O My Friend! O My Friend!

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Who is Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami?

Yes, he is the world guru of modern-day Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism. He is the great emissary of Kṛṣṇa bhakti spreading the teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Indeed, he is the very extension of Gaura līlā, having been empowered by Nitāicānda to drown even the distant shores with a tidal wave of love of God. Yet all of this and more with regard to his extraordinary preaching campaign is but the tip of the iceberg of who he is. Who, then, can fathom that depth, the inner wealth of this saffron-clad messenger?

As daunting as it may seem, it is we who must take up this task in earnest and answer definitively who he is, for it is only by answering this question through the sincerity of our spiritual practice that we will ever really know who we are. Our guru is the very embodiment of a particular spiritual sentiment with a corresponding form, and realizing that form has much to do with realizing our own svarūpa.

Fortunately, Śrīla Prabhupāda has not left us entirely in the dark. The light of his inner life shines forth here and there for the discerning student. He himself has pointed us in the direction, and the present book has collected his indications in one place for the first time, reasoned about them in consonance with revelation, and considered possible objections.

The conclusion is obvious. Why? Because in this book we have allowed Śrīla Prabhupāda to speak for himself.