The Vedic injunction is that no one can have full knowledge without being under the guidance of an ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: one who has accepted an ācārya knows what is what. The Absolute Truth cannot be understood by arguments. One who has attained the perfect brahminical stage naturally becomes renounced; he does not strive for material gain because by spiritual knowledge he has come to the conclusion that in this world there is no insufficiency. Everything is sufficiently provided by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A real brāhmaṇa, therefore, does not endeavor for material perfection; rather, he approaches a bona fide spiritual master to accept orders from him. A spiritual master's qualification is that he is brahma-niṣṭha, which means that he has given up all other activities and has dedicated his life to working only for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. When a bona fide student approaches a bona fide spiritual master, he submissively prays to the spiritual master, "My dear lord, kindly accept me as your student and train me in such a way that I will be able to give up all other processes of self-realization and simply engage in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, devotional service."
Acaryavan puruso veda
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 7 - 12
As we have already discussed in regard to the last verse of Chapter Eight (vedeṣu yajñeṣu tapaḥsu caiva), generally Vedic knowledge is required for self-realization. But here, although Nārada never went to the school of the spiritual master and was not educated in the Vedic principles, he acquired the highest results of Vedic study. This process is so potent that even without performing the religious process regularly, one can be raised to the highest perfection. How is this possible? This is also confirmed in Vedic literature: ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who is in association with great ācāryas, even if he is not educated or has never studied the Vedas, can become familiar with all the knowledge necessary for realization.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 4
Trying to advance in spiritual life outside the disciplic succession is simply ludicrous. It is said, therefore, ācāryavān puruṣo veda: one who follows the disciplic succession of ācāryas knows things as they are (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.14.2).
In the Chāndogya Upaniṣad it is said, ācāryavān puruṣo veda: "One who approaches a bona fide spiritual master can understand everything about spiritual realization."
SB Canto 7
This has all been properly analyzed in sāṅkhya-yoga by the great ācāryas, especially by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, in His incarnation as Devahūti-putra Kapila. This is indicated here by the word ācāryaiḥ. We need not follow anyone who is not an authorized ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: one can understand the truth fully when he has taken shelter of an expert ācārya.
Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: one who is guided by the bona fide spiritual master knows everything as stated in the Vedas, which set forth the standard of infallible knowledge. As recommended in Bhagavad-gītā, ācāryopāsanam: one must approach the ācārya for real knowledge. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) one must approach the ācārya, for then one will receive perfect knowledge. When guided by the spiritual master, one attains the ultimate goal of life.
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
Who is a guru? Śābde pare ca niṣṇātam (SB 11.3.21): a guru is one who has full transcendental knowledge. Unless one approaches a spiritual master, one remains in ignorance. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.14.2): one has full knowledge about life when one is ācāryavān, controlled by the ācārya. But when one is conducted by rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, one does not care about anything; instead, one acts like an ordinary foolish animal, risking his life (mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani (BG 9.3)) and therefore continuing to go through suffering after suffering. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Such a foolish person does not know how to elevate himself in this body. Instead, he indulges in sinful activities and goes deeper and deeper into hellish life.
This is Kṛṣṇa, who is understood by acintya-bhedābheda-tattva philosophy. pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate: (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. Such a person can know Kṛṣṇa as He is, at least to some extent, and as soon as one understands Kṛṣṇa (janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9)), one is liberated from material bondage (tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so 'rjuna).
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Prabhupāda: But those who want to be cheated, when Kṛṣṇa shows His transcendental strength, they don't believe it, another cheating. They, they'll admit, "Oh, these are... What is called?
Devotee: Mythology.
Prabhupāda: Mythology. As if Vyāsadeva wrote this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to put before these rascals some mythology, some imaginary things. Just see how they want to be cheated. Such an exalted personality like Vyāsadeva, who has given us the Vedic literature, he presented something which is imaginary. What business He has got? Therefore sometimes these cheated people, they deny to accept that Bhāgavata is written by Śrī Vyāsadeva. But those who are actually ācāryas, those who can guide us, like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, big, big..., Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they do not say like this, that "It is mythology. It is imaginary." They accept as it is. So we have to follow these mahājana. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ dharmasya tattvaṁ nihito guhāyām (CC Madhya 17.186). We have to follow great personalities, ācāryas. ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who has got, one who has taken shelter of ācārya, bona fide spiritual master, he knows. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Because he is receiving the right knowledge from the right source, ācārya... Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Ācārya means by disciplic succession. As Kṛṣṇa says, disciplic succession, all the ācāryas will say the same thing. They will not change, they will not interpret. They can explain. But the original fact is not distorted. That is ācārya. Ācārya will never say that "Kṛṣṇa is material. Kṛṣṇa... There was no such thing as Kṛṣṇa. There was no such battle, Battle of Kurukṣetra. These are all imaginary." So if we don't want to be cheated, then we should take Kṛṣṇa as He is presenting Himself and as it is confirmed by the ācāryas. Then our knowledge is perfect.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Now I am confused about duty and have lost all composure because of weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me clearly what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me (BG 2.7)." Purport. "By nature's own way, the complete system of material activities is a source of perplexity for everyone. In every step there is perplexity, and it behooves one therefore to approach a bona fide spiritual master who can give one the proper guidance for executing the purpose of life. All Vedic literatures advise us to approach a bona fide spiritual master to get free from the perplexities of life which happen without our desire. They appear like a forest fire which takes place without being set by anyone. Similarly, the world situation is such that perplexities of life automatically appear without our wanting such confusion. Nobody wants fire, and yet it takes place and we are perplexed. The Vedic wisdom therefore advises that in order to solve the perplexities of life and to understand the science of the solution one must approach a spiritual master who is in disciplic succession. A person with a bona fide spiritual master is supposed to know everything. One should not therefore remain in..."
Prabhupāda: This is a translation of a Vedic version, ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Ācāryavān, one who has ācārya as his guidance, he is supposed to know everything. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. That is given there.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "The kṛpaṇas, or miserly persons, waste their time in being overly affectionate for family, society, country, etc., in the material conception of life. One is often attached to family life, to wife and children and other members on the basis of 'skin disease.' The kṛpaṇas think that they are able to protect their family members from death, or the kṛpaṇa thinks that his family or society can save him from death. Such family attachment can be found even in the lower animals, who also take care of children. Being intelligent, Arjuna could understand that his affection for family members and his wish to protect them from death were the causes of his perplexities. Although he could understand that his duty to fight was awaiting him, still on account of miserly weakness he could not discharge the duty. He is therefore asking Lord Kṛṣṇa, the supreme spiritual master, to make a definite solution. He offers himself to Kṛṣṇa as a disciple. He wants to stop friendly talks. Talks between a master and disciple are serious, and now Arjuna wants to talk very seriously before the recognized spiritual master. Kṛṣṇa is therefore the original..."
Prabhupāda: Here is a technique. The same Kṛṣṇa and same Arjuna, they are talking as friends. Then what was the necessity of Arjuna accepting Kṛṣṇa as spiritual master? The same Arjuna and same Kṛṣṇa, they'll talk, but what is the necessity of accepting as spiritual master? That means after accepting spiritual master he'll not argue. He'll simply accept whatever He says. That is the technique. Friendly talks, equal level, He, Kṛṣṇa was talking something and he was replying. So that argument has no end. But when he accepts Him as spiritual master, there is no more argument. One has to accept whatever He says. Therefore he's accepting as spiritual master. After this, Arjuna will never say, "This is wrong, this is, no," or "I don't agree." No. He'll accept. So acceptance of spiritual master means to accept anything, whatever he says. Therefore one has to select a spiritual master whom he can completely surrender. That is the technique. Veda-vākya. Just like in the Vedic injunction, nobody can deny. Similarly, spiritual master is also representative of Veda. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. So similarly, it is just like Vedic injunction. So spiritual master has also got the great duty. He has to instruct the disciple in such a way that he may not be misled, and that is not possible because a spiritual master is he who will simply speak from authoritative sources. He'll speak from Bhagavad-gītā, Bhāgavata, or what was spoken by Nārada, Vyāsa, that is his authority. He does not say, "In my opinion it is..." No. Therefore it is perfect, it is coming from the disciplic succession, and if one agrees to such instruction, then he's also perfectly advancing. It is not difficult to understand. So he's accepting. "Now I accept You as my spiritual master. You teach me."
Hṛdayānanda: (translating) How can we understand the guru?
Prabhupāda: How do you understand? When you go for treatment to a physician, how do you understand that here is a physician? How do you understand? Tell me?
Hṛdayānanda: He says by the title and reputation.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Some way or other, you know that he is a physician. So similarly, you have to find out guru. Guru... First of all, who requires a guru? That is the question. Because guru is not a fashion... The... It is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta: (SB 11.3.21) "On account of this, you should go to a guru." What is that account? Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: "One who is very much inquisitive to know about spiritual affair, he requires a guru." Spiritual affair means that... We are in this material world. We are suffering. When the question will come in one's mind, "Why I am suffering?" that is spiritual. Just like an animal is being taken to the slaughterhouse. He cannot inquire, "Why I am being taken to the slaughterhouse?" But if a man is being taken forcibly, he'll protest; he will cry; he'll call crowd. Therefore human being can inquire about spiritual affair. So when there is spiritual inquiry, then one requires a guru. And by going to guru, as it is stated, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). One has to learn by surrendering, praṇipāta. So first of all there must be a strong impulse to inquire about the transcendental subject matter. Then one requires a guru. Not that, to follow a fashion, that one has guru. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Unless one becomes under the control of ācārya, he has no perfect knowledge. Therefore the Vedas says, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) "For understanding that transcendental science, one must approach a guru." And what is the symptom of guru? Samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham: Guru means one who has complete knowledge of Vedic version, and not only that, he is a staunch or fixed-up devotee of the Supreme Lord. These are the qualification. The guru strictly follows the Vedic injunction and teaches the same thing to his disciple. That is guru. So first thing is: one must be inquisitive to understand about the spiritual subject matter. Just like you have come here in this temple. You know that here nothing like political meeting is going on. Here something spiritual matter is being discussed. Therefore you have come. This inclination is the beginning of spiritual life. This is called śraddhā. Śraddhā means faith.
So the process of hearing is very important. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to propagate that "You hear from the authority, Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is accepted in the present age and in the past age. In the past age, great sages like Nārada, Vyāsa, Asita, Devala, very, very great stalwart scholars and sages, they accepted. In the Middle Age, say 1,500 years ago, all the ācāryas like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka... Practically, Indian Vedic civilization, it is still existing on the authority of these ācāryas. And it is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā: ācāryopāsanam. If you want to learn factually things, then you should approach ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda, "One who has accepted ācārya, he knows things as they are." Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. So we are receiving knowledge through the ācāryas. Kṛṣṇa spoke to Arjuna, Arjuna spoke to Vyāsadeva. Arjuna actually did not speak to Vyāsadeva, but Vyāsadeva heard it, Kṛṣṇa speaking, and he noted down in his book Mahābhārata. This Bhagavad-gītā is found in Mahābhārata. So we accept the authorities of Vyāsa. And from Vyāsa, Madhvācārya; from Madhvācārya, so many disciplic succession, up to Mādhavendra Purī. Then Mādhavendra Purī to Īśvara Purī; from Īśvara Purī to Lord Caitanyadeva; from Lord Caitanyadeva to six Gosvāmīs; from six Gosvāmīs to Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja; from him, Śrīnivāsa Ācārya; from him, Viśvanātha Cakravartī; from him, Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī; then Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī; Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura; my spiritual master. The same thing, we are preaching. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is nothing new. It is coming down from the original speaker, Kṛṣṇa, by disciplic succession. So we are reading this Bhagavad-gītā. Not that I have manufactured some book and I am preaching. No. I am preaching Bhagavad-gītā. The same Bhagavad-gītā as it was first spoken forty millions of years ago to the sun-god and again it was repeated five thousand years ago to Arjuna. The same thing is coming down by disciplic succession, and the same thing is presented before you. There is no change.
We must accept that our senses are imperfect. So how we can understand everything by the test of experimental knowledge? No.
Therefore, things which are beyond your perception, you have to accept it by hearing from the authoritative source. Just like another example: If you want to see who is your actual father, that is not possible to make an experiment who is your father. There may be some experimental. But if you ask your mother, authority, "Mother, who is my father?" the mother says, "This is the man who is your father," you have to accept, that's all. You cannot make any experiment, neither it is possible to understand who is your father by experimental knowledge. Then how you can make experiment the Supreme Father, God? That is not possible. Simply you have to hear from the authoritative sources. But you can make some experiment. But that is not very important thing. The important thing is to hear from the authorized person. That is important. Therefore, Vedas are called śruti. Śruti means aural reception. You have to hear. Just like when you are sleeping, all your other senses are not active. But ear, if somebody is coming, your enemy, to hurt you, and your friend says, "Mr. such-and-such, wake up, wake up," so you can hear and you wake up and see that somebody is coming. So the ear is very important. Śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). Anyone who has heard perfectly from the disciplic succession of spiritual master, he is perfect. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Ācārya means... Ācāryavān, vān means possession. One who has possessed an authorized spiritual master, he knows. He knows. Veda, Veda means knowledge, knows.
The Vedas says the stool of an animal is impure, but in another place it says that the stool of the cow animal is pure. So apparently we find contradiction. But still, because we accept the authority of the Vedas, therefore we accept the statement also. We accept the bone of the conchshell, and we accept the stool of cow as pure. That is acceptance of authority. You cannot argue. Even though it appears it is contradictory, you cannot argue.
Similarly, acceptance of spiritual master means representative of God. Of course, he, he must be representative of God. If unfortunately I accept a bogus man as representative of..., that is my misfortune. But actually, acceptance of spiritual master means he's a bona fide representative of God. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find. That paramparā system, disciplic succession, ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Just like we accept our philosophy, Vaiṣṇava philosophy, or any Indian philosophy, they accept this paramparā, guru-paramparā. They accept it. Sampradāya. Just like we have got sampradā..., Rāmānuja-sampradāya, Madhva-sampradāya. So we have to accept the sampradāya, disciplic succession, to receive real knowledge. So that sampradāya begins from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the original spiritual master of Lord Brahmā, of Lord Śiva, Nārada, so many other authorities. There are twelve authorities, svayambhur nāradaḥ śambhuḥ (SB 6.3.20). Svayambhu means Lord Brahmā; Nārada; and Śambhu, Lord Śiva; Kumāra; Kapila; Manu. They are all authorities. So that is the indication of the śāstra, that if you want to understand the transcendental science, the science of God, then tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). That is the injunction of the Vedas, that if you really interested to learn the transcendental science, you must approach. Abhigacchet.
A child is attracted generally to his mother, in human being, in animals, everywhere. So if a child wants to know his father, then the authority is the mother, and there is not other authority. The child cannot know the name of his father by his own imagination or speculation, if he thinks, "Oh, he may be my father, he may be my father, he may be my father..." Go on imagining, speculating, but you will never be able to understand who is your father. But the mother indicates, "My dear child, he is your father"—immediately business finished. You see? So if you want to speculate who is God, who is the supreme father, you go on speculating for lives together. But if somebody knows, "Here is your God," you accept it—the business finished. Very simple truth. You cannot imagine, you cannot speculate, even on your ordinary father, what to speak of the supreme father. Is it possible? No.
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."
There are many incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, expansion of Kṛṣṇa, svāṁśa and vibhinnāṁśa. Some of the expansions are direct personal expansions, just like Lord Rāma, Nṛsiṁhadeva, Varāha. There are many. Rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan (Bs. 5.39). Kṛṣṇa is existing, expanding Himself in various forms like Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, and so many others. There are different kinds of incarnations, avatāras—śaktyāveśāvatāra, guṇāvatāra, manvantarāvatāra, yugāvatāra. Many incarnations. And in the Bhāgavata it is concluded that the Lord's incarnations are so numerous that you cannot count. Just like if you sit down on the bank of a river, you cannot keep an account of the waves, how many waves are passing, similarly, there is no account how many incarnations are coming out from Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is above all. Here Kṛṣṇa personally says, and it is confirmed by all the sages, authorities, formerly by great sages like Nārada Muni, Vyāsadeva, Asita, Devala, and in the modern age by all the ācāryas: Śaṅkarācārya, Madhvācārya Rāmānujācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī—so many other ācāryas—Lord Caitanya. Everyone accepts that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How can you deny? We have to be guided by the ācāryas. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who follows the principles of ācāryas, he knows the things as they are. That is the verdict.
So paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. They do not know what is God. Although God is appearing before them. We have got the name of God, the fame of God, the pastimes of God, the demonstration of His different energies of God. Everything is there. Still, we are searching after God, and unfortunately we are manufacturing a man-god. Therefore we are mūḍhas. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). Here is God, accepted by all ācāryas. Not that by sentiment. There are ācāryas in India. Actually, practically, our whole civilization is guided by the ācāryas. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. We have to accept ācārya.
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. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: "One who is ācāryavān, one who is following ācārya, he knows things as they are." Ācāryavān puruṣo veda.
So unless we become ācāryavān... That is the Vedic instruction. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). We cannot understand God, what is God. We cannot make research (because) we do not know what are the symptoms of God, although everything is described in the śāstras. Here also, in the Bhagavad-gītā, the indications are there.
Pradyumna: "The principle of accepting a spiritual master, as mentioned in the seventh verse, is essential."
Prabhupāda: Yes. That knowledge has to be acquired. Ācāryopāsanam. Here it is said. You have to worship ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who has accepted... Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has also said, āśraya loiyā bhaje kṛṣṇa tāre nāhi tyaje āra saba more akaraṇa. Āśraya. You have to take shelter. Evaṁ paramparā prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2).
So before engaging yourself in devotional service to the Lord, you must first of all worship ācārya, ācāryopāsanam. One cannot become a devotee personally. Just like some rascals say, "What is the use of accepting guru?" Of course, they have got very bad experience.
But who is ācārya? Ācārya means one who has received the Vedic knowledge through the paramparā system. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). He is ācārya. Ācārya cannot be manufactured, self-made. No. He must come down from the disciplic succession. He is ācārya. You have to approach such ācārya who is coming in disciplic succession. ācāryavan puruṣo veda. One who is under the shelter of ācārya, he knows things. So Kṛṣṇa recommends also here that if you actually want to become in knowledge, if you want to have real knowledge, then you must worship ācārya. Ācāryopāsanam. This is Vedic system. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12).
Ācāra means one should learn how to behave. That makes a gentleman and a rough person. Nāpi cācāraḥ. Ācāraḥ means... Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Ācāraḥ, this is... Ācāraḥ means he learns from the śāstra how we should live, that, preliminary, that you must take bath, you must wash your hands after eating or you must take bath after evacuating. So many things are there. Nitya-karma-vidhi. In the Vedic literature you find all these directions, but now they have given up. Especially Vedic culture was there long, long ago all over the world. But now that is finished. Now in India, also, where little Vedic principles were still glowing, that is now being finished also. Nāpi ca ācāraḥ. They are learning from the Westerns how to remain unclean, how to eat meat, how to drink wine, and so on, so on, so many things.
First of all, Kṛṣṇa spoke this Kṛṣṇa consciousness science to the sun-god, and the sun-god Vivasvān explained it to his son Manu. And Manu explained to his son Ikṣvāku. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). So this science is understood by the paramparā disciplic succession. So as we have understood by the paramparā system from my Guru Mahārāja, so any of my students who will understand, he will keep it running on. This is the process. It is not a new thing. It is the old thing. Simply we have to distribute it properly, as we have heard from our predecessor ācārya. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is recommended: ācārya upāsanam: "One must approach ācārya." Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Simply by speculating, by so-called scholarship, it is not possible. It is not possible. One must approach the ācārya. So the ācārya is coming by paramparā system, disciplic succession. Therefore Kṛṣṇa recommends, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā: (BG 4.34) "One should approach the ācārya and try to understand by praṇipāta, surrender." This whole thing is depending on surrender. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. The surrender process, the proportion of surrender, is the means of understanding Kṛṣṇa. If we are partially surrendered, then we understand Kṛṣṇa partially. So ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. It is the proportion of surrender. The one who has surrendered fully, he can understand this philosophy and he can preach also, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So unless people take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and understand and learn how to obey Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they cannot, there cannot be any peace. There cannot be any happiness. And there is no condition... Here it is said, ahaituky apratihatā. That obedience should be without any motive. 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 we have to follow. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Don't follow rascals and fools. Then it will be useless waste of time. Follow the great ācāryas. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who is ācāryavān, who has accepted ācārya, he knows. Others, all are fools, rascals. Ācāryavān. Ācāryopāsanam. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam, ācāryopāsanam (BG 13.8). You have to first of all worship the ācārya. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Guru and ācārya, the same thing. So these are the process. Mahājano yena gataḥ. You cannot manufacture your ways of thinking. What you are? You are most insignificant living entity. And without following the ācāryas, without following the mahājanas, without following the śāstras, how you can teach?
So this sacred thread is the symbol that one has accepted a spiritual master and he knows Vedic knowledge. That is the symbol of sacred thread. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who has accepted a ācārya, it is to be understood that he knows things as they are. That is the symbol of sacred thread. So those who are not mumukṣavaḥ, they are to considered under the influence of ignorance and passion. They are called rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ. Those who are on the platform of brahminical understanding, brahminical qualities, controlling the senses, controlling the mind, tolerant, simplicity... And Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa has given about this ārjava, "simplicity." He says that a brāhmaṇa even to a enemy will disclose all his secrets. Even to his enemy. Nobody discloses his secrets before an enemy, but a brāhmaṇa, if he, even he finds out a enemy, he will disclose all the secrets. He has no secret. Brāhmaṇa means open-minded, liberal. And the opposite word is kṛpaṇa, miser.
So this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is meant for persons who want to finish this life of anartha, meaningless life. For them is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Vyāsadeva 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 ācāryas. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who is following the footsteps of the ācārya, he knows. He knows everything. So that is explained everywhere. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2), by the ācāryas. We don't create any meaning. Ācāryavān. One has to accept a bona fide spiritual master and take knowledge from him. Vidvān. Vidvān means who is following vidvān. I have given this example many times, that I may be a fool, but if I have learned from a person that this is called microphone... So a child, if he says, "This is microphone," that is correct. Because the child is fool, when he says "This is microphone," that is not foolish, because he has heard it from the authorities, from his father or from his teacher, that "This is called microphone." And if he says correctly that "This is microphone," that statement is correct, although he may be a child, a fool. Similarly, ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Anyone who is following ācārya, whatever he says it is correct. Because he does not manufacture. He says what he has heard from the ācāryas exactly like the child, what he has heard from his father, from the superior, he speaks. So that is the position of guru.
Guru is respected as good as God. Why? Only for this qualification, that he does not speak anything nonsense. He speaks only what he has heard from the ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Ācāryopāsanam. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said ācāryopāsanam. So Vyāsadeva is our ācārya, therefore we offer vyāsa-pūjā. On the birthday of guru we offer vyāsa-pūjā. Actually, it is not directly Vyāsa, but because the bona fide guru represents Vyāsadeva, his pūjā is also vyāsa-pūjā. Mad-bhakta-pūjā abhyadhikā. To worship Vyāsadeva, worship the bona fide spiritual master and worship the Lord, they are the same. Rather, Kṛṣṇa says that if you worship His bona fide representative, that worship is better than directly worshiping. Directly it is not possible to worship the Supreme Lord. One has to go through the ācāryas. Therefore Vyāsadeva is the original ācārya. Lokasyājānato vidvāṁś cakre sātvata... He's vidvān. So we have explained many times how to become vidvān. Vidvān does not mean one has to become a big grammarian, logician. No. Vidvān means one who follows the previous ācārya who is representative of Kṛṣṇa. He is vidvān.
So Kali-yuga is a very precarious condition: no knowledge, ignorance, and no nirvṛtti. Everyone is in pravṛtti. So whatever their condition may be, but if you want actually freedom from this material conditional life, then you should follow ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣaḥ. Ācāryopāsanam. Kṛṣṇa is personally acting as ācārya. He's coming again as ācārya, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He has got so many representatives ācārya: Śrī Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka, Viṣṇu Svāmī, so many ācāryas. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). So take lesson from the ācāryas. Śukadeva Gosvāmī is ācārya. Vyāsadeva is ācārya. He's making the next ācārya by teaching him-adhyāpayām āsa, śukam adhyāpayām āsa—so that he is becoming ācārya. So we have to go the ācārya and take lesson.
So we are being misled by the so-called scientists and the math... That is not perfect knowledge. The perfect knowledge is in the Vedas. Therefore it is advised, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). You should go to a guru who has complete knowledge from the śruti. Śruti means Vedas. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Veda means you have to approach ācārya. He knows everything. Unless he is not followers of the Vedas, śruti, he's a rascal. What is the use of going there? What is the... What you'll get by approaching a so-called rascal guru, one who does not know śruti? Therefore Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has forbidden. And Sanātana Gosvāmī has forbidden. Avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyam. Because śravaṇam, śruti... To go to guru means to hear from him, to inquire from him.
Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13), yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile... Now, we go to tīrtha-sthāna, we go to Hardwar and Vṛndāvana and other nice holy places... And the Christians go to Jordan. So... Jerusalem. They take birth in the Jordan. So yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile. Salile means water. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣv abhijñeṣu. But have no interest to understand his identification, spiritual identification, from the ācārya. Janeṣv abhijñeṣu. Abhijña means one who knows, ācārya. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This is the Vedic instruction. To understand your spiritual identity, you must find out a proper guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet. So he has no such knowledge. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. So he has no knowledge. The superficial. So sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13), such person is no better than the cows and the asses—means animal.
So as we have explained many times, that this arca-mūrti... The rascal class of men, they cannot understand arca-mūrti. They think that "They are worshiping idol." Even amongst the Hindus there are so-called followers of Vedas. They also say that "What is the necessity of worshiping Deity in the temple?" They made very vigorous propaganda in India to stop temple worship. For a short time it has got some reaction, but now it is finished. That rascal propaganda not to worship the Deity in the temple is finished. Nobody cares for that. They think that God is everywhere—except in the temple. (laughter) That is their view. And God is everywhere; why not in the temple? No. That is their poor fund of knowledge. They cannot accommodate. No. God is everywhere but not in the temple. This is their intelligence, rascals. So we have to follow therefore ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: one who has accepted ācārya... One who knows the śāstra and practically behaves according to the regulation of śāstra, he is called ācārya. Acinoti śāstrārthaḥ.
We see so many universes, one universe, but there are many millions of universes. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koti koṭiṣu aśeṣa-vasudhādi bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). And in each and every universe there are so many planets, aśeṣa, you cannot count—unlimited—in one universe, and there are millions of universes. What is your material knowledge? What do you know? You are trying to go to the moon planet. That is also you committing mistake. And what about the millions of universes?
Therefore our knowledge is very, very limited, poor. Poor fund of knowledge, and still we are proud. Sapari phora-phorayate.(?) Just like a small fish, you have seen in the pond. Little water, say one feet—(makes sound) "phor, phor, phor, phor." But the big fishes, they are in the deep in the water, big fish. So we take knowledge from the big fish, not from the small fish, "phor, phor, phor, phor." So phora-phorayate(?), this kind of knowledge will not satisfy us. We take from the big fish, one who knows. Then who knows? Kṛṣṇa knows. And one who knows from Kṛṣṇa, he knows. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who is ācāryavān, who has taken shelter of ācārya, he knows. Why? Because ācārya receives knowledge from Kṛṣṇa and he distributes knowledge to his disciple. That is perfect knowledge. Ācāryavān puruṣaḥ. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). These are the instruction.
So this rascal became a prostitute-hunter, dāsī-pati. Therefore it is called dāsī-pati. Dāsī means śūdra, śūdra, fourth class. The first class, brāhmaṇa; second class, kṣatriya; third class, vaiśya; and the śūdra, the fourth class, the servants, they are women.
So he became a dāsī-pati, Ajāmila, nāmnā, by the name. And what was the result? Naṣṭa-sadācāraḥ. Sadācāra means well behavior, gentleman's behavior. And ācāra. (sic:) Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Ācāra. One who teaches ācāra, sadācāra, he is ācārya. Ācārya means one who teaches sadācāra. Just like in our society we teach, "No illicit sex." This is sadācāra. "No gambling. No drinking or intoxication." This is sadācāra, gentleman, how to become gentleman. If one is prostitute-hunter, drunkard, meat-eater, gambler, he's not even a gentleman, what to speak of becoming a devotee and philosopher? Impossible. Those who are addicted to these bad habits, in their hundreds and thousands of life they will never be able to understand what is God. The door is locked for them. So naṣṭa-sadācāra. As soon as you become illicit sex hunter, prostitute-hunter, addicted, then you will lose your sadācāra. All good behavior finished. Naṣṭa-sadācāra. Why? Dāsyāḥ saṁsarga-duṣitaḥ. On account of association with the prostitute, one will lose all his good qualities.
So we have to learn from the ācāryas, not any common man or any self-made ācārya. No. That will not do. Just like we... Sometimes in the court we give some judgment from the other court and that is taken very seriously because it is authority. We cannot manufacture judgment. Similarly, ācāryopāsanaṁ, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is recommended. We have to go to the ācāryas. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: "One who has accepted ācārya in the disciplic succession, he knows the things." So all the ācāryas, they accept Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nārada, he accepts, Vyāsadeva, he accepts, and Arjuna also accepts, who personally listened to Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā.
So jaṭā-kamaṇḍalūn bibhṛyāt. Bibhṛyād upavītam. But the sacred thread must be there, sacred thread. That is the sign that, that "This person has approached guru." The sacred thread is the indication that he is twice-born. First of all he was born by the father and mother; now he has approached guru, and guru gives him initiation and sacred thread. That means he is under the care of guru. That is required. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Unless one takes shelter of ācārya, he is careless. Not careless; he is not taken care of. He is vagabond. If one does not take shelter of ācārya, then he is a vagabond. Therefore in India we see so many vagabonds: no employment, no caretaker, loitering in the street, playing at noontime, no engagement. This is the defect because we have lost our own culture. Although this culture—brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsī—is Indian culture, unfortunately we have given up. Varnāśrama-dharma, varṇa, four varṇas and four āśramas, they're simply giving up. No more brāhmaṇa, no more kṣatriyas, no more vaiśyas, no more śūdras. They are less than śūdras. Pañcama. Less then śūdra means caṇḍāla.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The Gosvāmīs, or in the Pañcarātra system, in the śāstras, the regulative principles are so made that, if we practice it, gradually our dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be awakened. Therefore these prescribed rules and regulations, as it is given in the śāstras and confirmed by the ācāryas... Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, tāṅdera caraṇa-sevi. We have to follow the footprints of the ācāryas. Ācārya means paramparā. One ācārya is following the previous ācārya. An ācārya does not manufacture anything, something novel. He follows the previous ācārya. And therefore he, he's ācārya. And one who follows... Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Ācārya upāsanam. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said. So we have to accept the principles laid down by the ācāryas.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So Kṛṣṇa is para-tattva, accepted by all ācāryas. We are not talking of the fools and rascals who are theorizing without any knowledge. We are concerned with the authorities. So authorities... Especially in India, the whole Vedic system is being followed by the people under the authorities of the ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who is following the path of the ācāryas, he knows. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. We cannot accept anyone as authority if he does not follow the paramparā, disciplic succession of ācārya. That is the Vedic system. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). So Kṛṣṇa is para-tattva. Na caitanyāt kṛṣṇāt jagati para-tattvaṁ param iha. He is very emphatically asserting that "There is no more greater truth than Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa Caitanya." So according to the Vedic system, if you say something very emphatically, you must prove by Vedic evidences. Otherwise you can go on talking; nobody will hear. Sometimes people ask us about Kṛṣṇa and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "What is the Vedic evidences?" So that Vedic evidences will be given, later chapters of Caitanya-caritāmṛta. He is not falsely asserting. Kavirāja Gosvāmī is very, very advanced devotee and scholar. He is not ordinary human being. He was empowered by Madana-mohana.
Guru means who opens the eyes of the ignorant person. Ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā. Opening the eyes by giving real knowledge... Guru-kṛṣṇa kṛpā pāya bhakti-latā-bīja. So bhakti-latā, the devotional service, the seed of devotional service, can be received by the paramparā system through bona fide spiritual master. And if we abide by the orders of spiritual master faithfully, then Kṛṣṇa becomes pleased. That is stated by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. Āra nā koriya mane āśā. Narottama dāsa... All the ācāryas, they say like that. Ācāryam māṁ vijānīyāt. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: "One who has accepted ācārya, he knows things as they are." Others, they do not know. It is not possible.
So it is the force of love. It is the force of ecstasy that will help you in understanding the science of Kṛṣṇa, not other way. Not other. You cannot make a speculation; you cannot... Because what is your power of speculating power? Your senses are limited. In conditioned stage our power of, I mean to say, acquiring knowledge through the senses, that is limited. So by limited senses you cannot go. Therefore acintya. Acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet. Acintya. It is beyond our jurisdiction of thinking, understanding. So there is no other alternative than to follow this principle, follow this principle, to follow the opinion of ācārya. Ācāryopāsanam. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated, "If if you want to make progress in knowledge, then you have to follow." Ācāryopāsanam: "You have to worship ācārya." Ācāryopāsanam. In the Veda it is: ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Veda means knowledge, one who knows. Who knows? "Who has got ācārya to guide him." Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. So similarly, therefore, this Vedic system always gives us injunction. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) "One must go to the authority."
So we are very much proud of seeing things. Somebody says, "Can you show me God?" But just try to understand what is the power of our eyes. Now there is no light, so our seeing power is vanished. In this way, all the powers of our senses are conditional. Under certain condition we can see, under certain condition we can hear. Therefore at the present moment our life is conditional. We act, we see, we walk, we hear, we smell, we touch—under certain condition. Just like I have got my eyes. Because my sight power is less, so I take the condition of a glass and try to see. Similarly, this material condition is like that. Spiritually, we have got the power of seeing, the power of hearing, the power of speaking, the power of touching, power of smelling, but because we are covered by this material body, all these powers have become conditional, not absolute. So those who are inquisitive to understand the absolute life or spiritual life, he must accept a guru. Therefore Caitanya-caritāmṛta says pūrve, in the beginning. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. If we actually are serious to understand the Absolute Truth, then one must have the shelter of ācārya. Ācāryavān. This vān word is used when one possesses. Asthate bato prata (?). So when one possesses the shelter of ācārya, then his knowledge is perfect.
Svayam bhagavān kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Whatever Kavirāja Gosvāmī is speaking, not out of his own whimsical way, whatever he's speaking, he's following the paramparā system. That is Vaiṣṇavism, or ācārya. Ācāryavan puruṣo veda. (noise, talking) (aside:) Stop this. Unless we accept the ācārya in the paramparā system, we cannot understand things as they are. It is not possible. So Kavirāja Gosvāmī, he's describing this Caitanya-caritāmṛta strictly according to the verdict of the śāstras.
Guest (2): Is the Vyāsadeva got it out of his meditation, or how the actual thing which was conveyed to Arjuna was again in real thing took a shape in Bhagavad-gītā?
Prabhupāda: That you have no intelligence to understand. But what is given by Vyāsadeva, that is accepted by all the ācāryas. We are not so learned as you are, but we follow the ācārya. And it is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, ācāryopāsanam. You must follow the ācāryas, the Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, even Śaṅkarācārya, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then you'll get the real answer. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: "One who follows the ācārya, he knows." Others, they do not know. So you cannot question "Why? How Vyāsadeva wrote?" That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sañjaya says vyāsa prasāda. How one can understand? By the mercy of Vyāsadeva. So we have to see. Instead of criticizing in that adverse way, we have to follow the ācārya. Ācāryopāsanam. So you'll find Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they have accepted in that way. So what is the use of our questioning? We should follow. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Otherwise it is not possible.
In any way you study Vedas—directly, indirectly, this way or that way—the conclusion is that the objective is Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya says. And in the Bhagavad-gītā also we get the same information. You will find in the teachings of Lord Caitanya, the same thing as in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is the beauty of teachings of all ācāryas, that you won't find any deviation from the teachings of Kṛṣṇa and the teachings of ācāryas. Therefore it is said, ācāryavān puruṣo veda: "One who has the guidance of a bona fide ācārya, he knows things. He knows things, what it is." Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: "One who is under the guidance of bona fide ācārya, he knows things, what they are."
Now śruti, this Vedic, vedo mātā. Vedo mātā. Veda is called mother. Why? But this mother gives birth the second birth. We have... Several times we have discussed in this hall that first birth is given by this material father and second birth is by the spiritual master. The spiritual master is the father, and the Veda is the mother. So when a person is called dvija, second birth, when he goes to the spiritual master and takes lessons from Veda... This upana... The sacred thread is called upanayana... Upanayana means to bring him nearer. Upa means nearer, and nayana means bringing. To take a fallen soul nearer, that is called upanayana. And when the spiritual master sees that he is quite competent to come near to God, he recognizes him and he gives him sacred thread. That is called brāhmaṇa. That is the symbol that he has approached an ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. How one is understood that he knows spiritual science? That means who has a spiritual master. These things are there.
General Lectures
So it is the duty of every Indian to understand this science. It is a science, and spoken by the Lord Himself, and understood by all the ācāryas. Kṛṣṇa says ācāryopāsanam. We have to understand things through the ācāryas. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who is not following the footsteps of the ācāryas, he cannot understand anything. Kṛṣṇa also says tad-vijñānārtham. No, Kṛṣṇa... That is said in the Kaṭhopaniṣad: tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Kṛṣṇa says, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). So everywhere the same instruction is there, that "You approach a person who is coming in disciplic succession," evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2), "and try to learn Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Your life will be sublime. Your life will be successful." That is our mission. We have given so many important books. We have got magazines. If you want to understand through intelligence and philosophy, we have got volumes of books we can deliver. You try to understand. If you simply read our book Kṛṣṇa in two parts, I am sure you will become Kṛṣṇa conscious, undoubtedly. Or if you feel that you cannot read or you have no money to purchase book, never mind. Lord Caitanya has given you very simple path: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. If you chant this mantra with faith and devotion, without any offense, but simply by chanting you will realize yourself, you will realize God, Kṛṣṇa, and your life will be successful.
Just try to understand. Worshipable God and worshiper God. This is. Sevya bhagavān-sevaka bhagavān. Just like guru is addressed: "Prabhupāda." Prabhu means "the Lord" and pāda means "the position." "One who has taken the position of the Lord." The same thing: sākṣād-dharitvena, prabhupāda. These are the terms, one who is serious to study this science of God, they'll learn all these things. So one who is very serious to understand the science of God, for him a guru is required. Don't try to keep a guru as a matter of fashion, that it has become a fashion to accept somebody, some rascal as guru, and say that "I have got my guru." What kind of guru you have got? You are talking nonsense. Ācāryavān puruṣa veda. One who has accepted guru, he'll talk sense, where there is meaning. He'll never talk any nonsense. That is the sign that he has got guru. He has got the sacred thread. Yes, he's accepted by bona fide guru. That is the sign, sacred thread. So you are offering good respect to your spiritual master. That is very nice. You are very thankful. But at the same time we should remember that how to carry out the orders of the guru so that people may not think that you are talking nonsense. You must be very careful.
So far our Vedic religion is concerned, the propounder of the Vedic religions in India still existing, still continuing, the ācāryas, just like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka, these ācāryas... The followers, the whole Hindu community or the whole Indian nation, they are followers of these ācāryas. Jarāsandha: "One must worship the principle of ācārya." Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: "One who has accepted ācārya, he knows what is knowledge." Ācāryavan puruso veda. 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...
Philosophy Discussions
Hayagrīva: He writes, "In my darkness I could have wished for nothing better than a real live guru"—he uses the word guru—"someone possessing superior knowledge and ability who would have disentangled for me the involuntary creations of my imagination."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Guru. Guru, that is required: tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). That is Vedic process. To have, to possess perfect knowledge one must have guru, and guru means one has..., one is actually representative of God, not theoretically, but one who has practically seen and experienced God. We have to approach such guru then by service and by surrender, and by sincere inquiries we shall be able to understand what is God. That is required. The speculation is no use. Athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi, jānāti tattvam (SB 10.14.29). This is the statement of Vedic literature. "My Lord, one who has received a little mercy and favor of Your Lordship, he can understand. Others may speculate for millions and millions of years, avacintya-tattve. Still they will remain in the fathom of inconceivable energy. There is no possibility." This is not the process. It clearly described in the Bhāgavata, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55), simply through the process of bhakti. Bhakti means śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23), hearing, chanting about Viṣṇu, always remembering Him. Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām (BG 9.14). That is the process. Always glorify the Lord, and devotee's only business is to glorify. That is devotee. Naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṇyās tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ (SB 7.9.43). A devotee's consciousness is always drowned in the ocean of the pastimes of the Supreme Lord, unlimited activities, and devotees always think of that activities. Tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta, that is, means that drowned in the ocean of the activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So that is transcendental bliss, and one should learn how to be always merged in the ocean of God consciousness. That training is given by the spiritual master; therefore one must have, ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who is under the direction of ācārya, he knows everything about God. (break)
Śyāmasundara: And he says that everything should be seen in relation to that what ought to be (indistinct).
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is our philosophy. If it is approved and Rūpa Gosvāmī says, ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śīlanaṁ (CC Madhya 19.167), our ought to be is what is Kṛṣṇa approves or His representative approves. That is ought to be. Our standard. Otherwise it is not, not ought to be. Therefore we accept our guidance (indistint). Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Therefore Vedas say that one must approach a bona fide spiritual master, in order to be fully in knowledge. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. These are Vedic injunctions. One who has accepted a bona fide spiritual master, he knows everything. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Veda means in knowledge. So ācāryavān, one who has accepted ācārya. Therefore our principle is to follow the ācārya. In Bhagavad-gītā also it is said, ācārya upāsanam, one must worship ācārya, to go to the right knowledge. So that is our philosophy.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Dr. Patel: Etat kṣetraṁ samāsena sa-vikāram... Now, amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir... (BG 13.8). (break)
Prabhupāda: ...That is the first thing, ācāryopāsanam. But these rascals, they do not do that. They have no ācārya; still, they, write comment on Bhagavad-gītā. You see? This is the rascaldom. Ācāryopāsanam. One must go... Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Unless one accepts ācārya, he does not know anything.
Dr. Patel: And then amānitvam adambhitvam...
Prabhupāda: First of all, try to understand one word please. One word, if you understand, your life will be successful. Don't go further. Ācāryopāsanam. This is the very important thing.
Dr. Patel: Every, every word is important, Bhagavad-gītā... Why one word?
Prabhupāda: Yes! So ācārya, who is ācārya? Then next question will be: who is ācārya? Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Those who are coming, the ācārya-sampradāya. Śrī-sampradāya, Rudra-sampradāya, the four sampradāyas. So unless... Sampradāya vihīnā ye mantrās te viphalāḥ... Unless one comes to the ācārya disciplic succession, whatever nonsense he speaks, it is all useless. This is the most important thing, ācāryopāsanam.
Dr. Patel: In śāstra all the signs, symptoms, and characteristics of a siddha are mentioned. And those characteristics must be there with the siddha.
Prabhupāda: Yeah, then we shall accept. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya tinete karīyā aikya. Śāstra will say, and guru will say, "Yes, it is rightly said." Saintly person also will accept. Just like Kṛṣṇa is accepted by Arjuna. Paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān. He immediately mentioned that "Such sage, authorities, accept. The śāstra says." Not that because Kṛṣṇa was His friend, he accepted blindly. No. That is corroboration. Whether it is mentioned in the śāstras, whether other saintly persons... Just like there are so many avatāras, but we have got our ācārya-sampradāya, Rāmānuja, Yamunācārya. Whether they are accepting? Not a third class man accepted, and it is accepted. The ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. This is the way of accepting. (break) Everyone will create his authorities, and unlimited imitation of God will come into existence, and people will be diverted from the reality. (break) The same example, that "Here is an imitation medicine, very cheap, as good as the original one." Even taking it for acceptance that it is as good as the other one, but why in the presence of the original, I shall accept this imitation? What is your answer? Accepting this imitation is as good as the other, but if the other original is present, I can get it, why shall I go to the imitation? (break)
Dr. Patel: These are the agamas and nigamas.
Prabhupāda: This is the Māyāvādī's version. They do not accept the Purāṇas. This is Māyāvādī version. But our paramparā system, Madhvācārya, he has accepted Purāṇas, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, as Vedic literature. So we have to follow the ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣo... Yes. Not only Madhvācārya, all, all other ācāryas.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Āhus tvāṁ ṛṣayaḥ sarve: "All the ṛṣis, great saintly persons, they have accepted You." And some of them are named: Asita, Devala, Vyāsa. They are very great authority, ṛṣis: Vyāsadeva, who has compiled the whole Vedic literature; Nārada, the spiritual master of Vyāsadeva; similarly, Asita, Devala, very, very big, big stalwart, they have accepted. So apart from all these ṛṣis, recently, within, say, thousand years, great ācāryas just like Śaṅkarācārya, Madhvācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Nimbārka, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Lord Caitanya, they have all accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme. And India's Vedic culture is practically dependent on all these ācāryas. So we are follower of these ācārya, so we accept, following the footsteps of the ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who has ācārya, guidance... Just like if anyone is going to be doctor of philosophy, he is guided by three ācāryas. That is the system in India. I think the same here, is it not? Anyone who is going to present some thesis, he is guided by three experienced professors, is it not?
Dr. Movebhed: Yes, more or less.
Prabhupāda: That is ācārya. So ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Without following the ācārya, if we simply theorize, that is not good. Just like the same example: if you want to put some thesis, the university regulation is that he must be guided by three experienced professor. You cannot simply put forward your thesis without being guided by the experienced professors. That thesis will not be accepted. Similarly, here Arjuna directly hears from Kṛṣṇa. So he says that "You are Parabrahma. Now I understand." Now people may say that "You are accepting Him Parabrahma. Where is your authority? You are friend. You can say Parabrahma or anything—out of love. That is not final." Therefore he quotes that... What is that? Āhus tvāṁ ṛṣayaḥ sarve: "All the big, big ṛṣis, they have accepted You."
Prabhupāda: Ācāryopāsanam. In the Bhagavad-gītā: "One should worship ācārya." This is the beginning of spiritual life. Amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam ācāryopāsanam (BG 13.8). Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. These are the injunction. Without taking shelter of ācārya, nobody can understand anything. (break)
Dr. Patel: That passage, ekatena bahutena bahuda visato mukham(?) That passage comprises all of the philosophies of India.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Pantheism, monism, dualism.
Dr. Patel: And qualifies, I mean.... Somebody has very well commented on that particular śloka, giving all the views of Madhvācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Jīva(?)ācārya, and all the modern.... Somewhere I read, I don't know where, on that particular śloka. After all these things, ācārya, ācārya para...
Prabhupāda: Ācāryopāsanam...
Dr. Patel: (indistinct) Without ācārya...
Prabhupāda: Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who has accepted ācārya, he knows, he knows. Now our these European and American boys are preaching in South India, big, big ācāryas, they have received them. Because they know that these boys know; latest letter. Hare Kṛṣṇa! (end)
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: (break) This is basis of Gītā. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). Learn from the real person, tattva-darśinaḥ, who has seen, who has actual experience of the truth. Learn from him. The Gītā never recommends that you imagine and make your theories. Never said. That is the Vedic culture. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsur śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). This is the way. Take lesson from Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's representative. Then you will get experience. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. What is the use of imagining?
Harikeśa: I mean, after all, all this talk about God was simply there because of man's desire to explain the unknown. He saw a thunderbolt and...
Prabhupāda: It is unknown to the rascal man. It is known to the sober man. (laughter) He should become sober instead of becoming a rascal. That is required. Vidyā-vinaya-sampanne (BG 5.18). Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: "He knows, who has accepted the ācārya."
Devotee (2): (break) ...Śrīla Prabhupāda, is that we actually don't believe that they're fools.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Devotee (2): I said our difficulty is that we don't actually believe that they're fools. Most people are thinking that the scientists do have knowledge. We don't fully believe that they are rascals.
Prabhupāda: You do not believe because you are also fool, rascal. That means you're also rascal.
Devotee (2): Yes.
Prabhupāda: So you be intelligent. You're learning from your spiritual master. ...gurum eva abhigacchet. Therefore one must approach a guru to learn everything rightly. This is Vedic injunction. Tat tvaṁ puruṣam eva, ācāryopāsanam. Read Bhagavad-gītā. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Ācāryopāsanam. This process of knowledge is to worship ācārya. Who's got ācārya, he knows. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda.
Prabhupāda: So where is the difficulty to understand the meaning of these two words, dharma-kṣetre, kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1)? Why you should interpret "Kuru-kṣetre means this, dharma-kṣetre means this"? Why? Mislead others and mislead himself.
Indian man: It must be understood literally, you say.
Prabhupāda: Yes, why not? Suppose you have got some philosophy. So you can explain your philosophy differently. Why should you take Bhagavad-gītā and explain your philosophy? Is it honesty?
Indian man: All the ācāryas have been doing it.
Prabhupāda: No ācāryas are doing it. All lower-class men. No ācāryas do it. Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka, these are ācāryas. Śaṅkarācārya, Caitanya, they never did it. Outsiders, who did not care for the authority of the ācārya, they did it. Otherwise, we are the ācārya sampradāya. They'll never do that. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Ācāryopāsanam. That is bona fide process of knowledge. Ācāryopāsanam. Amānitvam adambhitvam. Ācāryopāsanam. This is the process of knowledge. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). This is the ācārya. Ācārya will never interpret things like that. You see Rāmānujācārya's comments on Bhagavad-gītā. Nothing changed. But in every śloka he has given evidence from the Vedas, from the Upaniṣads. Ācārya will never change.
Jayādvaita: In the list of items of knowledge, "approaching a bona fide spiritual master." Ācāryopāsanam.
Prabhupāda: This is ācārya.
Prabhupāda: The knowledge is there, but you refuse to accept. So what is fault? Whose fault it is?
Indian man (4): How should I persuade myself that that...?
Prabhupāda: No, if you don't persuade, nobody can induce you to persuade. If you are obstinate, who can persuade you?
Indian man (4): Well, the devil persists. (?) I try to believe he persists. (?)
Prabhupāda: But you must agree. Therefore it is advised, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet, samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). Tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). First of all, you have to surrender. But if you don't surrender, how you'll get knowledge? If you think you are very big man, then how you get knowledge?
Indian man (4): No, we don't think that we are big men.
Prabhupāda: No, no, everyone thinks that, not you. I don't say particular. Everyone thinks, "I know everything."
Indian man (4): No, no. We think that we are ignorant, petty creatures. Correct. And we know...
Prabhupāda: But if you think so, that you are ignorant petty creatures, then you take knowledge from the authority. Why don't you take it? What is the meaning that you think you are ignorant petty creature, at the same time, when the most learned person is giving you knowledge, Kṛṣṇa, you don't take it? What kind of...?
Indian man (4): But there are so many authorities presented to me. But there is the Bible, there is the Koran, there is...
Prabhupāda: No, first of all, you are born in India. Why you are jumping to Bible? (laughter) This is another foolishness. You take care of your own house. You are jumping like monkey to Bible. (laughter)
Indian man (4): In our own house there are quite a few dharmas.
Prabhupāda: Therefore ācāryavān puruṣo veda. You have to follow the ācāryas. In our country there are ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, those who are recognized authority. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. In the Bhagavad-gītā, ācāryopāsanam. You have to worship the ācārya.
Indian man (6): You have to look up your...
Prabhupāda: Yes. The ācārya's paramparā is there. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2).
Indian man (4): There is no dearth of ācārya in India. There is ācārya Rajneesh, there is ācārya...
Prabhupāda: No. There is ācārya, and there are fools also. Ācārya is there, and fools are there also. The agnostics are there. They will not accept any ācārya. You accept some ācārya. Why you become skeptic? At least, we have to accept Kṛṣṇa as the supreme ācārya. Why don't you accept Him? If you are embarrassed whom to select ācārya, so who can be better ācārya than Kṛṣṇa? Why don't you accept Him? That means you want to avoid under some plea. Otherwise there is ācārya. If you don't believe in other ācārya, you take at least Kṛṣṇa who is accepted by all the ācāryas. Either Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, or anyone, will they not accept Kṛṣṇa as the supreme teacher? Whole world is understanding Kṛṣṇa is the supreme teacher. At least at the present moment they are accepting. We are selling our books daily five to six lakhs' worth, only these Kṛṣṇa consciousness books. And in our country we do not accept Kṛṣṇa as the supreme ācārya. What is this? That is our misfortune. Kṛṣṇa is recognized ācārya. There is no doubt about it.
Indian man (7): Sir, (Hindi?)
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa also says, ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyāt. Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit (SB 11.17.27). Ācārya and Kṛṣṇa-identical. Who is ācārya? Who speaks on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, he is ācārya. Ācārya means one who speaks on behalf of Kṛṣṇa. That is ācārya.
| Page Title: | Acaryavan puruso veda |
| Compiler: | Syamananda, Visnu Murti, MadhuGopaldas |
| Created: | 14 of jan, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=1, SB=6, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=42, Con=10, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 60 |