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Simple study will not help you. You must study from a bona fide teacher. Otherwise it will be misleading

Expressions researched:
"simple study will not help you. You must study from a bona fide teacher. Otherwise it will be misleading"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Simple study will not help you. You must study from a bona fide teacher. Otherwise it will be misleading. Just like if you want to be a medical practitioner, if you purchase books from the bookstore, medical books, and you study, that will not help you. You have to admit yourself in a medical college and study there. Then you will understand.

Prabhupāda: So you are working; you are not realized. But we are giving concrete absolute truth. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, how He is concrete absolute. It is just like this: You are studying this article. You are simply trying to understand it, "It is not this, it is not this, it is not this." But if you take it from an authorized person who knows what it is, that "This is spectacle," your knowledge is immediately there. So here the Absolute is speaking about the Absolute. So if you understand Him, Kṛṣṇa, then immediately understand Absolute.

Yes?

Young woman: How do you . . . (indistinct) . . . Kṛṣṇa? By talking about Him?

Prabhupāda: No. These people are not talking; they are realized. Talking is the beginning, but there is realization. Just like when I did not come to your country I was talking that, "America is like this." But now when I have come to America, I realize what is America. So talking is theoretical understanding, and when you realize, that is practical understanding. One is called jñāna, other is called vijñāna. So jñāna and vijñāna, both things are there, theoretical and practical.

Young woman: So how do you realize Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: You have to adopt the process. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Young woman: Say that again?

Prabhupāda: You have to adopt the process. Ādau śraddhā. If you are inquisitive to understand, that is your first stage of faith. That is called śraddhā. Ādau śraddhā. In the beginning, your inquisitiveness that, "I want to understand," that is faith. Then next stage is association of persons who know, sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83).

Then initiation. Then disappearance of all misgivings. Then steady faith. Then attachment. And then ecstasy. Then realization. These are stages.

So if you are anxious to know, then please come to our classes. We are discussing simply this subject matter, so you'll kindly . . . if you kindly come, gradually you'll be able to understand. It is not very difficult. All my students, they are all American boys and girls. I have not brought with me any Indian or Hindu, but they are understanding.

Just talk with them. They will be able to explain how they are understanding. So similarly, you will also be able to understand. It is not very difficult subject. But you must be sincere to understand. That is the only qualification required. That's all.

Yes?

Young man: (indistinct) . . . do you reach a certain spiritual . . .

Prabhupāda: What is that?.

Revatīnandana: (explaining question) By studying what is the realization . . .

Prabhupāda: Study, yes. Study . . . simple study will not help you. You must study from a bona fide teacher. Otherwise it will be misleading. Just like if you want to be a medical practitioner, if you purchase books from the bookstore, medical books, and you study, that will not help you. You have to admit yourself in a medical college and study there. Then you will understand.

Page Title:Simple study will not help you. You must study from a bona fide teacher. Otherwise it will be misleading
Compiler:SharmisthaK
Created:2022-10-20, 10:06:37
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1