View source for You learn something about devotional service, but the devotional service should be executed by following mahajana. Therefore we are Rupanugas. We follow the footsteps of Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sanatana Gosvami

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[[Category:Learning Devotional Service to God]]
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[[Category:Rupanuga Devotees of God]]
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[[Category:Footsteps of Srila Sanatana Gosvami]]
[[Category:Prabhupada Speaks - Lectures, 1966 - 1977]]
[[Category:Prabhupada Speaks - Lectures, 1972]]
[[Category:Prabhupada Speaks - Lectures, Srimad-Bhagavatam]]
[[Category:Prabhupada Speaks - in India, Vrndavana]]
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<div id="Lectures" class="section" sec_index="4" parent="compilation" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2>
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<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Lectures" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures"><h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3>
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<div id="LectureonSB127VrndavanaOctober181972_0" class="quote" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" book="Lec" index="46" link="Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972" link_text="Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972">
<div class="heading">You learn something about devotional service, but the devotional service should be executed by following mahājana. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Therefore we are Rūpānugas. We follow the footsteps of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972|Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">
So Kṛṣṇa says: "To My devotees," ''teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam'' ([[vanisource:BG 10.10 (1972)|BG 10.10]]), "those who are engaged twenty-four hours in unadulterated devotional service to the Lord," ''buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam'', "I give them intelligence how he can go back to home, back to Godhead."

Why this is? Now, ''teṣām evānukampārtham'': special favor for these persons who are twenty-four-hours engaged in devotional service under the direction of bona fide spiritual master. You cannot become a pure, perfect devotee unless you are directed by another pure, unadulterated devotee. ''Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam'' ([[vanisource:BG 4.2 (1972)|BG 4.2]]). So therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī has mentioned in his ''Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, ādau gurvāśrayam.'' You have to find out. You have to take shelter, not find out. You have to take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master. That is the beginning, ''ādau gurvāśrayaṁ sad-dharma-pṛcchā.''

Then you'll have to inquire, inquiry, ''sad-dharma'', about pure devotional service. That is ''sad-dharma. Sad-dharma-pṛcchā. Sādhu-vartmānuvartanam. Sad-dharma-pṛcchā.'' You learn something about devotional service, but the devotional service should be executed by following ''mahājana''. ''Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ'' ([[vanisource:CC Madhya 17.186|CC Madhya 17.186]]). Therefore we are ''rūpānugas''. We follow the footsteps of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī.

So ''sādhu-vartmānuvartanam.'' Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says: ''sādhu-śāstra-guru vākya, tinete kariyā aikya.'' You must learn from ''guru'', from ''śāstra'', what is actually pure devotional service. Just like ''Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu''. One should read thoroughly this ''Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu'' to understand the science of devotion. ''Sādhu-śāstra''. And the ''śāstra'' means it is enunciated by ''sādhu'', Rūpa Gosvāmī. You cannot read anyone's book. If he's approved ''sādhu'', you can read his book. Then you'll be benefited. If you read hodgepodge, then you will not be able to understand. Therefore ''sādhu''.

And ''sādhu'' means he gives quotation from ''śāstras'', authorized ''śāstra''. He's ''sādhu''. ''Sādhu'' will not give anything manufactured by him. No. He's not ''sādhu''. ''Sādhu'' means whatever he'll speak, immediately he'll give evidence from the ''śāstra. Sādhu-śāstra-guru''. And ''guru'' means who is following ''sādhu'' and ''śāstra''. The ''guru'' who does not follow ''sādhu'' and ''śāstra'', who does not follow Rūpa Gosvāmī, does not follow śāstric injunction . . . Śāstric injunction is that if one wants to become leader, if one is the spiritual leader or political leader or ''brāhmin'', he must give up four principles of sinful life: illicit sex life, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating, fish-eating. He must give up. This is called ''sādhu-mārgānugamanam.''

If you don't follow these principles, then how you are following ''sādhu''? If you are intoxicant, if you are fond of smoking, drinking'', gāñjā, bīḍī'', wine, even chewing ''pān'' . . . ''pān'' is also intoxication. Drinking tea. These are all intoxication. So if you are addicted to these habits, how you can be ''sādhu''? ''Sādhu-mārgānugamanam.''

So . . . but if one therefore engages himself, ''vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yoga'' . . . ''vāsudeve bhagavati.'' Then you have to follow the devotees of Vāsudeva. ''Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet'' (MU 1.2.12). ''Guru'', who requires a ''guru''? ''Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam''. One who is inquisitive to learn about the transcendental science, he requires a ''guru''. It is not a fashion that we keep a ''guru'', just like sometimes we keep a dog. Yes. A pet, pet dog, pet cat. So that is for my sense gratification. ''Guru'', I keep a ''guru'', a poor man ''guru'', and ''guru'' wants some money from me. Then ''guru'' . . . ''śiṣya'' says: "My dear ''guru'', if I do not eat meat and fish, my health will fail." "All right, I order you. Under my order you can do that."

This kind of compromise is not there. That is not ''guru''. The ''guru'' thinks that "If I say 'Don't eat meat,' then this disciple will go away, and there is no chance of getting money from him." That kind of compromise is not required. And nobody requires to have a ''guru'' if he has got such attitude. ''Guru'' . . . accept ''guru'' means you must surrender there. ''Samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham'' (MU 1.2.12). One has to surrender. ''Tad viddhi praṇipātena'' ([[vanisource:BG 4.34 (1972)|BG 4.34]]). ''Bhagavad-gītā'' says that "You learn from ''guru'' by ''praṇipāta'', surrendering." The whole system is surrender.

So ''vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ'' ([[vanisource:SB 1.2.7|SB 1.2.7]]). ''Bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ'' means in order to enter into ''bhakti-yoga'' one has to first of all surrender to a bona fide spiritual master. ''Ādau gurvāśrayam.'' This is the beginning of ''bhakti-yoga.'' And what kind of ''guru''? An . . . that is also explained in the ''śāstras'': ''śābde ca pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. Guru'' must be ''śābde pare ca niṣṇātam'' ([[vanisource:SB 11.3.21|SB 11.3.21]]). ''Śābde'' means ''śabda-brahman'', Vedic knowledge. He must be dipped into the Vedic knowledge, ''śābde pare ca'', and in devotional service, ''śābde pare ca niṣṇātam, brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam.'' And accepting the Supreme Brahman, Paraṁ Brahman, as the ultimate goal of life. Not he has got any other goal of life. These are the signs of ''guru''.