Category:I Did Not (Prabhupada)
Theme Analysis
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s statements beginning with "I did not" offer a remarkably candid and humble glimpse into his personal journey, his unwavering dedication, and the purity of his mission. Far from making grand claims of mystical power or personal ambition, he frequently used these words to deflect praise, emphasizing instead his simple reliance on the instructions of his spiritual master and the pure message of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Through these reflections, he openly shared his early hesitations, the practical difficulties he faced upon arriving in the West, and his strict refusal to compromise the philosophy to gain followers. These admissions do not diminish his stature; rather, they magnify his greatness by revealing a transparent, surrendered soul who achieved a worldwide spiritual revolution simply by carrying out an order, never manufacturing anything of his own.
- Following the Order of His Spiritual Master: Śrīla Prabhupāda consistently attributed all his success to following the order of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, frequently noting that he did not initially know how he would accomplish the task, but he never lost faith in the instruction.
- Purity in Preaching - No Compromise or Adulteration: A cornerstone of his preaching was his strict adherence to the paramparā system. He adamantly stated that he did not manufacture any new ideas, adulterate the words of Kṛṣṇa, or compromise the philosophy to appease Western audiences.
- Personal Detachment and Dependence on Kṛṣṇa: Reflecting on his life, Śrīla Prabhupāda spoke frankly about his detachment from family life and mundane politics, emphasizing that he did not rely on earthly support, but solely on Kṛṣṇa and his Guru Mahārāja.
- The Early Days - Struggles and Reluctance: He openly shared the severe hardships and uncertainties he faced during his first year in America, as well as his humble admission that he did not immediately take up the preaching mission in his youth.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Prabhupāda Did Not Choose Comfort – A Life of Sacrifice and Surrender.
Pages in category "I Did Not (Prabhupada)"
The following 64 pages are in this category, out of 64 total.
I
- I (Prabhupada) think I have spoken about my own life. You know that I was a married man. So after being married, I did not like my wife. (laughter) Somehow or other, I did not like
- I am going to USA, hopeless, just to make an experiment. My other Godbrothers, they failed. All right, Guru Maharaja asked me. In the beginning I did not do. Let me do it in this old age
- I am sorry to inform you that your co-founder Hayagriva Prabhu is little disturbed. Sometimes before you told about him participating in intoxication. Then I did not take it seriously, but the same thing is again revived and I am little perturbed
- I am very much sorry that since I have come to Bombay leaving Calcutta I did not receive any letter from you. I hope everything is going nicely there. I do not know also how many life members have been created since my departure for Bombay
- I am very sorry for any inconvenience that has come upon you due to this misunderstanding. I did not receive any letter from you until now about the situation so I was not aware fully of the circumstances as you have given them
- I began in this New York in that storefront simply by chanting. So I did not bribe you American boys and girls to come after me. This is the only asset was chanting
- I did not ask my students to marry to become a lost child. I wanted to give them some facility, because you cannot do without wife. But now I am seeing that some of them are slipping away
- I did not attempt in the beginning. I started my activities when I was seventy years old
- I did not go to your country taking Vrndavana with me. I had to stay in places where in the refrigerator there is meat. And I was cooking. When opened it I saw, "Here is meat. All right, what can be done? Hare Krsna." That's all
- I did not know anything about this incident. I am very sorry for it however, and I am inquiring into the matter further
- I did not know that he took it very seriously. Then after two, three months, some documents came. I was receiving my letters in a postbox
- I did not know that maintaining a family was such a difficult job here. But this is described in the Bhagavatam: if one can maintain a family, he will be considered a very glorious man, and if a girl has a husband she will be considered very fortunate
- I did not like to take the position of Krsna. I remained servant of Krsna, and I spoke what Krsna said. That's all. This is my secret. So everyone can do that. There is nothing magic. The magic will act as soon as you become a pure devotee of Krsna
- I did not mean by the memo that you shall stop correspondence. If you understood like that, then I say that you can send me every day one letter, and it will be welcome
- I did not see your drama in New Vrndavana about the advent of Lord Krsna. But I have heard from others that it was done very nicely, so I am very much pleased
- I did not understand him (Guru Maharaj), actually. In the beginning I could not understand him. He was speaking in so high philosophical way that it was not . . . still, I wanted to hear him. That was my only qualification
- I don't find any difference between India and this South Africa, because the same trees are there, same grass is there, the same road is there, the same . . . So similarly, in every planet, without going we can understand, if we are sane men
- I lost my mother when I was only 14 years old. So I didn't get much of my mother's affection in my childhood. But in my old age, Krishna has given me so many young mothers to take care of me
- I met (Gandhi) several times, but not as personal interview. But I liked his movement, national movement. Young men, everyone likes politics. Actually, later on, I did not like
- I never tried in India to construct big temples or even in your country we didn't. I never tried. But I was selling personally books. That is the history
- I planned that "I must go to America." Yes. That was the reason. Otherwise, generally they go to London. I did not go to London. I was simply dreaming, "How to go to New York?"
- I started first in 1966, July, in New York. Then I started in San Francisco, then Boston, then at Montreal. Of course, I did not go everywhere. These boys, the sincere boys and girls who are helping me, who have joined this movement, they are doing
- I thought to myself, "Oh, I have done this wrong. I should not have sat with His Divine Grace." So of course, I did not get down immediately, but I took it, and from next day I did not sit. So rules and regulations automatically was taught
- I took that order of my spiritual master very seriously, but I did not think that I'll have to do such and such thing. I was at that time a householder. But this is the arrangement of Krsna
- I want to see that you are always busy. Busy-ness. That will give me pleasure. Laziness I don't want. Personally I was never lazy. I did not like laziness
- I wanted first of all the residential place. And they criticize me, "Oh, you did not construct temple first." And a temple of the devotees is first, our temple. Then God. God will come if there are devotees
- I was at that time new man - not exactly new man, but not recognized disciple. I did not go. So he (My Guru Maharaja) saw that I am sitting, I did not go to parikrama. He very much appreciated. I preferred to hear him than go to parikrama
- I was married man. I was married when I was a student, and I did not know what will be the . . . but the parents arranged
- I was thinking that Kirtanananda Swami is angry upon me because I did not go to New Vrndavana, but what can I do? They are dragging me in so many places and it was arranged for me to see Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India
- I went to your country with this word only. I did not show you any magic, neither I have any knowledge how to play magic. That is not possible. I simply repeat the same thing, that, Here is Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- I will have to see personally what are the mistakes in the synonyms and also how you intend to correct them. I was not satisfied with the corrections that were made before. I saw some changes which I did no approve.
- 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 you ask him to do full time work, that he'll not do. Therefore I did not initiate others
- Immediately after my meeting, he (my Guru Maharaja) said this, that "Why don't you preach this Caitanya's cult in the Western countries?" That is a memorable day. Of course, I did not know that I will have to do it
- In fact I am a worthless person because my Spiritual Master ordered me to take up this work in 1922 but I did not carry his order until 1958
- In my childhood I would not take medicine. Exactly like this, now also. So I was given medicine by force in the spoon. Two men will catch me, and my mother would take me on the lap and then force, and I shall take. I never agreed to take any medicine
- In the beginning we did not impose so many rules and regulations
M
- Mahatma Gandhi was a great advocate of Bhagavad-gita, and when he was alive I requested him to preach but I did not receive any favorable reply from him, because he was too much politically contaminated
- My godbrothers always discouraged me but I did not give up, I am doing my duty and always keeping my spiritual master in front
- My Guru Maharaja gave me a task and always I was discouraged by my god-brothers, but I did not forget him even for a moment, and I was determined to follow my duty, even though sometimes I did not like to do it
- My only hope is Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakura. I have no one else. In my house my wife and son did not help me, so I left my home. I thought the Godbrothers would help me, but even that I did not get
- My spiritual master wanted me to preach, but I did not like it, but he forced me. Yes. That is my practical experience
S
- Since I have come here I did not hear from you. Hope you are doing well with full cooperation of your elderly God brothers
- Since I have come to America I have not heard anything from you. In the beginning I had to write two or three letter to your revered father, but I did not receive any reply from him
- Sometimes back, when I was searching a house, and I didn't yet open any center at 26 Second Avenue, I liked this Chatham Tower very much. But at that time, I had no means; neither I have means just now
- Sometimes before you told about him participating in intoxication. Then I did not take it seriously, but the same thing is again revived and I am little perturbed. So is it possible to save him from this dangerous position
T
- Take my life practical. I was a householder. Now I have given up. So practically I did not agree with my wife, but there was no dream of divorcing. You see? Neither she dreamt, neither I dreamt
- That's my credit. I did not like to take the position of Krsna. I remained a servant of Krsna, and I spoke what Krsna said. That's all. This is my secret
W
- We did not know we were nonsense, but our father knew we were nonsense; so it is like that in this material world, everyone is acting more or less like children clinging to some play things provided by the Father and taking them very seriously
- We haven't got to manufacture. And as soon as you manufacture, fall down. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayah... This manufacturing idea is very, very dangerous in spiritual life. Whatever little success is there for me, I did not manufacture any idea
- When I was married at the age of 21 with a wife who was only 11 years old, practically I did not like my wife. And as I was at that time very young man, and an educated college student, I wanted to marry again
- When I went to America, I did not go there to turn the Christian to become Hindu. No, I never said that
- When my Guru Maharaja ordered me to spread this movement to the English speaking countries, I did not know how I could do it, but I never lost faith nor did I ever forget this order
- When people say in India, "Swamiji, you have done wonderful," and yes, I do not know. I'm not a magician. But so far I am confident that I did not adulterated the words of Krsna. That's all. That's my credit
Y
- Yes, I did not approve of your starting you own magazine. You can write articles for Back to Godhead magazine. Why attempt separately?
- You are right that politics should be avoided. In my personal life I did not participate in the political diplomacy of my god-brothers. I was simply thinking how to fulfill the order of my guru maharaj
- Your going away, I did not take very seriously. I am very glad that you have come back. You should remain with Dayananda. That is your duty