Big big acaryas

Expressions researched:
"big acaryas" |"big acarya"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

But there are big, big ācāryas—Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya. Why they are giving attention to the reading of Bhagavad-gītā?

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- London, August 22, 1973: The modern civilization, the so-called scientists, philosophers, they cannot imagine even that there is possibility of becoming immortal. They cannot imagine. Their brain is so dull that they cannot think of, that we can become immortal. Then how Krsna is speaking about immortality? Is He speaking something nonsense, utopian? No, He is speaking the fact. Otherwise, if Krsna speaks something nonsense, utopian, then nobody would be interested to read Bhagavad-gita. We may be third-class men, that we indulge in Bhagavad-gita, and Krsna is speaking something utopian, nonsense. But there are big, big acaryas -- Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya. Why they are giving attention to the reading of Bhagavad-gita? Krsna does not speak anything nonsense. It is fact. So if it is the fact that there is possibility of becoming immortal... That is sat.

Big, big ācāryas, just like Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva is the original ācārya.

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- London, August 22, 1973: So sat... Our business should be to be engaged in the sat platform, not in the asat platform. Asat platform, nonpermanent, or according to somebody's opinion, false. So false or nonpermanent, whatever it may be, the real human civilization should be based on the purpose of becoming immortal, sat, not asat. That is the distinction between India and other countries. Now I am not speaking of India of today, but India as it is. Big, big acaryas, just like Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva is the original acarya. Therefore the birthday of guru is called vyasa-puja. Vyasa-puja means original guru. Guru is the representative of Vyasadeva. This throne is called vyasasana, sitting place of Vyasadeva. So one who is representative of Vyasadeva, he can sit on this throne.

There are hundreds and thousands of temples in India. Do you think they are all fools? And they were established by big ācāryas, by Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Lord Caitanya

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Auckland, April 15, 1972: If you see the photograph of your father, how do you say that is he impersonal, he has no form? How do you conclude? First of all answer me. I have seen form of Krsna. You have seen also form of Krsna. There are hundreds and thousands of temples in India. Do you think they are all fools? And they were established by big acaryas, by Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Visnu Svami, Lord Caitanya. There is Jagannatha temple. Jagannatha temple, every day hundreds and thousands of people are going to see. In Vrndavana there are five thousand temples, Krsna. Five thousand, ten thousand people are going. You know. In India there are so many pilgrimages. So do you think all these temples established by our predecessor, they are all fools?

But the śāstra, the knowledge, the Vedas, the big, big ācāryas, Kṛṣṇa, His incarnation, His devotees—they are simply trying to give you this knowledge that you can make your life perfect.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 22, 1976: To understand Krsna in truth, little difficult because Krsna says, "Out of many millions of person, one is interested to make his life perfect." Nobody is interested. Everyone is interested to live like animal, eat, drink, be merry and enjoy sex, and die like cats and dogs. That's all. This, so far, they know. But they do not know that we can make our life perfect here -- no more death, no more birth, no more old age, no more disease. Who is interested? They think that this is story. No, it is fact. If you want to make your life so perfect, not to go through this process of birth, death, old age and disease, you can do that. There is process. But if we neglect, that is our business. But the sastra, the knowledge, the Vedas, the big, big acaryas, Krsna, His incarnation, His devotees -- they are simply trying to give you this knowledge that you can make your life perfect -- no more death, no more birth, no more old age, no more disease. That you can make. That is possible.

This is not a manufactured thing. It is authorized, spoken by Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and accepted by big, big ācāryas from very old time, Nāradadeva, Vyāsadeva, Asita.

Lecture on BG 9.4 -- Melbourne, April 22, 1976: So we have got this chance this life, how to get Krsna, how to get guru. We have got intelligence. We should not miss this point. This is Krsna consciousness movement. Take advantage of this movement. This is not a manufactured thing. It is authorized, spoken by Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and accepted by big, big acaryas from very old time, Naradadeva, Vyasadeva, Asita. Then, in the recent years, Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Nimbarka, and then Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Everyone has accepted this Vedic literature, and they have preached. Formerly they were preaching within India. Now, by Krsna's grace, the preaching is going on all over the world. Take advantage of it. Make your life perfect. This is Krsna consciousness movement.

Now we have lost our culture, but our Vedic culture is maintained and guided by big, big ācāryas like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya.

Lecture on BG 9.10 -- Calcutta, June 29, 1973: Here is the name, Krsna. You do not know what is the address of God." We say: "Here is, Vaikuntha, Goloka." We can give Krsna's father's name. Everything we can give. Just like if you want to know somebody, you want to know his name, his address, his father's name, everything. So we can supply. Why you are searching? Here is God. Not only I am speaking, but all the great acaryas, they also speak. India is guided. Now we have lost our culture, but our Vedic culture is maintained and guided by big, big acaryas like Sankaracarya, Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya. But we have given acarya pat. We are inventing our own ways. Now it is. We are inventing our own ways of understanding God. Yato mata tato patha. That is foolishness. No scientific knowledge can be attained by whimsical ways. No. You must accept the prescribed method. Two plus two equal to four always. You cannot make it five or three. That is not science. Similarly, if you want to know Krsna, then as Krsna says, you have to understand.

Rūpa Gosvāmī, one of the big ācāryas, he says, "The first business is somehow or other people should be Kṛṣṇa conscious."

Lecture on BG 9.29-32 -- New York, December 20, 1966: Just like I have come to your country. So so far rigid regulation and rules are concerned, in the beginning, of course, we do not find such opportunities to strictly follow. But still, we should not give so much attention for the regulation or strict rules and regulation. But we must see how much a person is advanced in Krsna consciousness. That we have to see. And if we go on criticizing everyone, "Oh, you are not doing this. You are not doing this," so many things according to Vedic culture... There may be so many things, but we are not concerned. As far as possible, people should be given chance to develop Krsna consciousness. Rupa Gosvami, one of the big acaryas, he says, yena tena prakarena manah krsne nivesayet: "The first business is somehow or other people should be Krsna conscious."

Otherwise all the great saintly persons, just like Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, all big, big ācāryas who were actually controlling the Vedic civilization still, they established thousands of temple and mūrtis, especially in South India.

Lecture on BG 13.15 -- Bombay, October 9, 1973: Therefore sastra says arcye sila-dhir gurusu nara-matir vaisnave jati-buddhih. One should not... One should avoid these things. When arca-murti, the Deity worship in the temple, if one thinks it is made of stone, it is made of wood, that is very offensive. One should not think like that. God is omnipotent, all-powerful. He can accept your service even in this form, but because He has assumed this form, don't neglect it that "It is stone." Then it will be offensive. It is to show you mercy, arca-murti. Otherwise all the great saintly persons, just like Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, all big, big acaryas who were actually controlling the Vedic civilization still, they established thousands of temple and murtis, especially in South India. Still Ranganatha temple, Tirupati temples, visited by hundreds and thousands of people. So does it mean they have all become fools? They go to see some stone? No.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

They, all the big, big ācāryas of our country, Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, many, many big, big stalwarts, they have accepted, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Delhi, November 12, 1973: So it is the question of creating the mind, the intelligence. Therefore if you constantly keep yourself, your mind, absorbed in Krsna, then you get next time, next life, a body like Krsna, which means sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. Krsna's body is not like us. But we think that Krsna is like us. That is also condemned in the Bhagavad-gita: avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam [Bg. 9.11]. "The rascal fools, they think Me as ordinary human being." They, all the big, big acaryas of our country, Sankaracarya, Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Nimbarka, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, many, many big, big stalwarts, they have accepted, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. Are they fools that they are worshiping a human being? Are they fools, so big, big scholars, stalwarts? No. Only the fools consider that Krsna is ordinary human being. He comes to give us lesson what is actually God. God is Krsna.

So God is explaining Himself personally, and He is accepted by authorities, not only in days of yore, formerly, but recently within five hundred, seven hundred years, big, big ācāryas-Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973: So God is explaining Himself personally, and He is accepted by authorities, not only in days of yore, formerly, but recently within five hundred, seven hundred years, big, big acaryas-Sankaracarya, Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Visnu Svami-big, big acar..., stalwart, latest within five hundred years. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, everyone accepts Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And these rascals are searching out what is God. Just see their rascaldom! God is here, and he is searching. So those who are searching after God, and they are, if they are making some proposition, thesis, these are all nonsense, cheating. You do not know God. You admit. That is very good. But why you are making thesis? God is not subjected to your mental speculation.

The Absolute Truth is coming before us, in person, and is showing His activity as Absolute Truth, and big, big ācāryas, they're accepting Him, the Absolute Truth.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Los Angeles, August 27, 1972: So the so-called scientists, they are trying to find out the ultimate source of everything, the Absolute Truth. But because they are not on the platform of goodness, how they can see? They cannot see. The Absolute Truth is coming before us, in person, and is showing His activity as Absolute Truth, and big, big acaryas, they're accepting Him, the Absolute Truth. Still, these rascals, they cannot see. The so-called scientists, rascals, they cannot see-because, they're not on the platform of goodness. They're in the platform of ignorance.

We should study very carefully, and we have tried to give each and every word's meaning and the translation and the purport consulting all the big, big ācāryas.

Lecture on SB 1.7.5 -- Vrndavana, September 4, 1976: So this Srimad-Bhagavatam is meant for persons who want to finish this life of anartha, meaningless life. For them is Srimad-Bhagavatam. Vyasadeva has given us. We should study very carefully, and we have tried to give each and every word's meaning and the translation and the purport consulting all the big, big acaryas. Acaryavan puruso veda. One who is following the footsteps of the acarya, he knows. He knows everything. So that is explained everywhere. Evam parampara-praptam [Bg. 4.2], by the acaryas. We don't create any meaning. Acaryavan. One has to accept a bona fide spiritual master and take knowledge from him.

We are giving you the God's name. God, Himself, giving, giving, presenting Himself. And big, big ācāryas, they are accepting.

Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Mayapura, October 22, 1974: The rascals will avoid this by so-called erudite scholarship and this way, "There is no God..." God is there. Why not God? We are giving you the God's name. God, Himself, giving, giving, presenting Himself. And big, big acaryas, they are accepting. Especially Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He is simply attached to Krsna. So we have to learn from Caitanya Mahaprabhu how to serve Krsna, how to become attached. How Caitanya Mahaprabhu is attached to Krsna is described so nicely. It will puzzle even the biggest brain of philosopher, how Caitanya Mahaprabhu is attached to Krsna. We are now trying to explain in the Antya-lila.

At least in India we have got big, big ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, even Śaṅkarācārya, even Guru Nanak, they have accepted, all, Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974: As soon as I try to accept Krsna as the Supreme Lord, maya will whisper in my ear, "No, no, no. There are many gods, why you are accepting Krsna?" Immediately, "There are many gods, why you are accepting Krsna?" But sastra says, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28], isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. That we will not hear. I will not take lesson from the sastra, from the acaryas. At least in India we have got big, big acaryas, Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Visnu Svami, even Sankaracarya, even Guru Nanak, they have accepted, all, Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Why should we not? Why you? I shall be another competitor to Krsna. This is our misfortune. Therefore Bhagavan said, na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [Bg. 7.15]. Because we are sinful, because we are rascals, we do not accept Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You are searching after Krsna, making speculation, philosophical. Don't do that. Accept Krsna and be in Krsna consciousness and be happy. Thank you very much.

So do you think that the ācāryas and the śāstra have advised them to waste their time by worshiping a stone? It is all recommended by the ācāryas, big, big ācāryas.

Lecture on SB 3.26.4 -- Bombay, December 16, 1974: So do you think that the acaryas and the sastra have advised them to waste their time by worshiping a stone? It is all recommended by the acaryas, big, big acaryas. Just like Ramanujacarya. He established hundreds of temples all over India, Laksmi-Narayana temple especially, the Ramanuja-sampradaya. Similarly, Caitanya Mahaprabhu's sampradaya established hundreds of temples of Radha-Krsna. Big, big acarya. Do you mean to say they did mistake? As some people of our India, they say, "There is no need of worshiping in the temple." No. Why not need? Acaryopasanam, that is recommended, jnana. Acarya... Acaryas, they have established temples, many hundreds of thousands of temples, of Visnu mandira.

Sanātana Gosvāmī, one of the big ācāryas of Gauḍīya sampradāya, he has also said that avaiṣṇava gurur na sa syāt.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Nellore, January 8, 1976: It is said that "A brahmana who is very well expert in the brahminical activities and mantra-tantra-visarada, knows all the Vedic mantras, but if he is not a Vaisnava, he cannot become guru. But a person born in a family of dog-eaters, sva-paca, he can become guru if he has become Vaisnava." Sanatana Gosvami, one of the big acaryas of Gaudiya sampradaya, he has also said that avaisnava gurur na sa syat. Sa. He says that... I forget that verse That "A person..." Puta-hari-kathamrtam sravanam na kartavyam. Avaisnava-mukhodgirna-puta-hari-kathamrtam sravanam na kartavyam. He says that "You do not try to hear from a person who is avaisnava hari-kathamrtam."

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Kṛṣṇa is origin of everything. All the ācāryas, big, big ācārya accepted Him, Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 28, 1972: We are only... It is not our pride. It is a fact. We are the only institution. We are trying to give the greatest benefit to the human society, the Krsna consciousness. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. Anyone who understands, if he understands... It is not possible to understand fully Krsna. Krsna is unlimited. But as, as He represents Himself, Krsna, as He says Himself, if you understand... Krsna says: "I am the origin of everything." You take it. Krsna is the origin of everything. He has proved. Krsna is origin of everything. All the acaryas, big, big acarya accepted Him, Krsna is the origin of everything. Arjuna, who heard Bhagavad-gita, he accepted Him, Krsna is origin. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam [Bg. 10.12].

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Anyone who wants to come... Simple thing. Big, big ācāryas, they accepted Kṛṣṇa as He is. And why shall I not accept?

Arrival Talk in Room -- Mayapur, March 23, 1975:: We took the simple method: accept Krsna as He says. That's all. Finished. That is the main business. Our philosophy is simple because we take it, Krsna's word, as it is, that's all. And we believe it firmly: "Yes, this is the truth." To understand Krsna is not difficult. What Krsna says, you accept it. Sarvam etam rtam manye yad vadasi kesava: [Bg. 10.14] "Whatever You say, I accept it. Not only I accept it blindly, but this very thing was accepted by such great personality as Vyasadeva." (aside:) Anyone who wants to come... Simple thing. Big, big acaryas, they accepted Krsna as He is. And why shall I not accept? This is parampara system. If others have accepted Krsna as He tells, and they have become big, big acaryas, so what objection can be there from my part? What I am?

General Lectures

That is... I am not speaking from my own experience, but I am taking the experience of big ācāryas and big stalwart sages.

Lecture with Allen Ginsberg at Ohio State University -- Columbus, May 12, 1969: And the process is very simple. You haven't got to take difficult processes like yoga system or philosophical, speculative system. That is not possible in this age. That is... I am not speaking from my own experience, but I am taking the experience of big acaryas and big stalwart sages. They say that kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. If you want to realize yourself, if you want to know what is your next life, if you want to know what is God, if you want to know what is your relationship with God, all these things will be revealed to you -- this is real knowledge -- by simply chanting this mantra, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

The incarnation of God, Lord Rāmacandra, Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Buddhadeva, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and all the big, big ācāryas—Śaṅkarācārya, Śrī Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī. So... Vyāsadeva. All of them appeared on the sacred land of Bhārata-varṣa.

Lecture -- Bombay, November 2, 1970: So formerly, nobody could slaughter an animal, nobody can cut even a tree without reason, without sanction by the Vedic injunctions. At the present moment, in our country... This Bharata-varsa is called punya-bhumi. Actually, it is so, because on this land, all the great saintly persons appeared. The incarnation of God, Lord Ramacandra, Lord Krsna, Lord Buddhadeva, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and all the big, big acaryas -- Sankaracarya, Sri Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Visnu Svami. So... Vyasadeva. All of them appeared on the sacred land of Bharata-varsa. But the present Bharata-varsa has degraded so much that we have lost our Vedic culture. We are eating meat, we are eating..., drinking wine, and we are having illicit sex life, and indulging in gambling. This is India's position. It is due to this Kali-yuga. Otherwise the land is punya-bhumi.

Philosophy Discussions

Just like in our country, India, all the big ācāryas, they accept Vedas as the basic principle.

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander: That we see... He's going... He's going... Veda is accept by everyone. All learned scholar. Who can decry Vedas? Only the rascals will decry Vedas. Otherwise... Just like in our country, India, all the big acaryas, they accept Vedas as the basic principle. So who can decry? Veda says that the stool of cow is pure, and it is accepted. Everyone. All Hindus, brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas, and the acaryas, they accept that cow dung is pure. Why? Veda says. In another place, Veda says that "Stool of any animal is impure," but this stool is pure. So we haven't got discrimination. We accept that. Other animal stool is impure. But the cow dung, the stool of cow, we immediately accept as pure, and we apply it in our Deity room and make is purified. That is Veda. You cannot contradict . You cannot argue Vedas.

So these big, big ācāryas, like Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka, Śaṅkarācārya, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, all big ācāryas, they have accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord.

Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:: In the history of humanity it is very easy to find out that when Krsna was present on this planet, so He proved the strongest, the most influential, the most beautiful, the supreme wise -- everything -- supreme famous. Krsna's fame, fame is still going on. Krsna's knowledge, stated in the Bhagavad-gita, is still being studied all over the world. This is the proof that He is God. And all saintly persons in India, they are not controlled by these foreign Dr. Frogs. So these big, big acaryas, like Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Nimbarka, Sankaracarya, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu, all big acaryas, they have accepted Krsna as the Supreme Lord. So there is complete uniformity of the authorities in the past, present and future. So here is God. If one cannot accept Him God, then he is insane. With so many evidences, and it is practical. Many evidences when Krsna was present He showed; that is history. But these imperfect Dr. Frog, when they see God is doing something uncommon, they take it "Myth, mythology."