By Navina Nirada Dasa
"So you want to become Prabhupada?" These words of a senior devotee rang in my ears, and I started pondering. He had asked me about the purpose of my stay in Mayapur. I told him that I'm attending the Bhaktivedanta Course. Although appreciating his fervor, I have mixed feelings regarding the connotations of his question, some of which I'll address in this thesis. Reflecting on his undertone, I conclude the topic must be worthy to explore, if it stirs up such a reaction. As devotees in ISKCON we often casually use the term "Bhaktivedanta" dozens of times daily. Are we doing this simply mindlessly, or do we fully understand the real meaning and significance of Bhaktivedanta?