December 31, 1998   VNN2766   See Related VNN Stories

Problems With "The Final Order"

BY MADHUDVISA DASA

EDITORIAL, Dec 31 (VNN) — Krishna Kanta Prabhu's paper, "The Final Order" is a compilation of the work of many devotees on revealing Srila Prabhupada's intentions for initiations within ISKCON. It draws on the work of many other devotees including the editors of "Vedic Village Review" and Hansadutta Prabhu's writings on the subject. Krishna Kanta presents the information in a comprehensive paper, however he has added his own realization, that Srila Prabhupada did not want any of his disciples to become diksa gurus, ever.

Krishna Kanta ends his paper by saying, "Of course we are also subject to the four defects and thus we warmly welcome any comments or criticism. Our main hope in writing this booklet is that the discussion it may inspire might go some ways towards resolving one of the most protracted and difficult controversies ISKCON has faced since the departure of His Divine Grace. Please forgive our offences. All glories to Srila Prabhupada."

"The Final Order" has certainly created a lot of discussion on the issue and convinced many devotees that Srila Prabhupada is still living and still potent and still able to accept disciples. There are, however, a few serious faults in the presentation which have mislead many devotees about the ritvik system and have actually made many devotees more inimical towards the idea of ritvik initiations.

The biggest problem in "The Final Order" is Krishna Kanta argues very strongly that Srila Prabhupada did not intend any of his disciples to go on to become diksa gurus. Such a proposal is quite a surprize to anyone who has heard Srila Prabhupada's classes and read his books. It is not the natural conclusion one would come to by hearing what Srila Prabhupada says. Krishna Kanta declares that "There is no evidence of Srila Prabhupada issuing specific orders for his disciples to become diksa gurus, thus setting up an alternative to the ritvik system... Srila Prabhupada's books and conversations only contain instructions for his disciples to be siksa gurus... Srila Prabhupada does not specifically order his disciples to initiate and take their own disciples." (p15) It would seem Krishna Kant Prabhu has not read all the books and listened to all the classes. There are so many direct orders from Srila Prabhupada to his disciples to become QUALIFIED diksa gurus...

"So we got this information from His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, and that knowledge is still going on. You are receiving through his servant. And in future the same knowledge will go to your students. This is called parampara system. Evam parampara prap... It is not that you have become a student and you'll remain student. No. One day you shall become also guru and make more students, more students, more. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission, not that perpetually... Yes, one should remain perpetually a student, but he has to act as guru. That is the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is not that because I am acting as guru, I am no longer student. No, I am still student. Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught us this instruction that we shall always remain a foolish student before our Guru Maharaja. That is the Vedic culture. I may be very big man, but still, I should remain a foolish student to my guru. That is the qualification. Guru more murkha dekhi' karila sasana. We should be always prepared to be controlled by the guru. That is very good qualification. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah. Ara na kariha mane asa. So we should become always a very obedient student to our guru. That is the qualification. That is the spiritual qualification." (761210DB.HYD Lectures)

Krishna Kanta argues to become a diksa guru one must be authorized by his guru and also be qualified and he says: "Rather, just two months prior to July 9th, he [Srila Prabhupada] agreed that they were still 'conditioned souls,' and that vigilance was essential least persons pose themselves as guru." The actual conversation goes like this:

Prabhupada: What is the use of producing some rascal guru? Tamala Krsna: Well, I have studied myself and all of your disciples, and it's clear fact that we are all conditioned souls, so we cannot be guru. Maybe one day it may be possible... Prabhupada: Hm. Tamala Krsna: ...but not now. Prabhupada: Yes. I shall choose some guru. I shall say, "Now you become acarya. You become authorized." I am waiting for that. You become all acarya. I retire completely. But the training must be complete. Tamala Krsna: The process of purification must be there. Prabhupada: Oh, yes, must be there. Caitanya Mahaprabhu wants that. Amara ajnaya guru hana. "You become guru." (laughs) But be qualified. Little thing, strictly follower... Tamala Krsna: Not rubber stamp. Prabhupada: Then you'll not be effective. You can cheat, but it will not be effective...

So it is clear from the conversation that Srila Prabhupada wanted his disciples to become QUALIFIED diksa gurus, and he was waiting for that... But they were not yet qualified.

Krishna Kanta has presented so many words and "logical arguments" to back up his claim that Srila Prabhupada didn't want any of his disciples to become diksa gurus. He has gone as far as stating that for any disciple of Srila Prabhupada to become a diksa guru is impossible as Prabhupada did not specifically order anyone and none of them are qualified. "There is no evidence of Srila Prabhupada issuing specific orders for his disciples to become diksa gurus, thus setting up an alternative to the ritvik system." However that's Krishna Kant Prabhu's idea. It's not what Srila Prabhupada said. There may not have been anyone qualified when Srila Prabhupada left his body, there may not be anyone qualified even now, BUT ANY DISCIPLE OF SRILA PRABHUPADA CAN BECOME QUALIFIED if he surrenders to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna and makes Srila Prabhupada's orders his life and soul.

"'Only unto one who has unflinching devotion to the Lord and to the spiritual master does transcendental knowledge become automatically revealed.' Such relationship between the disciple and the spiritual master is eternal. One who is now the disciple is the next spiritual master. And one cannot be a bona fide and authorized spiritual master unless one has been strictly obedient to his spiritual master. Brahmaji, as a disciple of the Supreme Lord, received the real knowledge and imparted it to his dear disciple Narada, and similarly Narada, as spiritual master, handed over this knowledge to Vyasa and so on. Therefore the so-called formal spiritual master and disciple are not facsimiles of Brahma and Narada or Narada and Vyasa. The relationship between Brahma and Narada is reality, while the so-called formality is the relation between the cheater and cheated. It is clearly mentioned herewith that Narada is not only well behaved, meek and obedient, but also self-controlled. One who is not self-controlled, specifically in sex life, can become neither a disciple nor a spiritual master. One must have disciplinary training in controlling speaking, anger, the tongue, the mind, the belly and the genitals. One who has controlled the particular senses mentioned above is called a gosvami. Without becoming a gosvami one can become neither a disciple nor a spiritual master. The so-called spiritual master without sense control is certainly the cheater, and the disciple of such a so-called spiritual master is the cheated." (SB 2.9.43)

Of course if one was a qualified guru and wanted to take his own disciples it is very unlikely he would do it in his spiritual masters organization. He would start his own branch, open his own temples and preach among the conditioned souls and attract his own students. That's Srila Prabhupada's example and it's what has always happened in the disciplic succession. There's no history of institutionalized "guruism" as we see in ISKCON today. What bonafide guru would ever put himself under the authority of a "governing board" based more on the Roman Catholic concept than anything from the Viasnava disciplic succession? What bonafide guru would initiate disciples and promise to take them back home, back to Godhead, knowing well that he would not even have authority over his disciples! In ISKCON the guru initiates, but the guru cannot instruct his disciple or change his service without the agreement of the GBC and temple president! So no bonafide guru would ever agree to work in such a situation. He could not guarantee to fulfill his obligation to his disciples. Even if the disciple was qualified and the guru was a pure devotee, at any time the guru may do something which upsets the GBC [like saying Srila Prabhupada is not dead for example] and he will be thrown out of ISKCON and his disciples ordered to take "reinitiation" from another "bonafide" ISKCON guru in good standing... So no bonafide guru could work within the current ISKCON system.

"People are suffering for want of knowledge of Krsna. So this movement especially meant to establish the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. The cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is that you become, every one of you, you become a guru. How to become guru? Now, yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa. Simply that qualification is sufficient. Don't adulterate the 'krsna'-upadesa. You simply present what Krsna says as it is. Then every one of you will become a guru. Don't adulterate--'I think,' 'In my opinion.' These nonsense things should be given up. We should always be aware that we are insignificant creature. Our opinion and thinking has no value. This should be the first principle. Why should you give opinion on the words of Krsna? Are you more authoritative person than Krsna? This is foolishness, to try to become more than Krsna. There are so many rascals. They present that 'Now we have advanced. We know more than Krsna.' So be saved from these rascals. Then you will understand Krsna, and through Caitanya Mahaprabhu you will understand what is the position of Krsna, what is your relationship with Krsna, what is the ultimate goal of life. These things will be clearly exhibited." (750328CC.MAY)

There's nothing wrong with qualified disciples starting their own branches of ISKCON and preaching and making disciples and initiating them as a diksa guru. That's the system from time immemorial and we cannot change it. Of course they have to be qualified, but they will not be successful if they are not qualified, so what's the harm?

"So Sanatana Gosvami is guru. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is authorizing him to become guru. This is parampara system. Nobody can become guru all of a sudden. Self-made guru, that is not guru. Here Caitanya, er, Sanatana Gosvami is presented as the disciple, ideal disciple. He is asking, ke ami kene amaya jare tapa-traya, process how to approach guru, how to ask him question. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena. Pariprasna means question. That is also required. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu is authorizing him. Therefore He says, krsna-sakti dhara tumi. Here Krsna, Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He is authorizing Sanatana Gosvami. Unless he has got the power to receive the instruction, Caitanya Mahaprabhu is not going to waste His time. He has the power. He is empowered. Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission is that to preach Krsna consciousness all over the world. So He is empowering Sanatana Gosvami to take this task and spread Krsna consciousness. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. There is... You'll find in the Caitanya-caritamrta the verse, krsna-sakti vina nahe nama pracarana. Without being empowered by Krsna, nobody can preach the holy name of the Lord. Krsna-sakti vina nahe nama pracarana. So without getting the power of attorney... Just like even one is qualified lawyer, he must get the power of attorney from his client, and then he can speak. That is the law. Similarly, without being endowed with the power of attorney from Krsna, it is not possible to preach." (760711CC.NY Lectures)

"So unless we come to the conclusion of Vaisnava cult, it is very difficult. The Vaisnava cult conclusion should be taken. Otherwise we cannot preach. Without becoming Vaisnava, one cannot become guru. Without becoming guru, how one can preach? These are the formulas." (730128ND.CAL Lectures)

So how can one be authorized to become a guru?

"Thus Sanatana Gosvami prayed for the Lord's confirmation that His teachings would actually evolve in his heart by His grace. Otherwise Sanatana knew that there was no possibility of his being able to describe the Lord's teachings. The purport of this is that the acaryas (spiritual masters) are authorized by higher authorities. Instruction alone cannot make one an expert. Unless one is blessed by the spiritual master, or the acarya, such teachings cannot become fully manifest. Therefore one should seek the mercy of the spiritual master so that the instructions of the spiritual master can develop within oneself. After receiving the prayers of Sanatana Gosvami, Lord Caitanya placed His feet on the head of Sanatana and gave him His benedictions so that all His instructions would develop fully." (TLC 14)

And what about the order to become a guru? Where is that?

"Actually, that was the fact. Although the members of the so-called Hindu society had followed the social customs and formulas, they had practically forgotten to execute their religious principles strictly. But with the presence of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu they actually began following the regulative principles according to His order. That order is still existing, and anywhere and everywhere, in all parts of the world, one can execute it. That order is to become a spiritual master under the direction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by following the regulative principles, chanting daily at least sixteen rounds of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, and preaching the cult of Krsna consciousness all over the world. If we adhere to the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we shall get spiritual strength without a doubt, and we shall be free to preach this cult of the Hare Krsna movement and not be hampered by anyone." (Adi 17.126)

"So this Krsna consciousness movement is giving chance to everyone to hear from the authoritative sources, from the sastra. Sadhu sastra guru. These are authorities. So instead of hearing from the unauthorized persons, means... sadhu means who speaks on the basis of sastra. Guru means who speaks on the basis of sastra. They're sadhu guru sastra. And sastra means the statement of authorities. That is sastra. Just like Bhagavad-gita. It is sastra because it is spoken by the supreme guru, Krsna. So who is guru? At the present moment so many unauthorized persons are presenting themselves as guru. But you should be very careful. Guru, Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said, amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa. He says that 'I order you that you become guru. And your business is to deliver this country.' 'This country' means wherever you are living, you can become guru and deliver them. And one may say that 'You are asking me to become guru but I have no qualification.' A sincere man will say like that, 'How can I become guru, and how can I deliver this country?' Caitanya Mahaprabhu says it is not difficult: yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa. Krsna-upadesa, there are two krsna-upadesa. One krsna-upadesa is what Krsna is speaking personally, Bhagavad-gita. And the other krsna-upadesa, what Vyasadeva is speaking about Krsna. Krsna sa upadesa or krsnena upadesa. Krsnena upadesa--Bhagavad-gita. And instruction about Krsna is Srimad-Bhagavatam." (770122BG.BHU Lectures)

"Guru means who follows the predecessor, authorized predecessor. He is guru. Not that everyone is guru. So therefore we have to follow the superior order. Then we become guru, not that by cheating others we become guru. No. That is cheater. That is not teacher. Guru means who is following the superior order. The superior order is Krsna or His representative. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna. He is ordering, amara ajnaya, 'By My order,' guru hana, 'you become guru.' 'Sir, it is very difficult to become guru. I have no education. I have no culture. I am not born in a very high family. I am very low.' A devotee always thinks like that. He never thinks that 'I have become very great man.' Just like Caitanya-caritamrta, author of, he says, purisera kita haite muni se laghistha. Purisa, purisa means stool, and there are worms in the stool. So Caitanya-caritamrta author is saying that 'I am lower than the worms in the stool.' That is Vaisnava conception. Trnad api sunicena. He is very humble. He never says, 'Oh, I am the Supreme. I have become God.' A most rascal, foolish. So that is not... Therefore we have to follow. If we actually want to become guru, there is necessity of many thousands of gurus to teach this cheated public. But how to become guru? That is... Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya: 'By My order.' 'What is Your order, Sir?' Yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa. Then you become guru. You simply advise people to follow Krsna's instruction. Then you become guru." (741202SB.BOM Lectures)

"A guru is worshiped... Just like my disciples. They are offering respect exactly like God. That is their duty. Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih: 'All the sastra recommends that guru should be respected as good as God.' But that does not mean guru is foolishly thinking, 'I am God.' Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair uktah. Uktah means 'said,' 'it is recommended.' Tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih: 'Those who are exalted, advanced, they accept this truth, that guru should be respected as good as God.' But why he is respected as such? Because kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya: 'Because he is very, very dear to God.' The guru will never think that 'My disciples are worshiping me exactly like God; therefore I have become God.' He is not guru, he is rascal. Guru is always in the position of servant. And because he is the most confidential servant of Krsna, therefore he is to be respected as good as Krsna. Because in our present position we cannot see Krsna, but Krsna sends His representative; therefore he is respected as Krsna. Now, how one can become guru and representative of Krsna? Everyone will say, 'I am a representative of Krsna. I am guru.' No. That is enunciated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa: 'You just become guru on My order.' So guru means who is carrying out the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, not a self-made guru. Guru means the most confidential servant of Krsna or Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the same thing. He is guru." (750715AR.SF Lectures)

"Para-upakara. This Krsna consciousness is the best welfare activities in the world because people are in ignorance. They are... Everyone, practically 99.9%, at the present moment, they are under the conception, bodily conception: 'I am Indian,' 'I am American,' 'I am Hindu,' 'I am Muslim,' like that. That is ignorance. That will be discussed in the Bhagavad-gita very elaborately. So the question may be raised that 'How I can do welfare activities for the welfare of the whole world?' The Caitanya Mahaprabhu encourages. He says that amara ajnaya hana tara ei desa: 'Wherever you are staying,' ei desa, 'in that country... You may not go outside, but wherever you are staying,' amara ajnaya, 'by My order,' guru hana, 'you must become a guru'--by the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. 'Then? I have no education. How can I become a guru? How can I instruct?' Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, 'Yes, that I know. But you take My order.' Amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa. 'Then what shall I do?' Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa: 'You become guru. You haven't got to manufacture anything, any philosophy. You simply instruct whatever is spoken by Krsna. That's all. You become a guru.' So our request is that you are so many Indians living in this foreign country for generations. So take this instruction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Because you are coming from India, therefore it is special request to you that 'By the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, every one of you become a guru.' And what shall you have to do? Amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa. Ei desa. This South Africa, you are staying here. So you preach as a guru. And what shall you preach? Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, yare dekha tare kaha krsna upadesa. You haven't got to do anything. The instruction of Krsna is there in the Bhagavad-gita. Don't distort it, but put it as it is. That's your duty. If you do simply this thing... Because in the Bhagavad-gita it is clearly said that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead... Krsna says Himself that mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya." (751007LE.DUR Lectures)

"Guru's business is not to exploit the sisya. It is the business, how to deliver. So who can deliver? Who is actually guru in the parampara system? Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh. So we have to take the authority of become guru from Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the same thing. Within five hundred years His order is that amara ajnaya guru hana: 'You cannot become guru all of a sudden. You must take order from Me.' He is jagad-guru. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu says you, all of you, to become guru and deliver. Because there are so many innumerable fallen souls in this age--mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya hy upadrutah--we require hundreds and thousands of gurus. But not cheaters. This is the time when requires hundreds and thousands of gurus. But who will become guru? That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's injunction, amara ajnaya: 'By My order you become guru. Don't be all of a sudden guru. Become guru on My order.' (760407SP.VRN Lectures)

Prabhupada: ...places that "Swamiji, how you have done this wonderful thing?" And I do not know what is wonderful thing. But I know this that I do not adulterate. That's all. (break) That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. He says, yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna' upadesa. That's all. Amara ajnaya... Caitanya Mahaprabhu says... Dr. Patel, hear. Krsna says, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa. "You become a guru." Just see. "You become a guru by My order." Then one may say that "What qualification I have got that I can become guru?" That only qualification: yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna' upadesa. You don't require to manufacture any upadesa. Whatever is there already spoken by Krsna, you distribute it. You become guru. This is guru. Not that you are fool. Yes, I am fool. But I am not so fool like you that I adulterate. (740331mw.bom Conversations)

"No, we are not talking of so many gurus... We are talking of real guru. That's all, real guru. Real guru is he who talks in disciplic succession of Krsna. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh. That is guru. The bhumi-phala guru is no guru. Avaisnavo gurur na sa syat. 'Anyone who is not Vaisnava, he is not guru.' Or He says in the Bhagavad-gita, Bhagavan, ya idam paramam guhyam mad-bhaktesv abhidhasyati. Find out this. He is guru who is preaching what Krsna has taught. He is guru, not that anyone and everyone becomes guru. No. If you want to be cheated by such rascal guru, that is your business, but who is guru, that is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. No? Anyone who preaches the teachings of Krsna, he is guru. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also says, amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa: 'You become a guru on My order.' 'How shall I become guru? I have no knowledge.' Oh, you don't require any knowledge to manufacture. Yare dekha, tare kaha krsna-upadesa: 'Simply repeat the instruction of Krsna, you become guru.' Everyone can become. The instruction is there. Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. We say the same thing, not that I have become Krsna, not my... You say that 'Surrender to Krsna.' Then you become guru. Krsna instruction, not to become Krsna. If you want to become Krsna, then you are not guru; you are cheater. Suppose you are working for master. If you say, 'My master has fixed up this price. You cannot change it,' then you are honest salesman. And if you place yourself that 'I am the master,' then you are cheater. The cheater cannot be teacher. Teacher is he who simply teaches what Krsna has said, that's all. He's teacher. That is not difficult. Everyone can do. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, yare dekha, tare kaha krsna-upadesa: 'Whomever you meet, you simply speak to him the instruction of Krsna.' Then you become guru. And if you don't say that, if you manufacture your own words, then you are cheater, you are not teacher. So the so-called gurus, they are cheater. They want to become Krsna. Therefore they are cheater. And it is very easy thing. If you cheat people that 'You take this mantra, and you become God...' Is God so easy thing, to become God? But they want to be cheated. 'Purchasing mantra, I shall become God.' They want to be cheated. They do not think that 'Whether I can actually become God?' They do not take the weight of His existence." (760710ed.ny Conversations)

"We should always remember that the spiritual master is in the disciplic succession. The original spiritual master is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He blesses his next disciple, just like Brahma. Brahma blesses his next disciple, just like Narada. Narada blesses his next disciple, just like Vyasa. Vyasa blesses his next disciple, Madhvacarya. Similarly, the blessing is coming. Just like royal succession--the throne is inherited by disciplic or hereditary succession--similarly, this power from the Supreme Personality of Godhead has to receive. Nobody can preach, nobody can become a spiritual master, without obtaining power from the right source. Therefore the very word, it is stated here, praptasya. Praptasya means 'one who has obtained.' Praptasya kalyana. What he has obtained? Kalyana. Kalyana means auspicity. He has received something which is auspicious for all the human kind. Praptasya kalyana-gunarnavasya. Here is another example. Gunarnava. Arnava means ocean, and guna means spiritual qualities. Just like the same example is going on. It is very nice poetry. There is nice rhethorics and metaphor. The example is set, blazing fire, and it is to be extinguished with the cloud. And wherefrom the cloud comes? Similarly, wherefrom the spiritual master receives the mercy? The cloud receives his potency from the ocean. Therefore the spiritual master also receives his power from the ocean of spiritual quality, that is, from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So praptasya kalyana-gunarnavasya. Such kind of spiritual master, one has to accept, and vande guroh sri-caranaravindam, and one has to offer his respectful obeisances to such authorized spiritual master." (Purport to Sri-Sri-Gurv-astakam 690102PU.LA)

"Lord Ramacandra showed His favor to His brothers by ordering Them to go out. Many of the Lord's devotees residing in Vrndavana have taken the vow not to leave Vrndavana to preach Krsna consciousness. But the Lord says that Krsna consciousness should be spread all over the world, in every village and every town. This is the open order of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. (SB 9.11.25)

"Our Krsna consciousness movement is meant for educating everyone to become divine. That is the program. So what is the gain by becoming divine? That is described in the previous verse. Daivi sampad vimoksaya. If you become divine and acquire the divine qualities, abhayam sattva-samsuddhih jnana-yoga-vyavasthitih... That is... We have discussed already. So if you become divine... There is no impediment to become divine. Simply you have to practice for the post. Just like everyone can become a high court judge. Everyone can become the president of United States. There is no bar. But you have to be qualified. If you qualify yourself, you can become any..., fitted in any position. Similarly, as it is said, to divine, to become daivi, you have to qualify yourself to become divine. How to become divine? That is already described. We have already..." (750202BG.HAW Lectures)

We know qualified gurus are very rare. Krishna says that in the Bhagavad-gita, sa mahatma sudurlabha, "Such a great soul is very rare." However Srila Prabhupada has given all his disciples the opportunity to become qualified, to become such a qualified great soul. Any one of them can become qualified. But we don't like to do that... But it's a simple thing, anyone can do it:

"Everything is there. Satam prasangan. From a bona fide spiritual master you receive knowledge, because he will present as he has received from his spiritual master. He'll not adulterate or manufacture something. That is the bona fide spiritual master. And that is very easy. To become spiritual master is not very difficult thing. You'll have to become spiritual master. You, all my disciples, everyone should become spiritual master. It is not difficult. It is difficult when you manufacture something. But if you simply present whatever you have heard from your spiritual master, it is very easy. If you want to become overintelligent, to present something, to interpret something, whatever over you have heard from spiritual master you can make some further addition, alteration, then you'll spoil whole thing. Then you'll spoil whole thing. Don't make addition or alteration. Simply present as it is. Therefore, we have begun Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Don't try to become over spiritual master. Then you'll spoil. Remain always a servant of your spiritual master and present the thing as you have heard. You'll be spiritual master. This is secret. You should know it. Don't try to become overintelligent. That will spoil. Evam parampara praptam imam rajarsayo viduh. This is the..." (730822VP.LON Lectures)

So I beg fogiveness from Krishna Kanta Prabhu and anyone else I may have offended by this article. There is no doubt "The Final Order" has done so much to bring the ritvik issue to the notice of all the devotees world-wide, however, the eagerness of the author to eliminate the possibility of any of Srila Prabhupada's disciples ever becoming diksa gurus is simply not what Srila Prabhupada himself taught and therefore his paper is very distressing to many devotees as it is clearly not presenting the same thing as Srila Prabhupada has presented.

We may not always understand everything Srila Prabhupada says and what he says may not fit with our ideas. However we are simply servants of Srila Prabhupada, we do not have our own opinion. Our only business is to present Srila Prabhupada's opinion, which is of course actually Krishna's opinion coming to us via the disciplic succession...

"This is the position. Unless one feels like that and asks somebody, a superior, accepts him as guru, there is no use talking. It will not be useful. This is the position. If the injunction is tad vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet, if anyone is interested to know about the transcendental subject matter, he must approach a guru, and unless one approaches a guru, he cannot understand, and if by force I become guru, he may not be interested. This is the position. But still, for a preacher, he has to do something against all odds. That is preaching. You cannot expect favorable position. Your question was that we go and they say like this, but you cannot expect that wherever you are going you'll find favorable situation to talk. That you must understand. But you have to preach, you have to create favorable situation. That is your duty." (760810rc.teh Conversations)

"When Caitanya Mahaprabhu ordered that prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama, so that means He wanted that all over the world, in every town, in every village, His mission should be propagated. And what is His mission? His mission is: yei krsna-tattva-vetta sei guru haya. That is His mission, So it is not that in western countries one cannot become Vaisnava, one cannot become guru. This is not. This, such sort of remark is not tolerable from sastric point of view. It is completely, strictly to the sastric point of view. And it is a glory for us that people in other countries, outside India, they're accepting this cult of Krsna consciousness. But crippled people, they unnecessarily criticize this method. But we don't care for them." (721024ND.VRN Lectures)

"So you are hearing this philosophy daily. Try to understand more and more. We have got so many books. And this is the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and, by disciplic succession, Bhaktivinoda Thakura, then my spiritual master. Then we are trying our level best. Similarly, you will also try your level best on the same principle. Then it will go on. Same principle. It doesn't matter whether one is born in India or outside India. No. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, prthivite ache yata nagaradi-grama, 'As many towns and cities and villages are there,' He did not say it to make a farce. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So sometimes I am very much criticized that I am making foreigners a brahmana. The caste brahmanas in India, they are very much against me. But this is not fact. When Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that all over the world His message will be broadcast, does it mean that it will be simply a cinema show? No. He wanted that everyone should become perfect Vaisnava. That is His purpose. It is not to make a farce, some lecturing and..., or some mutual praising society. No. It is Krishna Society. Everyone who will join this Krishna Society movement, he is more than a brahmana. Brahmana, what is brahmana? Brahmana is also material. A devotee is more than brahmana. The brahminical culture is included already. Brahma janatiti brahmanah: 'Brahmana means one who knows the Absolute Truth, Brahman.' He is brahmana. (750302BA.ATL Lectures)

"He says that 'All of you, you become guru.' Just like I am requesting all Indians outside that I am alone trying to spread this Indian culture, why not you also join? You also become guru. So how to become guru? Not that simply by advertising that one has become guru all of a sudden, no. Guru means, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa. Whomever you meet, you just instruct him in what Krsna says, that's all. You become guru. It is not very difficult to become guru, provided we simply preach the instruction of Krsna. That we are doing. We do not say that we are perfect, we have become God, or we have so many, so many magic jugglery. No, we have nothing to do, that. No magic, no jugglery, no God. Simply to become servant of God, and whomever we meet, we speak the words of God, that's all. Then you become guru. This is our mission. That we may be imperfect, that doesn't matter. We are imperfect. Just like this child, he is imperfect. Everyone knows. But if he says, 'My father has informed me that this is microphone,' so this knowledge of 'is microphone' is perfect because he has received from the father, experienced father. And before hearing from the father, he may not know that this is microphone, but since he has heard from the father that this is microphone, and if he says to others that 'My father has said, 'This is microphone,'' then people will accept this is perfect knowledge. So we should follow this instruction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa. So you, every one of you, can become guru.
You may say that 'I am not interested to become a guru,' but Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that if you are not interested, that is not very good. You should be interested. You must be guru. That is success of your life. You can speak the instruction of Krsna, even to your family. That also guru. You are actually guru. The father or the head of the family is guru to the children, to the wife. In India still, the wife addresses the husband as pati-guru. And father is guru. That is natural. So why don't you become real guru to your wife, to your children, and instruct Bhagavad-gita as it is? This is our mission. You sit down in the evening, chant Hare Krsna mantra, and teach little instruction from the Bhagavad-gita. See how the life changes. Is that very difficult task? Boliye.".(750313r2.teh Conversations)

All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada! Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!


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