When one is situated on the neophyte platform, one cannot understand the devotional ingredients of a pure, unalloyed devotee. However, when the novice engages in devotional service -- especially in Deity worship -- and follows the order of a bona fide spiritual master, he is a pure devotee. Anyone can take advantage of hearing about Krsna consciousness from such a devotee and thus gradually become purified. In other words, any devotee who believes that the holy name of the...

Our [gurukula] students should be taught English and Sanskrit so in the future they can read our books. That will make them MA, PHD. That much I want. Other things are external. And their behavior and character must also be most upstanding.

Our view is that we shall be strictly following the rules and regulations. Monetary matters are secondary. On principle, we should better starve than neglect our rules and regulations.

For one who is anxious to engage constantly in hearing such topics, krsna-katha gradually increases his indifference towards all other things. Such constant remembrance of the lotus feet of Lord Krsna by the devotee who has achieved transcendental bliss vanquishes all his miseries without delay.

A sincere student aurally receives the holy name from the spiritual master, and after being initiated he follows the regulative principles given by the spiritual master. When the holy name is properly served in this way, automatically the spiritual nature of the holy name spreads; in other words, the devotee becomes qualified in offenselessly chanting the holy name. When one is completely fit to chant the holy name in this way, he is eligible to make disciples all over...

...any language, you should submit, and you should feel that, that "I am worthless. My Guru Maharaja has given this chance to serve Krsna, to offer Krsna... My Lord, I am worthless. I have no capacity to serve You. But on the order of my Guru Maharaja, I am trying to serve You. Please do not take any offense. Accept whatever I can do. That's all. That is my request." That mantra is sufficient. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita,...

Tell them, this United Nation Organization, that "You are all bogus. You cannot do it. Come to this platform, and you'll be able." They have proved themselves bogus for the last thirty years. Uselessly wasting money and time.

As soon as we say that "If you want to become my disciple, you will have to give up four things: no illicit sex, no intoxication up to drinking tea and smoking cigarette, no meat-eating and no gambling," and they criticize me, "Swamiji is very conservative." And if I say that "You can do all nonsense, whatever you like. You simply take this mantra and give me $125," they will like. Because in America, $125 is nothing. Any man...

In Your Divine Grace's garden in Los Angeles, I was seated amongst a few disciples at your lotus feet ("the disciple learns love from the spiritual master"). We were softly chanting japa, waiting for you to speak something (revelation). The joyful sound of kirtana was coming from the temple room, and you said (by your causeless mercy), Was it you, Gargamuni? Or was it someone else who asked me if these kirtanas were disturbing me in the garden? "You...

(Written by Sura dasa) I remember the first time we received some instruction, about twelve years ago. Many traveling sankirtana parties had gone to Los Angeles to see and hear Your Divine Grace. It was an early January, Friday morning, which meant in those days a maha-sankirtana day. The lectures for the past few days spoke of the devotees' deathlessness. You compared the devotee's death to the kitten in the mouth of the cat, whereas the nondevotee's death meant the rat...

(From Prabhupada Meditations by SDG) In the late 1960s, one of Srila Prabhupada's arrivals into New York was featured in the New York Daily News. They published several photos of devotees surrounding Swamiji at the airport, offering him garlands and dancing joyfully. The headline was, "Swami, How They Love You." Although it was a pun on the Al Jolson song, "Swanee, How I Love You," the phrase, "Swami, How They Love You" captured the essence. Even the News reporter saw...

Pure consciousness means to understand that "I am very much intimately connected with Krsna as part and parcel." Just like my finger is very intimately connected with my body. Intimate... If there is little pain in the finger, I become so much disturbed because I have got intimate connection with this finger. Similarly, we have got intimate connection with Krsna, and we are fallen. Therefore Krsna also feels little pain, and therefore He comes down: