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== Sri Caitanya-caritamrta ==
<div id="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" class="section" sec_index="2" parent="compilation" text="Sri Caitanya-caritamrta"><h2>Sri Caitanya-caritamrta</h2>
 
</div>
=== CC Preface and Introduction ===
<div id="CC_Preface_and_Introduction" class="sub_section" sec_index="0" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" text="CC Preface and Introduction"><h3>CC Preface and Introduction</h3>
 
</div>
<span class="CC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:CC Adi Introduction|CC Adi Introduction]]:''' In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is a great deal of information given about the Vaikuṇṭha planetary systems, which are beyond the material universe. Similarly, a great deal of inconceivable information is given in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Any attempt to arrive at this information through experimental knowledge will fail. The knowledge simply has to be accepted. According to the Vedic method, śabda, or transcendental sound, is regarded as evidence. Sound is very important in Vedic understanding, for, if it is pure, it is accepted as authoritative.</span>
<div id="CCIntroduction_0" class="quote" parent="CC_Preface_and_Introduction" book="CC" index="5" link="CC Introduction" link_text="CC Introduction">
 
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Introduction|CC Introduction]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">According to the Vedic method, śabda, or transcendental sound, is regarded as evidence. Sound is very important in Vedic understanding, for, if it is pure, it is accepted as authoritative</p>
<span class="CC-statistics">'''[[Vanisource:CC Adi Introduction|CC Adi Introduction]]:''' Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja was an inhabitant of Vṛndāvana and a great devotee. He had been living with his family in Katwa, a small town in the district of Burdwan, in Bengal. He worshiped Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa with his family, and once when there was some misunderstanding among his family members about devotional service, he was advised by Nityānanda Prabhu in a dream to leave home and go to Vṛndāvana. Although he was very old, he started out that very night and went to live in Vṛndāvana. While he was there, he met some of the Gosvāmīs, principal disciples of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He was requested to write the Caitanya-caritāmṛta by the devotees of Vṛndāvana. Although he began this work at a very old age, by the grace of Lord Caitanya he finished it. Today it remains the most authoritative book on Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s philosophy and life.</span>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCIntroduction_1" class="quote" parent="CC_Preface_and_Introduction" book="CC" index="5" link="CC Introduction" link_text="CC Introduction">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Introduction|CC Introduction]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Although he began this work at a very old age, by the grace of Lord Caitanya he finished it. Today it remains the most authoritative book on Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy and life.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CC_Adi-lila" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" text="CC Adi-lila"><h3>CC Adi-lila</h3>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi2Summary_0" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="105" link="CC Adi 2 Summary" link_text="CC Adi 2 Summary">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 2 Summary|CC Adi 2 Summary]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The puruṣa-avatāras are also explained in this connection. Mahā-Viṣṇu is the reservoir of all conditioned souls, but, as confirmed in the authoritative scriptures, Lord Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate fountainhead, the source of numerous plenary expansions, including Nārāyaṇa, who is generally accepted by Māyāvādī philosophers to be the Absolute Truth.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi2Summary_1" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="105" link="CC Adi 2 Summary" link_text="CC Adi 2 Summary">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 2 Summary|CC Adi 2 Summary]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Because Lord Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is not different from Lord Kṛṣṇa, He is the cause of all causes; there is no cause beyond Him. He is eternal, and His form is spiritual. Lord Caitanya is directly the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, as the evidence of authoritative scriptures proves.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi29_2" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="114" link="CC Adi 2.9" link_text="CC Adi 2.9">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 2.9|CC Adi 2.9, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Nor is it widely known that the Supersoul, or Paramātmā, is only a partial representation of Lord Caitanya, who is identical with Bhagavān Himself. Therefore the descriptions of Brahman as the effulgence of Lord Caitanya, the Paramātmā as His partial representation, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa as identical with Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu must be verified by evidence from authoritative Vedic literatures.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi224_3" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="129" link="CC Adi 2.24" link_text="CC Adi 2.24">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 2.24|CC Adi 2.24, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">There are innumerable authoritative statements in the Vedas regarding the personal feature of the Absolute Truth. Some of them are as follows:</p>
<p>(1) From the Ṛk-saṁhitā (1.22.20):</p>
:tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ
:divīva cakṣur ātatam
<p>"The Personality of Godhead Viṣṇu is the Absolute Truth, whose lotus feet all the demigods are always eager to see. Like the sun-god, He pervades everything by the rays of His energy. He appears impersonal to imperfect eyes."</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi286_4" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="191" link="CC Adi 2.86" link_text="CC Adi 2.86">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 2.86|CC Adi 2.86, Translation]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">"Mistakes, illusions, cheating and defective perception do not occur in the sayings of the authoritative sages."</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi42122_5" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="359" link="CC Adi 4.21-22" link_text="CC Adi 4.21-22">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 4.21-22|CC Adi 4.21-22, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Those who are spontaneously devoted to the Lord and have no aims for material gain are called attracted devotees. They are spontaneously attracted to the service of the Lord, and they follow in the footsteps of self-realized souls. Their pure devotion (śuddha-bhakti), manifested from pure love of Godhead, surpasses the regulative principles of the authoritative scriptures.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi4105_6" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="438" link="CC Adi 4.105" link_text="CC Adi 4.105">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 4.105|CC Adi 4.105, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Svarūpa Dāmodara has been identified as Lalitā-devī, the second expansion of Rādhārāṇī. However, text 160 of Kavi-karṇapūra's  authoritative Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā describes Svarūpa Dāmodara as the same Viśākhā-devī who serves the Lord in Goloka Vṛndāvana. Therefore it is to be understood that Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara is a direct expansion of Rādhārāṇī who helps the Lord experience the attitude of Rādhārāṇī.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi518_7" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="622" link="CC Adi 5.18" link_text="CC Adi 5.18">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 5.18|CC Adi 5.18, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">From the authoritative evidence cited by Jīva Gosvāmī we may conclude that Kṛṣṇaloka is the supreme planet in the spiritual sky, which is far beyond the material cosmos.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi723_8" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="971" link="CC Adi 7.23" link_text="CC Adi 7.23">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 7.23|CC Adi 7.23, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">There are some rascals who dare to speak against the mission of Lord Caitanya by criticizing the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement for accepting Europeans and Americans as brāhmaṇas and offering them sannyāsa. But here is an authoritative statement that in distributing love of Godhead one should not consider whether the recipients are Europeans, Americans, Hindus, Muslims, etc.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi7102_9" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1046" link="CC Adi 7.102" link_text="CC Adi 7.102">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 7.102|CC Adi 7.102, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">A third-class devotee, therefore, has to receive the instructions of devotional service from the authoritative sources of Bhāgavata. The number one Bhāgavata is the established personality of devotee, and the other Bhāgavata is the message of Godhead. The third-class devotee therefore has to go to the personality of devotee in order to learn the instructions of devotional service.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi7106_10" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1050" link="CC Adi 7.106" link_text="CC Adi 7.106">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 7.106|CC Adi 7.106, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The theme of each and every division is fully described in terms of five different subject matters (adhikaraṇas), which are technically called pratijñā, hetu, udāharaṇa, upanaya and nigamana. Every theme must necessarily be explained with reference to pratijñā, or a solemn declaration of the purpose of the treatise. The solemn declaration given in the beginning of the Vedānta-sūtra is athāto brahma jijñāsā, which indicates that this book was written with the solemn declaration to inquire about the Absolute Truth. Similarly, reasons must be expressed (hetu), examples must be given in terms of various facts (udāharaṇa), the theme must gradually be brought nearer for understanding (upanaya), and finally it must be supported by authoritative quotations from the Vedic śāstras (nigamana).</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi7132_11" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1076" link="CC Adi 7.132" link_text="CC Adi 7.132">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 7.132|CC Adi 7.132, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">We quote Vedic evidence to support our statements, but if we interpret it according to our own judgment, the authority of the Vedic literature is rendered imperfect or useless. In other words, by interpreting the Vedic version one minimizes the value of Vedic evidence. When one quotes from Vedic literature, it is understood that the quotations are authoritative. How can one bring the authority under his own control? That is a case of principiis obsta.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi89_12" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1125" link="CC Adi 8.9" link_text="CC Adi 8.9">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 8.9|CC Adi 8.9, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Like Jarāsandha, any man who performs Vedic rituals but does not accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead must be considered an asura, or demon. Similarly, one who does not accept Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Kṛṣṇa Himself is also a demon. This is the conclusion of authoritative scriptures.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi836_14" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1151" link="CC Adi 8.36" link_text="CC Adi 8.36">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 8.36|CC Adi 8.36, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the authoritative reference book from which to understand devotional service, but because it is very elaborate, few men can understand its purport. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the original commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra, which is called nyāya-prasthāna. It was written to enable one to understand the Absolute Truth through infallible logic and argument, and therefore its natural commentary, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, is extremely elaborate.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi837_15" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1152" link="CC Adi 8.37" link_text="CC Adi 8.37">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 8.37|CC Adi 8.37, Translation]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">In Śrī Caitanya-maṅgala (later known as Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata) Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has given the conclusion and essence of devotional service by quoting the authoritative statements of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi872_16" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1187" link="CC Adi 8.72" link_text="CC Adi 8.72">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 8.72|CC Adi 8.72, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The words of Kṛṣṇa and of the disciplic succession that carries the orders of Kṛṣṇa are actually authoritative. To be empowered to write transcendental literature is a privilege in which a writer can take great pride. As a humble Vaiṣṇava, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, being thus empowered, felt very much ashamed that it was he who was to narrate the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi91315_17" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1214" link="CC Adi 9.13-15" link_text="CC Adi 9.13-15">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 9.13-15|CC Adi 9.13-15, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">According to some authoritative opinions, although Keśava Bhāratī belonged to the Śaṅkara-sampradāya, he had formerly been initiated by a Vaiṣṇava. He is said to have been a Vaiṣṇava on account of having been initiated by Mādhavendra Purī, for some say that he took sannyāsa from Mādhavendra Purī.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi91315_18" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1214" link="CC Adi 9.13-15" link_text="CC Adi 9.13-15">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 9.13-15|CC Adi 9.13-15, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">There is another statement about Keśava Bhāratī from the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (117): iti kecit prabhāṣante ’krūraḥ keśava-bhāratī. "According to some authoritative opinions, Keśava Bhāratī is an incarnation of Akrūra." Keśava Bhāratī offered the sannyāsa order to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in the year 1432 śakābda (A.D. 1510) in Katwa. This is stated in the Vaiṣṇava-mañjuṣā, Part Two.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi1085_19" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1339" link="CC Adi 10.85" link_text="CC Adi 10.85">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 10.85|CC Adi 10.85, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Another story fabricated to defame Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī states that when Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī showed him the newly-completed manuscript of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Jīva Gosvāmī thought it would hamper his reputation as a big scholar and therefore threw it into a well. Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī was greatly shocked, according to this story, and he died immediately. Fortunately a copy of the manuscript of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta had been kept by a person named Mukunda, and therefore later it was possible to publish the book. This story is another ignominious example of blasphemy against a guru and Vaiṣṇava. Such a story should never be accepted as authoritative.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi10130_20" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1382" link="CC Adi 10.130" link_text="CC Adi 10.130">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 10.130|CC Adi 10.130, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Students from various parts of India still come to Navadvīpa to study logic. According to some authoritative opinions, the celebrated logician Raghunātha Śiromaṇi was also a student of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya's. In effect, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya became the leader of all students of logic. Although he was a gṛhastha (householder), he even taught many sannyāsīs in the knowledge of logic.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi1238_21" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1513" link="CC Adi 12.38" link_text="CC Adi 12.38">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 12.38|CC Adi 12.38, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">This is an authoritative judgment by Śrī Advaita Prabhu. He clearly advises that one should not be unhappy when reverses come upon him by the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A devotee should always be happy to receive the fortune awarded him by the Supreme Lord, which seems pleasant or unpleasant according to one's judgment.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi1610_22" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1838" link="CC Adi 16.10" link_text="CC Adi 16.10">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 16.10|CC Adi 16.10, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">One must first ascertain the object of life and then understand how to attain it. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is pointing out to everyone that the object of life is to understand Kṛṣṇa, and to attain that goal of life one must practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness, following the methods prescribed by the Gosvāmīs with reference to the authoritative śāstras and Vedas.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAdi1652_23" class="quote" parent="CC_Adi-lila" book="CC" index="1880" link="CC Adi 16.52" link_text="CC Adi 16.52">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Adi 16.52|CC Adi 16.52, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">All Vedic knowledge is based on the principle that one must approach a bona fide spiritual master and hear from him the authoritative statements of the Vedas. It is not necessary for one to be a highly polished literary man to receive knowledge; to receive perfect knowledge from a perfect person, one must be expert in hearing. This is called the descending process of deductive knowledge, or avaroha-panthā.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CC_Madhya-lila" class="sub_section" sec_index="2" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" text="CC Madhya-lila"><h3>CC Madhya-lila</h3>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya143_0" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="42" link="CC Madhya 1.43" link_text="CC Madhya 1.43">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 1.43|CC Madhya 1.43, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The Bhāgavata-sandarbha is also known as the Ṣaṭ-sandarbha. In the first part, called Tattva-sandarbha, it is proved that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the most authoritative evidence directly pointing to the Absolute Truth.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya1120_1" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="119" link="CC Madhya 1.120" link_text="CC Madhya 1.120">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 1.120|CC Madhya 1.120, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">In the olden days there were no presses, and all the important scriptures were handwritten and kept in large temples. Caitanya Mahāprabhu found the Brahma-saṁhitā and Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta in handwritten texts, and knowing them to be very authoritative, He took them with Him to present to His devotees.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya2Summary_2" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="286" link="CC Madhya 2 Summary" link_text="CC Madhya 2 Summary">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 2 Summary|CC Madhya 2 Summary]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Śrīla Kavirāja Gosvāmī has confirmed that the opinion of Svarūpa Dāmodara is authoritative in the matter of devotional service. Over and above this are the notes of Svarūpa Dāmodara, memorized by Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, who also helped in the compilation of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya3190_3" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="569" link="CC Madhya 3.190" link_text="CC Madhya 3.190">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 3.190|CC Madhya 3.190, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested them all to return home and begin chanting the holy name congregationally. He also requested them to worship Kṛṣṇa, chant His holy name and discuss His holy pastimes.</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>The cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, is very nicely explained by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu authoritatively.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya7128_4" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="1381" link="CC Madhya 7.128" link_text="CC Madhya 7.128">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 7.128|CC Madhya 7.128, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Many people come and inquire whether they have to give up family life to join the Society, but that is not our mission. One can remain comfortably in his residence. We simply request everyone to chant the mahā-mantra: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. If one is a little literate and can read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that is so much the better. These works are now available in an English translation and are done very authoritatively to appeal to all classes of men.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya8312_5" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="1715" link="CC Madhya 8.312" link_text="CC Madhya 8.312">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 8.312|CC Madhya 8.312, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">At the end of every chapter, the author admits the value of the disciplic succession. He never claims to have written this transcendental literature by carrying out research work. He simply admits his indebtedness to the notes taken by Svarūpa Dāmodara, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī and other authoritative persons. This is the way of writing transcendental literatures, which are never meant for so-called scholars and research workers.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya949_6" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="1765" link="CC Madhya 9.49" link_text="CC Madhya 9.49">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 9.49|CC Madhya 9.49, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">No one can point out any defects in Vedānta philosophy, and therefore we can conclude that Vedānta is the supreme philosophical way of understanding the truth. According to the Buddhist cult, the Vedas are compiled by ordinary human beings. If this were the case, they would not be authoritative.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya1273_7" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="2583" link="CC Madhya 12.73" link_text="CC Madhya 12.73">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 12.73|CC Madhya 12.73, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The Guṇḍicā temple is situated two miles northeast of the Jagannātha temple. At the time of the Ratha-yātrā festival, Lord Jagannātha goes to the Guṇḍicā temple from His original temple and stays there for one week. After one week, He returns to His original temple. It is understood by hearsay that the wife of Indradyumna, the King who established the Jagannātha temple, was known as Guṇḍicā. There is also mention of the name of the Guṇḍicā temple in authoritative scripture.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya2372_8" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="5274" link="CC Madhya 23.72" link_text="CC Madhya 23.72">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 23.72|CC Madhya 23.72, Translation]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">"'Kṛṣṇa is very expert in artistic enjoyment. He is highly cunning, expert, grateful and firmly determined in His vows. He knows how to deal according to time, person and country, and He sees through the scriptures and authoritative books. He is very clean and self-controlled.'"</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya24249_9" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="5565" link="CC Madhya 24.249" link_text="CC Madhya 24.249">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 24.249|CC Madhya 24.249, Translation and Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="trans text"><p style="display: inline;">“Nārada Muni replied, 'If you leave the animals half-dead, you are purposefully giving them pain. Therefore you will have to suffer in retaliation.'"</p>
</div>
<div class="purport text"><p>This is an authoritative statement given by the greatest authority, Nārada Muni.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCMadhya24251_10" class="quote" parent="CC_Madhya-lila" book="CC" index="5567" link="CC Madhya 24.251" link_text="CC Madhya 24.251">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Madhya 24.251|CC Madhya 24.251, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">This is another authoritative statement made by the great sage Nārada. Those who kill animals and give them unnecessary pain—as people do in slaughterhouses—will be killed in a similar way in the next life and in many lives to come.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CC_Antya-lila" class="sub_section" sec_index="3" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta" text="CC Antya-lila"><h3>CC Antya-lila</h3>
</div>
<div id="CCAntya1137_0" class="quote" parent="CC_Antya-lila" book="CC" index="136" link="CC Antya 1.137" link_text="CC Antya 1.137">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Antya 1.137|CC Antya 1.137, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Any literature presented in Sanskrit must follow the rules and regulations mentioned in the authoritative reference books. The technical inquiries by Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya and the replies of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī indicate that both of them were expert and fully conversant with the techniques of writing drama.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAntya481_1" class="quote" parent="CC_Antya-lila" book="CC" index="741" link="CC Antya 4.81" link_text="CC Antya 4.81">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Antya 4.81|CC Antya 4.81, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to accomplish many purposes through the exegetical endeavors of Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī. First Sanātana Gosvāmī compiled the book called Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta to teach people how to become devotees, execute devotional service and attain love of Kṛṣṇa. Second, he compiled the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, wherein he collected authoritative scriptural injunctions regarding how a Vaiṣṇava should behave.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAntya584_2" class="quote" parent="CC_Antya-lila" book="CC" index="978" link="CC Antya 5.84" link_text="CC Antya 5.84">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Antya 5.84|CC Antya 5.84, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">By the grace of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu, anyone can be completely purified, become a preacher of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and become the spiritual master of the entire world. This principle is accepted in all Vedic literature. Evidence can be quoted from authoritative śāstras showing how a lowborn person can become the spiritual master of the entire world.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="CCAntya826_3" class="quote" parent="CC_Antya-lila" book="CC" index="1581" link="CC Antya 8.26" link_text="CC Antya 8.26">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:CC Antya 8.26|CC Antya 8.26, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">These are references from authoritative revealed scriptures. If one becomes an offender to his spiritual master or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he falls down to the material platform to merely speculate.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" class="section" sec_index="3" parent="compilation" text="Other Books by Srila Prabhupada"><h2>Other Books by Srila Prabhupada</h2>
</div>
<div id="Teachings_of_Lord_Caitanya" class="sub_section" sec_index="0" parent="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" text="Teachings of Lord Caitanya"><h3>Teachings of Lord Caitanya</h3>
</div>
<div id="TLCIntoduction_0" class="quote" parent="Teachings_of_Lord_Caitanya" book="OB" index="6" link="TLC Intoduction" link_text="Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter Intoduction">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:TLC Intoduction|Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter Intoduction]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">According to the Vedic method, śabda, or transcendental sound, is regarded as evidence. Sound is very important in Vedic understanding, for, if it is pure, it is accepted as authoritative.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="TLCIntoduction_1" class="quote" parent="Teachings_of_Lord_Caitanya" book="OB" index="6" link="TLC Intoduction" link_text="Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter Intoduction">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:TLC Intoduction|Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter Intoduction]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">He was requested to write Caitanya-caritāmṛta by the devotees of Vṛndāvana. Although he began this work at a very old age, by the grace of Lord Caitanya he finished it. Today it remains the most authoritative book on Caitanya's philosophy and life.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="TLC2_2" class="quote" parent="Teachings_of_Lord_Caitanya" book="OB" index="8" link="TLC 2" link_text="Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 2">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:TLC 2|Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 2]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Five items—time, worship, offering of respect, offering of oblation into the fire and offering of food to a brāhmaṇa—comprise puraścaryā. This and other rituals are mentioned in the hari-bhakti-vilāsa, the authoritative book of directions.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="TLC8_3" class="quote" parent="Teachings_of_Lord_Caitanya" book="OB" index="14" link="TLC 8" link_text="Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 8">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:TLC 8|Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 8]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">"As one can understand the different incarnations for different millenniums by referring to Vedic literatures,"the Lord replied, "one can similarly understand who is actually the incarnation of Godhead in this age of Kali." In this way the Lord especially stressed reference to authoritative scriptures. In other words, one should not whimsically accept a person as an incarnation but should try to understand the characteristics of an incarnation by referring to scriptures. An incarnation of the Supreme Lord never declares Himself to be an incarnation, but His followers must ascertain who is an incarnation and who is a pretender by referring to authoritative scriptures.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="TLC14_4" class="quote" parent="Teachings_of_Lord_Caitanya" book="OB" index="20" link="TLC 14" link_text="Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 14">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:TLC 14|Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 14]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">In the Agni Purāṇa and other authoritative scriptures, that which increases one's love of Kṛṣṇa is said to be vibhāva, and when Kṛṣṇa is the objective, vibhāva is increased as ālambana.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="TLC14_5" class="quote" parent="Teachings_of_Lord_Caitanya" book="OB" index="20" link="TLC 14" link_text="Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 14">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:TLC 14|Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 14]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Sanātana Gosvāmī thus inquired into all phases of devotional service, and Lord Caitanya taught him most confidentially from authoritative scriptures like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The Lord referred also to the Vedic literature known as Harivaṁśa, which gives information about the transcendental abode of Kṛṣṇa.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="TLC19_6" class="quote" parent="Teachings_of_Lord_Caitanya" book="OB" index="25" link="TLC 19" link_text="Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 19">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:TLC 19|Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 19]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">In transcendental realization there are three divisions of knowledge called prasthāna-traya. That department of knowledge which is proved by Vedic instruction (like the Upaniṣads) is called śruti-prasthāna. Authoritative books indicating the ultimate goal and written by liberated souls like Vyāsadeva (for example, Bhagavad-gītā, Mahābhārata and the Purāṇas, especially Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the Mahā-Purāṇa) are called smṛti-prasthāna.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="TLC23_7" class="quote" parent="Teachings_of_Lord_Caitanya" book="OB" index="29" link="TLC 23" link_text="Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 23">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:TLC 23|Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 23]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">"You say that you are very anxious to study Vedānta-sūtra, but you cannot understand Vedānta-sūtra without understanding Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam." He also advised Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī to always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. "And, by doing so, you will very easily be liberated. After liberation you will be eligible to achieve the highest goal of life, love of Godhead."</p>
<p>The Lord then recited many verses from authoritative scriptures like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā and Nṛsiṁha-tāpanī.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="TLC31_8" class="quote" parent="Teachings_of_Lord_Caitanya" book="OB" index="37" link="TLC 31" link_text="Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 31">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:TLC 31|Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 31]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The impersonalists recommend a process of ahaṁ grahopāsanā by which one worships his own body as the Supreme. Thinking in this way, such pseudo-transcendentalists dress themselves as the damsels of Vraja. Such activities are not acceptable in devotional service. Even Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, the most authoritative ācārya in the Gauḍīya sampradāya, has condemned these imitators.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="Nectar_of_Devotion" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" text="Nectar of Devotion"><h3>Nectar of Devotion</h3>
</div>
<div id="NODPreface_0" class="quote" parent="Nectar_of_Devotion" book="OB" index="2" link="NOD Preface" link_text="Nectar of Devotion Preface">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:NOD Preface|Nectar of Devotion Preface]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Later, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda elaborated the teachings of the Lord with profound knowledge of revealed scriptures and authoritative references from various Vedic literatures. Śrīla Śrīnivāsa Ācārya describes in his prayers to the six Gosvāmīs that they were all highly learned scholars, not only in Sanskrit but also in foreign languages such as Persian and Arabic. They very scrutinizingly studied all the Vedic scriptures in order to establish the cult of Caitanya Mahāprabhu on the authorized principles of Vedic knowledge.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="NOD2_1" class="quote" parent="Nectar_of_Devotion" book="OB" index="11" link="NOD 2" link_text="Nectar of Devotion 2">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:NOD 2|Nectar of Devotion 2]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">To support this statement there are many authoritative assertions by the learned scholars of bygone ages. According to their general opinion, a person may become governed by certain convictions derived by his own arguments and decisions. Then another person, who may be a greater logician, will nullify these conclusions and establish another thesis. In this way the path of argument will never be safe or conclusive. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam recommends, therefore, that one follow in the footsteps of the authorities.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="NOD2_2" class="quote" parent="Nectar_of_Devotion" book="OB" index="11" link="NOD 2" link_text="Nectar of Devotion 2">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:NOD 2|Nectar of Devotion 2]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Now this sādhana-bhakti, or practice of devotional service, may also be divided into two parts. The first part is called service according to regulative principles: one has to follow these different regulative principles by the order of the spiritual master or on the strength of authoritative scriptures, and there can be no question of refusal. That is called vaidhi, or regulated. One has to do it without argument.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="NOD5_3" class="quote" parent="Nectar_of_Devotion" book="OB" index="14" link="NOD 5" link_text="Nectar of Devotion 5">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:NOD 5|Nectar of Devotion 5]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The purport is that as soon as a man takes his birth, he is immediately indebted to so many sources. He is indebted to the great sages because he profits by reading their authoritative scriptures and books. For example, we take advantage of the books written by Vyāsadeva.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="NOD19_4" class="quote" parent="Nectar_of_Devotion" book="OB" index="104" link="NOD 19" link_text="Nectar of Devotion 19">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:NOD 19|Nectar of Devotion 19]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The influence of a pure devotee is such that if someone comes to associate with him with a little faith, one gets the chance of hearing about the Lord from authoritative scriptures like Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Thus, by the mercy of the Lord, who is situated in everyone's heart, one gradually develops his faith in the descriptions of such authoritative scriptures. This is the first stage of association with pure devotees.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="NOD30_5" class="quote" parent="Nectar_of_Devotion" book="OB" index="255" link="NOD 30" link_text="Nectar of Devotion 30">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:NOD 30|Nectar of Devotion 30]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">There is an authoritative statement in the Garuḍa Purāṇa about mystic yogīs who are under the direct shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: "In all three stages of their consciousness—namely wakefulness, dreaming and deep sleep—the devotees are absorbed in thought of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, in their complete absorption in thought of Kṛṣṇa, they do not sleep."</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="NOD33_7" class="quote" parent="Nectar_of_Devotion" book="OB" index="269" link="NOD 33" link_text="Nectar of Devotion 33">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:NOD 33|Nectar of Devotion 33]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Only advanced devotees performing religious ritualistic performances can come to this stage of dharma-vīra. Dharma-vīras are produced after going through the authoritative scriptures, following moral principles, being faithful and tolerant and controlling the senses.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="NOD33_8" class="quote" parent="Nectar_of_Devotion" book="OB" index="272" link="NOD 33" link_text="Nectar of Devotion 33">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:NOD 33|Nectar of Devotion 33]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">It is understood from authoritative sources that an attachment for Kṛṣṇa because of feelings of disgust sometimes presents a ghastly ecstasy in devotional service.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="NOD35_6" class="quote" parent="Nectar_of_Devotion" book="OB" index="276" link="NOD 35" link_text="Nectar of Devotion 35">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:NOD 35|Nectar of Devotion 35]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">According to the conclusion of all authoritative Vedic scriptures, when a person comes to the stage of appreciating Viṣṇu, he is at the beginning of devotional service. If one cultivates devotional service further and further, under proper guidance, other features of devotional service will gradually become manifest.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="Nectar_of_Instruction" class="sub_section" sec_index="2" parent="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" text="Nectar of Instruction"><h3>Nectar of Instruction</h3>
</div>
<div id="NOI5_0" class="quote" parent="Nectar_of_Instruction" book="OB" index="6" link="NOI 5" link_text="Nectar of Instruction 5">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:NOI 5|Nectar of Instruction 5, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Faith means strong faith. The words of Bhagavad-gītā are authoritative instructions for faithful men, and whatever Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā is to be accepted as it is, without interpretation. This was the way Arjuna accepted Bhagavad-gītā.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="Easy_Journey_to_Other_Planets" class="sub_section" sec_index="3" parent="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" text="Easy Journey to Other Planets"><h3>Easy Journey to Other Planets</h3>
</div>
<div id="EJ1_0" class="quote" parent="Easy_Journey_to_Other_Planets" book="OB" index="2" link="EJ 1" link_text="Easy Journey to Other Planets 1">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:EJ 1|Easy Journey to Other Planets 1]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The transcendentalist gathers knowledge from authoritative scriptures like the Vedas. Vedic literature is received from authoritative sources which are in the line of transcendental disciplic succession.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="EJ1_1" class="quote" parent="Easy_Journey_to_Other_Planets" book="OB" index="2" link="EJ 1" link_text="Easy Journey to Other Planets 1">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:EJ 1|Easy Journey to Other Planets 1]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Nonbelievers put forward their own theories of the creation, which usually result in statements such as, "It's hard to understand," "Our imagination cannot conceive it, but it's quite possible," "It's incomprehensible," and so forth. This only means that their information has no authoritative basis and is not backed by scientific data. They simply speculate. However, authorized information is available in the Bhagavad-gītā.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="EJ2_2" class="quote" parent="Easy_Journey_to_Other_Planets" book="OB" index="3" link="EJ 2" link_text="Easy Journey to Other Planets 2">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:EJ 2|Easy Journey to Other Planets 2]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for the purpose of understanding God. The spiritual master is the living representative of Kṛṣṇa who helps externally, and Kṛṣṇa as Supersoul helps internally. The living entity can take advantage of such guidance and make his life successful. We request that everyone read authoritative literature in order to understand this movement.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="EJ2_3" class="quote" parent="Easy_Journey_to_Other_Planets" book="OB" index="3" link="EJ 2" link_text="Easy Journey to Other Planets 2">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:EJ 2|Easy Journey to Other Planets 2]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Bhagavad-gītā is a very popular book, and there are many editions of it in America and also many from India. Unfortunately, however, many rascals have come to the West to preach Bhagavad-gītā. They are designated as rascals because they are bluffers who do not give real information. In our Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, however, the spiritual nature is authoritatively described.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="EJ2_4" class="quote" parent="Easy_Journey_to_Other_Planets" book="OB" index="3" link="EJ 2" link_text="Easy Journey to Other Planets 2">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:EJ 2|Easy Journey to Other Planets 2]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Darwin's theory of the evolution of organic matter is, of course, very prominent in the institutions of learning. But the Bhāgavata Purāṇa and other authoritative scriptures of scientific magnitude describe how the living entities in different forms of body evolve one after another. It is not a new idea, but educators are giving stress only to Darwin's theory, although in Vedic literature we have immense information of the living conditions in this material world.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="Renunciation_Through_Wisdom" class="sub_section" sec_index="5" parent="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" text="Renunciation Through Wisdom"><h3>Renunciation Through Wisdom</h3>
</div>
<div id="RTW43_0" class="quote" parent="Renunciation_Through_Wisdom" book="OB" index="35" link="RTW 4.3" link_text="Renunciation Through Wisdom 4.3">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:RTW 4.3|Renunciation Through Wisdom 4.3]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">We accept both Arjuna and Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī as greater authorities than Dr. Radhakrishnan. Arjuna directly heard the Bhagavad-gītā, and the President of India, Dr. Rajendraprasad, has accepted Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta as an authentic and authoritative scripture. Those who try to understand the Bhagavad-gītā by receiving it from one in the disciplic succession coming down from Arjuna can actually understand its esoteric knowledge; others fail miserably.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="RTW43_1" class="quote" parent="Renunciation_Through_Wisdom" book="OB" index="35" link="RTW 4.3" link_text="Renunciation Through Wisdom 4.3">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:RTW 4.3|Renunciation Through Wisdom 4.3]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">This concept of simultaneous oneness and difference has been termed viśiṣṭā-dvaita, dvaitādvaita, śuddhādvaita, and acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. If this esoteric concept were false, then Kṛṣṇa would not be worshiped throughout India, practically in every home. He is worshiped not as a historical figure but as the Supreme Lord. Kṛṣṇa's position as the Supreme Godhead is firmly established by the authoritative text Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is the natural commentary on and essence of the Vedānta-sūtra and the Gāyatrī mantra.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="Sri_Isopanisad" class="sub_section" sec_index="8" parent="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" text="Sri Isopanisad"><h3>Sri Isopanisad</h3>
</div>
<div id="ISOIntroduction_0" class="quote" parent="Sri_Isopanisad" book="OB" index="1" link="ISO Introduction" link_text="Sri Isopanisad Introduction">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:ISO Introduction|Sri Isopanisad Introduction]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Of what value is this seeing? Therefore we have to read books; then we can understand about the sun. So direct experience is not perfect. Then there is anumāna, inductive knowledge: "It may be like this"—hypothesis. For instance, Darwin's theory says it may be like this, it may be like that. But that is not science. That is a suggestion, and it is also not perfect. But if you receive the knowledge from the authoritative sources, that is perfect. If you receive a program guide from the radio station authorities, you accept it. You don't deny it; you don't have to make an experiment, because it is received from the authoritative sources.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="ISO12_1" class="quote" parent="Sri_Isopanisad" book="OB" index="14" link="ISO 12" link_text="Sri Isopanisad 12">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:ISO 12|Sri Isopanisad 12, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">Such violators of religious principles have no respect for the authoritative ācāryas, the holy teachers in the strict disciplic succession. They ignore the Vedic injunction ācāryopāsana—"One must worship the ācārya"—and Kṛṣṇa's statement in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.2) evaṁ paramparā-prāptam, "This supreme science of God is received through the disciplic succession." Instead, to mislead the people in general they themselves become so-called ācāryas, but they do not even follow the principles of the ācāryas.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div id="Mukunda-mala-stotra_mantras_1_to_6_only" class="sub_section" sec_index="9" parent="Other_Books_by_Srila_Prabhupada" text="Mukunda-mala-stotra (mantras 1 to 6 only)"><h3>Mukunda-mala-stotra (mantras 1 to 6 only)</h3>
</div>
<div id="MM4_0" class="quote" parent="Mukunda-mala-stotra_(mantras_1_to_6_only)" book="OB" index="5" link="MM 4" link_text="Mukunda-mala-stotra mantra 4">
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:MM 4|Mukunda-mala-stotra mantra 4, Purport]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="purport text"><p style="display: inline;">The spiritual master in the authoritative line of disciplic succession is the "son of God," or in other words the Lord's bona fide representative. The proof that he is bona fide is his invincible faith in God, which protects him from the calamity of impersonalism.</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>

Latest revision as of 18:44, 30 December 2009

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Preface and Introduction

CC Introduction:

According to the Vedic method, śabda, or transcendental sound, is regarded as evidence. Sound is very important in Vedic understanding, for, if it is pure, it is accepted as authoritative

CC Introduction:

Although he began this work at a very old age, by the grace of Lord Caitanya he finished it. Today it remains the most authoritative book on Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy and life.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 2 Summary:

The puruṣa-avatāras are also explained in this connection. Mahā-Viṣṇu is the reservoir of all conditioned souls, but, as confirmed in the authoritative scriptures, Lord Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate fountainhead, the source of numerous plenary expansions, including Nārāyaṇa, who is generally accepted by Māyāvādī philosophers to be the Absolute Truth.

CC Adi 2 Summary:

Because Lord Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is not different from Lord Kṛṣṇa, He is the cause of all causes; there is no cause beyond Him. He is eternal, and His form is spiritual. Lord Caitanya is directly the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, as the evidence of authoritative scriptures proves.

CC Adi 2.9, Purport:

Nor is it widely known that the Supersoul, or Paramātmā, is only a partial representation of Lord Caitanya, who is identical with Bhagavān Himself. Therefore the descriptions of Brahman as the effulgence of Lord Caitanya, the Paramātmā as His partial representation, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa as identical with Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu must be verified by evidence from authoritative Vedic literatures.

CC Adi 2.24, Purport:

There are innumerable authoritative statements in the Vedas regarding the personal feature of the Absolute Truth. Some of them are as follows:

(1) From the Ṛk-saṁhitā (1.22.20):

tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ
divīva cakṣur ātatam

"The Personality of Godhead Viṣṇu is the Absolute Truth, whose lotus feet all the demigods are always eager to see. Like the sun-god, He pervades everything by the rays of His energy. He appears impersonal to imperfect eyes."

CC Adi 2.86, Translation:

"Mistakes, illusions, cheating and defective perception do not occur in the sayings of the authoritative sages."

CC Adi 4.21-22, Purport:

Those who are spontaneously devoted to the Lord and have no aims for material gain are called attracted devotees. They are spontaneously attracted to the service of the Lord, and they follow in the footsteps of self-realized souls. Their pure devotion (śuddha-bhakti), manifested from pure love of Godhead, surpasses the regulative principles of the authoritative scriptures.

CC Adi 4.105, Purport:

Svarūpa Dāmodara has been identified as Lalitā-devī, the second expansion of Rādhārāṇī. However, text 160 of Kavi-karṇapūra's authoritative Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā describes Svarūpa Dāmodara as the same Viśākhā-devī who serves the Lord in Goloka Vṛndāvana. Therefore it is to be understood that Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara is a direct expansion of Rādhārāṇī who helps the Lord experience the attitude of Rādhārāṇī.

CC Adi 5.18, Purport:

From the authoritative evidence cited by Jīva Gosvāmī we may conclude that Kṛṣṇaloka is the supreme planet in the spiritual sky, which is far beyond the material cosmos.

CC Adi 7.23, Purport:

There are some rascals who dare to speak against the mission of Lord Caitanya by criticizing the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement for accepting Europeans and Americans as brāhmaṇas and offering them sannyāsa. But here is an authoritative statement that in distributing love of Godhead one should not consider whether the recipients are Europeans, Americans, Hindus, Muslims, etc.

CC Adi 7.102, Purport:

A third-class devotee, therefore, has to receive the instructions of devotional service from the authoritative sources of Bhāgavata. The number one Bhāgavata is the established personality of devotee, and the other Bhāgavata is the message of Godhead. The third-class devotee therefore has to go to the personality of devotee in order to learn the instructions of devotional service.

CC Adi 7.106, Purport:

The theme of each and every division is fully described in terms of five different subject matters (adhikaraṇas), which are technically called pratijñā, hetu, udāharaṇa, upanaya and nigamana. Every theme must necessarily be explained with reference to pratijñā, or a solemn declaration of the purpose of the treatise. The solemn declaration given in the beginning of the Vedānta-sūtra is athāto brahma jijñāsā, which indicates that this book was written with the solemn declaration to inquire about the Absolute Truth. Similarly, reasons must be expressed (hetu), examples must be given in terms of various facts (udāharaṇa), the theme must gradually be brought nearer for understanding (upanaya), and finally it must be supported by authoritative quotations from the Vedic śāstras (nigamana).

CC Adi 7.132, Purport:

We quote Vedic evidence to support our statements, but if we interpret it according to our own judgment, the authority of the Vedic literature is rendered imperfect or useless. In other words, by interpreting the Vedic version one minimizes the value of Vedic evidence. When one quotes from Vedic literature, it is understood that the quotations are authoritative. How can one bring the authority under his own control? That is a case of principiis obsta.

CC Adi 8.9, Purport:

Like Jarāsandha, any man who performs Vedic rituals but does not accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead must be considered an asura, or demon. Similarly, one who does not accept Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Kṛṣṇa Himself is also a demon. This is the conclusion of authoritative scriptures.

CC Adi 8.36, Purport:

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the authoritative reference book from which to understand devotional service, but because it is very elaborate, few men can understand its purport. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the original commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra, which is called nyāya-prasthāna. It was written to enable one to understand the Absolute Truth through infallible logic and argument, and therefore its natural commentary, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, is extremely elaborate.

CC Adi 8.37, Translation:

In Śrī Caitanya-maṅgala (later known as Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata) Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has given the conclusion and essence of devotional service by quoting the authoritative statements of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

CC Adi 8.72, Purport:

The words of Kṛṣṇa and of the disciplic succession that carries the orders of Kṛṣṇa are actually authoritative. To be empowered to write transcendental literature is a privilege in which a writer can take great pride. As a humble Vaiṣṇava, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, being thus empowered, felt very much ashamed that it was he who was to narrate the pastimes of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

CC Adi 9.13-15, Purport:

According to some authoritative opinions, although Keśava Bhāratī belonged to the Śaṅkara-sampradāya, he had formerly been initiated by a Vaiṣṇava. He is said to have been a Vaiṣṇava on account of having been initiated by Mādhavendra Purī, for some say that he took sannyāsa from Mādhavendra Purī.

CC Adi 9.13-15, Purport:

There is another statement about Keśava Bhāratī from the Gaura-gaṇoddeśa-dīpikā (117): iti kecit prabhāṣante ’krūraḥ keśava-bhāratī. "According to some authoritative opinions, Keśava Bhāratī is an incarnation of Akrūra." Keśava Bhāratī offered the sannyāsa order to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in the year 1432 śakābda (A.D. 1510) in Katwa. This is stated in the Vaiṣṇava-mañjuṣā, Part Two.

CC Adi 10.85, Purport:

Another story fabricated to defame Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī states that when Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī showed him the newly-completed manuscript of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Jīva Gosvāmī thought it would hamper his reputation as a big scholar and therefore threw it into a well. Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī was greatly shocked, according to this story, and he died immediately. Fortunately a copy of the manuscript of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta had been kept by a person named Mukunda, and therefore later it was possible to publish the book. This story is another ignominious example of blasphemy against a guru and Vaiṣṇava. Such a story should never be accepted as authoritative.

CC Adi 10.130, Purport:

Students from various parts of India still come to Navadvīpa to study logic. According to some authoritative opinions, the celebrated logician Raghunātha Śiromaṇi was also a student of Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya's. In effect, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya became the leader of all students of logic. Although he was a gṛhastha (householder), he even taught many sannyāsīs in the knowledge of logic.

CC Adi 12.38, Purport:

This is an authoritative judgment by Śrī Advaita Prabhu. He clearly advises that one should not be unhappy when reverses come upon him by the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A devotee should always be happy to receive the fortune awarded him by the Supreme Lord, which seems pleasant or unpleasant according to one's judgment.

CC Adi 16.10, Purport:

One must first ascertain the object of life and then understand how to attain it. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is pointing out to everyone that the object of life is to understand Kṛṣṇa, and to attain that goal of life one must practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness, following the methods prescribed by the Gosvāmīs with reference to the authoritative śāstras and Vedas.

CC Adi 16.52, Purport:

All Vedic knowledge is based on the principle that one must approach a bona fide spiritual master and hear from him the authoritative statements of the Vedas. It is not necessary for one to be a highly polished literary man to receive knowledge; to receive perfect knowledge from a perfect person, one must be expert in hearing. This is called the descending process of deductive knowledge, or avaroha-panthā.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 1.43, Purport:

The Bhāgavata-sandarbha is also known as the Ṣaṭ-sandarbha. In the first part, called Tattva-sandarbha, it is proved that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the most authoritative evidence directly pointing to the Absolute Truth.

CC Madhya 1.120, Purport:

In the olden days there were no presses, and all the important scriptures were handwritten and kept in large temples. Caitanya Mahāprabhu found the Brahma-saṁhitā and Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta in handwritten texts, and knowing them to be very authoritative, He took them with Him to present to His devotees.

CC Madhya 2 Summary:

Śrīla Kavirāja Gosvāmī has confirmed that the opinion of Svarūpa Dāmodara is authoritative in the matter of devotional service. Over and above this are the notes of Svarūpa Dāmodara, memorized by Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, who also helped in the compilation of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

CC Madhya 3.190, Translation and Purport:

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested them all to return home and begin chanting the holy name congregationally. He also requested them to worship Kṛṣṇa, chant His holy name and discuss His holy pastimes.

The cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, is very nicely explained by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu authoritatively.

CC Madhya 7.128, Purport:

Many people come and inquire whether they have to give up family life to join the Society, but that is not our mission. One can remain comfortably in his residence. We simply request everyone to chant the mahā-mantra: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. If one is a little literate and can read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that is so much the better. These works are now available in an English translation and are done very authoritatively to appeal to all classes of men.

CC Madhya 8.312, Purport:

At the end of every chapter, the author admits the value of the disciplic succession. He never claims to have written this transcendental literature by carrying out research work. He simply admits his indebtedness to the notes taken by Svarūpa Dāmodara, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī and other authoritative persons. This is the way of writing transcendental literatures, which are never meant for so-called scholars and research workers.

CC Madhya 9.49, Purport:

No one can point out any defects in Vedānta philosophy, and therefore we can conclude that Vedānta is the supreme philosophical way of understanding the truth. According to the Buddhist cult, the Vedas are compiled by ordinary human beings. If this were the case, they would not be authoritative.

CC Madhya 12.73, Purport:

The Guṇḍicā temple is situated two miles northeast of the Jagannātha temple. At the time of the Ratha-yātrā festival, Lord Jagannātha goes to the Guṇḍicā temple from His original temple and stays there for one week. After one week, He returns to His original temple. It is understood by hearsay that the wife of Indradyumna, the King who established the Jagannātha temple, was known as Guṇḍicā. There is also mention of the name of the Guṇḍicā temple in authoritative scripture.

CC Madhya 23.72, Translation:

"'Kṛṣṇa is very expert in artistic enjoyment. He is highly cunning, expert, grateful and firmly determined in His vows. He knows how to deal according to time, person and country, and He sees through the scriptures and authoritative books. He is very clean and self-controlled.'"

CC Madhya 24.249, Translation and Purport:

“Nārada Muni replied, 'If you leave the animals half-dead, you are purposefully giving them pain. Therefore you will have to suffer in retaliation.'"

This is an authoritative statement given by the greatest authority, Nārada Muni.

CC Madhya 24.251, Purport:

This is another authoritative statement made by the great sage Nārada. Those who kill animals and give them unnecessary pain—as people do in slaughterhouses—will be killed in a similar way in the next life and in many lives to come.

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 1.137, Purport:

Any literature presented in Sanskrit must follow the rules and regulations mentioned in the authoritative reference books. The technical inquiries by Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya and the replies of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī indicate that both of them were expert and fully conversant with the techniques of writing drama.

CC Antya 4.81, Purport:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to accomplish many purposes through the exegetical endeavors of Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī. First Sanātana Gosvāmī compiled the book called Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta to teach people how to become devotees, execute devotional service and attain love of Kṛṣṇa. Second, he compiled the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, wherein he collected authoritative scriptural injunctions regarding how a Vaiṣṇava should behave.

CC Antya 5.84, Purport:

By the grace of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu, anyone can be completely purified, become a preacher of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and become the spiritual master of the entire world. This principle is accepted in all Vedic literature. Evidence can be quoted from authoritative śāstras showing how a lowborn person can become the spiritual master of the entire world.

CC Antya 8.26, Purport:

These are references from authoritative revealed scriptures. If one becomes an offender to his spiritual master or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he falls down to the material platform to merely speculate.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter Intoduction:

According to the Vedic method, śabda, or transcendental sound, is regarded as evidence. Sound is very important in Vedic understanding, for, if it is pure, it is accepted as authoritative.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter Intoduction:

He was requested to write Caitanya-caritāmṛta by the devotees of Vṛndāvana. Although he began this work at a very old age, by the grace of Lord Caitanya he finished it. Today it remains the most authoritative book on Caitanya's philosophy and life.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 2:

Five items—time, worship, offering of respect, offering of oblation into the fire and offering of food to a brāhmaṇa—comprise puraścaryā. This and other rituals are mentioned in the hari-bhakti-vilāsa, the authoritative book of directions.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 8:

"As one can understand the different incarnations for different millenniums by referring to Vedic literatures,"the Lord replied, "one can similarly understand who is actually the incarnation of Godhead in this age of Kali." In this way the Lord especially stressed reference to authoritative scriptures. In other words, one should not whimsically accept a person as an incarnation but should try to understand the characteristics of an incarnation by referring to scriptures. An incarnation of the Supreme Lord never declares Himself to be an incarnation, but His followers must ascertain who is an incarnation and who is a pretender by referring to authoritative scriptures.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 14:

In the Agni Purāṇa and other authoritative scriptures, that which increases one's love of Kṛṣṇa is said to be vibhāva, and when Kṛṣṇa is the objective, vibhāva is increased as ālambana.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 14:

Sanātana Gosvāmī thus inquired into all phases of devotional service, and Lord Caitanya taught him most confidentially from authoritative scriptures like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The Lord referred also to the Vedic literature known as Harivaṁśa, which gives information about the transcendental abode of Kṛṣṇa.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 19:

In transcendental realization there are three divisions of knowledge called prasthāna-traya. That department of knowledge which is proved by Vedic instruction (like the Upaniṣads) is called śruti-prasthāna. Authoritative books indicating the ultimate goal and written by liberated souls like Vyāsadeva (for example, Bhagavad-gītā, Mahābhārata and the Purāṇas, especially Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the Mahā-Purāṇa) are called smṛti-prasthāna.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 23:

"You say that you are very anxious to study Vedānta-sūtra, but you cannot understand Vedānta-sūtra without understanding Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam." He also advised Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī to always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. "And, by doing so, you will very easily be liberated. After liberation you will be eligible to achieve the highest goal of life, love of Godhead."

The Lord then recited many verses from authoritative scriptures like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā and Nṛsiṁha-tāpanī.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 31:

The impersonalists recommend a process of ahaṁ grahopāsanā by which one worships his own body as the Supreme. Thinking in this way, such pseudo-transcendentalists dress themselves as the damsels of Vraja. Such activities are not acceptable in devotional service. Even Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, the most authoritative ācārya in the Gauḍīya sampradāya, has condemned these imitators.

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion Preface:

Later, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda elaborated the teachings of the Lord with profound knowledge of revealed scriptures and authoritative references from various Vedic literatures. Śrīla Śrīnivāsa Ācārya describes in his prayers to the six Gosvāmīs that they were all highly learned scholars, not only in Sanskrit but also in foreign languages such as Persian and Arabic. They very scrutinizingly studied all the Vedic scriptures in order to establish the cult of Caitanya Mahāprabhu on the authorized principles of Vedic knowledge.

Nectar of Devotion 2:

To support this statement there are many authoritative assertions by the learned scholars of bygone ages. According to their general opinion, a person may become governed by certain convictions derived by his own arguments and decisions. Then another person, who may be a greater logician, will nullify these conclusions and establish another thesis. In this way the path of argument will never be safe or conclusive. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam recommends, therefore, that one follow in the footsteps of the authorities.

Nectar of Devotion 2:

Now this sādhana-bhakti, or practice of devotional service, may also be divided into two parts. The first part is called service according to regulative principles: one has to follow these different regulative principles by the order of the spiritual master or on the strength of authoritative scriptures, and there can be no question of refusal. That is called vaidhi, or regulated. One has to do it without argument.

Nectar of Devotion 5:

The purport is that as soon as a man takes his birth, he is immediately indebted to so many sources. He is indebted to the great sages because he profits by reading their authoritative scriptures and books. For example, we take advantage of the books written by Vyāsadeva.

Nectar of Devotion 19:

The influence of a pure devotee is such that if someone comes to associate with him with a little faith, one gets the chance of hearing about the Lord from authoritative scriptures like Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Thus, by the mercy of the Lord, who is situated in everyone's heart, one gradually develops his faith in the descriptions of such authoritative scriptures. This is the first stage of association with pure devotees.

Nectar of Devotion 30:

There is an authoritative statement in the Garuḍa Purāṇa about mystic yogīs who are under the direct shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: "In all three stages of their consciousness—namely wakefulness, dreaming and deep sleep—the devotees are absorbed in thought of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, in their complete absorption in thought of Kṛṣṇa, they do not sleep."

Nectar of Devotion 33:

Only advanced devotees performing religious ritualistic performances can come to this stage of dharma-vīra. Dharma-vīras are produced after going through the authoritative scriptures, following moral principles, being faithful and tolerant and controlling the senses.

Nectar of Devotion 33:

It is understood from authoritative sources that an attachment for Kṛṣṇa because of feelings of disgust sometimes presents a ghastly ecstasy in devotional service.

Nectar of Devotion 35:

According to the conclusion of all authoritative Vedic scriptures, when a person comes to the stage of appreciating Viṣṇu, he is at the beginning of devotional service. If one cultivates devotional service further and further, under proper guidance, other features of devotional service will gradually become manifest.

Nectar of Instruction

Nectar of Instruction 5, Purport:

Faith means strong faith. The words of Bhagavad-gītā are authoritative instructions for faithful men, and whatever Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā is to be accepted as it is, without interpretation. This was the way Arjuna accepted Bhagavad-gītā.

Easy Journey to Other Planets

Easy Journey to Other Planets 1:

The transcendentalist gathers knowledge from authoritative scriptures like the Vedas. Vedic literature is received from authoritative sources which are in the line of transcendental disciplic succession.

Easy Journey to Other Planets 1:

Nonbelievers put forward their own theories of the creation, which usually result in statements such as, "It's hard to understand," "Our imagination cannot conceive it, but it's quite possible," "It's incomprehensible," and so forth. This only means that their information has no authoritative basis and is not backed by scientific data. They simply speculate. However, authorized information is available in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Easy Journey to Other Planets 2:

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for the purpose of understanding God. The spiritual master is the living representative of Kṛṣṇa who helps externally, and Kṛṣṇa as Supersoul helps internally. The living entity can take advantage of such guidance and make his life successful. We request that everyone read authoritative literature in order to understand this movement.

Easy Journey to Other Planets 2:

Bhagavad-gītā is a very popular book, and there are many editions of it in America and also many from India. Unfortunately, however, many rascals have come to the West to preach Bhagavad-gītā. They are designated as rascals because they are bluffers who do not give real information. In our Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, however, the spiritual nature is authoritatively described.

Easy Journey to Other Planets 2:

Darwin's theory of the evolution of organic matter is, of course, very prominent in the institutions of learning. But the Bhāgavata Purāṇa and other authoritative scriptures of scientific magnitude describe how the living entities in different forms of body evolve one after another. It is not a new idea, but educators are giving stress only to Darwin's theory, although in Vedic literature we have immense information of the living conditions in this material world.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

Renunciation Through Wisdom 4.3:

We accept both Arjuna and Śrīla Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī as greater authorities than Dr. Radhakrishnan. Arjuna directly heard the Bhagavad-gītā, and the President of India, Dr. Rajendraprasad, has accepted Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta as an authentic and authoritative scripture. Those who try to understand the Bhagavad-gītā by receiving it from one in the disciplic succession coming down from Arjuna can actually understand its esoteric knowledge; others fail miserably.

Renunciation Through Wisdom 4.3:

This concept of simultaneous oneness and difference has been termed viśiṣṭā-dvaita, dvaitādvaita, śuddhādvaita, and acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. If this esoteric concept were false, then Kṛṣṇa would not be worshiped throughout India, practically in every home. He is worshiped not as a historical figure but as the Supreme Lord. Kṛṣṇa's position as the Supreme Godhead is firmly established by the authoritative text Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is the natural commentary on and essence of the Vedānta-sūtra and the Gāyatrī mantra.

Sri Isopanisad

Sri Isopanisad Introduction:

Of what value is this seeing? Therefore we have to read books; then we can understand about the sun. So direct experience is not perfect. Then there is anumāna, inductive knowledge: "It may be like this"—hypothesis. For instance, Darwin's theory says it may be like this, it may be like that. But that is not science. That is a suggestion, and it is also not perfect. But if you receive the knowledge from the authoritative sources, that is perfect. If you receive a program guide from the radio station authorities, you accept it. You don't deny it; you don't have to make an experiment, because it is received from the authoritative sources.

Sri Isopanisad 12, Purport:

Such violators of religious principles have no respect for the authoritative ācāryas, the holy teachers in the strict disciplic succession. They ignore the Vedic injunction ācāryopāsana—"One must worship the ācārya"—and Kṛṣṇa's statement in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.2) evaṁ paramparā-prāptam, "This supreme science of God is received through the disciplic succession." Instead, to mislead the people in general they themselves become so-called ācāryas, but they do not even follow the principles of the ācāryas.

Mukunda-mala-stotra (mantras 1 to 6 only)

Mukunda-mala-stotra mantra 4, Purport:

The spiritual master in the authoritative line of disciplic succession is the "son of God," or in other words the Lord's bona fide representative. The proof that he is bona fide is his invincible faith in God, which protects him from the calamity of impersonalism.