Category:Becoming a Preacher
Theme Analysis
This analysis outlines the essential qualifications and methods for becoming a preacher in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Śrīla Prabhupāda consistently emphasizes that the primary requirement is not academic scholarship, high birth, or Sanskrit expertise, but rather spiritual enthusiasm and strict adherence to the instructions of the spiritual master. He famously states, "A dead man cannot become a preacher," meaning one must have life and conviction to share the message. However, enthusiasm must be backed by personal purity. Using the maxim "Physician, heal thyself," Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that one cannot preach effectively if they are themselves "diseased" by bad habits like intoxication or meat-eating. The formula for becoming an empowered preacher is simple: repeat what Kṛṣṇa has said without adding or subtracting, maintain personal purity, and boldly distribute the message to save humanity.
- Enthusiasm vs. Scholarship: One does not need a Ph.D. to preach; one needs the enthusiasm to glorify the Lord.
- Purity is Force: A preacher must follow the principles they teach (āpani ācari). A "diseased" person cannot cure others.
- The Simple Method: To become a preacher, one simply repeats the message of Kṛṣṇa and the guru. There is no need to manufacture new philosophies.
- Universal Qualification: Preaching is not limited to sannyāsīs or men. Women, householders (gṛhasthas), and anyone knowledgeable in the science of Kṛṣṇa can and should preach.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Not Scholarship but Enthusiasm - How to Become an Empowered Preacher.
Pages in category "Becoming a Preacher"
The following 53 pages are in this category, out of 53 total.
A
- A dead man cannot become a preacher. So you must be very enthusiastic that, "I shall preach the glories of the Lord to my best capacity." It is not that one has to become very learned scholar to become a preacher
- A diseased man, he cannot say, "I am perfect in health." That is not possible. Similarly, if we are defective in so many ways, and if I want to become teacher or preacher to give you the truth, then how can I give? This is not possible
- All students should be encouraged to write some article after reading SB, BG, and TLC. They should realize the information, and they must present their assimilation in their own words. Otherwise, how they can become preachers?
- Arjuna was grhastha. So yei krsna-tattva-vetta sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128). One must know the science of Krsna. Then you can become preacher
C
- Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that "Before becoming preacher, before endeavoring yourself to do good to others, you just perfect yourself." "Physician, heal thyself." Physician, you are yourself diseased. How you can become a physician?
- Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted everyone, at least in India, to become a preacher of this mission. In other words, one should become a guru and preach the Lord's instructions all over the world for the peace and prosperity of humanity
D
- Don't become yourself nonsense, and you become a preacher. No. Apani acari prabhu jivera siksaya. Preacher must be in his life perfect. Then he can become a preacher. If I smoke, how can I say that "You do not smoke"?
- Don't try any hard task before you are very strong. Chant 16 rounds daily, follow the rules and regulations, and read our books. Don't become very big preacher immediately
G
- Generally a devotee in the intermediate stage becomes a preacher. A neophyte devotee or an ordinary person should worship the madhyama-bhagavata, who is a via medium
- Generally the great acaryas who preach devotional service all over the world belong to the category of sakhyam atma-nivedanam. A neophyte devotee cannot actually become a preacher
- God gives us the ears to hear, and simply by hearing we may become great preachers. We don't need Ph.D.'s or academic examinations. One may even remain in his position; no changes are necessary
I
- I want everyone of our men to become first class preachers. So you want to preach that is best. Don't be worried, but go on with your preaching and you will be happy
- I want that you all my advanced disciples become very bold preachers and take up this task of saving the fallen humanity from its worst condition of sinfulness
- I was a householder. I never dreamt. But circumstantially I was forced to accept the sannyasa dress just to become a preacher
- I wish that many of my disciples may become expert preachers so they may assist more and more in the great preaching work that we have to do for the benefit of mankind
- If even one such high-class man becomes preacher on our behalf, if he actually becomes converted to Krishna Consciousness preaching work, then that is the best contribution of your preaching also
- If preaching work is strong, management will automatically be strong. So in all cases, become a very good preacher, and this will please me very much
- If we want to be quickly recognized by Krsna, we should become preachers. This is also the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is not that one should remain in India; rather, one should travel all over the world to preach Krsna consciousness
- If you simply reproduce what is written there in the book, you become preacher
- In order to become an empowered preacher, one must be favored by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu or His devotee, the spiritual master. One must also request everyone to chant the maha-mantra
- Instead of devoting yourself to solitude, why not come with me and travel in foreign countries for some time? This will help you to obtain direct experience of our activities, and maybe you can become a preacher like me
- It is not that one has to become very learned scholar to become a preacher. Simply it requires enthusiasm, "My Lord is so great, so kind, so beautiful, so wonderful. So I must speak something about my Lord"
- It is so much heart-engladdening that you have taken very seriously the preaching work, and Krishna is giving you chance for becoming a great preacher in the near future
- It may be beneficial for a saintly person's own interest to go to the forest and live in a cottage but if one becomes a preacher, especially in Western countries, he has to invite many classes of men who are accustomed to living in comfortable apartments
N
- Not only we shall worship Deity but we make advancement. What is that advancement? To become gradually a preacher. That is madhyama-adhikari, second stage, preacher
- Not that we all have to become preachers, but that we all dedicate our lives or our consciousness, no matter in what capacity, to Lord Krishna
P
- Please study carefully my books to be enlightened. You have presented our philosophy very nicely. This engladdens me that our students are presenting so convincingly. This is the way to become future preacher
- Practically my spiritual master insisted me through him, that "You accept." Because without accepting the renounced order of life, nobody can become a preacher
- Practically, we have tried to explain in this book all of the basic principles of Krishna Consciousness. If you can simply cram Bhagavad-gita then you will surely become a very good preacher
- Preaching shouldn't depend on me only. My disciples should become all good preachers, and that depends on studying the books nicely so that you can arrive at the right conclusion
S
- Since both the boys and the girls are being trained to become preachers, those girls are not ordinary girls but are as good as their brothers who are preaching Krsna consciousness
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said that anyone, regardless of what he is, who is well versed in the science of Krsna (Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita) can become an authorized preacher or preceptor in the science of Krsna
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu requests every Indian to become a preacher of His cult to save the world from disastrous confusion
T
- That is the art of management: to draw out spontaneous loving spirit of sacrificing some energy for Krishna. But where are so many expert managers? All of us should become expert managers and preachers
- There are many materialistic persons who become preachers, gurus, religionists or philosophers only for the sake of maintaining a high standard of living and sense gratification for themselves and their families
- They (materialistic persons who become preachers, gurus, religionists or philosophers) spread a network of business schemes to collect money for sense gratification by cheating people in general, who have no knowledge of pure devotional service
- They (Mayavadi sannyasis) are always under the impression that unless one is a brahmana and a very good Sanskrit scholar, especially in grammar, one cannot accept the renounced order of life or become a preacher
- This taking of sannyasa should not be a whimsical proposition, and should not be an excuse for becoming irresponsible, no responsibility of grhastha, brahmacari, etc. Sannyasis also have great responsibility to become fearless preachers
W
- We can find that instead of becoming a great preacher of Krishna Consciousness, this gentleman has become artificially a head of a mundane institution. To become a very important man in the mundane estimation is not success in Krishna Consciousness
- We do not allow anyone become a preacher unless he is strictly following the Vaisnava principles of no eating meat, fish, or eggs; no sex outside of marriage; no gambling; and no taking any kind of intoxication whatsoever
- When he (Sanat-kumara) was questioned by Sankhyayana Rsi, he spoke to him the same message he had heard from Lord Sankarsana. In other words, unless one hears from the proper authority one cannot become a preacher
- When one who has no knowledge tries to become a teacher or preacher, he is actually cheating others
- When sannyasi is more practiced, he becomes a preacher, parivrajakacarya, goes from country to country, state to state, for preaching. And after preaching, when the preaching is advanced to some extent, then he sits down in a place as paramahamsa
- When you become actually preacher of God consciousness, you cannot make any compromise. You must call the spade a spade
Y
- You have only to speak what Krsna has said. Then you become a preacher
- You must all become expert preachers
- You must be very enthusiastic that "I shall preach the glories of the Lord to my best capacity." It is not that one has to become very learned scholar to become a preacher. Simply it requires enthusiasm
- You should all read very carefully Srimad-Bhagavatam and BG, and you should be able to answer all questions like this, and only in rare cases approach me. But it is important that our students must be able to answer all questions for becoming preachers
- You will become perfect preacher. Preach only what you have heard from Krsna and guru, that's all. Don't add and subtract. Then you are secure