(Srila Prabhupada at 26 Second Avenue, New York, 1966)
"I am very insignificant. I have no capacity. My business is only to convey the message of Krishna. Just like a postal peon: his business is to convey the letter. He is not responsible for the body of the letter. After reading one letter the addressee may feel something, but that responsibility is not for the peon. Similarly, my responsibility is, what I have received from disciplic succession, from my spiritual master, I am just presenting the same thing, but without any adulteration. That is my business. That is my responsibility. I must present things exactly in the same way as it was presented by Krishna, as it was presented by Arjuna, as it was presented by our acaryas, Lord Caitanya, and at last my spiritual master, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja. So, similarly, if you take up the Krishna consciousness movement in the same spirit, and if you distribute to other people, to your other countrymen, surely it will be effective, because there is no adulteration. There is no bluff. There is no cheating. It is pure spiritual consciousness. Just practice it and distribute it. Your life will be glorious."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Los Angeles, July 11, 1971)
"And if, whatever little success I have got -- only for this reason. I have never said anything which is not spoken by Krishna. I never said, 'In my opinion.' I never said. You are so many students. I never said that to you. What is my opinion? One should know, 'What is the value of my opinion? I am imperfect being.' This is called trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. If one thinks, 'Oh, I am big scholar. I am this. I am that,' you are rascal. You have to simply carry the message of Krishna."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Vrndavana, August 3, 1974)
"I do not claim that I am Sanskrit scholar, I am this big man, that man, no. Whatever books I have written, only about this -- Krishna. In our book in every page you will find Krishna, Krishna, Krishna. My Guru Maharaja, if we used to write some article, so we wanted to show him how it is written. So he was very busy. So somebody would read and Guru Maharaja would say, 'How many times he has said Krishna?' If he finds that in every page there is Krishna, it is all right. That's all. So we are making Vedantist, 'How many times he chants Krishna?' If he chants always Krishna, yes, he's Vedantist. That's all. Bas."
(Srila Prabhupada Conversation, Bombay, December 26, 1976)
Guest: Do you initiate?
Prabhupada: Yes. I initiate also. Well, this is the process of self-realization, to know...
Guest: Then you are an authority on initiation?
Prabhupada: Yes, and, of course, I do not know whether I am authority, but my spiritual master has authorized me to do this.
Guest: That's, that's all right. That's sufficient. That's sufficient.
Prabhupada: I, I, I do not think myself an authority. I am just to serve the order of my spiritual master. That's all.
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, New York, July 22, 1966)
"This is the order. Guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete koriya aikya. Now citta means consciousness or heart. 'I shall do this only, bas. My Guru Maharaja told me; I shall do this.' cittete koriya aikya, ar na koriho mane asa. So it is not my pride, but I can say, for your instruction, I did it. Therefore whatever little success you see than my all my Godbrothers, it is due to this. I have no capacity, but I took it, the words of my guru, as life and soul. So this is fact. Guru-mukha-padma-vakya, cittete koriya aikya. Everyone should do that. But if he makes addition, alteration, then he is finished. No addition, alteration. You have to approach guru -- guru means the faithful servant of God, Krishna -- and take his word how to serve Him. Then you are successful. If you concoct, 'I am very intelligent than my guru, and I can make addition or alteration,' then you are finished."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Philadelphia, July 12, 1975)
Dr. Patel: You come down to body consciousness and talk to us. We want you to talk from higher consciousness.
Prabhupada: I have no higher consciousness.
(Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, December 26, 1976, Bombay)
"So anyway, although I began very late, at the age of seventy years, so by the help of my disciples this movement is gaining ground and is spreading all over the world. So therefore I have to thank you. It is all due to you. It is not my credit, but it is your credit that you are helping me in executing the order of my Guru Maharaja."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, London, August 22, 1973)
"I wish that you can utilize your best talents in business organization and the result utilize for Krishna's satisfaction is on the absolute platform. To make the idea more clear, if I am translating Srimad-Bhagavatam, and if you are contributing for its publication and helping for its distribution, this means there is no difference between your service and my service. In the absolute platform there is no such distinction. And service is always on the absolute platform. One has to make the best use of his talent for the service of Krishna. That is wanted. Best example is Arjuna, that he utilized his talents, military science, in the service of Krishna."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, June 7, 1968)
"Actually I am not worthy of any one of the words spoken by you but all of them are due to my Spiritual Master Who was so kind to me. 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, when I was obliged to carry out His order by His arrangement only. This means although I was not very enthusiastic to carry out His order He forced me circumstantially to accept it. So this is His special mercy upon me and I always think about this with gratitude to this exalted personality coming directly from Vaikuntha World and we had the great fortune to meet Him. I think that is the only credit on our part that we happened to meet Him by some 'ajnata sukriti' or unknown auspicious activities. He is so kind upon me that when I came to your country, where I was completely unknown, He sent to me some good souls like you unsolicited. So I accept you all as assistants or representatives of my Guru Maharaja Who is still helping me because I am so feeble and unworthy. Anyway, the business which we have taken to work together is neither your business nor my business as far we are personally concerned, but it is the business of Lord Caitanya and His bona fide servants like my Guru Maharaja. Therefore it is the duty of all of us to execute it as nicely as far as possible within our capacity. In other words, we shall just try to discharge our responsible duties faithfully and seriously, then all facilities will come for our help."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, January 1, 1970)
Prabhupada: Just like when I came to your country, I never expected any success because I knew, As soon as I will say, "No illicit sex, no meat-eating," they will reject me immediately. So I was not hopeful at all.
Devotee: They are so attached.
Prabhupada: Yes. But it is your kindness that you accepted me. But I never expected. I never expected that "These people will accept." I never expected.
Devotee: So simply if we rely on Krishna...
Prabhupada: Yes, that is our only business.
Devotee: And if we look for results, then...
Prabhupada: And we should do our duty as prescribed by the spiritual master. Guru-krsna-krpaya. Then both sides, you will be favored, from the spiritual master and from Krishna. And that is the success.
(Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, Melbourne, May 20, 1975)
"This Krishna consciousness movement is trying to raise the standard of the human society to become brahmana from the position of krpana. This is the attempt. It may be a tiny attempt, humble attempt, but our aim is how these dogs and cats will become brahmana. This is our aim. We do not want to keep them in the position of cats and dogs and pigs. This is our attempt. So we may be successful or not successful, but our endeavor is very, very great. We should always remember that."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Mayapur, March 17, 1976)
"You say that before meeting me you could not read or write, so this is all Krishna's grace. If He likes, he can make a crow into a peacock. That is His grace. Krishna consciousness is so valuable that it plays wonderful, and there are many instances within our society. Similarly I was a crow, and now they consider me a peacock. But, I was trying to be a peacock whenever there was the opportunity. I took the endeavor to publish the 'Back to Godhead,' but I wasted so much time. Ultimately Krishna saved me."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, November 14, 1974)
"Those who are learned devotees, advanced devotees, they also accept this that spiritual master should be treated as good as Hari, the Supreme Person. Why? Now... But the spiritual master does not think of himself as Hari. Although he's offered the respect of Hari, he thinks himself as humble servant of Hari and all others. A spiritual master takes his devo..., disciples as his spiritual master. That is the position. He thinks that 'Krishna has sent me so many spiritual masters.' He does not think himself as spiritual master. He thinks himself their servant. Because they have to be trained. Krishna has appointed him to train them. Therefore he thinks himself as servant of the disciples. This is the position. So when one is advanced, he can see the importance of devotees."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Vrndavana, October 23, 1972)
"My father also trained me and instructed me to his best capacity, and he prayed for me that Radharani may be pleased upon me, and I think by my father's blessings and grace, I may have come to this position, and I might have gotten into relationship with His Divine Grace, Om Visnupad Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja. So it is also Krishna's Grace that I got good father, and a good Spiritual Master, and in my old age also, Krishna has favored me with so many good children. So when I feel I see that Krishna is so kind upon me, so I offer my obligations unto Him."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, August 30, 1968)
"So I am traveling all over the world. I am going to see how things are going in Dallas or New Vrindaban and another... So my touring is natural. I have started this movement. I want to see that it is going on nicely. So you kindly help me. Don't deviate. That is my only request. (starts to cry) Then you will remain solid. Thank you very much."
(Srila Prabhupada Departure Address, Los Angeles, July 15, 1974)
"Never mind even it is imperfectly done, we must execute the orders of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa. I may not be so very expert in delivering the message of Krishna, but my duty is to try to my best capacity how to distribute this knowledge to the suffering humanity."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Delhi, March 26, 1976)
"Of course I do not reply your each and every letter, I always think of you because you are all my heart and soul. I am so pleased to have your association and I always thank my Spiritual Master Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja for His favor by sending me some sincere representative of Him in missionary activities in this part of the world."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, April 7, 1967)
"I thank you very much for your nice surrendering attitude by placing yourself at my disposal. Of course, I am using you already in the service of the Lord, and personally I cannot utilize your service. So whatever I demand from you, it is for Krishna's sake. Personally I am humble servant of Krishna as you are also, but I am deputed to accept your service just to transfer it to Krishna as via media. I shall try to do this service to you and Krishna throughout my life, and I am so proud to have such assistants as you are to help me in my mission to push on the Krishna Consciousness Movement. I do not know why I am attached to your country, but I strongly believe that if the American boys and girls would accept this philosophy, it would render the greatest service to the rest of the world."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, May 1, 1969)
"It is all Krishna's Grace that He has sent such a nice assistants to me, for executing the mission of my Spiritual Master. Personally, I am nonentity; I have come here on the order of my Spiritual Master, and He has kindly sent you all boys to assist me. So whatever is being done, there is no credit for me, but all the credit goes to my Spiritual Master, because He has arranged everything, and I am simply to abide by His order."
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, October 16, 1968)
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