The Vedas indicate therefore that mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). If you want to understand the Absolute Truth, then you have to follow great personalities, great devotees. Just like in the Western world, Lord Jesus Christ, you have to follow his principles. That is all right, his Ten Commandments. But we do not follow. We simply fight, "Oh, I am Christian, you are Hindu," "I am Muhammadan," "I am this." Nobody tries to follow. You see? That is not the way. You have to follow. If you believe in certain personality . . . of course, not believe, not blind believing; he must be authority.
Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam they have indicated twelve authorities. According to Vedic version, there are twelve authorities, and one of them is Prahlāda Mahārāja. The twelve authorities are:
- svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ
- kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ
- prahlādo janako bhīṣmo
- balir vaiyāsakir vayam
- (SB 6.3.20)
This was explained by Yamarāja to his followers, that there are twelve authorities. So if one has to know the secret of spiritual realization, then one has to follow either of these twelve authorities.