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Spiritual master's business

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Sri Isopanisad

Śrī Īśopaniṣad confirms that these pseudo religionists are heading toward the most obnoxious place in the universe after the completion of their spiritual master business, which they conduct simply for sense gratification
Sri Isopanisad, text 12, Purport: These rogues are the most dangerous elements in human society. Because there is no religious government, they escape punishment by the law of the state. They cannot, however, escape the law of the Supreme, who has clearly declared in the Bhagavad-gita that envious demons in the garb of religious propagandists shall be thrown into the darkest regions of hell (Bg. 16.19-20). Sri Isopanisad confirms that these pseudo religionists are heading toward the most obnoxious place in the universe after the completion of their spiritual master business, which they conduct simply for sense gratification.

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

So this is the business of the spiritual master, yuktasya, to engage them always
Lecture on SB 1.8.36 -- Los Angeles, April 28, 1973: Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau, yuktasya bhaktams ca niyunjato 'pi **. So this is the business of the spiritual master, yuktasya, to engage them always. Vande guroh sri-caranaravindam. Such guru, spiritual master, I am offering. This is Gurv-astaka. So here it is said: srnvanti. Kunti-devi ... The first business is srnvanti. One must be eager to hear. Lesson, everything is hearing. You go to school, college. What purpose you pay the school fee, college fee? For hearing. You hear from the learned professor, teacher, you sit down and you get knowledge. The first thing is srnvanti. Therefore a devotee is always engaged in hearing about Krsna, srnvanti. That is devotee's business. Tavehitam. Those who are cultivating Krsna consciousness, their first business is hearing. So srnvanti gayanti. And if you actually, you have heard about Krsna, then next business will be to chant, gayanti.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 25, 1973: Yes. This is very important thing. Some way or other, one has to fix up his mind in Krsna. And Krsna is not stereotyped. It is general. If you want to serve Krsna, there are so many ways. Just like in our society: somebody is painting, somebody is writing on typewriter, sometime somebody is engaged in propagating or selling the magazine or editing the magazine. So many different duties. So it is, it is the spiritual master's business to see the disciple, in which way he has got the tendency. And he tries to utilize his natural tendency in the matter of serving Krsna. One has got tendency for a certain thing. That tendency can be engaged in Krsna's service also. It is not difficult. Simply it requires training and guidance. Sva-karmana tam abhyarcya, samsiddhi labhate narah [Bg. 18.46]. One has got a particular tendency to work. By that work, if it is nicely done, you can satisfy Krsna. Our only business is to satisfy Krsna. Svanusthitasya dharmasya samsiddhir hari-tosanam [SB 1.2.13]. Whatever business you may have, it doesn't matter. Whatever talent you have got, it doesn't matter. If you can utilize that talent for Krsna's satisfaction, then your life is successful.

General Lectures

A spiritual master will say, "I am servant of God. I have brought His mercy. Please take it and be satisfied." This is spiritual master's business. Just like a post peon
Lecture on Gurvastakam at Upsala University -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:: Just like cloud takes the water from the sea-cloud hasn't got its own water; cloud takes water from the sea -- similarly, a spiritual master brings mercy from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just see the comparison. He has no own mercy, but he carries the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the qualification of spiritual master. A spiritual master will never say that "I am God. I can give you mercy." No. That is not spiritual master. That is a bogus, pretender. A spiritual master will say, "I am servant of God. I have brought His mercy. Please take it and be satisfied." This is spiritual master's business. Just like a post peon. A post peon, when he delivers you some large amount of money, it is not his own money. The money is sent by somebody else. But he honestly delivers you: "Sir, here is your money. Take it." So you become very much satisfied with the peon. Although it is not his money, but when, in case of need, you get the money sent by your father or somebody else, brought by the peon, on oh, you get very much satisfaction. Similarly, we are all suffering in this blazing fire of material existence. The spiritual master brings the message from the Supreme Lord and delivers you. And if you kindly accept, then you'll be satisfied. This is the business of the spiritual master.
The spiritual master's business is that he knows Krsna well
Sunday Feast Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975::

Tamala Krsna: He says that it states in the Caitanya-caritamrta that to understand Krsna the best way is to understand the spiritual master. What is the best way to do that?

Prabhupada: If you want to learn something, so you must learn from a person who knows that something. The spiritual master's business is that he knows Krsna well. So you try to understand Krsna through him. This is the idea.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

So our business is, spiritual master's business is, how to help the disciple to transfer the attachment
Morning Walk Excerpt -- July 5, 1975, Chicago: Prabhupada: So our business is, spiritual master's business is, how to help the disciple to transfer the attachment. It is not that we are creating an, it, artificially, no. The attachment quality is there. But it is being mixed up with material things. And if you purify this material contamination, then the attachment become pure, and that is Krsna consciousness. Just like the water falls from the sky. It is distilled water. And as soon as it is in touch with the ground it becomes muddy, dirty. Again that water, if you distill, again it becomes distilled water, as good as the rain water, original. Therefore bhakti means sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. All the dirty things of designation should be cleansed.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

That is the business of spiritual master. He gives the right information; therefore he is respected so much, because he does not cheat
Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban: Prabhupada: This is the authoritative source, that you are not master, you are servant. Cultivate this knowledge. Don't try to become a master, falsely. That will never be successful. Remain servant of Krsna, you'll be happy. That is the business of spiritual master. He gives the right information; therefore he is respected so much, because he does not cheat. "You can become master, even God you can become" -- this is cheating. The real spiritual master says that "You can never become master. You are always servant." And therefore he's worshiped. He gives the right information. Therefore he is honored so, because he does not cheat. The so-called spiritual master is cheating, that "You take this mantra and give me some money and you become God." This cheating is going on. Spiritual master is to be worshiped. Why? Because he does not cheat. He gives the right information. That is his credit.

Correspondence

1970 Correspondence

Initiated means beginning, not perfection. The Spiritual Master's business is to guide him to the perfectional point. But if one does not strictly follow the guidance of a bona fide Spiritual Master his initiation does not bear any meaning
Letter to Jaya Gopala -- Los Angeles 11 January, 1970: Regarding your question of an initiated person falling prey to the maya, the answer is that so long we are in this material world, there is always chance of being spoiled by Maya, so we must stick with vow to the Lotus Feet of Krishna. An initiated devotee is given the chance for becoming free from the entanglement of karma wheel. Initiated means beginning, not perfection. The Spiritual Master's business is to guide him to the perfectional point. But if one does not strictly follow the guidance of a bona fide Spiritual Master his initiation does not bear any meaning. The initiation performance is an agreement by the disciples to abide by the order of the Spiritual Master. Therefore, if the Spiritual Master is bona fide and the disciple is serious to abide by His order, then the success is sure. But if a disciple follows strictly the devotional way of life, he is no longer a karmi and all his activities which may appear to be like ordinary work, or it may be activity according to Scriptural injunction, are counted as devotional service. And devotional service in all circumstances is free from the actions and reactions of karma. I hope this will clear the matter.

1976 Correspondence

Regarding your question regarding your household situation, that is not the spiritual master's business
Letter to Batu Gopala -- Mayapur 18 February, 1976:

My dear Batu Gopala das,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated January 31, 1976. I accept Sriman Dhananjaya Pandit das for brahman initiation. You may hold a fire sacrifice and he should listen to the Gayatri mantra in the right ear from the tape. He can be instructed that the duty of a brahman is to maintain cleanliness. Internal cleanliness is always chanting Hare Krishna and external cleanliness is bathing regularly. You yourself must set the example.

Regarding your question regarding your household situation, that is not the spiritual master's business.

I hope this meets you well.
Page Title:Spiritual master's business
Compiler:Syamananda, Visnu Murti
Created:22 of jan, 2008
No. of Quotes:9
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=4, Con=2, Let=2