is do not be agitated. Let us do our duty honestly. Krsna will give us the intelligence to do everything nicely. (Letter, 15 September 1974, Vrindaban)



vanipedia.org 		I have tried to give you all Krsna Consciousness, now it is your duty to develop it. If you remain strong on the spiritual platform then your progress will not be checked or blocked. (Letter, 2 September 1970, Calcutta)



vanipedia.org 		You may think for the safety or satisfaction, but that does not mean we should neglect our duty. But as far as possible, we should be detached. It is not that because all these are temporary arrangement, we should be unfaithful to our family members, to our children, to our wife. As duty, we should take care, but we should not be simply absorbed in such thoughts. (Bhagavad-gita Lecture, 7 February 1975, Hawaii)



vanipedia.org 		Arjuna came to the conclusion that he must perform his occupational duty, not as a material obligation, for reasons of wife, family, friends, reputation, professional integrity, like that—no. Rather he must conduct the functions of his station of life only as a devotional service performed for Krsna. That means that devotional service is what is important, not my occupational duty. But it does not mean that because occupation duty is not the real consideration, that I should give it up and do something else, thinking that devotional service may be carried on under whatever circumstances which I may whimsically decide. (Letter, 4 January 1973, Bombay)



vanipedia.org 		The husband's duty is to give the wife all protection, even from the material maya, and the wife's duty is to see to the personal comforts of the husband. In this way the husband and wife in cooperative spirit should execute Krishna Consciousness. (Letter, 16 January 1969, Los Angeles)



vanipedia.org 		I was so glad to learn that you are coming here with your child, Mr. Eric, and I shall be very glad to receive him here. I hope he is chanting Hare Krishna as he is already accustomed to it. This is the duty of father and mother to enlighten children in Krishna Consciousness and thus save them from the clutches of impending death. The Srimad-Bhagavatam instructs that no body should become father or mother if they cannot take this responsibility, namely, stopping the repeated birth and death cycle of their children. (Letter, 3 July 1968, Montreal)



vanipedia.org 		Whatever status of life we may accept, this principle of working for Krsna as a matter of our duty, without being attracted by the result—should be followed by us. (Letter, 7 March 1970, Los Angeles)



vanipedia.org 		We have got so many duties to do. Don't waste time, a single moment. And don't eat more and don't sleep more. Then you'll be able to work. (Morning Walk, 14 March 1974, Vrndavana)


Srila Prabhupada's instructions on Our Duty - explore more within this category.

Vanipedia has now over 458 introductory articles compiled from Srila Prabhupada's teachings from the series Srila Prabhupada Training Disciples. All these articles can be seen in the Table of Content on the right side of this article and also here in this Umbrella Category. Browse through them to relish the many various kinds of instructions given by Srila Prabhupada to his disciples. - There is a subject for everyone.


   
 

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