Answering Questions That Were Never Asked
Those who have gotten a glimpse of the unending depth of knowledge in Srila Prabhupada’s books constantly face the question: how many can embrace this unique opportunity to change their destiny, move ahead, and possibly reach the highest goal—returning back home, back to Godhead?
People generally live their mundane lives (hence the Sanskrit word mandan is used, describing them as spiritually lazy). Even though they are constantly confronted with the facts described in Srila Prabhupada’s books—such as the inevitable death of their cherished bodies and the constant torment we experience under the control of the modes of nature—they are averse to even thinking about these essential truths, let alone doing something about them.
Srila Prabhupada didn’t care. He came uninvited, raised questions nobody had asked, and delivered the perfect answers to them. Engaged in this “transcendental monologuing,” some finally understood that the questions he was asking should actually be their questions. And so, they started to ask and enquire into knowledge they had never encountered before. We are all shaped by this original monologue of Srila Prabhupada, and our only credit is that we gradually made it into our own speech.
Life is filled with challenges, conflicts, and often horrifying events. This was clearly demonstrated by Krishna and Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Why Kurukshetra? Why a battlefield? Because living in this material world is a challenging task. It is pathetic how some romantic “peace and love” dreamers insist on having it otherwise. All the “love and peace” preachers were eventually killed, and their followers ultimately plunged back into the struggle for survival.
A professionally negative view? Not at all. Just reality, as delivered by Srila Prabhupada and the revealed scriptures he presented. He even dismissed those who wanted to join Krishna in a week without understanding the qualifications required for such intimacy. And so, following in his footsteps, those who understand the basic message in his books remain averse to the dreamy state of conditioned souls and firmly call for awakening—regardless of how many may follow or ignore their call. Every preaching-motivated devotee is used to speaking to empty rooms and blank walls, especially in the Western world, populated by arrogant cynics and those who think they already know so much.
Srila Prabhupada firmly established that it is Krishna we want to please, and then others will be pleased. Some humanistic, socialistic, and altruistically motivated individuals among his so-called followers may not like this and try to turn his mission into yet another hospital-feeding-the-poor station, where conditioned souls can come, refresh themselves, and return to their sinful activities—sometimes even in the name of Krishna Consciousness. As altruists and humanists die miserably, followed by their still-frustrated worshippers, they all unite in missing the real point: this world is not our home—the spiritual world is.
It is not the empty promise of a lofty future that motivates a real devotee; it is the genuine experience of being connected to Krishna and the guru-parampara now—by fulfilling their cherished desire to bless the conditioned soul with the Holy Name, books that not many understand, and prasadam, which gradually elevates their spiritual consciousness, even without their knowing it.
Just as doctors do not expect patients to understand the effects of the medicine they administer, real preachers administer the purifying process of Krishna Consciousness without any expectation of return or gratitude. Such is the life of a preacher.
Once, in Mumbai, Srila Prabhupada saw a devotee returning from Indian government offices, tired and frustrated after trying to secure some legal paperwork for the temple. Seeing this devotee in despair as he sat down for the evening lecture, Srila Prabhupada looked sternly in his direction and, fully understanding his state of mind and grateful for his service, said: “In order to become ecstatic in Krishna Consciousness, we don’t need any official permission.”
And so, hope against hope, we answer questions nobody asks, chant the Holy Name publicly, uninvited, and distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books—knowledge that not many can understand. Such is the ecstatic life of a devotee, daily bathing in the mercy of his spiritual master and the guru-parampara. What else is there to do?