I have never found anyone more compassionate than Srila Prabhupada.
He saved so many people from the grip of maya.
Out of compassion, he devised ways to pull devotees out of this prison, the material world, by preaching and translating the Srimad-Bhagavatam and building temples all over the world. Nobody can repay Srila Prabhupada for the great service he rendered to the whole world.
While looking at Srila Prabhupada, I always feel his presence as a compassionate father. I heard about one of his disciples who had performed great service but had left ISKCON. Amazingly, at the time of his death, he suddenly shouted, “Srila Prabhupada, you have come to save me!” And he left his body in peace. This shows that Srila Prabhupada never forgot the service rendered by this devotee. – Sharad Purnima Nobaub La Laura, St. Pierre, Mauritius
Prabhupada had many titles, but he was a very simple devotee
(Bhakta) of his beloved Lord Krishna, totally surrendered. It was impossible for him to live without that love of Krishna; therefore he clung to Him as the sole basis of his life and received gracious gifts of the direct experience of God from God. He followed Krishna’s advice in the Bhagavad-gita (9.14): “Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.” And he demonstrated exactly that when he went to the Western world. He was a true acarya. – Jai Sharma Begusarai, Bihar
I find Srila Prabhupada’s complete and total faith in Lord Krishna
Particularly inspiring. Many times in his life Srila Prabhupada faced difficulties, challenges, and obstacles that would have made any ordinary person question his faith or give up. But no matter what faced him or how difficult the instructions of his spiritual master were to carry out, Prabhupada’s faith and trust in Lord Krishna never faltered.
Whenever I face difficulties in my own life, and begin to question my faith or why I am a devotee, I feel inspired to think of how Prabhupada reacted to challenges and what he had to overcome to bring knowledge of Krishna to the West. I try always to follow his example. – Bhaktin Anna London
When any of Prabhupada’s disciples were in the unsteady stage
Of devotional service and left, he didn’t look down upon them. He was eager to welcome them when they returned. He was so very grateful to them for assisting him in fulfilling his spiritual master’s desire and mission. Such genuine love he had. Even in his final days on this planet, he expressed gratitude to his disciples. Even if they had left in unsteadiness, he desired to welcome them.- Vikas Shah Bloomington, Illinois, USA
One quality of Prabhupada’s that I find most inspiring is his humility.
Although he was the founder of ISKCON, he did not brag about his feats. The movement he started is now enlivening devotees in every town and village around the world. Although he sacrificed so much to build a shelter the whole world could live in, he remained at the background, without consideration of personal honor.
An example to illustrate Srila Prabhupada’s humility: When one of his disciples thanked him for writing so many books on the subject of Krishna, Prabhupada burst into tears and said, “I have not written these books. Krishna has written these books. It is simply through the mercy of my Guru Maharaja and Krishna that I am able to present to you this transcendental knowledge.” – Mohit Kapoor Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Srila Prabhupada’s compassion is particularly inspiring.
He was comfortably situated in Vrindavan as a respected sannyasi, living among the resident Vrajavasis, who have no other business but to serve Radha-Krishna in unconditional love. To live in Vrindavan on Earth is to live in the highest abode of Krishna, Goloka Vrindavana. To die in Vrindavana is to attain liberation in Goloka Vrindavana.
Some Vraja-vasis don’t leave Vrindavan to even go to neighboring Mathura. Yet Srila Prabhupada, his heart overflowing with pure love for Krishna and pure compassion for all living entities, left Vrindavan to travel to New York City’s slums. He left the heaven of Vrindavan to go to a place with a hellish atmosphere, ruled by illicit drugs, promiscuous sex, and rampant violence. He rescued countless souls, giving them Vrindavan’s eternal shelter. – Hardik Kaswala Unadilla, Georgia, USA
Srila Prabhupada’s main quality was his selfless surrender
Unto his guru and the lotus feet of the Lord. Because of his truly pure bhakti, Krishna gave him the strength to persuade materialistic people. He converted hippies into surrendered devotees, showing that Krishna blessed his voice and every word that came from his mouth. Even now when I hear his audio, I feel the same blessed feeling felt by the early devotees. I am a fortunate living entity because of Srila Prabhupada.- Rajan Bhardwaj Kota, Rajasthan