Śrīla Prabhupāda is not just the founder of a movement—he is a spiritual force who revolutionized the world with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But beyond the global accomplishments, Śrīla Prabhupāda touched individual hearts, guiding each devotee personally through his teachings, letters, instructions, and example.
For those of us who follow him, a deep desire grows over time: “How can I please Śrīla Prabhupāda?” It’s not just about duty or gratitude—it’s about love. It’s the same yearning a child feels to make their father proud.
Here are the top ways—ranked through deep reflection—in which many devotees (myself included) would most want to please Śrīla Prabhupāda. These are not abstract ideals, but real, living goals that devotees carry in their hearts daily.
1. Living His Teachings in My Daily Life
Before preaching to others, before organizing festivals or quoting scriptures—am I truly living what Śrīla Prabhupāda taught? This is the foundational question.
Pleasing Śrīla Prabhupāda begins by becoming what he wanted us to be: sincere devotees of Kṛṣṇa. That means:
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Waking up early
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Chanting 16 rounds attentively
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Following the four regulative principles
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Reading his books daily
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Offering our food to Kṛṣṇa
These are not mechanical rules—they are Prabhupāda’s personal instructions to us. By sticking to them, especially when it’s inconvenient, tiring, or lonely, we tell him: “I heard you. I’m trying.”
That effort alone pleases him deeply.
2. Helping Others Come to Krishna Consciousness
Nothing pleased Śrīla Prabhupāda more than seeing people take to bhakti. He was happiest when even one soul took a sincere step toward Kṛṣṇa.
Book distribution, harināma, prasādam outreach, temple service, online preaching—all are powerful tools. But ultimately, it’s not about how many people we reach—it’s about how deeply we care.
Even helping one person chant Hare Kṛṣṇa with faith is a priceless offering to Śrīla Prabhupāda. He once said:
By giving Kṛṣṇa to others, we are helping him fulfill his life’s mission.
3. Serving ISKCON with Loyalty and Gratitude
One of the ways we can follow his mood is by staying loyal to ISKCON—the movement he personally built with unimaginable sacrifice. It’s not a perfect institution, but it is his family, his legacy, his spiritual experiment.
Supporting the temples, respecting leaders, cooperating with other devotees, avoiding gossip and division—these are the ways we protect what Prabhupāda created with his blood and tears.
When we serve ISKCON not as critics, but as humble contributors, we bring joy to his heart.
4. Spreading His Books and Teachings
Prabhupāda once said:
“If you want to please me, distribute my books.”
These books are not ordinary publications—they are his spiritual legacy, his compassion in printed form. Each book carries his voice, his heart, his conviction.
Distributing his books, or even encouraging others to read them, is like placing a divine spark into someone’s life. Whether through direct book distribution, creating content from his writings, or simply gifting a Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, every act spreads his mercy further.
It’s a powerful way to continue what he started—and to offer our energy to something eternal.
5. Guiding the Next Generation with Love and Integrity
Prabhupāda often said he was building a house in which the whole world could live. But what good is a house if the next generation doesn’t want to live in it?
One of the most pressing ways to please him today is to create a nurturing spiritual culture for youth and children. That means:
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Teaching them not just rules, but the beauty of devotion.
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Listening to them with care.
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Living as role models—humble, joyful, and devoted.
Śrīla Prabhupāda loved children deeply. He wanted gurukulas, Krishna conscious families, and youth who could lead the future. If we fail to connect them with his heart, we risk losing the soul of the movement.
6. Deepening My Relationship with His Instructions
Śrīla Prabhupāda is present in his books, lectures, bhajans, letters, and purports. Every time we study them with sincerity, we deepen our relationship with him.
To please him, I try to read his books not just to quote them—but to hear him. To feel his urgency, his compassion, his intelligence, and his fierce love for Kṛṣṇa.
His instructions are not relics of the past—they are the living voice of the paramparā. By trying to understand and implement them, even in small ways, we align our hearts with his.
7. Becoming a Better Servant, Not a Bigger Name
In an age of social media, where popularity can easily become the goal, we must remember that Śrīla Prabhupāda was never interested in titles or applause. He cared only for surrendered service.
I want to please him by becoming more humble, more dependable, more of a servant. Whether I clean the temple floor, translate a verse, cook prasādam, or encourage a struggling devotee—if I do it as his servant, with a pure heart, it has value.
He didn’t want stars—he wanted servants of Kṛṣṇa who loved each other and stayed true to the mission.
8. Never Giving Up, No Matter What
Perhaps one of the most intimate ways to please Śrīla Prabhupāda is this: to never give up.
Even when we stumble, even when we feel lost, even when we feel unqualified—we get back up. We chant again. We serve again. We cry to Kṛṣṇa again.
Śrīla Prabhupāda never gave up on us. How can we give up on him?
Perseverance in devotional service, even amid personal weakness, shows our deepest sincerity. He once said,
That’s all he asked. That’s what we can give.