The Future Rests in Your Hands - Prabhupāda's Mandate to Senior Disciples

As the International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness (ISKCON) expanded, Śrīla Prabhupāda could no longer personally train every new devotee. He turned to his "elder" and "senior" disciples—those who had been with him for a few years and understood his mood—to take up the mantle of leadership. This collection of instructions reveals that he viewed them not just as students, but as the guardians of the movement's future.

"I Am Relying on You"

Śrīla Prabhupāda was open about his dependence on his senior leaders. He did not want to be the sole manager of a worldwide organization; he wanted to be the spiritual guide.

• You are my elder disciple, you are one of the leaders of our Society; therefore, it is your duty to feel always this responsibility for seeing that the things go on properly.

• Now I am old man and a little inclined for retirement, but now our organization is expanding more and more and I simply want to see that the things get done, therefore I am relying on you, my senior disciples, to do everything nicely for Krsna.

He specifically asked them to "relieve" him of administrative burdens so he could focus on his literary work.

• I am requesting you as my senior men not to tax my brain with so many details but simply come to a conclusion amongst yourselves.

The Power of Example

With position comes scrutiny. Śrīla Prabhupāda warned that the junior devotees would naturally imitate the seniors. Therefore, a senior disciple had no room for deviation.

• If you are loose in your habits, then everyone in your temple will also be loose in their habits. So, as one of my elder disciples, be strong.

• If we work so hard to make a man a devotee and then seeing the older members taking intoxication and doing all nonsense, they become lost to Krsna, that is the greatest sin.

The Duty to Train

Seniority was defined by the willingness to teach others. Śrīla Prabhupāda explained the practical application of paramparā:

• Whatever you have learned - you are one of the old students - whatever you have gathered by experience, you must hand them over to the new students. This is called parampara.

• You are an old experienced devotee and I have personally trained you in so many things, so now it is your responsibility to train others otherwise what is the meaning of my training you?

Conclusion

Śrīla Prabhupāda placed the ultimate fate of his mission in the hands of these trusted assistants. He saw them as the only hope for a suffering world.

• Now you must all my senior disciples and leaders become very, very much aware of your grave responsibility to the human society for delivering them from the clutches of catastrophe.

Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani

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