Vaisnava acaryas

Expressions researched:
"Vaisnava acarya" |"vaisnava acaryas"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 7 - 12

BG 9.11, Purport: Some of those who deride Kṛṣṇa and who are infected with the Māyāvādī philosophy quote the following verse from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.29.21) to prove that Kṛṣṇa is just an ordinary man. Ahaṁ sarveṣu bhūteṣu bhūtātmāvasthitaḥ sadā: "The Supreme is present in every living entity." We should better take note of this particular verse from the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas like Jīva Gosvāmī and Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura instead of following the interpretation of unauthorized persons who deride Kṛṣṇa. Jīva Gosvāmī, commenting on this verse, says that Kṛṣṇa, in His plenary expansion as Paramātmā, is situated in the moving and the nonmoving entities as the Supersoul, so any neophyte devotee who simply gives his attention to the arcā-mūrti, the form of the Supreme Lord in the temple, and does not respect other living entities is uselessly worshiping the form of the Lord in the temple. There are three kinds of devotees of the Lord, and the neophyte is in the lowest stage. The neophyte devotee gives more attention to the Deity in the temple than to other devotees, so Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura warns that this sort of mentality should be corrected. A devotee should see that because Kṛṣṇa is present in everyone's heart as Paramātmā, every body is the embodiment or the temple of the Supreme Lord; so as one offers respect to the temple of the Lord, he should similarly properly respect each and every body in which the Paramātmā dwells. Everyone should therefore be given proper respect and should not be neglected.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

SB 1.3.24, Purport: Lord Buddha had to reject the authority of the Vedas altogether. This is simply technical, and had it not been so he would not have been so accepted as the incarnation of Godhead. Nor would he have been worshiped in the transcendental songs of the poet Jayadeva, who is a Vaiṣṇava ācārya.

SB 1.3.24, Purport: Lord Buddha preached the preliminary principles of the Vedas in a manner suitable for the time being (and so also did Śaṅkarācārya) to establish the authority of the Vedas. Therefore both Lord Buddha and Ācārya Śaṅkara paved the path of theism, and Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, specifically Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, led the people on the path towards a realization of going back to Godhead.

SB Canto 2

SB 2.4.21, Purport: The pure devotee never tries to see the Lord by mental speculation, but by following in the footsteps of the ācāryas (mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ [Cc. Madhya 17.186]). Therefore there is no difference of conclusions amongst the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas regarding the Lord and the devotees.

SB 2.4.21, Purport: Lord Caitanya asserts that the living entity (jīva) is eternally the servitor of the Lord and that he is simultaneously one with and different from the Lord. This tattva of Lord Caitanya's is shared by all four sampradāyas of the Vaiṣṇava school (all accepting eternal servitude to the Lord even after salvation), and there is no authorized Vaiṣṇava ācārya who may think of the Lord and himself as one.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.22.11, Purport: There are ekadaṇḍī sannyāsīs and tridaṇḍī sannyāsīs. The ekadaṇḍī sannyāsīs are generally followers of Śaṅkarācārya and are known as Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, whereas the tridaṇḍī sannyāsīs are followers of Vaiṣṇava ācāryas—Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya and so on—and they take trouble to enlighten the householders.

SB 4.22.12, Purport: Out of the four sampradāyas of the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, the Nimbārka-sampradāya is one.

SB 4.22.47, Purport: Saintly persons like the Kumāras, Nārada, Prahlāda, Janaka, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Kapiladeva, as well as the followers of such authorities as the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas and their servants, can render a valuable service to humanity by disseminating knowledge of the relationship between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the living entity.

SB 4.23.7, Purport: Our life is so short that we must strictly adhere to the principles laid down by the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas and peacefully execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no need to become despondent.

SB 4.27.11, Purport: A Vaiṣṇava ācārya like Nārada Muni knows very well that persons engaged in such animal-killing in the name of religion are certainly becoming involved in the cycle of birth and death, forgetting the real aim of life: to go home, back to Godhead.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

SB 10.13.5, Purport: The description of Vṛndāvana forest as given herewith was spoken by Kṛṣṇa five thousand years ago, and the same condition prevailed during the time of the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas three or four hundred years ago.

SB 10.13.19, Purport: [Īśo Invocation] Kṛṣṇa is always complete, and although He can create millions of universes, all of them full in all opulences, He remains as opulent as ever, without any change (advaitam). This is explained by different Vaiṣṇava ācāryas through philosophies such as viśuddhādvaita, viśiṣṭādvaita and dvaitādvaita. Therefore one must learn about Kṛṣṇa from the ācāryas. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: one who follows the path of the ācāryas knows things as they are.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 1.19, Purport: The four Vaiṣṇava ācāryas who are the great authorities of the four Vaiṣṇava disciplic successions, as well as Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya of the Māyāvāda school, appeared in the Pañca-draviḍa provinces.

CC Adi 1.19, Purport: Among the four Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, who are all accepted by the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, Śrī Rāmānuja Ācārya appeared in the southern part of Andhra Pradesh at Mahābhūtapurī, Śrī Madhva Ācārya appeared at Pājakam (near Vimānagiri) in the district of Mangalore, Śrī Viṣṇu Svāmī appeared at Pāṇḍya, and Śrī Nimbārka appeared at Muṅgera-patana, in the extreme south.

CC Adi 7.101, Purport: There are other Vedānta commentaries, written by Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, none of whom follow Śrī Śaṅkarācārya or accept the imaginative commentary of his school.

CC Adi 7.101, Purport: Monist philosophers like Śaṅkarācārya and his followers want to establish that God and the living entity are one, and instead of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead they present themselves as God. They want to be worshiped as God by others. Such persons do not accept the philosophies of the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, which are known as śuddhādvaita (purified monism), śuddha-dvaita (purified dualism), viśiṣṭādvaita (specific monism), dvaitādvaita (monism and dualism) and acintya-bhedābheda (inconceivable oneness and difference).

CC Adi 7.102, Purport: All the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas were vastly learned scholars who understood Vedānta philosophy fully, for unless one knows Vedānta philosophy he cannot be an ācārya.

CC Adi 7.106, Purport: Besides Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, there are commentaries on the Vedānta-sūtra composed by all the major Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, and in each of them devotional service to the Lord is described very explicitly.

CC Adi 7.106, Purport: Generally people very much appreciate this Śārīraka-bhāṣya, or impersonal description of the Vedānta-sūtra, but all commentaries that are devoid of devotional service to Lord Viṣṇu must be considered to differ in purport from the original Vedānta-sūtra. In other words, Lord Caitanya definitely confirmed that the commentaries, or bhāṣyas, written by the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas on the basis of devotional service to Lord Viṣṇu, and not the Śārīraka-bhāṣya of Śaṅkarācārya, give the actual explanation of the Vedānta-sūtra.

CC Adi 7.127, Purport: The falsity of Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya’s explanation of vivarta-vāda and pariṇāma-vāda has been detected by the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, especially Jīva Gosvāmī, whose opinion is that actually Śaṅkara did not understand the Vedānta-sūtra.

CC Adi 7.128, Purport: Therefore there is a great need for the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world to save the world from degradation. Every intelligent and sane man must abandon the philosophical explanation of the Māyāvādīs and accept the explanation of Vaiṣṇava ācāryas. One should read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is to try to understand the real purport of the Vedas.

CC Adi 7.147, Purport: Everyone who actually desires to understand the Vedānta philosophy must certainly accept the explanation of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas who have also commented on the Vedānta-sūtra according to the principles of bhakti-yoga.

CC Adi 10.85, Purport: Unfortunately, in Vṛndāvana and Navadvīpa it has become fashionable among sahajiyās, in their debauchery, to find an unmarried sexual partner to live with to execute so-called devotional service in parakīya-rasa. Foreseeing this, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī supported svakīya-rasa, and later all the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas also approved of it.

CC Adi 12.50, Purport: One must at least agree to abide by the rules and regulations for a disciple before a Vaiṣṇava ācārya can accept him. In fact, a Vaiṣṇava should not even accept charity or food from persons who do not follow the rules and regulations of the Vaiṣṇava principles.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 1.220, Purport: Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura therefore says that such a pseudo Vaiṣṇava is not a Vaiṣṇava at all but a disciple of Kali-yuga. A disciple of Kali cannot become an ācārya by the decision of some high-court. Mundane votes have no jurisdiction to elect a Vaiṣṇava ācārya. A Vaiṣṇava ācārya is self-effulgent, and there is no need for any court judgment.

CC Madhya 11.31, Purport: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His followers mainly worship Lord Kṛṣṇa in mādhurya-rasa. Other Vaiṣṇava ācāryas recommended worship up to vātsalya-rasa.

CC Madhya 25.35, Purport: As explained by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Śrī Kṛṣṇa has His eternal, blissful form that is full of knowledge, and all Vaiṣṇava ācāryas accept this. That is the proper understanding of the Absolute Truth.

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 13.133, Purport: It is the duty of a Vaiṣṇava ācārya to prevent his disciples and followers from violating the principles of Vaiṣṇava behavior. He should always advise them to strictly follow the regulative principles, which will protect them from falling down.

CC Antya 16: Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Tastes Nectar from the Lips of Lord Sri Krsna, Purport:

When Kavi-karṇapūra was only seven years old, he was initiated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu into the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. He later became the greatest poet among the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Prologue: In fact, a host of paṇḍita preachers of Vaiṣṇavism, all sincere at heart, came and joined him from different parts of Bengal. Nadia now became the regular seat of a host of Vaiṣṇava ācāryas whose mission it was to spiritualize mankind with the highest influence of the Vaiṣṇava creed.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 18: The prākṛta-sahajiyā mistakenly take the pure devotees and Vaiṣṇava ācāryas to be mental speculators or fruitive actors. Consequently they themselves become Māyāvādīs and leave the service of the Supreme Lord.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 19: There are many commentaries on Vedānta and the Upaniṣads made by the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, and these are preferred to those of Śaṅkarācārya. However, the Māyāvādī philosophers influenced by Śaṅkarācārya do not attribute any importance to the Vaiṣṇava understandings.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 19: There are four different sects of Vaiṣṇava ācāryas—the Śuddhādvaita, Viśiṣṭādvaita, Dvaitādvaita and Acintya-bhedābheda. All the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas in these schools have written commentaries on the Vedānta-sūtra, but the Māyāvādī philosophers do not recognize them.

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 11: In the opinion of the karmīs (fruitive workers), offering the results of karma is called servitorship. But according to Vaiṣṇava ācāryas like Rūpa Gosvāmī, servitorship means constant engagement in some kind of service to the Lord.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 7, 1972: There are four Vaiṣṇava ācāryas in the recent years and one Māyāvāda ācārya, Śaṅkarācārya. Śaṅkarācārya also, although he is inclined to the impersonal feature of the Lord, but he accepted Kṛṣṇa: sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ. He accepted: "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa." Nārāyaṇaḥ avyaktāt. So other Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka, lately Lord Caitanya, all of them accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And Arjuna, he also, when he heard from Him Bhagavad-gītā, he accepted Him as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on BG 2.3 -- London, August 4, 1973: Even a Vaiṣṇava ācārya, what he is doing, even the most expert intelligent man cannot understand why he is doing this. Therefore we should not try to imitate the higher authorities, but we have to follow the order, injunction, given by the higher authorities.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972: Śaṅkarācārya, who is impersonalist, he has also accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇa. He has written in his commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā: nārāyaṇaḥ avyakta, avyaktāt, para avyaktāt. Nārāyaṇaḥ para avyaktāt. "Nārāyaṇa is not a creation of this material world. He's transcendental." He has accepted. And what to speak of the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, all. They have written so many nice commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā, Brahma-sūtra, establishing that the Supreme Absolute Truth is person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Bombay, March 31, 1974: Because people were addicted so much in violence, in killing the animals, therefore Buddha philosophy was needed. Again, this Buddha philosophy was driven out. The Śaṅkara, impersonal philosophy was established. But again, the ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya and other Vaiṣṇava ācāryas.. . At last, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They established that brahma satyam means brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate [SB 1.2.11]. Both, three, Absolute Truth.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Calcutta, January 27, 1973: Sometimes it is described the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is South Indian literature. I think in my Bhagavad-gītā one professor Dimmock, he has given an introduction of this Bhagavad-gītā, and he has mentioned Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as South Indian literature. Actually it is not. It is Vedic literature. It is meant for everyone. But because from South India, all the ācāryas, especially Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, they distributed the Vaiṣṇava philosophy, people, they understand this Bhā..., Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is from South India.

Lecture on BG 9.11 -- Calcutta, June 30, 1973: In India, our culture, Vedic culture, depending on ācāryas. Even we differ, we Vaiṣṇavas... There are Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, and there is Māyāvādī ācāryas. So Śaṅkarācārya, he is Māyāvādī, impersonalist; still, he accepts Kṛṣṇa, (as) the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ devakī-nandanaḥ. He has written in his commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā. He accepts. Nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt, sa bhagavān nārāyaṇaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ. He has accepted. And what to speak of Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya and other ācāryas. Latest ācārya Kṛṣṇa, er, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, five hundred years... These ācāryas are thousands of years ago, they appeared. Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared near about five hundred years ago. He accepted Kṛṣṇa—the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And we are followers of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, September 30, 1973: Therefore Kṛṣṇa specifically mentions, Brahma-sūtra. Brahma-sūtra-padaiś caiva hetumadbhir viniścitaiḥ [Bg. 13.5]. The sampradāya must have understanding of the Brahma-sūtra, Vedānta-sūtra. So all the sampradāyas, they have got their commentary on the Vedānta-sūtra and... Even Śaṅkarācārya. But his commentary is not accepted by the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas because he has tried to derive some meaning, interpretation. But there is no question of interpretation. When the things are clear, in the Brahma-sūtra, all the sūtras are very clear. So you don't require any interpretation. You can expand, explain very elaborately. That is another thing. But you cannot go beyond the sutra.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.34 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972: Kṛṣṇa is accepted by all the sādhus as Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even Śaṅkarācārya, who's an impersonalist, he says, sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ devakī-nandanaḥ. He accepts. And what to speak of other Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya. They all accept. Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepts. Formerly, Vyāsadeva accepted. Nārada accepted. Everyone...

Lecture on SB 1.7.30-31 -- Vrndavana, September 26, 1976: Now how the fact is working, that is given by the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, especially Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra [SB 1.1.2]. Dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa [SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90] is all cheating, all cheating.

Lecture on SB 3.25.22 -- Bombay, November 22, 1974: Sādhu will never say that "You serve me." Sādhu will say, "Serve Kṛṣṇa." Therefore we have to approach Kṛṣṇa through sādhu. Not directly. That is not... That is confirmed by Vaiṣṇava ācārya, Narottama dāsa: chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra pāyeche kebā. You cannot directly approach Kṛṣṇa. You have to go through the media, the transparent via media of his representative.

Lecture on SB 3.26.7 -- Bombay, December 19, 1974: So saṁsāra is not very palatable thing. Our Vaiṣṇava ācāryas say that saṁsāra is just like blazing fire. It is not a very nice...

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Johannesburg, October 20, 1975: Every human being should not waste his valuable time. So therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, a great devotee and a great Vaiṣṇava ācārya, he has sung a nice song, that hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu: "My dear Lord, I got this chance of human form of body. Unfortunately I have wasted my time without any self-realization.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 11, 1975: Mahat means who are not crippled, who are broad-minded. Mahat-sevā. You have to serve him. In the... One Vaiṣṇava ācārya, he says, chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra pāyeche kebā. If you do not agree to serve mahat... That is the Vedic injunction. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. This is the injunction. So mahat-sevā, the same thing. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram. Dvāram means the way, the gate, the gateway. Mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ [SB 5.5.2]. If you want to be free from this entanglement...

Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, June 9, 1976: Then the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, Rāmanujācārya, Madhvācārya, they said, brahma satya. And what is Brahman? Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate [SB 1.2.11]. Brahman, first realization, impersonal; then localized; then person.

Lecture on SB 7.9.12 -- Mayapur, February 19, 1976: The Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, just like our Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, and Nimbārka, and who that? Rudra-sampradāya? Viṣṇu Svāmī. They are all of the same movement. Ārādhyo-bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayaḥ, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam [SB 1.3.28]. That is their conclusion. There is no different conclusion. Although they have got varieties of methods—śuddhādvaita, dvaitādvaita, vaśiṣṭādvaita, like that—they present the same philosophy in clear way. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu presented the same philosophy, that acintya-bhedābheda. That is ācārya. Ācārya gives some way for simple understanding. The same conclusion, but according to the time, circumstances, they give a very easy method to understand.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Lecture on The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972Lectures on Nectar of Devotion, Vrndavana, October 17, 1972]]: Later on, all the ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka, even Śaṅkarācārya. We Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, they differ little with Śaṅkarācārya. Impersonalist and personalist. But Śaṅkarācārya even, even though he was impersonalist, he accepted Kṛṣṇa in his commentary on Bhagavad-gītā.

Festival Lectures

Lecture-Day after Sri Gaura-Purnima -- Hawaii, March 5, 1969:: And the Vaiṣṇava ācārya said, "Yes, spirit is the basic principle. Matter is false. That's all right. But that spirit is not void. There is spiritual construction. As in the material world there is material construction, in the spiritual world there is spiritual construction."

Initiation Lectures

Sannyasa Initiation Lecture -- Calcutta, January 26, 1973:: Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, they took sannyāsa for preaching work, not for doing rascaldom. Preaching work.

General Lectures

Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968:: Even Śaṅkarācārya, he's impersonalist, still he has accepted Kṛṣṇa. Sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇa. He says that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa. That is mentioned in his commentary of Bhagavad-gītā. And what to speak of Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, they accept.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:: Practically, India's spiritual life is still being controlling by these lines of disciplic succession. So all these ācāryas, according to the Vaiṣṇava ācārya... Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, there are four ācāryas. Śrī Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka, and Viṣṇu Svāmī. And those who are not Vaiṣṇavas, impersonalists, they are represented by Śaṅkarācārya.

Life Member House Lecture -- Hyderabad, April 14, 1975:: So actually, all the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, Madhvācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Nimbārka, and Viṣṇu Svāmī, there is no difference of opinion, but they have explained the Absolute Truth more vividly in their own angle of vision.

Lecture on Science of Krsna -- Hyderabad, April 14, 1975:: Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, Madhvācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Nimbārka, Viṣṇu Svāmī, practically they are all one opinion.

General Lectures, (location & date unknown): In this way all the ācāryas, they accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So far the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas are concerned, namely, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, they would naturally, because they are Vaiṣṇavas...

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Sardar Patel -- Calcutta 28 February, 1949: In the opinion of Srimad-Bhagavatam, one who is imbibed with the devotion of Godhead is also endowed with all the good qualities of the gods. But one who is not a devotee of Godhead, has not any value for his good qualities because he utilizes his so called good qualities for ulterior purposes. As such the easy way to raise the moral standard of people in general, is to make this sankirtana movement more popular all over the world by philosophical discourses based on reasoning and moral and ethical codes. The Vaisnava acaryas especially Lord Caitanya and his six Gosvami disciples give us ample opportunity and scope for this work. Lord Caitanya first inaugurated the sankirtana or randhun movement and the later Gosvamis supported it by scholarly philosophical synthesis. The six sandarbhas by Srila Jiva Goswami are marvelous in this respect.

Letter to Juggannath Babu -- Calcutta 14 March, 1949: Sri Krishna Caitanya preached as one of the Vaisnava acaryas like Ramanujacarya and others and His mission was to establish the same theory of deliverance as was propounded by Sri Krishna Himself in the Bhagavad-gita.

Letter to Jugalkishore Birla -- Bombay 26 August, 1958: There are thousands and one scholars in India and abroad but very few of them have followed the foot prints of Arjuna except the Vaisnava Acaryas such Sri Ramanuja, Sri Madhya, Lord Caitanya, Sridhara Swami, Madhusudana Sarasvati, Vishvanatha Cakravarti, Baladeva Vidyabhusana, etc. and many others who have followed the bona fide Acaryas.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Dr. Chaudhuri -- Los Angeles 6 February, 1969: if we want to present the real Indian cultural traditions, then we must present the Vaisnava philosophy as it is. Poet Tagore became very popular in the western countries by presenting his Gita Anjali which is full of Vaisnava sentiments. We have immense literatures, especially in the Gaudiya Sampradaya of the Vaisnava sect which is enriched by the contribution of the Gosvamis. These should all be presented to the western world. Similarly, Vedanta commentary by the Vaisnava acaryas like Ramanuja, Madhva, Baladeva., Sridhara Swami, etc. can all be presented successfully.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Mahananda -- Los Angeles 27 April, 1970: Regarding your questions are the Spiritual Master and the Grand Spiritual Master consciously aware of the prayers of a sincere devotee who prays in love to Them?—the answer is that no conscious prayers go in vain. They are transmitted positively. But one thing you must know that any prayer you offer to your Spiritual Master and Superior Spiritual Master, all of them are conveyed to Krishna, so no sincere prayers go in vain. We shall always offer such prayers to Spiritual Master, Superior Spiritual Master, Vaisnava Acaryas, Lord Caitanya, and at the end Radha Krishna, that is the system.

Letter to Jayapataka -- Los Angeles 30 April, 1970: I beg to thank you for your nice appreciation of our disciplic succession of Vaisnava Acaryas. This is the right understanding of the Spiritual Masters that they are glorious by simply delivering the transcendental message of Krsna as it is.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Sri Pannalalji -- Bombay 16 May, 1974: I hope you will appreciate this process of preaching to please the facts as they are confirmed by all Vaisnava acaryas. We are publishing our books thoroughly on the basis of this philosophy and recently the report is that in highly educated circles of scholarly people in the universities they are taking interest very rapidly in our Krsna Consciousness movement.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Mahamsa: — Bombay 17 August, 1975: You may construct a library and a meditation hall to please the donors, but as far as possible the library should carry our books and books of other Vaisnava acaryas. The meditation hall you may put pictures of Krishna on all four sides.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Giriraja -- Vrindaban 25 November, 1976: There is an English proverb spoken by Lord Jesus Christ, "Judge not others lest ye be judged." So, the conclusion is, as we learn from Caitanya Caritamrta, that in the beginning Sri Vallabhacarya criticized Sridhara Swami and then Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu criticized Vallabhacarya. So what can we do now after 500 years? Recently some criticism has appeared in the Illustrated Weekly also. So, such things will go on in this world, but that does not mean we have got any disrespect for any Vaisnava acarya.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with John Griesser (later initiated as Yadubara Dasa) -- March 10, 1972, Vrndavana: Prabhupāda: In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Vaiṣṇava ācārya, his activities is not understood even by the wisest man. Vaiṣṇavera kriyā, mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya. Brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. Ācārya, guru, he is completely surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. He has taken the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, being completely freed from all material affection.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- December 5, 1973, Los Angeles: Yaśomatīnandana: Is Vallabhācārya, Prabhupāda, in accordance with our philosophy?

Prabhupāda: Yes, he's Vaiṣṇava, ācārya. But that very deviation, that "I have done something better than Śrīdhara," that is not our paramparā system. Then he was thinking himself better than Śrīdhara. That is not allowed. We should always remain servant of the servant [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. Never we shall think that "I am better than my Guru Mahārāja." That is fall down.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- May 3, 1974, Bombay: Prabhupāda: ...asura also, they cannot understand, and these so-called scholars, they are interpreting Kṛṣṇa. Go on. Vimūḍha. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ [Bg. 7.15].

Dr. Patel: All the Vaiṣṇava books, all... [break] Prabhupāda: Vaiṣṇava ācārya...

Dr. Patel: No, Vaiṣṇavas, all quotes come from Vaiṣṇavas. They all believe in the form. Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- June 14, 1974, Paris: Prabhupāda: All the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, they are connected. Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka. So we belong to Madhvācārya. Caitanya Mahāprabhu belonged to Madhvācārya. Madhvācārya was direct disciple of Vyāsadeva, and by paramparā, Mādhavendra Purī. Then from Mādhavendra Purī, Īśvara Purī. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted Īśvara Purī as His spiritual master. So we belong to this Madhvācārya-sampradāya, Madhvācārya-sampradāya or Brahma-sampradāya.

Morning Walk -- June 14, 1974, Paris: Prabhupāda: all the ācāryas, Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, they accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So practically, amongst the authorities, Indian ācāryas, everyone accepts Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Rāmānujācārya has written his bhāṣya on Bhagavad-gītā.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- September 30, 1975, Bombay: Dr. Patel: So Vaiṣṇava ācāryas have actually... I mean, through bhakti people realize the presence of God everywhere.

Prabhupāda: No, no. In comparison to Vaiṣṇava ācāryas... Apart from the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, they have done nothing even like me, what to speak of the ācāryas. I am only a servant and a servant of the ācāryas. They could not do anything. They admit. Real Arya-samājīs, they admit that

Morning Walk -- September 30, 1975, Bombay: Prabhupāda: There is a verse in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, etad īśanam īśasya. This is the, what is called, īśanam, means controlling power, of Kṛṣṇa, that when He comes in this material world, He is not infected.

Dr. Patel: That is all the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas' teaching.

Prabhupāda: That is īśanam.

Morning Walk -- November 3, 1975, Bombay: Dr. Patel: All Vaiṣṇava Ācāryas are more or less parallel. There's a little difference here and there. It is not much...

Prabhupāda: No, there is no difference. Everything. It is, rather, more...

Dr. Patel: In philosophy there is no difference, sir. But in...

Prabhupāda: In presentation, clarify. Yes. That is our business. Just like what I am doing. I am following the Ācāryas, but I am presenting, writing in such a way the modern man can understand. This is our point.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 12, 1976, Bombay: Dr. Patel: And then you become his śiṣya, that's all, indirect śiṣya. For the last two year I have been only reading all the great writings of Vaiṣṇava saints and Vaiṣṇava ācāryas because I read a lot of Śaṅkarācārya and others, and even, even post—what do you call—Buddhist philosophy, different lines, half a dozen of them. When I read the Vaiṣṇavas' teaching I think that.... Personally, you see, there are so many children, but your own son, you say, "This is my son." The personal relationship, when established, takes you far ahead psychologically. Am I right, sir? That is how personal God...

Prabhupāda: And if you take care of your own son, nobody will criticize you that "Why are you taking care of your own son, not others? Nobody will.... That is natural. That is explained in the Bhagavad.... Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu[Bg. 9.29]. He is equal to everyone. But one who is a devotee, "I take special care."

Morning Walk -- April 12, 1976, Bombay: Dr. Patel: I think Christ taught humility by his own action.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Even Vaiṣṇava...

Dr. Patel: All Vaiṣṇava.... I mean Vaiṣṇava ācāryas suffered extremely than that.

Prabhupāda: Kavirāja Gosvāmī, who has written this immortal Caitanya-caritāmṛta, he is presenting himself, purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi se laghiṣṭha: [Cc. Ādi 5.205] "I am lower than the worms in the stool." Just see. He is not hypocrite. He is feeling like that. "Oh, what is my value?" Purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi se laghiṣṭha, jagāi mādhāi haite muñi se pāpiṣṭha. Jagāi-Mādhāi was a...

Morning Walk -- April 12, 1976, Bombay: Dr. Patel: These Vaiṣṇava ācāryas don't allow their feet to be touched because they feel that he should...

Prabhupāda: So why they do not utilize it proper?

Dr. Patel: This is a private thing. They want to be (indistinct) My daughter (indistinct) boy who is studying.... He has his M.D. of London (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: It is settled up. Very nice. And son? Your son?

Dr. Patel: My son is in the Caine(?) Hospital, a professor of medicine.

Prabhupāda: No, no, he is also married? No.

Dr. Patel: He is married, yes. Prabhupāda: Yes. Father-mother's responsibility up to marriage. Then they are.... They are locked.

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana: Prabhupāda: Hm. Yes. The Vedantists they have come from the impersonal explanation of Śaṅkarācārya. Śārīraka-bhāṣya. But they simply give stress on the Śārīraka-bhāṣya, but there are other bhāṣyas. Bhāṣyas means commentary. And the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the natural commentary by the author himself. Besides that, there are Vedānta-bhāṣyas written by the Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, and all the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas. Unfortunately, they do not care to read all these Vedānta-bhāṣyas. They simply take Śārīraka-bhāṣya and become impersonalist and call themselves as Vedantist.

Room Conversation -- July 1, 1976, New Vrindaban: Prabhupāda: All the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, declare it: māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa [Cc. Madhya 6.169]. If you hear the interpretation of Māyāvādīs, then you are doomed. You have no hope for spiritual advancement. This is the statement. Māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa. Finished, your spiritual life is finished. You can write this also, that Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction is strictly to avoid the so-called Vedantists.

Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.: Guest (3): Was it not true also Śaṅkarācārya Swamiji who said vande kṛṣṇa jagat-guru?

Prabhupāda: Yes, bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindaṁ bhaja govindam...

Guest (3): Vande Kṛṣṇa jagat-guru.

Prabhupāda: So he's the leader of the impersonalists, he accepts kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam [SB 1.3.28]. Sa bhagavān svayam kṛṣṇa. Then what to speak of the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya. Rāmānujācārya has given Bhagavad-gītā comments, every line Vedic evidence. You read Bhagavad-gītā commented by Rāmānujācārya, you'll find every line he has quoted from Vedas. So there is no doubt about it. Simply one has to study very intelligently about Kṛṣṇa, then he will come to the conclusion that He is God.

Morning Walk at Niavaran Park -- August 8, 1976, Tehran: Prabhupāda: And higher than this karma-kāṇḍa, the mental speculators, jñāna-kāṇḍa. So Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura (says) both of them viṣera bandha. Pot of poison. If you waste your time in this way, then they will get another body, that's all. Nana yoni bhraman kare kadārya bhakṣana kare, tara janma adha pate yaya. These are simple words but, it contains very, very grave meaning. This is Vaiṣṇava ācārya.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 2, 1977, Bombay: Dr. Patel: Some of these great Vaiṣṇava ācāryas were doing interpretation of Bhagavad-gītā...

Prabhupāda: The who is ācārya except the Vaiṣṇava ācārya? All loafer class. All loafer class. They're not ācāryas. Except these Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, who is ācārya? They're not ācāryas. Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān [SB 11.17.27].

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This vision no one else has except... I mean no one else has it, Śrīla Prabhupāda except for you. It is there in the śāstra, but I don't think anyone else has realized it. There may be many other Vaiṣṇava ācāryas or something in India, but they are not... By the fact that they are not preaching, it means they have not realized it. Prabhupāda: No, they realized. They have no opportunity. They wanted to preach. Ref. VedaBase Room Conversation -- April 10, 1977, Bombay