My senior disciples

Expressions researched:
"GBC men and other senior students" |"ask me or some senior student" |"senior devotee" |"senior devotees" |"senior disciple" |"senior disciples" |"senior leaders amongst my disciples" |"senior member" |"senior members"

Notes from the compiler: Compiled only relating to Prahhupada's disciples

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

The president means he must be very expert. He should be... Secretaries, they should be all expert in reading. This is our main business, to study, to know things. Otherwise, what is this? Now, this boy is asking question means he should have asked question to the senior members.

Lecture on SB 2.9.3 -- Melbourne, April 5, 1972:

Prabhupāda: So if there is difficulty, we should discuss among ourselves and clear it, but there must be thorough discussion and understanding. And the president of the center, he should be able to answer the questions of other members. If he is unable, then he should ask the local general secretary. Then, at last, it should come to me, not that all the questions are going to me directly and "We are simply busy, vouchers and reports." So these things should be very carefully noted. The president means he must be very expert. He should be... Secretaries, they should be all expert in reading. This is our main business, to study, to know things. Otherwise, what is this? Now, this boy is asking question means he should have asked question to the senior members. What is your next question?

Devotee: The question is, Prabhupāda, that if there is question or not understanding in the course of a class, if the proper answer cannot be given, if one sincerely approaches you within the heart, then you will give understanding?

Prabhupāda: I have given understanding already in my book. That I am explaining. Why these books are being written? Just to explain things very nicely. They are already there. You try to understand. If you cannot understand, then you... (break) ...make the thing clear. But you are unable to understand. So in that case you have to cleanse yourself.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

So, immediately stop it.

Room Conversation -- February 17, 1977, Mayapura:

Brahmānanda: In our Back to Godhead magazine now the tendency is that they're not mentioning Kṛṣṇa's name so much. They're not putting the picture of Kṛṣṇa. They're not putting the pictures of the devotees. They're stressing on like simple, natural life in order to please the public.

Prabhupāda: No. Why this is going on?

Satsvarūpa: Probably because of this reasoning, that... They use this phrase, that "We have to make Kṛṣṇa consciousness more conventional, and with the shaved heads and pictures of Kṛṣṇa, people won't like it." So they've taken to this description of simple life, vague talk of spiritual life, reincarnation, meditation.

Tripurāri: Seems like a compromise.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: People are speaking about our movement now. Many people say to us that "You are selling out, compromising your position." And they...

Prabhupāda: This should be stopped, immediately. Why they are doing that without..., concocting?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's a great deal of not approval among many of the senior devotees.

Prabhupāda: So, immediately stop it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We were looking through a recent issue of the magazine, the most recent issue, and we were...

Prabhupāda: Bhāgavata is coming out.

Brahmānanda: That is there. (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That is there. It is fortunate you are... We were all noting that point. They cannot touch that.

Prabhupāda: Bhāgavata is in the middle.

Rāmeśvara should not be in charge. The Satsvarūpa should be in charge.

Room Conversation about BTG the Moon -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There was an underlying question of whether the magazine... Brahmānanda Mahārāja had mentioned that your original idea was that this magazine was meant for the devotees to write into the magazine and the spiritual master would read the articles and thus see how the devotees were making advancement, and the magazine was for the devotees to read each other's articles. Generally how the one..., the kind of the present-day idea behind the magazine is that it is for the common man outside. It is not so much for the devotee as much as for the karmīs. And therefore...

Prabhupāda: No, what is the purpose? To distribute to the karmīs?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. The purpose is to somehow connect the karmīs and give them a favorable opinion of our society, a general idea and favorable opinion of our movement. But the criticism on the part of some of the senior devotees now is that in doing this they have compromised our philosophy and our position.

Brahmānanda: Instead of quoting from some śāstra, they quote from a mundane book.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All the books. There's no more Sanskrit used.

Prabhupāda: So who has done this? You are asking me?

Brahmānanda: Rāmeśvara Swami's in charge.

Hari-śauri: Another example's like that they put a recipe for halavā in the magazine, two-page spread in color.

Prabhupāda: So the Rāmeśvara should not be in charge. The Satsvarūpa should be in charge.

Satsvarūpa: I'm very eager to take it over again.

Prabhupāda: Immediately do.

I am therefore going. In spite of my so much inconveniences, I am going there.

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Let us go there and organize. At least for one month we shall remain there. Let us organize.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: A lot of the senior devotees are still there. They've gone from here to Vṛndāvana, and now they're in Bombay, and they're waiting for your coming.

Prabhupāda: I am therefore going. In spite of my so much inconveniences, I am going there.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: At the end we try to... Even if we talk, we're trying to bring the..., that vāsudeva-paraṁ jñānam...

Prabhupāda: Vāsudeva-parā vedā vāsudeva-parā... Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). This is wanted. At least, one must know. Why they should be kept in darkness? What is this civilization? They have got light. The knowledge is there. They can be educated. And unnecessarily they are kept into darkness. Is that civilization?

Hm hm.

Room Conversation -- November 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Girirāja is requesting to come, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Is it all right?

Prabhupāda: By managing you can come, everyone.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right. If you manage properly, then you can all come.

Lokanātha: So do I come with you, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: You will be the leader.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You're the leader of the party.

Lokanātha: So I have a vehicle. They also could travel with us, and in the same town they will do nagara-saṅkīrtana all day long and distribute books?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Lokanātha: I think that it will make our program complete. We have membership team, we have scientist visiting the scientists, and our boys will go door to door, house to house, and spread your message.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: With book distribution and saṅkīrtana.

Bhavānanda: I think that the Māyāpura book distribution team now has some heavy competition.

Lokanātha: With Prabhupāda's traveling saṅkīrtana and book distribution. Also our party is well equipped to do evening programs. So there will be lot of senior devotees, and advance party could arrange programs and do different big temples or different public meetings.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want that, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hm hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you should not overexert yourself.

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We can do the speaking and the kīrtanas. Prabhupāda should be allowed to do simply tīrtha-yātrā.

Lokanātha: You'll be acting through us, by your mercy.

Jayādvaita: Śrīla Prabhupāda never does anything small.

Lokanātha: Prabhupāda is big. He thinks of big and he does big.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But first get a little more strength, Śrīla Prabhupāda. That we really request you to do so that the program... Let us do it so that it becomes successful, not that after two days we have to turn back. When going we should not turn back.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

1969 Correspondence

The best thing is that whenever there are some doubts you should ask me or some senior student.

Letter to Sucandra -- London 8 December, 1969:

You write that you loved the Deities some time ago, so why don't you love Them now? What is the reason? Let me know the reason how you liked to worship the Deities, and why you are not liking this now. Then I can explain the situation to you. The best thing is that whenever there are some doubts you should ask me or some senior student. We shall try to explain. But don't try to make any compromise and be agitated. I know you are a sincere boy, so try to understand everything very clearly.

1970 Correspondence

Hamsaduta's presence in your center along with Himavati will certainly enhance your spiritual activities. Both of them are sincere devotees and senior members.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles 18 February, 1970:

I think Hamsaduta and Himavati are already on their way to Germany. Most probably they will reach Germany directly; if not, they may go via London. Anyway, Hamsaduta's presence in your center along with Himavati will certainly enhance your spiritual activities. Both of them are sincere devotees and senior members. If he agrees, I think he can be made the president because he is the seniormost amongst you. In outside Sankirtana Party he will be a first class asset, and for Deity worship Himavati will be second to none. So try to utilize their service properly and increase the movement more and more in Germany.

Please take continued guidance from Bhagavan das and from your good husband and from other senior devotees and learn our philosophy very nicely.

Letter to Dinadayadri -- Los Angeles 26 February, 1970:

I am very happy to know that you are to be married with Sriman Nara Narayana and this is very nice. Both of you please accept my full blessings and sanction for your marriage. Work together for your mutual advancement in Krsna's service and be increasingly joyful in your Krsna Consciousness life. This is my desire. Please take continued guidance from Bhagavan das and from your good husband and from other senior devotees and learn our philosophy very nicely.