Category:My Family Life (Prabhupada)
Theme Analysis
This category offers a rare and candid glimpse into Śrīla Prabhupāda's life as a householder (gṛhastha). It documents his journey from a dutiful husband and businessman to a renunciate, revealing that his family life was ultimately a classroom where he learned the necessity of detachment. He candidly discusses the incompatibility with his wife, his attempts to train his family, and the divine arrangement that eventually "forced" him to leave home to fulfill his spiritual master's order.
- The Divine Detachment: Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals that he was never truly attached to his wife, Radharani Devi, describing this lack of attraction as "the grace of Krishna" that saved him from entanglement.
- The Tea Ultimatum: He famously recounts the tipping point of his renunciation: his wife's refusal to give up drinking tea. He gave her a choice—"tea or husband"—and when she chose tea, he accepted it as Kṛṣṇa's signal to leave.
- Forced to Surrender: He describes his transition to "sannyāsa" not as a dream, but as a circumstantial necessity imposed by Kṛṣṇa. He states, "I was forced to accept the sannyasa dress just to become a preacher," realizing that he could not execute the mission while entangled in family affairs.
- The New Family: A touching theme is his realization that while he left his biological children, Kṛṣṇa rewarded him with thousands of spiritual children. He considers his disciples in the West to be his true family, sent by the Lord to assist him.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: How Kṛṣṇa Liberated Prabhupāda from His Family Life.
Pages in category "My Family Life (Prabhupada)"
The following 72 pages are in this category, out of 72 total.
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- Dr. Kartik Chandra Bose was very important man, and he was our family physician and my father's very intimate friend
- I accepted my father's advice, and by his blessings only, I was never attached to my wife or home, which resulted in my complete liberation from worldly attachment and my devoting myself fully in Krishna Consciousness
- I passed my life as a householder until 1950, when I retired from family life as a vanaprastha
- I was a householder. I never dreamt. But circumstantially I was forced to accept the sannyasa dress just to become a preacher
- I was married during my student life in 1918 with Radharani Devi
- I was married when my wife was only eleven years old. And at the age of fourteen years she gave birth to first child
- In my family life, when I was in the midst of my wife and children, sometimes I was dreaming my spiritual master, that he's calling me, and I was following him
A
- All the Mulliks of the De family originally belong to the same family and gotra. We also formerly belonged to the branch of the De family whose members, intimately connected with the Muslim rulers, received the title Mullik
- At the present status, I have no legal obligation to my family. Before taking to Sannyas, what ever little money I had I have given to them
F
- Follow the instruction. Then you are secure anywhere. It doesn't matter. Just like I told you that I saw my Guru Maharaja not more than ten days in my life, but I followed his instruction. I was a grhastha, I never lived with the Matha, in the temple
- For me, personally, I had the opportunity to talk with my spiritual master not more than ten times in my whole life, not more. It may be less than that. But I tried to follow his instruction, that's all, although I was a grhastha
- Fortunately, both our spiritual master, Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja, and our humble self had the opportunity to take birth in the families of transcendentalists
I
- 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 gave her (my wife) final, that "Either you have to give up your tea or your husband." (laughter) So she agreed to give up husband, not tea. (laughter) So I left my home. That's all. (laughter)
- I had some argument with my Spiritual Master, and at the end I was defeated. But at that time, because I was already married, I could not take His words very seriously
- I had to leave my own family and children because I was unable to tolerate seeing them remain servants of their senses. All the American children who are staying with me have shaved their heads, have mala and tilaka and always follow my orders
- I have given up my wife and children for this purpose. If I am engaged in family life, then I cannot do this missionary work. I have taken absolute shelter to this work without any disturbance
- I have got a sister. She is three years younger than me. So sometimes I chastise her like anything, because we have the same feeling. She is younger. Seventy-seven years, younger sister. But the feeling is there, younger
- I have got no children with me; neither my former family is coming to live. If I, suppose, vacate these houses, then I will fill up with my devotees. So why don't you become devotee? I don't charge anything from you
- I may inform you in this connection about my family life. Actually, I never liked my wife. I was going to marry another, but my father saved me from the danger and he told me that you do not like your wife, that is the grace of Krishna
- I purchased one motorcar in 1925, Buick car. Not for personal use, but for using it as a taxi. My one nephew, he was a good driver, so my father, "Why don't you give him? He can do that, we can use it our own car, also taxi"
- I remember, there was heavy bombing. But fortunately, we stayed perplexed.(?) He saw something, fireworks, is going on. 'So let us enjoy.' (laughter) You see? (makes sound of bomb coming down) 'Do-do-dee-dee-dong'
- 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 was a newly married young man, addicted to Gandhi's movement and dressed in khadi. Fortunately, even at our first meeting His Divine Grace advised me to preach the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in English in the Western countries
- I was also grhastha but now I am sannyasi. As grhastha I was thinking it would be very difficult to leave my householder life and take up preaching full time. But actually it has become very easy by the grace of Sri Krsna. Now there are no difficulties
- I was also young man. I also, I was also married, and I have got my wife still living and my family is still living, but some way or other, by practicing or by some knowledge, I have come out of the clutches
- I was householder, my Guru Maharaja was life-long brahmacari. But we are doing the same work of preaching Krishna Consciousness, so what is the difference, grhastha and brahmacari? Actual sannyasa means that he has given everything to Krishna
- I was living in a holy place called Vrndavana. I retired from my family life in 1954. Then, in 1959, I took sannyasa order. This is called renounced order of life. No family connection
- I was trained as brahmacari, as grhastha by the mercy of our spiritual master. Therefore I don't feel anything. But abruptly, if we take to sannyasa order, then...
- I was worshiping in my house. Whatever I was eating, I was offering, and I was following the ceremonies of this Radha-Govinda with my small Deity. That Deity is still existing. I have given to my sister. So then I introduced Ratha-yatra
- I was, after my retirement from family, I was staying at Vrndavana. From 1956. Then in 1965 I came to America
- I'll give you one practical example. In my householder life I was a drugstore businessman. So one Muhammadan gentleman, he was supplying me bottles
- In 1954, I retired from my family life and began to live alone in Mathura Vrindaban
- In India, if one's name is Krsna, we say Krishta. My younger brother, his name was Krsna. So we were calling him Krishta. So Krishta, Christian
- In my household life I was strictly following the regulative principles but my wife was reluctant to assist me properly. Therefore I was obliged to give up their company
- In my youthhood I was manager in a big chemical firm
- In our (Prabhupada's) householder life we also (like Bhaktisiddhanta) sometimes visited this temple of Vallabhapura and took prasadam there at noon. The Deities of this temple, Sri Sri Radha-Govinda and the Gauranga vigraha, are extremely beautiful
- In our Indian family, if they want for puris and a little vegetable, it will be prepared in five minutes. Five minutes, immediately. My brother's wife, very nice wife, I saw, whenever I wanted some tiffin like that - within five minutes, immediately
- It is by the grace of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura that I was forced to give up my family life, my so-called business life, and he brought me some way or other into preaching his gospel
M
- My Guru Maharaja's plan was that I should come and preach. That was his first instruction. But I wanted that I will not take sannyasa and remain as a grhastha, and then I shall do it
- My life was miserable due to my family affairs and you have come to rescue me from the plight. May God help you in all respects
- My mother was bhiksa-mata to one brahmana. He is the son of our priest. Family priest, family guru, vipra-mata, still in Hindu family, the system is still going on, brahmana visiting daily
- My sister from Calcutta has addressed me one letter that she has heard by some source that I am coming to Mayapur during the great festival. This means that some of our godbrothers and sisters may be expecting me during the ensuing festival there
- My son wanted to touch the table fan
- My wife gave birth at the age of fourteen years. She is still living. She is ten years younger than me. So sixty-eight, sixty-nine she is. She gave birth child at the age of fourteen. In 1918 I was married, and 1921 she gave birth to child, my first son
- My wife was taking tea. So I asked her not to take tea, not to take tea. But she didn't care husband
- Myself, I was very young when I got married, and my wife was 11 years only. But there is no question of separation in our marriage belief, neither your daughter will ever be separated from that boy, that is their vow
O
- On the first meeting he (Bhaktisiddhanta) ordered me to this (spread KC in foreign country). So at that time I was married man. I had two children. So I thought, "I shall do it later on." But I was trying to get out of family life. It took some time
- One has to follow the footprints of the great Acaryas then everything is all right. I was also a married man - my family is still existing. So you should always remember that marriage is not impediment
- Our (Prabhupada's) family gotra, or original genealogical line, is the Gautama-gotra, or line of disciples of Gautama Muni, and our surname is De
- Our (Prabhupada's) personal family is connected with the Mulliks of Mahatma Gandhi Road in Calcutta, and we often used to visit their Radha-Govinda temple. They belong to the same family as we do
- Our paternal family also came from this district (Hugli) and belonged to the same community - suvarna-vanik
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
- The example of dhira is given in the Kumara-sambhava poetry, by Kalidasa. We had our syllabus studying Kumara-sambhava in our I.A. class in college
- There are two isvaras. I am also isvara. So far my, this body is concerned or my family is concerned, I am controlling. But the supreme controller, He is controlling everything. That is God
- They thought, "This man is grhastha. He is embarassed with family life. What he'll do?" That was their impression. But I never neglected. Guru Maharaja told me
- This sanction was given, "Touch it," reluctantly. Now when he gets experience and I ask him, "Touch again?" "No." So this sanction
W
- We are trained up, because we belong to Krsna family. So this Radha-Krsna worship is our family tradition. Our forefathers, my father, my maternal uncles, we are Vaisnava family. Belonging to the Caitanya-sampradaya
- We have renounced our family life after thinking something. Now, if somebody comes, "Swamiji, you take thousand millions of dollars and marry again and become a family man," I'll never become, because I have got my bad experience
- When I was grhastha, I was going in so many temples, asking for some prasadam. That's a long history. So there is no question of, if one is financially poor, he should come to the temple. Everyone should come to the temple and ask for prasada
- When I was householder, I was just taking care of one or two children, but after retiring from my household life Krsna has given me chance to raise so many nice children for raising them to Krsna Consciousness
- When I was householder, several times there was indication given by my Guru Maharaja that I should give up family life and become a sannyasi and preach this Krsna consciousness movement
- 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 my mother died, as the devotees of the Lord think, I also thought in that way. What is that? 'Oh, it is a grace of the Lord. My mother is now dead... I am now free'
- When there is something fearful the child, it is nature, closes the eyes. I have practical experience. When I was young man I went to the zoo with my little son and as soon as there was a tiger cage, oh, the child closed the eyes
- Why this false dress? What is the wrong to become grhastha? I was grhastha, paka caliber grhastha