(Click to enlarge photo of Srila Prabhupada worshiping Radha Gokulananda, 1973)
"Just like this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is quickly spreading all over the world within four, five years. Is it my credit? No. It is credit of Kṛṣṇa. But because I tried to do this business, people automatically giving me the credit. They say, 'Swāmījī, you have done wonderful.' I have done nothing wonderful. It is Kṛṣṇa's business. Kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nāhe tāra pravartana (CC Antya-līlā 7.11). Without Kṛṣṇa's strength, nobody can spread. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.
Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is always ready to help us, provided we are also ready to cooperate with Him. If we cooperate with Him, what Kṛṣṇa desires, if we want to do little, immediately Kṛṣṇa will help you. If you work one percent, Kṛṣṇa will help you ten percent. Again if you work one percent, Kṛṣṇa will help you another ten percent. But the cent percent credit you get, by the help of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa gives you intelligence. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam (BG 10.10). If you are engaged satatam, twenty-four hours, without any other engagement, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), giving up all other nonsense business... Sarva-dharmān. Simply if you are engaged in Kṛṣṇa's business, prīti-pūrvakam, with love. Not as hackneyed: 'Ah, here is a duty, chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa. All right, Harekṛṣṇaharekṛṣṇaharekṛṣṇa..." (chants very quickly and indistinctly) Not like that. With prīti, with love. Chant every name, 'Hare Kṛṣṇa,' and hear. Here is Kṛṣṇa; here is Rādhārāṇī. That kind of chanting, quality. Not 'Harekṛṣṇahare kṛṣṇakṛṣṇakṛṣṇaharehare...' Not like that. Not like that. Prīti.
Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti (BG 10.10). That prīti is required. That is the essential quality. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Real thing is bhakti. Kṛṣṇa is not hungry, that you will give Him some good food and He will eat it, never mind in which way you can give. 'Oh, here is purī, halavā. Kṛṣṇa must eat.' Kṛṣṇa is not hungry for your purī, halavā. But if there is bhakti, if there is love, then He eats. Tad aham aśnāmi: 'Then I eat, if there is bhakti, love.' 'Kṛṣṇa, what can I do for You? I am so teeny, You are so great. Still, I have tried to do something. If You kindly eat.' This is mantra. Real mantra is that; not so many formalities of mantra. Kṛṣṇa does not say, 'One who offers Me with the Vedic mantras...' Never says. Kṛṣṇa says bhaktyā, 'with devotion.'
So others may criticize you, that 'These American Vaiṣṇavas, they do not know how to do this, how to do that.' Let them criticize. But Kṛṣṇa says bhaktyā. You remain perfect devotee. Then your life is perfect. Kṛṣṇa does not say that the Indian devotee who discriminates between touchable and untouchable and big, big paṇḍitas or deva-gosvāmī, not dāsa-gosvāmī... Kṛṣṇa does not discriminate like that. Kṛṣṇa says bhaktyā, yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. Kṛṣṇa wants to see how much sincere devotee you have become. That is His business."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Mayapur, June 17, 1973)
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