True Education

Anyone who studies Prabhupada’s books becomes educated in the most important subject.  Whenever a follower of Prabhupada hears a discussion of God-consciousness, he spots contradictions or a “poor fund of knowledge” wherever it occurs.  Even a young brahmacari can note the flaws in the presentations of learned theologians or clergymen.  Theologians are puzzled as to “why bad things happen to good people.”  Some of them theorize that God may be all good, but He is not all powerful.  Some say that God cannot have a form, or that God exists only in human relationships – but one who knows Srila Prabhupada’s teachings can see this is a poor fund of knowledge. 

One of the benefits of a good education in any field is that one easily handles opposition from prejudiced or ignorant persons.  Sometimes Prabhupada would be challenged, “What is your faith?”  Prabhupada usually replied, “It is not faith, it is fact.”  He also said, “You may believe or not believe, that is a different thing.”

Let us always thank Prabhupada for giving us the best education in the most important of all subjects.  It is not a sectarian religious education; it is not less important than material knowledge.  Prabhupada teaches raja-vidya, the king of education.  Most of us are unqualified to receive this education, and yet we have received a full scholarship.  Just as an underprivileged person feels fortunate to receive a scholarship to a top university, we are grateful that Prabhupada has accepted us into the University of Vaisnava Brahmanism.  One who is trained by Prabhupada is better than a Ph.D. – yet he humbly thinks himself unadvanced.  We can never know everything about Krishna; therefore, a Ph.D. in this field honestly says that he does not have deep love for Krishna.  He reasons that if he had love for Krishna, how could he live in this world without Him?  The accomplished student of Krishna consciousness never considers himself a master of this subject and never becomes puffed-up.  He acknowledges that even simple people can receive God consciousness by the direct method of chanting the Holy Names.  Prabhupada has taught us everything: he has given us the service and the practices, and he has stressed humility.  This is true education.