Appreciating His Teachings 

Prabhupada can mediate between Krishna and the individual soul.  For example, he explains how we can offer Krishna whatever we eat, and how the main ingredient in our offering is our devotion.  Prabhupada comments, “If you offer something to Krishna: ‘Krishna, I have brought a very palatable dish for You to eat’ – no, Krishna will not take it.  Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ.  He is not exposed to everyone.”

There are different levels of understanding Prabhupada’s teachings.  A newcomer will be amazed that Krishna will accept offerings of food.  Someone who has been hearing and serving Prabhupada for more years will hear with added depth and richness.  Such a person is trained to hear and consider more the subtleties of the philosophy.  For example, Prabhupada quoted the verse “nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ” in the context of offering food to Krishna.  The nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ verse tells us that Krishna places a curtain of maya between Himself and foolish persons.  To quote that verse immediately after saying that Krishna accepts offerings made in devotion, produces an interesting contrast.  Prabhupada’s point is that if we try to give Krishna something materially opulent to impress us, He will not accept it, because nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya – Krishna puts a barrier between Himself and such fools. 

Often when Prabhupada quotes the Bhagavad-gita, he spontaneously gives a translation which is not at all literal, but interpretative.  It is a kind of combined purport and translation.  These little purport-translations vary from one lecture to the next and we can appreciate them as added nectar.  Problems and anarthas in our devotional service can easily be solved when we carefully hear how Prabhupada attacks those problems.