Spiritual Master and Disciple—Part 01

Giriraj Swami: 

oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

Reading from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Two, Chapter Seven, Text Forty-Eight.

TEXT 48

sadhryaṅ niyamya yatayo yama-karta-hetiṁ
jahyuḥ svarāḍ iva nipāna-khanitram indraḥ

TRANSLATION

In such a transcendental state there is no need of artificial control of the mind, mental speculation or meditation, as performed by the jñānīs and yogīs. One gives up such processes, as the heavenly King, Indra, forgoes the trouble to dig a well.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

A poor man in want of water digs a well and undertakes the trouble of digging. Similarly, those who are poor in transcendental realization speculate on the mind or meditate by controlling the senses. But they do not know that such control of the senses and achievement of spiritual perfection are simultaneously made possible as soon as one is factually engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Supreme Person, the Personality of Godhead. It is for this reason that the great liberated souls also desire to be associated in hearing and chanting the activities of the Lord. The example of Indra is very appropriate in this connection. King Indra of heaven is the controlling deity or demigod for arranging clouds and supplying rains in the universe, and as such he does not have to take the trouble to dig a well for his personal water supply. For him, digging a well for a water supply is simply ludicrous. Similarly, those who are factually engaged in the loving service of the Lord have attained the ultimate goal of life, and for them there is no need of mental speculation to find out the true nature of God or His activities. Nor do such devotees have to meditate upon the imaginary or real identity of the Lord. Because they are factually engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, the Lord’s pure devotees have already achieved the results of mental speculation and meditation. The real perfection of life is therefore to be engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord.

COMMENT

So, in Bhagavad-gītā [18.66], Lord Krishna clearly states:

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

One should give up all varieties of religiousness and surrender unto Him. So, one who has faith in the Supreme Personality of Krishna accepts the words of the Lord in Bhagavad-gītā. He gives up all other processes unto Him. So, as we discussed in the previous two classes, the basis of all advancement in Krishna consciousness is faith. Lord Chaitanya has defined faith in His instructions to Sanatana Gosvami, that when one is firmly convinced that simply by engaging in devotional service, one performs all subsidiary activities, and therefore, he engages exclusively in the service of the Lord, he is considered to be faithful or sraddha, and such a faithful devotee is a candidate for further advancement in Krishna consciousness.

So, the basic principle of faith is demonstrated when one has faith is demonstrated when one has faith in the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and He asks us to give up all other processes and just surrender to Him. And if one has faith in the process of devotional service and gives up other processes, recommended here, he is considered a pure devotee. Srila Rupa Gosvami has given the definition of pure devotional service, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam ānukūlyena kṛṣṇān śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttama. When one engages in favorable devotional service, giving up other processes like karma or jnana, he is engaged in uttamā-bhakti, or pure devotional service.

Sometimes people feel obliged to engage in other activities, just like people feel that they have to worship the demigods. Sometimes, especially followers of the so-called Hindu system, may be worshiping demigods before coming to Krishna consciousness, and they may be afraid to give up the worship of the demigods, or the children in the family may believe that it is their duty to serve the parents and provide money for the family, or the husband in the family, they consider that it is his duty to satisfy the wife and the children in various ways beyond Krishna consciousness.

So, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says that if one takes wholeheartedly to the service of the Lord, he is no longer a debtor to anyone, nor is he obliged to anyone. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ, he is not obliged to the devas, the demigods, to the rishis, or great sages and saintly persons, bhūtāpta, which means the living entities in general, nṛṇāṁ, humanity, pitṝṇāṁ, forefathers. One has no other duty to perform if he takes wholeheartedly to the service of the Lord without reservation. (SB.11.5.41)

Similarly, the Bhāgavatam states that just as by watering the root of the tree, all of the leaves and branches of the tree are automatically nourished, and as by giving food to the stomach, all of the limbs of the body are automatically nourished, similarly, by rendering service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one serves all the demigods and living entities in general.

So, therefore, there is no need to engage in any other activity besides devotional service. And if one does engage in devotional service, he also gets the result of the other processes. For example, other types of transcendentalists like jnanis and yogis, they desire spiritual knowledge and they desire renunciation, sense control. The Bhāgavatam [3.32.23] also says:

vāsudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ
janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ
jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam

Simply by engaging in devotional service, causeless knowledge and detachment are automatically manifested. So, a devotee, even without undergoing other processes, automatically achieves the result of jnana and yoga, namely knowledge and renunciation. He also obtains the results of fruitive activities, as Prahlada Maharaja says, “The one who engages in devotional service is not bereft of the results of fruitive activities.” All of the results of the inferior processes are automatically achieved when one wholeheartedly takes to devotional service.

And therefore, when people would ask Srila Prabhupada, “If we take to Krishna consciousness, what will happen to our material needs? How will we get our material needs?” So, Srila Prabhupada would say that when you get a million dollars, your ten-dollar problems are automatically solved. So, Krishna consciousness is like a million dollars, and the ten-dollar problems of how to meet one’s material requirements are automatically solved. And even higher achievements like developing transcendental knowledge and detachment are also automatically achieved in Krishna consciousness.

So, therefore, a pure devotee has faith in the process of Krishna consciousness, and he does not mix devotional service with other processes, although there are mixed devotees who engage in devotional service, but they also add other processes like karma and jnana, and they are called karma misra bhaktas or jnana misra bhaktas—mixed devotees. They are attracted to devotional service, but they do not have complete faith that simply by engaging in devotional service, all of their desires will be fulfilled.

And therefore, they attempt to fulfill their desires by mixing creative work or mental speculation or any other process, artificial process, as it is mentioned here. Artificial because the constitutional position of the living entity is to engage in devotional service to Lord Krishna. So, any other method is artificial. Therefore, when one hears about Krishna from devotees and becomes convinced about Krishna in the process of devotional service, he gives up other means of attaining success in life and he accepts exclusively the process of devotional service. So, such a person is considered to be a devotee.

When Lord Chaitanya was instructing the residents of Kalinagram about their duty, He explained that their duty is to constantly chant the holy name of the Lord and to serve the Vaishnavas. Every year, they would ask the same question, and every year, Lord Chaitanya would answer. So, the first time when they asked Lord Chaitanya, “How can one recognize a devotee?” Lord Chaitanya said, “Anyone who even once chants the holy name of the Lord is considered to be the best amongst the ordinary mass of people.”

So, this verse describes the neophyte devotee. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments that even a neophyte devotee, if he has faith that the holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord, and therefore, just by beginning the process of chanting the holy name of the Lord, one can ultimately attain all success, then he is considered a pure devotee even though he is a neophyte, and he can gradually make progress to the higher stages of Krishna consciousness.

The next time one resident of Kalinagram asked Lord Chaitanya, “What is my duty?” Lord Chaitanya replied, “Your duty is to chant the holy name of the Lord without cessation, and whenever possible, to serve the servants of the Lord.” So, when that devotee asked Lord Chaitanya, “How can I recognize a Vaishnava or a servant of the Lord?” Lord Chaitanya replied, “One who is constantly engaged in chanting the holy name of the Lord, he is considered to be the best Vaishnava, and one should worship him and serve him.”

So here, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that this verse refers to the madhyam bhakta, that the real neophyte devotee is just learning how to chant the holy name, but the intermediate devotee is accustomed to chanting the holy name and takes pleasure in it. He further states that the word nirantara, which means without cessation or without interruption, indicates that he does not engage in any other activities like karma, jnana, or yoga, but he simply engages in pure devotional service.

Then the next year, when the residents of Kalinagram asked Lord Chaitanya, “What is our duty?” So, Lord Chaitanya replied that one should chant the holy name of the Lord. And when that person asked Lord Chaitanya, “How can I recognize a Vaishnava?” Lord Chaitanya replied that a Vaishnava is he who, when seen, inspires one to chant Hare Krishna. Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments that, well, this verse describes the uttamā bhakta, mahā-bhāgavata, that simply by seeing him, people are inspired to chant. . . Krishna consciousness in others, and he can engage them in activities that will lead to their further spiritual advancement.

This way, Lord Chaitanya described the different types of devotees, and these different types of devotees are distinguished in terms of their development of faith. One whose faith is soft and pliable is considered to be a neophyte, and because his faith is not strong, he is inclined to add other processes like karma and jnana to devotional service, and because his knowledge of the scriptures is not strong, otherwise he wouldn’t be so prone to mixing karma and jnana with his faith.

So therefore, when he comes in contact with others who are engaged in fruitive activities or other processes, and when he hears their arguments in favor of other processes, like karma and jnana, because his faith in Krishna consciousness is not strong and because he is already inclined to mix fruitive activities and speculative ideas with Krishna consciousness, his inclination towards jnana and karma will become more prominent due to the association with the karmis and the jnanis, and he can fall down from the practice of devotional service. That’s why, especially for neophytes who are not convinced about Krishna consciousness, it’s very dangerous to associate with non-devotees, because by associating with them, one’s own inclination for karma and jnana may become aggravated, and then he can give up the practice of bhakti.

But the intermediate devotee, although he doesn’t have sufficient knowledge of the scriptures necessarily to defeat the arguments of karmis and jnanis and yogis, but his faith in Krishna consciousness is so strong that even though he may not be able to defeat the opposing view, he is not dissuaded from his own conviction that devotional service is the highest perfection of life nor does he give up the practice to accept any other process.

And the uttama-adhikārī, it is described that he is knowledgeable in the scriptures, and therefore he can support his views with references from scripture and defeat other opposing views. This is described especially in the Eleventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, and the same thing is recorded in Lord Chaitanya’s instructions to Sanatana Gosvami.

So, these are the distinctions of different grades of devotees on the consideration of faith. What to speak of devotees, even persons who are following varnashrama-dharma were also distinguished according to their development of faith. That is, brahman, kshatriya, vaishya, and sudra. A brahman has full faith that the Lord will provide for him, and therefore, the brahman is happy to accept whatever comes to him for the maintenance of the body. By the grace of the Lord, he does not engage in other types of activity for bodily maintenance because he has full faith that the Lord will maintain him.

Next come the kshatriyas. They have faith that by doing their duty, the Lord will protect them or reward them, just like the Lord instructed Arjuna, “Live to the best of your ability and depend on Me for the result.”

Next are the vaishyas. The vaishyas also have faith that they will get customers. Prabhupada has given some very nice examples about the vaishya mentality, how someone who actually has the vaishya mentality will not descend to the occupation of sudra. And he gave examples from difficult times in Calcutta, when there was economic depression, you could say. But the vaishyas refused to accept service. They said, “No, vaishyas, it is our duty to do business. We must do business.” So, he said that some of them would buy grains like rice, and they would just go door-to-door, although everyone generally is accustomed to buying rice from some place or another. But they would go from door-to-door, just marking up the rice a little bit, and they had faith, “Somehow or other, I’ll get one or two customers, or a few customers, and I’ll be able to make some profit by doing my business or trade, and I won’t starve.”

Srila Prabhupada gave another example of one young man who wanted to begin business. So, he went to one rich man. This was during the plague in Calcutta. So, he went to one rich man, and he asked the rich man to give him some capital to begin his business. So, the rich man pointed out the window to one rat, a dead rat that was lying on the street. He said to the young man, “Your capital is right there. Why are you asking me?”

Because the plague was being spread by the rats, the municipality was offering that anyone who brought in a dead rat would get twenty-five paisa. So, the rich man said, “There is your capital right there. You begin your business.” So, he went down, and he got twenty-five paisa, and he probably, in the beginning, went around and got a few more rats, and in this way, he began his business. He got a little money to buy something, then he sold that for a little profit, then he got some more. In this way, he began his business. Prabhupada said that that young man actually became a very successful and wealthy businessman because he had the ability to make money by business.

The sudras, they have almost no faith, and therefore, they have to have some master to pay them some salary, otherwise, they will be in anxiety, “Where will I get money? How will I buy food? Who will maintain me?” So, the sudras have almost no faith, and therefore, they depend on the regular salary of the master to be free from the anxiety about their material necessities, or they steal. They have so much anxiety, they think that the master will not pay enough, or if they don’t get work, they have no faith how they will be maintained, so they steal. Therefore, stealing is also very prominent among sudras, but they have no faith.

The brahman, the brahman is very honest because he depends on the mercy of the Lord. He has faith in the Lord, so he doesn’t think that he has to get anything more than his quota, which is allotted to him by the arrangement of the Lord. So, the common factor in these gradations of human life is actually faith in God. Any questions or comments?

Devotee: You were mentioning the nature of full faith in Krishna, how a devotee puts his faith in Krishna, and those obligations to other living entities like demigods, forefathers, parents, etc. What is the nature of one’s faith in a spiritual master, having full faith in a spiritual master?

Giriraj Swami: This verse is also very appropriate. The one who has full faith in Krishna and similar faith in the spiritual master to whom all the imports of Vedic knowledge are revealed. So, we want to have faith in the spiritual master, but we want to be assured of the position of the spiritual master before we put our faith in him. So, therefore, the Vedic literatures, Lord Chaitanya, Rupa Gosvami, and the previous acharyas have given descriptions of the symptoms of the devotee, or the symptoms of different grades of devotees.

So, one can ascertain the different types of devotees and deal with the different types of devotees in the appropriate way, but as far as the spiritual master goes, it seems the main instruction is that one should accept a pure devotee. And we discussed what is a pure devotee—someone who has faith that the holy name of the Lord and the Lord are identical. Someone who has faith in the process of devotional service, who, therefore, gives up all other processes, he engages in no other activity besides Krishna consciousness, and he has no other motives besides serving the Lord.

So, there are many references in Srila Prabhupada’s books supporting the position that one should accept as the spiritual master one who is a pure devotee, and the definition of a pure devotee is given that one who engages exclusively in devotional service without ulterior motive. And as we’ve been discussing, well, coming back to the point that was brought up in class yesterday, that one should be careful to accept as a spiritual master one who is an uttama-adhikārī. One can accept a spiritual master who is a madhyamādhikārī or kaniṣṭhādhikārī, but one should know that one will not progress very well towards the goal due to insufficient guidance.

So, we could consider the alternative. I would agree whether one has a choice between an uttama-adhikārī guru and a madhyamādhikārī guru or kaniṣṭhādhikārī guru, one should take the uttama-adhikārī guru. That’s what Srila Prabhupada is saying, and he says one can accept gurus from other categories. What is the alternative? In other words, we propose that the other alternative is that one accepts no guru. What is the result of that? We are afraid of surrendering to a guru because we are afraid that the guru may fall down. But what about being afraid, “Without a guru, I will fall down?” In other words, ultimately, we have to place our faith in someone or something. So, we don’t place our faith in the guru, we are placing our faith in ourselves. So, it’s the same point. Everyone is acting on the basis of faith. So, it’s the question where we place our faith.

If one does not have faith in the spiritual master, one shouldn’t approach the spiritual master for initiation. First, one should be convinced about the spiritual master, then he should approach the spiritual master for initiation. So, one who doesn’t have faith in the spiritual master, then he can execute devotional service without being initiated by the spiritual master. But then there are also disadvantages to engaging in devotional service without being initiated and guided by a spiritual master.

Ultimately, of course, it depends on the individual. But the overwhelming evidence in the literature is that one who accepts a spiritual master has a better opportunity to advance in Krishna consciousness than one who doesn’t have a spiritual master. Of course, the point was raised yesterday, and it’s also mentioned by Srila Prabhupada in the same purport in Nectar of Instruction, indicating that the disciple can advance as much as the guru is advanced.

Although, of course, we did cite examples of disciples who are more advanced than their gurus, and even Srila Prabhupada stated disciples like Dhruva Maharaja can deliver either pradarshak guru or śikṣā-guru or dīkṣā-guru. But still, we have to take into consideration that the spiritual master represents his spiritual master and the disciplic succession. And through the medium of the spiritual master, one is in touch with the previous acharyas, and therefore, he can get their guidance also. Just like in the discussion about the different types of devotees that Lord Chaitanya was explaining, it’s mentioned that if one has faith, then he can gradually advance.

The two ways of associating; one is by vapuḥ, which means physical presence, and one is by vāṇī, which means transcendental sound. So, if we take, for example, by studying his books, we are associating with him by vāṇī. But it’s not simply a matter of reading the books, because so many people read the books and they don’t even become devotees. It’s a matter of reading the books and following the instructions. Just like Srila Prabhupada wrote in the introduction to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about his spiritual master, that he lives forever by his divine instructions, and the follower lives with him. So, the spiritual master is living in his instructions, but we live with the spiritual master when we follow the instructions.

So, if someone were reading Srila Prabhupada’s books carefully and following the instructions carefully, then he would be associating with Srila Prabhupada, and therefore, he could advance up to the point of uttama-adhikārī. But again, the main point is to become a pure devotee. Even if one isn’t an uttama-adhikārī and just follows the process and gradually makes advancement.

We are discussing the spiritual master, but according to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam [5.5.18],

gurur na sa syāt sva-jano na sa syāt
pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt
daivaṁ na tat syān na patiś ca sa syān
na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum

The translation is that no one should become a guru, no one should become a relative, no one should become a father, no one should become a mother, no one should become a worshipable personality, no one should become a husband, unless he can deliver his dependents from the repetition of birth and death. So again, Srila Prabhupada explains in the purport that unless one is himself delivered from the repetition of birth and death, how can he deliver others? And unless one is a pure devotee of the Lord, he cannot be delivered himself. Therefore, he shouldn’t become a guru or a relative or a father or a mother or a husband or a worshipable Deity.

So, if we take the position that only an uttama-adhikārī can deliver his dependents from birth and death, then the conclusion would be that we shouldn’t get married unless we are uttama-adhikārīs. We shouldn’t have children. Because Srila Prabhupada says that if one accepts the position of guru or father or mother or husband but does not execute the responsibility of delivering the dependent from birth and death, he is plunged into the ocean of rapprochement for his unlawful activities. So, it’s a very serious responsibility, not only to become a spiritual master but even to become a husband or a mother or a father. The husband is the natural spiritual master of the wife.

So, if our position is that one cannot really be a spiritual master unless he is uttama-adhikārī, and one can’t become a husband also unless he is uttama-adhikārī, because how will he be able to deliver his wife? So, he shouldn’t get married. But the fact is that it’s mentioned in so many places in the scripture. The fact is that if one is surrendered to the paramparā and if one repeats the instructions of one’s spiritual master and obeys the instructions of one’s spiritual master, one can also function as a spiritual master. That is the plain fact.

So, therefore, if the husband strictly follows the principles of Krishna consciousness and instructs his wife to follow strictly, he can be a husband. If the parents strictly follow the principles of Krishna consciousness and they train their children to be Krishna conscious, then they can be parents. That is the process. Srila Prabhupada has written that generally, the spiritual master comes from the category of ever-liberated associates of the Lord. But one who strictly follows the principles of the disciplic succession, he can also act as the spiritual master. That principle is stated again and again.

So, generally, in the beginning of devotional service, one starts from the position of neophyte, which means that one cannot accurately accept the position of other devotees. Therefore, the test that a beginning devotee should apply generally is the test that Srila Prabhupada always gave, that the spiritual master should be fully engaged in Krishna’s service. He should have no other business besides Krishna’s service, and he should repeat the message of Krishna without adulteration.

Still, if one can distinguish from the instructions given in the scriptures between a kaniṣṭhādhikārī, a madhyamādhikārī, and uttama-adhikārī, and if one has the choice, if he sees that he has a choice, then he should take the uttama-adhikārī. But whatever alternative of not accepting any spiritual master is very problematic. I wasn’t sure if the subject would come up, but I thought it might, so I brought one volume of Caitanya-caritāmṛta to read a relevant statement about the alternative of not accepting a spiritual master. The verse is Ādi-līlā, Chapter One, Text Thirty-Five.

TEXT 35

mantra-guru āra yata śikṣā-guru-gaṇa
tāṅhāra caraṇa āge kariye vandana

TRANSLATION

I first offer my respectful obeisances at the lotus feet of my initiating spiritual master and all my instructing spiritual masters.

COMMENT

I will read the purport, but the second half of it begins

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

One should always remember that a person who is reluctant to accept a spiritual master and be initiated is sure to be baffled in his endeavor to go back to Godhead. One who is not properly initiated may present himself as a great devotee, but in fact he is sure to encounter many stumbling blocks on his path of progress toward spiritual realization, with the result that he must continue his term of material existence without relief. Such a helpless person is compared to a ship without a rudder, for such a ship can never reach its destination. It is imperative, therefore, that one accept a spiritual master if he at all desires to gain the favor of the Lord. The service of the spiritual master is essential. If there is no chance to serve the spiritual master directly, a devotee should serve him by remembering his instructions. There is no difference between the spiritual master’s instructions and the spiritual master himself. In his absence, therefore, his words of direction should be the pride of the disciple. If one thinks that he is above consulting anyone else, including a spiritual master, he is at once an offender at the lotus feet of the Lord. Such an offender can never go back to Godhead. It is imperative that a serious person accept a bona fide spiritual master in terms of the śāstric injunctions. Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī advises that one not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary social and ecclesiastical conventions. One should simply try to find a genuinely qualified spiritual master for actual advancement in spiritual understanding.

COMMENT

Just to give another evidence in favor of serving a Vaishnava. Ragunath Bhatta Gosvami was the son of Tapana Misra, we mentioned yesterday. When Lord Chaitanya came to Benares, Tapana Misra and Chandrasekhar approached Lord Chaitanya, “The Mayavadis are criticizing You, and hearing such criticism is breaking our hearts.” So, in the purport, Srila Prabhupada comments that this is a sign of real love for Krishna or Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, because they could not bear to hear the Lord’s blasphemy. But then he mentions that because Tapana Misra and Chandrasekhar were not able to defeat the arguments of the Mayavadis, they are understood to be kaniṣṭhādhikārīs.

Later on, Raghunatha Bhatta visited Lord Chaitanya in Jagannatha Puri and remained with Him for eight months. And after eight months, Lord Chaitanya instructed Raghunatha Bhatta to return to Benares and to study the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from a devotee and to serve his parents. Of course, his parents were not ordinary parents; they were devotees. So, therefore, the instruction to him to serve his parents indicates that he should serve the devotees, who were great devotees of Lord Chaitanya, although according to Srila Prabhupada’s purport, they were not, and that Tapan Misra wasn’t a kaniṣṭhādhikārī but he was a great lover and a great devotee of Lord Chaitanya, and therefore, he was worthy of being served by Raghunatha Bhatta. Then later, Raghunatha Bhatta, after his parents died, came back to Jagannatha Puri and associated with Lord Chaitanya for eight months again, and then Lord Chaitanya sent him to Vrindavan.

So, it is said about Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami that he would never hear anything or speak anything material. He was only absorbed in Krishna consciousness, and he would not listen to any criticism of the devotees, or he himself would not criticize any devotee, even if the devotee was at fault. He was satisfied simply to see that everyone was serving Krishna. So, Srila Prabhupada comments on the line that he was satisfied simply to see that everyone was serving Krishna. This is the position of the mahā-bhāgavata that he sees that everyone is serving Krishna, and therefore, generally, he does not preach.

So, this same point also comes up again and again, that even a mahā-bhāgavata, when he preaches, he comes to the level of madhyamādhikārī. The same thing. Rupa Gosvami says that he is free from the propensity to criticize others, why? Because he sees that everyone is serving Krishna, except for himself, so how will he criticize anyone? When we see the acharyas, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, Srila Prabhupada. They criticized everyone; they criticized the Mayavadis, they criticized the karmis, they criticized the smarthas, they criticized sahajiyās, sometimes they criticized their godbrothers. They believed that they are not mahā-bhāgavatas, which means in order to preach, even the mahā-bhāgavata comes to the second-class platform.

So, coming to Srila Prabhupada, our favorite subject. From the evidence in the scriptures, I think that we can safely conclude that Srila Prabhupada had other qualifications besides being an uttama-adhikārī. Of course, he was the founder acharya of ISKCON, so therefore, even in ISKCON, if there are uttama-adhikārīs, Srila Prabhupada would always remain the founder acharya, and his position would always be special as the founder acharya. And even in some of the Vyasa-puja offerings here, there were references to authorities to support the idea that Srila Prabhupada is the śakty-āveśa-avatāra, or an empowered incarnation.

So, I believe that when we speak about Srila Prabhupada, we are speaking about someone who is very extraordinary. We are not talking about an ordinary spiritual master, we are not talking about even an ordinary uttama-adhikārī, such a thing, we are talking about someone who has a very special role in history, in the history of Lord Chaitanya’s movement. So, we should be faithful to Srila Prabhupada’s instructions, we should understand his instructions, we should move cooperatively to execute them. One godbrother, Jay Rishi, commented about Srila Prabhupada that he was a messiah; simply by his desire, all sorts of people without any qualification, could become delivered and engage in devotional service.