Bona fide (Lectures, SB)

Expressions researched:
"bon-a-fide" |"bona fide" |"bona fidely" |"bona fides" |"bone fide"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: "bona fide" or "bone fide" or "bon-a-fide" or "bona fidely" or "bona fides" not "bona fide spiritual master"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 17, 1971:

Another point is that it doesn't matter. I don't say that your religion is cheating or my religion is bona fide. I don't say that. We have no right to say that. I want to see... "I" means, we are Bhāgavata. We are representative of bhāgavata-dharma. Or Bhāgavata wants to see. Any religion you may profess—it doesn't matter—I want to see whether you have got the result of religion. The result of religion is you will love God. That is result of religion.

Lecture on SB 1.1.5-6 -- London, August 23, 1971:

Pradyumna: "And all other prec... Vyāsadeva is the original spiritual preceptor for all men, and all other preceptors are considered to be his representatives. A representative is one who can exactly present the viewpoint of Śrī Vyāsadeva. Śrī Vyāsadeva impregnated the message of Bhāgavatam unto Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī heard it from him (Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī). All bona fide representatives of Śrī Vyāsadeva in the chain of disciplic succession are to be understood to be gosvāmīs. These gosvāmīs restrain all their senses, and they stick to the path made by the previous ācāryas."

Prabhupāda: Yes, gosvāmī or svāmī, the same meaning. One who has been able to control his senses... Generally, everyone is controlled by the senses. When one becomes controller of the senses, then he's gosvāmī. So generally, we give this designation to the sannyāsīs because sannyāsa means who has fully control of the senses. One should not accept sannyāsa whimsically. One must know about himself, how far he can control the senses. Therefore, generally, sannyāsa is not accepted until one is sixty years old. But in this age there is no guarantee whether we are going to live up to sixty years old age. So sometimes younger generation also offered sannyāsa. Because Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted at the age of twenty-four years.

Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- Rome, May 26, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa says that "This division, the social division—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—is made by Me according to quality and work." Not that simply work or simply quality. You must have the quality and work, both. Means you must be bona fide candidate to work for something. If you want to work as a brāhmaṇa, then you must have all, you must possess all the bona fide qualities of a brāhmaṇa. If you want to act as a kṣatriya, then you must have all the kṣatriya qualities and act. The kṣatriya means they are especially the... Yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam. A kṣatriya is never afraid of fighting; neither, if somebody challenges, "I would fight with you, I want to fight with you," the kṣatriya will never deny.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

If one associates with Kṛṣṇa, if one talks with Kṛṣṇa, he must be very abhijñaḥ, very learned, because he takes lessons from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's knowledge is perfect, therefore, because he takes knowledge from Kṛṣṇa, his knowledge is also perfect. Abhijñaḥ. And Kṛṣṇa talks. It is not that it is fictitious, no. Kṛṣṇa—I have already said—that Kṛṣṇa is sitting in everyone's heart and He talks with the bona fide person. Just like a big man, he talks with some bona fide person, he doesn't waste his time talking with nonsense. He talks, that's a fact, but he does not talk with nonsense, he talks with the bona fide representative.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

Who is bona fide representative? Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. Kṛṣṇa says that "I give him intelligence." To whom? Satata-yuktānām, those who are engaged twenty-four hours. In which way he is engaged? Bhajatam, bhajana, those who are engaged in devotional service. What kind of devotional service? Prīti-pūrvakam, with love and affection. One who is engaged in devotional service of the Lord in love and devotion. What is the symptom of love? The symptom, the prime symptom, most important symptom of love is that the devotee wants to see that his Lord's name, fame, etc. become widespread. He wants to see that "My Lord's name be known everywhere."

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

So if you actually serious to know about spiritual subject matter, then you must have to, abhigacchet... Abhigacchet, this word is used when the sense is "must". Not that without I can go, I can have spiritual knowledge without having accepted a spiritual master, that is not possible. You must go to a spiritual master and he must be bona fide, he must be in full knowledge, then your life is successful.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

Turks, oh, yes. So, so he was a big scholar and born in brāhmaṇa family. Everything was all right. But still he presented himself before Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that he is not a bona fide learned man because he did not know what is his identification. That is very important thing. One should know his identification. At the present moment, identification is going on by the skin. "I am Indian," "I am American." This is going on. But that is not our proper identification. The proper identification is ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am spirit soul." This is to be understood in human form of life. Otherwise, the dog is also puffed up, "I am a big dog." So similarly, if a man becomes puffed up simply by the bodily concept of life, "I am a big Roman," "I am big Indian," "I am big...," there is no distinction between the dog's conception of life and the big Roman's conception of life—because the center is the body.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- New Vrindaban, September 5, 1972:

The first thing is śravaṇam. If we simply keep these Deities here, we may see. But if we don't hear about Him, then it will be happening. Then it will be happening. Just like in India it has become. Because they have given up the process of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, therefore they are feeling now... Everywhere, not only India, everywhere, because they have given up bona fide śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, hearing and chanting about God, it has become a burden and they are trying to sell the temples and churches. So don't stop. If you stop this śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, then you have to..., gradually you will diminish in your devotional service. That is called bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga begins from śravaṇam, from hearing. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam viṣṇoḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.2.11 -- Vrndavana, October 22, 1972:

This is the confirmation of all authorities. We have to carry out very faithfully the order of the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. Then our life is successful. Then we can understand Kṛṣṇa in truth. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). We have to hear from the tattva-vit, not from the so-called scholars and politicians. No. One who knows the truth, you have to hear from him. And if you stick to that principle, then you understand everything very clearly.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Anywhere he can sit down and he can talk with God, he can see God, he can take direction from God. Paśyanty ātmani cātmānaṁ bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā. By devotional service. Not by other means. Śruta-gṛhītayā. By understanding from the Vedas. Not manufactured. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). You have to hear from Kṛṣṇa or from His bona fide representative. Then it will be sufficient.

Lecture on SB 1.2.13 -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

If you, someway or other, can satisfy Kṛṣṇa... Just like Arjuna, by killing, he sat... Killing art is not very good art. But because by killing he satisfied Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa gave him certificate, bhakto 'si priyo 'si me (BG 4.3), "Oh, you are My very dear friend." Because Kṛṣṇa's purpose was to kill the demons. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). So Arjuna helped to kill the demons and fulfill the desire of Kṛṣṇa. And therefore he became perfect by killing. So if you do anything which is sanctioned by Kṛṣṇa, or by His bona fide representative, that is real dharma. Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13).

Lecture on SB 1.2.14-16 -- San Francisco, March 24, 1967:

By pleasing such great soul, the spiritual master, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ, to please him means to please God. Because he is representative of God. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi **. If we cannot please such representative, bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, then there is no hope. There is no hope of our spiritual advancement. Therefore the first duty in the morning is that dhyāyan stuvaṁs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyam. We have to remember about his glories and we have to offer our respectful obeisances unto him three times at least in a day, or tri-sandhyam.

Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Los Angeles, August 21, 1972:

So we have to follow this. Śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda, śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. Kṛṣṇa is teaching how to approach Kṛṣṇa. That is bona fide. We cannot take any other method. This is the authorized method. The, the person concerned, He is teaching how to worship Kṛṣṇa, how to become devotee. Kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne. Rūpa Gosvāmī said,"Lord Caitanya, You are Kṛṣṇa, but You have appeared as Kṛṣṇa Caitanya." Kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne.

Lecture on SB 1.2.20 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972:

So human being in the modes of ignorance and passion, they are animals. They are not considered as human being. They are animals. Rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ, kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (SB 1.2.19). So actually a person is considered to be human being when he comes to the platform of goodness or he acquires the quality of a bona fide brāhmaṇa. Then he is considered as human being. Go on.

Lecture on SB 1.2.25 -- Vrndavana, November 5, 1972:

Vedānta is accepted by all classes of men. Because without accepting Vedānta, nobody will be bona fide. Generally they think that the impersonalists are Vedantists. Generally they think, but that's a wrong conception. They... All the Vaiṣṇava—Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya—they are also Vedantists. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Vedantist. We are also Vedantist. It is not that Vedānta is the monopoly of the impersonalists.

Lecture on SB 1.3.19 -- Los Angeles, September 24, 1972:

Bali Mahārāja, he was the grandson of Prahlāda Mahārāja. They were in the demon's family. But in the demon's family also, there is sometimes Prahlāda Mahārāja, Bali Mahārāja. Prahlāda and Bali, they are our ācāryas. There are twelve bona fide ācāryas. Balir vaiyāsakir vayam. The ācāryas are mentioned. Dvādaśa-mahājanāḥ. Svayambhū. Svayambhū means Lord Brahmā. (aside:) Don't make sound. Svayambhū, Nārada. Nārada is also one of the authorities. They have been accepted at (as) authority for understanding religious principles. Religious principle is not to be understood by from a rascal. No, that anyone comes and says religious topics.

Lecture on SB 1.5.17-18 -- New Vrindaban, June 21, 1969:

A thief is stealing. That is also certain kind of activity. It is not inactivity. So we cannot say that this is bona fide activity. He's also planning. He's also making plan, how to steal, how to go upstairs of the house and then come down. So there is activity. But such kind of activity is not bona fide activity. Therefore, according to śāstra, it is called vikarma. Vikarma means it is counteractivity. Activity means you have to work legally. That is activity. If you say that "I am very much active in stealing," then that is not excused. Then you'll... Government will say, "Please stop your activity. You come into the prison." Yes.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

We accept Lord Kṛṣṇa as the perfect, and His bona fide representative is also perfect. How he is perfect? Kṛṣṇa may be perfect, one may admit, but how his bona fide representative is also perfect? So the answer is the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, he does not say anything beyond Kṛṣṇa. That is perfect. He may be imperfect. It doesn't matter. But he is receiving knowledge from the perfect, and he's simply repeating that knowledge. That is the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Yāre dekha tāre kaha, kaha kṛṣṇa-kathā. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-kathā.

Lecture on SB 1.5.23 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:

The society is so polluted." And... But the, there is opportunity of serving Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Because the society is so fallen, therefore there is good opportunity to serve Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's incarnation is to reclaim these fallen souls. So you have got the opportunity to serve Śrī Caitan..., to please Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu because He wanted the fallen souls to be delivered. Kṛṣṇa also wanted. Yadā yadā hi glānir bhavati bhārata, dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata. Kṛṣṇa comes... This is... God's business is going on like that. He's very anxious to reclaim all these rascals, rotting in this material world. Kṛṣṇa is always anxious. He comes Himself. He comes as devotee. He comes..., sends His bona fide servant, bona fide son.

Lecture on SB 1.5.29 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

"Here is... Kṛṣṇa is the cause." You understand or don't understand, if you simply pick up the words of Kṛṣṇa and talk like that, then you become mahātmā. There is no difficulty to become mahātmā. But these durātmās, the rascals, they talk differently from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are not mahātmās. They are all durātmā. Therefore the process is that if you want to make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you have to find out a guru who is mahātmā. Ādau gurvāśrayam. That is the first business. Ādau, in the beginning, gurvāśrayam, to take shelter of a bona fide mahātmā guru. That is the Vedic instruction.

Lecture on SB 1.5.29 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

I became a lover of the mahātmās." Anuraktasya praśritasya. "I became obedient." Not disobedient. Guror avajñāḥ, that is great offense. If you become disobedient to guru, then your business is finished. These are the qualifications. Me anuraktasya praśritasya... And hatainasaḥ. Hata enasaḥ. Means "All my sinful activities stopped." Nobody can understand the bona fide guru or Kṛṣṇa unless he is free from sinful life. Therefore we have to accept this principle: no illicit sex, no gambling, no, I mean to say, intoxication, no meat-eating. If you follow these four principles, then you become hatainasaḥ. Hata enasaḥ. Your sinful life stopped.

Lecture on SB 1.7.18 -- Vrndavana, September 15, 1976:

One who has taken shelter of the lotus feet, which is compared with a boat, plavam, then he has nothing to fear from this material ocean of darkness. And this place, this material world, which is darkness, and where there is danger, step by step... Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām. Teṣām, for them, it is not for them. It is for the persons who want to remain in the darkness. And one who does not want to remain in darkness, for him, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). He has to take shelter of the bona fide guru.

Lecture on SB 1.7.44 -- Vrndavana, October 4, 1976:

Pradyumna: "So this is a finer military science than that of the gross military military weapons used nowadays. Arjuna was taught all this, and therefore Draupadī wished that Arjuna feel obliged to Ācārya Droṇa for all these benefits. And in the absence of Droṇācārya, his son was the representative. That was the opinion of the good lady Draupadī. It may be argued why Droṇācārya, a rigid brāhmaṇa, should be a teacher in military science. But the reply is that a brāhmaṇa should become a teacher, regardless of what his department of knowledge is. A learned brāhmaṇa should become a teacher, a priest and a recipient of charity. A bona fide brāhmaṇa is authorized to accept such professions."

Prabhupāda: So there is nothing especial to be explained. The only important part of this verse is, that don't learn guru-māra-vidyā. Even if you become more learned that your guru, you should not exhibit it before your guru. You should always remain a fool number one.

Lecture on SB 1.7.44 -- Vrndavana, October 4, 1976:

A person who is trying to distribute the message of Kṛṣṇa, he is very, very dear dog of Kṛṣṇa. Na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ (BG 18.69). He is very... It doesn't matter how far he is advanced in education, how far he has learned grammar. These are not the things. The things is how far he is working to carry out the mission of Kṛṣṇa. Then one has to receive Kṛṣṇa's mercy through the bona fide servant. Kṛṣṇa cannot be bluffed by so-called education and grammar.

Lecture on SB 1.8.33 -- Mayapura, October 13, 1974:

This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to educate people not to remain mūḍhāḥ. Be intelligent. It is a very nice cultural movement that it is trying to awaken people to their God consciousness. "Here is God." This is the sum and substance of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the process is also bona fide because Kṛṣṇa Himself is teaching the process. Kṛṣṇa, first of all, generally He told, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), because this is the process. But because they are mūḍhas, rascals and sinful, they could not understand. They could not understand. Therefore Kṛṣṇa came personally to teach people how to surrender. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Āpani ācari prabhu jīvere śikhāya.

Lecture on SB 1.8.39 -- Los Angeles, May 1, 1973:

Just like if I want to see President Nixon, can I see him in my own way? So how you can expect to see God in your own way? Is it not rascaldom? I cannot see even an ordinary man in big position in my own way. I have to apply, I have to take the sanction of the secretary, appoint some time, and so on, so on, and I am expecting to see God in my own way. And these rascals are supporting this view that "You can see God in your own way. As many ways you invent, they're all bona fide." This is rascaldom.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973:

So to become a disciple of spiritual master, unless there is awakening of this knowledge, to know "What I am?" there is no need of making a show, accepting a spiritual master. There is no need. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). For whom guru is needed? Guru, spiritual master, is not a farce, that "Let me have a guru, nice guru. Then I become perfect." And if you do not follow the instruction of guru... First of all, you must have a bona fide guru. And if you follow, then your life is perfect. So two things must be correct: the guru must be correct and the disciple must be correct. Then the business will be correct.

Lecture on SB 1.16.12 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1974:

Science also trying, "What is the original cause of this creation? What is the original cause of life?" But because andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31), the so-called philosophers, scientists, they have been taught by another unscientist, not scientist, so he is also not scientist, not philosopher, because he has been taught by another andha. Just like one blind man leads other blind man. So what he will get, knowledge? So therefore, according to Vedic civilization, it is enjoined, it is ordered, that "If you want to take knowledge," tad-vijñānārtham, "to understand the complete science," tad-vijñānārtham, "the spirit," sa gurum eva abhigacchet, "oḥ, you must approach a bona fide guru." Otherwise there is no knowledge. That is not knowledge.

Lecture on SB 1.16.25 -- Hawaii, January 21, 1974:

Without discipline, it is not possible. Ādau gurvāśrayam. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī says in his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu that discipline means, one who observes discipline, he is called disciple. Everyone knows it. Disciple means one who observes discipline. If one does not observe discipline, then he is not a disciple. And one who is not a disciple, his life is chaotic. He cannot be happy. Therefore Vedas say that "You must accept a bona fide guru and become disciplined under his instruction." Then you'll know the higher system of knowledge, the necessity of life, and thus you become happy.

Lecture on SB 1.16.36 -- Tokyo, January 30, 1974:

By satisfying the spiritual master, one can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yasya prasādāt, "by the satisfaction of the spiritual master." Saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka-trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam **. One of the symptom is this, that spiritual master is so bona fide. Before accepting somebody as spiritual master you must know about his bona fides. That time is allowed. It is said in the śāstra that if you like to accept somebody as spiritual master, you should associate with him at least for one year, see how things are going. If you follow of course others, that is also good. But personally, it is advised that you just remain with the proposed spiritual master for at least one year, so that the spiritual master is also given chance to study you, whether you are acceptable.

Lecture on SB 2.4.1 -- Los Angeles, June 24, 1972:

Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). The same thing. "If anyone fully surrenders unto Me, then he can get out of the clutches of māyā." So here, Parīkṣit Mahārāja is fully surrendered to his spiritual master. Vaiyāsaker iti vacaḥ. Whatever he said... Vaiyāsaki, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he placed the whole thing before him, how to concentrate one's mind on Kṛṣṇa. So upadhārya matiṁ kṛṣṇe. Then immediately this is the result. If you approach a bona fide representative, then, taking lessons from him, the result will be upadhārya matiṁ kṛṣṇe, your surrender will be on Kṛṣṇa. Read the purport.

Lecture on SB 2.9.7 -- Tokyo, April 24, 1972:

When the Christian people say that... Just like they say "only son." So we can interpret... Of course, we are not going to interpret. We can take it that anyone who becomes confidential... Just like father position. He has got many sons. One son who is very obedient, he says, "He is my only son, and others not sons." Does he not, father say, sometimes? "Actually he is my son." Sometimes father says like that. But that does not mean that he has got only one son. He has got many sons, but all of them are useless, worthless. He is only bona fide.

Lecture on SB 3.22.19 -- Tehran, August 8, 1976:

Pradyumna: In the same order as Kardama Muni, about one hundred years ago, Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda also wanted to beget a child who could preach the philosophy and teaching of Lord Caitanya to the fullest extent. By his prayers to the Lord he had as his child Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, who at the present moment is preaching the philosophy of Lord Caitanya throughout the entire world through his bona fide disciples."

Prabhupāda: So householder life is not condemned. It is required. If there is no householders, then wherefrom the saintly persons will come? They will not drop from the sky. So everything is required. In our society, we have got householders, we have got brahmacārīs, we have got sannyāsīs. Everything is required.

Lecture on SB 3.25.1 -- Bombay, November 1, 1974:

The people of this age, they are short-living and manda, very slow in everything, not interested. Actually human life is meant for understanding the spiritual value of life, but on account of the people being śūdras, they are not interested. They are forgetting the real purpose of life. Manda. Manda means slow and bad. Everyone is bad or slow. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ. And they have got... Everyone has got a particular type of understanding. Sumanda-matayaḥ. That is not bona fide. Sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ: "And everyone is misfortunate, unfortunate." Upadrutāḥ: "And they are disturbed by so many causes."

Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:

When Caitanya Mahāprabhu was talking with Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī was very learned scholar and he knew that Caitanya Mahāprabhu was also very learned scholar. So he was criticizing Him that "This sannyāsī from Bengal who has come to Benares, He is simply chanting and dancing and does not give attention in the reading of Vedānta, so He is not a bona fide sannyāsī. He is sentimental." He was thinking like that, but one brāhmaṇa, Maharastrian brāhmaṇa, he arranged a meeting with Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī and Lord Caitanya.

Lecture on SB 3.25.30 -- Bombay, November 30, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa says that "I give him intelligence from within." And without, externally, His representative, the spiritual master, is there. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). Combination of guru and Kṛṣṇa. By the grace of Kṛṣṇa, one gets a bona fide guru, and by the grace of the bona fide guru, one gets Kṛṣṇa. This is going on. So as we are fallen, similarly, śāstra has given us very easy method to appreciate our transcendental life, our blissful life. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This we are teaching everywhere, that "You chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra," śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. And when they are advanced, they are engaged in Deity worship, in preaching work, and so many other.

Lecture on SB 3.25.39-40 -- Bombay, December 8, 1974:

Why I should remain in this condition? How I can get released from this condition?" That is human life. That is human life. And tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). If you actually very much eager to inquire about it, then you require a guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: (SB 11.3.21) "One who is inquisitive about spiritual life, about spiritual identity," tasmāt, "therefore," guruṁ prapadyeta, "you must seek out a bona fide guru."

Lecture on SB 3.25.41 -- Bombay, December 9, 1974:

The more you become servant, servant, you are perfect servant. Don't try to become direct servant. That is not possible. You cannot become direct servant. You first of all become servant of the servant. The guru is the servant of Kṛṣṇa, and you become his servant. Then you, you are bona fide servant. That is our real position.

Lecture on SB 3.26.1 -- Bombay, December 13, 1974:

Suppose if you say something and if somebody takes it as it is and behaves like that, then you become pleased. And if you say to your son or to your servant something and he misunderstand and talks something else, then he becomes angry: "What this nonsense has understood?" Similarly, a guru does not change the word of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he's called Bhagavān, servant Bhagavān. Kṛṣṇa is the master Bhagavān, master God, and the guru, who is serving Kṛṣṇa sincerely, he's the servant God. Therefore śāstra says, sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ **. In the morning also these boys, they sing Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, āra nā koriho mane āśā. If you have got a pure, bona fide guru, then whatever he says, you do it. You don't think of anything else, āra nā koriho mane āśā. No more. That is all right.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

Where is that education now? This is misleading civilization. They do not know the value of life. They are simply wasting time for sense gratification. That's all. No. This is not. The Bhāgavata-dharma means children should be taught from the very beginning of life. That is Vedic civilization. The children should go... Even Kṛṣṇa, although He's God, He was also sent to gurukula, and He was collecting dry wood from the forest for guru, learning how to serve guru. The guru must be also bona fide. Therefore it is recommended, mahat-sevā. mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2). That is the Vedic civilization.

Lecture on SB 5.5.18 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1976:

When Kṛṣṇa sees that "Here is a sincere soul, he wants Me," teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakaṁ, buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam (BG 10.10). As soon as sees, Kṛṣṇa, that "Here is a sincere person who wants Me," He'll give you nice guru. Guru-kṛṣṇa kṛpa. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādat. And if you have really a bona fide guru, then by pleasing him you will get the favor of Kṛṣṇa. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi **. If you have become more than your guru, then "Overcoming guru, I shall get Kṛṣṇa's prasāda, Kṛṣṇa's favor, I have learnt more, guru mara vidyā," that is also not good. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasya **. This is the injunction of the ācārya, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. He has described very nicely vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru nandana (BG 2.41). The order of guru should be the life and soul of the disciple, without caring for his personal salvation. This is the qualification of śiṣya.

Lecture on SB 5.5.34 -- Vrndavana, November 21, 1976:

The human form of life are not meant for these activities. Their purpose is to make these activities and the activities of the crows and cows and lower animals only Kṛṣṇa conscious activities, how to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is bona fide. That is our life, real life.

Lecture on SB 5.6.3 -- Vrndavana, November 25, 1976:

In order to learn everything very clearly, he must have the shelter of a bona fide guru. Ādau gurvāśrayam. If we want release from all this disturbance of the material world, then the first and foremost thing is ādau gurvāśrayam.

Lecture on SB 5.6.8 -- Vrndavana, November 30, 1976:

"I am guru," no. You cannot become guru unless you are agent to draw out the mercy water from the ocean of mercy of Kṛṣṇa. That is guru. And therefore a guru is not an ordinary person. He is the representative, bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, kṛṣṇa se tomāra, kṛṣṇa dite pāra: "Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura, Kṛṣṇa is your property. If you like, you can give." Vedeṣu durlabhaṁ adurlabhaṁ ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). You cannot get Kṛṣṇa by studying Vedas. That is not possible. There is Kṛṣṇa in the Vedas, but you cannot pick up. It is not possible. But if you go to the Kṛṣṇa's favorite person... Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. Kṛṣṇa's very dear servant, confidential servant, is guru.

Lecture on SB 5.6.8 -- Vrndavana, November 30, 1976:

Everything is there in the śāstra. We have to see whether a person is actually bona fide agent of Kṛṣṇa. Then we accept him as guru. Otherwise useless waste of time. Gurur apy avaliptasya kāryākāryam ajānataḥ. Guru is very confidential serv... Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ **. Guru is sākṣād hari; there is no distinction between guru and Kṛṣṇa. Just like if you have got some business with a very big man, when his representative comes, you treat him as the same person because he is authorized agent. That is natural.

Lecture on SB 6.1.1-4 -- Melbourne, May 20, 1975:

So any śāstra, any book, even in the material world, it is not possible to read oneself and understand the real fact. That is not possible. Therefore Vedic injunction is that if you want to learn that spiritual science, tad-vijñāna. Tat. Tat-vijñāna means spiritual science. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This is the instruction. If you want to learn that spiritual science, then you must approach a bona fide guru. Gurum evābhigacchet. There are many sastric injunction like that. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21).

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- New York, July 27, 1971:

Suppose you are lawyer, and if you don't go to the court and sleep at your home, then what is the worth of your studying law? Therefore guṇa-karma. One should not be simply qualified as engineer or lawyer, but he must work also, as engineer, as lawyer. Then he's bona fide. Similarly, unless you work as a brāhmaṇa, simply saying that "I am a brāhmaṇa," what is the value? Useless. They..., therefore Kṛṣṇa says, guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. There must be quality and work also. So here we are qualifying the students to be raised in the brahminical platform, and they're working also as brāhmaṇa. How they are working as brāhmaṇa? Because they're fully engaged in Paraṁ Brahma's service, Kṛṣṇa's service.

Lecture on SB 6.1.14 -- Bombay, November 10, 1970:

One who has dedicated his life to Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇārpita prāṇa. Prāṇa means life, and arpita means dedicated unto Kṛṣṇa. Or kṛṣṇārpita, two things: one to dedicate his life to Kṛṣṇa, and at the same time tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā. Tat puruṣa means the spiritual master who is a bona fide devotee of Kṛṣṇa. By serving him, niṣevayā.... Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpā. We have to acquire two kinds of benedictions: one from Kṛṣṇa and one from the spiritual master. By serving the spiritual master we get the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo **. By serving the spiritual master we please Kṛṣṇa. We cannot please Kṛṣṇa directly. This is nonsense. It is not possible. Just like we cannot approach any big man without going through his secretary. Similarly, we cannot approach directly Kṛṣṇa without going through His bona fide representative. Tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Nellore, January 8, 1976:

If you hear, then the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is never conquered by anyone, but a devotee who is hearing about Him, he can conquer over Him. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, of course, He quoted from Bhāgavatam. Any devotee or bona fide preacher, he does not manufacture anything. He simply follows the previous mahājana. He said, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. One should not try to speculate to understand the Supreme Truth. So we should give up this habit of speculating to understand God.

Lecture on SB 6.1.16 -- Denver, June 29, 1975:

Nitāi: (Purport:) "Tat-puruṣa means a person engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness as the spiritual master." Translation: "My dear King, any sinful person, by practicing the principles of austerity, penance, brahmacarya and other practices, cannot become completely purified as one can by dedicating his life to the service of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet under the direction of the Lord's bona fide devotee."

Prabhupāda:

na tathā hy-aghavān rājan

pūyeta tapa-ādibhiḥ

yathā kṛṣṇārpita-prāṇas

tat-puruṣa-niṣevayā

(SB 6.1.16)

We are discussing the process of purification. Different methods have been described, by prāyaścitta and by tapasya. We have discussed. And then kevalayā bhakta. Bhakti includes everything—karma, jñāna, yoga, everything. And it is specially recommended that by austerities and other methods, there is possibility, but it may not be successful. But if we adopt this process, devotional service, then it is sure. So this purificatory process means nivṛtti-mārga. And pravṛtti-mārga means without any knowledge where we are going on, rushing on—we are doing everything, whatever we like—that is called pravṛtti-mārga. People are generally engaged in pravṛtti-mārga.

Lecture on SB 6.1.16 -- Denver, June 29, 1975:

That two..., twelve personalities are mentioned especially, that they are mahājana, they are authorized, bona fide guru, and you have to follow their path. It is not difficult. So Svayambhū means Lord Brahmā. Svayambhūḥ nāradaḥ śambhuḥ. Śambhu means Lord Śiva. So each of them, out of these twelve mahājana, four are very prominent, that is, Svayambhū means Brahmā, and then śambhuḥ, Lord Śiva, and then kumāraḥ. And there is another sampradāya, Śrī sampradāya, from Lakṣmījī. So we have to accept a spiritual master who are strictly in these four line of disciplic succession. Then we shall be gainer. If we accept a so-called guru, then it will not be possible.

Lecture on SB 6.1.20 -- Chicago, July 4, 1975:

Śūdras also do not do whimsically whatever he likes. Śūdras, they are taken among the, in the Vedic society... Because śūdras also, they are last class, fourth class, they are eager to follow the orders or the orderly things as given by the brāhmaṇas. Therefore śūdras, up to śūdras, accepted as bona fide classification. And below the śūdras, they are called caṇḍālas, caṇḍālas, fifth grade. They are also mentioned, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśāḥ. Everything is analyzed.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:

They never heard of the Ramakrishna. And here... Just like homeopathics. They advertise, "American homeopathics." But there is not a single shop of homeopathic medicine in America, not a single shop. And this is going on. All these bogus homeopathic practitioners, they write, "American homeopathic medicine," and so on, so on. They do not allow this homeopathic medicine as bona fide practice. They are not so foolish that you will give water and it will be accepted as medicine. There you cannot ask even any medicine directly from the drug shop without doctor's prescription. If you go, offering to a medical drug shop, and "Give me this medicine," no, he'll not do so. "Bring doctor's prescription." That is law.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Chicago, July 6, 1975:

After initiation, one become bona fide student to study all these Vedic literatures. Then he become vipra. That is brahminical stage. Veda-pāṭhād bhaved vipraḥ. And not only simply reading, but when he realizes what is Brahman, then he is brāhmaṇa. Not easy, the stages. Veda-pāṭhād bhaved vipro brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. This Brahman is impersonal Brahman, and still, you have to go above. When... Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti (SB 1.2.11). In the beginning, Brahman realization, impersonal. Then, as you gradually increase, then Paramātmā realization. That is meditation. That is meditation.

Lecture on SB 6.1.26-27 -- Philadelphia, July 12, 1975:

Guru never manufactures idea that "You do this and give me money and you become happy." That is not guru. That is another process of earning money. So here it is said, mūḍha, everyone who is simply living in the fool's paradise, manufacturing his own ideas like Ajāmila... Somebody has taken, "This is my duty," somebody has... He is a fool. You must know what is your duty from guru. You are singing every day, guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya, ār nā koriho mane āśā **. This is life. This is life. Guru-mukha-pad... You accept the bona fide guru, and what he orders you, carry out. Then your life is successful. Ār nā koriho mane āśā. You rascal, you do not desire anything else.

Lecture on SB 6.1.27-34 -- Surat, December 17, 1970:

Yamunā: (indistinct) angels in the (indistinct) different angels?

Prabhupāda: So the angels... The Siddhaloka is not in the spiritual world. It is in the material world. But they are highly qualified. But that Siddhaloka is not in the spiritual world. That is within the material world.

Devotee (1): You said that the pictures they draw of the men with wings, that is not bona fide pictures?

Prabhupāda: No. The statement in the Vedic literature—that they can fly. Now one can draw some picture, because they have idea that without wings how one can fly? That may be. That is their idea. But Nārada can fly everywhere. He has no wings. He can travel both in the spiritual and material world, but he has no wings.

Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:

A śūdra cannot be initiated. Only the brāhmaṇas can be initiated, or dvija, or the vaiśyas and the kṣatriyas, the higher caste, not the śūdras. But according to Pañcarātriki-vidhi, even the śūdras or less than the śūdras, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā (SB 2.4.18), everyone can be initiated by a bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, not by others. That is the system.

Lecture on SB 6.1.37 -- San Francisco, July 19, 1975:

So their challenge was that "You are claiming to be servants of Yamarāja, but we are doubting whether you are bona fide servants of Yamarāja. Otherwise why you are committing this mistake?" So this indicates the servant should be as good as the master. That is servant. Because sometimes servants may be challenged. So that is the qualification of Kṛṣṇa's servant. Kṛṣṇa's servant must be always equipped, because they have to meet so many opposing elements, Kṛṣṇa's the... Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). There are so many... Practically the whole material world is full of duṣkṛtām. They want to create God. They don't want to become servant of God. That is their challenge.

Lecture on SB 6.1.37 -- San Francisco, July 19, 1975:

"So if you are actually servant of Dharmarāja, then you must know what is dharma and what is adharma." Yūyaṁ vai dharma-rājasya yadi nirdeśa-kāriṇaḥ. "That will be your bona fide representation. You cannot do any mistake if you are servant of Dharmarāja." Dharmarāja means... Here there are so many living entities, of course, in the human society. I have explained many times. Dharma, religious system, is in the human society, not in the animal society. The animals does not... They have no knowledge; neither they have capacity to distinguish what is dharma, what is adharma. Their business is simply eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That's all.

Lecture on SB 6.1.37 -- San Francisco, July 19, 1975:

So ukta means whatever order is given by Vāsudeva, they carry out. Similarly, the Yamadūtas, they are servant of Yamarāja. They are also addressed nirdeśa-kāriṇaḥ: "If you are actually servant of Yamarāja, you act according to his direction, then you must know what is dharma and what is adharma." So they are actually bona fide servant of Yamarāja, there is no doubt about it. Now they are giving their identification in this way, yamadūtā ūcuḥ veda-praṇihito dharmaḥ, immediately answered. "What is dharma?" That was the question. Immediately answered.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39 -- Los Angeles, June 5, 1976:

We have to learn everything through the spiritual master. You cannot understand directly. That is not possible. Just like if you purchase one medical book and read at home you cannot become doctor, medical man. You have to go through the medical college and professor. Similarly, the śāstra says, tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). If you want to learn that transcendental science, you must go through the bona fide guru. And Kṛṣṇa also says in the... This is Vedic injunction.

Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Surat, December 22, 1970:

Viśvanātha Cakravartī said, not that any section śāstra, but all śāstra, all scriptures, they admit that the spiritual master is God directly. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktaḥ: ** "It is said. It is mentioned. Authoritative śāstra, actually bona fide śāstra, it is said." Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktaḥ: ** "It is said." And sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ: ** "And that is accepted by all strict followers of transcendental science." Not that somebody admits or somebody does not admit. No. Everyone, sadbhiḥ. Sadbhiḥ means "by the transcendentalists, those who are actually making progress in transcendental science and those who are..., objective is to reach the Supreme." They are doing.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

Devotee (3): In regard to worshiping arcā-vigraha form, you have explained that if one receives a mantra from a spiritual master who is not bona fide, that mantra has no effect. So I would like to ask if one is worshiping a Deity and his spiritual master is not bona fide, so that Deity cannot be considered the Supreme Lord?

Prabhupāda: Well, first of all, thing is if the spiritual master is not bona fide, how his mantra can be bona fide? Your statement is contradictory. If you say the spiritual master is not bona fide, then how his mantra becomes bona fide? If he is bona fide, then his mantra is bona fide.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

Devotee (3): Then why is he giving instruction to worship the Deity? If the spiritual master is not bona fide, then is the Deity also not bona fide?

Prabhupāda: I do not follow. What does he say?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: His idea is that if one receives a mantra from a spiritual master, if the spiritual master is not bona fide...

Prabhupāda: Then there is no question of mantra. There is no question of worshiping Deity. These are all bogus things. If you are not... Just like here is a young medical man. If he has not received instruction from a bona fide medical college, so what is the value of his medical, being...

Lecture on SB 6.1.49 -- Detroit, June 15, 1976:

So by understanding knowledge, real life from sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, by approaching saintly persons, sādhu... Śāstra means authorized scriptures. Sādhu, śāstra and guru, and spiritual master. This is the source of knowledge. And the Vedic injunction is tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). In order to learn that higher transcendental platform of knowledge, one should approach a guru, bona fide guru, who knows.

Lecture on SB 6.1.56-62 -- Surat, January 3, 1971, at Adubhai Patel's House:

That is very cautiously mentioned. Yes. It had to be given because it is part of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. We cannot avoid it. Therefore it has to be heard from right person. He will be cautious to present the things. Anuśṛṇuyāt. The injunction is one should hear from a person bona fide, anuśṛṇuyāt, not directly. Not directly. (aside:) Give that note to Bhagubhai.

Lecture on SB 6.2.5-6 -- Vrndavana, September 9, 1975:

In this wandering, wandering, wandering, when we come in contact with a bona fide guru, we get the seed of devotional service. That is the aim of life, how to get that. Therefore the Vedic injunction is tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). You must go. Otherwise your life is useless.

Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

dvija-bandhu means who has not perfected his knowledge by hearing from the bona fide source. He is called dvija-bandhu. And the śūdras have no facility, neither the woman has got the facility to go to the gurukula and become a brahmacārī and remain there and learn the Vedic literature. Because women were not allowed, neither could follow. It is not discrimination. It is actual fact by nature.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 12, 1968:

Any school you go, you have to be guided by the school teacher. Otherwise you don't have any education. So this is also a kind of education, Kṛṣṇa education. So you have to find out a bona fide school, you have to find out a bona fide teacher, and then you learn. That's all. If, for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you go to somebody who is engineer, then you cannot have Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But if you go to engineer, how to become engineer, you can become engineer. Unfortunately, we have got departments of knowledge in our educational system, but actually there is no department of knowledge where Kṛṣṇa consciousness is taught scientifically.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Montreal, June 12, 1968:

That is the great necessity of the present day. But if you are sincere to learn, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12), it is indicated by the direction of the Vedas, "Then you have to approach a bona fide person who can teach you Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Then you will learn it.

Lecture on SB 7.7.30-31 -- Mombassa, September 12, 1971:

Saṅgena sādhu-bhaktānām, sādhu-bhaktānām īśvarārādhanena, and side by side there should be arcana, Deity worship, īśvarārādhanena, the rules and regulation, how to worship. So one has to accept the spiritual master, try to satisfy him, giving everything to the spiritual master, and in the association of sādhu and bhakta and īśvarārādhanena. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is comprising all these items. Therefore, it is bona fide, authorized. Thank you very much.

Lecture on SB 7.9.7 -- Mayapur, February 14, 1976:

If Svarūpa Dāmodara would pass, then Caitanya Mahāprabhu will hear. Otherwise why should He waste His time (with) some hodge-podge writing? So one brāhmaṇa, he wrote something about Caitanya Mahāprabhu and came to read, recite before Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and Svarūpa Dāmodara found many mistakes in that poem, so he did not allow him, that "You do not know how to present theistic literature. You don't. You cannot see Caitanya Mahāprabhu." He chastised him about the mistake. So to write theistic literature is not to be done by any ordinary man. It is not to, because they, they do not know. So we should not read any literature which is not presented by a bona fide Vaiṣṇava. It has been forbidden by Sanātana Goswāmī.

Lecture on SB 7.9.7 -- Mayapur, February 14, 1976:

This is the process. This is the process. And if I think that I am more intelligent than my guru... First of all guru must be bona fide, not a bogus guru. The guru, as specified by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that is not very difficult, who is guru? Caitanya Mahāprabhu said,

yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa

āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa

(CC Madhya 7.128)

He is guru. One who is strictly following the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and after following Him, he is just delivering the instruction as Kṛṣṇa has said, then you become guru. It is not difficult. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has ordered everyone. Therefore our process is to follow Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and then try to understand Kṛṣṇa's instruction. Just like here in our temple. First of all there is Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Seattle, October 21, 1968:

Whatever we have already printed, you study them very nicely. And I think those who are harassed by this military board, today I have got hint from one paper addressed to Kārttikeya that if one boy is certified that he's engaged in studying spiritual consciousness or theological..., then he's not called. So we shall issue certificate, bona fide. Now I am admitted in your country as bona fide, ordained minister of religion. So I think I can issue certificate. So this will be nice.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Mayapur, February 16, 1976:

Even a monkey, Hanumānjī, he became a great devotee. He's not even human being. So therefore bhakti is apratihatā. It cannot be checked in any condition. In any condition you become bhakta simply if you learn from the authorities how to do it. That greatest authority is Kṛṣṇa. He says, "I'll give you intelligence." Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam. "I'll give you." How? Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). If one is working under the direction of the spiritual master with love and faith, then Kṛṣṇa, from within, as caitya-guru, the guru within the heart, He'll help you, and he'll send you bona fide guru to help you externally. So both ways, you'll be helped, and you'll become Prahlāda Mahārāja.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Mayapur, February 19, 1976:

Nārada is pūrva-ācārya. He is disciple of Nārada. Therefore he is ācārya, and his disciplic succession... There are sampradāyas: Brahma-sampradāya, Kaumāra-sampradāya... Anyone who is bona fide ācārya, he can create his own disciplic succession, but one disciplic succession and the other disciplic—they are not different. They are of the same conclusion. The Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, just like our Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, and Nimbārka, and who that? Rudra-sampradāya? Viṣṇu Svāmī. They are all of the same movement.

Lecture on SB 7.9.18 -- Mayapur, February 25, 1976:

If you are a devotee, bona fide devotee, when you read Bhagavad-gītā, you must know Kṛṣṇa is there. If you are a pure devotee, when you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is there on your tongue, dancing. Don't think otherwise. Kṛṣṇa is there. Nāma-cintāmaṇi-kṛṣṇaḥ. Nāma. Anyone who is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa without any offense... Ten kinds of offenses, you know that. By avoiding offense, if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then you must know Kṛṣṇa is there. Nāma-cintāmaṇi-kṛṣṇaḥ caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto abhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ (CC Madhya 17.133). Similarly, when we read literature, līlā-kathā... Lila-kathā. Just like we are reading now Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. This is līlā-kathā of Kṛṣṇa and His devotee, Prahlāda Mahārāja.

Lecture on SB 7.9.53 -- Vrndavana, April 8, 1976:

The Vedas, Purāṇas, are there; they are neglectful. But the rascal philosophy, they are interested. Their life is spoiled. This is spoiling civilization. One has got the opportunity of understanding himself. He has forgotten himself, and there is bona fide literature how to understand himself. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. The Vedānta is there: "Now you inquire what you are." The inquiry must be there. Unless you inquire, automatically it will not be, because God has given you independence. Very little independence, but we are misusing. We are misusing.