Srila Prabhupada is: paramahamsa-thakura

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Antya 7.12 The Meeting of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Vallabha Bhatta "You

have spread the sankirtana movement of Krsna consciousness. Therefore it is

evident that You have been empowered by Lord Krsna. There is no question about

it.

 

PURPORT

 

Sri Madhvacarya has brought our attention to this quotation from the Narayana-samhita:

 

dvapariyair janair visnuh pancaratrais

tu kevalaih kalau tu nama-matrena

pujyate bhagavan harih

 

"in the Dvapara-yuga one could satisfy Krsna or Visnu only by worshiping

opulently according to the pancaratriki system, but in the age of Kali one can

satisfy and worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead Hari simply by chanting

His holy name." Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura explains that unless

one is directly empowered by the causeless mercy of Krsna, one cannot become

the spiritual master of the entire world (jagad-guru). One cannot become an

acarya simply by mental speculation. The true acarya presents Krsna to everyone

by preaching the holy name of the Lord throughout the world. Thus the

conditioned souls, purified by chanting the holy name, are liberated from the

blazing fire of material existence. In this way, spiritual benefit grows

increasingly full, like the waxing moon in the sky. The true acarya, the

spiritual master of the entire world, must be considered an incarnation of

Krsna's mercy. indeed, he is personally embracing Krsna. He is therefore the

spiritual master of all the varnas (brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra) and

all the asramas (brahmacarya, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa). Since he is

understood to be the most advanced devotee, he is called paramahamsa-thakura.

Thakura is a title of honor offered to the paramahamsa. Therefore one who acts

as an acarya, directly presenting Lord Krsna by spreading His name and fame, is

also to be called paramahamsa-thakura.