illegal interpretation of books, speculation, qualifications of Guru,etc
1. Association with the pure devotee
Paramahaṁsa: My question is: A pure devotee, when he comments Bhagavad-gītā, someone who never sees him physically, but he just comes in contact with his commentary, explanation, is this the same thing?
Srila Prabhupāda: Yes. You can associate with Kṛṣṇa by reading Bhagavad-gītā. And these saintly persons, they have given their explanations, comments. So where is the difficulty? Everyone is helping you.
Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk, Paris, France. June 11, 1974
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2. What right you have got? You write another book. Why should you take my book and give your meaning?
Amogha: Śrīla Prabhupāda, many times when I am seeing professors or students also, they seem to think that traditional Hinduism or whatever they think it is, they say that the Māyāvādī philosophy, or monist, they think this is traditional, and..., because there's so many translations of the Bhagavad-gītā and the Upaniṣads they've read, and they're all impersonal. So, I was wondering what is the best way to convince them that actually, that is not actually the original tradition of understanding?
Srila Prabhupāda: How they are becoming foolish, that they are reading Bhagavad-gītā and they are accepting original tradition of the Māyāvāda? In the original tradition of Bhagavad-gītā, it is said, Kṛṣṇa said, ahaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān: "I said. I am person." How these rascals are accepting imperson? Why do they read Bhagavad-gītā? If they have got different theory, let them differently... They are cheating. Bhagavad-gītā is popular. Therefore, they are taking advantage of Bhagavad-gītā and pushing on impersonalism. But here the tradition begins, ahaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ. Where is imperson? So, if they want to be cheated willingly, who can save them? They are reading Bhagavad-gītā and devīating from the words of Bhagavad-gītā. Then what is the meaning?
Amogha: They don't know. They simply...
Srila Prabhupāda: That means they are so rascal, that... You are reading Bhagavad-gītā. You must take the words of Bhagavad-gītā. Why you are taking other words? What business you have got?
Amogha: They think by majority; most people think like this...
Srila Prabhupāda: Majority or minority, it doesn't matter. But why you should take Bhagavad-gītā to establish your rascal theories? That means you are cheating.
Amogha: But they think that's the meaning of Bhagavad-gītā.
Srila Prabhupāda: That's the meaning how?
Amogha: That's what they think. They think because they've read so many commentaries...
Srila Prabhupāda: Why do they think? If I have written one book, my words are my meaning. Why you should give meaning? I shall kick on your face. What right you have got? You write another book. Why should you take my book and give your meaning? What is this?
Paramahaṁsa: These professors didn't write the books, but they read all these Swami this and that books' translations. And then they think, "Well, all these swamis say it's like this..."
Srila Prabhupāda: No. They should be conscious that if you read one book, you must understand what the author says. Why should you bring something else to understand that book? What is this? If you want to say something else, you write your own book or bring that book. Why you should take my book? If you want to smoke ganja, why should you take my hand? You have got your hand. You smoke ganja. What is this? I take your hand and smoke ganja? (laughter)
Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk. Perth, Australia. May 12, 1975
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3. Devotee (2): Can you explain exactly what speculation means?
Srila Prabhupāda: Speculation means thinking, "What will happen? Maybe like this, maybe like this." That is speculation. (break) ...speculate, "Kṛṣṇa may be like this. Kṛṣṇa may be like this." That is speculation. When Kṛṣṇa appears before you, you see, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is like this." That is wanted. And if you speculate, "Kṛṣṇa may be like this," it is all nonsense. Come to the stage when Kṛṣṇa will appear before you, and you will see what is Kṛṣṇa. Be qualified to that position. Māyāvādīs, they are speculating simply, "God may be like this." Why "God may be like this?" God is factual, Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa.
Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk. Denver, Colorado, USA. July 2, 1975
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4.. Greatest offence is to disobey the Guru
Hṛdayānanda: (translating) He wants to know if the greatest offense is to disobey the guru.
Srila Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the first offense. Guror avajñā, śruti-śāstra-nindanam. Śruti-śāstra-nindanaṁ guror avajñā. If you accept guru and again disobey him, then what is your position? You are not a gentleman. You promise before guru, before Kṛṣṇa, before fire, that "I shall obey your order; I shall execute this," and again you do not do this. Then you are not even a gentleman, what to speak about devotee. This is common sense.
Srila Prabhupada Lecture on BG 2.11 (with Spanish translator), Mexico City, Maxico. February 11, 1975
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5. You should speak that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. That is the preaching of Bhagavad-gītā.
So, this is the process. Simply if we... Therefore, Vedic knowledge is called śruti. One has to hear it properly, assimilate it, and then practice it in life and preach the same thing. Then everyone becomes spiritual master. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra 'sarva-deśa: "O My dear disciples, I tell you that you, all of you, become spiritual master. Simply you carry out My order. That's all." "And what is Your order?" "The order is the same: yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Just like Kṛṣṇa gave instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā, and if you simply place the instruction received from Bhagavad-gītā as it is..." I am publishing Bhagavad-gītā As It Is because in the market there were so many Bhagavad-gītā misinterpreted, but that is not the process of presenting Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā should be presented as it is. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is simply said that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But most books which you have seen in English lang..., they are trying to make minus Kṛṣṇa. That is their attempt. So what sort of Bhagavad-gītā is that? That should not be done. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. You should speak that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. That is the preaching of Bhagavad-gītā.
Srila Prabhupada Sri Vyasa-puja. Hamburg, Germany. September 5, 1969
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6. Reading the book is the same thing . . tattva-darsana—hearing from one who has seen the truth.
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 13 April, 1976, and I have noted the contents with care. Concerning your questions: Yes, it will help to read Bhagavad-gita but to have to hear from the realized person. Without the help of guru, if you read independently, you may be misguided. Therefore, so many politicians, scholars, etc. not being guided by the parampara system, have simply misled the public. The Bhagavad-gita is the standard book of knowledge in India and many eminent persons like Gandhi, Aurobindo, Dr. RadhaKrishnan, etc. they tried to understand the Bhagavad-gita, but could not do it. They were themselves misled and on account of their big position they misled so many followers. Our system, the Vedic system, is to approach the right person and hear from him exactly as Arjuna listened from Krishna. Mental speculation will not help. Hearing is the main point. In the Bhagavad-gita, it is written, dharmaksetre kuruksetre . . . when you hear from a realized soul, a person who knows things, he'll explain that Kuruksetra is a place where religious ritualistic ceremonies are performed from time immemorial, from the time before the Battle of Kuruksetra. But, if you read the books of some cunning politician, he'll mislead you and you'll learn that Kuruksetra means this body which is not actually the fact. That is the difference, hearing from devotees, the sound vibration coming from the realized person. Reading the book is the same thing . . . tattva-darsana—hearing from one who has seen the truth. Reading or hearing from the realized person there is no difference, but hearing the sound vibration from the realized soul is still more effective, better.
Srila Prabhupada Letter to Punjabi Premanand. April 16, 1976
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7. Unfortunately, people take advantage of the popularity of Bhagavad-gītā, and they try to impress under the shelter of Bhagavad-gītā their own philosophy or own idea. That is useless. You try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is; then you will get this entitlement, enlightenment
That means "I first of all spoke to the sun-god." Now if you take that duration, it will be some millions of years before it was spoken. These things are stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. So apart from that statement, from historical point of view, since the days of Mahābhārata, yes, Battle of Kurukṣetra... Bhagavad-gītā was spoken in the Battle of Kurukṣetra. From historical point of view, it is five thousand years old. So, this Bhagavad-gītā teaching is coming from, at least, from five thousand, since five thousand years. So, it is older than any other scripture in the world. So, you try to understand as it is, without any unnecessary commentary. You do not... There is no use of commentary. The words are sufficient to give you enlightenment, but unfortunately, people take advantage of the popularity of Bhagavad-gītā, and they try to impress under the shelter of Bhagavad-gītā their own philosophy or own idea. That is useless. You try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is; then you will get this entitlement, enlightenment, that Kṛṣṇa is the center of all activities. And if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then everything will be perfect, all problems will be solved. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpanam (CC Antya 20.12). These things are there, and actually, they are happening. Our students are feeling, they are actually doing that. So, we shall request you to read this Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, so your feelings of international spirit will be perfect and you'll be happy, and wherever you preach this cult, they will be also happy. And that will be very nice thing.
Srila Prabhupada Lecture to International Student Society. Boston, Massachusetts, USA. December 28, 1969
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8. Bhagavad-gītā is wrongly preached all over the world by nonsense commentation, we want to rectify it
Srila Prabhupāda: That's all right. You are bringing something else besides Bhagavad-gītā. Just try to understand. We are preaching... This International Society for Krishna Consciousness, we are preaching...
Guest (1): But you have to understand the relation between the two.
Srila Prabhupāda: That's all... That we understand very nicely. It is not that I have to learn from you. We know it very well. But you should know that we are preaching Bhagavad-gītā. So, this jyotir-liṅga, all these theories, they are not in the Bhagavad-gītā. It may be in other literature, but we are particularly interested in preaching Bhagavad-gītā. Because Bhagavad-gītā is wrongly preached all over the world by nonsense commentation, we want to rectify it. Therefore, our society is specially named "Krishna conscious."
Guest (1): What is wrongly preached about Gītā?
Srila Prabhupāda: Wrong... Just like yesterday I went that Gītā Samītī. There is a lamp. Why there is a lamp instead of Kṛṣṇa? Why there is a lamp? Kṛṣṇa is a lamp? And it is Bhagavad...
Guest (1): I don't know...
Srila Prabhupāda: You do not know. Therefore, I say this is wrongly preaching. Why in the place of Kṛṣṇa there is a lamp? Does Kṛṣṇa say?
Guest (1): Lamp has been with us for more than... In our mandira...
Srila Prabhupāda: That's all right. (Hindi?) Kṛṣṇa is also there.
Guest (1): They must evolve with that idea because...
Srila Prabhupāda: No, no. First thing is that when we speak of Bhagavad-gītā, it is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. So why there is no Kṛṣṇa photograph?
Guest (1): They didn't put the picture.
Srila Prabhupāda: Yes. That means you have not understood Kṛṣṇa. Therefore your, this so-called Gītā society is not bona fide. At least even in ordinary feature, suppose if there is political meeting, you keep Gandhi, this photo, Jawaharlal Nehru's photo because they are the political leaders. You are preaching Bhagavad-gītā, Gītā Samītī, and there is not a single picture of Kṛṣṇa.
Srila Prabhupada Discussion with Indians. Allahabad, January 18, 1971
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9. You cannot disobey guru. But if you become a servant, you want to please the disciple by flattering him to get his money, then you are not guru, you are servant
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: What about the so-called gurus that take a little bit here and a little bit there?
Srila Prabhupāda: So-called gurus, they are so-called gurus. They are not gurus. That is already explained. If one does not speak what Kṛṣṇa speaks, he is not guru. If you accept so-called guru, that is your misfortune. What can be done?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Some of them will say some things that Kṛṣṇa says, but they'll take from other places also. What is the position of such persons?
Srila Prabhupāda: He's most dangerous. He's most dangerous. He is opportunist. He's finding out customer, something here... According to the customer he is giving something, as the customers will be pleased. So, he is not guru. He's a servant. He wants to serve the so-called disciples so that he may be satisfied and pay him something. He's servant. He's not guru. Guru is the master. You cannot disobey guru. But if you become a servant, you want to please the disciple by flattering him to get his money, then you are not guru, you are servant. Just like a servant pleases the master. He's not guru. He's servant. So, our position should be servant, yes, but servant of the Supreme. So, guru means heavy. You cannot utilize him for satisfying your whims. That is not guru. (pause) Now? What other question?
Srila Prabhupada Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal, Vrindavana, India. June 28, 1976
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10. Ātreya Ṛṣi: Does he have to be designated by the former spiritual master? He has to be devotee...
Srila Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, oh yes.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: How many qualifications does a spiritual master have in terms of being a spiritual master?
Srila Prabhupāda: One qualification: he is a devotee of God. That's all.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Also, is he designated?
Srila Prabhupāda: Huh?
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Does he have to be designated by the former spiritual master? He has to be devotee...
Srila Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, oh yes.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: ...surrendered and designated. That is..., identifies disciplic succession: both surrender and designation.
Srila Prabhupāda: And by the result.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: And the result of activity.
Srila Prabhupāda: So far designation is concerned, the spiritual master authorizes every one of his disciple. But it is up to the disciple to carry out the order, able to carry out or not. It is not that spiritual master is partial, he designates one and rejects other. He may do that. If the other is not qualified, he can do that. But actually, his intention is not like that. He wants that each and every one of his disciple become as powerful as he is or more than that. That is his desire. Just like father wants every son to be as qualified or more qualified than the father. But it is up to the student or to the son to raise himself to that standard.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes, I understand.
Srila Prabhupāda: If you are incapable of raising yourself to the standard of becoming spiritual master, that is not your spiritual master's fault, that is your fault. He wants, just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā (CC Madhya 7.128), By My order, every one of you become a guru. If one cannot carry out the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then how he can become a guru? The first qualification is that he must be able to carry out the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then he becomes guru. So that carrying out the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu depends on one's personal capacity. Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā. Acceptance of Caitanya Mahāprabhu as Kṛṣṇa, that is there in the śāstra, in the Upaniṣads, in Mahābhārata, in Bhāgavata.
Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation. San Diego, California, USA. June 29, 1972
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11. So, the sons of India, those who are Indians, those who are proud of becoming Indian, they should take up this mission. Janma sārthaka kari'
As Bhagavad-gītā is the sound produced, vibrated by Kṛṣṇa personally, similarly Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is written by Vyāsadeva under the direction of his spiritual master, Nārada, about Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has advised to preach the message of Kṛṣṇa. That is His cult. yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśaāmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128)
This is the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And He wanted all the Indians to help this movement.
bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra (CC Adi 9.41)
This is the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He has advised every Indian... Bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma. Every human being born in India, they should take up this cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They can take it. Because by birth they have got the right because this Bhāgavatam is produced in India, Bhagavad-gītā is produced in India. That is the glory of India. So, the sons of India, those who are Indians, those who are proud of becoming Indian, they should take up this mission. Janma sārthaka kari'. First of all, make your life successful by understanding what is Bhagavad-gītā and what is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Janma sārthaka. If you are yourself unsuccessful in the mission of your life, you cannot preach anything. Therefore, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says janma sārthaka kari': "After making your life successful." That means by understanding the value of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā, you preach this knowledge all over the world.
Srila Prabhupada Lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam [Sb. 1.2.6]. London, England. July 23, 1973
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