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Sadhu, Sastra and Guru (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"guru and sadhu" |"guru and sastra" |"sadhu and guru" |"sadhu guru sastra" |"sadhu sastra guru vakya," |"sadhu, guru and sastra" |"sadhu, sastra and guru" |"sadhu-sastra-guru" |"sadhus, the sastra and the guru" |"sastra and guru" |"sastra and guru"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 4.10 -- Bombay, March 30, 1974:

And if we do not believe śāstras, then there is no, I mean, use of understanding Kṛṣṇa. Śāstra-cakṣusā. You have to see... Kṛṣṇa is adhokṣaja, beyond the perception, sense perception. But through the śāstra we can understand little bit of Kṛṣṇa. It is very difficult to know. We cannot understand. Kṛṣṇa is unlimited. We are limited. Still, whatever limited power we have got, we can understand Kṛṣṇa if we follow the śāstra, sādhu and guru. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya tinete kariyā aikya.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 22, 1977:

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving chance to everyone to hear from the authoritative sources, from the śāstra. Sādhu śāstra guru. These are authorities. So instead of hearing from the unauthorized persons, means... sādhu means who speaks on the basis of śāstra. Guru means who speaks on the basis of śāstra. They're sādhu guru śāstra. And śāstra means the statement of authorities. That is śāstra. Just like Bhagavad-gītā. It is śāstra because it is spoken by the supreme guru, Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972:

So if one is actually interested to make his life perfect, then we should accept the standard knowledge instead of manufacturing now different ways. No. Here is standard knowledge, Bhagavad-gītā, the śāstra. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya tinete kariyā aikya. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ (BG 16.23). If you do not follow the standard knowledge of perfect śāstra, then Kṛṣṇa says, na siddhiṁ sāvāpnoti. He never gets siddhi.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972:

Utsāhād dhairyād niścayāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt. And you must execute your business as it is advised by the śāstra and guru. So utsāhād dhairyād niścayāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt, sato vṛtteḥ. Your dealings must be very honest, not duplicity. Tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt sato vṛtteḥ saṅga-tyāgāt.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Paris, August 10, 1973:

Therefore Arjuna is asking not to a third-class so-called philosopher and chemist and economist, but to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa. Because whatever answer Kṛṣṇa will give, that is fact. And śāstra means the things which have been spoken by Kṛṣṇa. That is śāstra. And guru means who speaks... Guru means who speaks on behalf of Kṛṣṇa. Sādhu-śāstra-guru. This is called. So Kṛṣṇa is asked. And the answer for Kṛṣṇa, which He gives, that is final. No experiment. No "future." Whatever answer He gives, that is final. Otherwise, why people read Bhagavad-gītā so carefully? Not now. Thousands of years. Thousands of years. Not only in India, in other countries also. So answers, real answers are there.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Paris, August 10, 1973:

Therefore Arjuna is asking not to a third-class so-called philosopher and chemist and economist, but to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa. Because whatever answer Kṛṣṇa will give, that is fact. And śāstra means the things which have been spoken by Kṛṣṇa. That is śāstra. And guru means who speaks... Guru means who speaks on behalf of Kṛṣṇa. Sādhu-śāstra-guru. This is called. So Kṛṣṇa is asked. And the answer for Kṛṣṇa, which He gives, that is final. No experiment. No "future." Whatever answer He gives, that is final. Otherwise, why people read Bhagavad-gītā so carefully? Not now. Thousands of years. Thousands of years. Not only in India, in other countries also. So answers, real answers are there.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Hyderabad, April 19, 1974:

So Kṛṣṇa is perfect. If we take lessons from Kṛṣṇa, instruction from Kṛṣṇa, then we get perfect knowledge. That is the process of studying Bhagavad-gītā. If you accept Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being, then we are befooled. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). We should accept Kṛṣṇa. Why should we accept? Because all the śāstras accept. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Sādhu-śāstra-guru—that is the evidence. According to our Vedic knowledge, we shall accept a thing when it is proved by Vedic evidence. Therefore Veda means knowledge, perfect knowledge.

Lecture on BG 16.7 -- Hyderabad, December 15, 1976:

We must behave according to injunction of the śāstra and guru. Then we can get out of the jurisdiction of asuras. Then we can come to the platform of sura, or devatā. Then we can make advance in spiritual life. If you keep yourself in the asuric platform there is no possibility of making advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is warning here. Na śaucaṁ nāpi cācāro na satyaṁ teṣu vidyate. Asatyam apratiṣṭhaṁ te jagad āhur anīśvaram (BG 16.8). Because we are rascals, not cleansed, inward, outward... Externally one has to be cleansed.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972:

So sādhu-vartmānuvartanam. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says: sādhu-śāstra-guru vākya, tinete kariyā aikya. You must learn from guru, from śāstra, what is actually pure devotional service. Just like Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. One should read thoroughly this Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu to understand the science of devotion. Sādhu-śāstra. And the śāstra means it is enunciated by sādhu, Rūpa Gosvāmī. You cannot read anyone's book. If he's approved sādhu, you can read his book. Then you'll be benefited. If you read hodge-podge, then you will not be able to understand. Therefore sādhu. And sādhu means he gives quotation from śāstras, authorized śāstra He's sādhu. Sādhu will not give anything manufactured by him. No. He's not sādhu. Sādhu means whatever he'll speak, immediately he'll give evidence from the śāstra. Sādhu-śāstra-guru.

Lecture on SB 1.2.34 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

That is not our business. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya. We have to test sādhu, whether sādhus are accepting. Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is accepted by all the sādhus as Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Even Śaṅkarācārya, who's an impersonalist, he says, sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ devakī-nandanaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.3.29 -- Los Angeles, October 4, 1972:

So these are the recommendation in the śāstra. If we don't follow, then we must fall down. There is no doubt about it. But if we follow the regulative principles, as they are enjoined in the śāstra... Sādhu-guru-śāstra.

Lecture on SB 1.7.7 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1976:

And He, not only internally He is helping, externally also, He's sending His representative to teach us. And there is śāstra, just like this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Sādhu, śāstra, guru. Guru is there, śāstra is there, saintly persons are there. You take advantage. And the Lord is there within yourself. So why don't you take? This is intelligence. If we don't take the advantage... And this is possible in the human form of life. A cat and dog cannot take advantage of the sādhu, śāstra and guru. Only the human being can accept it.

Lecture on SB 1.7.32-33 -- Vrndavana, September 27, 1976:

We should accept the instruction given by Vāsudeva and the śāstra, sādhu. Sādhu, śāstra, guru, they'll speak the same thing. Guru means who speaks on the basis of śāstra; otherwise he's not guru. And śāstra means the opinion of the great authorities. Just like Vyāsadeva, Parāśara Muni, Nārada Muni, modern ācāryas. We do not neglect. We may differ from the philosophical point of view—just like Buddha, Śaṅkarācārya.

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

If the guru is not in his proper way according to śāstra... Guru means he must be abiding by the rules and regulation of the śāstra. Sādhu-guru-śāstra. Sādhu means one who is obeying the rules and regulation of śāstra. Śāstra must be the medium. Without śāstra nothing is acceptable. That is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. Tasmād śāstra-vidhānoktaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Mayapura, September 29, 1974:

If you do not improve your eyes according to the direction of śāstra..., sādhu-śāstra-guru, these three things, then how you'll see Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is saying. That is śāstra. Śāstra means what is said by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is śāstra. And guru. Guru says the same thing. And sādhu says the same thing.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- London, August 28, 1973:

Where you get the direction? Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya. You get Kṛṣṇa's direction from saintly persons, from authorized scriptures, Vedic literature... Sādhu, śāstra, and guru. Guru means who knows how to follow previous saintly persons, who knows what is written there in the book of knowledge, he is guru. Sādhu-śāstra-guru. And śāstra means that the direction of Kṛṣṇa; that is called śāstra. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, na sa siddhim avāpnoti (BG 16.23).

Lecture on SB 1.16.11 -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1974:

They declare themselves God. But that God is for the fools and rascals, not for any intelligent man. Intelligent will test it by the description of the śāstra. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, tinete koriyā aikya. Anything we shall accept through sādhu, devotees. A devotee accepts something. That we shall accept. And śāstra, not only devotee accepts, but it is confirmed in the śāstra, in the revealed scripture. Sādhu-śāstra. And guru.

Lecture on SB 1.16.13-15 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1974:

That is God. Nobody can understand. But as far as possible, we can understand from the śāstras-sādhu, śāstra, guru, three sources—we can understand and make our conclusion that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme.

Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Hawaii, January 15, 1974:

So in order to understand things as they are, you require good brain, and for good brain, you require milk preparation. In this way, as they've suggested a routine in the śāstra also, and guided by sādhu-guru-śāstra, if we accept, then we shall become very happy in this life and next life also. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on SB 1.16.20 -- Hawaii, January 16, 1974:

Therefore we must abide by the sādhu-śāstra-guru. (aside:) Ah, what is this sound, is going on now? You can ask somebody to stop. Sādhu means saintly person. Śāstra means revealed scriptures. Sādhu, śāstra and guru, spiritual master.

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Los Angeles, July 14, 1974:

So, so this is our process, to depend on Kṛṣṇa. Depend does not mean I shall remain idle. Depend means to work according to the direction of the śāstra. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya. Depend does not mean, "Now let me sleep, and Kṛṣṇa will do everything. Depend on Kṛṣṇa." No, not like that. Kṛṣṇa never advised Arjuna that "You sleep on this chariot. (laughter) I'll..." Hare Kṛṣṇa. He never said that. He said, "You must have to fight." Yudhyasva mām anusmara (BG 8.7). "Fighting you have to do. But you always think of Me." This is the success. Not that depend on Kṛṣṇa means, "I have not to, nothing to do."

Lecture on SB 1.16.25 -- Hawaii, January 21, 1974:

The soul was there, and now it has gone." So how guru says? Not guru is manufacturing. Guru says on the strength of śāstra. Therefore sādhu-guru-śāstra, three things must be there. Guru must be speaking on the strength of Vedic knowledge, not manufacturing. He's a rascal. Guru cannot become by manufacturing nonsense ideas.

Lecture on SB 1.16.26-30 -- Hawaii, January 23, 1974:

No contamination. This is the test. "I am doing all nasty things, and I am advertising 'I am advanced devotee.' " What rascal you are? You are doing all nonsense and you are advanced? But they have no shame even, to call themselves... Shameless. Shameless, even not gentlemen. Cheating, and still, he is advertising, "I am advanced." But a person who is actually in Kṛṣṇa consciousness or actual... Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, tinete koriyā aikya. We have to...

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...

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

So the... Sādhu. We are to take shelter of sādhu. Sādhu-guru. The same thing. Guru means sādhu. A sādhu... One... Sādhu means the devotee of the Lord. If one is not sādhu, then he cannot become guru. And sādhu means...

Lecture on SB 3.25.35 -- Bombay, December 4, 1974:

So this is our duty, to dress Kṛṣṇa in such an attractive way that people at least see that it is very beautiful. Then he becomes a devotee, simply by appreciating. Simply by appreciating, if they say, "Now the Deity worship is very nice," then they go a step forward, step forward immediately, simply by appreciation. Then other things will come gradually. Therefore the temple worship should be exactly to the routine, to the instruction of the śāstra and guru and ācārya, so that the worshiper in the temple as well as the visitor, both of them will benefit. They will be gradually seeing. Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He has consented to appear in a way so that we can see.

Lecture on SB 3.26.10 -- Bombay, December 22, 1974:

One who understands this science... Iti matvā bhajante mām. Who? Now, budha, one who has understood very perfectly well through the śāstra, through sādhu. Sādhu, śāstra, guru. The source of information is sādhu, śāstra, guru.

Lecture on SB 3.26.30 -- Bombay, January 7, 1975:

The guru says, "You think of me. Everything will be all right." I do not wish to name, but a very big ashram, they simply sit idly, and the guru has advised that "Think of me," that's all. This is not Vaiṣṇava principle. Vaiṣṇava principle is you must act according to the order of spiritual master. That is also an order. But the Vaiṣṇava spiritual master orders according to the śāstra. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya. Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya, ār nā koriho mane āśā **. This is the instruction of our ācārya.

Lecture on SB 3.26.39 -- Bombay, January 14, 1975:

So we have several times explained, bhakti means to engage all our senses in the service of the Lord. Our sense of seeing, eyes, nose, ears, tongue, hands, legs—everything should be engaged for Kṛṣṇa's service. All different parts of the body can be engaged. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Kṛṣṇa can be served by all our senses according to the direction of the śāstra and guru-sādhu, śāstra, guru.

Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975:

So we have to accept the form of the Lord as confirmed in the śāstra and as confirmed by the ācārya. Then it is perfect. Sādhu śāstra guru vākya tinete kariyā aikya. We have to understand something very rigidly by three things, the... It must be confirmed by the śāstra, and it must be confirmed by the ācāryas and by the spiritual master. Very simple thing. We have description of Kṛṣṇa in the śāstra, Brahma-saṁhitā, the treatise given by Lord Brahma. And this Brahma-saṁhitā was collected from South India in handwriting by Caitanya Mahāprabhu and He delivered to His devotees. So the sādhu... Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa. Still, He is playing the part of a sādhu. Sādhu and śāstra, Brahma-saṁhitā, and because we have received from Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we are delivering to our disciples: "Here is Kṛṣṇa's form." The sādhu, śāstra, guru.

Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975:

The sādhu, śāstra, guru. It must be confirmed. Then we can accept, not that whimsically if some rascal comes and becomes God by concoction. We cannot accept. It must be confirmed by... (aside:) Why do you bother? Let them. No, no. As he likes. That's all.

Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975:

So sādhu śāstra guru. This is the way.

Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975:

"This material manifestation is one fourth-part of My energy, so many innumerable universes." And this is the plenary portion of God, Govinda—not full, but plenary, one part only. And do you think God is so cheap, anyone can become God? You don't take so cheaply that "Here is a God, incarnation. Here is a God." All bogus. Immediately reject them. Sādhu śāstra guru vākya.

Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975:

So this arca-vigraha which you are worshiping, it is recommended by sādhu, by ācārya, by śāstra. It is not poetic imagination. Don't think that Kṛṣṇa's form has been carved by the sculptor by some poetic imagination. No. Sādhu śāstra guru vākya. It is confirmed by the sādhu, by śāstra, by ācārya. So why? To give us facility. Give us facility.

Lecture on SB 3.28.20 -- Nairobi, October 30, 1975:

The Māyāvādīs, they think that it is imagination. No, it is not imagination. It is confirmed by the śāstras, sādhu śāstra guru vākya.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Tittenhurst, London, September 12, 1969:

So tapasya means even at the inconvenience of my personal comforts, I must abide by the orders of my spiritual master. This is called tapasya. And who is spiritual master? He does not manufacture any rules and regulation. He refers to the śāstra. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya.

Lecture on SB 5.5.9 -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1976:

So ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). You have to know how Kṛṣṇa will be pleased, then you are perfect. That you have to practice, first of all, in the vidhi-mārga, according to śāstra, according to the instruction of guru. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya tinete koriyā aikya. Sādhu-mārgānugamanam. Ādau gurvāśrayam. Sad-dharma-pṛcchā.

Lecture on SB 5.5.27 -- Vrndavana, November 14, 1976:

Therefore avoid this rascal process, to read something and interpret in a different way. Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted to do that. Guru more mūrkha dekhi karila śāsana. So we should not try to become very learned scholar by misreading the Vedic literature. Take the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Not Caitanya Mahāprabhu—the śāstra, the Bṛhad-nāradīya Purāṇa. Sādhu śāstra guru vākya. Sādhu will not speak anything which is not in the śāstra.

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

Not that "So many years have passed and it has become old. Now let us reform it and put it into new way." No. You can put the same thing in a new way, but you cannot change the principle. Sādhu śāstra guru-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya. Śāstra is never changed. And the sādhu... Sādhu means who follows the śāstras. He is sādhu. He also does not change. Sādhu, śāstra. And guru? Guru means who follows the śāstra and sādhu. So there are three, the same. A guru will not change, that "It was spoken five thousand years ago. That is not applicable now. Now I am giving you something new, jugglery." He is useless. Sādhu śāstra guru-vākya tinete kariyā aikya. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma kārataḥ, na siddhim avāpnoti (BG 16.23). These things are there.

Lecture on SB 6.1.33 -- Honolulu, June 1, 1976:

Our process is to know things from the śāstra. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya tinete kariya aikya. Our process is deductive, not inductive. We take knowledge, just like this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam written by Vyāsadeva under the instruction of his guru, spiritual master, Nārada. So Nārada advised him that "You have written so many books: Purāṇas, Vedas, Vedānta." Vyāsadeva said, "Still I am not feeling very satisfied." So Nārada Muni advised him that "You are not feeling satisfied because you have not described about the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on SB 6.1.49 -- Detroit, June 15, 1976:

So by understanding knowledge, real life from sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, by approaching saintly persons, sādhu... Śāstra means authorized scriptures. Sādhu, śāstra and guru, and spiritual master. This is the source of knowledge. And the Vedic injunction is tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). In order to learn that higher transcendental platform of knowledge, one should approach a guru, bona fide guru, who knows.

Lecture on SB 6.1.51 -- Detroit, August 4, 1975:

So if we want to avoid the tiresome, troublesome, miserable condition of this material world, then we have to accept the direction given in the śāstras. But we are so dull, we cannot even understand what is the miserable condition of our life. (break) ...dead stone life or animal life. The animal cannot understand. But there is possibility. Sometimes when the miserable condition is very acute, we feel: "How to get out of it?" That is intelligence. But if we take the direction of the śāstras-sādhu guru śāstra vākya; guru mukha padma vākya, cittete kariyā aikya, āra nā kariya mane āśā **, then there is possibility of getting out of these clutches, entanglement, and become free again and go back to home, back to Godhead.

Lecture on SB 6.2.12-14 -- Allahabad, January 17, 1971, at Kumbha-mela:

You'll never find any disagreement with the śāstra, sādhu, and guru. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya. That is our guidance. Sādhu. If you say Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a sādhu or a devotee, so His words and the words of the scriptures are the same. The sādhu will speak only on the authority of śāstra.

Lecture on SB 6.2.12-14 -- Allahabad, January 17, 1971, at Kumbha-mela:

Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that sādhu, śāstra, these things should be confirmed by the spiritual master, and if we should follow these principles, sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya... We should confirmed one thing by the other, the other by another. In this way we have to make our conclusion.

Lecture on SB 7.6.2 -- Toronto, June 18, 1976:

In this age the śāstra-vidhi is hari-kīrtana. The more you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, the more you become perfect. This is śāstra-vidhi. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirmed it. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya. We have to be fixed up, first of all, what is the injunction of the śāstra. Then what the sādhus, those who are devotees, what they are doing. What they are doing, sādhu, śāstra, and guru. And what guru is asking. We have to follow these three principles. Sādhu-guru-śāstra-vākya tīnete koriyā aikya. Who is sādhu? Who is abiding by the injunction of the śāstra. Or guru? Guru means he's also abiding by the injunction of the śāstra. Then he's guru, he's sādhu. He's sādhu. And if one, śāstra vidhim, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya... If śāstra-vidhi you give up, then where is the question of guru and sādhu? Na siddhim. He's not siddha. He has not attained the perfection, because he has rejected the principles of śāstra. So he's bogus. We have to test like that who is guru.

Lecture on SB 7.9.32 -- Mayapur, March 10, 1976:

So by studying Kṛṣṇa, you become liberated. So these verses should be studied very carefully, understanding each word very carefully. Then you'll understand Kṛṣṇa. Kavirāja Gosvāmī has said, siddhānta boliyā citte nā kara alasa, ihā haite kṛṣṇa lāge sudṛdha mānasa. Siddhānta, what is Kṛṣṇa, if you study from the śāstras, then siddhānta boliyā citte, don't be lazy in understanding Kṛṣṇa, because if you try to understand Kṛṣṇa sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākyaṁ cittete kariya aikya-through the sādhu, śāstra and guru—then you understand Kṛṣṇa, what He is. Then you'll not take Him as ordinary human being, as foolish person taking.

Lecture on SB 7.12.2 -- Bombay, April 13, 1976:

So these rules and regulation, as it is prescribed, guru, arka, agni, and then Bhagavān... You cannot jump over directly to Bhagavān. Then you will never be able to be successful. You have to go through guru, agni, śāstra. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya. This is the way. Then ubhe sandhye ca yata-vāk.

Lecture on SB 7.12.2 -- Bombay, April 13, 1976:

Therefore we require to read books. Bhāgavatam means it is full of topics of Kṛṣṇa and His devotee. That is Bhāgavatam. And Bhagavad-gītā is full of instruction given by Kṛṣṇa. Why don't you talk about that? Caitanya-caritāmṛta... We have got so many books. This should be our principle; we should not talk any nonsense. That is called yata-vāk. Yata-vāk means gontrolling the talking power. Yata-vāk. Samāhitaḥ, very sober. Try to become sober, don't talk nonsense, and abide by the orders of guru and śāstra. In this way training begins. It does not mean that you have to learn very big grammatical rules and... No. That you shall see later on. First of all build up character. Then it will be helpful to make further progress in spiritual life.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 24, 1972:

They becomes purified according to śāstra. Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī gives direction, tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām. By dīkṣā-vidhāna, by proper initiation, any person can attain the stage of dvijatvam. So our method is not against the śāstra. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya. If we give up the direction of the śāstra, then we are faulty. If we do not deviate the injunctions of the śāstra... Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya tinete kariyā aikya. In the śāstra it is sanctioned. My Guru Mahārāja, he also ordered. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also ordered.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 25, 1973:

The Gosvāmīs were so compassionate with the fallen human society that he, especially Rūpa Gosvāmī... All the Gosvāmīs, they first of all searched out all the datas of spiritual life and quoted them, in each and every line. Sufficiently he quoted from śāstras. This is the business of sādhu. Sādhu-śāstra-guru. They'll act in the same way. There is no difference of opinion. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya tinete kariyā aikya. One has to see a sādhu by corroborating his statements according to the śāstras or another sādhu.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

Yes. The regulative principles means that you don't manufacture anything. Regulative principle means authorized—as they are mentioned in the authorized scriptures and as it is confirmed by the spiritual master. Because we do not know. When it is confirmed by the spiritual master, yes, it is right. Sādhu guru, sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya. The same statement of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. Sādhu, principles which are followed, sādhu-mārga-anugamanam. We cannot follow asādhu-mārga. We must follow sādhu-mārga. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). We cannot follow an upstart, manufacturing some song, manufacturing some ideas. We cannot follow that. What is authorized song, we shall sing. What is authorized method, we shall follow. Sādhu-guru-śāstra-vākya. Sādhu and guru means on the basis of śāstra. And śāstra means the statements of sādhu and guru. Therefore sādhu and guru and śāstra, they are identical. So they must be corroborated. If somebody's sādhu is speaking against śāstra, then he's not sādhu. If somebody's guru, if he's going against śāstra, then he's not guru. And śāstra means the original guru and sādhu.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972:

And śāstra means the statements of sādhu and guru. Therefore sādhu and guru and śāstra, they are identical. So they must be corroborated. If somebody's sādhu is speaking against śāstra, then he's not sādhu. If somebody's guru, if he's going against śāstra, then he's not guru. And śāstra means the original guru and sādhu. What do you mean by śāstra? Just like in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam means we are studying the character of original sādhu and guru. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, Prahlāda-caritra, Dhruva-caritra, Ambarīṣa-caritra, the Pāṇḍavas, Bhīṣma. So Bhāgavata means the glories of Bhagavān and bhaga, devotees. That's all. This is Bhāgavatam. So sādhu-guru-śāstra-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.100-108 -- Bombay, November 9, 1975:

The direction is the śāstra. You should see through the śāstra what is what. Then you'll be benefited. If you simply believe on your senses... The whole world, philosophers, scientists, they are going on on their own imperfect senses. Therefore everything is rascaldom. It is imperfect. It is not real knowledge. Śāstra-cakṣuṣa. You should know things through the śāstra, guru. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya. This is... If you want to know something, then it must be confirmed by sādhu, śāstra and guru. Then it is complete. And if you speculate, if you establish something under speculation, then it is not right. It is wrong.

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

I don't agree with the spiritual master. I don't agree with scriptures. I have got my independent opinion." He is fool number one, rascal number one. One who says like that, you'll at once take him that he's fool, rascal, anything. You have to take shelter of sādhu, guru and śāstra. Sādhu means saintly persons, those who have got all those qualities. (aside:) Where is that paper? Are you using that paper which has been supplied to you? Good qualification of devotees? What are those? Can you say, any of you? Where is that paper?

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

So you have to make your progress—sādhu-śāstra-guru vākya. You have to corroborate whether guru, what guru is speaking, whether it is there in the scripture; what scripture is speaking, whether that is in the character of guru, or in the sādhu, saintly persons, or spiritual master. So you have to always make comparison with three things: sādhu, śāstra, guru. Nobody can become a spiritual master who has no reference to the scriptures and these qualities. Nobody can be accepted as a qualified man, he has not..., if one has not developed his character through the scripture under the instruction of guru.

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

So sādhu-śāstra-guru. A sādhu, a guru... Here Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, sādhu-śāstra. That sādhu includes guru also, because a spiritual master, unless he's a sādhu, he cannot be a guru, cannot be a spiritual master.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.334-341 -- New York, December 24, 1966:

So we have got our independence. We may do whatever we like. But if we follow the sādhu, śāstra and guru, that is the way of understanding. That is the way of getting knowledge, to follow the instruction of saintly persons and scriptures and spiritual master. Then it is possible to reach the goal of life. And that was taught by Lord Caitanya. Prema-bhakti dilā loke lañā bhakta-gaṇa. Not only He alone, but always associated by His lieutenants and associates. We have seen the picture. Lord Caitanya is dancing and chanting with His principal associates.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.353-354 -- New York, December 26, 1966:

Sādhu, whose character is spotless, he's called sādhu. Śāstra means scripture, and guru, guru means spiritual master. They are on the equal level. Why? Because the medium is scripture. Guru is considered to be liberated because he follows the scripture. Sādhu is considered to be honest and saintly because he follows scripture. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya. Nobody can become a sādhu if he does not accept the principles of scripture. Nobody can be accepted as guru, or spiritual master, if he does not follow the principles of scripture. This is the test.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 5 -- Los Angeles, May 7, 1970:

You have to accept it. This is Veda. You cannot argue. Similarly, spiritual master's order, you have to accept. There is no argument. In this way you can make progress. Sādhu śāstra guru vākya tinete kariyā aikya. If we argue... Na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet. Acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet. Things which are inconceivable by you, you cannot argue. Then it will be a failure. You have to accept that axiomatic truth.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Melbourne, April 19, 1976:

This is the secret. Whatever you do, it doesn't matter, but try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is successful. And for this purpose you have to satisfy your spiritual master, because he'll give direction. He knows. So yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo **. The things are very easy. Simply we have to adopt. Everything is mentioned there in the śāstras. Simply you have to follow the śāstra and guru and sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya. Sādhu, those who are devotees, we have to follow the devotees, the śāstra and guru. Then everything successful.

General Lectures

Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Seattle, September 25, 1968:

But if you want to know who is a spiritual master, then you have to test him whether he is speaking exactly like the bona fide spiritual master. Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has explained about this, who is spiritual master. What is that? He says, sādhu śāstra guru vākya tinete kariyā aikya. If you want to advance yourself in spiritual science, then you have to test these three things. What is that? Sādhu, saintly person. Sādhu, śāstra, scriptures, and spiritual master.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

The repairing process is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise, everything is supplied, complete, complete set of machine you have got within you. And just like for repairing, an expert mechanic required, similarly, you require the help of someone expert. Then you'll see that your machine is working. It is not difficult to understand. Nobody can say that it is not possible. In the śāstra we hear also. Sādhu śāstra, guru vākya, tinete kariya aikya. Spiritual realization can be perfected by three parallel process. Sādhu. Sādhu means saintly persons, who are realized souls, sādhu. And śāstra. Śāstra means scriptures, authoritative scriptures, Vedic scriptures, śāstra. Sādhu, śāstra, and guru, a spiritual master. Three parallel line. And if you place your car or vehicle on these three parallel line, your car will go direct to Kṛṣṇa. Tinete kariyā aikya. Just like in the railway line you see two parallel lines. If they are in order, the railway carriages are carried very smoothly to the destination. Here also, there are three parallel lines—sādhu, śāstra, guru: saintly person, association of saintly person, acceptance of bona fide spiritual master, and faith in the scriptures. That's all. Then your carriage will be going nicely, without any disturbance. Sādhu śāstra guru vākya, tinete kariya aikya.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

Saintly person means who confirms the Vedic injunction, who accepts. And scripture means what is accepted by the saintly person. And spiritual master means who follows the scriptures. So things equal to the same thing are equal to one another. This is axiomatic truth. If you have got one hundred dollars, and another man has got hundred dollar, and if I have got hundred dollar, then we are all equal. Similarly, sādhu śāstra guru vākya, when these three parallel lines in agreement, then life is success.

Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Bombay, March 17, 1971:

And sādhu will instruct you. Not by whims, but through śāstra. He is sādhu. Sādhu will never speak to you anything which is not in the śāstra. Sādhu, śāstra, and guru. And guru is bona fide spiritual master who follows sādhu and śāstra. Who follows his bona fide spiritual master and who follows the instructions of śāstra, he is guru. sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya. Narottama dasa Ṭhākura says that you have to act by accommodating the instruction of sādhu, instruction of śāstra.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 13, 1971:

But you can do it. And as soon as you take to it, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). Kṛṣṇa should be worshiped with prīti, love, not officially. Of course, in the beginning, we have to be officially. In the beginning, we have to act by the direction of the spiritual master, by the direction of the śāstras. But when you practice it by the direction of guru and śāstra, sādhu guru śāstra vā, then gradually you become attached to it.

Lecture -- Hong Kong, January 31, 1974:

So if you learn this science, simply to understand why Kṛṣṇa advents, why Kṛṣṇa takes part in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra or other activities just like a human being... Why? If you try to understand this fact... That can be known. They are all mentioned in the śāstra. The sādhus, they know; the guru, he knows. So if you want to be learned in the science you can become, because śāstra is there, guru is there, and sādhu is there. Sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya.

Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 25, 1975:

So spiritual knowledge means to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is the sum and substance, to understand Kṛṣṇa, what He is, not that concocting, manufacturing that "Kṛṣṇa is this. Kṛṣṇa is that." No. As Kṛṣṇa says, as śāstra says what is Kṛṣṇa, you have to understand it like that. So sādhu śāstra guru vākya. It is said that we have to accept knowledge through saintly person. Through śāstra and guru we have to understand.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Prabhupāda: So St. Paul, he is a sādhu. So our process is that sādhu, guru, śāstra. We have to accept everything through saintly persons, confirmed by the scripture, and described or explained by guru. Then it is perfect. The scriptures are already there, and we have to see how the scriptures are being followed by saintly persons. And if there is any difficulties, they should be explained by the spiritual master. Then it is confirmed: sādhu-śāstra-guru vākya (cittete koriyā aikya). Scriptures you cannot understand directly. Then you have to see how the scriptural injunctions are being followed by saintly persons. Even if you cannot understand, then the spiritual master will explain to you.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Prabhupāda: He can be reminded and he can come to his real consciousness. That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. These rascals, they have forgotten God, Kṛṣṇa, and they are thinking that "We are the master of everything." The so-called scientists, they are decrying God: "Now we shall do everything independently." This is demonic. So he has to be reminded. Therefore śāstras are there, sādhus are there—sādhu, śāstra, guru—guru is there, that you are not independent, you are foolishly thinking like that. You are under the clutches of māyā. So don't remain in this position, then your life will spoil. Take instruction from Bhagavad-gītā. Act accordingly. You will be happy.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Prabhupāda: By good association the consciousness can be changed from material to spiritual. That is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, how to change the consciousness from matter to Kṛṣṇa. So that requires guidance. The guidance is Kṛṣṇa's instruction and the spiritual master. Kṛṣṇa is so kind that he has given us śāstra and the sādhu and guru. So if we take advantage of that then we become reformed, our life becomes successful.

Philosophy Discussion on Soren Aabye Kierkegaard:

Prabhupāda: Yes. These is a word, sādhu śāstra guru vākya cittete koriyā aikya. We can approach God by understanding a saintly person, by studying the Vedic scriptures, and explained directly by the bona fide spiritual master. So sādhu means saintly person, and śāstra means scriptures, and guru means spiritual master—and that they should be corroborated. A sādhu is he who talks in terms of scripture. Similarly, guru is he who talks in terms of scripture. Guru cannot manufacture words which is not in the scriptures. And that is not scripture which does not tally with the words of guru and sādhu. So these three items should be corroborated, and then we can understand who is guru, who is sādhu, and who is, what is scripture. Then we take instruction from them, and we can perfectly make progress towards understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Philosophy Discussion on Mao Tse Tung:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like this morning I was explaining that your statement should be according to the standard process, vidhi-mārga. So sādhu-śāstra-guru, three authorities: saintly persons, scripture, and spiritual master. So all of them should be, should agree. There is a con... Just like two litigants, they go to the court and the judges give judgement. Similarly, whenever there is con

Philosophy Discussion on Mao Tse Tung:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like this morning I was explaining that your statement should be according to the standard process, vidhi-mārga. So sādhu-śāstra-guru, three authorities: saintly persons, scripture, and spiritual master. So all of them should be, should agree. There is a con... Just like two litigants, they go to the court and the judges give judgement. Similarly, whenever there is conflict, to come to a conclusion, we must refer to sādhu, śāstra, and guru. Then we get the right judgement.

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: So St. Paul, he's a sādhu. So our process is that: sādhu-guru-śāstra. We have to accept everything through saintly person, confirmed by the scripture, and described or explained by guru. Then it is perfect. The scriptures are already there, and we have to see how the scriptures are being followed by saintly persons. And if there is any difficulty, they should be explained by the spiritual master. Then it is perfect. Sādhu-guru-śāstra-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya. Scriptures you cannot understand directly. Then you have to see how the scriptural injunctions are being followed by saintly persons. Even if you cannot understand, then the spiritual master will explain to you.

Page Title:Sadhu, Sastra and Guru (Lectures)
Compiler:Labangalatika, Partha-sarathi, Rishab
Created:10 of Feb, 2009
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=74, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:74