Representative of Krsna

Expressions researched:
"representative of Krsna" |"representatives of Krsna"

BG Chapters 1 - 6

BG 2.8, Purport:

"A scholarly brāhmaṇa, expert in all subjects of Vedic knowledge, is unfit to become a spiritual master without being a Vaiṣṇava, or expert in the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But a person born in a family of a lower caste can become a spiritual master if he is a Vaiṣṇava, or Kṛṣṇa conscious." (Padma Purāṇa)

The problems of material existence—birth, old age, disease and death—cannot be counteracted by accumulation of wealth and economic development. In many parts of the world there are states which are replete with all facilities of life, which are full of wealth and economically developed, yet the problems of material existence are still present. They are seeking peace in different ways, but they can achieve real happiness only if they consult Kṛṣṇa, or the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—which constitute the science of Kṛṣṇa—through the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, the man in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

BG 2.41, Purport:

Service in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is, however, best practiced under the able guidance of a spiritual master who is a bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, who knows the nature of the student and who can guide him to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As such, to be well versed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness one has to act firmly and obey the representative of Kṛṣṇa, and one should accept the instruction of the bona fide spiritual master as one's mission in life.

BG Chapters 7 - 12

BG 10.26, Purport:

Amongst the perfect living entities, Kapila, the son of Devahūti, is a representative of Kṛṣṇa. He is considered an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, and His philosophy is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Later on another Kapila became famous, but his philosophy was atheistic. Thus there is a gulf of difference between them.

BG 10.27, Purport:

The devotee demigods and the demons (asuras) once took part in churning the sea. From this churning, nectar and poison were produced, and Lord Śiva drank the poison. From the nectar were produced many entities, of which there was a horse named Uccaiḥśravā. Another animal produced from the nectar was an elephant named Airāvata. Because these two animals were produced from nectar, they have special significance, and they are representatives of Kṛṣṇa.

BG 10.27, Purport:

Amongst the human beings, the king is the representative of Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa is the maintainer of the universe, and the kings, who are appointed on account of their godly qualifications, are maintainers of their kingdoms. Kings like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Lord Rāma were all highly righteous kings who always thought of the citizens' welfare. In Vedic literature, the king is considered to be the representative of God. In this age, however, with the corruption of the principles of religion, monarchy decayed and is now finally abolished. It is to be understood that in the past, however, people were more happy under righteous kings.

BG 10.28, Purport:

The thunderbolt, indeed a mighty weapon, represents Kṛṣṇa's power. In Kṛṣṇaloka in the spiritual sky there are cows which can be milked at any time, and they give as much milk as one likes. Of course such cows do not exist in this material world, but there is mention of them in Kṛṣṇaloka. The Lord keeps many such cows, which are called surabhi. It is stated that the Lord is engaged in herding the surabhi cows. Kandarpa is the sex desire for presenting good sons; therefore Kandarpa is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes sex is engaged in only for sense gratification; such sex does not represent Kṛṣṇa. But sex for the generation of good children is called Kandarpa and represents Kṛṣṇa.

BG 10.30, Purport:

Diti and Aditi are two sisters. The sons of Aditi are called Ādityas, and the sons of Diti are called Daityas. All the Ādityas are devotees of the Lord, and all the Daityas are atheistic. Although Prahlāda was born in the family of the Daityas, he was a great devotee from his childhood. Because of his devotional service and godly nature, he is considered to be a representative of Kṛṣṇa.

BG 10.33, Purport:

Among all kinds of killers, time is the ultimate because time kills everything. Time is the representative of Kṛṣṇa because in due course of time there will be a great fire and everything will be annihilated.

BG 11.43, Purport:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is worshipable as a father is worshipable for his son. He is the spiritual master because He originally gave the Vedic instructions to Brahmā and presently He is also instructing Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna; therefore He is the original spiritual master, and any bona fide spiritual master at the present moment must be a descendant in the line of disciplic succession stemming from Kṛṣṇa. Without being a representative of Kṛṣṇa, one cannot become a teacher or spiritual master of transcendental subject matter.

BG Chapters 13 - 18

BG 13.8-12, Purport:

One should approach the spiritual master with all humility and offer him all services so that he will be pleased to bestow his blessings upon the disciple. Because a bona fide spiritual master is a representative of Kṛṣṇa, if he bestows any blessings upon his disciple, that will make the disciple immediately advanced without the disciple's following the regulative principles. Or, the regulative principles will be easier for one who has served the spiritual master without reservation.

BG 18.57, Purport:

A servant acting on behalf of the supreme master is unaffected by profit and loss. He simply discharges his duty faithfully in terms of the order of the Lord. Now, one may argue that Arjuna was acting under the personal direction of Kṛṣṇa but when Kṛṣṇa is not present how should one act? If one acts according to the direction of Kṛṣṇa in this book, as well as under the guidance of the representative of Kṛṣṇa, then the result will be the same.

BG 18.63, Purport:

Surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is in the best interest of the living entities. It is not for the interest of the Supreme. Before surrendering, one is free to deliberate on this subject as far as the intelligence goes; that is the best way to accept the instruction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such instruction comes also through the spiritual master, the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.15.45, Purport:

When one is sufficiently trained and acts in submissive faith and love for Kṛṣṇa under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, the dovetailing process becomes more firm and accurate. This stage of devotional service by the devotee in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the most perfect stage of the yoga system. At this stage, Kṛṣṇa, or the Supersoul, dictates from within, while from without the devotee is helped by the spiritual master, who is the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. From within He helps the devotee as caitya, for He is seated within the heart of everyone.

SB 3.18.20, Purport:

Brahmā is described in this verse as svarāṭ. Actually, full independence is exclusive to the Lord Himself, but as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, every living entity has a minute quantity of independence. Each and every one of the living entities within this universe has this minute independence, but Brahmā, being the chief of all living entities, has a greater potential of independence than any other. He is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and has been assigned to preside over universal affairs. All other demigods work for him; therefore he is described here as svarāṭ. He is always accompanied by great sages and transcendentalists, all of whom came to see the bullfight between the demon and the Lord.

SB 3.25.8, Purport:

The spiritual master takes the disciple to the other side by opening his eyes with knowledge. We are suffering simply because of ignorance. By the instruction of the spiritual master, the darkness of ignorance is removed, and thus the disciple is enabled to go to the side of freedom. It is stated in Bhagavad-gītā that after many, many births one surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, if, after many, many births, one is able to find a bona fide spiritual master and surrender to such a bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, one can be taken to the side of light.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.21.31, Purport:

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa also says in Bhagavad-gītā that simply by surrendering unto Him one is immediately relieved of all sinful reactions. As Kṛṣṇa takes away all the sinful reactions of a person immediately upon his surrender unto Him, similarly the external manifestation of Kṛṣṇa, the representative of Kṛṣṇa who acts as the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, takes all the resultant actions of the sinful life of the disciple immediately after the disciple's initiation. Thus if the disciple follows the principles instructed by the spiritual master, he remains purified and is not contaminated by the material infection.

SB 4.23.1-3, Purport:

One should not simply remain at home until the time of death, but should separate from family life at a timely moment and prepare himself to go back to Godhead. As a śaktyāveśa incarnation of God who had actually come from Vaikuṇṭha as a representative of Kṛṣṇa, Mahārāja Pṛthu was certain to go back to Godhead.

SB 4.29.51, Translation:

One who is engaged in devotional service has not the least fear in material existence. This is because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supersoul and friend of everyone. One who knows this secret is actually educated, and one thus educated can become the spiritual master of the world. One who is an actually bona fide spiritual master, representative of Kṛṣṇa, is not different from Kṛṣṇa.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.14.24, Purport:

If money is utilized in the service of Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, the devotee automatically lives in an opulent way. However, if one wants to enjoy Lakṣmī the way Rāvaṇa did, he will be vanquished by the laws of nature, and whatever few possessions he has will be taken away. Finally death will take everything away, and death is the representative of Kṛṣṇa.

SB 5.14.40, Purport:

The real mission of life for the conditioned soul is to reestablish the forgotten relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and engage in devotional service so that he may revive Kṛṣṇa consciousness after giving up the body. One doesn't have to give up his occupation as a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra or whatever. In any position, while discharging his prescribed duty, one can develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness simply by associating with devotees who are representatives of Kṛṣṇa and who can teach this science.

SB 5.17.11, Purport:

Among all the living entities wandering throughout the universe, one who is most fortunate comes in contact with a representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus gets the opportunity to execute devotional service. Those who are sincerely seeking the favor of Kṛṣṇa come in contact with a guru, a bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa.

SB 5.17.11, Purport:

A guru must be a direct representative of Kṛṣṇa who distributes the instructions of Kṛṣṇa without any change. Thus only the most fortunate persons come in contact with the guru. As confirmed in the Vedic literatures, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) one has to search out a guru to understand the affairs of the spiritual world. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also confirms this point. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: (SB 11.3.21) one who is very interested in understanding the activities in the spiritual world must search out a guru—a bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa.

SB 5.17.11, Purport:

From all angles of vision, therefore, the word guru is especially meant for the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa and no one else.

SB 5.17.11, Purport:

Brāhmaṇas are supposed to acquire six kinds of auspicious qualifications: they become very learned scholars (paṭhana) and very qualified teachers (pāṭhana); they become expert in worshiping the Lord or the demigods (yajana), and they teach others how to execute this worship (yājana); they qualify themselves as bona fide persons to receive alms from others (pratigraha), and they distribute the wealth in charity (dāna). Yet even a brāhmaṇa possessing these qualifications cannot become a guru unless he is the representative of Kṛṣṇa (gurur na syāt).

SB Canto 6

SB 6.7.12, Purport:

Long, long ago, Lord Indra regretted his disrespect to his spiritual master, Bṛhaspati. Similarly, it is advised that the American people regret their mistaken advancement in civilization. They should take advice from the spiritual master, the representative of Kṛṣṇa. If they do so, they will be happy, and theirs will be an ideal nation to lead the entire world.

SB Canto 7

SB 7.3.29, Purport:

Kṛṣṇa is the supreme living entity (nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13)), and Brahmā is also a living entity, but the original source of Brahmā is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (7.7), mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: "O Arjuna, there is no truth superior to Me." Kṛṣṇa is the original source of Brahmā, who is the original source of this universe. Brahmā is a representative of Kṛṣṇa, and therefore all the qualities and activities of Kṛṣṇa are also present in Lord Brahmā.

SB 7.7.40, Purport:

The living entity is rotating in the cycle of birth and death, going sometimes to the higher planets and sometimes to the lower planets, but that is not the solution to the problems of life. But if by the grace of Kṛṣṇa one is fortunate enough to meet a guru, a representative of Kṛṣṇa, one gets the clue to returning home, back to Godhead, having achieved self-realization. This is what is actually desirable. Bhajatātma-labdhaye: one must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness for self-realization.

SB 7.15.76, Purport:

"To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me." Kṛṣṇa does not become the direct spiritual master unless one is fully trained by His representative spiritual master. Therefore, as we have already discussed, the Lord's representative spiritual master should not be considered an ordinary human being. The representative spiritual master never gives any false knowledge to his disciple, but only perfect knowledge. Thus he is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa helps as the guru, or spiritual master, from within and from without. From without He helps the devotee as His representative, and from within He talks personally with the pure devotee and gives him instructions by which he may return home, back to Godhead.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 19.167, Purport:

The criterion is that a devotee must know what Kṛṣṇa wants him to do. This understanding can be achieved through the medium of a spiritual master who is a bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī advises, ādau gurv-āśrayam. One who is serious in wanting to render pure devotional service to the Lord must take shelter of a spiritual master who comes in the disciplic succession from Kṛṣṇa.

CC Madhya 19.167, Purport:

For a devotee, there cannot be worship of others or demigod worship. A pure devotee does not engage himself in such pseudo devotional service. He is interested only in satisfying Kṛṣṇa. If one lives only for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, it does not matter whether he belongs to this order of life or that order of life. One's only business should be to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. This process is completely manifest in the activities of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It has been actually proved that the entire world can accept devotional service without failure. One simply has to follow the instructions of the representative of Kṛṣṇa.

CC Madhya 20.123, Purport:

"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear." This same instruction is found throughout all Vedic literatures. Sādhu, śāstra and guru act as the representatives of Kṛṣṇa, and the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is also taking place all over the universe. Whoever takes advantage of this opportunity becomes liberated.

CC Madhya 24.254, Purport:

By associating with a saintly person, one is able to understand the reactions of his sinful life. When one voluntarily surrenders to a saintly person who is a representative of Kṛṣṇa and follows his instructions, one can become freed from sinful reactions.

CC Madhya 24.254, Purport:

Kṛṣṇa demands the surrender of a sinful man, and Kṛṣṇa's representative gives the same instructions. The representative of Kṛṣṇa never tells his disciple, "Surrender unto me." Rather he says, "Surrender unto Kṛṣṇa." If the disciple accepts this principle and surrenders himself through the representative of Kṛṣṇa, his life is saved.

CC Madhya 24.258, Purport:

The disciple must surrender to the spiritual master, the representative of Kṛṣṇa. The spiritual master, being in the disciplic succession stemming from Nārada Muni, is in the same category with Nārada Muni. A person can be relieved from his sinful activity if he surrenders to the lotus feet of a person who actually represents Nārada Muni. Nārada Muni gave instructions to the hunter after the hunter surrendered.

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion Introduction:

Similarly, we can offer many services with our bodily activities. But all such activities must be in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. This relationship is established by connecting oneself with the bona fide spiritual master, who is the direct representative of Kṛṣṇa in disciplic succession. Therefore, the execution of Kṛṣṇa conscious activities with the body should be directed by the spiritual master and then performed with faith. The connection with the spiritual master is called initiation.

Easy Journey to Other Planets

Easy Journey to Other Planets 2:

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for the purpose of understanding God. The spiritual master is the living representative of Kṛṣṇa who helps externally, and Kṛṣṇa as Supersoul helps internally. The living entity can take advantage of such guidance and make his life successful.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 38:

Service rendered to Kṛṣṇa under the direction of the spiritual master is bona fide service because the spiritual master is the manifested representative of Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that when one satisfies the spiritual master, he satisfies the Supreme Lord. It is exactly like service in a government office. One has to work under the supervision of the departmental head. If the supervisor of the department is satisfied with the service of a particular person, a promotion and increase in pay will automatically come.

Krsna Book 80:

The second-class devotee can consider the Vaiṣṇavas, or the devotees of the Lord, to be representatives of Kṛṣṇa, and the devotee who is just beginning, the neophyte or third-class devotee, can bow his head before the Deity in the temple and before the spiritual master, who is the direct manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Krsna Book 87:

The demigods are in the same category with the individual souls in the bodies of human beings or in the bodies of lower animals. Intelligent persons, therefore, do not worship different demigods, who are simply infinitesimal representatives of Kṛṣṇa manifest in conditioned bodies. The individual soul can exhibit his power only in proportion to the shape and constitution of the body.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.4-5 -- London, July 10, 1973:

So this whole planet was Bhārata-varṣa. There was only one flag. The whole planet was being ruled by one king. That is the king of this Hastināpura. The fight is that, that who would be the king, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira or Duryodhana. But a king... It is not a democratic; it is monarchy. So Kṛṣṇa is deciding, "No, Duryodhana is unfit. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira is fit." This is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Therefore this fight is there. Kurukṣetra. Kṛṣṇa wanted to wipe out all unwanted demons from the face of the world and enthrone Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira because he is the exact representative of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 1.20 -- London, July 17, 1973:

If we are really Kṛṣṇa conscious, then our business is to repeat the words of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. What is the difference between a Kṛṣṇa's representative and non-representative? The representative of Kṛṣṇa will simply repeat what Kṛṣṇa says. That's all. He becomes representative. It doesn't require much qualification. You simply repeat with firm conviction. As Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So one who has accepted this fact, that, "If I surrender to Kṛṣṇa, my all business is successful," he is Kṛṣṇa's representative. That's all.

Lecture on BG 1.21-22 -- London, July 18, 1973:

The next point is that Arjuna wanted to see with whom he had to fight. He had no desire to fight. That will be explained. He was fighting unwillingly. Unwillingly. Because he is a Vaiṣṇava, unnecessarily he does not want to kill, although he is kṣatriya. It is his duty. Whenever there is discrepancy, killing, as representative of Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa has got two business. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtam (BG 4.8). He has got two businesses. One business is to give protection to the devotees, sādhu, sādhu. Sādhu means devotee. Sādhu does not mean simply by changing dress, saffron color, and smoking beedies. That is not sādhu. Sādhu means devotee.

Lecture on BG 1.31 -- London, July 24, 1973:

So the king's duty is, as representative of Kṛṣṇa, to make every citizen Kṛṣṇa conscious. Then he is doing nice duty. And because the monarchs did not do so, therefore now monarchy is abolished everywhere. So again the monarchs, where there is monarchy, little, at least show of monarchy, just like here in England there is, actually if the monarch becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, actually becomes representative of Kṛṣṇa, then the whole face of the kingdom will change. That is required.

Lecture on BG 2.7 -- London, August 7, 1973:

So you have to approach the Supreme Person, means Kṛṣṇa or His representative. All others are rascals and fools. If you approach a person, guru, who is not representative of Kṛṣṇa, you are approaching a rascal. How you'll be enlightened? You must approach Kṛṣṇa, or His representative. That is wanted. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). So who is guru? Samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham. A guru is full Kṛṣṇa conscious. Brahma-niṣṭham. And śrotriyam. Śrotriyam means who has heard, who has received knowledge by the śrotriyaṁ paṭha. By hearing from superior authority.

Lecture on BG 2.7-11 -- New York, March 2, 1966:

We should take the position of Arjuna, disciple. When a disciple is serious about making, about making a solution of the suffering, then he requires a spiritual master. And what sort of spiritual master? Kṛṣṇa, the most perfect man, the most perfect man. So a spiritual master is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Of course, Kṛṣṇa is not present before us. But at least we must have a person as our spiritual master who represents Kṛṣṇa. And who can represent Kṛṣṇa? One who is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, in the line, disciplic succession. You see? So see here. Arjuna accepts Kṛṣṇa as the spiritual master.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Hyderabad, November 19, 1972:

So Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa as spiritual master. In the beginning, he was talking like friend. Friend to friend, talking, sometimes it comes to nil, no conclusion, simply waste of time. It is called vitaṇḍā. That sort of argument has no value. Because it will never come into conclusion. But when we talk with authority, the spiritual master, representative of Kṛṣṇa, then we cannot argue. We have to accept. Guru-vākya. Guru-vākya, you cannot deny it. It may not be agreeable to you in the beginning, but you cannot deny it. That is it: system of Vedic system. Here Arjuna has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the spiritual master.

Lecture on BG 2.20-25 -- Seattle, October 14, 1968:

Similarly, if we work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if there is something wrong... Because we can act two ways, wrongly or rightly. That's all. If we do rightly, it is all right. Even if we don't do it rightly, wrongly, still, it is right because the cause is the Supreme. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). The best, safest way of acting is to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness or under the order of Kṛṣṇa. Or if somebody says "Where is Kṛṣṇa?" No. Kṛṣṇa is there. Just like Bhagavad-gītā is there, and the explanation of Bhagavad-gītā by the representative of Kṛṣṇa is there. So Kṛṣṇa, being absolute, His representative, His words are nondifferent from Him. We should not think that "Kṛṣṇa is not in my presence." As soon as Bhagavad-gītā is there and as soon as we understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, that means we are hearing directly Kṛṣṇa. So if we do according to the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, as Arjuna did, then there is no reaction. We are free.

Lecture on BG 2.22 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

So this is Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge means which is spoken by the Supreme Lord. That is Vedic knowledge. Apauruṣeya. It is not spoken by common man like me. So if we accept Vedic knowledge, if we accept the fact as it is stated by Kṛṣṇa, or His representative... Because His representative will not speak anything which Kṛṣṇa does not speak. Therefore he's representative. The Kṛṣṇa conscious persons are representative of Kṛṣṇa because a Kṛṣṇa conscious person will not speak anything nonsense, beyond the speaking of Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference. Other nonsense, rascal, they will speak beyond Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 2.46-62 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1968:

This Mādhavendra Purī was the grand-spiritual master of Lord Caitanya. Mādhavendra Purī's disciple Īśvara Purī, and Īśvara Purī was accepted as spiritual master of Lord Caitanya. Nobody can become a spiritual master of the Supreme Lord, but in order to teach us that even the Lord, He also accepted a spiritual master. That is the system. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Unless He shows us the way, people will say, "Oh, Lord Caitanya did not accept any spiritual master." They can give example. But therefore Kṛṣṇa also accepted spiritual master. This is the system. One has to. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). One must accept a spiritual master if he at all wants to know the spiritual science. Without that, it is not possible. Kṛṣṇa science, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, cannot be developed without the assistance of a bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. Naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghrim (SB 7.5.32). There are very, very, many, many instances.

Lecture on BG 2.49-51 -- New York, April 5, 1966:

Now, as I have already explained to you, that we require a guide. We require a guide. That guide should be the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, he cannot be guide. Just like Kṛṣṇa was the guide of Arjuna directly. Now, here we haven't got Kṛṣṇa directly, but how to have a guide? That guide means he must be a representative of Kṛṣṇa, representative of Kṛṣṇa. How one can become representative of Kṛṣṇa? That means one who follows the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. Just like you take a, take for example a lawyer. What do you mean by lawyer? One who understands the lawbooks very nicely.

Lecture on BG 2.49-51 -- New York, April 5, 1966:

So according to that process, if somebody understands Bhagavad-gītā and in his life he practices in that way, just like a lawyer who has passed the law examination... Similarly, one who understands Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any wishful interpretation for his own purpose... No. Bhagavad-gītā as it is, as it is instructed to Arjuna. If there is somebody who understands Bhagavad-gītā in that way, he is the representative of God. He is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, and one should accept such representative of Kṛṣṇa for his guide. Then, actually, as much as Arjuna was guided by Kṛṣṇa, then similarly, that person who takes the shelter of the guidance of a person who is fully, I mean to say, aware, fully conversant with the science of Kṛṣṇa, he can guide you nicely and for your spiritual life as Lord Kṛṣṇa has guided Arjuna for his spiritual life.

Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:

But why this creation is there? This creation is there because those who are rebelled against God, Kṛṣṇa, they are not allowed to enter into the kingdom of God. They are kept aloof and this creation is made just to give them chance to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

The Vedic śāstras are there, the representatives of Kṛṣṇa are there. They are teaching, "My dear conditioned souls, please adopt this means and end your repetition of birth and death. Come to the kingdom of God." This is a chance.

But if somebody takes it, "Now I have got my body, let me enjoy my senses to the fullest extent," then he is doomed. Then he loses the chance. Therefore this human form of body should not be wasted simply by sense gratification like cats and dogs.

Lecture on BG 4.18 -- Delhi, November 3, 1973:

That is very simple to understand. Suppose anyone who is working in the office, the immediate boss is the head, head clerk or the superintendent of that department. So everyone is working. If he satisfies the superintendent or the head clerk, then it is to be understood that he has satisfied the managing director. It is not very difficult. Your immediate boss, representative of Kṛṣṇa, he is to be satisfied. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasya **. Therefore the guidance of spiritual master is required. Kṛṣṇa comes in the form of spiritual master to guide. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya. So guru-kṛpā, mercy of guru, is mercy of Kṛṣṇa. So when both of them are satisfied, then our path is clear. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). Then our devotional service is perfect. So you did not mark this statement in the Gurvaṣṭaka? Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi **.

Lecture on BG 4.34 -- Questions & Answers -- August 14, 1968, New York:

Devotee (1): If one surrenders to a spiritual master, what then is their relationship to Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Oh. Spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, surrendering to the spiritual master means surrendering to Kṛṣṇa. He is the bona fide. Spiritual master is just like, as just I explained the śloka, hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām. I'll try to relate one nice story in this connection, the story of Dhruva Mahārāja.

Lecture on BG 4.34 -- Questions & Answers -- August 14, 1968, New York:

When we are seriously anxious about understanding the science of God, then God is within you, He will make your relationship with such a spiritual master who will enlighten you further and further. So practically, the spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Now, it depends on me. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). The degree of my serious thought, if I am seriously about actually perception of the Supreme Lord, then I will get such a spiritual master who can give me information of the Supreme Lord. But if I want something else, then Kṛṣṇa will help you in that way also, you will get something else. So ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. The spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, and He, Kṛṣṇa, is sitting within our heart. As you are anxious, your degree of anxiety will be helped by Kṛṣṇa by sending similar quality of spiritual master.

Lecture on BG 4.37-40 -- New York, August 21, 1966:

So here Kṛṣṇa is the most authorized personality. Now, anyone who is actually Kṛṣṇa conscious, Kṛṣṇa conscious, then you can accept him as the same as Kṛṣṇa. Because a person who is fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. He's the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. So keeping faith on Kṛṣṇa or to His bona fide representative is the same thing. So that śraddhāvān, if you follow, saṁyatendriya, with controlled senses, then your result is guaranteed. And you'll feel it.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, March 12, 1970:

Everyone accepts there is electricity. But you have to take electricity from the plug where the electricity current is going on. Then you get electricity. Therefore śravaṇam, hearing, from whom? From Kṛṣṇa or His representative. Then it is perfect. Not from Dr. Radhakrishnan and any other nonsense, because they are not devotee. They are not representative of Kṛṣṇa. What you will derive? You cannot derive any benefit because there is no electricity. It is simply plug, looking like plug. If you take some white lime water, lime, just like whitewash, it looks like milk. Is that milk because it is white? "All is not gold that glitters."

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 13, 1972:

Because Pārtha, Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna's mother's name was Pṛthā, Kuntī's name. And Pṛthā, Kuntī, happened to be the aunt of Kṛṣṇa. So He's very feelingly, in a familial way, He's addressing, "Pārtha, My dear Arjuna, Pārtha, mayy āsakta-manāḥ, simply by increasing attachment for Me," mayy āsakta, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam... This is yoga. This is perfect yoga. Yoginām api sarve... Mad-āśrayaḥ. "This yoga system should be executed directly under My direction, or under the direction of a representative of Mine." The spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. How he becomes representative? What is the test? The test is... Just like anyone can understand, representative. Suppose a business firm's representative is going to canvass for business, what is his business? He will take the interest of the firm, not his personal interest. He will try to secure business for the firm he's working, not for his personal... That is perfect representative.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 13, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), and if the representative says, "Just become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Just worship Kṛṣṇa. Just offer your obeisances to Kṛṣṇa," he is representative. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), and the representative will say that "You give up all other process. You simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa." He will never say that "I am Kṛṣṇa." He'll never say. He's not representative of Kṛṣṇa. He's a liar. He's not representative.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 13, 1972:

So to become representative of Kṛṣṇa is not very difficult. Simply one has to become very sincere. That's all. That whatever Kṛṣṇa says, he will say. Just like Arjuna accepted: sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye yad vadasi keśava (BG 10.14). That is representative. "My dear Keśava, Kṛṣṇa, whatever You are speaking, I accept them all, in toto, without any reformation." That is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said,

yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa

āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa

(CC Madhya 7.128)

Āmāra ājñāya. One has to carry out the order of God. He is representative. Otherwise liar, misnomer. So therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ: "Either under My direction, the direction is there, or My representative's."

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, December 20, 1975:

Unless you approach a person who is representative of Kṛṣṇa and tattva-darśī, who has seen the truth, jñānī, and full of knowledge, from him you can understand what is Bhagavad-gītā, what is Bhagavān. Otherwise you cannot understand. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). If you remain covered by the material energy, then you cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. The purpose of Bhagavad-gītā is to understand real religious life. Religion means the order which is given by God to carry out. That is religion. Those who are unknown of this fact, they are not religious. They may be some faith or some blind belief, but religion means dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇitam (SB 6.3.19). Religion means the order or law given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is religion.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, December 20, 1975:

Anyone who is twenty-four hours engaged in Kṛṣṇa service, satata-yuktānām, not sporadic, that two minutes I meditate upon Kṛṣṇa and twenty-three hours sixty-eight minutes, ah, fifty-eight minutes I remain to satisfy my senses. That is not kṛṣṇa-bhakti. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti means satata-yuktānām, twenty-four hours engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like these boys are being trained up. They have not come to me for some monetary benefit. What monetary benefit I can give to them? They are rather bringing money, and I am constructing big, big temples, their money. So still they are engaged in carrying out my order. There is no payment, no monetary benefit, because they have understood me, that he is representative of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, December 20, 1975:

That we have to find out the representative of Kṛṣṇa. That is also not very difficult, who is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Representative of Kṛṣṇa is he who simply repeats the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, does not say anything nonsense. He is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). He does not say anything big, big, bombastic thing. Very simple thing, that "Always think of Me, become My devotee, worship Me, and offer obeisances." It doesn't require M.A., Ph.D. education to learn these four things. Anyone, even a child can do it. It is very easy. If you daily see the Deity in the temple, or if you have got Deity at home, even a child will be practiced to think of Kṛṣṇa. It is not at all difficult. And if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, that is also thinking of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

So either you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa or you take shelter of a bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. Just like if you do a business, either you transact a business in agreement with the proprietor or the proprietor's representative, the business is all right. If the representative of the firm signs that agreement, then even the proprietor does not know, it will be accepted as bona fide agreement. Is it not? So even though you cannot see eye to eye Kṛṣṇa, you can execute this yoga system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, through the agency of His bona fide representative. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. And how it is? Asaṁśayam. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ mām (BG 7.1). "By practicing that yoga, you will understand Me, or God," asaṁśayam, "without any doubt." Asaṁśayaṁ samagram, "and in full." Not that partially. Yathā jñāsyasi, "as you can understand"; tac chṛṇu, "now hear attentively." Kṛṣṇa is beginning to speak to Arjuna about this bhakti-yoga system, and He's drawing attention, śṛṇu, "Please hear attentively."

Lecture on BG 9.15 -- New York, December 1, 1966:

So one should not adopt the means of ascending process. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. Udapāsya means "Give it up." And namanta eva: "And be submissive." Namanta eva jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. In this way, if one lives and hears, san-mukharitām, from the realized soul... Just like Arjuna is hearing from Kṛṣṇa, from the perfect person, san-mukharitām. Kṛṣṇa or His representative. His representative is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is just like... Arjuna. Arjuna was made representative of Kṛṣṇa. How? Because Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa said, bhakto 'si: "You are My devotee." So nobody can become representative of Kṛṣṇa, or God, without becoming His devotee. One who thinks that "I am God," he cannot become the representative of God. Suppose some of your representatives... You are a businessman.

Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 30, 1966:

He has already accepted Kṛṣṇa as spiritual master in the second chapter. In the beginning of the second chapter Kṛṣṇa said: śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). "So long we are talking as friends, but now I surrender myself as my spiritual master, Kṛṣṇa." So therefore Kṛṣṇa was speaking to Arjuna on the platform of spiritual master. So we should note it that the spiritual, perfect spiritual master is Kṛṣṇa. And anyone who is following the principles, as Kṛṣṇa says, he's also representative of Kṛṣṇa. And the teacher is Kṛṣṇa and the Arjuna is the student. Similarly, as the spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, similarly a student must be also the representative of Arjuna. Then Bhagavad-gītā discussion will be nice.

Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 30, 1966:

Similarly, a teacher of Bhagavad-gītā should be a representative of Kṛṣṇa. Representative of Kṛṣṇa means a confidential devotee, unalloyed devotee of Kṛṣṇa. The same thing. He also accepted Kṛṣṇa as his... The student also should be like that. Then the study of Bhagavad-gītā is perfect. Otherwise, it is useless waste of time.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.4 -- Rome, May 28, 1974:

Guru means superior. So who was the superior person when Brahmā got knowledge? Because there was no other creature. He is the first creature. Therefore it is said, "The superior person was Kṛṣṇa, but He was not present." We see, Kṛṣṇa was present before Arjuna, but nobody was present before Brahmā. Therefore it is said, tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye, hṛdā: "through the heart." Because Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart. Actually, He is the spiritual master, caitya-guru. So in order to help us, He comes out as physical spiritual master. And therefore sākṣād-dharitvena sama... Spiritual master is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa sends some sincere devotee to act on His behalf, and therefore he is spiritual master.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, July 23, 1973:

Therefore we must have a guru where exact knowledge is coming, without any mistake. Because we cannot argue. So we must find out such guru, where perfect knowledge is coming. Just like... Therefore guru is... Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyāt. Guru must be perfect representative of Kṛṣṇa. So ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit: (SB 11.17.27) "Do not neglect the ācārya." Na martya-buddhyā: "Don't consider him as ordinary human being." Asūyeta. If he sometimes chastises you, don't be envious: "Oh he is also man, I am also man. Why he is talking like that?" No. Nāsūyeta martya-buddhyā. These are the instructions. This is called praṇipāta. So Arjuna accepted this process, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, now, from this moment, I am Your śiṣya. I am Your śiṣya. I become Your disciple. Now You teach me." The Bhagavad-gītā was taught to Arjuna, because he became a śiṣya.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Calcutta, February 26, 1974:

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.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

Bhakti means "to serve," and yoga, "the process." That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā also. Bhagavad-gītā is bhakti-yoga. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ. After taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa or representative of Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa, or representative of Kṛṣṇa, you have to take shelter. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura said, āśraya lañā bhaje, kṛṣṇa tāre na hi tyaje(?). Anyone who takes āśraya and begins his bhajana, kṛṣṇa tāre na hi tyaje, Kṛṣṇa cannot give him up. Kṛṣṇa will accept him. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). In the Bhāgavata also it is said, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21).

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Delhi, November 16, 1973:

Even becoming a brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa, one does not become a guru, if he is not a Vaiṣṇava. That is the injunction of the śāstra.

ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro

mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ

avaiṣṇavo gurur na syād

vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ

Sad-vaiṣṇava. One has to become Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava means one who is a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore Kṛṣṇa instructed Arjuna, He said, bhakto 'si priyo 'si (BG 4.3), "Because you are My bhakta, therefore I am talking to you." So guru means a Vaiṣṇava. He must be a representative of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.2.11 -- Vrndavana, October 22, 1972:

My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Don't try to see Kṛṣṇa; do something so that Kṛṣṇa may see you." That is wanted. If Kṛṣṇa, if you can draw little attention of Kṛṣṇa, yat kāruṇya-katākṣa-vaibhavavatām, katākṣa-vaibhavavatām... Prabodhānanda Sarasvatī says... If you somehow or other you can draw little attention of Kṛṣṇa, your life is successful. Immediately. And how you can draw? Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Simply by serving Kṛṣṇa. Take service, take to service of Kṛṣṇa, as it is ordered by the spiritual master. Because spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. We cannot approach Kṛṣṇa directly. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. If you have bona fide spiritual master, representative of Kṛṣṇa, it is also not very difficult. Everyone can become representative of Kṛṣṇa. How? If you simply carry the message of Kṛṣṇa without any adulteration. That's all.

Lecture on SB 1.2.11 -- Vrndavana, October 22, 1972:

This is the confirmation of all authorities. We have to carry out very faithfully the order of the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. Then our life is successful. Then we can understand Kṛṣṇa in truth. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). We have to hear from the tattva-vit, not from the so-called scholars and politicians. No. One who knows the truth, you have to hear from him. And if you stick to that principle, then you understand everything very clearly.

Lecture on SB 1.2.14-16 -- San Francisco, March 24, 1967:

So śuśrūṣoḥ śraddadhānasya vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ syān mahat-sevayā. Mahat-sevā means if you, by chance, you get in contact of a great personality, great soul who knows Kṛṣṇa science, you just try to please him. Therefore we, every day in the morning, we sing yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. By pleasing such great soul, the spiritual master, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ, to please him means to please God. Because he is representative of God. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi **. If we cannot please such representative, bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, then there is no hope. There is no hope of our spiritual advancement. Therefore the first duty in the morning is that dhyāyan stuvaṁs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyam. We have to remember about his glories and we have to offer our respectful obeisances unto him three times at least in a day, or tri-sandhyam.

Lecture on SB 1.3.26 -- Los Angeles, October 1, 1972:

God is within you, caitya-guru, the guru, or the spiritual master, within your heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). So this Paramātmā is also incarnation of God. And the same Paramātmā, when He comes before you, being very much merciful upon you, to teach you from outside, that is guru. Therefore it is said, sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. Guru is the mercy incarnation of God. Sākṣāt, direct. Hari-tvena, he is Hari, God. Samasta-śāstraiḥ. It is not that somewhere it is stated, somewhere it is not stated. No. In all Vedic literature. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktaḥ **. Uktaḥ means "it is said." And tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ. Sadbhiḥ, those who are real devotees, they accept this. "Yes, guru is exactly representative of Kṛṣṇa, mercy representative."

Lecture on SB 1.5.13 -- New Vrindaban, June 13, 1969:

So samādhi is not very extraordinary thing. One has to become simply serious and sincere to Kṛṣṇa. Then he is in samādhi. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā:

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

"Anyone who is always thinking of Me within his heart and he's engaged in My service, he's first-class yogi." So any person who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, who's acting simply for Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours, he's in samādhi. Samādhinā tad, anusmara tad-viceṣṭitam. Anusmara: "That meditation should not be manufactured by you, but under the direction of the representative of Kṛṣṇa." Therefore it is called anusmara.

Lecture on SB 1.5.22 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974:

Therefore, for perfect knowledge, you have to approach the perfect. We accept Lord Kṛṣṇa as the perfect, and His bona fide representative is also perfect. How he is perfect? Kṛṣṇa may be perfect, one may admit, but how his bona fide representative is also perfect? So the answer is the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, he does not say anything beyond Kṛṣṇa. That is perfect. He may be imperfect. It doesn't matter. But he is receiving knowledge from the perfect, and he's simply repeating that knowledge. That is the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Yāre dekha tāre kaha, kaha kṛṣṇa-kathā. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-kathā.

Lecture on SB 1.7.5 -- Vrndavana, September 4, 1976:

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.

Lecture on SB 1.7.23 -- Vrndavana, September 20, 1976:

So where is the difficulty? Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). You follow the path of mahājana-Prahlāda Mahārāja, Janaka Mahārāja, Bhīṣma. There are gṛhasthas, there are brahmacārīs, sannyāsī. Brahmā, Lord Brahmā is mahājana; he's gṛhastha. Svayambhū, Nārada, he's brahmacārī. Svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ (SB 6.3.20)—Lord Śiva, he's also gṛhastha. Prahlāda Mahārāja, he's also gṛhastha. It doesn't matter whether you are gṛhastha or sannyāsī or brahmacārī. You must become actual representative of Kṛṣṇa. That is mahājana. And that is also not very difficult. How you can become representative of Kṛṣṇa? That is explained by Caitanya Mahāprabhu:

yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa

āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa

(CC Madhya 7.128)

If you simply speak what Kṛṣṇa says, then you become His representative. Don't manufacture. Don't be over good at (indistinct) manufacturing. Simply to follow Kṛṣṇa and His representatives, then you become mahājana. Otherwise you are a nonsense.

Lecture on SB 1.7.36-37 -- Vrndavana, September 29, 1976:

The animal is also working very hard for these four principles, and the man is also working very hard. That is common. But that is not security. "Because I have got very good means of living, very good means of sleeping, nice house, and very good wife and very good bank balance and good government, therefore I am secure." That is nonsense. Pramatta. That is called pramatta. Means he does not know that at any moment Yamarāja can come and kick him out from this position. At any moment. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham. Yamarāja is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, a servant of Kṛṣṇa. He is Vaiṣṇava. Yamarāja, we are very much afraid of Yamarāja, but he Vaiṣṇava. Not only Vaiṣṇava, but he's one of the mahājanas. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). He's mahājana in this sense: All the sinful living entities are brought before him, and according to the gravity of criminality, sinful action, he punishes.

Lecture on SB 1.7.45-46 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1976:

Ācārya should be respected sākṣād-dharitvena, just like God. It is not exaggeration. It is according to the śāstra. And ācārya also accepts all these respectful obeisances to carry to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the process. As we receive knowledge from the ācārya, similarly, our activities, the result of activities, is carried by the ācārya to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ācārya does not accept anything on his own account. Ācārya accepts everything on Kṛṣṇa's account. That is the principle. And because he is representative of Kṛṣṇa, he is dealing on behalf of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Mayapura, September 28, 1974:

So here also, we are first-class, second-class, third-class prisoners. Therefore we find so many varieties of living condition. But we are all prisoners. And He's the supreme controller. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, as supreme controller, He wants His representative to rule over this material world. That is Kṛṣṇa's mission. In every planet there is a person, representative of Kṛṣṇa, who is ruling over the planet. Just like the sun planet. The sun planet is being ruled by the sun-god. His name is Vivasvān. He was also instructed by Kṛṣṇa, and that is explained in the Fourth Chapter: imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). "I spoke this philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā..." Just like He spoke to Arjuna, similarly He spoke also. And who can know? He spoke to all the rulers of different planets-Indra, Candra, Varuṇa, sun-god, moon-god, that... So many. Thirty-three millions of planets and thirty-three millions of rulers. So He wants His representative.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Mayapura, September 28, 1974:

So it is the duty of the representative of Kṛṣṇa to reform these condemned persons to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is their duty. Kṛṣṇa wants that "These rascals, these condemned persons, who are suffering in this material world, and they cannot understand that 'We are suffering...' They are making plan. No plan will be successful." Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You can make your plan, but it will never be successful. The only plan will be successful. What is that? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). That is the only plan. There is no other plan. But these rascals, they are being put into severe penalties.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18-19 -- Bombay, April 9, 1971:

Anything we work, if we want to be expert, then we have to work under some expert. Therefore we accept guru. We do not serve Kṛṣṇa directly. We accept guru. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. The principle is guru is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, and if we work under guru and if we can satisfy, then Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. That is very easy to understand. Suppose in office you are working under some officer. You have no acquaintance with the proprietor, but your pay, your promotion will be considered by the proprietor on the recommendation of this officer. When the officer will say, "Yes, this man has worked very nicely," then your increment of pay and your promotion immediately will be accepted by the proprietor.

Lecture on SB 1.8.18-19 -- Bombay, April 9, 1971:

Therefore śāstra says, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. If you can satisfy your spiritual master, then you must know that you have satisfied Kṛṣṇa. Because he is representative of Kṛṣṇa, you are working under him, so if he says, "It is all right," Kṛṣṇa says, "It is all right," although you have never seen Kṛṣṇa. And yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi. And if the spiritual master says, "Oh, you are doing nothing" then your, all spoiled, all labor is spoiled. Na gatiḥ kuto 'pi. You have no other shelter.

Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Los Angeles, May 5, 1973:

Even the animal eaters, without God's arrangement, how he can eat animal? The animal also must be provided with food, with grass; then you can take it to the slaughterhouse by your expert intelligence. God is supplying food. Still you are creating a rebellious condition. That's an avani-dhruk. These rascals who are going against the law of God, they're rebellious. So they're rebellious. The king's duty is to see as representative of Kṛṣṇa, as representative of God. Otherwise he, what right he has got to take so much honor from the citizens? He has no right. And because the kings, formerly every country there were kings, monarchy, they violated, they rebelled against God, they became themselves God, that "I have got so much property, kingdom. I am God. I am the Lord of all I survey." So when they usurped the power of God, the all monarchies in the world is now finished. Because they did not act as representative of God. They thought their personal property, the kingdom. No. That is not actually fact. Fact is everything belongs to God. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1).

Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Mayapura, October 23, 1974:

Guru is therefore external manifestation of Kṛṣṇa because he acts as representative of Kṛṣṇa. So what is the qualification of that guru? Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). You must go and surrender to guru. In the Vedas also it is said, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. For whom guru is required? Not for all. But tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). One should go to guru to understand tad-vijñāna. Tad-vijñāna means transcendental science. They require guru. Similarly, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta: (SB 11.3.21) "You should go and search out a guru and surrender unto him." Why? Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. If you are jijñāsuḥ..., athāto brahma jijñāsā—Vedānta-sūtra—if you are actually searching after the Absolute Truth.

Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Mayapura, October 28, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa is helping from within, but sometimes we are so dull, naturally, that we cannot understand. Therefore He sends His representative to instruct externally. So He is helping internally and externally. There is no difference between the internal and external instructor. We should take advantage of this instruction. That is called vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ, fixed-up resolution. Fixed-up resolution. If we become fixed up in this resolution, that "Whatever we have heard from my guru, the representative of Kṛṣṇa, I must execute. I do not care for my personal convenience or inconvenience. This is my life and soul," then your life is perfect. Then your life is... If I make some amendment, addition, alteration, in the name of Kṛṣṇa, guru, then it is spoiled. No.

Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Mayapura, October 28, 1974:

So that is given by the spiritual master. "You do this," "You do that," "You do this," "You do that," because Kṛṣṇa is not one-sided. So as confidential representative of Kṛṣṇa, we have to follow the instruction of the spiritual master. As it is given particular to me, I should execute without any personal consideration. That is the perfection of life. Because after all, this body is meant for Kṛṣṇa. The mind is meant for Kṛṣṇa. I am also Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel, so pārakyasyaiva. Everything belongs to somebody else. Finally, that somebody else is Kṛṣṇa. So if we fix up our mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and serve Him, then our life is perfect.

Lecture on SB 1.10.2 -- Mayapura, June 17, 1973:

So bhava-bhāvana. Kṛṣṇa... This world is created by Kṛṣṇa, and He wants to see it is properly maintained. And who will maintain? His own representative. Not the demons. Therefore king is supposed to be a representative of Kṛṣṇa. He will maintain this world properly. A Vaiṣṇava, he knows how to utilize everything for Kṛṣṇa. The aim of this creation is giving these conditioned souls another chance for liberation. That is the purpose. When the whole world is annihilated, then all the living entities again enter into the body of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Then, when there is again creation, then the living entities again come out, according to their past position. We do not accept this rascal theory, Darwin's, that from lower-grade life they... There is a promotion like that, but in the creation everything is there.

Lecture on SB 1.10.2 -- Mayapura, June 17, 1973:

So these two things are going on. Those who are trying to capture the governmental power for his personal ambition, they will be killed. They will be killed. This way or that way, they will be killed. And persons who are taking responsibility for maintenance of the government as representative of Kṛṣṇa, they will be blessed by Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa will be pleased. So at the present moment, the so-called democracy,... Nobody is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Everyone is demons. Everyone is a demon. So how you can expect peace and prosperity under this government? This is not possible. If you want... We have got to think politically also, because after all, all living entities are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa wants their welfare so that they may come back to home, back to Godhead.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3-4 -- Tehran, March 13, 1975:

(reading:) "In those days the king of Hastināpura, now part of New Delhi, was the emperor of the world, including the seas, up to the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the grandson of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. His younger brothers were acting as his minister and commanders of state, and there was full cooperation between the perfectly religious brothers of the King. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was the ideal king or representative of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa..." The king should be the representative of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3-4 -- Tehran, March 13, 1975:

Then because he was so perfect king, then, a representative of Kṛṣṇa, therefore, kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ (SB 1.10.4). Parjanyaḥ means rainfall. So rainfall is the basic principle of supply of all necessities of life, rainfall. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ (BG 3.14). If you want to make people happy, both man and animal... There are animals also. They are... These rascal state executive, sometimes they make a show of benefit for the men but no benefit for the animal. Why? Why this injustice? They are also born in this land. They are also living entity. They may be animals. They have no intelligence. They have intelligence, not as good as of man, but does it mean that regular slaughterhouse should be constructed for killing them? Is that justice?

Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- Mayapura, June 19, 1973:

So the king, being the head, naradeva... Therefore king's another name is naradeva. He's God. King is considered as God, representative of God. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, yes, Sanātana Gosvāmī. Sanātana Gosvāmī gave certificate to Nawab Hussain Shah that "You are representative of Kṛṣṇa." When Nawab Hussain Shah was inquiring about Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "This person is not ordinary person. We are kings. Sometimes when we give in charity so many men flock around us. But here is a person, wherever He's going, thousands of men are following Him. So He's not ordinary person." After all, he's a king. He has got intelligence. Even from diplomatic point of view, he can understand. So he inquired from his minister, Sanātana Gosvāmī, "So who is this person?" So Sanātana Gosvāmī replied that "Whom you accept as (indistinct), the profit is His. It is your fortune that during your reign, He has taken birth in Bengal. You are governor, you are the king of Bengal. And why you are asking me? You are king. You are representative of Kṛṣṇa. You ask your mind and you'll understand what He is." He gave the certificate immediately. Not that "Oh, you are Muhammadan. What you can know?" No. Muhammadan, Hindu, doesn't matter. If one is king he must be blessed by Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on SB 1.15.37 -- Los Angeles, December 15, 1973:

Everything belongs to God. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram: (BG 5.29) "I am the supreme owner of every planet." So every planet is the property of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore to govern that planet, there must be a king who is actually representative of Kṛṣṇa. The king's business or the president's business is to see that the citizens, they mistakenly have come to this material world to enjoy sense gratification. They should be trained up in such a way that they can go back to home, back to Godhead. That is king's responsibility. Similarly, that is father's responsibility. Similarly, that is guru's, spiritual master's, responsibility. Similarly, the relative's responsibility. Suppose one has no father, mother; then it is the responsibility of the relative. It is the responsibility of the king.

Lecture on SB 1.15.38 -- Los Angeles, December 16, 1973:

So the king or the emperor, is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he is so honored, naradeva. The king's another name is naradeva, "God in, as a human being." "God as human being," the king is so respected. Because he is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Any representative of Kṛṣṇa... Just (as) king... Not the present king or president, but this is the ideal. So he should be so perfect representative that... It is said by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. If the king is real representative of God, then simply by pleasing the king, you please the almighty father, God. This was the... So why Kṛṣṇa wanted this Battle of Kurukṣetra to install Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira on the throne? Because he knew that "He is My right representative, not Duryodhana. Therefore there must be fight, and this Duryodhana and company should be finished, and Yudhiṣṭhira should be installed."

Lecture on SB 1.16.5 -- Los Angeles, January 2, 1974:

And another point is nṛdeva-cihna-dhṛk. Nṛdeva. Nṛ means "human being," and deva means "God." So the king is considered as God in the human society. Just see what should be the position of the king. And how much qualified he must be. Because a king is supposed to be the representative of God to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness of the people. That is king's duty. Therefore he's called nṛdeva. Anyone who is trying for Kṛṣṇa, to make people Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is a representative of Kṛṣṇa, real representative. Therefore guru is offered the respect exactly like Kṛṣṇa. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata **. Because he is kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya, he's the..., doing the most confidential service, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wants everyone to surrender to Him, and the spiritual master is doing the same: "Please surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Therefore he's the most confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa. He should be honored as Kṛṣṇa. That is the duty of the king also. Everyone should come forward. The father, the mother, the king, the spiritual master.

Lecture on SB 1.16.7 -- Los Angeles, January 4, 1974:

But Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa informs us that wherever you may go, the Yamarāja is ready, the representative of Kṛṣṇa as Yamarāja. Just like the magistrate is also the representative of the government. So he is ready to come exactly as you finish your terms of duration of life. That is the way. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). So at the end of life, everyone becomes disgusted. Therefore there is some release interval. At the end of life, mostly, people, those who are..., especially ordinary human being, they do not wish to live anymore. Even from the point of view, this bodily, old body, always diseased, rheumatic pains, so... And there is no life. For old man there is no enjoyment, material enjoyment. He wants to enjoy, but he cannot enjoy. Therefore generally, they become disgusted.

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:

Bali-mardana: Prabhupāda, you stated that on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra all the warriors who were dying in the presence of Kṛṣṇa, they all gained liberation. So I'm wondering... Each one of us has within our heart also the representative of Kṛṣṇa. So when we die, why is not everyone liberated?

Prabhupāda: But you have no sense of Kṛṣṇa. You have no sense of Kṛṣṇa. Or actually you do not die. That is another thing. This death means in the... That is described in the Bhāgavatam. Those who die before Kṛṣṇa, they attain their original position, svarūpa. So that is real success. Otherwise, there is no death. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). It is not death; when our body is destroyed, that does not mean we are dead. You are spirit soul, I am spirit soul, every one of us, but we have no death. That is another illusion. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). This so-called death, it is not death. Dhīra, one who knows, one who is sober, he knows that "This man or this boy or this father is dying... He's not dying. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ: he is just changing another body. He's changing an..." So actually we have no death. The change of body. So we are accepting this change of body as death. That is another illusion.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- New York, April 10, 1969:

Two things required, Guru and Kṛṣṇa, to advance in the spiritual realization or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So here it is, Kṛṣṇa is pleased in the family of the Pāṇḍavas. So Parīkṣit Mahārāja was going to die. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was grandson of Arjuna, and he was also a devotee. So therefore by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, a bona fide spiritual master is sent to Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Guru-Kṛṣṇa. When one is sincere, then Kṛṣṇa is sitting within everyone. As soon as He sees that "Here is a sincere soul. He's seeking after Me," so He manifests Himself out externally as spiritual master. The spiritual master is therefore representative of Kṛṣṇa. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). Two things. Without being representative of Kṛṣṇa, nobody can become spiritual master. Kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe tāra pravartana. Without being empowered by Kṛṣṇa, nobody can preach, nobody can become a spiritual master.

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Los Angeles, November 10, 1968:

Similarly, the scriptures, the sages, the saintly persons, the devotees, the representative of Kṛṣṇa, God, they're very much anxious to take us back to Godhead, back to home. That is niḥśreyasāya. That is the ultimate benediction. To be repaired(?), enamored by the temporary society, friendship and love. And it has become a thankless task for the saintly persons, devotees of God, to drag them: "Oh, please come here. Please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Please be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Please be God conscious." Nobody likes it. They think it botheration, "Why Swamiji comes here and bothers us?" But it has become the business. Therefore the qualification of a saintly person is titikṣava, very tolerant, very tolerant. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified. Still, he was so tolerant he, at the time of crucification, he's praying to God, "My Lord, these people do not know what they are doing. Please forgive them." Just see how much tolerant. Titikṣava. This is the first qualification of saintly person or God's servant or God's son. Very tolerant.

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Bombay, November 13, 1974:

There is a paramparā system, as it is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, Fourth Chapter: evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). So our business, Kṛṣṇa conscious people, our business is very easy. Because we don't manufacture ideas. We take the idea and the words delivered by the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, or His incarnation, or His representative. His representative does not say anything which the master does not say. Representative is very easy. You can become representative of Kṛṣṇa if you do not interpret Kṛṣṇa's words in your whimsical way. Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "There is no more superior authority than Me." And if you take it as it is, and if you speak to the people that "There is no more superior authority than Kṛṣṇa," then you become guru. You become guru. You don't change. Then you become guru. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has instructed this.

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Bombay, November 13, 1974:

So that is wanted. That is ādhyātmika. That is called bhakti-yoga, to reconnect our connection with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa also comes to instruct that "You rascal, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Just revive your connection with Me, you rascal. Give up all these manufactured so-called types of yoga and religion." Sarva-dharmān paritya... That is Kṛṣṇa's instruction. That is the differ... That is the proof. Kṛṣṇa says the same thing, and Kṛṣṇa's representative or incarnation or guru says the same thing. That is the qualification of guru. Here Kapiladeva, although He is the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, He's acting as the representative of Kṛṣṇa, as guru. He's saying the same thing. He does not say another thing. Yoga ādhyātmikaḥ. Yoga ādhyātmikaḥ puṁsāṁ mato niḥśreyasāya me. Niḥśreyasa means the ultimate benefit. Kṛṣṇa also says the same thing, that paraṁ guhyatamam: "I have instructed you so many things, but because you are My dear friend, I am just disclosing to you the most confidential thing."

Lecture on SB 3.25.22 -- Bombay, November 22, 1974:

That you have to learn from the sādhu. Because it is recommended in the..., that sa eva sādhuṣu kṛtaḥ. As much we are trying to gratify our senses and we have become attached to this material world—prasaṅgam ajaraṁ pāśam. We are becoming more and more entangled. The same thing, if we do for a sādh u or Kṛṣṇa... Sādhu-guru-kṛṣṇa. Sādhu-śāstra-guru. So sādhu is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Or Kṛṣṇa directly... Sādhu will never say that "You serve me." Sādhu will say, "Serve Kṛṣṇa." Therefore we have to approach Kṛṣṇa through sādhu. Not directly. That is not... That is confirmed by Vaiṣṇava ācārya, Narottama dāsa: chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistāra pāyeche kebā. You cannot directly approach Kṛṣṇa. You have to go through the media, the transparent via media of his representative.

Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:

The representative is he who canvasses business for Kṛṣṇa. That is guru. Kṛṣṇa wants this business. What is that? "You rascal, give up everything and surrender unto Me, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66)." Kṛṣṇa wants this business. And Kṛṣṇa's representative also says that you give up everything, simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa's representative. Sometimes we are very much eulogized, "I have done a wonderful thing, but I have done as representative of Kṛṣṇa." Same thing. I have told all these boys and girls nothing magic. I never showed any gold-making magic. I simply said to them the "Here is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, you surrender unto Him." That's all. Ask any (indistinct). I never said anything. So that is actually representative.

Lecture on SB 3.25.30 -- Bombay, November 30, 1974:

Guru is confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa. Guru never claims that he is Kṛṣṇa, he is God. That is not guru. Guru, although worshiped as Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa... Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. Not in one śāstra, but all the Vedic śāstra, they describe guru, guru-brahma. They describe on the equal footing. Guru, being representative of Kṛṣṇa, he is worshiped as Kṛṣṇa. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. All śāstra recommends that. Tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ. And those who are pure devotees, they accept. But that does not mean that guru declares himself that "I am Kṛṣṇa. I am God." No. Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. He is the most confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he is very dear. And as he is very dear to Kṛṣṇa, if he recommends somebody, "Kṛṣṇa, accept him," He will accept him. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. That is the system.

Lecture on SB 3.25.30 -- Bombay, November 30, 1974:

So in order to get the mercy of guru, so yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **, we must search out a bona fide spiritual master, representative of Kṛṣṇa or Kapiladeva, and then we shall submit and offer service. In this way we shall please the guru, and if he is satisfied, then our business is complete. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi **. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended this process, this process, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. The process of understanding or approaching the Supreme Personality of Godhead is this. Caitanya Mahāprabhu approved this when He was discussing with Rāmānanda Rāya.

Lecture on SB 3.26.1 -- Bombay, December 13, 1974:

Bhagavān is not so cheap thing. If you want to know Bhagavān... If you do not be so fool to accept another fool as Bhagavān, then you have to hear about Bhagavān about Bhagavān. That is the process. Therefore the Vedic instruction is, to get perfect knowledge, you have to approach a person who is guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). And who's guru? Guru means representative of Bhagavān. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ **. Guru... Because the real guru, he's representative of Kṛṣṇa, sākṣāt-hari. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. In all scriptures it is described that guru is as good as Bhagavān. Means he knows from the right source. Therefore he may be, not maybe exactly, but as good, sākṣād-dharitvena. Why? Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. Guru is servant, servant God. The master God and the servant God. Kṛṣṇa is the master God and guru is the servant God.

Lecture on SB 3.26.32 -- Bombay, January 9, 1975:

Ācārya is not a self-made man. No. Ācārya means ācinoti yaḥ śāstrāṇi. One who understand the śāstra, the Vedic śāstra, and practices in life and teaches the same thing to his student—that is called ācārya. So ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit, na asūyeta martya-buddhyā (SB 11.17.27). So ācārya should not be considered as ordinary man, because he is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says, "All the śāstras..." The śāstra is the basic strength, platform. So all the śāstra says the ācārya: "He is representative of the Supreme Lord." So sākṣād-dharitvena. Sākṣāt, not indirectly, supposingly. No. Directly, sākṣāt. Sākṣāt means directly.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973:

Therefore, it is the custom whenever one goes to see one saintly person, he gives something for service, either fruits or something presentation. That is necessary. Mahat-sevā it is said. Sevā means service. Maha-sevā. Not that I go to see one mahātmā, saintly person, and talk with him with all rascal proposal, and waste his time and his own time also. That is not association of the mahātmā. Mahat sevā. You must approach a saintly person to give him some service. This is the beginning. Spiritual advancement of life means you have to give some service. That service begins when we serve the representative of Kṛṣṇa, mahātmā. He's spiritual master or saintly person.

Lecture on SB 5.5.14 -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1976:

Lord Brahmā, he also says, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. And Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya, he is incarnation of Śaṅkara, he also saying, govindam, bhaja govindam, bhaja govindam, bhaja govindam. And we are following the same thing, so that is guru-paramparā, that is real knowledge. So don't approach a cheater, but actually approach a teacher, not a cheater. Then bhakti-yoga will be... That teacher is guru, and he is representative of Kṛṣṇa. He does not say anything else.

Lecture on SB 5.6.8 -- Vrndavana, November 30, 1976:

Therefore guru must be authorized person, not that bhūmi-phala-guru(?). No. "I am guru," no. You cannot become guru unless you are agent to draw out the mercy water from the ocean of mercy of Kṛṣṇa. That is guru. And therefore a guru is not an ordinary person. He is the representative, bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung, kṛṣṇa se tomāra, kṛṣṇa dite pāra: "Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura, Kṛṣṇa is your property. If you like, you can give." Vedeṣu durlabhaṁ adurlabhaṁ ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). You cannot get Kṛṣṇa by studying Vedas. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 6.1.15 -- Auckland, February 22, 1973:

But you cannot surrender to Kṛṣṇa without serving the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura said, chādiyā vaiṣṇava-sevā nistara paveche kebā: "Without serving the representative of Kṛṣṇa, nobody can approach Kṛṣṇa." It is not possible. It is not possible. There are many instances. Mahāt-pāda-rajo 'bhiṣekam. Niṣkiñcanānṁ, niṣkiñcanānām... There is one verse—just now I forget. The thing is that without being blessed by the representative of Kṛṣṇa, nobody can take interest into Kṛṣṇa. That is another secret. Yasya prasādaḍ bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. The Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that "By the mercy of the spiritual master, one can get the mercy of Kṛṣṇa." Yasya prasādāt, "by whose mercy, Kṛṣṇa is merciful." Niṣkiñcanānāṁ pāda-rajo 'bhiṣekam.

Lecture on SB 6.1.33 -- San Francisco, July 18, 1975:

So nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati (SB 6.17.28). Just like government servant, they have to go anywhere the government orders, "You go and see there." So Yamarāja is, although one of the mahājanas, great personality, most confidential devotee and officer of Kṛṣṇa... There are twelve great personalities: Lord Brahmā...

svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ

kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ

prahlādo janako bhīṣmo

balir vaiyāsakir vayam

(SB 6.3.20)

So Yamarāja is also one of the twelve exalted officers or representative of Kṛṣṇa. But still, he has gone to take charge of the judicial department for judging the sinful—not all, only the sinful.

Lecture on SB 6.1.34-39 -- Surat, December 19, 1970:

The Pañcarātriki-vidhi means that if anyone has got little tendency for being elevated to the śreyaḥ platform, he should be given chance. That is called Pañcarātriki-vidhi. Just like dīkṣā, initiation. Śūdras are not given initiation. A śūdra cannot be initiated. Only the brāhmaṇas can be initiated, or dvija, or the vaiśyas and the kṣatriyas, the higher caste, not the śūdras. But according to Pañcarātriki-vidhi, even the śūdras or less than the śūdras, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā (SB 2.4.18), everyone can be initiated by a bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, not by others. That is the system.

Lecture on SB 6.1.40 -- Surat, December 22, 1970:

And what is that material hankering? To satisfy the senses. So these devotees, they are not for satisfying their senses. They are simply trying to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa said that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). They are determined to preach this cult, that "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Therefore they are actual representative of Kṛṣṇa. Immediately they are liberated. So, so far liberation is concerned, there is. So far ahiṁsā, nonviolence, there is. So far love of God is there, there is. So combination of Hindu religion, Muslim religion... And Muslims also, they also say their bandeḥ.(?) They also pray in the mosque. I do not know, of course, all other religions. These principal things I know. They also accept "Allah akbar", "God is great." We are all bandehs,(?) all servants. So that is also... Vaiṣṇavism, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "Kṛṣṇa is great."

Lecture on SB 6.2.1-5 -- Calcutta, January 6, 1971:

And those who are actually Vaiṣṇava, they follow this instruction.

evaṁ te bhagavad-dūtā

yamadūtābhibhāṣitam

upadhāryātha tān rājan

pratyāhur naya-kovidāḥ

(SB 6.2.1)

Naya-kovidāḥ. Naya-kovidāḥ means nyāya-nipuṇa. Bhagavad-dūtas, those who are gosvāmīs, they place everything with nyāya, or logic. Their instructions are not blind, dogmatic. Naya-kovidāḥ. Everything, what is said by Kṛṣṇa or His representative, they are not dogmas. Those who are not representative of Kṛṣṇa, they will say simply dogmas. Just like in every religion there is a dogma. But in bhāgavata religion, bhāgavata-dharma, there is no dogma. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's bhāgavata-dharma, the Caitanya-caritāmṛta's author, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, says, therefore, that caitanyera dayāra kathā karaha vicāra. Vicāra means you just try to understand the gift of Lord Caitanya by logic, vicāra. Don't follow blindly. Following blindly something, that is not good. That will not stay. But one should take everything with logic. But the servants of God, they put everything in logic.

Lecture on SB 6.3.16-17 -- Gorakhpur, February 10, 1971:

Bhakti means the bhakta's only business is to understand whether Kṛṣṇa is pleased by my activity. That is bhakta's business. But because they have no relationship with God, they are puzzled that "How I shall understand whether Kṛṣṇa is pleased or not?" They are puzzled. That answer is given by Viśvanātha Cakravartī, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ: ** "If you please the representative of Kṛṣṇa, guru, then He is pleased." Yasya prasādād bhagavat... Otherwise you cannot understand whether Kṛṣṇa is pleased or not. You can understand also, because if you follow the Kṛṣṇa's instructions... Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If one is completely surrendered to Kṛṣṇa and he has no other business than to serve Him, then he can understand that "I am now... Even if I do not understand whether Kṛṣṇa is pleased or not, by the formula I can understand that because I am fully surrendered—I have no other business—then Kṛṣṇa must be pleased." That is the... And practical.

Lecture on SB 7.7.19-20 -- Bombay, March 18, 1971:

Paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim, and one who is lame, who cannot walk, he can cross over the mountains. Mūkhaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate... Yat kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande, that by whose mercy these things are possible, I offer my respectful obeisances, param ānanda bhavam, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, reservoir of all pleasure. By Kṛṣṇa's mercy it is possible. By material calculation it is not possible. Material calculation one will say that "How it is possible, you say the dumb is lecturing very nicely? That is not possible." Or, "That lame man is now crossing the mountains?" So materially it is not possible. But by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa or His representative... Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, five years old boy, he is explaining so nicely about the constitution of the soul. Why? Because he has obtained the mercy of Nārada Muni, the representative of Kṛṣṇa. So it is possible.

Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Montreal, July 2, 1968:

There are so many occupational duties. But you have to test whether that is giving you real perfection. That test is that you have to see whether by your activity the Supreme Lord is satisfied. Then... This is a great science. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness science. Simply... Therefore we have to take shelter of an expert. Just like a student goes to a school, and if he works on exercises and he puts before the teacher, and if the teacher says, "Yes, it is good," then he is successful; similarly, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) you have to approach to a guru or representative of Kṛṣṇa, and if he says, "It is all right," then you know that Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. You have to approach such a person whose certificate will ensure that Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied. You have to find out such person. Then your life is success. That will also... You will get according to your sincerity of purpose because Kṛṣṇa is within you.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10-11 -- Montreal, July 14, 1968:

Just like anyone who comes to the temple, he at once offers by falling flat, offering respect to the Deity. And the spiritual master is accepted as representative of the Deity. He's the living representative. That is the system everywhere. Just like in our India somebody was going as viceroy, representative of the King in England. Oh, he was being offered all the respect of a king. Nobody bothered, "Oh, he's coming from England. Why a brāhmaṇa should offer respect to the viceroy?" No. They never grudged. That is a system. The representative of a king, if he can be offered such respect, then how much respect should be offered to a person who is representative of Kṛṣṇa?

Lecture on SB 7.9.35 -- Mayapur, March 13, 1976:

So everyone knows there is smell within the earth. There is color within the earth. Everything is there within the earth. Otherwise how in a particular plant the color and the smell, the flavor, and everything is..., beauty, everything is coming? You daily see. So ordinarily you see heaps of dirt, but everything is there. Similarly, ordinarily we see this universe, but in every atom there is Kṛṣṇa. That was realized by Brahmā. Then he became the great personality to teach us. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye, In this way he instructed ādi-kavi, the first learned man-kavi means learned man—Brahma, Vedic knowledge. So there was no other teacher. Kṛṣṇa taught him. Therefore we belong to the Brahma-sampradāya. Kṛṣṇa instructed Brahmā. Brahmā instructed Nārada. Nārada instructed Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva instructed Śukadeva. In this way our guru-paramparā system... Therefore we worship the guru as Vyāsa-pūjā because representative of Vyāsa. And who is Vyāsa? Representative of Nārada. What is Nārada? Representative of Brahmā. What is Brahmā? Representative of Kṛṣṇa. This is called paramparā system.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

Unless he is twenty-four hours engaged in the service of God, Kṛṣṇa, how he can be spiritual master? This is also explained by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. The spiritual master is described as good as Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because the, the spiritual master is representative of Kṛṣṇa because he's most confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa. Kintu prabhor ya priya eva tasya. Yasya pra... Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ **. The spiritual master is worshiped as good as the Supreme Person. Sākṣād dharitvena. This is not artificial, but in all the śāstras, this is recommended. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ **. Those who are learned devotees, advanced devotees, they also accept this that spiritual master should be treated as good as Hari, the Supreme Person.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 2, 1973:

So in this way we have to understand Kṛṣṇa. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). We have to understand Kṛṣṇa through the paramparā, disciplic succession, not by our ABCD knowledge. That is not possible. One has to accept the disciplic succession, line. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). That guru... Guru means Kṛṣṇa's representative, Kṛṣṇa's... Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ **. Sākṣād dharitvena. Because guru is representative of Kṛṣṇa, therefore he should be respected as good as Kṛṣṇa. Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. But because a guru is respected as Kṛṣṇa, the guru does not think that he has become Kṛṣṇa. No. That is foolishness. He's the most confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 2, 1973:

Just like most confidential secretary, he acts as the master. His signature, his settlement will be accepted by the master. Similarly yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasya prasādād na gatiḥ kuto 'pi **. We have to select the right representative of Kṛṣṇa, and accept him as guru. And if I please him, then Kṛṣṇa will be pleased. There is no need of... Somebody, they say that "Kṛṣṇa is not present. How shall I please Him?" No. Kṛṣṇa's representative is present. You please him. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo, yasya **. Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau (ŚU 6.23). This is the process. Yathā deve tathā gurau. Tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ prakāśante. This is the process. Ādau gurvāśrayam. That is Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī giving his, in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, ādau gurvāśrayam. If you are actually interested to understand Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa-bhakti, the first business is ādau gurvāśrayam: you take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master who is representative of Kṛṣṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 2, 1973:

And how we can understand the representative of Kṛṣṇa? That is not very difficult. Because what Kṛṣṇa says, if the representative says the same thing, then he's representative. It is not very difficult. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If His representative says that "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa," he's representative. That's all. He does not become, himself, Kṛṣṇa. Then he's bogus. A faithful servant will never say that "I am the master." "I am servant"—although he's as good as the master. Similarly, a guru is sākṣād dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva, kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya **. He, he is the most confidential, dear servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is guru. That's all.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 2, 1973:

A guru is always the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa. He does not represent himself direct servant. How he can be direct servant? But if you are in the disciplic succession of the servitude, servant of the servant of the servant, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2), then you become representative. And there is no difference between the original guru, Kṛṣṇa, and the latest guru, Kṛṣṇa. Because the aim is the same. Kṛṣṇa personally says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And who is representative of Kṛṣṇa, he'll say the same thing: "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). The guru will say, "Yes, you become always Kṛṣṇa conscious." Man-manā. Kṛṣṇa says man-manā. A guru says, "You become Kṛṣṇa conscious." The same thing. There is no difference. You become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. You always think of Kṛṣṇa. You always chant of Kṛṣṇa. You always speak of Kṛṣṇa. You do not know anything but Kṛṣṇa. Simply this life is required.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1972:

Now because we are designated, we have got this body, designation, therefore we are situated in different positions. Somebody's working for his family. Somebody's working for his community. Somebody's working for his nation. But this is anyathā rūpam. This is depending on the bodily designation. "I am American. I am Indian. Therefore I must sacrifice everything for my country, for my nation." This is anyathā rūpam. And when we engage ourself that "I am Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel. Kṛṣṇa is my master. I am His eternal servant. I must work for Kṛṣṇa." That is mukti. That is liberation. So anyone who is working for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he has no other motive than to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. He has no other motive than to satisfy the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they are hitvā anyathā rūpam.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 28, 1972:

This devotional service of Kṛṣṇa is dormant in everyone. It is, it has to be awakened. That's all. Śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya. Simply by hearing, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanam (SB 1.2.17). If you simply hear Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the representative of Kṛṣṇa... As Caitanya Mahāprabhu directed, bhāgavata paro diya bhāgavata sthane. One should hear about Bhāgavata from the devotee. There are two kinds of Bhāgavata, the book Bhāgavata and the person Bhāgavata. So we have to relish the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the contents of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, from a devotee who is self-realized. Then it will be very nice. Satāṁ prasaṅgād mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ. When you hear about Kṛṣṇa from a Kṛṣṇa devotee, it becomes very pleasing to the ear and the heart.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1972:

Pradyumna: "Similarly, we can offer many services with our bodily activities, but all such activities must be in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. This relationship is established by connecting oneself with the bona fide spiritual master who is the direct representative of Kṛṣṇa in disciplic succession. Therefore the execution of Kṛṣṇa consciousness activities with the body should be directed by the spiritual master and then performed with faith."

Prabhupāda: Yes. We should not manufacture in our own way that: "This is Kṛṣṇa's activity." It must be confirmed by the spiritual master. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has explained in his comment on Bhagavad-gītā in connection with the verse vyavasāyātmikā-buddhiḥ ekeha kuru-nandana... Vyavasāyātmikā-buddhiḥ, niścayātmikā-buddhiḥ. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that "Whatever order I get from my spiritual master, that is my life and soul. I must execute it thoroughly, without caring for my personal convenience or inconvenience. That is called vyavasāyātmikā-buddhi." Eka. We cannot manufacture anything as Kṛṣṇa conscious activities, but we must be ready always to carry out the order of spiritual master who is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Sākṣād dharitvena samasta-śāstrair **. The spiritual master is recognized as the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. Sākṣād dharitvena. Therefore he should be offered respect as good as to Kṛṣṇa. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo **. And if we can please our spiritual master, then we please Kṛṣṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa's another name is Uttama-śloka. Bhagavaty uttama-śloke bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭikī. Kṛṣṇa does not belong to this material world. Only the fools and rascals, they think of Kṛṣṇa having material body. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Kṛṣṇa is always in His spiritual body, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Similarly, if we establish our bona fide relationship with the spiritual master, representative of Kṛṣṇa, immediately our connection with Kṛṣṇa becomes established.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 29, 1972:

One must be very much fortunate to come in contact with Kṛṣṇa and guru. So how that fortunate becomes possible? It is called ajñāta-sukṛti. Sukṛti and duṣkṛti, these two words are used in Bhagavad-gītā. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). There is the word, duṣkṛti. And sukṛti. Catur-vidhā bhajanti māṁ sukṛti 'rjuna. So this sukṛti, this fortune, there is a chance which is called ajñāta-sukṛti. Ajñāta-sukṛti means just like Kṛṣṇa's representative is preaching all over the world, and if somebody comes in contact with that representative of Kṛṣṇa, and satisfies him, he acquires some ajñāta-sukṛti. This is called ajñāta-sukṛti. He does not know what spiritual benefit he's achieving by serving the representative of Kṛṣṇa. He does not know. But he acquires it imperceptibly. This is called ajñāta-sukṛti. So when ajñāta-sukṛti is accumulated, then he becomes fortunate. That is called kono bhāgyavān jīva.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 30, 1972:

We should execute cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness very favorably, not unfavorably. Favorable means by which Kṛṣṇa becomes pleased, by which your spiritual master becomes pleased. Because when your spiritual master is pleased, Kṛṣṇa is pleased. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. So spiritual master is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Just like in office, you do not see the proprietor, but your immediate officer, if you can please, then you get promotion, increment, so many things. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa sends His representative. Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit (SB 11.17.27). So, so pleasing the ācārya means pleasing Kṛṣṇa. Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says, yasya prasādad bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. So ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam means when you have accepted the bona fide spiritual master, you should work in such a way that your spiritual master is pleased with you. Then you, your path is very clear.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.8 -- Mayapur, April 1, 1975:

The politicians, they first require to understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness if they actually want to do good to others. If they remain like animals, it is not possible. Then whole world, the people, will suffer. That is the position now. There is no standard ruler. A ruler must be representative of Kṛṣṇa. Then... Then everything will be... Just like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was representative of Kṛṣṇa. Or Lord Rāmacandra, He was God Himself. Such executive head needed, not these rascals. Then you'll never be happy. Simply by hook and crook you select some rascal president; you'll never be happy. He must be Kṛṣṇa Himself or Kṛṣṇa's representative. Then people will be happy.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- New York, November 22, 1966:

We have to first of all select spiritual master. The selection is required. Because as soon as you accept one spiritual master, you cannot say that "I don't agree with you." No. That you cannot say. Then it is useless, simply waste of time. First of all you have to select a person who is actually representative. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī is representative of, I mean to say, Lord Caitanya. Just like Arjuna is representative of Kṛṣṇa, because he's directly receiving instruction from Kṛṣṇa, and he's assimilating it; therefore, he is representative. So this is the paramparā system. So we have to select a person who is actually representative of the Supreme. Then we have to surrender, and then we can... Of course, before (indistinct) and do not understand, we must put our questions, then the procedure is nice.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.112 -- Bombay, November 24, 1975:

If you want to abide by the orders of Kṛṣṇa, anu-śīlanam... Anu-śīlanam means cultivation. The words are there. The words are not different from Kṛṣṇa. So as soon as you take the words as it is, you immediately associate with Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise you take the instruction of guru, representative of Kṛṣṇa. If you can please your guru, yasya prasādad bhagavat-prasādaḥ... **. If you can please His representative, then you please Him. So in this way, kṛṣṇānuśīlanam, that is our duty, ānukūlyena, ānukūla, not pratikūla. There are two ways of acting, ānukūla and pratikūla. If you act as I desire, that is ānukūla, and if you act what I don't desire, that is pratikūla. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness must be ānukūla, according to the desire of Kṛṣṇa, as it is confirmed by guru. That is ānukūla, favorable. And if you act whimsically, which Kṛṣṇa does not desire or the guru does not desire, then it is pratikūla. So ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167), that is bhakti.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.119-121 -- New York, November 24, 1966:

So because I am a living entity, I try for so many things, for my daily bread, and I don't try to catch the mercy of sādhu and śāstra. Just see my foolishness. I, for getting a work, I flatter so many persons and put my, serving my application, but for my deliverance from the material bondage I don't care. "No, I am not going to submit to anyone. I don't require." Just see. How much foolishness there is. Just like a dog, for his bread he'll submit everyone, but for his spiritual emancipation, oh, he's not agreeing to submit. Just see the foolishness. For bread, which is already settled by the nature, he'll submit to everyone. Just like dog goes from door to door and moves its tail that "Give me a bread. Give me a bread." Yes. So this application is a doggish... In the Bhāgavata it is stated that the, the brāhmaṇa, a kṣatriya, if he's poverty-stricken, he may accept something mercantile, but don't be a dog. This modern civilization is teaching people to become dog. Go door to door! (break) ...the saintly person, the representative of Kṛṣṇa, they are always trying to distribute this mercy. So if somebody by his fortune accepts this mercy then he can become, mean, aloof from these material troubles.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 11 -- Los Angeles, May 16, 1970:

If you are sincere... Kṛṣṇa is always sitting within your heart, caitya-guru, the spiritual master within the heart. That spiritual master within the heart manifests himself externally as spiritual master. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ **. Sākṣāt, directly, directly representative of Kṛṣṇa. This is the verdict of all śāstras. Samasta. Samasta means all śāstra. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva **. And it is not only stated, but it is accepted as such by all great sadbhiḥ, devotees.

Festival Lectures

Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami's Appearance Day -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

So Bhāgavata says: tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). You surrender to a guru. Why? Jijñāsu śreya uttamam. Unless you are inquisitive to learn about the Supreme, the transcendence, then you find out a suitable representative of Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and surrender. Tad vidhi praṇipātena. Praṇipāta. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpena nipāta. Pra means prakṛṣṭa-rūpena, and praṇipāta. Prakṛṣṭa-rūpena nipāta: fall down. Tad vidhi praṇipātena paripraśnena. First of all, praṇipāta. You cannot inquire challengingly to the guru. Just like Arjuna did it, praṇipāta. Śiṣyas te'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). So this praṇipāta required. And before praṇipāta, you must... Everyone has got his personal, puffed-up attitude: "Why shall I surrender?" That is the material disease. We do not wish to surrender.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, SB 6.3.24 -- Gorakhpur, February 15, 1971:

So there is a huge plan and huge scheme. Therefore we have to follow the footsteps of the mahājanas. As it is stated here, that dvādaśaite vijānīmo dharmaṁ bhāgavataṁ bhaṭāḥ. He said that "We, the selected mahājanas, representatives of Kṛṣṇa, we know what is bhāgavata-dharma, what is Kṛṣṇa dharma." Dvādaśa. Dvādaśa. The dvādaśa means twelve names, already mentioned: svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ... (SB 6.3.20). I have explained. So Yamarāja said, "Only we, these twelve men, representatives of Kṛṣṇa, we know what is bhāgavata-dharma." Dvādaśaite vijānīmaḥ. Vijānīmaḥ means "we know." Dharmaṁ bhāgavataṁ bhaṭāḥ, guhyaṁ viśuddhaṁ durbodhaṁ yaṁ jñātvāmṛtam aśnute. "We know." Therefore it is advised, mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). These mahājanas, as they have prescribed, that is the real way for understanding Kṛṣṇa, or spiritual salvation (service?).

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Los Angeles, June 29, 1971:

So this is the position. But still, as living representative of Kṛṣṇa, our duty is to save these fallen conditioned souls. That is our duty. One may agree to come or not come. It doesn't matter. You try your best to bring him to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness position. Then Kṛṣṇa will be happy. "Oh, this person is trying." Because it is Kṛṣṇa's business. Kṛṣṇa comes. He advises, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And we are saying the same thing, that "You just surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Be Kṛṣṇa conscious." Therefore we are living representative of Kṛṣṇa. We are saying nothing else. Our only business is to repeat the Kṛṣṇa's word. Therefore we are representative. So anyone can become representative of Kṛṣṇa. It is not difficult.

Arrival Lecture -- San Francisco, July 15, 1975:

The guru will never think that "My disciples are worshiping me exactly like God; therefore I have become God." He is not guru, he is rascal. Guru is always in the position of servant. And because he is the most confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa, therefore he is to be respected as good as Kṛṣṇa. Because in our present position we cannot see Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa sends His representative; therefore he is respected as Kṛṣṇa. Now, how one can become guru and representative of Kṛṣṇa? Everyone will say, "I am a representative of Kṛṣṇa. I am guru." No. That is enunciated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "You just become guru on My order." So guru means who is carrying out the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, not a self-made guru. Guru means the most confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa or Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the same thing. He is guru.

Arrival Address -- Vrndavana, September 3, 1976:

Vedic knowledge is revelation. Vedic knowledge is not understood by so-called mundane scholarship, by reading grammar. No. Vedic knowledge is possible to be understood by a person who has got unflinching faith in the bona fide guru. Guru means representative of Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa and His representative. We have repeatedly discussed this fact that guru means the bona fide servant of Kṛṣṇa. Guru does not mean a magician or jugglery. That is not guru. Guru means, it is explained by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu very easily, how to become guru. He has asked everyone, especially those who are born in India, bhārata bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra (CC Adi 9.41). Especially. Because we Indians, bhāratīya, we have got facilities to become guru of the whole world. We have got the facility.

Initiation Lectures

Initiations -- New York, July 26, 1971:

Mahendra. Mahā-indra. Mahā-indra is the heavenly king. Yas tu indra-gopa-mahā indra. There are two kinds of indra. One is a small insect which is called indra-gopa, and beginning from this indra up to the mahā-indra, the king of heaven, they are all under the reaction of fruitive activities. Yas tv indra-gopa-mahendra-mahā-sva-karma-phala-bhājanam āta... Everyone is enjoying and suffering the result of his fruitive activities. Karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). But those who are in devotional service, they have no reaction of their work because they do not work for themselves. They are for Kṛṣṇa. Therefore there is no reaction. So Mahendra means the greatest king within this universe. So because he is representative of Kṛṣṇa, therefore we accept him as one of the devotees.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, October 11, 1968:

When one is sufficiently trained and acts with submissive faith and love for Kṛṣṇa under the direction of the bona fide spiritual master, the dovetailing process becomes more firm and accurate. At this stage (Kṛṣṇa) dictates from within. From without the devotee is helped by the spiritual master, the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, and from within the Lord helps the devotee as caitya-guru, being seated within the heart of everyone. To simply understand that God is seated in everyone's heart is not perfection. One has to be acquainted with God from within and without, and thus to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the highest perfectional stage for the human form of life, and the topmost stage in all yoga systems.

Lecture -- London, September 14, 1969:

So as soon as you become free from all these designations, manufacturing process of the mind and intellect, and fully engage in Kṛṣṇa's service... Therefore, we require to be trained in the service of Kṛṣṇa under the guidance of representative of Kṛṣṇa, training. In this way, when we are fully trained, we shall reach that stage, oh, that "I am protected by Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa gives you assurance, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: (BG 18.66) "I shall give you liberation from all sorts of sinful reaction of your life." Then immediately I will come to Kṛṣṇa. Of course, it does not mean that anyone who comes to Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's representative, he has finished all the reaction of his past sinful activities. That is not possible.

Lecture -- London, September 14, 1969:

So a spiritual master or a representative of Kṛṣṇa or a mahātmā, he is praśāntā. Praśāntā means he is freed from all these manufacturing process of the mind. He is no more conducted by the dictation of the mind. He is conducted by the dictation of Kṛṣṇa, or Kṛṣṇa's words. Just like Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa's words. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's words are not different. So if you abide by the words of Kṛṣṇa, just like Bhagavad-gītā—there are many others—then you are abiding by Kṛṣṇa. You are not abiding by the dictation of your mind. That should be the motto of our life. And a spiritual master or mahātmā is he who is situated in that position. He is not dictated by the mind. He is simply following the scriptural injunctions.

Speech to Maharaja and Maharani and Conversations Before and After -- Indore, December 11, 1970:

So that was the Hindu culture, that in spite of being punished by the king, he accepts the king as the representative of Nārāyaṇa. And actually, the Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, He is the proprietor of everything. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor of... Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Therefore, to govern a planet there is representative of Kṛṣṇa. In the heavenly planets there is Indra. In the sun planet there is Vivasvān. In the Brahmaloka there is Lord Brahmā. Similarly, there are different planets and different representative of Kṛṣṇa.

Speech to Maharaja and Maharani and Conversations Before and After -- Indore, December 11, 1970:

That "If anyone has got devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he develops all the good qualities." Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī. Because he was a devotee, he did not distinguish the king, whether he was Muhammadan or Hindu. He immediately accepted that "You are representative of Kṛṣṇa." That is the version. Arjuna, because he was a devotee, although he was in the battlefield, he was insulted, his wife was insulted, his kingdom was usurped, still, he said, "Better not to fight and kill my kinsmen." That goodness was not found on the other side, Duryodhana. Because Arjuna was a devotee, he was compassionate with his brothers, not to kill them. But Kṛṣṇa wanted that this fighting must go on because He wanted to install Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, the pious king, on the throne. So therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and the support of the royal family is very old relationship.

Lecture -- Paris, June 26, 1971:

But those who are very serious about understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, immediately He helps him by, I mean to say, showing a bona fide spiritual master so that a candidate will be helped from inside and outside how to approach God. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for that purpose. The spiritual master, or the representative, living representative of Kṛṣṇa, he helps from outside, and Kṛṣṇa as Paramātmā helps from inside. In both ways the living entity can take advantage and make his life successful. We have got many books in this connection, about twelve books of four hundred pages.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

So this paramparā system, the subject I was discussing, that how I become the representative of Kṛṣṇa, it is not very difficult. Everyone can become a representative of Kṛṣṇa provided he exactly presents what Kṛṣṇa says. That's all. Just like a peon, he is also representative of the postal department, ordinary peon. How he becomes representative of the whole postal system? If he delivers your letter or money order without mishandling it, as it is. You have... Some friend has sent you some money order. He gives you the paper, you sign, and he pays you. But if he pilfers the method(?), then he is no longer representative. He becomes thief, rogue. So representative of Kṛṣṇa is also in the same way. If you present Kṛṣṇa's word as it is, without pilfering, without any adulteration, then you become Kṛṣṇa's representative. There is no difficulty.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

The point is that we are teaching Bhagavad-gītā as it is; therefore I am representative of Kṛṣṇa. If you do that, you become also representative of Kṛṣṇa. So it is not very difficult. Don't think it is a very hard job: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is so great personality, God, and how one can become His representative?" No. Anyone can become His representative provided he follows the Kṛṣṇa's instruction. That's all. Anyone. Actually they are doing that. They are representative. Not only I, but they are also. Every one of our members, they are Kṛṣṇa's representative. They are not trying to malinterpret.

Town Hall Lecture -- Auckland, April 14, 1972:

So our becoming the representative of Kṛṣṇa is not very difficult job because we do not misinterpret the readings of Bhagavad-gītā. We accept them as it is. If there is some doubt... There cannot be any doubt. It may be due to my poor fund of knowledge I cannot understand it—that we should admit. The lines, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, they are as perfect as anything. But if I cannot understand it, that is my lack of knowledge, my poor fund of knowledge.

Lecture What is a Guru? -- London, August 22, 1973:

Without surrendering, you cannot learn anything. If you want to challenge guru, it is not possible. Then you'll learn nothing. Tasmad guruṁ prapadyeta. Praṇipātena. So, just like Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa as guru, he said, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) "I am now surrendered to you." That is the process. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). To... Guru means Kṛṣṇa's representative, former ācāryas' representative. Kṛṣṇa's... All ācāryas are representative of Kṛṣṇa; therefore guru should be offered the same respect as you offer to God. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). Therefore Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo **. Because guru is bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, or God, so if you surrender to guru, bona fide guru, that means you surrender to God. God is accepting your surrender through the guru. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo. If you surrender to guru, that means Kṛṣṇa is pleased. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) surrender. That somebody argues, "Where is Kṛṣṇa? I shall surrender." No. You surrender to His representative, then you surrender to Kṛṣṇa. This is the process.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Immanuel Kant:

Śyāmasundara: So one could understand about Kṛṣṇa perhaps if he was unable to receive from outside?

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is everything, outside and inside. Inside He is Paramātmā, outside He is spiritual master. So Kṛṣṇa is trying to help the conditioned soul both ways-outside and inside. Therefore spiritual master is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa comes outside as spiritual master, and inside He is personally there.

Philosophy Discussion on Thomas Hobbes:

Prabhupāda: No. The king is also under the law. King, as we understand from Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa instructed the law to Sun-god, and he followed the laws. Therefore he is, to the common man, he is the supreme. The king is supposed to be representative of God in the state. So "above the law" means because king is perfect by abiding the laws of Kṛṣṇa, he cannot be subjected to any subordinate laws. But his perfection is there only when he follows Kṛṣṇa's order. Therefore monarchy, the law, king's order, is final. There cannot be any... Just like king's mercy. Even one is condemned to death, but if the king's mercy is there that he should be excused, he should be free, nobody can check. So why it is? Because king is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). He first of all said the laws, the Bhagavad-gītā, which is so important for the human civilization millions of years, at least forty millions of years it was spoken to the sun-god, and sun-god gave it to his son Manu, Manu, and his son Ikṣvāku inherited from Manu. This way the absolute law is coming by disciplic succession. And formerly India was governed by monarchy. They received the law of God by disciplic succession. They executed. Therefore whatever he decides, that is final. He cannot be subjected to any other law. So the king, if he is following the laws given by God, then he is above all laws, material convention.

Purports to Songs

Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- San Francisco, March 16, 1967:

Abhilāṣa means aspiration, hope, or ambition. He is ambitious of becoming a devotee in nine different ways. The first thing is śravaṇa. Śravaṇa means hearing. One has to hear from authorities. That is the beginning of spiritual life or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like Arjuna. He achieved his spiritual consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by hearing from Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, one has to hear from Kṛṣṇa or from the representative of Kṛṣṇa. One who presents Kṛṣṇa's words as it is—from him one has to hear because at the present moment we have no opportunity to hear directly. To hear directly from Kṛṣṇa is there. The arrangement is there. Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart, and one can hear from Him very easily, anywhere and everywhere, but he must have the training how to hear. For that purpose one requires the help of the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that one can achieve devotional service of Kṛṣṇa by the combined mercy of Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). By the grace of spiritual master, guru, and by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, one achieves the opportunity of serving Kṛṣṇa in devotional service.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 27, 1968, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya, everyone has got a specific duty. So one has to see that by his specific duty, entrusted with or discharging that duty, whether Kṛṣṇa is being satisfied. That's all. Therefore one has to accept a bona fide spiritual master to know whether Kṛṣṇa is being satisfied by his work. Who will certify? You cannot concoct, "Oh, I am doing for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa." No, that is not possible. It must be accepted by the representative of Kṛṣṇa, "Yes, by your work, Kṛṣṇa is satisfied." Then it is all right. So... (break) Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya. In everything, Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, just stick to these two books very nicely. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya, saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13). It is a great science and very intricate also. But one has to learn also very diligently. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not for the fools. It is not for the fools. Highly intelligent class of man, he can understand the philosophical aspect of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Meeting with Devotees -- June 9, 1969, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Actually only Kṛṣṇa is master. Even Lord Śiva, Lord Brahmā, or incarnation of Viṣṇu, all of them are, in one sense, even Rādhārāṇī, all are servants. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa ara saba bhṛtya. So in that sense, in this New Vrindaban the master is Kṛṣṇa, and we are all servants. But there are division of duties of the servants, and they should discharge. Just like in our propagation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement there are certain duties entrusted to certain devotee, and if he faithfully carries out that duty, that is his perfection. The spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, and the duty allotted by him to a certain person, that should be his execution of spiritual duties. So this New Vrindaban, master is Kṛṣṇa. Now we should specifically divide duties amongst ourselves and discharge such duties faithfully. Then, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, as you are growing up to now, the system and the prescription is very nicely being conducted. And this will help us more and more progress. So in this meeting I think we should allot different kinds of duties to different persons and execute. So you say something. (break) ...temple. I don't think it can take more than two hours.

Room Conversation With John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Harrison -- September 11, 1969, London, At Tittenhurst:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. If you believe Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, if that is your version, then you have to see who are much addicted to Kṛṣṇa directly. For argument's sake. That these people are twenty-four hours chanting Kṛṣṇa, and another person who has no, not a single word Kṛṣṇa, how he can become devotee of Kṛṣṇa? How he can become representative of Kṛṣṇa, who does not utter even the name of Kṛṣṇa? If Kṛṣṇa is authority accepted, therefore who are directly addicted to Kṛṣṇa, they are authorities. (Kīrtanas follow, George Harrison leading) (end)

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 17, 1971, Gorakhpur:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa says, kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam, yat karoṣi. "Whatever you do, the result should be given to Me." Do for it. "Do for for Me." Yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi yad aśnāsi yat tapasyasi dadāsi yat (BG 9.27). So this requires training, how everything can be molded for Kṛṣṇa. Therefore guidance required, bona fide spiritual master required. Under his guidance, one has to do. Ādau gurvāśrayam. In order to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one has to first of all accept a bona fide spiritual master. Then everything will be done. He is representative of Kṛṣṇa, and to act under his direction means acting under Kṛṣṇa. He knows how to utilize your energy for service of Kṛṣṇa. Ādau gurvāśrayam sad-dharma-pṛcchat sādhu-mārgānugāmanam.

Darsana -- June 28, 1971, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Kardama Muni, he was a great yogi. So he was thinking of marrying, so Kṛṣṇa sent him good wife, Devahūti, a king's daughter. So he thought, "I was thinking of marrying, so Kṛṣṇa has sent. All right, let me marry." But he made a condition to her father that "I can accept your daughter as my wife so long she has no children. As soon as she has children, I shall go away." So the father agreed, "Whatever you like, you can do. I'm just placing my wife in your custody." So the sannyāsī..., when there is a child of the wife, I think one can accept sannyāsa.

But preaching is our most important business. People are suffering for want of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So as representative of Kṛṣṇa, it is our duty to enlighten them, and we should accept all kinds of... But there is no difficulty. Where is the difficulty? I think we are living better than anyone in the world. (laughter) Where is the difficulty? Simply we have to be very sincere devotee of Kṛṣṇa, that's all.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:

Bob: In what way is the external manifestation of the guru different than the external manifestation of, let us say, Kṛṣṇa or Caitanya when They come to earth.

Prabhupāda: Guru is one, representative of Kṛṣṇa. So there are symptoms who is guru. The general symptoms are described in the Vedas. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ gurum evābhigacchet, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). The first symptom is śrotriyam. Guru is in disciplic succession. One who has thoroughly heard about the Vedas through his spiritual master. This is general description. So another description is in the Bhāgavatam:

tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta

jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam

śabde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ

brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam

(SB 11.3.21)

Generally, the guru's symptom is that he's a perfect devotee. That's all. And he's serving Kṛṣṇa by preaching His message.

Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Um hmm. So that is goodness. But still... Just like in your Bowery Street, they give some charity, and immediately he purchases one bottle of wine and drinks and lie down flat. (laughter) So that is charity... That is not goodness, that is ignorance.

Bob: That charity is ignorance.

Prabhupāda: Yes. There are three kinds of charities: goodness, passion, and ignorance. Goodness means charity where charity must be given. Just like this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So if anyone gives charity to this movement, that is goodness. Because it is spreading God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is goodness. And if one gives charity for some return, that is passion. And if somebody gives in charity, he does not know what he's going to do, just like the Bowery man, that is ignorance. So our Vedic principle is, Kṛṣṇa says, that yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam. That "Give Me." There is no question of knowing what is going to happen. If Kṛṣṇa takes, that is the perfection of charity. Or anyone who is representative of Kṛṣṇa, he takes, that is perfection.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Indonesian Scholar -- February 27, 1973, Jakarta:

Scholar: Kṛṣṇa gains or speaks as a guru, guru-śiṣya-samudbhava.

Prabhupāda: Well, Kṛṣṇa is the original guru, (indistinct) guru for everyone.

Scholar: So here is as a guru.

Prabhupāda: Guru is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore guru will also teach to surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

Scholar: From this movement what has been, what is the plan, and what is the...

Prabhupāda: Everyone should become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is the plan. That is the whole plan. That is stated. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Just like this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, this is man-manā, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. This Kṛṣṇa chanting means thinking of Kṛṣṇa, immediately, man-manā. Mad-bhaktaḥ, there is in the temple, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa deity, they are worshiping. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī, they are regularly, according to the rules and regulations from morning to up to ten, there is worshiping method. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), offer your obeisances. Then you come back to Me. That is perfection. They do not know where they are going, whether they are going to be cats and dogs. But here by this process you go back to home, back to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore this should be adopted. Why should you spoil your energy to become cats and dogs?

Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London:

s representative will tell you. Kṛṣṇa is not there, but Kṛṣṇa's representative is there. So you have to ask the Kṛṣṇa's representative.

Reporter: So that's why I have come to you...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Reporter: ...to ask you.

Prabhupāda: If you think we are representative of Kṛṣṇa, that is good. (everyone laughs)

Reporter: Perhaps you can speak for the representative of Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes, at least I'm directing all these boys.

Reporter: Yes.

Prabhupāda: They're thinking, "And to become Kṛṣṇa's representative is very difficult thing." It is not very difficult.

Reporter: It is not difficult.

Prabhupāda: Because Kṛṣṇa... Who is Kṛṣṇa's representative? Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, that

āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa

yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa

(CC Madhya 7.128)

You understand Bengali?

Reporter: No.

Prabhupāda: He says that "By My order, you become a guru." "So what shall I do, sir? What is Your ājñāya, order?" That yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128)': "Whomever you meet, you just speak what Kṛṣṇa has spoken." That's all. What is the difficulty? If we speak what Kṛṣṇa has spoken, exactly... Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, without my interpretation, no nonsense. No. Kṛṣṇa says mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). There is no more superior truth above. Truly speaking, that here is Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa. There is no more superior person or authority than Kṛṣṇa. So what is our difficulty? We are exactly repeating the statement in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). We are saying the same thing. Kṛṣṇa said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). We are asking these people, "Just surrender to Kṛṣṇa."

Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: This is going on. If you want to speak your own word, why you take Bhagavad-gītā? How much, aḥ, devilish mentality. You want to speak your own philosophy-speak. Why you take advantage of Bhagavad-gītā? But that is going on. They take advantage of Bhagavad-gītā and speak their all nonsense things. They're not representative of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa's representative is he who exactly speaks what Kṛṣṇa has spoken. It is not very difficult. So everyone can become Kṛṣṇa's representative, provided he speaks exactly like Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Lower than śūdra. Why śūdra? Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). They become purified if they accept the real representative of Kṛṣṇa. Prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ. Everything is there in the śāstras. If you take advantage of the benefit of the śāstras, everything can be remodeled, everything can be good. There is no cause for disappointment. But unfortunately they'll not agree. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya. Na siddhiṁ sa avāpnoti. One who is acting whimsically, without any reference of the authoritative śāstra, he'll never get success, na siddhim avāpnoti. Na sukham: neither happiness. And what to speak of going to the spiritual world? It is impossible. So we have to take the advantage of the instruction in the śāstra. Now Kṛṣṇa is accepted the supreme authority by all the ācāryas. The molder of destiny of India's culture, all the ācāryas. Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka, Lord Caitanya...

Reporter: Śaṅkarācārya.

Prabhupāda: Śaṅkarācārya. They all accept Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). They accept it. So how can you defy all these ācāryas and you become better than them? That is nonsense.

Room Conversation -- London, August 24, 1973 :

Prabhupāda: ...in this way a living entity is wandering, but by fortune, if he gets in touch, guru-kṛṣṇa, a bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa, a guru, by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, because Kṛṣṇa is in everyone's heart, then he gets the seed of devotional service. And if he cultivates that devotional service, then he goes. This is the process. Not that because one has suffered so much, therefore automatically.

Morning Walk -- December 9, 1973, Los Angeles:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They'll say they don't care about next life, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. That is foolishness. Just like a child is playing whole day, and if you ask, "Go to school," "I don't care for future life." It is, it is just like that. It is just like that. How the guardians can tolerate that, that this rascal is going to be a fool-number-one if he's not educated? So we are guardians. We are representatives of Kṛṣṇa. We cannot see this. The rascal may say like that, but we cannot tolerate this. This is our proposition. We must see that things are going on nicely, according to the plan of God. That is our duty. The rascal may say like that. But we cannot stop there. So this is a serious movement, and you should take very seriously from all angles of vision.

Morning Walk -- December 15, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prajāpati: In the early days of this movement, Śrīla Prabhupāda, in New York, devotees said they did not know how to treat Your Divine Grace. They did not know your exalted position. I think we are still very much offensive.

Prabhupāda: No, I am servant. I have no exalted position. Servant. Caitanya Mahāprabhu sat down in a place where people were washing their feet. Yes. (break) ...a representative of Kṛṣṇa. I came to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and Kṛṣṇa has sent so many representatives to help me. I consider like that. Without your help I could not do. So I wanted Kṛṣṇa's help, so Kṛṣṇa has sent you. Therefore you are representative of Kṛṣṇa. That is my conception.

Prajāpati: We're just dogs, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: No.

Prajāpati: Barking at your feet, that's all.

Prabhupāda: That is your humbleness. That is nice.

Prajāpati: Not humbleness. That's fact.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)

Morning Walk -- December 17, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prajāpati: But is it true, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that sometimes the spiritual master has to suffer if his disciples act in sinful ways?

Prabhupāda: The same way. Bodily suffering. Infection. The spiritual master accepts the all infection. So as the infection acts on the body, so there is little suffering. Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa says, "All the sinful reaction of the surrendered soul..." So spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. So he has also to accept. (break) ...the injunction is one should not accept many disciples. But for preaching work we have to do that. (break)

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 2, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Sannyāsa-yoga-yuktātmā vimukto mām upaiṣyasi.

Prabhupāda: Ah, karyam, that one should take the order of the guru, because guru is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. So when one takes... That is explained by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura in connection with the verse:

vyavasāyātmikā buddhir

ekeha kuru-nandana

bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca

buddhayo 'vyavasāyinām

(BG 2.41)

So the vyavasāyīs, those who are fixed up in the words of guru, "So guru has ordered me to do it. Oh, that is my life. I do not know whether I will be promoted to heaven or hell. It doesn't matter. I shall execute..."

Dr. Patel: Execute the order of the guru.

Prabhupāda: Guru. Yes. Very easy. That is the secret. Yasya deve parā bhaktir tathā deve yathā gurau (ŚU 6.23). Then he is sure to be successful. This is the secret.

Morning Walk -- April 5, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Consult your ātmā within in action.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore, to receive the order of Kṛṣṇa, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12), one should approach the bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa and take order from Him what to do, and that is his only duty. That is his only duty. Otherwise he will manufacture so many duties. That will not be helpful to him. That niscayatmika-buddhiḥ, that has been very nicely explained by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, that "Whatever order I receive from my guru, that is my life and soul. I don't mind whether I'll be liberated or not, whether I will be successful or not. That is not my concern. My only concern is to see whether I am factually, faithfully carrying out the order of my guru." This is... Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura notes. So these things are being explained in the same way that "You do not think which is right or wrong. You simply... I have asked you to fight. You go on fighting and take the credit. That's all."

Morning Walk -- May 30, 1974, Rome:

Satsvarūpa: The pure devotee gives the chance to everyone, but only a few approach. So still the question is how can they become interested in the pure devotee?

Prabhupāda: No, this is the..., that you do it. If they do not do it, then who will come? This declaration is there, that "If you do this, then you can be interested." But if you do not, then you go on with your own business. A similar... The same things Kṛṣṇa, sarva-dharmān parit... mām ekam. Kṛṣṇa is demanding that you do it, "Surrender unto Me." The śāstra also says, "Surrender unto the representative of Kṛṣṇa," mahīyasām. But if they do not do, what can be done? Just see this sparrow. The sex is always accompanying, any time ready. The pigeons, any time ready. Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. That is the only attachment for this material world, viṣaya. Whole world is fighting for this viṣaya. "I must have nice eating, I must have nice sleeping, I must have very good sex, and I should be defended by bank balance, by military soldiers, by police force, by atomic weapons." This is going on.

Room Conversation with Roger Maria leading writer of communist literature -- June 12, 1974, Paris:

Karandhara: No, he's saying that Aurobindo and Ramakrishna expressed that same idea in contemporary language in their own time.

Prabhupāda: So that existed temporarily. Now it is gone. That will not appeal. (French)

Yogeśvara: In other words, what he's suggesting is that that's not actually an argument because the important thing is that there were times, at different times, different people have come and have attempted or have actually represented the public sentiment. They have become the epitome or resume' or synthesis of the public sentiment at a particular period. In other words, he's saying the great reform..., the great preachers, they've always been representatives of people; instead of being representatives of Kṛṣṇa, or God, they've been the representatives of the people.

Prabhupāda: The people's representative is different from God's representative. (French)

Yogeśvara: He says that "Well, that's a belief." You have to believe that. He said that's only a belief.

Prabhupāda: No, people change according to the time, circumstances, they change. Their opinion has no value. We don't give any value to the people's opinion. We give value to the Supreme Being's opinion. (French)

Room Conversation -- August 5, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: ...the business of the representative of Kṛṣṇa to push the nipple. (?) Because they know what is the necessity. The whole world is upset for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the necessity. It is not a, I mean to say, whimsical sporting. It is the necessity. But they do not know. It is a very responsible task. That is called prayojana. Is it clear? What do you think? Huh?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, they... There has to be...

Prabhupāda: They do not know. The scientists, they do not know what is the necessity. (laughs) Do they know? Do you think, all the scientists, do they know?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: If they know, they'll be all bhaktas.

Prabhupāda: They do not know.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- May 22, 1975, Melbourne:

Madhudviṣa: The question was, Prabhupāda, is it possible for a person to return to the spiritual world without taking initiation from a bona fide spiritual master?

Prabhupāda: No, that is not possible. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī said, ā dau gurv-āśrayam. First business is to accept spiritual master. Ā dau gurv-āśrayam. Who will train him? He is already fool, rascal. He must be trained up. So he must be trained up by the representative of Kṛṣṇa.

Devotee 9: Is second initiation necessary, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Second or first only.

Room Conversation with Two Lawyers and Guest -- May 22, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: By the mercy of Kṛṣṇa one comes in touch with the bona fide spiritual master, and by the mercy of spiritual master, one gets Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is in everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 18.61). Kṛṣṇa can understand what we want. So when we sincerely want Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa sends His representative, guru. Guru is outside representative of Kṛṣṇa. So to the sincere student, Kṛṣṇa teaches from inside and outside. That is the way, so that he becomes quickly fit for going back to home, back to Godhead. So this behavior, to be attached to spiritual master, is a good qualification. Yasya prasādāt, by his mercy, Kṛṣṇa becomes merciful. By Kṛṣṇa's mercy, one gets spiritual master, and by the spiritual master's mercy, one gets the mercy of Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- June 30, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: Oh, Svarūp Gañj.

Brahmānanda: Yes, Svarūp Gañj. So he likes our movement very much, and he said that, he told one of our devotees that you were the most powerful personality in the world. And he has given very accurate astrology readings to some of our devotees.

Prabhupāda: And he was, what he has told about me?

Brahmānanda: That you are the most powerful personality in the world.

Prabhupāda: If I am representative of Kṛṣṇa, then I must be the most powerful. Kṛṣṇa has got..., all omnipotent. (laughs) Most powerful, the most my Godbrothers. That is my credit. They are thinking like that, "This man became most powerful than all of us. (Still laughing) He was a gṛhastha." They used to say all the gṛhasthas, paca-gṛhastha. Paca means decomposed. What Bon Mahārāja is doing now?

Satsvarūpa: I don't know up to date. I just know a few weeks ago he was in Canada.

Morning Walk -- October 16, 1975, Johannesburg:

Harikeśa: It seems unless there is some monarch who is ruling over the whole world, one personality...

Prabhupāda: No, not... Yes, whole world. He must be rājarṣi, just like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, representative of Kṛṣṇa. He can divide to small kings, "Now you look after such tract of land," and he divides. In this way there will be peace. No tax. If you are unable to produce anything, then no tax. Why should you levy tax from the poor man?

Harikeśa: What about those people who don't want to work? They are lazy.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Harikeśa: What about lazy people?

Prabhupāda: Let them become śūdra. Let them become servant. After all, unless he works, he cannot get his food. So let him become servant. He has to work to get food. No property. He should not be given any property. If you work, you can get food. Just like animal.

Room Conversation -- October 29, 1975, Nairobi:

Prabhupāda: prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ. By pleasing the spiritual master, you please Kṛṣṇa. That's nice. But why Kṛṣṇa should be pleased? Why? What is the necessity of pleasing Kṛṣṇa?

Devotee (1): To please the representative of Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: No, no, that is all right. Guru is representative of Kṛṣṇa, but why one should bother himself for pleasing Kṛṣṇa? Answer this.

Devotee (1): 'Cause our real position is to serve Kṛṣṇa, and because we've fallen in this illusion of the material energy, so we forgot our position.

Prabhupāda: We shall do it otherwise. Why shall I please Kṛṣṇa? We are making scientific progress. What is the use of bringing God?

Devotee (2): Because we shall never become perfect or see the answer.

Prabhupāda: That is begging the question.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 15, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No stepping-stone. This is the ultimate, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), these four things. Unless you come to this point, there is no question of perfection.

Dr. Patel: That's right. Then you feel that every action of yours is done for Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Not feel, but actually it's an order.

Dr. Patel: Actually doing it.

Prabhupāda: Arjuna did not feel; he took order to kill. Not that you manufacture your idea. No. That is not. You take order directly and then do it; otherwise you'll be responsible. Therefore the guru is required to act as representative of Kṛṣṇa. If he says, "Yes, it is all right," then it is all right. Otherwise not. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. Otherwise why guru is required? We must take every moment order from him.

Dr. Patel: Ya bhakti....

Prabhupāda: Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau (ŚU 6.23).

Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 :

Devotee (3): Kṛṣṇa is our only insurance, and you are the, you are the insurance representative.

Prabhupāda: People are so intelligent that when the representative of Kṛṣṇa speaks, they (indistinct) enemies, and sometimes they crucify, kill. So people are so kind that they are not killing. Otherwise, why Christ, (indistinct) was killed? What fault? What is his fault? Just see. Was there any fault in his words? He advised, "Don't kill," and he was crucified. We have to deal with such rascals. I may be representative, but he is directly son of God. People are so rascal that they did not believe even the son of God, what to speak of His representative. What is that? Why Jesus Christ was killed? What was his fault? People are (indistinct). What the Christians will ask? Therefore we are (indistinct) and not only that, they have been giving this idea that "For our sinful reaction Christ has taken contract, so let him suffer being killed(?)." Cow-killing is very, very sin, "That's all right; don't mind. Christ will suffer." How easy understanding they have.

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And that Vedānta-sūtra says, athāto brahma jijñāsaḥ. Now here Arjuna is experienced, "You are the Supreme Brahman." So he has seen the Supreme Brahman. So you make Arjuna guru, Kṛṣṇa guru. Arjuna is representative of Kṛṣṇa, friend of Kṛṣṇa. So why do you go to a bogus guru? You must be cheated. Guru is essential. It is necessary. But take the real guru. But if you go to the bogus guru, you must be disappointed. For your treatment you need to go to a physician. That's all. When you are diseased you cannot say, "No, no, I don't want to..." It is necessary. But go to the real physician. Don't go to a cheater. He has no knowledge in the medical science, and he places himself as "I am physician, MD." Then you'll be cheated. The guru is necessary, that's a fact. But go to the real guru. Who is real guru? Real guru is Kṛṣṇa or one who has seen Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna. Take them. Then you'll be benefitted. And if you go to a bogus man who does not know Kṛṣṇa, who does not know what is Kṛṣṇa's instruction, then you must be cheated. So the answer is guru is absolute necessary. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This is Vedic injunction, that one must go. But he must go to the real guru. And who is real guru? Who knows Kṛṣṇa. Take, for example, Arjuna, how he studied Kṛṣṇa. And he says, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma (BG 10.12).

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Just you have got a letter box, a small box, but if you put your letter there, your letter will surely go ten thousand miles away. Therefore, although it is a small box, you don't think it is small box. It is whole post office. Similarly, anyone who is carrying the message of Kṛṣṇa, don't think that he's ordinary man. If you imitate one box like that post box and put your letter, for thousand years it will lie down there. Because it is not authorized. So if somebody says this small box, red box, is as good as the post office, one may say, "Huh, this is small box. How it can be as good as the post office?" But you see. You post your letter, it will go. Therefore, sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ **. Guru is directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Why? Because he is presenting the words of Supreme Personality of Godhead without any deterioration. Therefore he is so honored. So therefore the conclusion is guru is necessary and guru is he who is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise he's bogus.

Interview with Mike Darby -- June 30, 1976, Wheeling, W. Virginia:

Darby: This man, Sun Yung Moon, claims to be the Messiaḥ, the Jesus Christ revived.

Prabhupāda: So it is the duty of the Christians. But they are also... What can I say? They are passing resolution according to the time, changing the instruction of Bible. How they can be fixed-up? Our standard is Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. We accept guru as representative of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If he speaks what Kṛṣṇa has spoken, then he is guru. Similar in Christianity, if they actually take care that whether one is speaking according to the Ten Commandments, if he is living according to the rules and regulations of the Ten Commandments, then he is guru. Why people accept them? Because they are ignorant, they do not know who is real and who is fake. But the standard is there. Take for example in the Bible, it is said "Thou shalt not kill." But everyone is killing. Killing is the business of the Christians. They are maintaining big, big slaughterhouse. We are maintaining cows here, and there are others, they are maintaining cows for slaughtering. Why? In these Commandments it is clearly said that "Thou shalt not kill." How they will detect? If they are violating themselves the laws, how they will punish the lawbreaker? "Physician, heal thyself." The physician himself is diseased, and he's going to treat other patients.

Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York:

Guest (1): Prabhupāda, did Christ return to the spiritual planets then, when he left the earth, to be with Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: He is coming from spiritual planets. He is authorized representative of Kṛṣṇa, we accept him as śaktyāveśa-avatāra. So I was invited in some priestly meeting in Melbourne, they asked me the question, "What is your opinion of Christ?" So I said "He's our guru." (laughter) Actually, we accept him as our guru. He's preaching God's message; he's Vaiṣṇava. Anyone who accepts God, he's Vaiṣṇava. He was explaining kingdom of God, God. So according to time, circumstances, audience... Now we can just imagine what kind of people he had to deal with, that his commandment is "Thou shall not kill." Then understand how much they were accustomed to killing. So what kind of men they were? And not only that, in spite of hearing his instruction "Thou shall not kill," they killed him first. So what kind of men they were, just imagine. He said, "Thou shall not kill," and they decided, "We shall kill you first." So this class of men he had to deal with.

Guest (1): What would happen to the people that killed Christ on the cross? Very bad, it seems.

Prabhupāda: :Christ cannot be killed, but they killed themselves.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Devotee (1): Gurujī, the problem which I am putting as a common man is... I am...

Prabhupāda: It is not for the common man. Common man has to learn under the discipline of guru. You cannot expect all these things from a common man. When you actually control all these things then you are not common man. You are representative of Kṛṣṇa. Then you can preach Kṛṣṇa's philosophy.

Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Unless guru, how you know? Guru is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. We cannot directly meet Kṛṣṇa at the present moment. So this is called vyavasāyātmikā buddhi. If we work under the direction of the representative of Kṛṣṇa, that is perfect. Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya, āra nā koriho mane āśā **. You are singing daily. Whatever guru has said, take it seriously. Don't manufacture your ideas. Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya, āra nā koriho mane āśā **.

Room Conversation -- January 28, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: ...and sometimes we mix together and we see golden mountain. So in dream we see like that. We have got hundreds and thousands of experiences in our this life and past life. They are all stocked there, and they can sometimes get like a bubbles. You have seen the bubbles come out? It is like that. We should not give much importance to these things. But it is a fact that bona fide spiritual master is bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa. That's a fact. So there is no question of subtle or gross. It is a fact. That's all right.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Jayadharma -- Hyderabad 20 August, 1976:

urukrpa Maharaja may be given. Make sure that they are well aware of the four rules and regulations and that they are fixed in chanting the prescribed number of 16 rounds daily on the beads. Without these two principles no one can make advancement on the path of regulated bhakti. Teach them the science of the Bhagavad gita and train them to be first class representatives of Krsna. It is not very difficult, simply one has to hear from the perfect authority who is in disciplic succession from Krsna Himself, and then repeat the same message without any change. If one does this then he is qualified to become guru.

Letter to M. M. De -- Vrindaban 16 November, 1976:

Thanks for your determination. Why not act as liaison, agent, and representative of Krsna following in the footsteps of your father? Your father didn't despise the service of Krsna; because service of Krsna is eternal engagement of the living entity. Practically, your father's books sell all over the world to the extent of Rs. 5 to 6 lacs per day. If he would have taken the royalty to the minimum of 15% his daily income would have been Rs. 75,000/- per day. But he does not take a single paise and is engaged as representative of Krsna day and night. Why not follow this tradition of your noble heritage?