(Click to enlarge photo of Srila Prabhupada)
"Don't feel yourself to be alone because Krishna is always with you. Krishna is always with every living entity as Supersoul, and to His devotee especially He talks and gives instructions how to attain the perfectional stage of meeting Him. So don't feel alone. Always chant whenever possible, read our books, and there will be no great difficulty."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, April 3, 1969)
"Please don't feel lonely. Krishna is always with you and I shall pray for you and to Krishna also that you may make progress more and more in this faithful discharge of duties in Krishna Consciousness."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, March 30, 1968)
"Regarding your question: Is it not true that by service I am with you? It is very correct. You are not only in connection with me, but you are connected with the whole posterity, up to Krishna. It is so nice thing. By service only, we are connected. As it is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, 'Sevon mukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adhah.' So the presence of Krishna is always everywhere, but it is simply manifested by your service. That is the technique. 'Sabhung Kalidumbrum' everywhere Brahma is present. Just like everywhere there is electricity. It is the technical art that brings out electric power from everywhere. So by service, you are not only in touch with me, but my Predecessors, the Acaryas, up to Krishna."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, August 19, 1968)
"When I initiated you, I accepted you on that very moment as my daughter. So you are eternally my daughter and I am your father. There is no doubt about it. And our relationship is based on Krishna Consciousness, so the more successful you preach and help Krishna Consciousness movement, the more our relationship in transcendental platform is firm and fixed up. Our business is to chant and glorify the Holy Name of Krishna and wherever we may remain, Krishna is with us, Krishna is within your heart, Krishna is within my heart. So, spiritually there is no question of separation, even physically we may be in far distant place."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, August 30, 1968)
"You write to say, 'I really miss Swamiji and my God-brothers' association so much.' But I may remind you that I am always with you. And so wherever I am there, and you are there, all your God-brothers are there. Please remember always the humble teachings that you have received from me, and that will make you always associated with me, and with your other God-brothers."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, August 24, 1968)
"The more you feel separation from Krishna, you should understand that you are advancing. Don't try to see Krishna artificially. Be advanced in separation feeling, and then it will be perfect. That is the teachings of Lord Caitanya."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, London, August 29, 1971)
"So Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His followers taught us that if you feel separation... How you will feel separation unless you love? And you simply worship the Supreme in a feeling of separation, then that is perfection. Then that is perfection."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Los Angeles, December 11, 1973)
"Lord Caitanya, He was the greatest symbol of Krishna bhakta, a devotee of Krishna. So just see from His life. He never said that 'I have seen Krishna.' He never said that 'I have seen Krishna.' He was mad after Krishna. 'Where I can see Krishna? Where is Krishna? Where is Krishna?' He was mad after Krishna. That is the, I mean to say, process of Caitanya philosophy. It is called viraha. Viraha means separation. Separation. 'Krishna, You are so good, You are so merciful, You are so nice. But I am so rascal, I am so full of sin, that I cannot see You. I have no qualification to see You.' So in this way, if one feels the separation of Krishna, that 'Krishna, I want to see You, but I am so disqualified that I cannot see You.' These feeling of separation will make you enriched in Krishna consciousness. Feeling of separation. Not that 'Krishna, I have seen you. Finished. All right. I have understood You. Finished. All my business finished.' No! Perpetually think of yourself that 'I am unfit to see Krishna." That will enrich you in Krishna consciousness."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, San Francisco, March 23, 1967)
"This is the secret of Gaudiya Vaisnava. Beyond the sense perception. Just like Gosvamis. They were living at Vrndavana. And what sort of living? Simply in separation and search. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also taught us like that. He was searching, 'Where is Krishna? Where is Krishna?' and feeling separation. Just like you feel sometimes with your lover separation and you search, this is our process. Always feel separation from Krishna and try to search out. This is ekanta. This is explained here, ekanta-bhaktya bhagavaty adhoksaje. Adhoksaje, 'He is beyond my perception. Still, my devotion is unalloyed.' Not that 'I cannot see where is God. Oh, what is devotion?' Just try to understand. It appears to be contradictory. Because foolish people say that 'If you cannot see God, where is the question of devotion? You want to serve God, but if you cannot see God, then how you can serve?' Therefore, particularly this word is used, ekanta-bhaktya bhagavaty adhoksaje nivesitatmopararama samsrteh. That is the process."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Los Angeles, December 11, 1973)
"I never feel that I am alone. Of course, when I came to your country without any friend, without any means... Practically, just like a vagabond I came. But I had full faith that 'My Guru Maharaja is with me.' I never lost this faith, and that is fact."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Atlanta, March 2, 1975)
"We are not separated actually. There are two -- vani or vapu. So vapu is physical presence and vani is presence by the vibration, but they are all the same. So Krsna when He was physically present before Arjuna is the same when He is present before us by His vani of Bhagavad-gita. So far I am concerned, I do not factually feel any separation from my Spiritual Master because I am trying to serve Him according to His desire. That should be the motto."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, June 22, 1970)
"That is another bliss, to feel separation from Krishna. Everything, either you meet or you separate, the bliss is there. Crying for Krishna is better bliss."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, February 10, 1971, Gorakhpur)
"Yes, the ecstasy of separation of Spiritual Master is even greater ecstasy than meeting with Him."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, January 13, 1968)
"So far as personal association with Guru is concerned, I was only with Guru Maharaj 4 or 5 times, but I have never left his association, not even for a moment. Because I am following his instruction, I have never felt any separation. There are some of my Godbrothers here in India, who had constant personal association with Guru Maharaja, but who are neglecting his orders. This is just like the bug who is sitting on the lap of the king. He may be very puffed up by his position but all he can succeed in doing is biting the king. Personal association is not so important as association through serving."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, February 20, 1972)
"It is better service to Krishna and Spiritual Master in a feeling of separation; sometimes there is a risk in the matter of direct service."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, December 13, 1967)
"There are two ways of association -- by vani and by vapuh. Vani means words and vapuh means physical presence. Physical presence is sometimes appreciable and sometimes not, but vani continues to exist eternally. Therefore, one must take advantage of the vani, not the physical presence."
(Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila 5, Conclusion)
"If there is no chance to serve the spiritual master directly, a devotee should serve him by remembering his instructions. There is no difference between the spiritual master's instructions and the spiritual master himself. In his absence, therefore, his words of direction should be pride of the disciple."
(Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.35, Purport)
"So far I am concerned I always take risk for Krishna. I came here in your country risking my life. And still although I am physically unfit, I am trying to execute the orders of my Guru Maharaja as far as possible. So to take risk for Krishna is very good. You know the history of my starting the society in 1966, it was all risky, and I was alone, but I took it depending on Krishna."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, February 12, 1968)
"You should know that you are always with me. I am always thinking of you and your service. So there is no question of you being separated from me at any time."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, June 12, 1971)
"But even I am far away, as you say you are remembering me, so also I am remembering you, and in that sense we are never separated."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, December 27, 1972)
"Just as you are all feeling separation grief for me, similarly I am feeling for you."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, April 22, 1971)
"I am so glad to hear that you are all feeling separation for me and similarly I am also feeling."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, August 14, 1971)
"If you try to follow my instruction you will feel that my body is in your presence always."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, May 5, 1967)
"You write that you have desire to avail of my association again, but why do you forget that you are always in association with me? When you are helping my missionary activities I am always thinking of you and you are always thinking of me. That is real association. Just like I always think of my Guru Maharaja every moment, although He is not physically present, and because I am trying to serve Him to my best capacity, I am sure He is helping me by His spiritual blessings. So there are two kinds of association: physical and preceptorial. Physical association is not so important as preceptorial association."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, August 17, 1969)
"I wish to remain with all my disciples together, but we have to do preaching work and therefore have to remain separate. But actually there is no question of separation for one engaged in Lord Krishna's service."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, January 4, 1976)
"I am always thinking of you, and I am also feeling separation of you all. But we have to work for Krishna diligently and with faith and love."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, May 31, 1968)
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