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Stalwart acaryas

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

So we have to follow the footprints of the great stalwart ācāryas
Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 18, 1972: So ultimate knowledge is to know God. You may not accept Krsna. Although all the acaryas... I have already mentioned. Even Sankaracarya, he also accept Krsna: sa bhagavan svayam krsna. So the Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, they have all accepted Krsna: the ultimate knowledge of Vedic understanding. Many acaryas, they have written notes on Vedanta, targeting Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So we have to follow the footprints of the great stalwart acaryas. Acaryopasanam. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. If we follow the footprints of the acaryas, then we find there is no distinction between Vedanta and Bhagavad-gita. Vedanta, you might be referring to the Vedanta-sutra of Sankaracarya, but all the acaryas, the have written notes on Vedanta. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the original comment on Vedanta.
So the favorable wind is blowing by this instruction of the Vedas, and there are many stalwart ācāryas who are just like the captain, and this human body is just like a good ship
Lecture on BG 3.21-25 -- New York, May 30, 1966: There is a nice verse that just like this material world is accepted as a great ocean. Now, to cross over a great Atlantic Ocean from New York to, I mean to say, Portugal... Just like Columbus came. Now we have got great big ships, but he had to face many dangers. Just it is very difficult to cross over the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, but if you have got a very good vehicle, ship or anything else, you can very nicely cross over, similarly, the example is given that this material life is a great ocean, and this human body is a good boat. This human body is a good boat for crossing this ocean. And the spiritual master is a good captain. You see? And the instruction of Lord Krsna, or a similar instruction, Vedic instruction, are favorable wind. Just like if you want to cross the Atlantic Ocean from New York, if the wind is blowing westward, then your journey becomes very favorable. So the favorable wind is blowing by this instruction of the Vedas, and there are many stalwart acaryas who are just like the captain, and this human body is just like a good ship.
Kṛṣṇa is accepted as the Supreme by all stalwart past ācāryas.
Lecture on BG 4.11 -- New York, July 27, 1966:

Prabhupāda: You have any doubt in the supreme nature of Kṛṣṇa?

Guest (1): I wish to understand.

Prabhupāda: That we are making discussion. That we are making discussion. Yes. Kṛṣṇa is accepted as the Supreme by all stalwart past ācāryas. Just like Śaṅkarācārya, a great stalwart scholar. He also accepts Kṛṣṇa: sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ. Oh, he accepts Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Lord. You will find in his annotation of Bhagavad-gītā. Similarly, Śrī Rāmānujācārya, he accepts. And now Lord Caitanya, He also preached this Kṛṣṇa philosophy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And formerly also, great leaders like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, and even at the present moment all big leaders of India...

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

They have never said that this is mythology. Never said. Never said. You'll not find in any of the comments of these big, big stalwart ācārya. Vīrarāghavācārya, he is very learned scholar belonging to the Rāmānujācārya Sampradāya. They have never said it is mythology
Lecture on SB 1.7.49-50 -- Vrndavana, October 7, 1976: It is not mythology; it is fact. That is Bhagavan. He has wasted his time to describe some mythology? But they have no common sense. And not only that, Vyasadeva has written. Later on all big, big commentators like Sridhara Svami, Vijayadhvaja, Viraraghavacarya, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, Sanatana Gosvami, many. They have never said that this is mythology. Never said. Never said. You'll not find in any of the comments of these big, big stalwart acarya. Viraraghavacarya, he is very learned scholar belonging to the Ramanujacarya Sampradaya. They have never said it is mythology. Where do you get this idea of mythology? That is possible. God is all-powerful. He can do anything. He can appear. Why should you restrict Him not to become the son of Devaki? Why should you restrict? Is He under your control or you are under His control? He can become the Devaki-suta. He can become a small child to be chastised by mother Yasoda. He likes it. Everyone offers Him with reverence all respect. Nobody dares to restrict Him and chastise Him. Nobody goes to God, that "You cannot do this. You are fool, You are rascal." Nobody says. But still He wants to hear all this. That is a pastime.
So this Prahlāda Mahārāja, we are discussing the instruction of Prahlāda Mahārāja because he happens to be one of the stalwart ācāryas
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969: So Prahlada Maharaja, a great devotee, he's in the line of disciplic succession. He's considered one of the great acaryas. An authority, acarya. And who is acarya? Acarya means one who knows the intricacies of Vedic knowledge and he personally behaves in terms of that knowledge and teaches his disciple in terms of that knowledge. Acarya means the person whose behavior is to be followed. Not that as we follow somebody according to our taste. Not like that. That acarya comes in the standard disciplic succession. So acarya. So this Prahlada Maharaja, we are discussing the instruction of Prahlada Maharaja because he happens to be one of the stalwart acaryas. And the names of such acaryas, authorized acaryas, are also mentioned in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

General Lectures

Therefore one great stalwart ācārya of India, Śaṅkarācārya, whose name you might have heard, he says, Nārāyaṇa, God, the Supreme Lord, He is beyond this creation
Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, January 19, 1969:: So God created. Try to understand what is the position of God. God created means before the creation, God was there. Just like if you say that "Mr. such and such has constructed this building," that means before the construction of the building, Mr. such and such was living, was existing. So "God created" means God is not one of the beings who were created. He is beyond creation. Therefore one great stalwart acarya of India, Sankaracarya, whose name you might have heard, he says, narayanah para avyaktat, avyaktat anya-sambhavah: "Narayana, God, the Supreme Lord, He is beyond this creation. He's not one of the created beings." You try to understand. God said, "Let there be creation," and there was creation: "Yes." His word is sufficient. His word is sufficient.
These are the Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura's... Big... They were stalwart ācāryas
Lecture -- Bombay, September 25, 1973:: These European, American boys... Then where is the difficulty? But the difficulty is our obstinacy. If one is obstinate, he is determined, then it is very difficult. Therefore Krsna says, na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [Bg. 7.15]. Only these classes of men, duskrtina, always engaged in sinful activities, mudha, rascal... Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah. And lowest of the mankind. Because human life is meant for worshiping Krsna. Narottama dasa Thakura sings, hari hari viphale, janama gonainu: "My life is spoiled." Why? Manusya-janama paiya, radha-krsna na bhajiya, janiya suniya visa khainu. So we are trying to stop drinking poison knowingly. Visaya visanale, diva-nisi hiya jvale, taribare na koinu upaya, golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana, rati na janmilo kene taya. These are the Narottama dasa Thakura's... Big... They were stalwart acaryas.

Purports to Songs

This is a song sung by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, a very stalwart ācārya in the line of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's sampradāya
Purport to Hari Hari Biphale: Prabhupada: ...biphale janama gonainu. This is a song sung by Narottama dasa Thakura, a very stalwart acarya in the line of Caitanya Mahaprabhu's sampradaya, disciplic succession. He has sung many songs, important songs, and his songs are accepted as Vedic conclusion. [break] ...very authoritative songs. So he says, praying to Lord Krsna, "My dear Lord," hari hari, "I have simply spoiled my life." Hari hari biphale janama gonainu. Why you have spoiled your life? He says, manusya-janama paiya, "I got this human form of life," radha-krsna na bhajiya, "but I did not care to worship Radha-Krsna. Therefore I have spoiled my life." And how it is? It is exactly like one takes poison knowingly. If somebody takes poison unknowingly, there is excuse, but if somebody takes poison knowingly, it is suicidal. So he says that "I have committed suicide simply by not worshiping Radha and Krsna in this human form of life."

Correspondence

1969 Correspondence

So nothing can be compared with our philosophy either in the matter of antiquity, philosophy, ethics, science, morality, etc., all in correct vision and approved by great stalwart acaryas
Letter to Hamsaduta -- Tittenhurst 2 November, 1969: After all, Krishna Consciousness philosophy is as old as 120 million years at the least. So nothing can be compared with our philosophy either in the matter of antiquity, philosophy, ethics, science, morality, etc., all in correct vision and approved by great stalwart acaryas. So far others are concerned, they cannot be compared even. For example, if Lord Jesus Christ said "Thou shalt not kill, or "Thou shalt do no murder to the people, it does not reflect very good social structure of the audience. Our philosophy is above all these things. Just like we prescribe to our students no illicit sex-life, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling, but they are not ends in themselves. The real end is how to serve Krishna and sacrifice everything for Him. And to learn this transcendental art we have got so many volumes of books.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Therefore śāstra says, Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. Big, big stalwart ācāryas, mahājanas, they are accepting. Therefore we accept. That is sense
Room Conversation -- May 2, 1976, Fiji: Prabhupada: Yes, traveler is the loser. If you have no faith, then loser, you are loser. You will never understand. Therefore sastra says, Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah [Cc. Madhya 17.186]. Big, big stalwart acaryas, mahajanas, they are accepting. Therefore we accept. That is sense. And if you sit down, "No, no, I have no faith," you'll sit down and remain a rascal, that's all. Adau sraddha. Therefore faith is the first thing. Adau sraddha. If he has got intelligence, he'll see: "So many big, big.... Lord Brahma accepts. Lord Siva accepts. Vyasadeva accepts. Narada accepts. The acaryas accept. So am I more than them? No. I will accept." And that is perfection of.... Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

When God Himself comes, all great ācāryas, stalwart men accept Him: "Yes, He is God."
Interview with the New York Times -- September 2, 1972, New Vrindaban: Prabhupäda: "One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna." So God is there; that's a fact. Anyone can go back to Him and live an eternal life full of bliss and knowledge simply by knowing about it. When God Himself comes, all great ācāryas, stalwart men accept Him: "Yes, He is God." If we simply understand God, we make a solution to all our problems. What is the problem?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

If you are finding out who is the original person and the original person is presenting Himself and He is being accepted by great authorities—formerly Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, Devala, and later on Rāmānujācārya Madhvācārya, and all big, big stalwart ācāryas, Caitanya Mahāprabhu—so why don't you accept Kṛṣṇa the supreme original authority?
Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay: Prabhupada: You arrange, I will advise her. I am not proud, but I am the authority at the present moment. It is not pride. It is the fact! So let her take! Let her understand. The authority is there. And what is understanding? It is simple truth. Everyone can understand. Any child can understand. There is no difficulty. We make it difficult by our rascal interpretation. And that is very simple thing. Krsna says, aham adir hi devanam [Bg 10.2]. So there must be somebody, original person. You are exi2sting, you are coming from your father. Your father coming from his father, his father, his father... Now, who is the original father? There must be somebody. You may or may not know. So here is the answer: aham adir hi devanam. So why don't you take? Where is the difficulty? If you are finding out who is the original person and the original person is presenting Himself and He is being accepted by great authorities -- formerly Vyasadeva, Narada, Asita, Devala, and later on Ramanujacarya Madhvacarya, and all big, big stalwart acaryas, Caitanya Mahaprabhu -- so why don't you accept Krsna the supreme original authority? What is the difficulty? The fact is very plain, but I'll not take it. If I misguide myself, then who will guide me? If I sleep while I am not sleeping, then who will help me? Take Krsna's instruction. If Indira Gandhi... I know she is intelligent, she is religious. Let her follow strictly the instruction of Krsna. Just his, all her ambition, all her programs, will be successful -- if he's (she's) serious.
Page Title:Stalwart acaryas
Compiler:Syamananda, Visnu Murti
Created:29 of jan, 2008
No. of Quotes:9
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=7, Con=1, Let=1