Question: (question presented by one of the hosts, HG Jagannatha Kirtananda das)You are seen as Prabhupada man. All the instructions that Srila Prabhupada gave you, you are taking to heart and you are trying to do that diligently throughout. So the question is how can we all become more like that and become Prabhupada men and women to really get that closeness to Srila Prabhupada?

Guru Maharaj: This is  how to question! The whole process of Krishna consciousness is bringing us closer to Guru and Gauranga. I remember in the Ardha Kumbha Mela in 1971, in Allahabad, Srila Prabhupada was discussing how achieving devotional service was very rare, and one has to go through all the preliminary mantras and penances and austerities and all that. One senior devotee raised his hand and asked a question. ‘Srila Prabhupada, when I look back at my life, I don’t see any pious activities, I don’t see any penances, I don’t see anything. Except I had a very sinful life! How did I achieve devotional service?’ Srila Prabhupada said, ‘I have made your good fortune for you.’ Actually, if we consider what chance, what qualification do we have, to achieve such a rare thing as pure devotion to Krishna? So we should be so grateful to Srila Prabhupada, that he has brought us this mercy. And made our good fortune for us. How can we not be Prabhupada conscious,if we think of that!

04-OCT-2020 SRIDHAM MAYAPUR