Improving Sanga’s mission

“The root cause of devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa is association with advanced devotees. Even when one’s dormant love for Kṛṣṇa awakens, association with devotees is still most essential.” CCM 22.83 verse

“The topmost benediction for those who are living in this material world and are subjected to the repetition of birth and death (transmigration) is association with pure devotees. One should search out such pure devotees and remain with them. That will make one completely happy, even though living within the material world. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is started for that purpose.” SB 4.30.34 purport

“Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra pāyeche kebā: without serving a pure devotee, one cannot advance in spiritual life. …..

One should take shelter of a pure devotee, who has nothing to do with this material world but is simply engaged in devotional service. By serving him only, one can transcend the qualitative material condition. In this verse it is recommended (yogeśvara-upāsanayā) that one serve the lotus feet of the topmost yogī, or the devotee. To serve the topmost devotee means to hear from him about the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To hear the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead from the mouth of a pure devotee is to acquire a pious life.” SB 4.22.22 purport

“The summary is that one has to, first of all, seek the association of pure devotees who not only are learned in the Vedānta but are self-realized souls and unalloyed devotees of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead.” SB 1.5.34 purport

“Reporter (2): What will happen to the movement in the United States when you die?
Prabhupāda: I will never die.  I shall live for my books, and you will utilize.” Press conference – San Francisco; 16/07/’75

“I am therefore so much laboring hard that we…, before my leaving this body, I may give you some books who you can enjoy after my death. So utilize it. Utilize it. Read every śloka nicely, try to understand the meaning, discuss amongst yourself. Nityaṁ bhagavata-sevayā.That is our mission. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhagavata-sevayā [SB 1.2.18]. Abhadra. We have got so many dirty things within our heart. So these dirty things can be cleansed simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no other method.” Lecture on SB 1.1.1; New York; 6/07/’72

“Your guru is writing books. If you think, ‘There is no necessity of reading books,’ that is guror avajna. Do you mean to say I am writing these books whole night for selling and making money? Why do you think like that?” Lecture on BG 17.1-3; Honolulu; 4/07/’74

“Prabhupāda: So in my absence you read the books. What I talk, I have written in the books. That’s all.

Indian man (2): Personally, we think more greater.

Prabhupāda: That’s all right. But still, you can associate with me by reading my books.” 

— Morning Walk; Toronto; 7/08/’75

“You may please me the most by reading my books and following the instructions therein and by becoming fully Krishna Conscious in this lifetime.” Letter to Bahurupa das; 22/11/’74

“If one does not try to secure the dust of the lotus feet of bhāgavata… Bhāgavata means pure devotee of the Lord. One bhāgavata is this book Bhāgavata, another bhāgavata, the person bhāgavata. Who lives on the book Bhāgavata, he is person bhāgavata. Two kinds of bhāgavata. So we have to learn Bhāgavatam from the living bhāgavata.” Lecture on SB 2.3.23; Los Angeles; 20/06/’72 

“If you want to study Bhāgavata, you must go to a living bhāgavata, not to the professional reader.” — Lecture on SB 1.1.1-2; Bombay; 22/03/’72 

 “This is the secret. Unless one is svānubhāvam,self-realized, life is Bhāgavata, he cannot preach Bhāgavata. That is not… That will not be effective. A gramophone will not help. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s secretary, Svarūpa Dāmodara, recommended, bhāgavata pora giyā bhāgavata-sthāne, that “If you want to read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you must approach a person who is life living Bhāgavata.” Bhāgavata pora giyā bhāgavata-sthāne. Otherwise, there is no question of Bhāgavata realization.” — Lecture on SB 1.2.3; Rome; 27/05/’74 

“Therefore our method is to accept the perfect guru to understand the subject matter. But still, if one reads the books as it is from authorities, there is chance of understanding.” Room Conversation; 22/04/’76; Melbourne.

“There are two types of Bhagavatas, namely the book Bhagavata and the devotee Bhagavata. Both the Bhagavatas are competent remedies, and both of them or either of them can be good enough to eliminate the obstacles.” SB 1.2.18 purport

“Never think that I am absent from you. Physical presence is not essential; presence by message (or hearing) is real touch.” Letter to students; Vrindaban; 2/08/’67

By inside-out we mean to ensure our own personal spiritual growth as the best means to influence positive change and growth in others.

“…the thing is we should be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Just like electrification. Touching electricity by one wire, another joining another, another wire, if the touch is there factual, then the electricity is everywhere.” Lecture on BG 2.13-17; Los Angeles; 29/11/’68

“Evaṁ paramparā prāptam [Bg. 4.2], if you have got connection with the original powerhouse, then there is electricity. Otherwise it is simply wire. What is the value? Simply wiring will not help you. The connection must be there. And if you lose the connection, then it is of no value. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means you have to keep yourself always connected with the original powerhouse. And then wherever you’ll go, there will be light. There’ll be light. If you’re disconnected, there will be no light.” Lecture on SB 1.15.28; Los Angeles; 6/12/’73

“Therefore, if you discuss on the instruction of Krsna, like Bhagavad-gita, then you are immediately in touch with Krsna. Abhinnatvad nama-naminoh. There is no difference.” Lecture on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 20.112 — Bombay, November 24, 1975

“Unless one practices devotional service himself, he cannot teach it to others. This conclusion is indeed confirmed throughout the Gita and Bhagavatam.” CC Adi 3.21 purport

“So that is part of our business to preach, but to practice personally, that is our main business. To practice personally, that is our main business. Not that everyone will be preacher, but at least his own life be perfect.” Room Conversation; New Vrindaban; 24/06/’76

“Try to understand its philosophy, apply in life, and try to distribute this knowledge.” Lecture on Bg 2.17; Hyderabad; 22/11/’72

“Practically you have to behave; then you can preach. Otherwise you cannot become acarya. Acarya means one practices the acara and then teaches. He is acarya…..Truthfulness means what you preach, you must do.”  Lecture on Bg 16.7; Hyderabad; 15/12/’76

“ …unless and until one is trained in the culture of good association, one cannot become good.” SB 3.3.6 purport

“In order to become really learned, we have to associate with devotees. Then we can actually relish kṛṣṇa-kathā. When discussed among devotees, kṛṣṇa-kathā is pleasing to the heart and ear. This requires a little training, and this training is given by the devotees.” Teachings of Lord Kapila, chapter 12; texts 25-26

“One should learn how to associate with the devotees of the Lord by gathering with them to chant the glories of the Lord. This process is most purifying. As devotees thus develop their loving friendship, they feel mutual happiness and satisfaction. And by thus encouraging one another they are able to give up material sense gratification, which is the cause of all suffering.” SB 11.3.30 verse

“Devotees always humbly offer respect to everyone, but when there is a discussion on a point of sastra, they do not observe the usual etiquette, satyam bruyat priyam bruyat. They speak only the satyam, although it may not necessarily be priyam.” SP letter

“What is the value of this association? Sat-sanga. Sat-sanga means assembly, discussion. Bodhyantah parasparam, tusyanti ca ramanti ca. If you are not interested in association, discussion, then you are finished. So…karmis, they are fools and rascals. When you have got this center, it is not that you should be engaged from morning till you go to bed for sense gratification. That is not life. That is karmi’s life. You have no time for sat-sanga, for association. You cannot make any progress by this sort of karmi’s life. We have to work for organization, but not that wholeday and night engaged and no sat-sanga. That is a misguided policy, and it will spoil the whole structure.” Room Conversation, ‘73 

“[aside:] Why they are going? They are busy in some other work? Eh? Ugra-karma.Without hearing, what he will do, nonsense? Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, this is our main business. Śravaṇam. If you don’t hear, what you will do? You will do simply sense gratification. That’s all.

So this is difficulty, that we are not very much interested in hearing. And that is the main business. Our bhakti begins = śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ [SB 7.5.23]. We have to hear and we have to speak. But if we are not interested in hearing and speak, then it will be the same ṭhākura-bari[?], simply formula. That’s all. And gradually it will be stopped. Unless there is life of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, these big, big building, temples, will become burden. So if we are…, if we want to create burden for future, then we may give up this hearing and chanting and sleep very nicely. It will be burden. Galagraha. Not śrī-vigraha, but galagraha. Galagraha. Śrī-vigraha means worshipable Deity. So if we give up this śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ [SB 7.5.23], then it will be thought that “Our Guru Mahārāja has given a burden in the neck, galagraha.” This is the danger. So we must be very much alert in śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Otherwise, all this labor will be futile. This building will be only the nest, nest for the doves and the pigeons. That is the danger. That is being done. Nobody is interested.” Lecture on SB 1.8.19; 29/09/’74; Mayapur

“So I want you leaders especially to become very much absorbed in the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and become yourselves completely convinced and free from all doubt. On this platform you shall be able to carry on the work satisfactorily, but if there is lack of knowledge, or if there is forgetfulness, everything will be spoiled in time. So especially you must encourage the students to read my books throughout the day as much as possible, and give them all good advice how to understand the books, and inspire them to study the things from every point of view. In this way, by constantly engaging my tongues in the service of the Lord, either by discussing His philosophy or by chanting Hare Krishna, the truth is that Krishna Himself will reveal Himself to us and I shall understand how to do everything properly. Now I have got so many students and so many temples but I am fearful that if I expand too much in this way that I shall become weakened and gradually the whole thing will become lost. Just like milk. I may thin it more and more with water for cheating the customer, but in the end it will cease to be any longer milk. Better to boil the milk now very vigorously and make it thick and sweet, that is the best process. So let us concentrate on training my devotees very thoroughly in the knowledge of Krishna Consciousness from my books, from tapes, by discussing always, and in so many ways instruct them in the right propositions.” Letter to Hansadutta, 22/6/’72, Los Angeles

“Your first job should be to make sure that every one of the devotees in your zone of management is reading regularly my literatures and discussing the subject matter seriously from different angles of seeing, and that they are somehow or other absorbing the knowledge of Krishna Consciousness philosophy. If they are fully educated in my philosophy and if they can get all of the knowledge and study it from every viewpoint, then very easily they will perform tapasya or renunciation and that will be their advancement in Krishna Consciousness.” Letter to Satsvarupa Maharaja ‘72

Please see Principles Menu of ImprovingSanga.com

The Improving Sanga model promotes training only the number of devotees with whom we can personally cultivate a loving trusting relationship. 

“He must not take on unlimited disciples. This means that a candidate who has successfully followed the first twelve items can also become a spiritual master himself, just as a student becomes a monitor in class with a limited number of disciples.” Easy Journey to Other Planets, page 34

“He tolerated no hypocrisy among His followers.” CC Adi Lila Intro (referring to Lord Chaitanya)

“For sense enjoyment one can act in any capacity of the social order, but if one follows the rules and regulations of his particular status, he can make gradual progress in purifying his existence. But he who makes a show of being a yogī while actually searching for the objects of sense gratification must be called the greatest cheater, even though he sometimes speaks of philosophy. His knowledge has no value, because the effects of such a sinful man’s knowledge are taken away by the illusory energy of the Lord. Such a pretender’s mind is always impure, and therefore his show of yogic meditation has no value whatsoever.” Bg 3.6 purport

“Anukaraṇa, anusaraṇa—there are two Sanskrit words. One is imitation, and one is following the footprints. If one tries to follow the footprints of great personalities, that is very nice, but we cannot imitate. Imitate… Imitation is dangerous.” Lecture on BG 3.6-10; Los Angeles; 23/12/’68

“Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī advises that one not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary social and ecclesiastical conventions. One should simply try to find a genuinely qualified spiritual master for actual advancement in spiritual understanding.” CC Adi 1.35 purport

“Therefore the so-called formal spiritual master and disciple are not facsimiles of Brahmā and Nārada or Nārada and Vyāsa. The relationship between Brahmā and Nārada is reality, while the so-called formality is the relation between the cheater and cheated. It is clearly mentioned herewith that Nārada is not only well-behaved, meek and obedient, but also self-controlled. One who is not self-controlled, specifically in sex life, can become neither a disciple nor a spiritual master. One must have disciplinary training in controlling speaking, anger, the tongue, the mind, the belly and the genitals. One who has controlled the particular senses mentioned above is called a gosvāmī. Without becoming a gosvāmī one can become neither a disciple nor a spiritual master. The so-called spiritual master without sense control is certainly the cheater, and the disciple of such a so-called spiritual master is the cheated.” SB 2.9.43 purport

“So jijnasuh sreya uttamam, what is the highest perfection of life, he requires to approach a guru. It is not a fashion. It is not a fashion that “I have made my guru, such and such Swami.” But what you have learned? You cannot learn because you are not at all jijnasuh. You do not know how to inquire, neither the guru you have met, he does know how to reply. Such kind of guru and disciple will not help. The disciple must be also serious to understand about the spiritual subject matter. That is knowledge, brahma-jijnasa. One who is inquisitive to know about the Absolute Truth, he requires to approach a guru. That is jnana. Jnana means brahma-jnana.” Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 13.8-12 — Bombay, October 5, 1973

“Self-deceived persons sometimes accept leaders or spiritual masters from a priestly order that has been officially appointed by the codes of material life. In this way, they are deceived by official priests.” Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya 17.185 purport 

“It is imperative that a serious person accept a bona fide spiritual master in terms of the sastric injunctions. Sri Jiva Gosvami advises that one not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary social and ecclesiastical conventions. One should simply try to find a genuinely qualified spiritual master for actual advancement in spiritual understanding.” Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 1.35 purport

“…As soon as you accept somebody as spiritual master, you cannot argue. You have to accept. You have to accept. Therefore the selection of spiritual [master] must be very scrutinizing. You cannot accept anyone as spiritual master. You must be very much satisfied that here is a person who can solve the problems of my life. Just like Arjuna thought. He plainly said that “The problem which is before me, I know, beyond You, besides You, nobody can make solution.” That is the way of accepting spiritual master. When one is fully convinced that, “Here is a person who can actually solve the problems of my life,” then one should accept spiritual master. In the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa there is such process that one should accept a spiritual master after associating with him for some time. Similarly, the spiritual master also shall accept somebody as disciple after associating with him for some time, whether he is eligible or not. This is the process.” – Lecture on BG 2.20-25, Seattle, 14th October 1968

“The devotees of Krishna are the most exalted persons on this planet, better than kings, all of them, so we should always remember that and, like the bumblebee, always look for the nectar or the best qualities of a person.” Letter to Atreya Rsi; Bombay; 4/02/’72

tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

“Anyone who wishes to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness must try to serve the devotees of Kṛṣṇa.” — CC Antya 13.113 purport