Introductionsiddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa
ihā haite kṛṣṇe lāge sudṛḍha mānasa
“One should not be lazy in deliberating on philosophy, for by doing so one’s mind becomes firmly fixed upon Śrī Kṛṣṇa.” (Cc. Ādi-līlā 2.117)
History has shown us that after the disappearance of a great ācārya, the light that he brought is eclipsed by a period of darkness. Various deviant philosophies and misconceptions appear like rapacious wolves to ensnare the innocent devotees and drive them off the path of pure devotion. Since the disappearance of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda, many misunderstandings have arisen amongst his followers in regards to Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava siddhānta, and indeed, about the position of Śrīla Prabhupāda himself.
Some have zealously tried to mould Prabhupāda into a modern-day Indian messiah, the foremost guru in the paramparā (and also the last), professing that Śrīla Prabhupāda is to be the one and only spiritual guide for all future generations of devotees. Others, trapped within corporate society consciousness, strive to divorce Śrīla Prabhupāda from the sampradāya, making him an authority unto himself, independent of the tradition that he represented. Operating under the notion that their conclaves solely represent the will of His Divine Grace, such persons believe that they alone are the true heirs to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s legacy and all must come to him through them. Some even hail Śrīla Prabhupāda as the founder of a new sampradāya, the creator of a new Golden Age and attribute Christ-like miracles to him – indeed, the misconceptions that have been built around him are too numerous to mention here.
Prabhupāda Vijaya is a compilation of articles, talks and lectures by Swami B.G. Narasiṅgha Mahārāja from 1993 to 2006. In these essays Narasiṅgha Mahārāja attempts to remove the societal facade and sentiment obscuring Śrīla Prabhupāda to reveal something of his true personality and nature that many devotees are unaware of – a Prabhupāda who had an existence before stepping onto the Jaladūta, a representative of an ancient devotional tradition, a follower in the line of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī and a faithful disciple of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.
After a lifetime of dedication and service to Śrīla Prabhupāda, Narasiṅgha Mahārāja shares his realisations about his beloved spiritual master and brings to light many important historical incidents in the life of His Divine Grace, as well as deep philosophical insights into the important topic of guru-tattva.
It is our sincere hope that the readers of Prabhupāda Vijaya will relish this unique glorification of His Divine Grace and comprehend the profound siddhānta found within its pages.
The Publishers
Introduction