Intelligent disciple

Expressions researched:
"All my disciples they are good boys, intelligent" |"disciples in London center are very intelligent" |"higher intelligent class of disciples" |"intelligent and sympathetic disciples" |"intelligent disciple" |"intelligent disciples" |"intelligent young student disciples" |"my initiated disciple, and because he is very intelligent"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

Behold the great army of the sons of Pāṇḍu, so expertly arranged by your intelligent disciple the son of Drupada.

BG 1.3, Purport:

O my teacher, behold the great army of the sons of Pāṇḍu, so expertly arranged by your intelligent disciple the son of Drupada."

Duryodhana, a great diplomat, wanted to point out the defects of Droṇācārya, the great brāhmaṇa commander in chief. Droṇācārya had some political quarrel with King Drupada, the father of Draupadī, who was Arjuna's wife. As a result of this quarrel, Drupada performed a great sacrifice, by which he received the benediction of having a son who would be able to kill Droṇācārya. Droṇācārya knew this perfectly well, and yet as a liberal brāhmaṇa he did not hesitate to impart all his military secrets when the son of Drupada, Dhṛṣṭadyumna, was entrusted to him for military education. Now, on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, Dhṛṣṭadyumna took the side of the Pāṇḍavas, and it was he who arranged for their military phalanx, after having learned the art from Droṇācārya. Duryodhana pointed out this mistake of Droṇācārya's so that he might be alert and uncompromising in the fighting.

SB Canto 2

The ahaṅgrahopāsitā, or the one who worships himself with the idea of becoming God Himself, is misleading, but the intelligent disciple can at once detect that the Supreme God does not need to worship anyone, including Himself, in order to become God.

SB 2.5.7, Purport:

Following in the footsteps of Śrī Nārada Muni, one should not blindly accept his spiritual master as God Himself. A spiritual master is duly respected on a par with God, but a spiritual master claiming to be God Himself should at once be rejected. Nārada Muni accepted Brahmā as the Supreme due to Lord Brahmā's wonderful acts in creation, but doubts arose in him when he saw that Lord Brahmā also worshiped some superior authority. The Supreme is supreme, and He has no worshipable superior. The ahaṅgrahopāsitā, or the one who worships himself with the idea of becoming God Himself, is misleading, but the intelligent disciple can at once detect that the Supreme God does not need to worship anyone, including Himself, in order to become God. Ahaṅgrahopāsanā may be one of the processes for transcendental realization, but the ahaṅgrahopāsitā can never be God Himself. No one becomes God by undergoing a process of transcendental realization. Nārada Muni thought of Brahmājī as the Supreme Person, but when he saw Brahmājī engaged in the process of transcendental realization, doubts arose in him. So he wanted to be clearly informed.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 12.6.36, Purport:

Śaunaka Ṛṣi said: O gentle Sūta, please narrate to us how Paila and the other greatly intelligent disciples of Śrīla Vyāsadeva, who are known as the standard authorities of Vedic wisdom, spoke and edited the Vedas."

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

"O my teacher, behold the great army of the sons of Pāṇḍu, so expertly arranged by your intelligent disciple, the son of Drupada." This is the pointing out. So that Dronācārya may be angry: "This rascal has learned from me and he wants to kill me?"

Lecture on BG 1.2-3 -- London, July 9, 1973:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

paśyaitāṁ pāṇḍu-putrāṇām

ācārya mahatiṁ camūm

vyūḍhāṁ drupada-putreṇa

tava śiṣyeṇa dhīmatā

(BG 1.3)

Translation: "O my teacher, behold the great army of the sons of Pāṇḍu, so expertly arranged by your intelligent disciple, the son of Drupada."

Prabhupāda: So—intelligent. This Drupada, the son of Drupada, he was meant for killing Dronācārya. Drupada Mahārāja was not in good terms with Dronācārya. So he performed a yajña to get a son who could kill Dronācārya. That son is this Draupada. So Dronācārya knew that "Drupada Mahārāja has got his son. In future he would kill me." Still, when he was offered to become his disciple, to learn military art, he accepted, "Yes." That means the brāhmaṇas were so liberal: "When he is coming as my disciple, never mind, he would kill me in future. That doesn't matter. But I must give him teaching." Therefore this word is used, dhīmatā, very intelligent: "He has killed the military science from you just to kill you." Dhīmatā, tava śiṣyeṇa. "Your disciple, he has arranged." This is the pointing out. So that he may be angry: "This rascal has learned from me and he wants to kill me?"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said that for any sinful action one has to atone. So immediately catches the word, this is intelligent disciple, that "What is the value of this atonement? If he cannot correct himself to commit the sinful activity, then what is the value of atonement?"

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Honolulu, May 10, 1976:

So dṛṣṭa-śrutābhyām. Śruta means hearing, knowledge... The same thing... The person, the thief, he has seen and he has heard. Dṛṣṭa-śrutābhyām yat pāpam (SB 6.1.9). He knows what is sinful activities. Jānann apy. He knows this is... Jānann apy ātmano 'hitam. "This kind of activity is injurious to my person." Karoti bhūyo vivaśaḥ: "Again he commits the same thing." He knows. Karoti vivaśaḥ prāyaścittam atho katham: "Then what is the value of that? If he cannot stop his sinful activity, then what is the meaning of this prāyaścittam?" So a professional thief, he has gone to the prison several times. He has been punished. Still, he commits the same thing, again goes to the jail. A patient, he has suffered from the disease on account of certain bad habits and he has gone to the doctor. He has paid much money and suffered injection, operation, and still he is doing that. Therefore Parīkṣit Mahārāja said, "What is the value of this prāyaścitta?" Prāyaścitta, kind of punishment.

So this is very important question. The world, whole world nowadays... I say sometimes that in the airport it is proved that... (break) ...punishment the practice of committing criminal activities is going on. This is very intelligent question, and Parīkṣit Mahārāja will reply... Śukadeva Gosvāmī will reply. But this is student. Just see how intelligent question is put. The Śukadeva Gosvāmī said that for any sinful action one has to atone. So immediately catches the word, this is intelligent disciple, that "What is the value of this atonement? If he cannot correct himself to commit the sinful activity, then what is the value of atonement?" This is very nice question.

1968 Correspondence

I shall be very glad to accept an educated and intelligent disciple like you, but first of all we must meet and you should know whether you can accept me as your Spiritual Master, or I can accept you as my disciple.

Letter to Vinode Patel -- Montreal 6 July, 1968:

Gargamuni spends his profit for Krishna Consciousness. He is so much elevated that he works very hard for doing business diligently, but the profit made out of it, he spends for Krishna. If you wish to do business in that spirit, that will enhance your spiritual assessment. Generally, people are inclined to do business or make profit for sense gratification; such tendency is the cause of material bondage. But to act for Krishna is the cause for opening the door for liberation. So, I shall not try to implicate you in business if you are not ready to award the profit for Krishna's benefit. The best thing will be that if you can come here for some days, say, at least for a fortnight, you can remain here with us in the temple here, and talk with me in details before you become my disciple. Actually, I shall be very glad to accept an educated and intelligent disciple like you, but first of all we must meet and you should know whether you can accept me as your Spiritual Master, or I can accept you as my disciple. This is preliminary necessity. I am therefore requesting you to come here at least for a fortnight, and let us understand one another. I think it is better if you reply me this letter in English, because I find it difficult in reading Gujarati, script, though I can understand Hindi fairly well.

1969 Correspondence

I started this movement in 1966, single-handedly, but by the Grace of God, I have now hundreds of intelligent young student disciples, who have taken up this movement seriously.

Letter to Swami Bhaktivedanta -- Hawaii 14 March, 1969:

We think the whole world or the entire human society is dwindling their faith in God so much so that some of them are declaring God is dead, and some of them are in frustration, manufacturing different kinds of isms, under different names. This state of affairs in the world is not very satisfactory at least for the advanced and civilized human society. It is essential therefore that scientific God consciousness which we are preaching under the name of Krishna Consciousness, should be broadcast very widely. I came to this country with this mission, because I know that America, although richest nation in the world, still there are so many frustrated youngsters both boys and girls. I started this movement in 1966, single-handedly, but by the Grace of God, I have now hundreds of intelligent young student disciples, who have taken up this movement seriously. They are executing the rules and regulations as described in statement 5. And they are feeling happy. Many of them have taken to household life and they are living very peacefully with wife and children, and some of the married couples have gone to England and they have been preaching Krishna Consciousness movement very creditably. So this movement is very precious missionary activities for the present society. I request the government should very scrutinizingly and wisely study this movement without being biased to some stereotyped ideas. It will be good for this country, and for the whole world at large if this movement is seriously taken up and broadcast all over the world by the American people, joined by the English as well. I think my idea and plan is coming to be true very soon because I have many intelligent and sympathetic disciples, both from America and England.

1970 Correspondence

In fact all of my disciples in London center are very intelligent and they should unite around this single task of selling Krsna Book widely throughout Britain and sending the money immediately to Japan.

Letter to Murari -- 74, Marine Drive, Bombay 20 Nov. 17, 1970:

Now that you are in London please try to eliminate this L4000 debt, the balance of which is unpaid Back to Godhead bills. The magazines and books are in great shortage of funds simply because the temples spend their income from literatures for temple maintenance and neglect the primary work of this Society, which is to print and distribute an increasing number of books. So please try to assist me in this way, by eliminating this debt. I have given you the hint that if you send me $10,000 you may keep the balance of profits from Krsna book to help pay this bill. Now this is my request, that you simply distribute these books immediately and deposit $10,000 in the Bhaktivedanta Book Fund Deposit with Dai Nippon in Japan. Why you have not sent report of Krsna Book sales? Why has no money been sent? This must be done weekly. I understand that Mukund will be assisting in distribution of Krsna Book and I think that he is very qualified to do this. In fact all of my disciples in London center are very intelligent and they should unite around this single task of selling Krsna Book widely throughout Britain and sending the money immediately to Japan.

1972 Correspondence

I am especially encouraged that that professor has become my initiated disciple, and because he is very intelligent and has a good position of influence in the university, he can utilize this opportunity to serve Krishna very perfectly by influencing the intelligent students to take up this perfectional science.

Letter to Sankarasana -- Bombay 4 February, 1972:

I am in due receipt of your letter of January 22, 1972, and I am very much encouraged that you want to remain in Austin city because the people there are in desperate need of Krishna Consciousness. Actually, that is the mood of the devotee, that he is always concerned for the general mass of people, that they should stop their sinful activities and become delivered from the most dangerous conditions of life by taking to this Krishna Consciousness or devotional service. So I am very much pleased that you do not want to leave. Actually, that is our policy, once we enter a place, to sit down, then gradually to lay down and occupy everything! So because there is such good possibility there for preaching, especially in the university, then I am recommending that some men must remain there are work very hard to get a permanent center. If the preaching work is sincere, then there will be no lack either of temple or of devotees to fill it. Now you have sat down, and although you are squeezed a little tightly, if you push a bit harder there will be enough space, and very soon you will find yourselves laying down and occupying the big space!

I am especially encouraged that that professor has become my initiated disciple, and because he is very intelligent and has a good position of influence in the university, he can utilize this opportunity to serve Krishna very perfectly by influencing the intelligent students to take up this perfectional science. Also, he has got good income, so I don't see there is any difficulty there, in fact, very soon I think you enlist many students to help and have a thriving KC center. And if you like if I come to Dallas to see, I may also come there to speak to the students, as suggested by Sri Galim.

1973 Correspondence

Before the Spiritual Master a dullheaded fool is required, an over intelligent disciple is not a very good qualification. Even Caitanya Mahaprabhu presented himself as a dullheaded fool in front of his Spiritual Master and faithfully chanted Hare Krishna.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 8 August, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter and GBC report, it is very nice and I am having it copied and sent to the other GBC Members so they may follow your example.

I was not at all inconvenienced by you, on the contrary, I say that you were the best secretary and you did your work most faithfully, I appreciated it, may Krishna bless you.

Yes! Before the Spiritual Master a dullheaded fool is required, an over intelligent disciple is not a very good qualification. Even Caitanya Mahaprabhu presented himself as a dullheaded fool in front of his Spiritual Master and faithfully chanted Hare Krishna.

So now Krishna has sent you a nice bus, and you also have a good field for preaching. Chant, dance distribute books and Prasadam and everything will increase automatically.

1974 Correspondence

All my disciples they are good boys, intelligent, and hard working. I pray to Krishna that you all may use your intelligence for Krishna's service and not for any personal ambition.

Letter to Cyavana -- Bombay 1 November, 1974:

I have seen your telegram to Brahmananda Swami and am glad to learn that you have opened a center in Zambia. You have made some progress there since going and I am pleased. You are a good worker. All my disciples they are good boys, intelligent, and hard working. I pray to Krishna that you all may use your intelligence for Krishna's service and not for any personal ambition. We have worked very hard and established a great institution, but if we think for our personal benefit then it will become ruined. This is my only concern. Now Caitya-guru is going there, and I understand that Dinanath and others will also go to Africa. So engage these men nicely, and Krishna will give you all facilities according to your capacity for serving Him.

1976 Correspondence

The examination is meant for the intelligent class, not all. Neither it is compulsory. So to pass the examination means one must have knowledge. There are higher intelligent class of disciples, otherwise it is not compulsory.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Mayapur 21 February, 1976:

Regarding the examination, I never meant that the examination would be held this year. It will be held first next year. The examination is meant for the intelligent class, not all. Neither it is compulsory. So to pass the examination means one must have knowledge. There are higher intelligent class of disciples, otherwise it is not compulsory. So how to organize it, how to do it, you GBC can decide. I have given the idea, now how to do it is up to the GBC.