Duty of the teacher

Expressions researched:
",duty of the teacher," |"is the duty of the teacher" |"duty of the teachers" |"teacher's duty"

SB Canto 7

The main duty of the teachers was to inquire who those Vaiṣṇavas were that came to teach Prahlāda and spoil his intelligence

SB 7.5.9, Purport: Prahlada Maharaja was still a boy, and therefore his teachers thought that if they pacified the little boy he would immediately speak the truth, revealing the secret of how the Vaisnavas came there to teach him lessons in devotional service. It was surprising, of course, that in the same school the other boys of the Daityas were not polluted; only Prahlada Maharaja was supposedly polluted by the instructions of the Vaisnavas. The main duty of the teachers was to inquire who those Vaisnavas were that came to teach Prahlada and spoil his intelligence.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

It is the duty of the teacher to punish or to chastise the disciple when he is wrongly going on. That is the duty

Lecture on BG 2.1-11 -- Johannesburg, October 17, 1975: So Krsna, now He has taken the position of teacher. Now no more friendly talking because Arjuna has accepted Him as the teacher. So He's the teacher. It is the duty of the teacher to punish or to chastise the disciple when he is wrongly going on. That is the duty. So first teaching of Krsna, because Arjuna has accepted His leadership, His teachership, His instruction, accepted that he will follow His instruction, so first instruction is asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase: [Bg. 2.11] "You rascal, you are rascal. You are talking like a very learned man that 'How shall I kill my, this grandfather? How shall I kill my brother, this and so on?' This is all bodily concept of life. You are talking on the bodily platform." So what is this body? It is to be neglected? "Yes." Asocyan anvasocas tvam: "It is not to be lamented."

The students are all rascals, and the teacher's duty, to educate him properly, that is

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Delhi, November 10, 1971:

Guest (1): How can I be devotee if I don't...

Prabhupada: That is, that is Krsna is teaching, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], that you have (to) understand. You have to learn Bhagavad-gita nicely, that's all.

Guest (2): Excuse me. Your honor, sir, what is the duty of the perfect master?

Prabhupada: To teach the rascals (laughter). The students are all rascals, and the teacher's duty, to educate him properly, that is.

Guest (2): Is not the perfect master, when come to the Earth, prophet, he showed to the God?

Prabhupada: You were asking what is the duty of the master and teacher.

Guest (2): Yes.

Prabhupada: The teacher's duty is to make right the rascals, that's all.

Guest (2): When is the perfect mast...

Prabhupada: So, first of all this is the duty of the teacher. So, therefore, a disciple should consider himself, that he's a rascal, and then he goes to a teacher. If he thinks himself, that he is quite all right, he does not require a teacher.

Therefore it is the duty of the state, duty of the father, duty of the teacher, duty of the spiritual master to give chance to the small children to develop in such a way that he becomes fully realized spiritual soul at the end and so that his miserable life in the material existence is over

Lecture on BG 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966: So human society, human society is so arranged that the people, the members of the human society, should be free from all anxiety. Therefore we require good citizens, good father and mother, good system of government, and pious, virtuous, cooperation between God and nature. Everything will be helpful for my spiritual realization, for my self-realization. If I am full of anxiety, how can I make progress in spiritual realization? It is not possible. Therefore it is the duty of the state, duty of the father, duty of the teacher, duty of the spiritual master to give chance to the small children to develop in such a way that he becomes fully realized spiritual soul at the end and so that his miserable life in the material existence is over. That is the responsibility.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Everyone does not know. But it is the duty of the father, duty of the state, duty of the teachers to educate from the very beginning

Lecture on Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 9-10 -- Los Angeles, May 14, 1970: And one who has got one million dollars and utilizing it and making millions and millions dollars, he is intelligent. Similarly, this body is invaluable. One who is utilizing it for culture of spiritual knowledge, he is brahmana. That is the difference between brahmana and krpana. And one who is utilizing this body like cats and dogs for sense gratification, he is miser. He does not know how to utilize one million dollars. Everyone does not know. But it is the duty of the father, duty of the state, duty of the teachers to educate from the very beginning. Bhagavata says that one should not become a father, one should not become a mother, one should not become a teacher, one should not become a king unless they are able to elevate their dependents to this spiritual knowledge, which can save him from repeated birth and death.

1969 Correspondence

Of course it is the duty of the teacher to instruct his pupil rightly, but to pass the examination with a degree and merit depends upon the student himself

Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 12 January, 1968: Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 9, 1969. Krishna is pleased upon you so that He is responding to your sincere service. In the Bhagavad-gita the Lord says that He responds proportionately along with the degree of surrender to Him by the devotee. So the spiritual progress that you are making now is duly being responded to by Krishna. Of course it is the duty of the teacher to instruct his pupil rightly, but to pass the examination with a degree and merit depends upon the student himself. But the teacher is always happy when he sees one of his students has surpassed the capacity of the teacher also. That is an occasion of great jubilation. Please therefore prosecute your Hare Krishna vibrations along with your good wife, and certainly Krishna will see that all of your attempts will be successful.

1970 Correspondence

Who is writing good hand, that is a secondary question. The teacher's duty is to see that everyone is engaged in handwriting work

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 21 April, 1970: You may inform Devahuti and the others that I am always satisfied with their work. I am satisfied only to see that everyone of us is always engaged in his respective duties. As the teacher wants to see that the students are engaged in their handwriting work. Who is writing good hand, that is a secondary question. The teacher's duty is to see that everyone is engaged in handwriting work. So if all the artists are always engaged in painting, that will satisfy me, and that will gradually make them experienced for making good paintings.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

You should simply teach about Kṛṣṇa

Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:

Bob: What do you think is the proper duty of the teacher?

Prabhupada: No more. Huh?

Bob: What is the proper duty of the teacher in society? Let's say a science teacher. What should he be doing in the classroom?

Prabhupada: Classroom, you should simply teach about Krsna.

Bob: He should not teach about...

Prabhupada: No, that will include everything. But his aim should be how to know Krsna.

Bob: Can a scientist teach the science of combining acid and alkaline and this kind of science with Krsna as its object?

Prabhupada: How it can be?

Bob: If you... When one studies science, one finds general tendencies of nature, and these general tendencies of nature point to a controlling force.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Therefore, the duty of the state, duty of the father, duty of the teacher, everyone, those who are guardians—they should teach their subordinate how to become faithful to God

Morning Walk -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta: Therefore anyone who is disobedient to God, he cannot have any good qualification. And yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah. And one who is devotee, abiding by the orders of God, he has got all the good qualification of God's. Therefore, the duty of the state, duty of the father, duty of the teacher, everyone, those who are guardians -- they should teach their subordinate how to become faithful to God. This one qualification will make him perfect. That is not being done. Everyone is godless mostly. And therefore there is problems, chaotic condition. Nobody is abiding by the supreme law. Everyone is creating his own law. That is the trouble. So our Krsna consciousness movement is meant for making the human society law-abiding citizen of the laws given by God. So that is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Krsna, God, is giving, "You do like this." If we do like that... Or take even Bible. If we follow strictly, then we become happy. So, am I right or wrong? What is your opinion?

So India is so fortunate. They are still ready to assimilate the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. The land is so fortunate. So we must give them the chance. That is our duty. That is government's duty. That is teacher's duty

Morning Walk -- April 19, 1975, Vrndavana: We have got everything ready, and especially this land India. It is specially meant for God realization. By the birth, one is Krsna conscious, or God conscious. Still in these days, whenever... You have seen in Hyderabad. Although your conference was going on, still, at least five thousand men were attracted to hear me. (Guest laughs) And I was speaking the dry subject of Krsna. So India is so fortunate. They are still ready to assimilate the instruction of Krsna. The land is so fortunate. So we must give them the chance. That is our duty. That is government's duty. That is teacher's duty. That is father's duty. That is explained in Srimad-Bhagavata. Pita na sa syat. Guru's duty. One who has got the chance of accepting something very easily... The guardians... The first guardian, the government, the second, the father, then the teacher, then so many, friends, relatives -- that chance should be given. So Nandaji is thinking... He is an experienced...