Sudāmā: There also is the position of, or some question is raised as to how actually follow the authority. What is the authority between . . .?
Prabhupāda: Authority is your spiritual master. You do not know who is authority? Why this question is there? If one is initiated, then he accepted the authority. And if he does not follow the instruction of spiritual master, he is a rascal. He is defying the authority. That's all.
Sudāmā: The question also is there: the authority is the spiritual master, but the via media to the spiritual master . . . the position of . . . the difference between, like we were discussing in the automobile, of śikṣā and dīkṣā-guru. There is sometimes . . .
Prabhupāda: Then śikṣā and dīkṣā-guru . . . a śikṣā-guru who instructs against the instruction of spiritual . . . he is not a śikṣā-guru. He is a demon. Śikṣā-guru, dīkṣā-guru means . . . sometimes a dīkṣā-guru is not present always. Therefore one can take learning, instruction, from an advanced devotee. That is called the śikṣā-guru. Śikṣā-guru does not mean he is speaking something against the teachings of the dīkṣā-guru. He is not a śikṣā-guru. He is a rascal.
Woman devotee: Well, people are instructing with these chanting sessions.
Prabhupāda: Because that is offense. Guror avajñā. First offense is guror avajñā, defying the authority of guru. This is the first offense. So one who is offensive, how he can make advance in chanting? He cannot make. Then everything is finished in the beginning. Guror avajñā. Everything is there. If one is disobeying the spiritual master, he cannot remain in the pure status of life. He cannot be śikṣā-guru or anything else. He is finished, immediately. Guror avajñā śruti-śāstra-nindanam, nāmno balād yasya hi . . . (Padma Purāṇa). You do not study all these things. You become initiated . . . there are ten kinds of offenses. Do you have any regard for these things or not? You must avoid these ten kinds of offenses. The first offense is to disobey the orders of guru. That is first offense. So if you are offensive, how you can become advanced by chanting? That is also not possible.