A Servant of Rādhārāṇī - The Only Prayer of Prabhupāda's Father

Behind every great man is a history of influences. For Śrīla Prabhupāda, the primary influence was his father, Gour Mohan De. In these affectionate reminiscences, we see a portrait of a pure Vaiṣṇava who used his fatherly love to mold his son into a devotee, not by force, but by facilitating his natural spiritual instincts.

"Bless My Son"

In standard society, a father prays for his son to be a doctor, a lawyer, or a wealthy merchant. Gour Mohan De had a different ambition. Śrīla Prabhupāda recalls that his father would welcome every visiting sādhu with a specific request.

• Any saintly person would come, my father would simply say, "Give blessings to my son that he may become a Radharani's servant." That was my father's prayer. He never prayed that "My son may become very rich man."

This prayer was prophetic. Decades later, his son would spread the glories of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī to every corner of the globe.

Learning by Imitation

Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that his childhood play was actually serious practice. He watched his father worship the Deity and wanted to do the same.

• In my childhood, when I was five or six years old, I requested my father that "Father, give me this Deity. I shall worship." So father purchased for me little Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā.
• When I was six years old my father gave me a ratha and I was performing the Ratha-yātrā in my neighborhood.

What began as a childhood festival in Calcutta became the template for the massive Ratha-yātrā festivals now held in cities like New York, London, and San Francisco.

The Pet Son

Gour Mohan De was lenient and affectionate, often protecting his son from the stricter discipline of his mother.

• My father was not very rich man, but still, whatever I wanted, he would give me. He never chastised me, but full love.
• I accepted my father's advice, and by his blessings only, I was never attached to my wife or home, which resulted in my complete liberation.

Conclusion

Śrīla Prabhupāda acknowledged that his spiritual success was a combined effort of his two "fathers"—his biological father who gave the seed, and his spiritual master who brought it to fruition.

• My father was kind to me, and I imbibed from him the ideas later on solidified by my spiritual master, the eternal father.

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 My Father (Gour Mohan De). We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.