Siksa-guru
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 4
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
CC Madhya-lila
- na śūdrā bhagavad-bhaktās te ’pi bhāgavatottamāḥ
- sarva-varṇeṣu te śūdrā ye na bhaktā janārdane
One who is actually advanced in spiritual knowledge of Kṛṣṇa is never a śūdra, even though he may have been born in a śūdra family. However, even if a vipra, or brāhmaṇa, is very expert in the six brahminical activities (paṭhana, pāṭhana, yajana, yājana, dāna, pratigraha) and is also well versed in the Vedic hymns, he cannot become a spiritual master unless he is a Vaiṣṇava. But if one is born in the family of caṇḍālas yet is well versed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can become a guru. These are the śāstric injunctions, and strictly following these injunctions, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, as a gṛhastha named Śrī Viśvambhara, was initiated by a sannyāsī-guru named Īśvara Purī. Similarly, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu was initiated by Mādhavendra Purī, a sannyāsī. According to others, however, He was initiated by Lakṣmīpati Tīrtha. Advaita Ācārya, although a gṛhastha, was initiated by Mādhavendra Purī, and Śrī Rasikānanda, although born in a brāhmaṇa family, was initiated by Śrī Śyāmānanda Prabhu, who was not born in a caste brāhmaṇa family. There are many instances in which a born brāhmaṇa took initiation from a person who was not born in a brāhmaṇa family. The brahminical symptoms are explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (7.11.35), wherein it is stated:
- yasya yal-lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ puṁso varṇābhivyañjakam
- yad anyatrāpi dṛśyeta tat tenaiva vinirdiśet
If a person is born in a śūdra family but has all the qualities of a spiritual master, he should be accepted not only as a brāhmaṇa but as a qualified spiritual master also. This is also the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura therefore introduced the sacred thread ceremony for all Vaiṣṇavas according to the rules and regulations. Sometimes a Vaiṣṇava who is a bhajanānandī does not take the sāvitra-saṁskāra (sacred thread initiation), but this does not mean that this system should be used for preaching work. There are two kinds of Vaiṣṇavas—bhajanānandī and goṣṭhy-ānandī. A bhajanānandī is not interested in preaching work, but a goṣṭhy-ānandī is interested in spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness to benefit the people and increase the number of Vaiṣṇavas. A Vaiṣṇava is understood to be above the position of a brāhmaṇa. As a preacher, he should be recognized as a brāhmaṇa; otherwise there may be a misunderstanding of his position as a Vaiṣṇava. However, a Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇa is not selected on the basis of his birth but according to his qualities. Unfortunately, those who are unintelligent do not know the difference between a brāhmaṇa and a Vaiṣṇava. They are under the impression that unless one is a brāhmaṇa he cannot be a spiritual master. For this reason only, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu makes the statement in this verse:
- kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya
- yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei ‘guru’ haya
- [Cc. Madhya 8.128]
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Sudāmā: The question also is there: the authority is the spiritual master, but the via media to the spiritual master... The difference between, like we were discussing in the automobile of śikṣā and dīkṣā-guru.
Prabhupāda: Then so śikṣā and dīkṣā-guru... A śikṣā-guru who instructs against the instruction of spiritual, he is not a śikṣā guru. He is a demon. Śikṣā-guru, dīkṣā-guru means... Sometimes a dīkṣā-guru is not present always. Therefore one can take learning, instruction, from an advanced devotee. That is called the śikṣā-guru. Śikṣā-guru does not mean he is speaking something against the teachings of the dīkṣā-guru. He is not a śikṣā-guru. He is a rascal.
Woman Devotee: People are instructing with these sessions?
Prabhupāda: (Ignoring question) Because that is offense. Guror avajñā. First offense is guror avajñā, defying the authority of guru. This is the first offense. So one who is offensive, how he can make advance in chanting? He cannot make. Then everything is finished in the beginning. Guror avajñā. Everything is there. If one is disobeying the spiritual master, he cannot remain in the pure status of life. He cannot be śikṣā-guru or anything else. He is finished, immediately. Guror avajñā śruti-śāstra-nindanam, nāmno balād yasya hi... You do not study all these things. You become initiated. There are ten kinds of offenses. Do you have any regard for these things or not? You must avoid these ten kinds of offenses. The first offense is to disobey the orders of guru. That is first offense. So if you are offensive, how you can become advanced by chanting? That is also not possible.Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Pradyumna: "In other words, energy is a sort of strength, and this strength can be spiritualized by the mercy of both the bona fide spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa."
Prabhupāda: Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. We have to acquire this energy through the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is within as caitya-guru, and when we are serious He comes out as the spiritual master. Śikṣā-guru, dīkṣā-guru. So there is no difference between śikṣā-guru and dīkṣā-guru and Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa manifests Himself externally as śikṣā-guru and dīkṣā-guru. Go on.Conversations and Morning Walks
1967 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Sannyāsa, there is a ceremony. Just like we have got the initiation ceremony.
Hayagrīva: Did He have a spiritual master?
Prabhupāda: So He accepted spiritual... Not spiritual master, but a sannyāsa-guru. That is also master, but he's not spiritual master. But he's also considered as sannyāsa-guru, spiritual master who offers him sannyāsa. Just like myself, I took initiation from my Guru Maharaja, but I took sannyāsa from a Godbrother who is a sannyāsī. So my original guru is that spiritual master who initiated me, but he's also a śikṣā-guru. Like that. Teacher. Then His renunciation of householder. He became sannyāsa.1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
Devotee: Does our line of succession go directly to Gaurakiśora dasa Bābājī or to Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura?
Prabhupāda: No. Because he was treating Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura as his śikṣa-guru, preceptor guru, so it is in the line.
Devotee: But is Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura directly in succession from Lord Caitanya?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Devotee: And Gaurakiśora dasa Bābājī also?
Prabhupāda: Yes.1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: "It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss." This is the... The world is full of rascals and fools. So if you speak something sanity, they will take "Insanity." That is the difficulty. Two things are there, one spirit, one matter. They ignore spirit completely. Although they cannot understand, cannot replace. Just like the body. The body is smashed, but what was the element keeping the body? This simple thing they cannot understand. There are two things, matter and spirit. Unfortunate. When we speak of spirit, they take it as brainwash. So fool. So you can take it so long I am resting. [break] ...correctly. Then the dīkṣā-guru (microphone moving). If you like... Then he is dīkṣā-guru. Then guru. So śikṣā-guru becomes dīkṣā-guru. But guru means one who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa and teaches properly. That's all.
Guest (1): Are you knowing people take dīkṣā from many gurus?
Prabhupāda: No, dīkṣā-guru is one. But śikṣā-guru can be many.
Guest (1): But suppose dīkṣā gurus or people take one mantra from one guru and other one...
Prabhupāda: Then you have not selected guru. You have selected some rascal. Guru can be..., cannot be different. Guru means one who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa. Yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya [Cc. Madhya 8.128]. Anyone who knows the science... So suppose if you want to become medical man, you must go to a qualified medical man to learn. And if you go to a pānwālā, what he'll teach you? That is your mistake. Guru cannot be different. Guru is one, one who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa. If he does not know, then he is not guru. Why should you go there?
Guest (1): How should we know that he knows about Kṛṣṇa?
Prabhupāda: That requires your fortune. Little intelligence. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. That intelligence is for the most fortunate person. That is not ordinary thing. But guru means who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa. If you go to a bogus man, that is your misfortune. So this is the description of guru, yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's statement.
- kibā vipra kibā nyāsī śūdra kene naya
- yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya
- [Cc. Madhya 8.128]
It doesn't matter whether he is a sannyāsī or gṛhastha or a brāhmaṇa or śūdra. It doesn't matter. If he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, then he remains guru.
Guest (1): Science of Kṛṣṇa. If he knows about Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, or anything else...
Prabhupāda: To know about Kṛṣṇa. It is not also difficult. Science of Kṛṣṇa is there, Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa speaks Himself. So to know the science of Kṛṣṇa is also not difficult. But because we are unfortunate, we go to rascal, and they interpret Bhagavad-gītā in a rascaldom way, and we are missing. So you should be very careful not to go to a rascal. Then your mission will be successful. If you want to purchase gold, you must go to a shop where actually gold is purchased, gold. If you do not know, then you'll be cheated. That is not also very difficult. That I have repeatedly said. Those who are interpreting in their own way, Bhagavad-gītā, he's a rascal; he's not guru. (loud kīrtana in background) As soon as he says an interpretation, "I think like this," you reject that. Why should we think like that? You should preach what Kṛṣṇa says. Then you are right. Why should you say something which Kṛṣṇa does not say? Then you are misguided. He does not know Kṛṣṇa. He's not kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā. So he's cheating. That is going on. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66], and these rascals say, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa person." So he's a rascal. He's taking Kṛṣṇa's book and preaching against it. So what will be benefit if you go to such a rascal? Therefore there is no difference between śikṣā-guru and dīkṣā-guru because if he's actually guru, he'll not say anything which Kṛṣṇa has not spoken. Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa. So guru is that. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] "You become a guru." And what is the function of the guru? Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa. That is there. You haven't got to manufacture any instruction. Whatever is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, you say.Prabhupāda: Hm. Vaiṣṇava-aparādha. The weak and the fools, they will be victimized. What can be done? Tīrtha-guru, the pāṇḍā is accepted tīrtha-guru... That... But he takes to Jagannātha temple and other holy places, gives him instruction about the holy places and so on, so on, shelter, food, in this way.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. There is such a thing.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Because I am unknown, so he helps me in every respect. So Vaiṣṇava accepts everyone as guru, śikṣā-guru, dīkṣā-guru, then tīrtha-guru. This is no harm. But what is this rascal, "No, no, you cannot sit down here. You take the flag and pay me hundred rupees?" if you are so rascal, who can save you?Correspondence
1969 Correspondence
1974 Correspondence
Page Title: | Siksa-guru |
Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Panna |
Created: | 17 of Nov, 2008 |
Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=1, CC=2, OB=1, Lec=2, Con=4, Let=4 |
No. of Quotes: | 14 |