Better Late Than Never - Prabhupāda's 40-Year Journey to Fulfill the Order
There are forty-three years between 1922 and 1965. For most of that time, the order given to Śrīla Prabhupāda by his Spiritual Master—to preach in the West—lay like a dormant seed within his heart. He was a householder, a businessman, and a father. Yet, the order remained.
In this inspiring collection of quotes, Śrīla Prabhupāda recounts the internal and external journey that transformed him from a reluctant recipient of the order into its glorious executor. It is a story of delay, force, and ultimate triumph.
"I Was Resisting Him"
Śrīla Prabhupāda candidly admits that he did not immediately jump to execute the mission. He felt unqualified and attached to his family life.
- I had no desire to accept the sannyasa order and preach, but my spiritual master wanted it. I am not very much inclined, but he forced me. That is also done. That is special favor.
- In 1922 My Guru Maharaja wanted me to preach in the Western countries, and in 1965 it was fruitful. Forty-three years. So it is better late than never.
He describes the process as being "forced" by Kṛṣṇa and his Guru. They stripped away his material defenses until he had no choice but to surrender to the mission.
"Let Me Try"
When he finally boarded the Jaladuta at the age of seventy, he did not have a grand strategy for success. He had a humble desire to simply make an attempt.
- At the age of seventy years... I thought that I must go, Guru Maharaja wanted it, Caitanya Mahaprabhu... Let me try.
- Guru Maharaja wanted and these Gaudiya Math people did not do anything, so let me try in this old age.
This "try" was not a tentative experiment; it was a total commitment of his remaining life breath.
Success Beyond Expectation
The result of that humble attempt is history. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes with satisfaction that he was able to fulfill the specific desires of his Guru Mahārāja—printing books and making devotees—on a scale that had never been seen before.
He viewed the exploding number of temples and disciples not as his own achievement, but as the inevitable result of the potency of the order.
Conclusion
The life of Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches us that it is never too late to execute the order of the spiritual master. Whether it takes one year or forty years, the sincere attempt is always recognized.
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 Guru Maharaja Wanted... (Bhaktisiddhanta).
We invite you to click the link above to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.