Beginning of Vaisnava life is to accept spiritual master because who will teach you?

[krsna]

YOU MUST BECOME SERVANT OF THE SERVANT OF KRSNA

A Vaisnava does not approach Krsna directly. This is impudence. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us, "I identify Myself only as the servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of Lord Sri Krsna, the maintainer of the gopis." As you have to receive the perfect knowledge by the parampara system, similarly, you have to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the parampara system.

 

Sanatana Goswami has forbidden us strictly: “Don’t hear from the professional men who are not situated in the Vaisnava behavior.” And Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura has warned us not to mix it with a Vaisnava who is not well behaved.” You can offer him respect. A Vaisnava offers respect even to the ant. That is another thing. But unless one is situated as a pure Vaisnava in his dealings, in his behavior, inside and outside, he should not become a preacher because it will not be effective, neither one should hear from such person. Those who are preaching must be very sincere, they should read the literatures like Upadesamrta, The Nectar of Instruction. Don’t be a cheap preacher, a cheap guru. No, no. That is not good.

The beginning of Vaisnava life is to accept a spiritual master, because who will teach you? We have to approach a pure Vaisnava spiritual master and follow his instruction. And what is his instruction? His instruction is as he was instructed by his spiritual master, he does not invent anything new. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, “Every one of you become guru. Remain wherever you are, but you become a guru." “How can I become a guru?” “Very simple thing. You instruct only what is instructed by Krsna. That’s all.” Don’t invent. Don’t become overintelligent. Remain a poor fool. One should remain always a fool before his Guru. That is progress. If he thinks, “I know more than my Guru Maharaja,” then he’s fallen. Then he is finished. Prahlada Maharaja does not say, “My Lord, Nrsimhadeva, I am now so competent. Give me Your service directly.” No. “First of all give me the opportunity to serve Your servant.” This is Vaisnavism. So why it is required to serve a Vaisnava? If you want to get relief from this conditional life, then you have to serve the pure Vaisnavas. There is no alternative.

Now our desires are there according to my designated position. “I am Hindu,” “I am Muslim." “I am Christian.” “Oh, this Krsna is a Hindu God. Why shall I take to Krsna consciousness?” You have to purify this false understanding and understand that I am the servant of the servant of the servant of Krsna. Then you’ll not desire anything except Krsna's service. When you desire nothing but to serve Krsna twenty-four hours a day, then you are liberated. This is possible when you are trained up by the servant of Krsna.

 

(Class by Srila Prabhupada Mar. 6,1976)

[krsna]

"Don’t be a cheap preacher, a cheap guru. No, no. That is not good."

 

**************************

Yes, don't be allured by the prospect of the cheap trinkets of name,fame,distinction and adoration. Don't bite at Maya's bait.

[krsna]

Prabhupada: If you publish it in Back to Godhead, then by portion, three or four pages. When the articles will be sorted, first Guru Maharaja Bhaktisiddhanta’s, then mine. If you write something from Bhaktivinoda Thakura, that should be first. We offer our respect first to our own spiritual master, then his spiritual master, then his spiritual master. But when putting articles, it should be the opposite. First Bhaktivinoda, then Bhaktisiddhanta, then me, then my disciples, like that.

 

Devotee: Why don’t you write some purports to Brahma-samhita? Some of us have difficulty understanding Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati.

 

Prabhupada: Yes. If I get time... My time is very limited. So even there is difficulty, let them read over and over and again. Then they will understand. Why should we change it? Let it be presented as Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati has given. Then don’t give more than one or two pages at a time. Their brain will be puzzled. (laughter) Yes. When Guru Maharaja was speaking, at least my brain was puzzled. (laughter) Even he would speak in Bengali, it was very difficult to understand. He was speaking from a very, very high platform. But I wanted to hear him. That’s all. Even I did not understand it. That he appreciated, (laughs) that “This boy does not go away. He hears.” Actually that was my position. In the beginning I could not understand what he was speaking, but I wanted to hear him. That’s all. I was very much anxious to hear him. That he marked. And he was kindly pleased on me, that “He wants to hear. He does not go away.” That was my policy, that “let me hear. Even I do not understand, let me hear.” That’s all. Yes. Actually I did not understand in the beginning what he was speaking. So Bhaktisiddhanta's writing is not very easy to understand. But we should try, read and read again, and simply that vibration will help us. That’s all. It is transcendental vibration, not that everyone will understand. But if you simply give aural reception to the vibration, that will make him advanced, not exactly that anyone has to understand it. Just like a man is sleeping and somebody is calling him. In his sleeping condition he does not understand. By calling, calling, calling, he gets up because that vibration is there. Not that in his sleeping condition he is understanding what is this sound. So similarly, we should give reception to the transcendental vibrations made by Krsna and His bona fide representatives. That will make us awakened. Not that we understand everything.

 

I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose glory ever triumphantly dominates the mundane world by the activity of His own pastimes, being reflected in the mind of recollecting souls as the transcendental entity of ever-blissful cognitive rasa.

 

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare,

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

 

[krsna]

When Guru Maharaja was speaking, at least my brain was puzzled. (laughter) Even he would speak in Bengali, it was very difficult to understand. He was speaking from a very, very high platform. But I wanted to hear him. That’s all. Even I did not understand it. That he appreciated, (laughs) that “This boy does not go away. He hears.” Actually that was my position. In the beginning I could not understand what he was speaking, but I wanted to hear him. That’s all. I was very much anxious to hear him. That he marked. And he was kindly pleased on me, that “He wants to hear. He does not go away.” That was my policy, that “let me hear. Even I do not understand, let me hear.” That’s all. Yes. Actually I did not understand in the beginning what he was speaking.