Category:Like Me (Prabhupada)
Theme Analysis
Śrīla Prabhupāda’s use of the expression "like me" provides a unique perspective on the relationship between him, his disciples, and the Supreme Lord. He frequently utilized his own life and physical condition as a teaching tool, comparing the inevitable aging of his body to that of others to illustrate the temporary nature of material life. Most significantly, he set a rigorous standard for his leaders and GBC members, urging them to "act like me" by traveling extensively and preaching vigorously rather than remaining stationary. While he humbly attributed his global success to the fact that his spiritual master "liked me," he clarified that his followers should follow his principles of activity without necessarily imitating his personal habits or specific circumstances. Finally, he used the analogy of a person "like you and me" to help disciples conceptualize the Personality of Godhead as a person, while emphasizing the infinite difference in potency between the drop and the ocean.
- The Standard of Active Preaching: Śrīla Prabhupāda expected his leading disciples and GBC members to replicate his own tireless spirit of travel and outreach to maintain the movement's momentum.
- Realizing Bodily Transformation: He used his own elderly form as a practical example for young students to understand that the material body is constantly changing and will eventually become old and frail.
- Success through His Guru’s Grace: Humbly considering himself not worth, he explained that his achievements were solely due to the fact that his Guru Maharaja liked him and bestowed his blessings upon him.
- The Divine Personality: By describing Kṛṣṇa as a person "like you and me," he demystified the concept of God, explaining that the Supreme Lord has a form and personality, though He is all-powerful and infinite.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Acting Like Me - Prabhupāda's Instructions to His Disciples.
Pages in category "Like Me (Prabhupada)"
The following 34 pages are in this category, out of 34 total.
A
- After taking sannyasa I was more engaged in writing my books without any attempt to construct temples or to make disciples like my Godbrothers. I was not very much interested in these matters because my Guru Maharaja liked very much publication of books
- 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
- As we have to change our old dress, similarly, this body has to be changed. And we are changing. Changing every moment. That is a fact. This boy will grow also some day like you, like me. This body will not stay
- As you are experiencing this change of body, similarly, you take it that this body also will change. An old man like me, the next body is there. Either farther old man or, after death, another body. This is to be understood
G
- GBC means now they should tour very extensive. That is the first principle, the GBC. Not sit down one place and pass resolution. No. They must be active. They must act like me
- Guru Maharaja liked me. I know. By his blessing it is, everything has happened. I was not worth. What did I...? I do not know why he liked. I was not worth. There were so many disciples. And still, he liked me
H
- He (Allen Ginsberg) likes me. Simply his only objection is that I am very conservative. He said: "Swami, you are very conservative." Because I forbid so many things. He cannot. Otherwise he would have joined me, but he cannot
- His Divine Grace, my spiritual master, somehow or other liked me, that I should take up this responsibility. And on the first day I met him, I was at (that) time a very young man, a nationalist, and engaged in a very responsible office
I
- I compose books by speaking into a dictaphone, and when the dictaphone is replayed, it appears that I am speaking personally, but actually I am not. I spoke personally, but then the dictaphone tape, which is separate from me, acts exactly like me
- I have already explained. There must be a class of men like me. They are called brahmana. They should help others
- If you feel at all indebted to me then you should preach vigorously like me; that is the proper way to repay me
- In KC every man is so important because all of the activities of a devotee of Lord Krishna is beneficial to all living entities. So if there are any questions that he would like me to help him with, I am always at your service to help in any way I can
- In Vrndavana, Nrsimha-vallabha Gosvami, you know? He comes to me. He says, "So many people are jealous upon you." I say that first of all you create something like me. Then you become jealous
- In your next letter as indicated in your letter under reply, I shall expect your final word as to when you like me to start for London. Accordingly I shall make my plan
- 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
K
- Krsna can give you shelter. Don't... Don't disbelieve Him. He is not a man like me. If I promise you something, it may be broken because I am not all-powerful. But here is a promise by the all-powerful
- Krsna has very kindly come here to receive, to take, accept my humble service. He's so great that He cannot be approached by a person like me
- Krsna is not a hungry man like me, that "If you give Me something, I will eat everything, finished." No. Krsna can take the whole plate; still it will remain the whole plate, for giving prasadam
- Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is a person, a person like you, like me. Just like we are facing each other, similarly, when you are spiritually perfect, you will be able to see Krsna exactly like face to face
N
- Not that he is a child - he has to grow an old man like me, then he will dance. No. Immediately. So Krsna consciousness is so perfect that immediately you become on the transcendental platform. You are not contaminated by these material laws
- Now you are doing my work and you shall be like me and be yourselves the worthy representatives of our disciplic succession
S
- Separated energy you'll understand: just like I am speaking, and my speech is being recorded in the tape recorder. So even I am not here, if you apply the machine, it will exactly speak like me. That is my energy, but now it is separated
- Suppose if I say before you that "There is nobody greater than me," oh, you'll think, "Oh, Swamiji is very proud." Yes. If a man like me, who is conditioned by so many restriction, if I say that I am the greatest of all, that is a blasphemy
T
- 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 contents of salt, that is very small, and the contents of salt in the ocean, that is very big. That you cannot imagine. It is like that. God is like you and me, a person. But He is Pacific Ocean; we are drop. That's all
- The Krsna consciousness movement is not that we are asking everyone to become a sannyasi like me, and give up everything. No. That is not our program
- This knowledge (three divisions of bodies, different planets for different living entities) is being imparted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not by a person like me or like you who are defective in four principles
Y
- Your body, my body, in youthhood it is very beautiful, and in due course of time it will be ugly like me. So this is the work of the time. Similarly, nature's way, there are four ages: Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga, Kali-yuga. Seasonal changes
- 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