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Consulting the authorities

Expressions researched:
"consult authorities" |"consult so many authoritative" |"consult some great authority" |"consult the authoritative" |"consult the higher authorities" |"consulting the authorities"

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

Mahārāja Parīkṣit, as a perfect king, followed the principles by consulting the authorities, even up to the last days of his life.
SB 1.19.12, Purport:

Although the King had already decided to fast until death on the bank of the Ganges, he humbly expressed his decision to elicit the opinions of the great authorities present there. Any decision, however important, should be confirmed by some authority. That makes the matter perfect. This means that the monarchs who ruled the earth in those days were not irresponsible dictators. They scrupulously followed the authoritative decisions of the saints and sages in terms of Vedic injunction. Mahārāja Parīkṣit, as a perfect king, followed the principles by consulting the authorities, even up to the last days of his life.

SB Canto 3

The yoga system described in the books of Patañjali is authoritative, and the modern so-called yogīs who have manufactured their own ways, not consulting the authorities, are simply ludicrous.
SB 3.21.12, Purport:

The realization of the personal form of the Lord is the highest perfectional stage of yoga. In the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, where yoga practice is described, this realization of the personal form of the Lord is called the perfection of yoga. After practicing the sitting postures and other regulative principles of the system, one finally reaches the stage of samādhi—absorption in the Supreme. In the samādhi stage one can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His partial form as Paramātmā, or as He is. Samādhi is described in authoritative yoga scriptures, such as the Patañjali-sūtras, to be a transcendental pleasure. The yoga system described in the books of Patañjali is authoritative, and the modern so-called yogīs who have manufactured their own ways, not consulting the authorities, are simply ludicrous. The Patañjali yoga system is called aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Sometimes impersonalists pollute the Patañjali yoga system because they are monists. Patañjali describes that the soul is transcendentally pleased when he meets the Supersoul and sees Him. If the existence of the Supersoul and the individual is admitted, then the impersonalist theory of monism is nullified. Therefore some impersonalists and void philosophers twist the Patañjali system in their own way and pollute the whole yoga process.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Even it is higher officer, everyone has to consult the higher authorities. Similarly, this means that I shall not independently make any plan, but I must accept the standard plan which is coming directly from the supreme consciousness through a channel. Through a channel. You have to seek that channel.
Lecture on BG 2.51-55 -- New York, April 12, 1966:

Gradually, we shall come to the stage when there will be everything done automatically. But in, in the present moment, in the present moment, we should give up planmaking, but we shall, we shall have to take up the plan of the supreme consciousness. Personally, we shall not make any plans. But we have to receive the plan from the supreme consciousness. That will be our position. Just like an apprentice. He is working, he is working in the apprenticeship. He should not present his own plan. But he has to take plans of work from his superior. Then he will learn. And when he's accustomed, when he's elevated, then he'll be able to make independent plans. Although not independent always, but even it is higher officer, everyone has to consult the higher authorities. Similarly, this means that I shall not independently make any plan, but I must accept the standard plan which is coming directly from the supreme consciousness through a channel. Through a channel. You have to seek that channel.

If there is any difficulty to understand, we may consult persons who are in the understanding. We may consult books. We may consult authorities.
Lecture on BG 4.13-14 -- New York, August 1, 1966:

If there is any difficulty to understand, we may consult persons who are in the understanding. We may consult books. We may consult authorities. That we can do because inquiry is always allowed. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). The, I mean to say, the transcendental inquiry is never forbidden. A sincere person, one can make inquiry. But fact is this. If I cannot understand in my present condition, that is my misunderstanding. But the fact is this that Kṛṣṇa, when He comes, He is not any, like any one of us. He's transcendental. Neither any act which He does, it has got reaction. And He says, na me karma-phale spṛhā, "I have no desire for any fruitive activities."

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Śāstra means you can consult. Just like you consult dictionary, you consult encyclopedia, you consult so many authoritative books for understanding knowledge, similarly, if you consult, you get all information.
Lecture on SB 6.1.7 -- San Francisco, March 1, 1967:

Lord Buddha's mother's name was Añjana. He was Hindu, kṣatriya, a prince. So everything is stated there. Similarly, the next incarnation at the end of this Kali-yuga is also mentioned in the Bhāgavata. That will take place 400,000's of years after from this time. But His father's name and the incarnation's name and the place where He will come, that is also stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

So this is called śāstra. Śāstra means you can consult. Just like you consult dictionary, you consult encyclopedia, you consult so many authoritative books for understanding knowledge, similarly, if you consult, you get all information. So in this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is all stated: "If you do like this, you get birth like this. If you do like this, you get birth like this." And in the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā it is generally spoken, ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). Those who are in the modes of goodness... There are three qualities in this material world: the quality of goodness, the quality of passion, and the quality of ignorance. So in the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ. Those who are cultivating the quality of goodness, they can be promoted to the higher status of life in higher planetary system.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Then you have to consult. Therefore you have to take, just like when you can not understand something, we consult some great authority. Is it not?
Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 11, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Prabhupāda: Now, suppose, not suppose, it's a fact: your body in the mother's womb in the first day.

Allen Ginsberg: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: Of the father, mother sex life, it comes just like the pea many diverse. So from the pea you have come to this point. So body is changing. So what is the astonishment if you change this body, again become, take another pea form. What is the difficulty to understand?

Allen Ginsberg: Well, the difficulty to understand would be any permanent being; to understand that there is any permanent being or any continuity of any form of consciousness from one body to another.

Prabhupāda: Then you have to consult. Therefore you have to take, just like when you can not understand something, we consult some great authority. Is it not?

Allen Ginsberg: Not enough to make me dream of it at night, no. Not enough to make me love it. Words are not enough. That authority is not enough to make me love it.

Prabhupāda: You don't accept authority?

Allen Ginsberg: Not enough to love.

Prabhupāda: No, love, apart from love.

Allen Ginsberg: Not enough to...

Prabhupāda: Consult.

Allen Ginsberg: ...going to accept authority. It's just that...

Prabhupāda: Consult, consult.

Allen Ginsberg: I can't even understand an authority that says that I am there when I don't feel myself there.

Prabhupāda: Well, suppose when you are in some legal trouble, you go to lawyer. You cannot understand. Why do you say you cannot understand? Where you have disease where do you go to a physician. You see? Authority you accept.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

We have to consult the authoritative Vedic literature. This answer is there, that goloka eva nivasaty, "He is living in Goloka Vṛndāvana; still, He is everywhere."
Room Conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor -- July 9, 1973, London:

Śyāmasundara: So if God is a person with eyes, legs, He stays in one place?

Prabhupāda: Again, the same... You are comparing with yourself. Because your person can stay in one place only. That means you are simply comparing the Personality of Godhead with your personality. That you have to forget. He, He stays everywhere. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37). Therefore we have to consult the authoritative Vedic literature. This answer is there, that goloka eva nivasaty, "He is living in Goloka Vṛndāvana; still, He is everywhere." You cannot think of. You are in this apartment. You are not in your office. But Kṛṣṇa, although He's in Goloka Vṛndāvana, He's everywhere, in everyone's heart. He's seeing everything. That you cannot imagine, how it is possible. That means you want to compare with your, this foolish, imperfect personality with God's personality. That is our defect.

Page Title:Consulting the authorities
Compiler:Siddha Rupa, Visnu Murti
Created:17March08,
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=2, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=3, Con=2, Let=0
No. of Quotes:7