Spiritual Master / Guru

Published on December 1st, 2024 | by HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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Prabhupada on his Disciples Becoming Gurus

It is not that you have become a student and you’ll remain student. No. One day you shall become also guru and make more students, more students, more. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission, not that perpetually… Yes, one should remain perpetually a student, but he has to act as guru. That is the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

76-09-01.Jag Letter: Jagajivana
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 27, 1976 and have noted the contents with care. I am very pleased that you have taken up this mission of spreading the Krsna consciousness movement all over the world. This is the wish of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu that, yare dakho tare kaho krsna upadesa, everyone you see or meet, tell him about krsna; amara ajnaya guru haya tara ei desa, and by My command you become a guru and save this land. This was also the mission of my guru maharaj and it is my mission. You will perfect your life if you make it also your mission.

770415rc.bom Conversations
Prabhupada: “Like father, like son.” You should be. Gaurangera bhakta…, jane. Everyone. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, amara ajnaya guru hana tara’ ei desa. He asked everyone, “Just become guru.” Follow His instruction. You become guru. Amara ajnaya. Don’t manufacture ideas. Amara ajnaya. “What I say, you do. You become a guru.” Where is the difficulty? “And what is Your ajna?” Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa. Bas. Everything is there in the Bhagavad- gita. You simply repeat. That’s all. You become guru. To become a guru is not difficult job. Follow Caitanya Mahaprabhu and speak what Krsna has said. Bas. You become guru.

68-12-03.Ham Letter: Hamsaduta
Next January there will be an examination on this Bhagavad-gita. Papers will be sent by me to all centers, and those securing the minimum passing grade will be given the title as Bhakti-sastri. Similarly, another examination will be held on Lord Caitanya’s Appearance Day in February, 1970 and it will be upon Srimad- Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. Those passing will get the title of Bhakti-vaibhava. Another examination will be held sometimes in 1971 on the four books, Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and Nectar of Devotion. One who will pass this examination will be awarded with the title of Bhaktivedanta. I want that all of my spiritual sons and daughters will inherit this title of Bhaktivedanta, so that the family transcendental diploma will continue through the generations. Those possessing the title of Bhaktivedanta will be allowed to initiate disciples. Maybe by 1975, all of my disciples will be allowed to initiate and increase the numbers of the generations. That is my program. So we should not simply publish these books for reading by outsiders, but our students must be well versed in all of our books so that we can be prepared to defeat all opposing parties in the matter of self- realization.

750715AR.SF Lectures
So sometimes people give me very much credit that I have done wonderful throughout the whole world. But I do not know that I am wonderful man. But I know one thing, that I am speaking what Krsna has spoken. That’s all. I am not making any addition, alteration. Therefore I am presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is. This credit I can take, that I don’t making any nonsense addition or alteration. And I see practically it has become successful. I have not bribed so many Europeans and Americans. I am poor Indian. I came to America with forty rupees with me, and now I possess forty crores. So there is no magic. So this is the secret, that if you want to become guru honestly… If you want to cheat, that is another thing. There are so many cheaters. People also want to be cheated. As soon as we say that “If you want to become my disciple, you will have to give up four things: no illicit sex, no intoxication up to drinking tea and smoking cigarette, no meat-eating and no gambling,” and they criticize me, “Swamiji is very conservative.” And if I say that “You can do all nonsense, whatever you like. You simply take this mantra and give me $125,” they will like. Because in America, $125 is nothing. Any man can pay immediately. So I would have collected millions of dollars if I would have cheated like that. But I do not want that. I want one student who follows my instruction. I don’t want millions. Ekas candras tamo hanti na ca tara-sahasrasah. If there is one moon in the sky, that is sufficient for illumination. There is no need of millions of stars. So my position is that I want to see that at least one disciple has become pure devotee. Of course, I have got many sincere and pure devotees. That is my good luck. But I would have been satisfied if I could find out one only. There is no need of so-called millions of stars.

761210DB.HYD Lectures
So this knowledge means to understand the original source. That is philosophy, find out the original source. That is knowledge. So the vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo. Actually the knowledge terminates when you understand Krsna. He is the source of everything. So there is a “struggle for existence, a human race, the only hope, His Divine Grace.” So we got this information from His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and that knowledge is still going on. You are receiving through his servant. And in future the same knowledge will go to your students. This is called parampara system. Evam parampara prap… It is not that you have become a student and you’ll remain student. No. One day you shall become also guru and make more students, more students, more. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission, not that perpetually… Yes, one should remain perpetually a student, but he has to act as guru. That is the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is not that because I am acting as guru, I am no longer student. No, I am still student. Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught us this instruction that we shall always remain a foolish student before our Guru Maharaja. That is the Vedic culture. I may be very big man, but still, I should remain a foolish student to my guru. That is the qualification. Guru more murkha dekhi’ karila sasana. We should be always prepared to be controlled by the guru. That is very good qualification. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah. Ara na kariha mane asa. So we should become always a very obedient student to our guru. That is the qualification. That is the spiritual qualification.

750302BA.ATL Lectures
So you are hearing this philosophy daily. Try to understand more and more. We have got so many books. And this is the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and, by disciplic succession, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, then my spiritual master. Then we are trying our level best. Similarly, you will also try your level best on the same principle. Then it will go on. Same principle. It doesn’t matter whether one is born in India or outside India. No. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, prthivite ache yata nagaradi-grama, “As many towns and cities and villages are there,” He did not say it to make a farce. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So sometimes I am very much criticized that I am making foreigners a brahmana. The caste brahmanas in India, they are very much against me. But this is not fact. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that all over the world His message will be broadcast, does it mean that it will be simply a cinema show? No. He wanted that everyone should become perfect Vaisnava. That is His purpose. It is not to make a farce, some lecturing and…, or some mutual praising society. No. It is Krishna Society. Everyone who will join this Krishna Society movement, he is more than a brahmana. Brahmana, what is brahmana? Brahmana is also material. A devotee is more than brahmana. The brahminical culture is included already. Brahma janatiti brahmanah: “Brahmana means one who knows the Absolute Truth, Brahman.” He is brahmana. But that is not very fixed up. Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate. Brahman is impersonal effulgence, and then further progress, realization of the localized aspect, Paramatma, Antaryami, and finally, understanding the Supreme Person, Krsna, Supreme Person, that is the final understanding.

720518AR.LA Lectures
So we have got this message from Krsna, from Caitanya Mahaprabhu, from the six Gosvamis, later on, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Bhaktisiddhanta Thakura. And we are trying our bit also to distribute this knowledge. Now, tenth, eleventh, twelfth… My Guru Maharaja is tenth from Caitanya Mahaprabhu, I am eleventh, you are the twelfth. So distribute this knowledge. People are suffering. They are simply fighting on some false thing, maya. They should be given the real fact of happiness. We have spoiled our life, many lives, coming through the evolutionary process of 8,400,000 species of life. Here is an opportunity, human form of life, and here is the message of Lord Caitanya, Krsna. Human form of life can understand, and especially in America you can understand. You have got better intelligence, better facility. We are not sentimental, simply chanting and dancing. We have got more than two thousand volumes of books. If you want to learn it through science, philosophy, it is also there. Otherwise, the simple method–simply chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama, Rama, Hare Hare, and you’ll realize the whole thing. The child can take part, the philosopher can take part, the scientist can take part, the politician can take part, the religionist can take part, the public can take part. It is so universal. And it is open; there is no secrecy. It is not that “I shall give you some secret mantra, and give me some money, I go away.” It is open.

721024ND.VRN Lectures
When Caitanya Mahaprabhu ordered that prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama, so that means He wanted that all over the world, in every town, in every village, His mission should be propagated. And what is His mission? His mission is: yei krsna-tattva-vetta sei guru haya. That is His mission, So it is not that in western countries one cannot become Vaisnava, one cannot become guru. This is not. This, such sort of remark is not tolerable from sastric point of view. It is completely, strictly to the sastric point of view. And it is a glory for us that people in other countries, outside India, they’re accepting this cult of Krsna consciousness. But crippled people, they unnecessarily criticize this method. But we don’t care for them.

710718RC.DET Conversations
Prabhupada: Yes. All of them will take over. These students, who are initiated from me, all of them will act as I am doing. Just like I have got many Godbrothers, they are all acting. Similarly, all these disciples which I am making, initiating, they are being trained to become future spiritual masters.

680706SB.MON Lectures
That is the order. In this old age I have come to your country. Why? Because we are trying to follow the footprints of Lord Caitanya; therefore we have come. Otherwise, in old age who goes out of home? Nobody goes. And anyway, it is our duty to present. What is that presentation? The presentation is yare dekha tare kaha ‘krsna’- upadesa, very simple thing. You haven’t got to manufacture anything. Just like there are many swamis, they come from India, but they manufacture something. But we have no power to manufacture. We simply present what is ordered by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He has ordered, yare dekha tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa: “Whomever you meet, you simply present the instruction of Krsna.” And this instruction of Krsna is Bhagavad-gita. And what is that Bhagavad-gita? Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. Just be surrendered to Krsna; be Krsna conscious. This is… So everything is there. We haven’t got to manufacture anything. And simply by strictly following the orders of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu everyone can become the spiritual master. Spiritual master means who is strictly following the orders of his superior. He is spiritual master. Spiritual master does not mean that he has got four hands or eight legs or three heads. No. One who is strictly following the orders of his predecessor, he is spiritual master. Just like Arjuna was told by Krsna that “This system, parampara system, disciplic succession of spiritual masters, is now lost.” Sa kalena yogo nastah: “That yoga, that system of yoga is now lost. Therefore I am making you again My disciple.”

730128ND.CAL Lectures
…It is a science. It is not sentiment. Sentiment: I close my eyes and shed some tears, and then I go for smoking cigarette. That sentiment will not help us. It is a science. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu said: yei krsna-tattva-vetta sei guru haya. Yei krsna- tattva-vetta. One who knows the science of Krsna, he can become guru. Prthivim sa sisyat. He can make disciples all over the world. Prthivim sa sisyat.

660729BG.NY Lectures
If I want to enter into the kingdom of God, or Krsna, if we want to be Krsna consciousness, there is no impediment. There is no impediment. Ahaituky apratihata. In the Bhagavata says that if one wants to cultivate the Krsna consciousness, it is without any cause and without any impediment. Because it is transcendental subject matter, it does not depend on any material condition, on any material condition. There is no consideration of material impediment. So it is open for everyone. Catur-varnyam maya srstam. That is a chance given, that you can become a brahmana, you can become a great devotee of Lord Krsna, and you can become the spiritual master of the world. That is the… And I think you should take seriously.

SB 2.9.43 P Answers by Citing the Lord’ s Version
“Only unto one who has unflinching devotion to the Lord and to the spiritual master does transcendental knowledge become automatically revealed.” Such relationship between the disciple and the spiritual master is eternal. One who is now the disciple is the next spiritual master. And one cannot be a bona fide and authorized spiritual master unless one has been strictly obedient to his spiritual master…

750406CC.MAY Lectures
And to become acarya is not very difficult. First of all, to become very faithful servant of your acarya, follow strictly what he says. Try to please him and spread Krsna consciousness. That’s all. It is not at all difficult. Try to follow the instruction of your Guru Maharaja and spread Krsna consciousness. That is the order of Lord Caitanya.

amara ajnaya guru hana tara’ ei desa
yare dekha tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa

“By following My order, you become guru.” And if we strictly follow the acarya system and try our best to spread the instruction of Krsna… Yare dekha tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa. There are two kinds of krsna-upadesa. Upadesa means instruction. Instruction given by Krsna, that is also ‘krsna’-upadesa, and instruction received about Krsna, that is also ‘krsna’-upadesa. Krsnasya upadesa iti krsna upadesa. Samasa, sasti-tat-purusa-samasa. And Krsna visaya upadesa, that is also Krsna upadesa. Bahu-vrihi-samasa. This is the way of analyzing Sanskrit grammar. So Krsna’s upadesa is Bhagavad-gita. He’s directly giving instruction. So one who is spreading Krsna- upadesa, simply repeat what is said by Krsna, then you become acarya. Not difficult at all. Everything is stated there. We have to simply repeat like parrot. Not exactly parrot. Parrot does not understand the meaning; he simply vibrates. But you should understand the meaning also; otherwise how you can explain? So, so we want to spread Krsna consciousness. Simply prepare yourself how to repeat Krsna’s instructions very nicely, without any malinterpretation. Then, in future… Suppose you have got now ten thousand. We shall expand to hundred thousand. That is required. Then hundred thousand to million, and million to ten million.

Devotees: Jaya!

Prabhupada: So there will be no scarcity of acarya, and people will understand Krsna consciousness very easily. So make that organization. Don’t be falsely puffed up. Follow the acarya’s instruction and try to make yourself perfect, mature. Then it will be very easy to fight out maya. Yes. Acaryas, they declare war against maya’s activities, that maya instructing that “Here is wine. Here is cigarette. Here is that…” In your country these advertisements are very prominent, holding both ways, wine advertisement, cigarette advertisement, naked woman advertisements, and sometimes gambling also, advertisement. What is that? Congo?

Devotees: Bingo.

Prabhupada: Bingo. (laughter) Yes. So this is maya. And our declaration of war with maya–no intoxication, no meat-eating, no bingo–(laughter) these are our declaration of war. So we have to fight in that way because nobody can understand Krsna without being free from all sinful activities. These are sinful activities. Therefore it is acarya’s business to stop these nonsense activities. Otherwise they’ll not be able to understand, especially the meat- eaters. They cannot understand.

680817VP.MON Lectures
Now, this spiritual master’s succession is not very difficult. Of course, my students, they offer me so much respect, but all these respects are due to my spiritual master. I am nothing. I am just like peon. Just like peon delivers one letter. He is not responsible for what is written in that letter. He is not responsible for what is written in that letter. He simply delivers. But a peon’s duty is that he must sincerely carry out the order of the postmaster and deliver the letter to the proper person. That is their duty. Similarly, this parampara system is like that. Every one of us should become a spiritual master because the world is in blazing fire. So to understand the spiritual master… Spiritual master is not a new invention. It is simply following the orders of the spiritual master. So all my students present here who are feeling so much obliged… I am also obliged to them because they are helping me in this missionary work. At the same time, I shall request them all to become spiritual master. Every one of you should be spiritual master next. And what is their duty? Whatever you are hearing from me, whatever you are learning from me, you have to distribute the same in toto without any addition or alteration. Then all of you become the spiritual master. That is the science of becoming spiritual master. Spiritual master is not any… To become a spiritual master is not very wonderful thing. Simply one has to become sincere soul. That’s all. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that “By disciplic succession this yoga process of Bhagavad-gita was handed down from disciple to disciple. But in course of time that disciplic succession is now lost. Therefore, Arjuna, I am teaching you again the same philosophy.”

So this is the process. Simply if we… Therefore Vedic knowledge is called sruti. One has to hear it properly, assimilate it, and then practice it in life and preach the same thing. Then everyone becomes spiritual master. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya guru hana tara ‘sarva-desa: “O My dear disciples, I tell you that you, all of you, become spiritual master. Simply you carry out My order. That’s all.” “And what is Your order?” “The order is the same: yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa. Just like Krsna gave instruction in the Bhagavad-gita, and if you simply place the instruction received from Bhagavad- gita as it is…” I am publishing Bhagavad-gita As It Is because in the market there were so many Bhagavad-gita misinterpreted, but that is not the process of presenting Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita should be presented as it is. In the Bhagavad-gita it is simply said that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But most books which you have seen in English lang…, they are trying to make minus Krsna. That is their attempt. So what sort of Bhagavad-gita is that? That should not be done. Krsna is the Supreme. You should speak that Krsna is the Supreme. That is the preaching of Bhagavad-gita.

760316IN.MAY Lectures
Anywhere, either you are in this district or that district, it doesn’t matter. Either you are at home or outside home, it doesn’t matter. You become a guru. Everyone. “How shall I become guru? I have no qualification.” Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “You don’t require any qualification. You simply require one qualification, that you repeat the instruction of Bhagavad-gita. That’s all.” Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa. That’s all. You become a guru. Don’t adulterate Krsna-upadesa like a rascal or nonsense. Present it as it is, Bhagavad-gita. Then you become a guru. You can become a guru in your family. You can guru your society, your nation, wherever you are. And if it is possible, you go outside and preach this mission of Bhagavad-gita. Therefore our movement’s name is Krsna consciousness. Whatever Krsna says, you accept and preach. You become guru.

690410SB.NY Lectures
So every one of us, those who have come to this Krsna consciousness movement, expected to preach in the future and to become a spiritual master also in the future. But first of all you must spiritualize yourself; otherwise it is useless. So krsna-sakti vina nahe. Without… Just like without being red hot, you cannot burn any other thing. Similarly, without being fully spiritualized, you cannot make others spiritualized. Therefore we have to follow the parampara system. The disciplic succession, as we get the knowledge, as we get the power, as we get the instruction, so we have to follow. That will help me to spiritualize myself. And when you are spiritualized… You’ll have to wait for that time. Then, wherever you will preach, the result will be there.

TLC 18 The Conversations with Prakasananda
Generally a human being is interested in religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation, but love of God is above all these. A bona fide spiritual master chants the holy names– Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare–and the transcendental sound vibration enters into the ear of the disciple, and if a disciple follows in the footsteps of his spiritual master and chants the holy name with similar respect, he actually comes to worship the transcendental name. When the transcendental name is worshiped by the devotee, the name Himself spreads His glories within the heart of a devotee. When a devotee is perfectly qualified in chanting the transcendental vibration of the holy name, he is quite fit to become a spiritual master and to deliver all the people of the world. The chanting of the holy name is so powerful that it gradually establishes its supremacy above everything in the world. The devotee who chants it becomes transcendentally situated in ecstasy and sometimes laughs, cries and dances in his ecstasy. Sometimes the unintelligent put hindrances in the path of chanting this maha-mantra, but one who is situated on the platform of love of Godhead chants the holy name loudly for all concerned. As a result, everyone becomes initiated in the chanting of the holy names–Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. By chanting and hearing the holy names of Krsna, a person can remember the forms and qualities of Krsna.

SB 4.18.5 P Prthu Maharaja Milks the Earth Planet
At the present moment it has become fashionable to disobey the unimpeachable directions given by the acaryas and liberated souls of the past. Presently people are so fallen that they cannot distinguish between a liberated soul and a conditioned soul. A conditioned soul is hampered by four defects: he is sure to commit mistakes, he is sure to become illusioned, he has a tendency to cheat others, and his senses are imperfect. Consequently we have to take direction from liberated persons. This Krsna consciousness movement directly receives instructions from the Supreme Personality of Godhead via persons who are strictly following His instructions. Although a follower may not be a liberated person, if he follows the supreme, liberated Personality of Godhead, his actions are naturally liberated from the contamination of the material nature. Lord Caitanya therefore says: “By My order you may become a spiritual master.” One can immediately become a spiritual master by having full faith in the transcendental words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and by following His instructions. Materialistic men are not interested in taking directions from a liberated person, but they are very much interested in their own concocted ideas, which make them repeatedly fail in their attempts. Because the entire world is now following the imperfect directions of conditioned souls, humanity is completely bewildered.

SB 4.29.51 Talks Between Narada and King Pracinabarhi
One who is engaged in devotional service has not the least fear in material existence. This is because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supersoul and friend of everyone. One who knows this secret is actually educated, and one thus educated can become the spiritual master of the world. One who is an actually bona fide spiritual master, representative of Krsna, is not different from Krsna.

Madhya 8.128 Talks Between Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Ramananda Raya
It is stated in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa that one should not accept initiation from a person who is not in the brahminical order if there is a fit person in the brahminical order present. This instruction is meant for those who are overly dependent on the mundane social order and is suitable for those who want to remain in mundane life. If one understands the truth of Krsna consciousness and seriously desires to attain transcendental knowledge for the perfection of life, he can accept a spiritual master from any social status, provided the spiritual master is fully conversant with the science of Krsna. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura also states that although one is situated as a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, vanaprastha, grhastha or sannyasi, if he is conversant in the science of Krsna he can become a spiritual master as vartma-pradarsaka-guru, diksa-guru or siksa-guru. The spiritual master who first gives information about spiritual life is called the vartma-pradarsaka-guru, the spiritual master who initiates according to the regulations of the sastras is called the diksa-guru, and the spiritual master who gives instructions for elevation is called the siksa-guru. Factually the qualifications of a spiritual master depend on his knowledge of the science of Krsna. It does not matter whether he is a brahmana, ksatriya, sannyasi or sudra. This injunction given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is not at all against the injunctions of the sastras.

NoD 3 Eligibility of the Candidate for Accepting Devotional Service
Devotees may be divided into three classes. The devotee in the first or uppermost class is described as follows. He is very expert in the study of relevant scriptures, and he is also expert in putting forward arguments in terms of those scriptures. He can very nicely present conclusions with perfect discretion and can consider the ways of devotional service in a decisive way. He understands perfectly that the ultimate goal of life is to attain to the transcendental loving service of Krsna, and he knows that Krsna is the only object of worship and love. This first-class devotee is one who has strictly followed the rules and regulations under the training of a bona fide spiritual master and has sincerely obeyed him in accord with revealed scriptures. Thus, being fully trained to preach and become a spiritual master himself, he is considered first class. The first-class devotee never deviates from the principles of higher authority, and he attains firm faith in the scriptures by understanding with all reason and arguments. When we speak of arguments and reason, it means arguments and reason on the basis of revealed scriptures. The first-class devotee is not interested in dry speculative methods meant for wasting time. In other words, one who has attained a mature determination in the matter of devotional service can be accepted as the first-class devotee.

690509BG.COL Lectures
This is our business, just like a post peon’s business is to deliver the envelope as it is. And if there is good news, it is for you. If it is bad news, it is for you. But the peon’s business is to deliver as it is. Similarly, our business is to present Krsna’s message as it is. Then you become spiritual master. Spiritual master does not become grown just like tree. No. It is carrying the message from higher authorities as it is stated. “I told this message,” Krsna says, “to Vivasvan, the sun-god. He told to his son Manu. Manu told to his son Iksvaku. In this way this is coming down. Now it is broken. Therefore I am saying unto you, Arjuna.”

690509BG.COL Lectures
Lord Caitanya says that “Every one of you become the spiritual master, every one of you. Why one, two? Every one of you.” “Oh, spiritual master is very difficult job.” No. No difficult job. Caitanya Maha… Amara ajnaya: “Just try to carry out My order. That’s all. Then you become spiritual master.” And if you interpolate, if you put something nonsense, rubbish, to show your so- called rascal’s education, then it is spoiled. Immediately spoiled. And if you present as it is, then it is pure.

740404BG.BOM Lectures
This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission. He says, “You become a spiritual master.” “How? I have no qualification.” “No. You just accept my order?” “So what is your order, sir?” Yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa: “You simply speak the instruction of Krsna whoever you meet. Then you become a spiritual master.”

740404BG.BOM Lectures
So actually it is happening. We are not wonderful men. But our only business is that we are speaking only the same thing as Krsna has spoken. That’s all. There is no magic. This is the magic. If you adulterate nonsensically like a rascal, then you cannot become a spiritual master. If you simply follow what Krsna has spoken, then you become spiritual master. Very simple thing. It doesn’t require education. You can hear from your spiritual master what has Krsna said.

761216BG.HYD Lectures
First of all make yourself perfect. You can make yourself perfect because in the Bharatavarsa there are this Bhagavad-gita, Srimad- Bhagavatam, Vedic literature. Just study them. And therefore we are publishing so many books on the basis of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad- Bhagavatam and people are appreciating very much all over the world. So it is the duty of every Indian to make his life perfect by understanding Bhagavad-gita at least, and spread the message. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission. Yare dekha tare kaha krsna- upadesa. Every one of you can become a guru. He says that. Amara ajnaya guru hana tara’ ei desa. Wherever you are, you can deliver the persons, surrounding persons in your neighborhood. “How can I become guru? I have no qualification.” No. There is no need of qualification. Simply repeat. Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa. Very simple thing. Anyone you meet, “My dear friend, just hear little.” “What is that?” “Now, Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You kindly think of Krsna. Just offer your obeisances to Krsna, just become a bhakta and chant His holy name.” Bas. Your guru duty is finished. So it is not very difficult task. Anyone can do this. And then everyone will be benefited. And that is Krsna consciousness movement. Thank you very much. (end)

670324SB.SF Lectures
These two krsna-katha–you have nothing to manufacture. You haven’t got to tax your brain by meditation, by speculation. Everything is there. You have simply to place, submit, “Here is krsna-katha. Here is Bhagavad-gita and here is Bhagavata. Just please hear.” That is your business. You need not become a very learned speculator. Just like there are so many books simply full of speculation. You haven’t got to do that. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is giving very simple formula. Yare dekha tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa. Krsna-upadesa means instruction of Krsna–instruction given by Krsna or instructions spoken about Lord Krsna. If you do this then you become a spiritual master.

670324SB.SF Lectures
Now this mentality for hearing krsna-katha, how it is developed? That is also susrusoh. You must be very sincere, susrusoh. And you must be inquisitive to hear. Susrusoh. One who is very eager to hear, he can become, in future, the spiritual master. Susrusoh sraddadhanasya, with faith. Vasudeva-katha-rucih. Ruci means taste and vasudeva-katha means Krsna, the topics of Krsna.

731228SB.LA Lectures
And the very simple thing is that ya idam guhyam mad-bhaktesv abhidhasyati. This confidential service, preaching of Bhagavad- gita… What is that? Bhagavad-gita preaching essence: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. Simply go and preach. This very thing. Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru. This is Krsna’s desire. Preach to the world, “Just be Krsna conscious.” Man-manah. “Just become Krsna’s devotee.” Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji. “Just worship Krsna.” Mad-yaji mam… “Just offer your obeisances to Krsna.” Four words. Then you become a preacher. It is not very difficult to become a preacher and to become a spiritual master. How? Very simple thing. Go and speak what Krsna says. That’s all. You have nothing to manufacture, Dr. Frog. There is no need of manufacturing. We are very safe because we don’t manufacture. We simply repeat, parrotlike, what Krsna has said. That’s all, finished. Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: “Let aside everything. Just become My devotee, surrendered soul.” So we are preaching that. We don’t make compromise. Therefore all people are against me. Because “This man simply says, ‘Krsna.’ ” But I cannot say anything more. That’s all.

731108SB.DEL Lectures
So Krsna is describing Himself. Krsna-katha. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission is therefore krsna-katha. Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa. Krsna-upadesa. Krsna-upadesa. This is the mission. What Krsna says, you just preach. You become spiritual master. That is not very difficult. Everyone can become spiritual master. Krsna’s speaking is there in the Bhagavad-gita. You simply repeat what Krsna says. You become spiritual master. It is not very difficult. Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam. You simply say that “You become devotee of Krsna.” Where is the difficulty? No difficulty. Krsna says, man-mana bhaktah. You say, “You become Krsna’s bhakta.” Actually, we are doing that. We are not doing any miraculous thing. People say that “Swamiji, you have done miracles.” But what miracles I have done? I am simply repeating Krsna’s words. That’s all. So everyone can do that. Everyone can take this matter very seriously. His life will be successful. He will make others successful. It is so nice thing.

720519SB.LA Lectures
That is Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. So every one of you follow the instruction, as you have received. Chant sixteen rounds regularly, without fail, and follow the regulative principles, and hear about Krsna, and preach about Krsna. Every one of you become a spiritual master. Simple thing. No education required. Because we are hearing about Krsna, so we can speak the same thing. What is the difficulty? If I hear from my spiritual master or from any learned man that “Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead,” so if I say by hearing that “Krsna is Supreme Personality of Godhead,” so I haven’t got to search out whether Krsna is Personality of Godhead or not, but if I accept the authority, then I speak the real truth. This is our Krsna consciousness movement. Therefore sometimes, when people say in India, “Swamiji, you have done wonderful.” And yes, I do not know. I’m not a magician. But, so far I am confident that I did not adulterated the words of Krsna.

741202SB.BOM Lectures
So our Krsna consciousness movement on this principle. We are speaking not anything manufactured by us. That is not our business. Because how we can manufacture? We are defective. We are deficient, imperfect. What is the use of my philosophy? What is the use of my thinking? Generally they say, “I think,” “In my opinion.” He does not think that “I am a rascal. I have no value of my opinion.” He thinks that he is something very big. No. Because our senses are imperfect, whatever knowledge we have gathered by our sense speculation, that is imperfect. That cannot be perfect. Therefore we have discussed already, tattva amnayam. We have to receive knowledge from disciplic succession, tattva. Then we will understand the truth. Tattvamnayam. This subject matter we have discussed already, amnayam, evam parampara, that we should not manufacture knowledge. We should take knowledge from the perfect. Just like here it is said, bhagavan uvaca. In the Bhagavad-gita also, bhagavan uvaca. If we follow this amnaya system, then we become guru.

741202SB.BOM Lectures
Guru means who follows the predecessor, authorized predecessor. He is guru. Not that everyone is guru. So therefore we have to follow the superior order. Then we become guru, not that by cheating others we become guru. No. That is cheater. That is not teacher. Guru means who is following the superior order. The superior order is Krsna or His representative. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna. He is ordering, amara ajnaya, “By My order,” guru hana, “you become guru.” “Sir, it is very difficult to become guru. I have no education. I have no culture. I am not born in a very high family. I am very low.” A devotee always thinks like that. He never thinks that “I have become very great man.” Just like Caitanya-caritamrta, author of, he says, purisera kita haite muni se laghistha. Purisa, purisa means stool, and there are worms in the stool. So Caitanya- caritamrta author is saying that “I am lower than the worms in the stool.” That is Vaisnava conception. Trnad api sunicena. He is very humble. He never says, “Oh, I am the Supreme. I have become God.” A most rascal, foolish. So that is not… Therefore we have to follow. If we actually want to become guru, there is necessity of many thousands of gurus to teach this cheated public. But how to become guru? That is… Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya: “By My order.” “What is Your order, Sir?” Yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’- upadesa. Then you become guru. You simply advise people to follow Krsna’s instruction. Then you become guru.

741211SB.BOM Lectures
This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s advice. Yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa. It is not very difficult. You haven’t got to become very learned scholar to become guru. Guru’s business is to give the right information. That is guru. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya guru hana: “Every one of you become guru.” “Oh, I am not a learned man,” or “I am this, I am that, how can I become guru?” Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “No, it is very easy thing.”

yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa
amara ajnaya guru hana tara’ ei desa

Yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa. “You become guru simply by advising everyone the instruction which Krsna has given.” That’s all. You become guru. It is not at all difficult thing. But if you want to cheat others that you are Bhagavan, you are this and that, you are yogi, you are very powerful, and “I am God,” then you will cheat, because you are neither God. You are less than a dog. You are falsely claiming that you are God. That is not your position. You are servant of God, that is your position. That is real jnana. Therefore Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that don’t talk all nonsense thing. Simply say the real thing.

And what is the real thing? That is explained by Krsna: sarva- dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. You take this mission, “My dear sir, you give up everything nonsense. You simply surrender to Krsna.” Then you become guru. Is it very difficult to become guru? No. But we shall not take this business. We shall talk all nonsense and become guru and incarnation and God and so on, so on, and cheat others and cheat oneself. This is going on. Otherwise, to become guru is not at all difficult. Simply you surrender yourself to Krsna. You become abhayam sattva-suddhih. You become fearless, “Yes, I am now under the protection of Krsna. I have no more fear. I don’t care for anyone. I simply take to Krsna.” Akuto- bhayam. Akuto-bhayam. This is said by Kapiladeva also, all sastra says like that, and Krsna also says the same thing in the Bhagavad- gita. Bhaktya mam abhijanati: “If you want to know Me, then it is through bhakti, not your so-called jnana and karma and yoga.” You will never be able to understand. You will never be able to understand. Naham prakasah sarvasya yoga-maya. You will be simply covered by yoga-maya. This is not possible. Bhakti means surrender.

750706SB.CHI Lectures
So this is gentleman; this is educated, culture. So this man, Ajamila, as soon as he became fallen down from the sadacara, gentleman’s behavior, the next stage is this, bandy-aksaih kaitavais cauryaih. One must earn his livelihood. But he has fallen down to the sixth grade. First, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, or lower than that, everyone must have his means of livelihood. So what is the means of livelihood of the first-class man? That is said, pathana-pathana yajana-yajana dana-pratigraha. First-class man means brahminical class. Their occupational duty is first of all he must become a very learned scholar in the Vedic literature. Veda-pathad bhaved viprah. He must become a learned scholar. And after becoming a scholar, it is not that that he will enjoy himself the knowledge. No. He will distribute the knowledge. This is one, that first-class man, or the brahmana, first of all he must become a learned scholar… If he is not scholar, what he will, nonsense he will teach? So the first position is that he must become a learned scholar. And the next business is to teach others, to make disciple. Formerly even fifty year or sixty years ago in India a brahmana would not accept anyone’s service. Because whatever he has knowledge, he would sit down anywhere, underneath a tree or in the corridor of somebody, and he will invite the village small children, and they will go, and he will teach little grammar, little mathematics, gradually. And the children will bring from their father and mother. Somebody will bring rice. Somebody will bring dal. Somebody will bring something. So he had no necessity of making any contract, that “You give me so many dollars. Then I shall teach you.” No. Free. Free education. In this way India was free education. So pathana-pathana yajana-yajana.

750328CC.MAY Lectures
The so-called scholars and politicians, they misinterpret in a different way and mislead the people. That is going on. Therefore, in spite of Bhagavad-gita being read all over the world for the last two hundred years, not a single person became a devotee of Krsna. This is the defect. So let us try to understand Krsna through Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and as we have repeatedly said, that “Through Caitanya Mahaprabhu you understand Krsna and spread this cult all over the world.” People are suffering for want of knowledge of Krsna. So this movement especially meant to establish the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is that you become, every one of you, you become a guru. How to become guru? Now, yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa. Simply that qualification is sufficient. Don’t adulterate the ‘krsna’-upadesa. You simply present what Krsna says as it is. Then every one of you will become a guru. Don’t adulterate–“I think,” “In my opinion.” These nonsense things should be given up. We should always be aware that we are insignificant creature. Our opinion and thinking has no value. This should be the first principle. Why should you give opinion on the words of Krsna? Are you more authoritative person than Krsna? This is foolishness, to try to become more than Krsna. There are so many rascals. They present that “Now we have advanced. We know more than Krsna.” So be saved from these rascals. Then you will understand Krsna, and through Caitanya Mahaprabhu you will understand what is the position of Krsna, what is your relationship with Krsna, what is the ultimate goal of life. These things will be clearly exhibited.

730822VP.LON Lectures
Everything is there. Satam prasangan. From a bona fide spiritual master you receive knowledge, because he will present as he has received from his spiritual master. He’ll not adulterate or manufacture something. That is the bona fide spiritual master. And that is very easy. To become spiritual master is not very difficult thing. You’ll have to become spiritual master. You, all my disciples, everyone should become spiritual master. It is not difficult. It is difficult when you manufacture something. But if you simply present whatever you have heard from your spiritual master, it is very easy. If you want to become overintelligent, to present something, to interpret something, whatever over you have heard from spiritual master you can make some further addition, alteration, then you’ll spoil whole thing. Then you’ll spoil whole thing. Don’t make addition or alteration. Simply present as it is. Therefore, we have begun Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Don’t try to become over spiritual master. Then you’ll spoil. Remain always a servant of your spiritual master and present the thing as you have heard. You’ll be spiritual master. This is secret. You should know it. Don’t try to become overintelligent. That will spoil. Evam parampara praptam imam rajarsayo viduh. This is the… So (child talking) you can stop.(?)

730822VP.LON Lectures
So, simply by accepting this principle, and even if you are not learned, illiterate, you are hearing so much from Bhagavad-gita, you simply repeat that. Simply repeat that. There is no question of becoming very learned scholar. God has given you this ear. Even if you are blind, you cannot read, you can hear. So Krsna upadesa, what is Krsna…? This is ‘krsna’-upadesa. And at last, Krsna says, sarva- dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. So if you simply preach this cult, “My dear friend, my dear brother, you surrender to Krsna,” you become spiritual master. You become spiritual master. You go door to door. No other talks. Simply say, “My dear friend, you are very nice, you are very learned.” That was adopted by Prabodhananda Sarasvati.

dante nidhaya trnakam padayor nipatya
kaku-satam krtva caham bravimi
he sadhavah sakalam eva vihaya durad
caitanya-candra-carane kurutanuragam

The meaning is the preaching, very easy. Dante nidhaya trnakam. According to Indian system, if you put a grass on your mouth, it is a sign of that you have become very humble. If you approach a person with a grass in your mouth, he’ll immediately know that you are coming there with very, very great humbleness. Therefore dante nidhaya. This was the system. Dante nidhaya trnakam, and touching his feet. Immediately, touch his feet. Immediately, even if he’s enemy, he’ll be a friend. Even if he’s your enemy, it is so nice process. Take a grass on your mouth and immediately fall on his feet, padayor nipetya, and with folded hands, much flattering. Dante nidhaya trnakam padayor nipatya kaku- satam krtva ca. All flattering words. Aham bravimi. So immediately he will agree, “Yes, what you say I’ll hear. I’ll hear.” Immediately, convert to hear you at least. Just see how perfect process is. “Then what is your purpose, sir? Why you are becoming so humble, meek? And now say.” “Yes sir, I’ll say.” What is that? He sadhavah, “You are a great sadhu.” Although he may be rascal number one. Still, you call him, he sadhavah. “Yes, I am sadhu, yes. What is your proposal?” “Now kindly forget all nonsense, whatever you have learned. That’s all. I am flattering you because I want that you forget everything, all these yogis and this and that and that and meditation. Please kick out all these.” “Then what I have to do?” “Caitanya-candra-carane kurutanuragam. Just adhere yourself to the lotus feet of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Then you become spiritual master. That’s all.”

730822VP.LON Lectures
So I hope that all of you, men, women, boys and girls, become spiritual master, and follow this principle. Spiritual master, simply, sincerely, follow the principles and speak to the general public. Then Krsna immediately becomes your favorite. Krsna does not become your favorite; you become Krsna’s favorite. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, na ca tasmad manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah: “One who is doing this humble service of preaching work, Krsna consciousness, nobody is dearer than him to Me.” So if you want to become recognized by Krsna very quickly, you take up this process of becoming spiritual master, present the Bhagavad-gita as it is. Your life is perfect.

760819VP.HYD Lectures
So Krsna says that acaryam mam vijaniyan: “You accept acarya as I am.” Why? I see that he is a man. His sons call him father, or he looks like a man, so why he should be as good as God? Because he speaks as God speaks, that’s all. Therefore. He does not make any change. Just like God says, Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. The guru says that you surrender to Krsna or God. The same word. God says man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru. Guru says that you always think of Krsna, you surrender unto Him, you offer Him prayer, you become His devotee. There is no change. Because he says as the Supreme Personality says, therefore he is guru. Even though you see that he is materially born, his behavior is like other men. But because he says the same truth as it is spoken in the Vedas or by the Personality of Godhead, therefore he is guru. Because he does not make any change whimsically, therefore he is guru. That is the definition. It is very simple. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has asked everyone to become guru. Everyone. Because there is need of guru. The world is full of rascals, therefore there is need of so many gurus to teach them. But what is that qualification of the guru? How everyone can become guru? This may be the question, next question. Because Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa. Ei desa means wherever you are living you become a guru and deliver them. Suppose you are living in a small neighborhood, you can become a guru of that neighborhood and deliver them. “How it is possible? I have no education, I have no knowledge. How I can become guru and deliver them?” Caitanya Mahaprabhu said it is not at all difficult. Yare dekha tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa. This is your qualification. If you simply deliver the message given by Krsna you become guru. Krsna said, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. You preach, you request everyone, “Sir, you surrender to Krsna.” You become guru. Very simple thing. Krsna said, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad- yaji mam namaskuru. You say that “You become a devotee of Krsna, you offer obeisances. Here is a temple; here is Krsna. Please come here. You offer your obeisances, and if you can you offer patram puspam phalam toyam. You don’t offer… But it is very simple thing. Anyone can secure a little flower, a little fruit, a little water. It is not at all difficult.”

710716LE.DET Lectures
He says that “Under My order, you become a spiritual master.” To become a spiritual master under the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is not very difficult. Unless we adulterate, mix in something nonsense in His teachings, if we simply present, as it is, then every one of us can become a spiritual master. But the difficulty is that they mix up something. Just like you have tasted sweet rice, paramanna. And if somebody mixes some sand with it… The paramanna is very good, but because it is mixed with some sand particles it is spoiled. You cannot take. This is practical. Similarly, the teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, teachings of Lord Krsna, is very simple. But the rascals put some sand particles. That is the difficulty. Spoils the broth, spoils the everything. “Krsna means this, and Pandava means this.” Why “Pandava means this”? Why not as it is in the Bhagavad-g ita? So this process should be avoided, mixing sand with the sweet rice. This rascaldom should be avoided. Then you can, everyone can distribute nicely. So many people say, “Oh, Swamiji, you have done wonderful.” So I say, the secret of my wonderful activities is that I have not tried to adulterate it. I am simply presenting as it is. In the Bhagavad-gita Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So I have told you that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. I say that “You simply surrender unto Krsna.” So what is the difficulty? Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gita, and I am simply reproducing it: “Do this.” And it is acting. Because I am not adulterating the sweet rice with sand, people are tasting it very nice. So you also follow the same principle. Don’t try to adulterate. Present it as it is. And people will like it. There is no difficulty.

751206LE.VRN Lectures
So you should always keep yourself fixed up in Krsna consciousness. It is not very difficult. Strictly follow the rules and regulation and chant Hare Krsna mantra as many times… For a sannyasi, you should increase. Then you will be fixed up. And go on preaching. Preaching is also not very difficult, because you haven’t got to manufacture anything. Everything is there, and it is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s order. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also took sannyasa very early age, twenty-four years old only. So He has practically shown by His activities how to preach Krsna consciousness all over the world. And He gives order to everyone, amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa: “In whichever country you may live–it doesn’t matter–try to deliver them by becoming their guru.” The sannyasa is supposed to be guru of all other divisions, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha. Sannyasa is the topmost stage. So if you become guru, teacher, remembering the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, then you will never fall down. He will save you. And how one becomes guru? That is also very easy. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, yare dekha tare kaha krsna upadesa. You haven’t got to manufacture anything. Simply you try to repeat the instruction of Bhagavad-gita, krsna upadesa. Not only Bhagavad-gita; there are many other instructions. Especially Bhagavad-gita. So if you simply carry the message of Bhagavad-gita, then you become guru. Don’t manufacture anything. Then it will be spoiled. Simply stick primarily… Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru. You can, everyone can, say this. Krsna says that “You always think of Me.” So you can repeat only. You can say to others, “My dear sir, please think of Krsna.” It doesn’t require very much education. Simply just like a peon carry the message: “Sir, you always think of Krsna.” Man-mana. Then you become guru. If you follow it strictly– you also think of Krsna yourself, and you teach others, “My dear sir, my only request is that you think of Krsna”–nobody will kill you. Everyone will… If he doesn’t follow, he will appreciate you: “Oh, these sannyasis are very nice. They are advising to think of Krsna.” Then you become guru. Simple thing. Man-mana bhava mad- bhaktah. And anyone who thinks of Krsna, gradually he becomes a devotee of Krsna. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji: “You worship Me.” Here is the temple, and anyone can worship Krsna, and Krsna is satisfied simply with a little flower and little water. Patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati. It is not expensive. Anyone can bring little flower, little fruit, little tulasi leaf, and offer to Krsna. Mam namaskuru. If you cannot do anything, simply offer your obeisances: “Krsna, I am so poor, I cannot even secure a little fruit, flower, and water.” That is not possible. Everyone can secure this patram puspam phalam toyam and offer to Krsna and offer your obeisances.

751206LE.VRN Lectures
So you have to teach only these things. Where is the difficulty? You do it personally and teach them. Then you become guru. It doesn’t require to learn big, big, I mean to say, grantha like Vedanta. This is not possible in this Kali-yuga. If possible, you can study Vedanta and other. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us… When Prakasananda Sarasvati inquired from Him that “You are a sannyasi. You are not studying Vedanta, and simply chanting Hare Krsna. What kind of sannyasi You are?”–this question was put by Prakasananda Sarasvati to Caitanya Mahaprabhu–Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, “My dear sir, I am a great fool.” Guru more murkha dekhi karila sasana: “My guru saw Me a great fool number one; therefore he has chastised Me.” What is that? That ” ‘You cannot read Vedanta. You chant Hare Krsna.’ So my Guru Maharaja has ordered Me like that. But by chanting only, I get ecstasy, I realize, like that.” So the idea is Caitanya Mahaprabhu was not a murkha, fool. He is God Himself. And besides that, even in His lila, pastimes as human being, He was a great learned scholar. His name was Nimai Pandita. He was not ordinary. He’s pandita. His education is proved when He explained atmarama sloka in sixty-four ways.

751217LE.BOM Lectures
So this attempt has been done by us individually, with teeny effort, but it is becoming successful. But if we take up seriously this movement, every one of us become completely aware of this movement and take this mission as Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa: “Every one of you, you become a guru,” by the order of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So “I shall become guru? What shall I do? I do not know anything.” No! You haven’t got to know anything. You simply, yare dekha tare kaha krsna upadesa. You simply repeat the instruction of Bhagavad-gita. Whomever you meet, you try to convince him; then you are guru. So our mission is this, Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s. We are trying to execute the order of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We don’t say anything else except what is described in the Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita says, Krsna says, man- mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru. Simple thing. It is not very difficult thing. Krsna says, “Always think of Me.” Is it very difficult task? No. You chant Hare Krsna, you remember Krsna immediately. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. So always remember Krsna, this is Krsna’s instruction, man-mana, “Always think of Me,” mad- bhakta, and naturally you become bhakta. As soon as you go on chanting Hare Krsna, just like these European and American boys, they have been instructed to chant Hare Krsna mantra… Don’t think that I showed them any magic, how to manufacture gold, or how to become this or that. No. Simply I have asked them to chant Hare Krsna, and they have joined me because they have chanted Hare Krsna. Why? Ceto-darpana-marjanam. By chanting this Hare Krsna maha-mantra, the dirty things within the heart will be cleansed. They you will understand what is my position, what to do.

751225LE.SAN Lectures
You become guru. It is not very difficult. How? Now, because you have to simply repeat what Krsna has said. That’s all. So Krsna says everything in the Bhagavad-gita. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru. These four things if you accept–to think of Krsna always, to become devotee of Krsna, to offer obeisances to Krsna and to worship Krsna–these four things if you do, you become Krsna conscious, a devotee of Krsna, and you can preach all over the world. It is not at all difficult. So if you become sincere, seriously Krsna conscious, then there will be no difficulty because Krsna says,

67-11-02.Mad Letter: Madhusudana
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 24th October 1967. Kirtanananda was awarded the position of a Sannyasi because he wanted it although I could understand it that he wanted to be a spiritual master himself. Lord Caitanya wanted every one should be a spiritual master provided he follows the order of Lord Caitanya. The Lord’s mission was to defeat the Mayavada philosophy and establish in the philosophy of Krishna consciousness because Krishna is the Supreme Lord the Personality of Godhead. Anyone following the order of Lord Caitanya under the guidance of His bonafide representative, can become a spiritual master and I wish that in my absence all my disciples become the bonafide spiritual master to spread Krishna Consciousness throughout the whole world. I want it but Kirtanananda was too much puffed up and artificially he took up a certificate from me that he has been awarded the order to a Sannyasi, In the spiritual field nobody can become a bonafide spirtual master by dissatisfying his spiritual master. It is said that one can satisfy the Supreme Lord simpy by satisfying the spiritual master and one who dissatisfies the spiritual master has no place in the spiritual world. Kirtanananda wanted to become a spiritual master by dissatisfying his spiritual master and as such he has fallen down. He cannot say anything genuine any more till he has had revival of his pure consciousness in the spiritual world as mentioned above. Differentiation between spirit & matter is clear & practical experience, when a living creature is dead no amount of material advancement of science can bring back a dead body to life. The thing which is absent from a dead body is the spirit. As there is individual spirit in individual body, similarly there is the Great Spirit in the universal material form. As the individual spirit is working systematically within the individual material body, similarly, the Supreme Spirit is conscious of the universal body. The lord knows what is happening in each & every planet as much as an individual soul knows what is happening in each & every part of his body. Therefore, the individual consciousness which is limited, when dovetailed with the Supreme Consciousness of the Lord is called Krishna Consciousness. When I return some of you shall be offered Sacred Thread. I very much appreciate your version that Rayarama is roaring like a Lion-cub. I wish that every one of you should be Lion’s descendant. Our Lord Krishna assumed the form of Lion & killed the atheist, Hiranyakasipu, & by disciplic succession we shall also kill all impersonalist atheist. Absolutely there is no Krishna Consciousness for the impersonalist. Hope you are well.

69-06-16.Vis Letter: Visala
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated June 10, 1969, and I have noted the contents. I have not heard anything from you for some time so I am very pleased to receive your letter. you have asked three nice questions and I shall give you the answers herewith. Regarding your first question, what is the difference in full between the Spiritual Master, Krishna, and the devotee? The answer is that Krishna is the source of all energies of the spiritual and material creations, the devotee is the part and parcel servant of Krishna, and the Spiritual Master is the transparent via media for leading the conditioned souls back to home, back to Godhead. All living entities are the servants of Krishna, but the living entities who have fallen into this conditioned life are forgetful of their eternal relationship with the Lord. The role of the bona fide Spiritual Master is to lead the conditioned souls out of forgetfulness and back into pure consciousness of serving the Lord in transcendental loving service. In material consciousness one is identifying himself with his particular body, and he is forgetting that he is spirit soul, servant of Krishna. Then by the association and instructions of the purified servants of Krishna, the living entity gradually comes to remember that I am not part of this miserable material world, but I too am the eternal servant of Krishna, and my only business is to give pleasure to the Lord in pure Krishna Consciousness. In this way, such devotee becomes himself eligible to lead other back to the path of devotional service and thus he too may become a Spiritual Master. This process is called parampara, or the line of disciplic succession.

70-03-17.Sur Letter: Suridas
Your combination with your good wife, Jotilla, is very good, and now with greater enthusiasm execute Krishna activities as I have advised Gurudasa also. We must be fully equipped, and the preaching work by pairs of husband and wife will be an unique example to the world. Formerly the Acaryas were generally all Sannyasis, but Lord Caitanya, in His instruction to Roy Ramananda, who was a confidential devotee of Lord Caitanya, but a householder and responsible government official, Governor of Madras, has given open instruction that it does not matter what is the social or ecclesiastical order, if one is fully in Krishna Consciousness, he can act as Acarya. So all you boys and girls who are now married, follow this instruction of Lord Caitanya, and show vivid example to the world how man and woman can be united, not for sense gratification but for the service of the Lord.

76-08-20.Jay Letter: Jayadharma
You may hold a fire yajna and at that time the names of the initiates as well as their beads chanted on by Gurukrpa Maharaja may be given. Make sure that they are well aware of the four rules and regulations and that they are fixed in chanting the prescribed number of 16 rounds daily on the beads. Without these two principles no one can make advancement on the path of regulated bhakti. Teach them the science of the Bhagavad gita and train them to be first class representatives of Krsna. It is not very difficult, simply one has to hear from the perfect authority who is in disciplic succession from Krsna Himself, and then repeat the same message without any change. If one does this then he is qualified to become guru.

750313r2.teh Conversations
He says that “All of you, you become guru.” Just like I am requesting all Indians outside that I am alone trying to spread this Indian culture, why not you also join? You also become guru. So how to become guru? Not that simply by advertising that one has become guru all of a sudden, no. Guru means, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa. Whomever you meet, you just instruct him in what Krsna says, that’s all. You become guru. It is not very difficult to become guru, provided we simply preach the instruction of Krsna. That we are doing. We do not say that we are perfect, we have become God, or we have so many, so many magic jugglery. No, we have nothing to do, that. No magic, no jugglery, no God. Simply to become servant of God, and whomever we meet, we speak the words of God, that’s all. Then you become guru. This is our mission. That we may be imperfect, that doesn’t matter. We are imperfect. Just like this child, he is imperfect. Everyone knows. But if he says, “My father has informed me that this is microphone,” so this knowledge of “is microphone” is perfect because he has received from the father, experienced father. And before hearing from the father, he may not know that this is microphone, but since he has heard from the father that this is microphone, and if he says to others that “My father has said, ‘This is microphone,'” then people will accept this is perfect knowledge. So we should follow this instruction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa. So you, every one of you, can become guru. You may say that “I am not interested to become a guru,” but Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that if you are not interested, that is not very good. You should be interested. You must be guru. That is success of your life. You can speak the instruction of Krsna, even to your family. That also guru. You are actually guru. The father or the head of the family is guru to the children, to the wife. In India still, the wife addresses the husband as pati-guru. And father is guru. That is natural. So why don’t you become real guru to your wife, to your children, and instruct Bhagavad-gita as it is? This is our mission. You sit down in the evening, chant Hare Krsna mantra, and teach little instruction from the Bhagavad-gita. See how the life changes. Is that very difficult task? Boliye.

751103mw.bom Conversations
Prabhupada: Taranti te. Yes. So this is the position. Therefore our propaganda is that “You take Krsna and be Krsna conscious and then you’ll be happy.” This is our propaganda. We haven’t got to manufacture anything. We have to simply repeat what Krsna has said. That’s all. (aside:) Oh, Hare Krsna. (Hindi) This time I have requested all Nairobi important friends that “Now you take sannyasa and become guru. Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked everyone to become guru. amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa. You have come to Africa. Now become their guru and deliver them.” “Now, how shall I do it?” Yare dekha tare kaha krsna upadesa: “Simply speak. Don’t become very big upstart. Simply speak what Krsna has done. That’s all. You become guru.” (Hindi) “Oh, Krsna has said this. The meaning of this is this,” as Krsna left the meaning to be declared or understood by some fools and rascals. This is going on.

760802r2.par Conversations
This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Every one of you become guru and deliver the residents of your neighborhood. Ei desa. Wherever you are living, just deliver them. Become their guru. How to become guru? It is not difficult. Yare dekha tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa. What Krsna has said instruct them. You simply repeat it, that’s all. You become guru. So this should be preached all over the world. You learn from Bhagavad-gita and repeat. You simply say, “Krsna said four things: man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru. ‘Just always think of Me.’ Krsna said. ‘And just become My devotee. Just worship Me and offer obeisances.’ Kindly do these things.” So if you can induce one person to do these four things, you become guru. Is there any difficulty? Then you become a devotee of Krsna. How? Always think of Krsna. Worship Krsna and offer obeisances. Here is our temple, please come, offer obeisances. Offer little flower if you can secure. Otherwise, obeisances sufficient. And chant Hare Krsna. You become guru. To inform this message is difficult? Not at all. You may carry the message. If he’s fortunate, he’ll do it. Even he does not do it, you are carrying the message, you become recognized by Krsna. Na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya- krttamah. You are doing sincerely, then you are recognized by Krsna. Just like a canvasser, salesman, goes to the market, tries his best to secure some business. The master sees the report how he has worked. Even though he has not secured a single paisa business, but he has tried to introduce the goods, then he’s bona fide(?). He’s bona fide(?). Similarly, we have to simply carry the message of Krsna and try to convince people. If one is convinced, it is good, if not, doesn’t matter, I am not going to…. Then you are recognized by Krsna. Recognition means you become the dearest servant of Krsna. Then what do you want more? If Krsna recognizes that “You are My most dear servant,” then what do you want more? Yare dekha tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadesa. So this message was to be carried by all Indians. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s desire.

760810rc.teh Conversations
Prabhupada: This is the position. Unless one feels like that and asks somebody, a superior, accepts him as guru, there is no use talking. It will not be useful. This is the position. If the injunction is tad vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet, if anyone is interested to know about the transcendental subject matter, he must approach a guru, and unless one approaches a guru, he cannot understand, and if by force I become guru, he may not be interested. This is the position. But still, for a preacher, he has to do something against all odds. That is preaching. You cannot expect favorable position. Your question was that we go and they say like this, but you cannot expect that wherever you are going you’ll find favorable situation to talk. That you must understand. But you have to preach, you have to create favorable situation. That is your duty. (?) You cannot expect. If they are not prepared to take good instruction. Where is that fan?

761226mw.bom Conversations
Prabhupada: No, no, I’m talking of Krsna. There are many other talkers. We are concerned because we are Krsna conscious. Krsna conscious means whatever Krsna says, we accept. That is our philosophy. We may be fools and rascals, doesn’t matter. But we accept what Krsna says, that’s all. Like a child, he’s a child, he may be a fool. But when the father says, “My dear child, this is called microphone,” and if the child says, “This is microphone,” that is correct. Because he takes the word of the father who knows things. He may be child. So our business is like that. We don’t claim ourself to be very learned, very advanced. We are fools and rascals. (break) “How can I become guru?” One may say. “I am not so learned, I am not so…” “No, no, you haven’t got to bother. Still you can become guru.” “How?” Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa. If you simply repeat what Krsna has said, then you become guru. That’s all. So our business is that. We are guru not that because we are very learned, so-called Vedantist. No. We are lowest of the lowest. But we are faithful to the words of Krsna. That’s all. We have no other business. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has ordered, yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa. Bas. Very easy. And that is being effective. Now because I am carrying these words of Krsna throughout the whole world, perhaps I have done the best service than the combined so much Vedantists. All the Vedantists of India could not do that. That’s a fact. How it has become possible? Because we are simply speaking what Krsna has spoken. That’s all. Yare dekha tare kaha krsna… That’s all. I do not claim that I am Sanskrit scholar, I am this big man, that man, no. Whatever books I have written, only about this–Krsna. In our book in every page you will find Krsna, Krsna, Krsna. My Guru Maharaja, if we used to write some article, so we wanted to show him how it is written. So he was very busy. So somebody would read and Guru Maharaja would say, “How many times he has said ‘Krsna’?” (laughter) If he finds that in every page there is Krsna, it is all right. That’s all. (laughter) So we are making Vedantist, “How many times he chants Krsna?” If he chants always Krsna, yes, he’s Vedantist. That’s all. Bas. Because sastra says, kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet. That is being effective. These boys, their forefathers or their father, grandfather never knew what is Krsna. But kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet. So unless there is Krsna consciousness there is no question of Vedanta. That is my point. (Hindi) That is real Vedanta. And the Vedanta says also… If you actually read Vedanta, what is the beginning of Vedanta? Boliye? What is the beginning?

HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Tags: acarya, acharya, spiritual master, Spiritual Master / Guru

About the Author

HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Founded the Hare Krishna Movement in 1966 in New York. In only 11 years he spread the movement all over the world. He wrote more than 80 books including Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Sri Isopanisad. Prabhupada's books constitute a complete library of Vedic philosophy, religion, literature and culture.

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