Cooperate With Prabhupāda - The Secret of Success

When looking at the global achievements of ISKCON, Śrīla Prabhupāda rarely took credit for himself. Instead, he pointed to the miraculous cooperation he received from his disciples. He viewed this cooperation as the direct mercy of his spiritual master, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.

The Unworthy Servant

Despite being the Founder-Ācārya, Śrīla Prabhupāda approached his mission with profound humility. He saw the arrival of enthusiastic disciples not as a sign of his own power, but as a kindness from his Guru.

• Actually I am the most unworthy servant of His Divine Grace because I delayed to execute His order by so many years. But it was better I began late than never, and therefore He has kindly sent to me so many young hearts to cooperate with me.

The Definition of Cooperation

For Śrīla Prabhupāda, cooperation was not a democracy; it was a spiritual alignment. He explained that real cooperation is based on the principle of surrender—accepting the direction of the spiritual authority.

• Unless you surrender, where is the cooperation? Just like all my disciples, because they have surrendered, so there is cooperation.

The Miracle of the West

Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently expressed his indebtedness to the Western youth who assisted him when he was practically alone and penniless. He acknowledged that without their help, the printing of books and the construction of temples would have been impossible.

• I am very much thankful to you American, European boys & girls who are helping me in this mission. Go on cooperating in this way, and I am sure this mission of Mahāprabhu will be successful.

One Moon and Many Stars

Ultimately, Śrīla Prabhupāda summarized the history of the movement in one sentence: I was one, but you joined me.

• Go on spreading the saṅkīrtana movement more and more. I am only one person, but because all of you have kindly cooperated with me, this movement has now become a success all over the world.

Conclusion

Śrīla Prabhupāda's plea to "cooperate with me" was the foundational stone of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. By aligning their wills with his instructions, his disciples transformed a solitary effort into a worldwide revolution, proving that surrender is the key to spiritual success.

• Unless you surrender, where is the cooperation?

Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani

Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Cooperate With Me (Prabhupāda). We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.