Pradyumna: "That should be the attitude of all preachers of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, following in the footsteps of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. We should never think of ourselves as great preachers, but should always consider that we are simply instrumental to the previous ācāryas."
Prabhupāda: Yes, we should not be very much proud that, "I have created wonderful." Why? What wonderful? What? I am not a magician that I can create wonderful. Sometimes people, they give me so much honor: "Swāmījī, you have created wonderful." I do not feel that I have created wonderful. What I have done? I say that I, I do . . . I'm not a magician. I do not know how to create wonderful. I have simply Bhagavad-gītā, presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, that's all. If there is any credit, this is only credit.
Anyone can do that. The Bhagavad-gītā is there, and anyone can present Bhagavad-gītā as it is. So it will act wonderful. I am not a magician. I do not know the tricks of magics and the yoga-siddhi, I am creating (makes gesture) like this. (laughter) I have no such power. Neither I do it. So I . . . my only credit is, I do not want to mix with this pure Bhagavad-gītā teaching any rascaldom, that's all. That is my credit. And whatever little miracle has been done, only on this principle. That's all.
(aside) Go on.
Pradyumna: ". . . and simply by following in their footsteps we may be able to do something for the benefit . . ."
Prabhupāda: Yes, the same thing. Our purpose should be to satisfy our predecessors.
- tādera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vāsa
- janame janame more ei abhilāsa
- (Nāma-saṅkīrtana 7)
We cannot deviate from the path of the previous ācāryas. We must strictly follow. That is the qualification. We must follow their instruction. Therefore I repeatedly say to my students that "You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra sixteen rounds and follow the regulative principles. Your strength is there." If we . . . just like Himalayan mountain, nobody can push it. Very simple thing. It is so powerful. Yaha hoite sarva-siddhi haya. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's request. Don't deviate from the instruction. Then you will stand as strong as the Himalayan mountain. Very simple thing. Anyone can do.
We are asking, following the footsteps of predecessor, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction to Rūpa Gosvāmī. Rūpānuga. Therefore we are called rūpānuga. Anuga. Anuga means following. Going, following the footsteps of Rūpa. So as the, Rūpa Gosvāmī is following his predecessor, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, so we have to follow our predecessor. Then we will be successful. There is no doubt about it. Nobody can do any harm.
Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). If you stick to the principle of following the footsteps of previous predecessor, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2)—don't add anything, don't subtract anything, present as it is and keep your spiritual strength intact—then the preaching will go on. Nobody can disturb you.