Category:I Am An Old Man (Prabhupada)
Theme Analysis
Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently referred to himself as an "old man," not as a lamentation, but to emphasize the urgency of his mission and the reality of the changing material body. This category reveals his profound sense of responsibility to his spiritual master, his physical struggles, and his deep reliance on his young disciples to carry the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement forward. He beautifully contrasts his aging, "broken house" of a body with his ever-youthful spiritual enthusiasm (utsāha), working tirelessly to translate the Vedic literatures and travel the globe.
- The Reality of the Changing Body: He uses his own aging form as a practical, observable example of the soul's transmigration and the temporary nature of the material world.
- Transcendental Enthusiasm: Despite his advanced age and physical inconveniences, he demonstrates unparalleled spiritual energy, outworking his much younger disciples.
- Urgency to Translate Books: He repeatedly expresses a desire to retire from administrative duties to focus entirely on writing and translating, viewing this as his most lasting contribution.
- Empowering the Next Generation: Recognizing that his time is limited, he urgently appeals to his disciples to become strong, manage the movement, and expand the preaching worldwide.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: I Am an Old Man - Prabhupāda’s Urgency and Vision for the Future.
Pages in category "I Am An Old Man (Prabhupada)"
The following 84 pages are in this category, out of 84 total.
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- I am an old man - changing bodies
- I am an old man - they will continue this movement
- I am getting older...
- Time is short and I am aging but I want to publish all of Srimad-Bhagavatam and as you are doing now. Publishing it chapter-wise is very nice and it should be continued and as soon as all the chapters of a canto are finished, we make it into a book
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- All of us had at one time the body of a small baby. Where is that body? That body is gone. Presently I am an old man, but I remember that I was once a small baby
- Although there is no GBC man for Far East for addressing your questions, still, as I am now old man and inclined for philosophy and translating, I am asking my disciples to kindly give me some relief from so much administrative work and asking questions
- As an old man I can take relief from this work immediately, but for Krsna's sake I am pulling on even though there is sometimes personal inconveniences. So let us act in that way all together for Krsna's sake
- As I am getting old, I wish to retire from an active part. Of course, I shall be behind the scene, but I am thinking of writing a constitutional will on my return from Europe
- As I am old man, I am traveling all over the world, now to give me relief, the GBC members . . . I shall expand into twelve more, so that they can exactly work like me. Gradually they will (be) initiators. At least first initiation
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- I am always thinking of Caracas temple. Although I went there once, it has given me some impression. Now I am an old man, and am depending on you to carry on our mission more enthusiastically. The seed is already there. Now water it
- I am always very much encouraged to hear from my disciples and to reply them, but now I am old man and I have inclination for philosophy and translating
- I am an old man - seventy-two years old. I have been away from my family during the last fourteen years. Yet sometimes I also think of my wife and children. This is quite natural. But that does not mean I have to go back. This is knowledge
- I am an old man and I may shift away from the scene at any moment; but I am very much hopeful of my disciples who are so sincerely helping me
- I am an old man now, and my interests are turning to philosophy and translation. If you help me by relieving me from this administrative work, that will free me to give you so many more fine books from Vedic literature and from our own devotional line
- I am an old man. My visits should remain independent. As far as possible I am travelling, but nowadays I am feeling a little inconvenience
- I am feeling no more headaches nor any severe buzzing sound - but still some buzzing is going on. After all it is a broken house and I cannot expect all the comforts of a newly built house in an old broken residence
- I am getting gradually older, therefore even if I remain in your country, I shall restrain my moving and my main business will be henceforward to train you all my disciples for preaching work. I think you will approve of my program
- I am getting old day by day, and I do not know when the last moment will come, but before the last moment will come, I wanted to fulfill my desire in the matter of developing the establishment of Sri Sri Radha-Damodara Temple
- I am getting older and older and it is getting difficult for me, therefore I am requesting all my younger disciples to preach all over the world. Otherwise, you are always welcome in Vrndavana. I have no objection
- I am getting older and older, so actually if I get a peaceful place as described by you, the rest of my life will be continued in translating Srimad-Bhagavatam and other Goswami literature, assisted by some of my disciples like you
- I am getting older, naturally the energy is not so strong, but still I hope to prolong as you all Vaisnavas are praying to Srila Prabhupada that by His grace my life may be prolonged and energy safely guarded
- I am getting to be an old man. I have given you the formula how to preach; you are young boys and girls, our future hope. Now you follow the principles, apply your intelligence, and everything will come out successful by the Grace of our Lord Krishna
- I am glad to learn that although you are 60 years old, you are enthusiastic to help me in this great preaching work. In spiritual activities there is no barring even in old age because I am also 74 years old but still working by the Grace of Lord Krsna
- I am not exercising myself. I am an old man of seventy-two years. I was ill, I went back to India; but I want to work. Actually, I could retire from all these activities, but as far as I can, I want to work; I want to learn day and night
- I am now 75 years old. I never thought how far I shall be able to travel such a long distance. But as people say I am still younger, then maybe sooner or later I shall come back to New York again
- I am now considerably old; I will be 72 years next September. But the work which I have begun in the western world is not yet finished, and I require to train some of the American boys to preach this cult all over the western world
- I am now eighty years old, I am working twenty-four hours. I think I work more than my young disciples
- I am now old man, and attacked with serious disease; I may be overcome by death at any moment. Therefore I wish to leave some trained preachers so that they can do the work of Krishna Consciousness in the western world. That is my ambition
- I am old man of eighty years; still, I am busy. I am traveling all over the world, writing book at night, talking with visitors, and so many things. You can see. So where we are escaping? We are the most responsible worker
- I am old man, 73 years old; I may die at any moment. But I am now assured my movement will go on. These boys will carry it. My mission is in that way successful
- I am old man, and there has already been warning, but before I leave this body, I wish to see some of you very strong in Krishna Consciousness understanding
- I am old man, the body is no more possible to be changed; somehow or other then I'll have to accept another body. That is called transmigration. The modern so-called scientists, philosophers, they do not understand this plain truth
- I am old man. At the same time sick. Even if I am well, it is not possible for me to look after the affairs of the American house
- I am old man. I will die. If they take it seriously, it will go on, and there will be revolution. Because we are not working whimsically, capriciously. We are taking authoritative version from the sastra
- I am old man. If some of you at least understand this science and take up this science, you become future hope of this country or the world. That is my request to you, that you should take this chance and become a spiritual master for all the people
- I am seventy-seven years old. So when this body will be finished, I'll get another body. As I have got consecutively from boyhood to childhood, childhood, I have, from childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, aged body, so why not next body?
- I am seventy-six years old means I have already died seventy-six years. Suppose I live, say, eighty years, ninety years. So I have already died seventy-six years. So death is sure. They say "We are advancing." What is that advancement? Death is sure
- I am this old age, I cannot move. Still I am traveling all over the world. I am simply interested that whatever I have done, it may not be vanquished in my absence. Let me go and encourage them
- I did not attempt in the beginning. I started my activities when I was seventy years old
- I have become old, and you are also old, although not so old as I am. We may pass away, but my disciples will carry on this festival yearly, and so it will be remembered forever our eternal relationship with Jagannathaji and Radha-Govindaji
- I have become very, very weak. No appetite. The brain is not working. Brain is working, but body is not allowing... Don't worry. Everyone will die, today or tomorrow. I am also old man. There is nothing to be regrettable
- I have established so many centers. So I have to go from one center to another just to encourage them. Otherwise I am old enough. I am eighty years. So traveling is not very good job for me, but still I do it just to encourage them
- I have no objection to death, I am old man; still I wish to live because I want to see that the mission and missionaries I have started may be still more stronger before I leave. So pray to Krishna for this
- I have not come here for some personal credit in this old age. I have also come here under the order of my Spiritual Master who is non-different from Lord Nityananda
- I request you, don't you become hippies again by growing hair. Keep your head cleansed at least once in a month. That is my request. Neither I can chastise you, I am an old man and you are young men
- I want to travel continually to see my centers. Now there is little impediment on account of my old body. Still I am trying and will continue to try to see you again and again
- I'm getting old and can not move, so if you all my students work 10 times more than me that will be great pleasure for me
- If I did not travel there would be no nice organization. Traveling and preaching, that is the Sankirtana movement. But now I am old man; let me retire for writing books in my last years
- If my life is finished, that is not wonderful. Nobody will lament. "Oh, he was old man, eighty-two years old." But if I can live for some days more, that is wonderful. If I die, that is not wonderful
- If you are fully engaged in Krsna's service attraction of women will be a myth only. It is only Krsna's grace. Of course we are old men now, but even old men they are attracted still by women
- In any stage of life, there is past, present, and future. So why not, I am old man, so when I shall die, why there is no future? There must be future
- In childhood I used to take my ratha with my little friends, about 60 years ago. Again I am reviving the same attempt with my young disciples. I have become old, and you are also old. We may pass away, but my disciples will carry on this festival yearly
- In this old age I am traveling all over the world. Can any karmi do that? So if you become Krsna conscious, then karma, jnana, yoga, everything becomes perfect. That is Krsna consciousness
- It is medical advice, that there are two kinds of mistakes in eating. Over-eating and under-eating. So under-eating mistake for old man is very good. And over-eating mistake for boys, that is good. So you can overeat. I cannot
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- Now I am an old man, and am depending on you to carry on our mission more enthusiastically. The seed is already there. Now water it and let it grow and fruit will come out, fruit of love of Godhead, and you will all enjoy, even in this material world
- Now I am getting old, so if you can do things without me, that will be a great pleasure for me. You are an experienced devotee and know how to manage things, and you have good men there to help you so I am sure that you can carry on things nicely
- Now I am getting old. So it is little difficult for me to travel. Still I have to do and come and see. I have established my mission so I want to see that it is not spoiled
- Now I am old man and a little inclined for retirement, but now our organization is expanding more and more and I simply want to see that the things get done, therefore I am relying on you, my senior disciples, to do everything nicely for Krsna
- Now I can see that it is a miracle. Otherwise, your city of New York, one single old man, with only a few books to sell for barely getting eatables, how he can survive, what to speak of introducing God-consciousness movement for saving the humankind?
- Now you have everything, respect, philosophy, money, temples, books, all these things I have given, but I am an old man and my notice is already there. Now it is up to you all how to manage it
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- That is the first principle, the GBC. Not sit down in one place and pass resolution. No, they must be active. They must act like me. As I am old man, I am traveling all over the world
- The more you engage yourself in the service of the Lord, the more you become enthusiastic. There is no question of becoming tired. Just like I am old man. I have come from India. My age is seventy-six years. So still I am enthusiastic
- The whole basis of the devotional service is utsaha. Just like unless there was utsaha, how a man of seventy years old, without any hope, could go to such distant place from Vrndavana to New York? The only platform was utsaha
- There is little foothold of this movement. So on this occasion of my spiritual master's departure, as I am trying to execute his will, similarly, I shall also request you to execute the same order through my will. I am an old man
- They deviated from the disciplic succession from Srila Prabhupada. So, I don't wish to discuss on this point, because you know better than me; but I think you are also old enough, and I am also old enough
- This is my obligation, to give them education in Krsna consciousness. That is the best service I am giving to the humanity. Why I have come to your country? I am old man. Just to fulfill this obligation
- To be stagnant is not good. Just like I am an old man, but I am always travelling
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- We should have to preach this Krsna consciousness movement in every village, in every town of this planet. Therefore you have come to your country. You are kindly cooperating. You also spread. I am old man. I may not live very long
- Whatever success is there, it is just due to my firm faith in his (Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's) instruction. So I am trying to follow. And by his grace, you are helping me. So actually, the responsibility will now depend on you. I am also old man
- When I hear of your advancement of devotional service by book distribution, it invigorates me although I am an old man. Although I am traveling all over the world, my mind is always in Los Angeles
- When I was also a child, I was looking very beautiful, but kalena, in due course of time, I'm now old man, a ugly man. Nobody likes. (laughter) So this is the influence of time
- When these young boys are fully ready, vast preaching will take place in these Western countries through them. I remind them that I am old. "At any time I may have to say namaskara to Yamaraja, so you all try to understand this KC philosophy properly"
- Who can be free from old age? Everyone wants to remain young man, but that is not possible. Just like I was also a young man. Now I am thinking, "Oh, I am getting old. I am getting old." So where is the process?
- With folded hands I request you, don't you become hippies again by growing hair. Keep your head cleansed at least once in a month. That is my request. Neither I can chastise you. I am also old man; you are young men
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- You are all qualified. I can give you ideas. Now I am doing. So I wanted to see that you are all busy. That I want because now I am becoming invalid. I cannot move very swiftly here and there. But if you move, I take pleasure
- You cannot work more than us, because I am an old man, seventy-nine years old, and I am traveling always, all over the world, twice, thrice in a year. You cannot work so much, at least
- You know that "I had a small body." I know. Everyone will know. But where is that body? That body is not existing. I was also young man like you, but now I am an old man. Old man means my body is different - old body. Your body is different
- Your examples are great encouragement for an old man like me. I have got the same spirit of being overloaded with Krishna Conscious work, but physically I am not as strong as you are all young boys and girls