Prabhupāda's Only Asset - The Power of Faith in My Guru

When a seventy-year-old man steps onto a cargo ship with only forty rupees and a trunk of books, logic dictates he will fail. Yet, Śrīla Prabhupāda succeeded beyond anyone's imagination. What was his secret? In these quotes, he identifies the "one asset" that sustained him through heart attacks, poverty, and obscurity: absolute faith in his Spiritual Master.

"I Never Lost This Faith"

Śrīla Prabhupāda described himself as a "vagabond" when he first arrived in America, but he was never truly alone.

• Practically, just like a vagabond I came. But I had full faith that "My Guru Maharaja is with me." I never lost this faith, and that is fact.
• I came to your country in ripe old age, but I had one asset: enthusiasm and faith in my Spiritual Master.

He explained that this faith was not a vague sentiment, but a practical conviction that the order of the Guru is non-different from the Guru himself.

The Restoration of Faith

Interestingly, Śrīla Prabhupāda admits that his faith was not always automatic. As a young man in British India, he was skeptical of the sadhus he saw.

• Because in our house, my father used to receive so many sannyasis, but some of them were not very to the standard, and due to my association with college friends, younger days, I lost my faith practically.

This admission makes his eventual surrender to Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī even more powerful. It wasn't blind faith; it was faith restored by the force of pure truth.

Faith in the Disciples

Just as his Guru had faith in him, Śrīla Prabhupāda extended that trust to his own disciples, empowering them to do the impossible.

• You are all very intelligent boys and girls and I have full faith in you for pushing on this movement.
• I have so much faith and love for you. How can you think that I am criticizing you? If you think this, it is like a thunderbolt striking my head.

Conclusion

The lesson is simple: we do not need to be learned scholars or politicians to succeed in spiritual life. We simply need to be faithful servants.

• Whatever success is there, it is just due to my firm faith in his (Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's) instruction.

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 Faith (Prabhupada). We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.