Prabhupada: A Public Yet Private Presence

Is Prabhupada worship public or private?  It’s both.  Sometimes it is shared among the devotees, as when everyone gathers for the Prabhupada guru- puja and sings the same prayers.  There should be agreed-upon conclusions as to what Prabhupada meant in his teachings and what he intended for his followers.  So what is the basic message of Prabhupada?  The very first thing he said to us was, “Chant Hare Krsna and be happy.”  And for reading, Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam are all we need.  Live with devotees, cooperate and push on Krishna consciousness.  Work with his followers even when it’s difficult.  These are our goals and this is our work. Only by faithfully prosecuting these orders can we realize Prabhupada’s promise that we will think of Krishna twenty-four hours a day.  He’s not just one person’s Prabhupada.

As a complement to the public worship, there is a private relationship with him.  It must be so, and we don’t want it otherwise.  Sometimes we even feel disturbed when someone starts talking about Prabhupada.  We think, “Prabhupada remembrance is not so easy to attain as this.”  Or we think, “They have asked me to speak of Prabhupada, but how can I do it?  It is not something to be so openly discussed.”

Then it is esoteric?  Yes and no.  It is an open secret; it is pure love — which you cannot weigh and put into a package.  We each have our pure devotion for Prabhupada, and it is not always touched on in the general recitation of his glories.

Sometimes we are unsure: “Does Prabhupada know I’m here?  Does he love me?  Does he understand my inner nature?”  The answer to this is yes, but you have to enter a real relationship as menial servant, as disciplined follower, as practicing devotee.  Srila Prabhupada will shower his blessings on you and you will know him, without a doubt.