Authorized Conclusions Regarding Srila Prabhupada,
Great Vaisnavas, and the Mission and Teachings
of the Krishna Consciousness Movement
'The Prabhupada Book'
Compiled by
Devotees of the Hare Krishna Society,
Disciples of
His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the Hare Krishna Society,
The International
Krishna Consciousness Movement
(The Hare Krishna movement)
Under His divine inspiration and eternal guidance
"He lives forever by His divine instructions,
and the follower lives with Him."
INTRODUCTION
The Krishna consciousness movement is a global congregation based on the instructions of the Vedic scriptures, the world's most ancient and complete books of spiritual science. Specifically, we follow the teachings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, whose activities and symptoms prove that he is the predicted great personality (shakty-avesa-avatar) who establishes the mission of God, or Krishna, worldwide. We recognize and accept that Srila Prabhupada is a pure representative of Lord Krishna and the current link in the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya. Everyone can attain full perfection by following Srila Prabhupada.
In numerous letters and instructions to his followers, Srila Prabhupada urged, "Please study all of my books very thoroughly." (Letter, December 1974.) He often warned his disciples, "When the waves of maya attack, your little sentiment for Krishna may not save you. All my disciples must be thoroughly trained in the philosophy of Krishna consciousness." (Letter, May 1972). He urged his leading preachers to diligently train devotees rather than constantly canvass for converts: "What's the use of so many devotees if none of them are knowledgeable." (Letter, 1972). Thus, Srila Prabhupada worked tirelessly, night and day, to carefully translate, explain and publish the most important Vaisnava scriptures, such as Srimad-Bhagavatam, Caitanya-caritamrta, Srimad Bhagavad-gita, and Sri Bhaktirasamrita Sindhu (Nectar of Devotion).
Several of Srila Prabhupada's disciples have worked together to create this document, a collection of essential truths, or tattvas, which are like effulgent jewels gathered from Srila Prabhupada's books, conversations and lectures. By his preaching, Srila Prabhupada churned the ocean of transcendental nectar for the benefit of every living being in the universe, particularly his dedicated disciples. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the most munificent avatar of Lord Krishna, insisted that His devotees chant the glories of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna constantly and live purely, without material attachments. Without carefully understanding and appreciating the importance of the nitya-siddha devotees of Lord Caitanya, no one can successfully follow the transcendental sadhana and mood of service that leads irrevocably to Lord Caitanya's fabulous benediction of pure Krishna consciousness, prema-bhakti. Without the blessings of a great Vaisnava like Srila Prabhupada, no one can advance to the higher stages of Krishna consciousness. All sastras and all great authorities confirm this principle as fundamental and everlasting.
To glorify Srila Prabhupada and the great teachers of Krishna consciousness, and to defend Their mission, we, a few disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, offer this collection of essential truths for Their pleasure. Without understanding these spiritual facts very carefully, according to guru, sastra and sadhu, the infallible Vedic authority, no one can preach or practice pure Krishna consciousness. We pray this transcendental document regarding 'the Supreme Lord, His empowered devotees and devotional service will benefit every living being in the universe, even without their immediate knowledge. We pray that by Lord Nityananda's divine grace, this brief but concise treatise of Krishna consciousness will help many generations of Srila Prabhupada's disciples remain pure devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
SECTION ONE
BASIC CONVICTIONS OF THE KRISHNA COUNSCIOUSNESS MOVEMENT
Srila Prabhupada listed the following convictions of the Krishna Consciousness Movement:
1. The Absolute Truth is contained in all the great scriptures of the world. However, the oldest known revealed scriptures in existence are the Vedic literatures, most notably Bhagavad-gita, which is the literal record of God's words.
2. God, or Krishna, is eternal, all-knowing, omnipresent, all-powerful, and all-attractive, the seed-giving father of man and all living entities. He is the sustaining energy of all life, nature, and the cosmic situation.
3. Man is actually not his body but spirit soul, part and parcel of God, and therefore eternal.
4. That all men are brothers can be practiced only when we realize God as our common father.
5. All our actions should be performed as a sacrifice to the Supreme Lord: "All that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me." (Bhagavad-gita 9.27)
6. The food that sustains us should always be offered to the Lord before eating. In this way He becomes the offering, and such eating purifies us.
7. We can, by sincere cultivation of bona fide spiritual science, attain to the stage of pure, unendingly blissful consciousness, free from anxiety, in this very lifetime.
8. The recommended means to attain the mature stage of love of God in the present age of Kali, or quarrel, is to chant the holy name of the Lord. The easiest method for most people is to chant the Hare Krishna mantra:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
SECTION TWO
SIDDHANTA – PHILOSOPHICAL CONCLUSIONS OF THE KRISHNA COUNSCIOUSNESS MOVEMENT
To help fulfill the aims of Lord Caitanya's mission and preserve the spiritual science taught by the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya, we here reaffirm the worldwide association (sanga) of Srila Prabhupada's bona fide disciples, based on our clear understanding of the following conclusions.
A) SRI KRISHNA IS THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD
Great authorities (mahajanas) like Sukadeva Gosvami, Narada Muni, Lord Shiva, Asita, Devala, Srila Vyasadeva, and Lord Brahma, all great teachers in the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya, and all essential Vedic scriptures confirm that Sri Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the original source and maintainer of everyone, including all avatars of Godhead. These facts are realized and taught by pure devotees of the Supreme Lord.
ete camsa-kalah pumsah, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam:
"All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Sri Krishna, as above mentioned, is the original Personality of Godhead." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.28)
ekale isvara krsna, ara sabha bhrtya:
"Lord Krishna alone is the supreme controller, and all others are His servants." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 5.142)
aham sarvasya prabhavo, mattah sarvam pravartate:
"I [Lord Krishna] am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me." (Bhagavad-gita As It Is 10.8)
isvarah paramah krsnah, sac-cid-ananda vigrahah
anadir adir govindah, satva-karana-karanam:
"Krishna is the cause of all causes. He is the primal cause, and He is the very form of eternal being, knowledge, and bliss." (Brahma-samhita 5.1)
B) SRI KRISHNA CAITANYA IS LORD KRISHNA´S MOST MUNIFICIENT AVATAR
Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534) is the avatar of Godhead for the Age of Kali, and He is recognized by great devotees of the Supreme Lord as the most munificent incarnation of God (namo maha-vadanyaya). Sri Krishna Caitanya is identical to Lord Krishna. He is directly the combined form of Sri Radha and Sri Krishna. He descends to liberally grant to the fallen conditioned souls of this age pure love of Godhead (prema-bhakti) by propagating sankirtana, especially through public chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.
"Lord Caitanya is the original teacher of life's prime necessities. He is the most munificent bestower of love of Krishna. He is the complete reservoir of all mercies and good fortune. As confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Mahabharata, and the Upanisads, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna Himself, and He is worshipable by everyone in this age of disagreement. Everyone can join in His sankirtana movement." (Introduction to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta)
yada pasyah pasyate rukma-varnam,
kartaram isam purusam brahma yonim.
"One who sees that golden-colored Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Lord, the supreme actor, who is the source of the Supreme Brahman, is liberated." (Mundaka 'Vpanisad 3.1.3) [See Caitanya Caritamrita, Adi 2.22 Purport]
atha vaham dharadhame, bhutva mad-bhakta-rupa-dhrk
mayayam ca bhavisyami, kalau sankirtanagame.
"Sometimes I personally appear on the surface of the world in the garb of a devotee. Specifically, I appear as the son of Saci in Kali-yuga to start the sankirtana movment." (Brahma-yamala-tantra) [See Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 2.22, Purport]
ya eva bhagavan krsno, radhika-prana-vallabhah
srstyadau sa jagam-natho, gaura asin mahesvari.
"The Supreme Person, Sri Krishna Himself, who is the life of Sri Radharani and is the Lord of the universe in creation, maintenance, and annihilation, appears as Gaura, O Mahesvari." (Ananta-samhita) [See Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 2.22 Purport]
"When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared, He ushered in the era for the sankirtana movement. It is also said mat for ten thousand years this era will continue. This means that simply by accepting the sankirtana movement and chanting the maha-mantra, the fallen souls of this Kali-yuga will be delivered. After the battle of Kuruksetra, at which Bhagavad-gita was spoken, Kali-yuga continues for 432,000 years, of which only 5,000 years have passed. Thus, there is still a balance of 427,000 years to come. Of these 427,000 years, the 10,000 years of the sankirtana movement inaugurated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu 500 years ago provide the opportunity for the fallen souls of Kali-yuga to take to the Krishna consciousness movement, chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, and thus be delivered from the clutches of material existence and return home, back to Godhead." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.5.23, Purport)
C) SRILA PRABHUPADA IS AN ETERNAL ASSOCIATE OF LORD CAITANYA
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977) is a nitya-siddha Vaisnava (eternally liberated devotee of Krishna) sent by Lord Caitanya and Krishna to revive the mission of nama-sankirtana and save the world from the dangerous atheistic doctrines of impersonalism (nirvisesa) and voidism (sunyavada). All his activities are eternal and purely transcendental. In fact, the Vedic literature, Lord Caitanya, and predecessor acaryas have predicted this great personality, Srila Prabhupada, who fulfilled these predictions by founding the global Krishna consciousness movement and Hare Krishna Society single-handedly. Thus he is worshiped by Gaudiya Vaisnavas with the name "Srila Prabhupada" (the master at whose feet all others bow). Srila Prabhupada's form (vapu) and instructions (vani) offer the full mercy of Lord Caitanya to all conditioned souls for the duration of the ten-thousand-year era of Lord Caitanya.
"In the Vedic literatures it is recommended that in Kali-yuga people engage in glorifying the Lord by chanting the holy name of Krishna (kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet)...." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.12.34, Purport)
"Kirtanad eva krsnasya, mukta-sangah param vrajet:
simply by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, one can be freed from the contamination of Kali-yuga and, in his original spiritual body, can return home, back to Godhead.... When Krishna appeared, He gave His orders, and when Krishna Himself appeared as a devotee, as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He showed us the path by which to cross the ocean of Kali-yuga. That is the path of the Hare Krishna movement." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.5.23, Purport)
"The Kali-santarana Upanisad states, 'Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—these sixteen names composed of thirty-two syllables are the only means to counteract the evil effects of Kali-yuga.' In all the Vedas it is seen that to cross the ocean of nescience, there is no alternative to the chanting of the holy name." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 7.76, Purport)
"So, my dear boys and girls, about six years ago I came to your country single-handed, with this pair of cymbals. Now you are so many chanting Hare Krishna. That is my success. It was the prediction of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu: prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama, sarvatra pracara hoibe mora noma. Lord Caitanya desired that 'In all the towns—in as many towns and villages as there are on the surface of the globe—My name will be broadcast.' He is Krishna Himself—svayam krsna, krsna caitanya-namine — simply changing His name as Krishna Caitanya. So His prediction will never go in vain. That's a fact. So my plan was that T shall go to America... If I can convince the younger generation of America, they will take it up.' If you kindly take this Krishna consciousness movement seriously, your country will be saved, and the whole world will be saved." (Lecture, May 18,1972, Los Angeles)
"He [Bhaktivinoda Thakura] sent his first book in 1896. Bhaktivinoda Thakura was the origin of this movement. But he simply thought of it. And he was expecting some others willing to take up the work. Well, somebody says that I am the same man. And 1 was born in 1896." (Conversation, March 13, 1975, Tehran)
"Thakura Bhaktivinoda... in 1896 he sent Caitanya Mahaprabhu's message to McGill University. That book you have seen. The letter was there... Now, after so many years, a servant of that disciplic succession has come here again to preach. So these things are significant." (Lecture, March 18, 1967, San Francisco)
'Soon there will appear a personality who will preach the holy name all over the world." (Prediction of Bhaktivinoda Thakura in the nineteenth century, as cited in Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas, Introduction, Prabhupada-approved 1974 edition.)
"Without being empowered by the direct potency of Lord Krishna to fulfill His desire and without being specifically favored by the Lord, no human being can become the spiritual master of the whole world... Only an empowered personality can distribute the holy name of the Lord and enjoin all fallen souls to worship Krishna. By distributing the holy name of the Lord, he cleanses the hearts of the most fallen people; therefore he extinguishes the blazing fire of the material world. Not only that, he broadcasts the shining brightness of Krishna's effulgence throughout the world. Such an acarya or spiritual master should be considered nondifferent from Krishna—that is, he should be considered the incarnation of Lord Krishna's potency. Such a personality is krsnalingita-vigraha—that is, he is always embraced by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. Such a person is ... the guru or spiritual master for the entire world, a devotee on the topmost platform, the maha-bhagavata stage." (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, Anubhasya, cited in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 25.9, Purport)
"By the grace of Lord Sri Krishna, we had the chance of being born in a Vaisnava family, and in our childhood we imitated the worship of Lord Krishna by imitating our father... Our spiritual master, who also took his birth in a Vaisnava family, got all inspirations from his great Vaisnava father, Thakura Bhaktivinoda... There is always symmetry between the early lives of all great devotees of the Lord... Such maha-bhagavatas are called nitya-siddhas, souls liberated from birth." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.15, Purport)
"The Krishna consciousness movement is spreading to enlighten people about their real position, their original relationship with Krishna. One requires Krishna's special power in order to be able to do this... The Lord empowers a special devotee to teach people their constitutional position." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 19.114, Purport)
D) BY ACCEPTING THAT LORD CAITANYA´S PERSONAL ASSOCIATE ARE ETERNALLY TRANSCENDENTAL, ONE IS PROMOTED TO LORD KRISHNA´S ABODE.
One is promoted to the transcendental abode of Lord Krishna, Sri Goloka Dhama, simply by accepting that Lord Caitanya's confidential associates are nitya-siddlias, eternally perfect persons, whose births and pastimes in this world are completely transcendental and meant for the benefit of all conditioned souls in the universe.
sri caitanya-krpa-bharau bhuvi bhuvo bharavahantakarau
vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau:
"Thus they are engaged in missionary activities meant to deliver all the conditioned souls in the material universe..." (Sri Sri Sad-gosvamy-astaka, Prayers to the Six Gosvamis, by Srinivasa Acarya)
"The nitya-siddha never forgets his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead... By the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the nitya-siddlia remains within this material world like an ordinary man, but the only business of the nitya-siddlia is to broadcast the glories of the Lord... All nitya-siddlws within this material world may appear to toil like ordinary men, but they never forget their position as servants of the Lord." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 5.113, Purport)
"... the conditioned soul is tightly tied by the ropes of illusion. A man bound by the hands and feet cannot free himself—he must be helped by a person who is unbound. Because the bound cannot help the bound, the rescuer must be liberated. Therefore, only Lord Krishna, or His bona fide representative the spiritual master, can release the conditioned soul. Without such superior help, one cannot be freed from the bondage of material nature." (Bhagavad-gita As It Is 7.14, Purport)
"A nitya-siddlia is one who was never contaminated by the material nature... Nitya-siddlws never came into contact with the material nature. All the associates of Lord Caitanya are nitya-siddlws, or eternally perfect... We should understand that as Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krishna Himself, is transcendental, similarly His personal associates are also nitya-siddha, or eternally transcendental... Simply by accepting that the associates of Lord Caitanya are eternally free, one is immediately promoted to the transcendental abode of Lord Krishna." (Narottama dasa Thakura's Savarana-sri-gaura-mahima, Purport)
"By the grace of Lord Sri Krishna, we had the chance of being born in a Vaisnava family, and in our childhood we imitated the worship of Lord Krishna by imitating our father... Our spiritual master, who also took his birth in a Vaisnava family, got all inspirations from his great Vaisnava father, Thakura Bhaktivinoda... There is always symmetry between the early lives of all great devotees of the Lord... Such maha-bhagavatas are called nitya-siddhas, souls liberated from birth." (Sriniad-Bhagavatam 2.3.15, Purport)
D) EVERYONE SHOULD ACCEPT SRILA PRABHUPADA AS SPIRITUAL MASTER.
As the Vedas underscore, acaryavan puruso veda: to get a bona fide understanding of Lord and His instructions in the scriptures, spiritual seekers must follow a bona fide acarya or spiritual master. Srila Prabhupada affirms this foundational spiritual principle and casts aside the notion that material space and time can somehow prevent followers of the spiritual master from associating with him in the here and now.
"Sri Jiva Gosvami advises that one not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary social and ecclesiastical conventions. One should simply try to find a genuinely qualified spiritual master for actual advancement in spiritual understanding." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 1.35, Purport)
"One should take initiation from a bona fide spiritual master coming in the disciplic succession, who is authorized by his predecessor spiritual master. This is called diksa-vidhana. Lord Krishna states in Bhagavad-gita, vyapasrita: one should accept a spiritual master. By this process the entire world can be converted to Krishna consciousness." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.8.54, Purport)
"... acaryavan puruso veda: one who follows the disciplic succession of acaryas knows things as they are." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.22.24, Purport, citing Chandogya Upanisad 6.14.2)
"... the Christians are following Christ, a great personality. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. You follow some mahajana, a great personality.... You follow an acarya. Like the Christians— they follow Christ, an acarya. The Muhammadans—they follow an acarya, Muhammad. That is good. You must follow some acarya.... Evam parampara-praptam." (Conversation, May 20, 1975, Melbourne)
"Regarding the parampara system: there is nothing to wonder for big gaps. We have to pick up the prominent acarya and follow from him." (Letter, April 12,1968)
"This is called guru-parampara, disciplic succession.... This is the perfect process of knowledge. You approach the perfect person and get knowledge, and that is your perfect experience.... We are getting knowledge from Krishna, the most perfect. Or you get knowledge from Jesus Christ. That is also perfect, because the source is perfect." (Conversation, June 19,1974, Germany)
"Actually, one who is guided by Jesus Christ will certainly get liberation." (Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers, Chapter 9)
"... one has to associate with liberated persons not directly, physically, but by understanding, through philosophy and logic..." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.31.48, Purport)
"These are not ordinary books. It is recorded chanting. Anyone who reads-he is hearing." (Letter, October 19, 1974)
Disciple: "I feel so far away from you, you know, when you're not here."
Srila Prabhupada: "Oh—that you should not think. There are two conceptions: the physical conception and the vibration conception. So the physical conception is temporary. The vibration conception is eternal. Just like we are enjoying or we are relishing the vibration of Krishna's teachings. So by vibration He is present. As soon as we chant Hare Krishna or chant Bliagavad-gita or Bhagaimta, He is present immediately by His vibration. He's absolute. Therefore, try to remember His words of instruction—you'll not feel separation. You'll feel that He is with you. So we should associate by the vibration, and not by the physical presence. That is real association." (Questions and answers following a lecture, August 18, 1968, Montreal)
Disciple: Is there any way for a Christian to—without the help of a spiritual master-to reach the spiritual sky through believing in the words of Jesus Christ and trying to follow his teachings?
Srila Prabhupada: When you read the Bible, you follow the spiritual master. How can you say "without"? As soon as you read the Bible, that means you are following the instruction of Lord Jesus Christ—that means you are following the spiritual master. So where is the opportunity of being "without a spiritual master"?
Disciple: I.was referring to a living spiritual master.
Srila Prabhupada: The spiritual master is not the question of ["living"]... The spiritual master is eternal—the spiritual master is eternal. So your question is "without a spiritual master." Without a spiritual master you cannot be—at any stage of your life. You may accept this spiritual master or that spiritual master. That is a different thing. But you have to accept. You say "by reading the Bible." When you read the Bible, that means you are following the spiritual master, represented by some priest or some clergyman in the line of Lord Jesus Christ. So in any case, you have to follow a spiritual master. There cannot be the question "without a spiritual master." Is that clear? (Questions and answers following a lecture, October 2, 1968, Seattle)
"The guru must be situated on the topmost platform of devotional service. There are three classes of devotees, and the guru must be accepted from the topmost class... When one has attained the topmost position of maha-bhagavata, he is to be accepted as guru and worshiped exactly like Hari, the Personality of Godhead. Only such a person is eligible to occupy the post of a guru." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 24.330, Purport, citing Padma Purana)
E) THE BONA FIDE SPIRITUAL MASTER IS NEVER LIMITED BY MATERIAL CONDITIONS
Wherever Lord Krishna's devotees worship Him, Krishna is present. In the same way, wherever sincere followers worship Krishna's great devotees, these Vaisnavas are present. Krishna's great devotees live forever in their instructions (vani), in their form (vapu), and in the hearts of their sincere followers. Srila Prabhupada remains present in innumerable places simultaneously and accepts the worship of innumerable followers now and at all times, wherever his instructions are sincerely followed.
"Just like Krishna can be present simultaneously in millions of places, similarly the spiritual master also can be present wherever the disciple wants. A spiritual master is the principle, not the body. Just like a television can be seen in thousands of places by the principle of relay monitoring." (Letter, May 28, 1968)
Disciple: "In some of our temples, such as Vrndavana, the statue [murti] of Your Divine Grace has been installed, and they [your disciples] are offering prasadam [food]... So is it the same [as Lord Krishna accepts offerings through His Deity form or picture] that the prasadam is accepted by the guru?"
Srila Prabhupada: "Yes. Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair. 'The guru is nondifferent than Krishna.' That is accepted by all the sastras... Kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya: 'But the guru's position is the most confidential servant.' So the guru is the servant God, and Krishna is the master God. Both of them are God—servant God and master God." (Conversation, October 27,1975, Nairobi)
Reporter: "What will happen to the movement in the United States when you die?"
Srila Prabhupada: "I will never die. I shall live from my books, and you will utilize."
(Interview, July 16,1975, Berkeley, California)
"He reasons ill who tells that Vaisnavas die, when thou art living still in sound." (From a poem by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.)
"About one hundred years ago, Thakura Bhaktivinoda also wanted to beget a child who could preach the philosophy and teachings of Lord Caitanya to the fullest extent. By his prayers to the Lord, he had as his child Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja, who at the present moment is preaching the philosophy of Lord Caitanya throughout the entire world through his bona fide disciples." (Srimad-Blwgavatam 3.22.19, Purport)
"Although a physical body is not present, the vibration should be accepted as the presence of the spiritual master. Vibration— what we have heard from the spiritual master—that is living." (Lecture, January 13,1969, Los Angeles)
"...the disciple and spiritual master are never separated, because the spiritual master always keeps company with the disciple, as long as the disciple follows strictly the instructions of the spiritual master. This is called the association of vani (words)." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.28.47, Purport)
Disciple: "Srila Prabhupada, when you are not present with us, how is it possible to receive instructions—for example, on questions that may arise?"
Srila Prabhupada: "Well, the answers are there in my books."
Disciple: "Other than that—for example, [questions] that we would ask you in [specific daily matters]. Do you direct us, also, through the heart? Besides the Paramatma?"
Srila Prabhupada: "If your heart is pure. Everything depends on purity." (Conversation, May 13,1973, Los Angeles)
F) SRILA PRRABHUPADA´S WORDS ARE ABOVE DEFECTS
All rituals, procedures, and names established by Srila Prabhupada are transcendentally pure and perfect. (See "Sadhana," next section.) Srila Prabhupada never made mistakes, as do all ordinary men. Everything Srila Prabhupada says and does is pure and perfect, totally devoid of the four defects of conditional life—namely illusion, cheating, imperfect senses, and the tendency to commit mistakes.
"It is recommended that one honor the spiritual master as being on an equal status with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair. This is enjoined in every scripture. Acaryam mam vijaniyat. One should consider the acarya to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In spite of all these instructions, if one considers the spiritual master an ordinary human being, one is doomed. His study of the Vedas and his austerities and penances for enlightenment are all useless, like the bathing of an elephant. An elephant bathes in a lake quite thoroughly, but as soon as it comes on the shore it takes some dust from the ground and strews it over its body. Thus there is no meaning to the elephant's bath." {Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.15.26, Purport)
bhrama pramada vipralipsa karanapatava
arsa-vijna-vakye nahi dosa ei saba:
"Mistakes, illusions, cheating, and defective perception do not occur in the sayings of the authoritative sages." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 2.86)
G) SRILA PRABHUPADA´S PREACHING IS EMPOWERED AND COMPLETE
Srila Prabhupada's activities perfectly convey the complete siddhanta (scripturally authorized conclusions) of the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya originating from Lord Krishna Himself. Srila Prabhupada is the acarya-vigraha, the best example of the perfect teacher. His preaching exhibits the full manifestation guru-tattva and guru-puja, the essence of the bona fide guru and worship of the bona fide guru. By studying and following Srila Prabhupada's instructions, everyone can achieve the highest stages of Krishna consciousness. Srila Prabhupada's books are perfect and complete and require no editing or change.
"Whatever is to be learned of the teachings of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura can be learned from our books. There is no need whatsoever for any outside instruction." (Letter, December 25,1973)
"Everyone can become a first-class preacher. Simply cram the purports of my books. The references are there. The philosophy is there. Everything is there." (Letter, September 19,1974)
"Simply read my books and repeat what I have written. Then our preaching will be perfect." (Letter, April 4,1975)
"One should not partially study a book just to pose oneself as a great scholar by being able to refer to scriptures. In our Krishna consciousness movement we have therefore limited our study of Vedic literatures to Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Caitanya-caritamrta, and Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, These four works are sufficient for preaching purposes. They are adequate for the understanding of the philosophy and the spreading of missionary activities all over the world. If one studies a particular book, he must do so thoroughly. That is the principle. By thoroughly studying a limited number of books, one can understand the philosophy." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 22.118, Purport)
H) SRILA PRABHUPADA LIVES ETERNALLY AS THE SPIRITUAL MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE
To obtain the full blessings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and all previous acaryas, we must accept Srila Prabhupada as acarya-vigraha or sad-guru, the eternal spiritual master, and follow his instructions. Srila Prabhupada is the current, living link of the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya. Therefore, his worship is established as fundamental sadhana for all Hare Krishna Vaisnavas in this age. (See "Sadliana," the following section.)
Reporter: "What will happen to the movement in the United States when you die?"
Srila Prabhupada: "I will never die. I shall live from my books, and you will utilize."
Reporter: "Are you training a successor?"
Srila Prabhupada: "Yes, my Guru Maharaja is there." (Interview, July 16,1975, Berkeley)
Guest: "Are you planning to choose a successor?"
Srila Prabhupada: "It is already successful. A genuine thing is always a success."
Disciple: "One thing he's saying, this gentleman—and I would like to know: Is your successor named?"
Srila Prabhupada: "My success is always there. Yes. Just like the sun is there always. It may come before your vision or not— the sun is there. But if you are fortunate, you come before the sun. Otherwise, you remain in darkness. The sun is open to everyone. Our Krishna consciousness movement, Krishna, is open to everyone. But if you are fortunate, you come to the light. If you are unfortunate, you do not. That is your choice." (Conversation, February 12,1975, Mexico City)
Srila Prabhupada: "Only Lord Caitanya can take my place. He will take care of the movement." (Conversation, November 2, 1977, Vrndavana)
Disciple: "You are the real acarya for this age, Srila Prabhupada." (October 3,1977, Vrndavana)
Please note: Srila Prabhupada's response to this comment was silence. He would have objected had the comment been bogus or improper. "It is characteristic of advanced Vaisnavas... that they think themselves ordinary human beings. This is not an artificial exhibition of humility; a Vaisnava sincerely thinks this way and therefore never admits his exalted position." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.24.26, Purport)
Great Vaisnavas, and the Mission and Teachings
of the Krishna Consciousness Movement
'The Prabhupada Book'
Compiled by
Devotees of the Hare Krishna Society,
Disciples of
His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the Hare Krishna Society,
The International
Krishna Consciousness Movement
(The Hare Krishna movement)
Under His divine inspiration and eternal guidance
"He lives forever by His divine instructions,
and the follower lives with Him."
INTRODUCTION
The Krishna consciousness movement is a global congregation based on the instructions of the Vedic scriptures, the world's most ancient and complete books of spiritual science. Specifically, we follow the teachings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, whose activities and symptoms prove that he is the predicted great personality (shakty-avesa-avatar) who establishes the mission of God, or Krishna, worldwide. We recognize and accept that Srila Prabhupada is a pure representative of Lord Krishna and the current link in the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya. Everyone can attain full perfection by following Srila Prabhupada.
In numerous letters and instructions to his followers, Srila Prabhupada urged, "Please study all of my books very thoroughly." (Letter, December 1974.) He often warned his disciples, "When the waves of maya attack, your little sentiment for Krishna may not save you. All my disciples must be thoroughly trained in the philosophy of Krishna consciousness." (Letter, May 1972). He urged his leading preachers to diligently train devotees rather than constantly canvass for converts: "What's the use of so many devotees if none of them are knowledgeable." (Letter, 1972). Thus, Srila Prabhupada worked tirelessly, night and day, to carefully translate, explain and publish the most important Vaisnava scriptures, such as Srimad-Bhagavatam, Caitanya-caritamrta, Srimad Bhagavad-gita, and Sri Bhaktirasamrita Sindhu (Nectar of Devotion).
Several of Srila Prabhupada's disciples have worked together to create this document, a collection of essential truths, or tattvas, which are like effulgent jewels gathered from Srila Prabhupada's books, conversations and lectures. By his preaching, Srila Prabhupada churned the ocean of transcendental nectar for the benefit of every living being in the universe, particularly his dedicated disciples. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the most munificent avatar of Lord Krishna, insisted that His devotees chant the glories of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna constantly and live purely, without material attachments. Without carefully understanding and appreciating the importance of the nitya-siddha devotees of Lord Caitanya, no one can successfully follow the transcendental sadhana and mood of service that leads irrevocably to Lord Caitanya's fabulous benediction of pure Krishna consciousness, prema-bhakti. Without the blessings of a great Vaisnava like Srila Prabhupada, no one can advance to the higher stages of Krishna consciousness. All sastras and all great authorities confirm this principle as fundamental and everlasting.
To glorify Srila Prabhupada and the great teachers of Krishna consciousness, and to defend Their mission, we, a few disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, offer this collection of essential truths for Their pleasure. Without understanding these spiritual facts very carefully, according to guru, sastra and sadhu, the infallible Vedic authority, no one can preach or practice pure Krishna consciousness. We pray this transcendental document regarding 'the Supreme Lord, His empowered devotees and devotional service will benefit every living being in the universe, even without their immediate knowledge. We pray that by Lord Nityananda's divine grace, this brief but concise treatise of Krishna consciousness will help many generations of Srila Prabhupada's disciples remain pure devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
SECTION ONE
BASIC CONVICTIONS OF THE KRISHNA COUNSCIOUSNESS MOVEMENT
Srila Prabhupada listed the following convictions of the Krishna Consciousness Movement:
1. The Absolute Truth is contained in all the great scriptures of the world. However, the oldest known revealed scriptures in existence are the Vedic literatures, most notably Bhagavad-gita, which is the literal record of God's words.
2. God, or Krishna, is eternal, all-knowing, omnipresent, all-powerful, and all-attractive, the seed-giving father of man and all living entities. He is the sustaining energy of all life, nature, and the cosmic situation.
3. Man is actually not his body but spirit soul, part and parcel of God, and therefore eternal.
4. That all men are brothers can be practiced only when we realize God as our common father.
5. All our actions should be performed as a sacrifice to the Supreme Lord: "All that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me." (Bhagavad-gita 9.27)
6. The food that sustains us should always be offered to the Lord before eating. In this way He becomes the offering, and such eating purifies us.
7. We can, by sincere cultivation of bona fide spiritual science, attain to the stage of pure, unendingly blissful consciousness, free from anxiety, in this very lifetime.
8. The recommended means to attain the mature stage of love of God in the present age of Kali, or quarrel, is to chant the holy name of the Lord. The easiest method for most people is to chant the Hare Krishna mantra:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
SECTION TWO
SIDDHANTA – PHILOSOPHICAL CONCLUSIONS OF THE KRISHNA COUNSCIOUSNESS MOVEMENT
To help fulfill the aims of Lord Caitanya's mission and preserve the spiritual science taught by the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya, we here reaffirm the worldwide association (sanga) of Srila Prabhupada's bona fide disciples, based on our clear understanding of the following conclusions.
A) SRI KRISHNA IS THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD
Great authorities (mahajanas) like Sukadeva Gosvami, Narada Muni, Lord Shiva, Asita, Devala, Srila Vyasadeva, and Lord Brahma, all great teachers in the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya, and all essential Vedic scriptures confirm that Sri Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the original source and maintainer of everyone, including all avatars of Godhead. These facts are realized and taught by pure devotees of the Supreme Lord.
ete camsa-kalah pumsah, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam:
"All of the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portions or portions of the plenary portions of the Lord, but Lord Sri Krishna, as above mentioned, is the original Personality of Godhead." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.28)
ekale isvara krsna, ara sabha bhrtya:
"Lord Krishna alone is the supreme controller, and all others are His servants." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 5.142)
aham sarvasya prabhavo, mattah sarvam pravartate:
"I [Lord Krishna] am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me." (Bhagavad-gita As It Is 10.8)
isvarah paramah krsnah, sac-cid-ananda vigrahah
anadir adir govindah, satva-karana-karanam:
"Krishna is the cause of all causes. He is the primal cause, and He is the very form of eternal being, knowledge, and bliss." (Brahma-samhita 5.1)
B) SRI KRISHNA CAITANYA IS LORD KRISHNA´S MOST MUNIFICIENT AVATAR
Sri Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534) is the avatar of Godhead for the Age of Kali, and He is recognized by great devotees of the Supreme Lord as the most munificent incarnation of God (namo maha-vadanyaya). Sri Krishna Caitanya is identical to Lord Krishna. He is directly the combined form of Sri Radha and Sri Krishna. He descends to liberally grant to the fallen conditioned souls of this age pure love of Godhead (prema-bhakti) by propagating sankirtana, especially through public chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.
"Lord Caitanya is the original teacher of life's prime necessities. He is the most munificent bestower of love of Krishna. He is the complete reservoir of all mercies and good fortune. As confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Mahabharata, and the Upanisads, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna Himself, and He is worshipable by everyone in this age of disagreement. Everyone can join in His sankirtana movement." (Introduction to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta)
yada pasyah pasyate rukma-varnam,
kartaram isam purusam brahma yonim.
"One who sees that golden-colored Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Lord, the supreme actor, who is the source of the Supreme Brahman, is liberated." (Mundaka 'Vpanisad 3.1.3) [See Caitanya Caritamrita, Adi 2.22 Purport]
atha vaham dharadhame, bhutva mad-bhakta-rupa-dhrk
mayayam ca bhavisyami, kalau sankirtanagame.
"Sometimes I personally appear on the surface of the world in the garb of a devotee. Specifically, I appear as the son of Saci in Kali-yuga to start the sankirtana movment." (Brahma-yamala-tantra) [See Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 2.22, Purport]
ya eva bhagavan krsno, radhika-prana-vallabhah
srstyadau sa jagam-natho, gaura asin mahesvari.
"The Supreme Person, Sri Krishna Himself, who is the life of Sri Radharani and is the Lord of the universe in creation, maintenance, and annihilation, appears as Gaura, O Mahesvari." (Ananta-samhita) [See Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi 2.22 Purport]
"When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared, He ushered in the era for the sankirtana movement. It is also said mat for ten thousand years this era will continue. This means that simply by accepting the sankirtana movement and chanting the maha-mantra, the fallen souls of this Kali-yuga will be delivered. After the battle of Kuruksetra, at which Bhagavad-gita was spoken, Kali-yuga continues for 432,000 years, of which only 5,000 years have passed. Thus, there is still a balance of 427,000 years to come. Of these 427,000 years, the 10,000 years of the sankirtana movement inaugurated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu 500 years ago provide the opportunity for the fallen souls of Kali-yuga to take to the Krishna consciousness movement, chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, and thus be delivered from the clutches of material existence and return home, back to Godhead." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.5.23, Purport)
C) SRILA PRABHUPADA IS AN ETERNAL ASSOCIATE OF LORD CAITANYA
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977) is a nitya-siddha Vaisnava (eternally liberated devotee of Krishna) sent by Lord Caitanya and Krishna to revive the mission of nama-sankirtana and save the world from the dangerous atheistic doctrines of impersonalism (nirvisesa) and voidism (sunyavada). All his activities are eternal and purely transcendental. In fact, the Vedic literature, Lord Caitanya, and predecessor acaryas have predicted this great personality, Srila Prabhupada, who fulfilled these predictions by founding the global Krishna consciousness movement and Hare Krishna Society single-handedly. Thus he is worshiped by Gaudiya Vaisnavas with the name "Srila Prabhupada" (the master at whose feet all others bow). Srila Prabhupada's form (vapu) and instructions (vani) offer the full mercy of Lord Caitanya to all conditioned souls for the duration of the ten-thousand-year era of Lord Caitanya.
"In the Vedic literatures it is recommended that in Kali-yuga people engage in glorifying the Lord by chanting the holy name of Krishna (kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet)...." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.12.34, Purport)
"Kirtanad eva krsnasya, mukta-sangah param vrajet:
simply by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, one can be freed from the contamination of Kali-yuga and, in his original spiritual body, can return home, back to Godhead.... When Krishna appeared, He gave His orders, and when Krishna Himself appeared as a devotee, as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He showed us the path by which to cross the ocean of Kali-yuga. That is the path of the Hare Krishna movement." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 8.5.23, Purport)
"The Kali-santarana Upanisad states, 'Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—these sixteen names composed of thirty-two syllables are the only means to counteract the evil effects of Kali-yuga.' In all the Vedas it is seen that to cross the ocean of nescience, there is no alternative to the chanting of the holy name." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 7.76, Purport)
"So, my dear boys and girls, about six years ago I came to your country single-handed, with this pair of cymbals. Now you are so many chanting Hare Krishna. That is my success. It was the prediction of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu: prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama, sarvatra pracara hoibe mora noma. Lord Caitanya desired that 'In all the towns—in as many towns and villages as there are on the surface of the globe—My name will be broadcast.' He is Krishna Himself—svayam krsna, krsna caitanya-namine — simply changing His name as Krishna Caitanya. So His prediction will never go in vain. That's a fact. So my plan was that T shall go to America... If I can convince the younger generation of America, they will take it up.' If you kindly take this Krishna consciousness movement seriously, your country will be saved, and the whole world will be saved." (Lecture, May 18,1972, Los Angeles)
"He [Bhaktivinoda Thakura] sent his first book in 1896. Bhaktivinoda Thakura was the origin of this movement. But he simply thought of it. And he was expecting some others willing to take up the work. Well, somebody says that I am the same man. And 1 was born in 1896." (Conversation, March 13, 1975, Tehran)
"Thakura Bhaktivinoda... in 1896 he sent Caitanya Mahaprabhu's message to McGill University. That book you have seen. The letter was there... Now, after so many years, a servant of that disciplic succession has come here again to preach. So these things are significant." (Lecture, March 18, 1967, San Francisco)
'Soon there will appear a personality who will preach the holy name all over the world." (Prediction of Bhaktivinoda Thakura in the nineteenth century, as cited in Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas, Introduction, Prabhupada-approved 1974 edition.)
"Without being empowered by the direct potency of Lord Krishna to fulfill His desire and without being specifically favored by the Lord, no human being can become the spiritual master of the whole world... Only an empowered personality can distribute the holy name of the Lord and enjoin all fallen souls to worship Krishna. By distributing the holy name of the Lord, he cleanses the hearts of the most fallen people; therefore he extinguishes the blazing fire of the material world. Not only that, he broadcasts the shining brightness of Krishna's effulgence throughout the world. Such an acarya or spiritual master should be considered nondifferent from Krishna—that is, he should be considered the incarnation of Lord Krishna's potency. Such a personality is krsnalingita-vigraha—that is, he is always embraced by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. Such a person is ... the guru or spiritual master for the entire world, a devotee on the topmost platform, the maha-bhagavata stage." (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, Anubhasya, cited in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 25.9, Purport)
"By the grace of Lord Sri Krishna, we had the chance of being born in a Vaisnava family, and in our childhood we imitated the worship of Lord Krishna by imitating our father... Our spiritual master, who also took his birth in a Vaisnava family, got all inspirations from his great Vaisnava father, Thakura Bhaktivinoda... There is always symmetry between the early lives of all great devotees of the Lord... Such maha-bhagavatas are called nitya-siddhas, souls liberated from birth." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.15, Purport)
"The Krishna consciousness movement is spreading to enlighten people about their real position, their original relationship with Krishna. One requires Krishna's special power in order to be able to do this... The Lord empowers a special devotee to teach people their constitutional position." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 19.114, Purport)
D) BY ACCEPTING THAT LORD CAITANYA´S PERSONAL ASSOCIATE ARE ETERNALLY TRANSCENDENTAL, ONE IS PROMOTED TO LORD KRISHNA´S ABODE.
One is promoted to the transcendental abode of Lord Krishna, Sri Goloka Dhama, simply by accepting that Lord Caitanya's confidential associates are nitya-siddlias, eternally perfect persons, whose births and pastimes in this world are completely transcendental and meant for the benefit of all conditioned souls in the universe.
sri caitanya-krpa-bharau bhuvi bhuvo bharavahantakarau
vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau:
"Thus they are engaged in missionary activities meant to deliver all the conditioned souls in the material universe..." (Sri Sri Sad-gosvamy-astaka, Prayers to the Six Gosvamis, by Srinivasa Acarya)
"The nitya-siddha never forgets his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead... By the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the nitya-siddlia remains within this material world like an ordinary man, but the only business of the nitya-siddlia is to broadcast the glories of the Lord... All nitya-siddlws within this material world may appear to toil like ordinary men, but they never forget their position as servants of the Lord." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 5.113, Purport)
"... the conditioned soul is tightly tied by the ropes of illusion. A man bound by the hands and feet cannot free himself—he must be helped by a person who is unbound. Because the bound cannot help the bound, the rescuer must be liberated. Therefore, only Lord Krishna, or His bona fide representative the spiritual master, can release the conditioned soul. Without such superior help, one cannot be freed from the bondage of material nature." (Bhagavad-gita As It Is 7.14, Purport)
"A nitya-siddlia is one who was never contaminated by the material nature... Nitya-siddlws never came into contact with the material nature. All the associates of Lord Caitanya are nitya-siddlws, or eternally perfect... We should understand that as Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Krishna Himself, is transcendental, similarly His personal associates are also nitya-siddha, or eternally transcendental... Simply by accepting that the associates of Lord Caitanya are eternally free, one is immediately promoted to the transcendental abode of Lord Krishna." (Narottama dasa Thakura's Savarana-sri-gaura-mahima, Purport)
"By the grace of Lord Sri Krishna, we had the chance of being born in a Vaisnava family, and in our childhood we imitated the worship of Lord Krishna by imitating our father... Our spiritual master, who also took his birth in a Vaisnava family, got all inspirations from his great Vaisnava father, Thakura Bhaktivinoda... There is always symmetry between the early lives of all great devotees of the Lord... Such maha-bhagavatas are called nitya-siddhas, souls liberated from birth." (Sriniad-Bhagavatam 2.3.15, Purport)
D) EVERYONE SHOULD ACCEPT SRILA PRABHUPADA AS SPIRITUAL MASTER.
As the Vedas underscore, acaryavan puruso veda: to get a bona fide understanding of Lord and His instructions in the scriptures, spiritual seekers must follow a bona fide acarya or spiritual master. Srila Prabhupada affirms this foundational spiritual principle and casts aside the notion that material space and time can somehow prevent followers of the spiritual master from associating with him in the here and now.
"Sri Jiva Gosvami advises that one not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary social and ecclesiastical conventions. One should simply try to find a genuinely qualified spiritual master for actual advancement in spiritual understanding." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 1.35, Purport)
"One should take initiation from a bona fide spiritual master coming in the disciplic succession, who is authorized by his predecessor spiritual master. This is called diksa-vidhana. Lord Krishna states in Bhagavad-gita, vyapasrita: one should accept a spiritual master. By this process the entire world can be converted to Krishna consciousness." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.8.54, Purport)
"... acaryavan puruso veda: one who follows the disciplic succession of acaryas knows things as they are." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.22.24, Purport, citing Chandogya Upanisad 6.14.2)
"... the Christians are following Christ, a great personality. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. You follow some mahajana, a great personality.... You follow an acarya. Like the Christians— they follow Christ, an acarya. The Muhammadans—they follow an acarya, Muhammad. That is good. You must follow some acarya.... Evam parampara-praptam." (Conversation, May 20, 1975, Melbourne)
"Regarding the parampara system: there is nothing to wonder for big gaps. We have to pick up the prominent acarya and follow from him." (Letter, April 12,1968)
"This is called guru-parampara, disciplic succession.... This is the perfect process of knowledge. You approach the perfect person and get knowledge, and that is your perfect experience.... We are getting knowledge from Krishna, the most perfect. Or you get knowledge from Jesus Christ. That is also perfect, because the source is perfect." (Conversation, June 19,1974, Germany)
"Actually, one who is guided by Jesus Christ will certainly get liberation." (Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers, Chapter 9)
"... one has to associate with liberated persons not directly, physically, but by understanding, through philosophy and logic..." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.31.48, Purport)
"These are not ordinary books. It is recorded chanting. Anyone who reads-he is hearing." (Letter, October 19, 1974)
Disciple: "I feel so far away from you, you know, when you're not here."
Srila Prabhupada: "Oh—that you should not think. There are two conceptions: the physical conception and the vibration conception. So the physical conception is temporary. The vibration conception is eternal. Just like we are enjoying or we are relishing the vibration of Krishna's teachings. So by vibration He is present. As soon as we chant Hare Krishna or chant Bliagavad-gita or Bhagaimta, He is present immediately by His vibration. He's absolute. Therefore, try to remember His words of instruction—you'll not feel separation. You'll feel that He is with you. So we should associate by the vibration, and not by the physical presence. That is real association." (Questions and answers following a lecture, August 18, 1968, Montreal)
Disciple: Is there any way for a Christian to—without the help of a spiritual master-to reach the spiritual sky through believing in the words of Jesus Christ and trying to follow his teachings?
Srila Prabhupada: When you read the Bible, you follow the spiritual master. How can you say "without"? As soon as you read the Bible, that means you are following the instruction of Lord Jesus Christ—that means you are following the spiritual master. So where is the opportunity of being "without a spiritual master"?
Disciple: I.was referring to a living spiritual master.
Srila Prabhupada: The spiritual master is not the question of ["living"]... The spiritual master is eternal—the spiritual master is eternal. So your question is "without a spiritual master." Without a spiritual master you cannot be—at any stage of your life. You may accept this spiritual master or that spiritual master. That is a different thing. But you have to accept. You say "by reading the Bible." When you read the Bible, that means you are following the spiritual master, represented by some priest or some clergyman in the line of Lord Jesus Christ. So in any case, you have to follow a spiritual master. There cannot be the question "without a spiritual master." Is that clear? (Questions and answers following a lecture, October 2, 1968, Seattle)
"The guru must be situated on the topmost platform of devotional service. There are three classes of devotees, and the guru must be accepted from the topmost class... When one has attained the topmost position of maha-bhagavata, he is to be accepted as guru and worshiped exactly like Hari, the Personality of Godhead. Only such a person is eligible to occupy the post of a guru." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 24.330, Purport, citing Padma Purana)
E) THE BONA FIDE SPIRITUAL MASTER IS NEVER LIMITED BY MATERIAL CONDITIONS
Wherever Lord Krishna's devotees worship Him, Krishna is present. In the same way, wherever sincere followers worship Krishna's great devotees, these Vaisnavas are present. Krishna's great devotees live forever in their instructions (vani), in their form (vapu), and in the hearts of their sincere followers. Srila Prabhupada remains present in innumerable places simultaneously and accepts the worship of innumerable followers now and at all times, wherever his instructions are sincerely followed.
"Just like Krishna can be present simultaneously in millions of places, similarly the spiritual master also can be present wherever the disciple wants. A spiritual master is the principle, not the body. Just like a television can be seen in thousands of places by the principle of relay monitoring." (Letter, May 28, 1968)
Disciple: "In some of our temples, such as Vrndavana, the statue [murti] of Your Divine Grace has been installed, and they [your disciples] are offering prasadam [food]... So is it the same [as Lord Krishna accepts offerings through His Deity form or picture] that the prasadam is accepted by the guru?"
Srila Prabhupada: "Yes. Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair. 'The guru is nondifferent than Krishna.' That is accepted by all the sastras... Kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya: 'But the guru's position is the most confidential servant.' So the guru is the servant God, and Krishna is the master God. Both of them are God—servant God and master God." (Conversation, October 27,1975, Nairobi)
Reporter: "What will happen to the movement in the United States when you die?"
Srila Prabhupada: "I will never die. I shall live from my books, and you will utilize."
(Interview, July 16,1975, Berkeley, California)
"He reasons ill who tells that Vaisnavas die, when thou art living still in sound." (From a poem by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura.)
"About one hundred years ago, Thakura Bhaktivinoda also wanted to beget a child who could preach the philosophy and teachings of Lord Caitanya to the fullest extent. By his prayers to the Lord, he had as his child Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja, who at the present moment is preaching the philosophy of Lord Caitanya throughout the entire world through his bona fide disciples." (Srimad-Blwgavatam 3.22.19, Purport)
"Although a physical body is not present, the vibration should be accepted as the presence of the spiritual master. Vibration— what we have heard from the spiritual master—that is living." (Lecture, January 13,1969, Los Angeles)
"...the disciple and spiritual master are never separated, because the spiritual master always keeps company with the disciple, as long as the disciple follows strictly the instructions of the spiritual master. This is called the association of vani (words)." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.28.47, Purport)
Disciple: "Srila Prabhupada, when you are not present with us, how is it possible to receive instructions—for example, on questions that may arise?"
Srila Prabhupada: "Well, the answers are there in my books."
Disciple: "Other than that—for example, [questions] that we would ask you in [specific daily matters]. Do you direct us, also, through the heart? Besides the Paramatma?"
Srila Prabhupada: "If your heart is pure. Everything depends on purity." (Conversation, May 13,1973, Los Angeles)
F) SRILA PRRABHUPADA´S WORDS ARE ABOVE DEFECTS
All rituals, procedures, and names established by Srila Prabhupada are transcendentally pure and perfect. (See "Sadhana," next section.) Srila Prabhupada never made mistakes, as do all ordinary men. Everything Srila Prabhupada says and does is pure and perfect, totally devoid of the four defects of conditional life—namely illusion, cheating, imperfect senses, and the tendency to commit mistakes.
"It is recommended that one honor the spiritual master as being on an equal status with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair. This is enjoined in every scripture. Acaryam mam vijaniyat. One should consider the acarya to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In spite of all these instructions, if one considers the spiritual master an ordinary human being, one is doomed. His study of the Vedas and his austerities and penances for enlightenment are all useless, like the bathing of an elephant. An elephant bathes in a lake quite thoroughly, but as soon as it comes on the shore it takes some dust from the ground and strews it over its body. Thus there is no meaning to the elephant's bath." {Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.15.26, Purport)
bhrama pramada vipralipsa karanapatava
arsa-vijna-vakye nahi dosa ei saba:
"Mistakes, illusions, cheating, and defective perception do not occur in the sayings of the authoritative sages." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 2.86)
G) SRILA PRABHUPADA´S PREACHING IS EMPOWERED AND COMPLETE
Srila Prabhupada's activities perfectly convey the complete siddhanta (scripturally authorized conclusions) of the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya originating from Lord Krishna Himself. Srila Prabhupada is the acarya-vigraha, the best example of the perfect teacher. His preaching exhibits the full manifestation guru-tattva and guru-puja, the essence of the bona fide guru and worship of the bona fide guru. By studying and following Srila Prabhupada's instructions, everyone can achieve the highest stages of Krishna consciousness. Srila Prabhupada's books are perfect and complete and require no editing or change.
"Whatever is to be learned of the teachings of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura can be learned from our books. There is no need whatsoever for any outside instruction." (Letter, December 25,1973)
"Everyone can become a first-class preacher. Simply cram the purports of my books. The references are there. The philosophy is there. Everything is there." (Letter, September 19,1974)
"Simply read my books and repeat what I have written. Then our preaching will be perfect." (Letter, April 4,1975)
"One should not partially study a book just to pose oneself as a great scholar by being able to refer to scriptures. In our Krishna consciousness movement we have therefore limited our study of Vedic literatures to Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Caitanya-caritamrta, and Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, These four works are sufficient for preaching purposes. They are adequate for the understanding of the philosophy and the spreading of missionary activities all over the world. If one studies a particular book, he must do so thoroughly. That is the principle. By thoroughly studying a limited number of books, one can understand the philosophy." (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 22.118, Purport)
H) SRILA PRABHUPADA LIVES ETERNALLY AS THE SPIRITUAL MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE
To obtain the full blessings of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and all previous acaryas, we must accept Srila Prabhupada as acarya-vigraha or sad-guru, the eternal spiritual master, and follow his instructions. Srila Prabhupada is the current, living link of the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya. Therefore, his worship is established as fundamental sadhana for all Hare Krishna Vaisnavas in this age. (See "Sadliana," the following section.)
Reporter: "What will happen to the movement in the United States when you die?"
Srila Prabhupada: "I will never die. I shall live from my books, and you will utilize."
Reporter: "Are you training a successor?"
Srila Prabhupada: "Yes, my Guru Maharaja is there." (Interview, July 16,1975, Berkeley)
Guest: "Are you planning to choose a successor?"
Srila Prabhupada: "It is already successful. A genuine thing is always a success."
Disciple: "One thing he's saying, this gentleman—and I would like to know: Is your successor named?"
Srila Prabhupada: "My success is always there. Yes. Just like the sun is there always. It may come before your vision or not— the sun is there. But if you are fortunate, you come before the sun. Otherwise, you remain in darkness. The sun is open to everyone. Our Krishna consciousness movement, Krishna, is open to everyone. But if you are fortunate, you come to the light. If you are unfortunate, you do not. That is your choice." (Conversation, February 12,1975, Mexico City)
Srila Prabhupada: "Only Lord Caitanya can take my place. He will take care of the movement." (Conversation, November 2, 1977, Vrndavana)
Disciple: "You are the real acarya for this age, Srila Prabhupada." (October 3,1977, Vrndavana)
Please note: Srila Prabhupada's response to this comment was silence. He would have objected had the comment been bogus or improper. "It is characteristic of advanced Vaisnavas... that they think themselves ordinary human beings. This is not an artificial exhibition of humility; a Vaisnava sincerely thinks this way and therefore never admits his exalted position." (Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.24.26, Purport)
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