The Grandfather's Pleasure - How to Please Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati

Can we please a spiritual master we have never met? Can our service reach an Ācārya who left this world decades before we were born? Śrīla Prabhupāda answers with a resounding "Yes." In these inspiring letters, he teaches us the secret of the paramparā: service to the guru is automatically service to the guru's guru. He assures his disciples that their enthusiastic preaching is bringing a smile to the face of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.

"His Great Dream"

Śrīla Prabhupāda did not view the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) as his own creation. He viewed it as the manifestation of his spiritual master's vision. When he saw his disciples printing magazines and selling books, he saw the fulfillment of a specific prophecy.

• We want to distribute as many issues of BTG as possible, so the more you can print and distribute, the more my Guru Maharaja will be pleased to see His Great Dream being fulfilled.

He specifically used the phrase "bombastic flood" to describe the book distribution, linking it directly to Bhaktisiddhānta’s anxiety to spread the message.

• My Guru Maharaja was very much anxious about selling books and preaching, so you are pleasing him by this bombastic flood of books all over the world.

Grand Spiritual Children

Śrīla Prabhupāda affectionately introduced his disciples to their spiritual lineage. He wanted them to feel a connection to their "grandfather" in the disciplic succession.

• You are all helping me by abiding the orders of my Spiritual Master, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami maharaj and He'll be pleased upon you who are His grand spiritual children

He assured them that this relationship was reciprocal. Even though Bhaktisiddhānta was not physically present, he was observing their work.

• In front of Caitanya Mahaprabhu you are chanting Hare Krsna mantra, and you are taking part in it very seriously. So my Guru Maharaja will be very, very much pleased upon you and bless you with all benefits.

The Flow of Blessings

In a display of profound humility, Śrīla Prabhupāda suggested that his own blessings were secondary to the blessings of his Guru. He motivated his disciples by promising them a torrent of mercy from the previous Ācāryas.

• Certainly my Guru Maharaja will bestow His blessings thousand times more than me and that is my satisfaction.
• I think our books will never keep us in a poverty-stricken condition. This is the blessings of His Divine Grace Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja Prabhupada.

Conclusion

The secret to spiritual advancement is simple: satisfy the predecessor Ācāryas. By taking up the "Great Dream" of book distribution, we connect ourselves directly to the power of the entire lineage.

• You have taken seriously this work and I know that my guru maharaj is pleased with you because he wanted this. So by this your endeavor you will all go back home back to Godhead.

Dive Deeper into Srila Prabhupada's Vani

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