Surrendering unto Srila Prabhupada?

[theist 1]

yashodanandana, this is what I was trying to say although I wasn't all that clear.

 

The kanistha-adhikäré, or the devotee in the lowest stage of Vaiñëava life, has firm faith but is not familiar with the conclusions of the çästras. The devotee in the second stage, the madhyama-adhikäré, is completely aware of the çästric conclusion and has firm faith in his guru and the Lord. He, therefore, avoiding nondevotees, preaches to the innocent. However, the mahä-bhägavata or uttama-adhikäré, the devotee in the highest stage of devotional life, does not see anyone as being against the Vaisnava principles, for he regards everyone as a Vaisnava but himself. This is the essence of Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s instruction that one be more tolerant than a tree and think oneself lower than the straw in the street (tåëäd api su-nécena taror iva sahiñëunä). However, even if a devotee is in the uttama-bhägavata status he must come down to the second status of life, madhyama-adhikäré, to be a preacher, ...Adi 7.51 purport excerpt

[Govindaram 1]

Hare Krishna

 

Madhyam-adhikari:

Well, there seems to be a lot of Madhyam-adhikari/Kanistha-adhikari devotees that have 'fallen down' in Iskcon, were they too quick in accepting disciples, the second Kanistha-adhikari devotees are accepting?? Madhyam-adhikari may fall-down temporarily, but what happens to their disciples in the mean time /images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

 

 

 

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By the mercy of the Spiritual Master one receives the benediction of Krsna, without the grace of the Spiritual Master one cannot make any advancement at all, therefore I should always remember and praise the Spiritual Master, at least 3 time's a day, I should offer my respectful obeisance's unto the lotus-feet of my Spiritual Master.

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[Guest guest]

INITIATION IS AN AGREEMENT BY THE DISCIPLE TO ABIDE BY THE ORDER OF THE SPIRITUAL MASTER

 

...As I have already said many times that we have to maintain two lines parallel; namely the path of Srimad-Bhagavatam and the path of Pancaratriki. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the path for Paramahamsas, and the Pancaratra path is for the neophytes. So the Temple worship is necessary for the beginners so that by following the regulative principles such devotees become more and more purified and thus gradually come on the platform to understand Srimad-Bhagavatam. So we shall always keep these principles in view and maintain our centers on this standard.

 

 

Recently I have received one ``Kalyana'' magazine in which our activities in the Western world have been very much appreciated. Especially they have appreciated my strong injunctions on the point of following the four prohibitive regulations. So after describing our activities, the editor has remarked in one place that things are going certainly very nicely at present, but it is God only Who knows how it will continue in the future. This means that the Indians, or the rigid followers of Vedic principles, are doubtful about my American and European students about their sticking to all these principles. So it is a God sent warning for us so that we may not deviate from the above mentioned two lines of action and thus become subject to criticism by the opposing elements.

 

 

In India there is already a party who are prepared to criticize my activities in the matter of offering sacred thread to the so-called mlecchas according to their calculation. But actually whatever I am doing here, of course giving consideration to the local situation, all of them are strictly in the line of our predecessors and direction of Sanatana Goswami. Therefore my request is that all of you be determined to maintain this standard which is not very difficult to follow that I have introduced.

 

Regarding your question of an initiated person falling prey to the maya, the answer is that so long we are in this material world, there is always chance of being spoiled by Maya, so we must stick with vow to the Lotus Feet of Krishna. An initiated devotee is given the chance for becoming free from the entanglement of karma wheel. Initiated means beginning, not perfection. The Spiritual Master's business is to guide him to the perfectional point. But if one does not strictly follow the guidance of a bona fide Spiritual Master his initiation does not bear any meaning. The initiation performance is an agreement by the disciples to abide by the order of the Spiritual Master. Therefore, if the Spiritual Master is bona fide and the disciple is serious to abide by His order, then the success is sure. But if a disciple follows strictly the devotional way of life, he is no longer a karmi and all his activities which may appear to be like ordinary work, or it may be activity according to Scriptural injunction, are counted as devotional service. (Letters from Srila Prabhupada May 28, 1970 & Jan.11, 1970)

 

Srila Prabhupada, please forgive us. We are like small children who are inconsiderate and neglectful of their kind, loving father. You have saved us from repeated birth and death in material existence and have awarded us with eternal life. O most merciful spiritual master, please allow us to understand your magnificence and graciousness, and allow us to somehow repay this great debit we have to you, by engaging us as your menial servants. Please bless us that we may never fall away from your lotus feet as victims of the material energy. (Vyasa Puja Book 1978 p. 370)

[Guest guest]

"WE SHOULD BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO OVERBURDEN OUR SPIRITUAL MASTER BY FURTHER SINFUL ACTIVITIES"

 

...I have seen what you have written about your protection by my humble self, but that is inevitable when a Spiritual Master accepts somebody as disciple. Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita that He takes charge of a surrendered soul; so much so that Lord Krishna protects His devotee from all his sinful activities in the past. Similarly, the Spiritual Master, when He accepts a disciple and the disciple surrenders unto Him, He has got the responsibility of absorbing the sinful reaction of His disciples life. This is a great responsibility of the Spiritual Master. We should therefore be very careful not to overburden our Spiritual Master by further repetition of sinful activities. Of course, one who has entered into Krishna Consciousness cannot act deliberately anything sinful. Still, we should always be on guard against such activities.

 

A devotee sometimes accepts a sinful person as his disciple, and to counteract the sinful reactions he accepts from the disciple, he has to see a bad dream. Nonetheless, the spiritual master is so kind that in spite of having bad dreams due to the sinful disciple, he accepts this troublesome business for the deliverance of the victims of Kali-yuga. After initiation, therefore, a disciple should be extremely careful not to commit again any sinful act that might cause difficulties for himself and the spiritual master. Before the Deity, before the fire, before the spiritual master and before the Vaisnavas, the honest disciple promises to refrain from all sinful activity. Therefore he must not again commit sinful acts and thus create a troublesome situation.

 

...You have asked if it is true that the Spiritual Master remains in the material universe until all of His disciples are transferred to the Spiritual Sky. The answer is yes, this is the rule. Therefore, every student should be very much careful not to commit any offense which will be detrimental to this promotion to the Spiritual Kingdom, and thereby the Spiritual Master has to incarnate again to deliver him. This sort of mentality will be a kind of offense to the Spiritual Master. Out of the ten kinds of offenses, the number one offense is to disobey the orders of the Spiritual Master. The instructions given to the disciple by the Spiritual Master at the time of initiation should be strictly followed. That will make one advance to the spiritual path. But if one deliberately defies such instructions, then his advancement is hampered from the very beginning. This defying means to disconnect the relationship with the Spiritual Master. And anyone who defies and therefore disconnects the relationship with the Spiritual Master can hardly expect the assistance of the Spiritual Master life after life. I hope this will clear up this question sufficiently for you. (Letters from Srila Prabhupada Sept. 19, 1969, SB 8.4.16, July 11, 1969)

 

At every moment I bow down to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, whose lotus feet are my only shelter. He is my ever well wishing friend, spiritual father and master. He is the end-all and be-all of my life and is the exalted spiritual master of the entire world. (Vyasa Puja Book 1978 p. 170)

 

[Guest guest]

LORD CAITANYA PRESENTED THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW TO BE A DISCIPLE

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied to Prakasananda Sarasvati, “My dear sir, kindly hear the reason. My spiritual master considered Me a fool, and therefore he chastised Me. ‘You are a fool,’ he said. ‘You are not qualified to study Vedanta philosophy, and therefore You must always chant the holy name of Krsna. This is the essence of all mantras, or Vedic hymns.'"

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu presented Himself as a fool because prior to accepting the shelter of a spiritual master He could not understand that simply by chanting one can be relieved from all material conditions. But as soon as He became a faithful servant of His spiritual master and followed his instructions, He very easily saw the path of liberation. Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja comments in this connection, “One can become perfectly successful in the mission of his life if he acts exactly according to the words he hears from the mouth of his spiritual master.” This acceptance of the words of the spiritual master is called shrauta-vakya, which indicates that the disciple must carry out the spiritual master’s instructions without deviation. Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura remarks in this connection that a disciple must accept the words of his spiritual master as his life and soul. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu here confirms this by saying that since His spiritual master ordered Him only to chant the holy name of Krsna, He always chanted the Hare Krsna maha-mantra according to this direction. Although Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna, the spiritual master of the entire universe, He nevertheless took the position of a disciple in order to teach by example how a devotee should strictly follow the orders of a spiritual master in executing the duty of always chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.

 

Only fools give up the service of the spiritual master and think themselves advanced in spiritual knowledge. In order to check such fools, Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself presented the perfect example of how to be a disciple. A spiritual master knows very well how to engage each disciple in a particular duty, but if a disciple, thinking himself more advanced than his spiritual master, gives up his orders and acts independently, he checks his own spiritual progress. Every disciple must consider himself completely unaware of the science of Krsna and must always be ready to carry out the orders of the spiritual master to become competent in Krsna consciousness. A disciple should always remain a fool before his spiritual master. Therefore sometimes pseudo spiritualists accept a spiritual master who is not even fit to become a disciple because they want to keep him under their control. This is useless for spiritual realization. (CC Adi-lila 7.71-73)

 

O eternal father, we used to search for some hope somewhere, but alas, we became parched and dry in our search for truth. Finally Lord Krsna supplied your Divine Grace. Now we are chanting Hare Krsna. Thank you, Srila Prabhupada. So kindly and firmly you treated us. Spiritually we were blind. Now by your kindness we are beginning to see that we are vagabonds who ran away to the kingdom of rascaldom. O Prabhupada, that search for hope is now saturated with certainty. By constantly serving you one is freed from all material desires, and is completely pacified. When shall we engage as your permanent eternal servants and always feel joyful to have such a perfect master? (Vysa Puja Book 1978 p. 141-142)

[Guest guest]

A DISCIPLE IS ONE WHO VOLUNTARILY AGREED TO BE DISCIPLINED BY THE SPIRITUAL MASTER

 

Devotee: Srila Prabhupada, this afternoon we were discussing about austerities. If you don’t practice voluntarily austerities, then you must involuntarily practice some austerities.

 

Prabhupada: Yes, under the direction of spiritual master. You have no mind to follow austerities, but when you accept a spiritual master you have to carry out the order. That is austerity. You have surrendered to your spiritual master. His order is final. So even if you don’t like, you have to do it. To please me. Even you don’t like. Nobody likes to fast, but spiritual master says, “Today is fasting,” so what can be done? (laughter) This is austerity. And disciple means who has voluntarily agreed to be disciplined by the spiritual master.

 

A Spiritual Master has the right to chastise his disciple any way He likes. A sisya or a disciple means one who accepts the disciplinary action given by the Spiritual Master. Even although sometimes a Spiritual Master chastises his disciple as a fool or rascal in fatherly affection, it does not mean necessarily that the disciple is a fool or a rascal. You will find even in the statement of Lord Caitanya--He presents Himself as a fool designated by His Spiritual Master, but that does not mean that He was a fool. A sincere disciple feels it pleasurable when his Spiritual Master chastises him with calling him such names as fool and rascal. My Spiritual Master sometimes called me in that way and I remember that day always and feel transcendental pleasure.

 

Devotee: Say, like our parents or many people in the material world, completely addicted to material life. They don’t want to follow any austerities, but still they must. By nature they’re forced to austerities.

 

 

Prabhupada: That is forced austerity; that is not good. Voluntary austerity will help.That is the difference between man and animal. Animal cannot accept austerity. But man can accept austerity. Just like there is nice foodstuff in a confectioner’s shop. So a man wants to eat it, but he sees that he has no money. So he can restrain. But an animal, cow comes, immediately he pushes his mouth in that. You can beat him with stick, he will tolerate, but he will do that. Therefore, an animal cannot undergo austerity. Our austerity is very nice. We chant Hare Krsna, dance, and Krsna sends nice foodstuff, we eat. That’s all. Why your people are not agreeable to such kind of austerities? Chanting, dancing, and eating nicely? We are following austerity, and we are not loser... (Conversation with Srila Prabhupada Feb. 27-29, 1972, Letter Jan. 27,1970)

 

I offer my respectful obeisances to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He is the expert transcendental physician administering the nectar-medicine of the Hare Krsna maha mantra and curing the people of Kali yuga from the disease of material bewilderment. Filled with the tumultuous sound of mrdangas and karatalas, the Sri Krsna Sankirtana festival he carried to the west will continue for many thousands of years. (Vyasa Puja Book 1984 p.3-4)

[Guest guest]

 

 

Srila Prabhupada is a real devotee of God. That's undeniable. However, surrending to him is not a good way of believing to God. The best way? Surrender to God and follow the steps (but i think not all, only the good things of course) of Srila Prabhupada. If you surrender to Srila Prabhupada is not necessarily surrending to God, becasue Srila is only a partial...as in...very far behind the characteristics of God.

 

If you surrender to Prabhupada...then I think it's like having a religion called PRABHUPADIAN...so I would rather stick to my being CHRIST-IAN , since I know Christ is Christ and he is perfect and the SON OF GOD.

 

It has been written, You can't serve two masters. You can't serve God and mammon.

[yasodanandana 0]

your is a mental speculation, surrendering to prabhupada means to follow his teachings.. and prabhupada teachs to surrender to krishna

 

so we will judge how one is faithful to srila prabhupada on how much he is faithful to krsna

 

there's not blind faith or dogmas involved

 

the same regarding jesus christ... we will see if you are surrendered to him from your behaviour, not because you have said it

 

the symptom that you have not surrendered is that you use the word "mammon(=the devil)" about a pure devotee of the lord..... it seems that you do have not the basic requirement of a madyam adhikari.. to recognize who is or who is not a spiritualist

 

i answer to you because there are other people who are reading and could have doubts by your messages...... otherwise your words were simply noise... no meaning, boring and tiresome

[Guest guest]

 

The problem with you people is your literal interpretation especially the Scripturs in the bible. The words of the Lord is not as literal as the politicians around. You can only understand it once you are in the right spirit of God. Once you are bound on material and human worships you will never know the wisdom which is from God.

 

you said: "so we will judge how one is faithful to srila prabhupada on how much he is faithful to krsna".

 

So meaning, Prabhupada is the measure of my judgment in front of God in the final day? Who is he? He is only a servant. I will never bow to the servant also, but only to the the one he serves. But bowing doesn't mean i won't respect him. Yes I am but as a human being like me. Becasue he also posses the radiance of God.

 

Only God knows what's inside the heart of Prabhupada. And what other interests he has whether it is for good or mankind or for other unknown power.

 

I think you only answered me becasue maybe I am one among the treats to your diminishing religion?

[yasodanandana 0]

you have no interest in discussing spiritual subjects, you want only to lose time, the meaning of what i have said is clear even if expressed in the worst possible english

 

ciao

[theist 1]

yashodanandana is exactly right. You are a troublemaker only. To equate the word mammon with Srila Prabhupada is an offense. And since there is oneness between God and ALL His devotees, when you offend one of them you offend them all.

 

If you keep your mind fixed on worshiping Jesus and God you will eventually reach the supreme destination. But if along the way your mind wanders onto offending great devotees along the way you will never establish a real relationship with Christ and the Father. They will spit you back into the quagmire of mundane religion (or worse). From there you will feel pious, holy and smug in the illusion of having found God when in reality all you will have found is another costume to wear as you continue acting out on the stage of illusion.

 

Best to drop the act now why you still have time.

 

Chant the name of God and be happy.

[Guest guest]

 

 

"Follow the instruction. Wherever you remain, it doesn't matter. You are secure. Follow the instruction. Then you are secure anywhere. It doesn't matter. Just like I told you that I saw my guru maharaja not more than ten days in my life, but I followed his instruction. I was a grhastha, I never lived with the Matha, in the temple. It is practical. So many Godbrothers recommended that "He should be in charge in this Bombay temple, this, that, that..." Guru Maharaja said, "Yes, better he lives outside. That is good, and he will do what is needed in due course of time."

 

 

(Srila Prabhupada morning walk, 75/02/03, Hawaii)

[theist 1]

for bringing this thread back to its original intent.

 

Srila Prabhupada would use the example of the guru asking for water and the disciple thinking to himself "I will bring milk instead because it is nicer" as the way NOT to serve the guru.

 

The disciple is right there in the room with the guru and apparently rendering service. But this service is not pleasing because he neglected the instructions of the guru who asked for water.

 

Even if in the same room the instructions remain the essential thing.

[Govindaram 1]

Hare Krishna

 

Guest:

I think you only answered me because maybe I am one among the treats to your diminishing religion?

 

You are joking right! /images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

Krishna Bhakti is spreading all over the world!

 

I think you must be living in a cave. /images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

 

 

[yasodanandana 0]

he has clearly disclosed his purpose

 

i am only sorry that many hindu fanatic take from this people the justification to make their krsna vs jesus war

 

and this takes everyone away from krishna consciousness,

 

religious wars are the most effective system that maya uses to spread kaliyuga

[Govindaram 1]

Hare Krishna

 

Many people's preaching method involves,

 

My God is better than your's etc blah blah blah..

 

Fanatics are the worse kind of people, becasue all they do is disrespect, they are what you call extreme neophytes,

 

this is my opinion, if you read Srila Prabhupada lectures, then you will hear him say only good things about Jesus Christ and Mohammed.

 

Everyone has a choice about their particular faith, the Lord directs you to your particular type of mode of worship towards the Supreme etc..

 

[Guest guest]

Crooked Disciples

 

By Sri Srimad Gour Govinda Swami

 

 

Once a guru went to the house of one of his disciples. The disciple prepared nice food, and after the guru had eaten, the disciple wanted to show his guru-bhakti. In Ayurveda the haritaki fruit is recommended for good digestion, so the disciple came with haritaki for his guru. The guru said, "All right. Remove the unnecessary things and give me the necessary part."

 

That disciple was a speculator, a crooked person. He thought, "Oh, the outer portion of the haritaki is unnecessary and the inner portion is necessary." So he threw away the outer skin and gave the inner portion, the hard seed, to the guru. But with haritaki the outer skin is necessary and the inner portion is thrown away. That disciple did the opposite because he was a speculator— bharavahi, saragrahi nahin— he always accepted the unnecessary things that are not the essence.

 

His guru could not enjoy the haritaki. "You are such a unintelligent fellow," he said. "Don't you know? The inner portion, the hard nut of haritaki, is unnecessary. The outer portion, the skin, is necessary."

 

Incurable

 

The next day, after the guru had eaten, that so-called disciple brought some cardamom. Remembering the previous day's event, he thought, "Oh, the guru has taught that this inner portion is unnecessary and this outer portion is necessary." So he threw away the inner portion of the cardamom and offered the outer skin to the guru. But with cardamom, the seed is necessary and the skin is useless. That means that those who are kapati, crooked persons, only speculate. They will not accept anything as it is.

 

Therefore the mahajanas have said that one who is very serious and eager to achieve perfection in his human birth, that is krsna-bhakti, should cultivate simplicity. Simplicity is Vaishnavism. Those who are real vaisnavas are simple by nature. Kapatya, crookedness, is a great hindrance on this path of perfection. It is a sort of disease. And because a crooked person becomes envious towards the doctor who has come to cure him, his disease is incurable.

 

In Bhakti-Sandarbha, Jiva Goswami has said that there are many such persons who pretend to be devoted, but inside their heart there is great crookedness. Outwardly they pay dandavats, falling down like a rod from a great distance, as if they are very humble. Yet they criticize sadhu, acarya, and gurus. They may even offer worship, but actually they have no respect at all. They are very keen to find out the faults of the sadhu.

 

Such persons take to karma, jnana, yoga, tapasya, tyaga, and niti— fruitive activities, speculative knowledge, penance, renunciation, and morality. Externally they practice these things and pose as if they are of very high moral character, but actually their hearts are very hard.

 

Unreal Shelter

 

Those persons who leave the bona fide guru and go elsewhere due to crookedness cannot be delivered. In Skanda Purana it is said, bhumau skhalita-padanam, bhumir evavalambanam — "If your feet slip up from the ground, only that same ground can give you shelter." Similarly, if you have slipped up from the lotus feet of a bona fide guru, only that guru can give you shelter. A crooked person who pretends to be a humble follower of the guru will leave that guru and go somewhere else to take shelter. But he should understand that no one can give him shelter. It may seem that someone may give him shelter, but that is not real shelter at all because he cannot make any advancement there.

 

Rather, for his offense he will definitely fall down and go to hell. If he does not come back to his guru and beg to be excused, his offense cannot be destroyed or counteracted. If he is really an intelligent, simple-hearted person, he will understand this and come back. Unless he comes back, he must be entrapped by this crookedness. In this way, Jiva Goswami has discussed kapatya in his Bhakti-Sandarbha, and how it is a great stumbling block on the path of devotional service.

 

Stool of a Hog

 

Sastra, sadhus, and mahajanas have all warned us about kapatya. But still you will find this crookedness going on in the Vaisnava community. Why is it that people do not become simple? It is because they are running after name, fame, and prestige. Our Vaisnava acaryas have said, vaisnava pratistha, sukarera vistha, such fame is the stool of a hog. A real Vaisnava will never run after it. But all are running after this by cultivating crookedness. "How can I get labha, puja and pratistha? How can I get worship from others and occupy a superior position?" Those who think in this way cannot understand that an incurable disease has infected them. They have given up kanaka and kamini, wealth and women, but they have not given up this pratistha, the desire for worldly reputation.

[Guest guest]

A qualified guru and disciple are hard to find.

 

Guru-Tattva Jewel

 

from Gaudiya Kantha-hara

 

1. 13

sravanayapi bahubhir yo na labhyam

srnvanto 'pi bahavo na vidyum

ascaryo 'sya vakta kusalo 'sya labhda

ascaryo jnata kusalanusistam

 

Many cannot even hear about the soul, and even after hearing about the soul, many cannot understand it;

this is because it is hard to find a guru

who is a genuine seer of the truth.

Such a qualified guru is a great soul and is very rare.

At the same time, realization of the truth

can be had only by those disciples who carefully follow the qualified guru's teachings and become expert in the science of God.

Such disciples are also very rare.

Thus it is that only a few ever come to know the soul in truth.

 

(Katha Upanisad 1.2.7.)

 

[Guest guest]

KRISHNA ONLY WANTS OUR LOVE

 

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta

Swami Prabhupada

 

A devotee’s business is to appreciate the value

of other devotees and not criticize anyone,

because everyone is engaged in the

service of the Lord according to

one’s capacity. Krishna wants to

see how much one is sincere in

rendering Him service. Materially

we may think that one service is

greater than another, but that is

our material vision. On the spiritual platform,

Krishna sees no difference between the service

rendered Him by a calf and the service rendered

by Radharani and Her associates. Krishna is so

kind and liberal that He accepts everyone’s

service when it is offered sincerely. In the

Bhagavad-gita it is stated that He accepts even a

little flower, fruit, or water offered to Him in love

and devotion. He only wants our love and

devotion, otherwise, since he is the proprietor of

everything, what can we give Him? We should

always maintain this position of subordination

and give respect to our pure devotees who are

engaged in devotional service. That will help our

progressive march in the devotional line.

 

— Letter to Tamala Krishna Goswami,

19 August, 1968.

 

[Guest guest]

Here is what Srila Prabhupada says regarding the qualification to become guru. Who follows the jagad-guru, he becomes guru. Who manufactures his own teachings, he is a pretender:

 

 

quote:

--

Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, amara ajnaya guru hana, "You become a spiritual master under My order." So if you carry out the order of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krsna, then you become guru. Amara ajnaya guru hana. Unfortunately, we do not wish to carry out order of the acaryas. We manufacture our own ways. We have got practical experience how a great institution [Gaudiya Matha] was lost by whimsical ways. Without carrying out the order of the spiritual master, they manufactured something and the whole thing was lost.

 

Caitanya Mahaprabhu has advised: amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa (Cc. Madhya 7.128). Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed people to learn from Him and then go teach people within their own villages. One may think, "I am illiterate and have no education. I was not born in a very high family. How can I become a guru?" Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that it is not very difficult. Yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa: "Simply speak whatever Krsna speaks. Then you become a guru." Whoever speaks what Krsna has not spoken is not a guru but a rascal. A guru only speaks what Krsna has spoken. This is the sastric injunction.

 

 

Yare dekha tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa. Then you become guru. You simply repeat what Krsna has said in the Bhagavad-gita, you become guru. To become guru is not... But if you want to be a bluffer, cheater, then you can talk all nonsense. But if you actually talk only Krsna's words, then you become a guru. It's not very difficult.

 

 

Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya guru hana: "You just become guru on My order." You cannot become guru automatically without following the order of jagad-guru. The government servant... Who is government servant? Who is strictly following the government order, that is government servant. Anyone can say, "I am government servant." No. How you can be? Similarly, guru means who is following the principles given by the jagad-guru.

 

[Guest guest]

FLAME, NOT SMOKE

 

His Divine Grace

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 

If you still cannot understand what is my

instruction, then how can I help you? In our

movement the beginning of spiritual life is to

surrender. If there is no surrender, then there

is no advancement. Krishna says, “sarvadharman

parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja

— Abandon all varieties of religion and just

surrender unto Me.” [bg. 18.66]. This is the

beginning. If surrender is lacking

then there is no beginning even,

what to speak of advancement.

 

na sa siddhim avapnoti na sukham na param gatim

— Such a

person attains neither

perfection, nor happiness, nor the

supreme destination. This is the beginning of

spiritual life. The word is disciple. Disciple

means one who accepts discipline. If there is

no discipline, how is one a disciple? That

discipline is continued by disciplic succession.

That is perfect. As soon as the disciplic

succession is missing, then everything is lost.

 

evam parampara praptam imam rajarsayo vidu

 

sa kaleneha mahata yogo nasta

parantapa

 

This supreme science was thus received through

the chain of disciplic succession and the saintly

kings understood it in that way. But in course of

time the succession was broken, and therefore

the science as it is appears to be lost. [bg. 4.2]

The word na is used.

 

As soon as the

discipline is broken, then everything is lost.

You can dance like a dog but that will not

have any affect. No one can dance

enthusiastically unless there is spiritual

strength. Last night Madhudvisha Maharaja

was singing, and so many men became

enthused to dance. So unless there is spiritual

strength, it cannot be done. Unless there is

spiritual strength, you cannot enthuse others.

We should acquire spiritual strength by

following the regulative principles.

Sanatan

Goswami has therefore forbidden us to hear

from non-devotees.

 

avaisnava-mukhodgirnam

putam-hari-kathamrtam naiva

kartavyam

— One should not hear from

those who are not following vaisnava

principles.”

One may say, “Why? It’s krsna katha ,Krishna’s words?” sarpocchi a-payo

yatha

— Milk is very good, but as soon as it

is touched by a serpent it is no longer good.

It is harmful. Unless the speaker is a vai ava,

there is injunction, “Don’t hear from him. It

will be poisonous.” One who is not following

the vaisnava principles cannot speak about

vaisnava principles. It is harmful. That is

forbidden by our acaryas like Sanatan

Goswami. If someone says,

“What is the

harm? He is chanting Hare Krishna...” He

Issue Forty-nine nine, , Page — 2

cannot chant. That is show-bottle chanting.

It is not effective. One may say that, “Let

me hear anyone who is chanting.” No.

Sanatan Goswami says, “Don’t hear.” It will

be harmful. If they are not following the

vai ava principles then hearing them will

not be effective.

As far as gathering men, if you do not

gather intelligent men, then what is the use?

 

 

— “If there is one moon, that is sufficient.

What is the use of millions of stars?”

(Chanakya Pandit) If one is a perfect

vai ava, that is sufficient. Still, we

recommend, “Go on chanting.” This will help

you anywhere. It is also good.

If you want to ignite wood and the wood is

dry, then the fire takes place immediately, but

if it is moist, only smoke will come. Smoke is

not what we want. We want a blazing fire. If

only smoke comes from the wood you cannot

take any use of it. It is not useful. It is only

good for troubling your eyes. Smoke also

means fire, but you require a blazing fire, not

a smoky fire. A blazing fire immediately takes

place if the wood is dry. Otherwise, you will

go on enjoying smoke. One may say, “Be

satisfied. Where there is smoke there is fire.”

But it will not be useful. Gradually the wood

will dry, but it takes a long time. You require

flame. But that flame cannot be produced if

the wood is wet. Wet means materially

contaminated. Pure devotional service is the

flame and all other things are smoke. You

must get the flame. Otherwise, your business

will not get done. When there is smoke we

naturally fan, “Phat, phat, phat.” Then as

soon as the flame comes, there is no smoke.

So fan it. Let the flame come. Then everything

will be all right. Otherwise be satisfied with

only smoke. You may cook with smoke for

three hundred years.

One big man approached a yogi. People are

very inquisitive to see some yogic magic, so

the rich man asked the yogi, “What you have

learned about yogic perfection?”

The yogi replied, “In the severe winter

season I can dip myself in the water up to

this and practice yoga.”

“How long can you remain?

“I can remain the whole night.”

“All right, if you can remain within severe

cold water overnight then I shall give you

such and such presentation.”

So the yogi agreed, and did it. Then in the

morning, when the man came, he said, “Oh,

you are successful?”

Either he had no money or he did not

want to give it. So he asked his advisor,

“What shall I do?”

“No, no sir, you cannot give money.”

“Why?” “There was some heat.”

“How was there heat?”

In India during the month of Karttika

month they burn some lamp

on top of the roof. On the roof there is some

bamboo, and on top of the bamboo there

was a lamp. His advisor said, “You could

see the lamp there, and you took heat from

it.” That lamp was three miles away, but

still he said, “Yes, there was heat. Therefore

he could tolerate.”

The yogi appealed to another servant of that

big man, “I took so much trouble and he did

not pay me anything.”

The servant replied, “Don’t worry. I shall

see that you are paid.” Shortly after that there

was some urgent business and the rich man

told that servant, “Tomorrow I am going. You

must come with me.” He planned to leave at

ten o’clock. At nine o’clock the rich man sent

a messenger to the servant, “Are you ready?”

“No, I am cooking. As soon as I finish my

cooking and take my meal then we shall go.”

After some time the rich man became

angry and, going there, he inquired, “So

what are you doing?”

“I am cooking.”

“Where you are cooking?”

That servant had made a device out of three

bamboos, on the top there was a pot of rice,

and the fire was far below on the ground.

The rich man said, “What kind of cooking is

this?”

The servant said, “No, there is heat. It is

going on.”

“How can you cook like this. It is nonsense.”

“No, if the temperature from a lamp on a

roof could protect that man, then why won’t

it work for cooking?”

Then the rich man could understand, and

the yogi was paid. So this kind of cooking, a

pot three miles above a little fire will not

act. There must be proper adjustment of

cooking. Then you can cook food and eat.

Cooking is a useless attempt with only a

little smoke or a little fire three miles away

from the cooking pot. One must be serious

to cook. There is method how to do it. If

you don’t adopt that method and if you

cook in your whimsical way, then you will

never be able to eat. If you say, “I shall cook

in my own way,” and if you adopt that

process, will it help?

Na siddhim sa avapnoti

na sukham na param gatim.

 

— Room Conversation 1 July 1974, Melbourne.

 

[Guest guest]

"MY DESIRE IS AN OPEN SECRET"

 

 

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated February 25, 1969, and I thank you very much for it. You have written to say that you are my disobedient son, but I think I am your disturbing father. I am putting more and more burden upon you but you are so tolerant that you have no hesitation to accept my demands even although sometimes they are unreasonable. So practically you are acting as my father. In my childhood I was very naughty boy, and I used to catch my father in so many ways demanding unreasonable things, and my father used to satisfy me. So although I lost my father in 1930, about 40 years ago, by Krishna's Grace I have got so many American young fathers. But the same nature continues, and I am demanding from my fathers the same thing which may be a little burdensome. But I am sure Krishna will be very much pleased if you will kindly tolerate some unreasonable demands from me...

 

My desire is an open secret. I simply want all over the Western countries people may take this simple formula of chanting, dancing and eating Krishna Prasadam, and being happy. I am simply surprised that they should not accept this simple formula and be happy themselves. My only desire is that all people become happy and prosperous in Krishna Consciousness. My predecessors, Vaisnavas, they were so generous that they felt very much afflicted for the suffering of the human society. Sri Rupa Goswami tried to elevate them to real path of happiness by introducing this "Govinda Ganamrta," the Nectarine of the Songs of Govinda. That will make them happy...

 

As you always desire to help me in my missionary ambition, so also I am praying always to Krishna that the boys and girls who have stretched their helping hand in this country in this connection may always be in good health and continue to assist me in my missionary activities. I am so glad to learn that you are prepared to work even harder, as a forward soldier, to fight the Maya. May Krishna give you more and more strength... (Letters from Srila Prabhupada Feb. 27, 1969, Sept. 19,1969, Mar. 18,1969)

 

As the vast mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu conquers all directions, a flood of transcendental ecstasy will certainly cover the land. When all the sinful, miserable living entities become happy, the Vaisnavas' desire is then fulfilled. Although my Guru Maharaja ordered me to accomplish this mission, I am not worthy or fit to do it. I am very fallen and insignificant. Therefore, O Lord, now I am begging for Your mercy so that I may become worthy, for You are the wisest and most experienced of all.

(Srila Prabhupada's prayer)

 

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

 

[Guest guest]

72-02-20 Letter: Satadhanya

So far personal association with the Guru is concerned, I was only with my Guru Maharaja four or five times, but I have never left his association, not even for a moment. Because I am following his instructions, I have never felt any separation. There are some of my Godbrothers here in India who had constant personal association with Guru Maharaja, but who are neglecting his orders. This is just like the bug who is sitting on the lap of the king. He may be very puffed-up by his position, but all he can succeed in doing is biting the king. Personal association is not so important as association through service.

[Pankaja_Dasa 1]

 

 

I can't believe how stupid I used to be.

 

For anyone wondering Govindaram was my previous incarnation!