In honor of the auspicious anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s incorporation of ISKCON New York, in 1966, we post the following Lecture which has some very fundamental explanations of why this movement was founded.
…So these centers are being opened just to give the opportunity to the people who are suffering not only in this life, life after life.
ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija
(CC Madhya 19.151)
…Following in the footsteps of Nārada Muni, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is rendering service to humanity by giving everyone a chance to come in contact with Kṛṣṇa. If one is fortunate, he becomes intimately related with this movement. Then, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, one’s life becomes successful. Everyone has dormant kṛṣṇa-bhakti—love for Kṛṣṇa—and in the association of good devotees, that love is revealed. As stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta (CC Madhya 22.107):
nitya-siddha-kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhu naya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya
Dormant devotional service to Kṛṣṇa is within everyone. Simply by associating with devotees, hearing their good instructions and chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, dormant love for Kṛṣṇa is awakened. In this way one acquires the seed of devotional service. Guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151).
So it is our duty, we have taken this duty on behalf of Krsna. Krsna personally comes to teach. Just like He left His Srimad-Bhagavatam. Then He entrusts His devotees to explain to the people in general. We are attempting to do that. We have not manufactured anything or we have got anything of our own. The asset and the property is there. We are simply distributing as peon. That’s all.
And we have no difficulty. If we simply present Bhagavad-gita, the instruction of Krsna, as it is, then our duty finished. We haven’t got to manufacture anything; neither we have power to manufacture anything. Just like there are so many others. They manufacture new type of ideas, new type of philosphy…, all nonsense. That will not help. Take the real knowledge.
…Just like Krsna says, tat samasena me srnu. Me srnu: “Hear from Me or My representative. Then you will benefit.”
…We should hear from Kṛṣṇa and distribute this knowledge. We have no difficulty. Then those who will hear, they will be benefited and we will be benefited. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
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The Hare Krishna Movement 