I accept Caitanya Mahaprabhu because my Guru Maharaja accepted. He accepted Caitanya as Krsna; his Guru Maharaja accepted. When guru says that Caitanya is Krsna, he quotes sastra

Expressions researched:
"I accept Caitanya Mahāprabhu because my Guru Mahārāja accepted"

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Any avatāra, he must be confirmed by these three sources: sādhu, śāstra, guru. I accept Caitanya Mahāprabhu because my Guru Mahārāja accepted. He accepted Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Kṛṣṇa; his Guru Mahārāja accepted. And the śāstra is there. When guru says that Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa, he quotes śāstra.

Room Conversation -- June 29, 1972, San Diego:

Prabhupāda: If you are incapable of raising yourself to the standard of becoming spiritual master, that is not your spiritual master's fault, that is your fault. He wants, just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā (CC Madhya 7.128), "By My order, every one of you become a guru." Now if one cannot carry out the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then how he can become a guru?

The first qualification is that he must be able to carry out the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then he becomes guru. So that carrying out the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu depends on one's personal capacity. Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā. Acceptance of Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Kṛṣṇa, that is there in the śāstra: in the Upaniṣad, in Mahābhārata, in Bhāgavata.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: How are the references made?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: What references are given, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: You will find all this in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, references from Upaniṣad, from Bhāgavata. Caitanya Mahāprabhu never said that "I am Kṛṣṇa." But the devotees . . . you know Sanātana Gosvāmī corroborated. You know that? You have read that?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes, I have. Yes.

Prabhupāda: So sādhu śāstra guru vākya. So we have to accept the authority of śāstra, guru and sādhu. So those who are sādhu, they accept Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The guru in the . . . they accept. And śāstra, there is acceptance. So therefore it is confirmed. Not only He; any avatāra, He must be confirmed by these three sources: sādhu, śāstra, guru. I accept Caitanya Mahāprabhu because my Guru Mahārāja accepted.

He accepted Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Kṛṣṇa; his Guru Mahārāja accepted. And the śāstra is there. When guru says that Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa, he quotes śāstra. The śāstra, guru, and those who are actually devotees, sādhu, they also accept. This is the evidence.

Lady devotee (1): Prabhupāda, is Lord Caitanya always carrying on saṅkīrtana in the spiritual world?

Prabhupāda: Yes. He is the father of the saṅkīrtana movement. Saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). This is the statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. This Lord, incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, is worshiped by saṅkīrtana yajña, and those who are intelligent, sumedhasaḥ, sharp brain, they worship this Lord by saṅkīrtana. This is the statement in the Bhāgavata. And therefore we worship Him with saṅkīrtana.

This picture, He is being worshiped by saṅkīrtana. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti (SB 11.5.32). And they are, big men—Śrī Advaita, Śrī Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and others, followers. That is the proof. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam. He is fair complexioned, but He is always chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇam iti. He is describing the science of Kṛṣṇa. These are the statement, and He is doing exactly the same thing. His accepting sannyāsa order is also mentioned in the śāstra.

So everything we have to accept through three channels: sādhu, śāstra, guru. Saintly person, they you should accept; guru should accept; and it must be mentioned in the śāstra. Guru cannot manufacture something.

He must quote from the śāstra and then tell to his disciple. So disciple, as soon as he receives a message from guru corroborated by the śāstra, then he should take it as fact. This is the way. Why there should be any more doubt? What is your argument?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: There is no argument, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.