The speaker of Bhagavad-gītā is Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He is mentioned on every page of Bhagavad-gītā as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān. Of course the word bhagavān sometimes refers to any powerful person or any powerful demigod, and certainly here bhagavān designates Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as a great personality, but at the same time we should know that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as is confirmed by all great ācāryas (spiritual masters) like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka Svāmī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and many other authorities of Vedic knowledge in India. The Lord Himself also establishes Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the Bhagavad-gītā, and He is accepted as such in the Brahma-saṁhitā and all the Purāṇas, especially the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, known as the Bhāgavata Purāṇa (kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28)). Therefore we should take Bhagavad-gītā as it is directed by the Personality of Godhead Himself.
Acarya spiritual master
Expressions researched:
"acarya or spiritual master"
|"acarya, or spiritual master"
|"acarya, spiritual master"
|"acarya, the spiritual master"
|"acaryas (spiritual masters"
|"acaryas and the spiritual master"
|"acaryas spiritual masters"
|"acaryas, or spiritual masters"
|"acaryas, spiritual masters"
|"spiritual master or acarya"
|"spiritual master, or acarya"
|"spiritual masters, or acaryas"
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Preface and Introduction
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
The brahmanas, ksatriyas and vaisyas are called twice-born because for these higher classes of men there is one birth by parental conjugation and there is another birth of cultural rejuvenation by spiritual initiation from the bona fide acarya, or spiritual master. So a ksatriya is also twice-born like a brahmana, and his duty is to give protection to the helpless.
For a devotee like Maharaja Pariksit, none of the material planets, even the topmost Brahmaloka, is as desirable as Goloka Vrndavana, the abode of Lord Sri Krsna, the primeval Lord and original Personality of Godhead. This earth is one of the innumerable material planets within the universe, and there are innumerable universes also within the compass of the mahat-tattva. The devotees are told by the Lord and His representatives, the spiritual masters or acaryas, that not one of the planets within all the innumerable universes is suitable for the residential purposes of a devotee.
SB Canto 2
The third offense is to neglect the orders of the authorized acaryas or spiritual masters.
The highest perfectional stage of life is to know the Lord by actual perception, by the grace of the Lord. This can be attained by everyone who is willing to discharge the act of devotional service to the Lord as enjoined in the revealed scriptures that are standard and accepted by the bona fide acaryas, spiritual masters. For example, the Bhagavad-gita is the approved Vedic literature accepted by all the great acaryas, such as Sankara, Ramanuja, Madhva, Caitanya, Visvanatha, Baladeva, Siddhanta Sarasvati and many others.
SB Canto 4
So Prthu Maharaja was very respectful to the sampradaya-acaryas. As it is said by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura, saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih: a spiritual master, or the parampara-acarya, should be respected exactly like the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The word vidhivat is significant in this verse. This means that Prthu Maharaja also strictly followed the injunctions of the sastra in receiving a spiritual master, or acarya, of the transcendental disciplic succession. Whenever an acarya is seen, one should immediately bow down before him. Prthu Maharaja did this properly; therefore the words used here are prasrayanata-kandharah. Out of humility, he bowed down before the Kumaras.
SB Canto 5
From this we can understand how we have to be very cautious in executing our spiritual duties by observing the rules and regulations and regularly chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. If we neglect doing this, we will eventually fall down. We must rise early in the morning, bathe, attend mangala-arati, worship the Deities, chant the Hare Krsna mantra, study the Vedic literatures and follow all the rules prescribed by the acaryas and the spiritual master. If we deviate from this process, we may fall down, even though we may be very highly advanced.
SB Canto 6
The acarya, the spiritual master who teaches all the Vedic knowledge and gives initiation by offering the sacred thread, is the personification of all the Vedas. Similarly, a father personifies Lord Brahma; a brother, King Indra; a mother, the planet earth; and a sister, mercy. A guest personifies religious principles, an invited guest personifies the demigod Agni, and all living entities personify Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
SB Canto 7
The conditioned soul has knowledge, and if he wants to fully utilize the gross and subtle bodies for his real advancement in life, he can do so. It is therefore said here that by his high intelligence (svena tejasa), by the superior power of superior knowledge achieved from the right source -- the spiritual master, or acarya -- he can give up his conditional life in a material body and return home, back to Godhead. However, if he wants to keep himself in the darkness of this material world, he can do so.
SB Canto 8
One should satisfy the spiritual master (acarya), who is very learned in Vedic literature, and should satisfy his assistant priests (known as hota, udgata, adhvaryu and brahma). One should please them by offering them clothing, ornaments and cows. This is the ceremony called visnu-aradhana, or worship of Lord Visnu."
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
Therefore, one is forbidden to regard the guru as an ordinary human being (gurusu nara-matir. .. naraki sah). The spiritual master, or acarya, is always situated in the spiritual status of life. Birth, death, old age and disease do not affect him. According to the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, therefore, after the disappearance of an acarya, his body is never burnt to ashes, for it is a spiritual body. The spiritual body is always unaffected by material conditions.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
There are millions of living entities who have become conditioned by the laws of material nature, and they are wandering throughout the planetary systems of this universe in different bodily forms. Among them, one who is fortunate meets a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa and comes to understand the meaning of devotional service. By discharging devotional service under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, or ācārya, he develops love of Godhead. One whose love of Godhead (kṛṣṇa-prema) is awakened and who thus becomes a devotee of the inconceivable Supreme Personality of Godhead is to be considered extremely fortunate. The Māyāvādī sannyāsīs admitted this fact to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It is not easy for one to become a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, but by the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu it can be possible, as will be proven in the course of this narration.
CC Madhya-lila
Lord Viṣṇu is the eternal Lord of everyone, and the representative of Lord Viṣṇu is the Lord's confidential servant. Such a person acts as the spiritual master for neophyte Vaiṣṇavas; therefore the spiritual master is as respectable as Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya or Lord Viṣṇu Himself. For this reason the spiritual master is addressed as Oṁ Viṣṇupāda or Prabhupāda. The ācārya, the spiritual master, is generally respected by others as Śrīpāda, and the initiated Vaiṣṇavas are addressed as Prabhu. Prabhu, Prabhupāda and Viṣṇupāda are described in revealed scriptures like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya-caritāmṛta and Caitanya-bhāgavata. In this regard, these scriptures present evidence accepted by unalloyed devotees.
By his personal example, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura stresses that a devotee must always remember to please his predecessor ācārya. The Gosvāmīs are represented by one's spiritual master. One cannot be an ācārya (spiritual master) without following strictly in the disciplic succession of the ācāryas. One who is actually serious about advancing in devotional service should desire only to satisfy the previous ācāryas. Ei chaya gosāñi yāra, mui tāra dāsa. One should always think of oneself as a servant of the servant of the ācāryas, and thinking this, one should live in the society of Vaiṣṇavas (CC Madhya 13.80). However, if one thinks that he has become very mature and can live separate from the association of Vaiṣṇavas and thus gives up all the regulative principles due to offending a Vaiṣṇava, one's position becomes very dangerous.
Only an empowered personality can distribute the holy name of the Lord and enjoin all fallen souls to worship Kṛṣṇa. By distributing the holy name of the Lord, he cleanses the hearts of the most fallen people; therefore he extinguishes the blazing fire of the material world. Not only that, he broadcasts the shining brightness of Kṛṣṇa's effulgence throughout the world. Such an ācārya, or spiritual master, should be considered nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa—that is, he should be considered the incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa's potency. Such a personality is kṛṣṇāliṅgita-vigraha—that is, he is always embraced by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Such a person is above the considerations of the varṇāśrama institution. He is the guru, or spiritual master, for the entire world, a devotee on the topmost platform, the mahā-bhāgavata stage, and a paramahaṁsa-ṭhākura, a spiritual form only fit to be addressed as paramahaṁsa or ṭhākura.”
CC Antya-lila
The true ācārya presents Kṛṣṇa to everyone by preaching the holy name of the Lord throughout the world. Thus the conditioned souls, purified by chanting the holy name, are liberated from the blazing fire of material existence. In this way, spiritual benefit grows increasingly full, like the waxing moon in the sky. The true ācārya, the spiritual master of the entire world, must be considered an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Indeed, he is personally embracing Kṛṣṇa. He is therefore the spiritual master of all the varṇas (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra) and all the āśramas (brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa). Since he is understood to be the most advanced devotee, he is called paramahaṁsa-ṭhākura. Ṭhākura is a title of honor offered to the paramahaṁsa. Therefore one who acts as an ācārya, directly presenting Lord Kṛṣṇa by spreading His name and fame, is also to be called paramahaṁsa-ṭhākura.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
Thus Sanātana Gosvāmī prayed for the Lord's confirmation that His teachings would actually evolve in his heart by His grace. Otherwise Sanātana knew that there was no possibility of his being able to describe the Lord's teachings. The purport of this is that the ācāryas (spiritual masters) are authorized by higher authorities. Instruction alone cannot make one an expert. Unless one is blessed by the spiritual master, or the ācārya, such teachings cannot become fully manifest. Therefore one should seek the mercy of the spiritual master so that the instructions of the spiritual master can develop within oneself. After receiving the prayers of Sanātana Gosvāmī, Lord Caitanya placed His feet on the head of Sanātana and gave him His benedictions so that all His instructions would develop fully.
Nectar of Devotion
When the purified senses are employed in the service of the Lord, one becomes situated in bhakti-rasa life, and any action performed for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa in this transcendental bhakti-rasa stage of life can be relished perpetually. When one is thus engaged in devotional service, all varieties of rasas, or mellows, turn into eternity. In the beginning one is trained according to the principles of regulation under the guidance of the ācārya, or spiritual master, and gradually, when one is elevated, devotional service becomes automatic and spontaneous eagerness to serve Kṛṣṇa. There are twelve kinds of rasas, as will be explained in this book, and by renovating our relationship with Kṛṣṇa in five primary rasas we can live eternally in full knowledge and bliss.
Nārada Muni mentions this sādhana-bhakti in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Seventh Canto, First Chapter, verse 32. He says there to King Yudhiṣṭhira, "My dear King, one has to fix his mind on Kṛṣṇa by any means." That is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is the duty of the ācārya, the spiritual master, to find the ways and means for his disciple to fix his mind on Kṛṣṇa. That is the beginning of sādhana-bhakti.
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
The Gāyatrī mantra is offered to disciples after the sacred thread ceremony, and Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa properly discharged the duties of chanting this mantra. Anyone who executes the chanting of this mantra has to abide by certain principles and vows. Although Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa are transcendental personalities, They strictly followed the regulative principles. They were initiated by Their family priest, Gargācārya, usually known as Garga Muni, the ācārya of the Yadu dynasty. According to Vedic culture, every respectable family has an ācārya, or spiritual master. One is not considered a perfectly cultured man without being initiated and trained by an ācārya. It is said, therefore, that one who has approached an ācārya is actually in perfect knowledge. Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all education and knowledge. There was no need for Them to accept a spiritual master, or ācārya, yet for the instruction of ordinary men They also accepted a spiritual master for advancement in spiritual knowledge.
Renunciation Through Wisdom
Upon seeing the devotion of the South Indian brāhmaṇa as he read the Gītā, Lord Caitanya embraced him and then told him that he had perfected the reading of the Gītā. What fool would deny that Lord Caitanya's approval is far superior to millions of university doctorates? This accolade from the Lord proves that the Bhagavad-gītā cannot be studied with material intelligence. The knowledge of the Gītā must be received through the chain of ācāryas, or spiritual masters, coming down in disciplic succession. That is the only method; otherwise studying the Gītā is an exercise in futility. The scriptural conclusion is that since the Supreme Lord is transcendental, His words are also transcendental, and hence the esoteric subject matter of the Bhagavad-gītā can be received only through a disciplic succession that is equally transcendental.
Narada-bhakti-sutra (sutras 1 to 8 only)
The first impediment is atyāhāra, overeating or accumulating more wealth than we need. When we give free rein to the senses in an effort to enjoy to the highest degree, we become degraded. A devotee should therefore eat only enough to maintain his body and soul together; he should not allow his tongue unrestricted license to eat anything and everything it likes. The Bhagavad-gītā and the great ācāryas, or spiritual masters, have prescribed certain foods for human beings, and one who eats these foods eats in the mode of goodness. These foods include grains, fruits, vegetables, milk products, and sugar—and nothing more. A devotee does not eat extravagantly; he simply eats what he offers to the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. He is interested in kṛṣṇa-prasādam (food offered to the Lord) and not in satisfying his tongue. Therefore he does not desire anything extraordinary to eat.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Therefore just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. One who is fortunate to have a bona fide spiritual master, he is supposed to... Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: "One who has taken shelter of a real ācārya, spiritual master, from the disciplic succession, he knows." Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Veda means "He is in the knowledge." One who has accepted a bona fide spiritual master, he is in the knowledge. Others are fools. This is the Vedic version everywhere. Here also, Bhagavad-gītā, it is said that "You try to learn the truth by approaching spiritual master."
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Just like see here the Europeans and American boys, they are obeying Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's representative without any condition. They have not come here to obey my order for earning livelihood or for some material purpose. They have not come for that. They have got enough money. They have got enough money. They can purchase hundred times India. But why? This is real paro dharmaḥ. This is the supreme religion, to obey the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative. Because we have to learn through the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit, na martya-buddhyāsūyeta (SB 11.17.27). So this is the injunction of the śāstra. Ācārya, the spiritual master, the representative of Kṛṣṇa... Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyāt, Kṛṣṇa says. "The ācārya is Myself." Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ: "By pleasing the ācārya, one can please the Supreme Lord." This is the... Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: "One who has got ācārya to guide him, he knows things." These are the Vedic injunctions.
So they do not know. They want freedom. In the freedom, in the name of freedom, they are becoming animals. That's all. This is the civilization. But here it is said, kovida, intelligent. Intelligent man should take up this sword to cut the knot of our attachment for this material enjoyment. What is that? Anudhyāsinā. Anu means always. Another anu means following. Anu means always, and anu means following. Following means spiritual master or ācārya. Ācāryopāsanam. "How ācārya, how spiritual master dealing, let me follow that." Or, anu, as soon as he becomes accustomed, then anu, anukṣaṇa, always chanting. Anudhyāsinā. Asinā, asinā means by sword. Anudhyāsinā yuktāḥ, karma-bandha-nibandhana. We have to cut up this knot of karma-bandhana. By the karma-bandhana, we are transmigrating from one soul, one body to another. This is not Darwin's theory.
"According to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, anyone who is conversant in the transcendental knowledge or the science of Godhead, be he a brāhmaṇa or śūdra, a householder or a sannyāsī, is eligible to become a spiritual master." Not that because he was born a śūdra, he cannot preach, he cannot take the post of ācārya or spiritual master. That is not Caitanya philosophy. Caitanya philosophy has nothing to do with this body, external body. Caitanya philosophy is concerned with the soul. This movement is the movement of elevating the soul, saving the soul from degradation. Therefore people sometimes are surprised. The bodily concept of life, the same activities will be karma. And on the platform of spiritual life, the same karma will be bhakti. Same karma will be bhakti. So bhakti is not inactivity. Bhakti is all active. Yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi yad aśnāsi yat tapasyasi kuruṣva tad mad-arpaṇam (BG 9.27). This is bhakti, bhakti-yoga. Kṛṣṇa says to everyone, "If you cannot give up your karma, then that's all right. But the result of your karma, give to Me. Then it will be bhakti."
Prabhupāda: Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya. Don't try to cheat guru. Then progress will be checked.
- ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān
- nāvamanyeta karhicit
- na martya-buddhyāsūyeta
- sarva-devamayo guruḥ
- (SB 11.17.27)
Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān. Kṛṣṇa says, "Ācārya means I am." Nāvamanyeta karhicit: "Do not try to neglect." Na martya-buddhyāsūyeta: "Do not consider ācārya, spiritual master, as ordinary human being and become envious." These things are warned. Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit, na martya-buddhyāsūyeta (SB 11.17.27). Familiarity breeds contempt. That is not good. Similarly... Because by the mercy of ācārya, by the mercy of guru, you will get Kṛṣṇa. You sing that, kṛṣṇa-prāpti jāhā hoite, what is that? Kṛṣṇa-prāpti jāhā hoite. What is that language?
So this dictation of Kṛṣṇa comes through the disciplic success, and if we follow the instruction of ācārya, or spiritual master, then we are directly following the orders of Kṛṣṇa, and thus I become a bhagavad-dūta. No more I am the dūta or the follower of the dictation of my senses. And one who is bhagavad-dūta, he is called gosvāmī, just like Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī. Whose life is dedicated to follow the dictation of Kṛṣṇa, they are gosvāmī. Gosvāmī is not a caste title, just like it has become in India. Gosvāmī... Rūpa Gosvāmī was a minister. He was rejected by the brāhmaṇa society, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu made him gosvāmī. He is the original gosvāmī. Why? Because he gave up the dictation of Nawab Shah but he followed the dictation of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore he became gosvāmī, prabhupāda. He became prabhupāda. Prabhupāda means the title or the respect which is given to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is called... Prabhu means master and pāda means maryādā, or the respect or the distinction. So bhagavad-dūta, those who are strictly following the dictation of Kṛṣṇa under strict disciplinary chain of disciplic succession, he is Kṛṣṇa's representative and he should be given all the respect. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. That is the verdict of all śāstras.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Devotee: "Nārada Muni mentions this sādhana-bhakti in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Seventh Canto, First Chapter, 30th verse. He says there to King Yudhiṣṭhira, 'My dear King, one has to fix his mind on Kṛṣṇa by any means.' This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is the duty of the ācārya, the spiritual master, to find the ways and means for his disciple to fix his mind on Kṛṣṇa. That is the beginning of sādhana-bhakti."
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is very important thing. Some way or other, one has to fix up his mind in Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa is not stereotyped. It is general. If you want to serve Kṛṣṇa, there are so many ways. Just like in our society: somebody is painting, somebody is writing on typewriter, sometime somebody is engaged in propagating or selling the magazine or editing the magazine. So many different duties. So it is, it is the spiritual master's business to see the disciple, in which way he has got the tendency. And he tries to utilize his natural tendency in the matter of serving Kṛṣṇa. One has got tendency for a certain thing. That tendency can be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service also. It is not difficult. Simply it requires training and guidance. Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya, saṁsiddhi labhate naraḥ (BG 18.46). One has got a particular tendency to work. By that work, if it is nicely done, you can satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Our only business is to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). Whatever business you may have, it doesn't matter. Whatever talent you have got, it doesn't matter. If you can utilize that talent for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction, then your life is successful.
Pradyumna: "It is the duty of the ācārya, the spiritual master, to find the ways and means for his disciple to fix his mind on Kṛṣṇa. That is the beginning of sādhana-bhakti."
Prabhupāda: Yes. The ācārya or the spiritual master's duty is to give direction to the disciples how he can fix up his mind always on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. He should... He knows how to engage a particular devotee in a particular type of service. Sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya (BG 18.46). The... We are, everyone has got some particular talent. So it is the duty of the spiritual master to engage his disciple's talent in the service of the Lord so that constantly he can think of the Lord. This is spiritual master's duty.
Correspondence
1970 Correspondence
The next point is that religion without philosophy is sentimentalism or fanaticism. Simply performing empty ritual without understanding is condemned by Srila Rupa Goswami in his Bhaktirasamrta sindhuh—pure devotional service which ignores the injunctions of the scriptures is simply a disturbance to the society. In Bhagavad-gita it is stated "One should approach a spiritual master and inquire from him submissively, render him all kinds of service. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the Truth." One has to hear the message of Godhead from the lips of the pure devotee of the Lord or Acarya. The religion is originally spoken by Krsna Himself and that message or science is coming down directly through the chain of disciplic succession and one who is in that chain is called acarya or one who teaches by his life. Religion is practically presented by the bona fide spiritual master or acarya.
1974 Correspondence
You have very thoughtfully asked me what do I think of the Self Realization yoga and meditation. We are not concerned with other religions or yogas in terms of competition or sectarian spirit. Actual spiritual knowledge is to take the authoritative statements from the scriptures and from the great acaryas, spiritual masters in disciplic succession. Other's opinions are not important. For example, in the Bhagavad gita, Lord Krsna gives His opinion, but He is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead by all the great sages of the Vedic philosophy including Vyasadeva the compiler of all the scriptures, as well as Narada, Brahma, Siva and in the modern time, Ramanuja, Sankaracarya, Lord Caitanya, etc. They all confirm that Krsna is the supreme truth, the Personality of Godhead. Although this is plainly described throughout the Vedas, you will not find it in the teachings of the so called swamis and yogis who are teaching nowadays. Therefore you have intelligently discovered that in my Bhagavad-gita the approach is very different from what you have found elsewhere. That is because I am not trying to avoid Krsna or give some misinterpretation, but I have accepted the actual Bhagavad-gita, wherein Krsna says, Mattah parataram nanyat (BG 7.7), there is no higher than Me.
| Page Title: | Acarya spiritual master |
| Compiler: | Syamananda, Visnu Murti, Alakananda |
| Created: | 11 of jan, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=1, SB=10, CC=5, OB=6, Lec=8, Con=0, Let=2 |
| No. of Quotes: | 32 |