By Satyaraja Dasa From the very beginning of His movement in India, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu predicted that it would spread around the world. A look at Srila Prabhupada’s accomplishments in light of an astounding prophecy made by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu more than five hundred years ago. History shows that there are…
Author: founderacharya.com
When the parents expressed a concern common to many respectable parents—that the devotees “don’t seem very ambitious”—Srila Prabhupada did not retreat from the implication.
“That is right,” he replied. “A devotee has no ambition. He simply wants to do some humble service for Krishna. He is not trying to do anything big.”
Here, Srila Prabhupada was not making a rhetorical point. He was defining the internal culture of the movement he had founded. As Founder-Acarya, he was shaping not only institutions, but consciousness itself. Ambition—even subtly redefined—was not to be the motivating force of devotional life.
When an attempt was made by Kirtanananda to soften his words—saying that devotees have no material ambitions, but have spiritual ambitions—Srila Prabhupada immediately cut off Kirtanananda’s interpretation that disagreed with him.
“No! We have no ambition. The devotee is not at all ambitious. We just want to serve Krishna.”
In his doctoral study on the position of the Founder-Acharya in ISKCON titled An Indian Guru and His Western Disciples: Representation and Communication of Charisma in the Hare Krishna Movement, Dr. Kimmo Ketola—one of Finland’s most respected scholars of comparative religion—set out to understand a question many devotees already feel in their hearts: Why was Srila Prabhupada so powerful in transforming lives? And just as important, why does that power continue today?
The Seven Purposes of ISKCON: Vision, Mission, and Application The seven purposes of ISKCON articulate the vision of Srila Prabhupada and define the mission of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Although formally written in 1966, these purposes draw upon a much older theological foundation found in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the…
Based on a lecture given by Banu Swami The title of this article is Respect because everybody can hear. But unless we have proper respect, we do not hear properly. Hearing as the Foundation of the Bhagavatam This idea of hearing is implicit in the Bhagavatam itself. From the beginning…
based on an interview with Amogha-Lila Dasa Question 1: What does it mean that Srila Prabhupada is the Founder-Acarya of ISKCON? Answer:Founder-Acarya means the person who lays the philosophical, spiritual, cultural, and administrative foundation of an institution. In ISKCON, Srila Prabhupada is the foundation of all philosophy, practice, etiquette, sadhana…
By Caitanya Candrodaya das
A perennial temptation has been to “jump” to remote names in the acharyas list in search of authority, bypassing the current chain. Srila Prabhupada rejected this: disciples must not “jump over” him to claim authenticity. This is not a mere politesse; it is the doctrinal principle that the parampara transmits realization by submission, not a genealogical token. In Western ISKCON circles, lets be honest, has been an appeal to the “vintage” acaryas’ words.
published by ISKCON News The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is thrilled to announce that it has successfully acquired 7 Bury Place, the site of its original London temple, in an auction held today. A Historic Homecoming ISKCON London, also known as the Radha-Krishna Temple, traces its roots to…
by Bhaktivaibhava Swami Different people have different individual interests. There is a vasi variety of departments of knowledge the mind and intelligence gets absorbed in. However, the fact remains that every subject matter of mundane study and knowledge is of a temporary nature. And that temporary nature is contrary to…
by Mukunda Goswami Eighteen ninety-six Calcutta,A heart was born softer than butter,And when ArmageddonWould in later years threaten,He taught Kṛṣṇa’s names one must utter. From the start liberatedAnd always elated;The mṛdaṅga he beatMade a sound so sweet.Then in sixty-seven, when a drum came from heaven,His playing excitement generated. Dear Śrīla…