Spiritual masters (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"spiritual masters"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Yes. We live forever. By change of body we do not die. You live forever, I live forever. Death means we change this body, that's all.

Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

Devotee: In the Bhagavad-gītā it says on page 41(?) that Brahmā is the second spiritual master. I thought that all spiritual masters live forever; but Brahmā doesn't live forever.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We live forever. By change of body we do not die. You live forever, I live forever. Death means we change this body, that's all. Just like you change your dress. When you change your dress, it does not mean that you die. Similarly change of this body does not mean actually death. Or to appear in a different body does not mean actually birth. There is no birth and death of the living entity, but the change of body is taking place in our material condition. That is taken as birth and death. Actually there is no birth and death.

Just like in India, generally, the brāhmaṇas are expected to be the spiritual masters.

Lecture on BG 4.34-38 -- New York, August 17, 1966:

Our material senses are defeated. We are defeated in every respect. So it is not possible to realize the Absolute Truth if we do not find a person who is realized soul, who is absolute, who has understood. It doesn't matter who is he. Lord Caitanya recommended...

Just like in India, generally, the brāhmaṇas are expected to be the spiritual masters. Because brāhmaṇa means who have sufficient knowledge in the transcendental science. That is brāhmaṇa. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. Now, due to this modern age, Kali-yuga, it is very difficult to find out a qualified brāhmaṇa. So therefore it is very difficult also to find out a qualified spiritual master. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He has recommended that,

kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya

yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei 'guru' haya

(CC Madhya 8.128)

"Never mind whether he's a brāhmaṇa or a śūdra or a sannyāsī or a householder. Never mind what he is. That doesn't matter. If he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, then he is the bona fide spiritual master." He is the bona fide spiritual master.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

So the representative must be very obedient. Then his position will go on. And... Just like so-called spiritual masters. They proclaim, "I am God." So they have no position.

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

So the representative must be very obedient. Then his position will go on. And... Just like so-called spiritual masters. They proclaim, "I am God." So they have no position. They have no position. Because they are rebellious. A spiritual master is supposed to spread God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, make everyone Kṛṣṇa conscious, as the most confidential servant of God—not as God.

Just like Arjuna was told by Kṛṣṇa that "This system, paramparā system, disciplic succession of spiritual masters, is now lost." Sa kālena yogo naṣṭaḥ: "That yoga, that system of yoga is now lost. Therefore I am making you again My disciple."

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 6, 1968:

Spiritual master means who is strictly following the orders of his superior. He is spiritual master. Spiritual master does not mean that he has got four hands or eight legs or three heads. No. One who is strictly following the orders of his predecessor, he is spiritual master. Just like Arjuna was told by Kṛṣṇa that "This system, paramparā system, disciplic succession of spiritual masters, is now lost." Sa kālena yogo naṣṭaḥ: "That yoga, that system of yoga is now lost. Therefore I am making you again My disciple."

And what is śāstra, scriptures? They are statement of different saintly persons and spiritual masters.

Lecture on SB 7.9.10 -- Montreal, July 9, 1968:

Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has said that if you want to make concrete progress in spiritual life, then you have to corroborate the statement of the scriptures, the statements of saintly person, and statements of the spiritual master-three things. Why three things? Because a spiritual master means he does not place anything which is not in the scriptures. He does not say that "My theory is like this." That is not a spiritual master. Similarly sādhu, saintly person, also does not say anything which is not mentioned in the scriptures. He does not manufacture anything by mental concoction. And what is śāstra, scriptures? They are statement of different saintly persons and spiritual masters. Therefore one has to corroborate these three things: scriptures, and statement of saintly persons, and statement of spiritual master. The spiritual master is via media.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

A spiritual master takes his devo..., disciples as his spiritual master. That is the position. He thinks that "Kṛṣṇa has sent me so many spiritual masters." He does not think himself as spiritual master. He thinks himself their servant. Because they have to be trained.

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

But the spiritual master does not think of himself as Hari. Although he's offered the respect of Hari, he thinks himself as humble servant of Hari and all others. A spiritual master takes his devo..., disciples as his spiritual master. That is the position. He thinks that "Kṛṣṇa has sent me so many spiritual masters." He does not think himself as spiritual master. He thinks himself their servant. Because they have to be trained. Kṛṣṇa has appointed him to train them. Therefore he thinks himself as servant of the disciples. This is the position. So when one is advanced, he can see the importance of devotees.

Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that "These six Gosvāmīs, anyone who accepts these six Gosvāmīs as authority, spiritual masters, I am his servant."

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1972:

Similarly, Sanātana Gosvāmī, they become Muhammadans. At least, formerly. His name was also changed: Sākara Mallika, Dabira Khāsa. And they were made the prime ministers of spreading this saṅkīrtana movement, the Caitanya cult, Sanātana. We are sitting here (in) Rūpa Gosvāmī's place. So officially, they become Muhammadan, but by the grace of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they became Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī. Ei chay gosāñi tāhra mui dāsa. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that "These six Gosvāmīs, anyone who accepts these six Gosvāmīs as authority, spiritual masters, I am his servant." Therefore we Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava, we are known as Rūpānuga Vaiṣṇava, following the footsteps of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.

Festival Lectures

The Bhagavad-gītā received through the paramparā, disciplic succession of bona fide spiritual masters.

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

Kṛṣṇa is speaking everything in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, in Bhagavad-gītā. And we don't require to change unnecessarily. If we present the same thing as it is, as we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, then the machine is there. You can get all the information. There is no difficulty. Just like you are getting by the present machine, radio machine, the message from far, distant place. Similarly, you can get all the information of the spiritual world by the proper machine. The Bhagavad-gītā received through the paramparā, disciplic succession of bona fide spiritual masters. It is not difficult.

General Lectures

So a spiritual master... Just like Kṛṣṇa is spiritual master, and Lord Caitanya is spiritual master.

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

Jaya-gopāla: Prabhupāda? These days there are so many men who claim to have found the Absolute, who claim to be spiritual masters in their own way. How does one tell who is a bona fide spiritual master?

Prabhupāda: Yes. What is your idea of bona fide spiritual master?

Jaya-gopāla: One who can teach the Absolute.

Prabhupāda: So a spiritual master... Just like Kṛṣṇa is spiritual master, and Lord Caitanya is spiritual master. We are talking about Lord Caitanya's teaching to Sanātana Gosvāmī. That means Lord Caitanya is the spiritual master. Similarly, in the Bhagavad-gītā we find Arjuna is taught by Kṛṣṇa Bhagavad-gītā. So there is no difficulty to understand who is spiritual master.

Even Lord Jesus Christ, there are..., Lord Buddha, they are also spiritual masters, but they spoke in different circumstances. That is different thing.

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

Similarly, if you want to test who is spiritual master, you have to see the standard spiritual master, Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya and similar. Even Lord Jesus Christ, there are..., Lord Buddha, they are also spiritual masters, but they spoke in different circumstances. That is different thing. 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.

Because all the ācāryas, all the spiritual masters of Vedic perfection, just like in the recent years Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, and Viṣṇu Svāmī, Lord Caitanya, all of them, they have accepted Kṛṣṇa as the supreme spiritual master.

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

But you have to accept the standard platform by your advancement. Just like somebody accepts somebody as master, that is according to his own mentality. And somebody accepts somebody else as master, that is his mentality. But the highest, according to Vedic literature, Kṛṣṇa is the supreme master. Because all the ācāryas, all the spiritual masters of Vedic perfection, just like in the recent years Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, and Viṣṇu Svāmī, Lord Caitanya, all of them, they have accepted Kṛṣṇa as the supreme spiritual master.

Purports to Songs

Aham means "I." Vande 'ham śrī-gurūn, all the gurus, or spiritual masters. The offering of respect direct to the spiritual master means offering respect to all the previous ācāryas.

Purport to the Mangalacarana Prayers -- Los Angeles, January 8, 1969:

Vande 'ham means "I am offering my respectful obeisances." Vande. V-a-n-d-e. Vande means "offering my respectful obeisances." Aham. Aham means "I." Vande 'ham śrī-gurūn, all the gurus, or spiritual masters. The offering of respect direct to the spiritual master means offering respect to all the previous ācāryas. Gurūn means plural number. All the ācāryas, they are not different from one another.