Prabhupāda: Take, for example, mauna. Mauna means don't talk rubbish. It is better not to talk than to talk foolish. So mauna is meant for them who cannot talk about Kṛṣṇa. Better stop talking. Mauna-vrata. Because he does not know Kṛṣṇa, he'll talk all nonsense. So sometimes the spiritual master says that "You remain silent for twelve years." So (laughter) instead of talking nonsense, you remain silent for twelve years. That is mauna. Because as soon as you'll talk, you'll be captured where you are. Better not to talk. This is mauna-vrata. But one who is devotee, why he'll not . . .? He'll talk about Kṛṣṇa. Vācāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). Always talking about Kṛṣṇa. Why he should be silent? If he remains silent, then people will not get the benefit. Let him speak always of Kṛṣṇa. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that. Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128): whomever you meet, you simply talk about Kṛṣṇa, what He has taught in the Bhagavad-gītā, you become guru. So why guru will stop? Guru will speak. But what kind of speaking? What Kṛṣṇa has spoken. Not nonsense. Not like that: "I have painted so many pictures, therefore I have become God-realized." Where Bhagavān says "By painting pictures one may . . ." He does not say. Kṛṣṇa does not say. He has invented this. So therefore our test is, whether he's a bona fide guru, whether he's talking what Kṛṣṇa has said. Then he's guru. Otherwise a rascal. That's all, finished. Why should we bother? This is the test. If he's speaking, repeating the same thing, what Kṛṣṇa said, then he's guru. If he's talking something else, then he's rascal. Immediately take it. If you know this art, how to detect the rascal and guru, the test is already there. Where is the difficulty? Kṛṣṇa says, mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So guru will say, "Surrender to Kṛṣṇa." He'll never say that "I have become Kṛṣṇa. You simply surrender to me." To surrender to Kṛṣṇa means surrender to guru also. You'll learn it. So "Kṛṣṇa is now dead; now I have become Kṛṣṇa," this is rascal, immediately.
So to test a guru and a rascal, there is no difficulty if you are well conversant with the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā. There is no question. Kṛṣṇa says, ya imaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati (BG 18.68). This confidential knowledge, what is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ (BG 18.66), one who is teaching this confidential knowledge—"Just surrender to Kṛṣṇa"—Kṛṣṇa says, "Ah, he is My dearmost friend." So you become dearmost friend of Kṛṣṇa. Simply say what Kṛṣṇa says. Why do you speak all other nonsense things? You immediately become the dearmost friend of Kṛṣṇa. And if you manufacture, then you are a rascal. Why shall I accept a rascal? We shall accept the dearmost friend of Kṛṣṇa as guru. That is wanted. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, when He was asked by a gṛhastha devotee what should be the behavior of a Vaiṣṇava, He immediately said, asat-saṅga tyāga, ei vaiṣṇava ācāra (CC Madhya 22.87): "Give up the company of all rascals, asat." Asat means those who are rascals. That is Vaiṣṇava. Do not mix with all rascals, asat. Now how shall I know who is rascal and who is not a . . .? Asat eka 'strī-saṅgī kṛṣṇa-bhakta āra. One who is too much attached with woman, he is rascal. Another rascal: who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That's all.
So we have got everything test tube. Put the test tube and you understand. If one is strī-saṅgī . . . Strī-saṅgī means not only the man. The man or woman, one who are very much sexually attached, he is a rascal. One should give up his company. And another rascal: who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Finished. So if you want to be a Vaiṣṇava, you must give up the company of these two rascals. Then your progress is guaranteed. Everything is there. There is no difficulty to distinguish between rascals and intelligent, guru and bluffer. Everything is there. And to become a perfect Vaiṣṇava, Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, asat-saṅga tyāga ei vaiṣṇava: don't talk even with these rascals. But sometimes in the preaching work we have to talk with such rascals, but not to take their theory but to teach them our theory. If you become defeated by their theory, then you are not a preacher. Don't preach; chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. You are not fit for teaching. If you become overcome by their teaching, then you are finished. A preacher is madhyama-adhikārī, advanced devotee. He can preach. Kaniṣṭha-adhikārī should be engaged in temple worship very nicely, then gradually he'll come to the madhyama-adhikārī.
So the preacher is madhyama-adhikārī. A kaniṣṭha-adhikārī cannot become preacher. Who is in the lowest stage of devotional service, he cannot become preacher. He'll be conquered by the asat. And madhyama-adhikārī, he knows how to deal with asat. At least he does not mix with them. That's all. If he cannot defeat them, he should avoid them, because that valuable time can be utilized for preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness to a person who is inquisitive to hear. Bāliśya. Bāliśya means innocent. He wants to know something about Kṛṣṇa. Better deal with him than with the rascals and waste time. Better avoid the rascals. Just like in hospital, emergency cases, the doctors, when they see that this patient hopeless, he does not take care anymore. But when there is hope, they give medicine and try to . . . The hopeless condition, better not. Don't talk with them. That's all. That is vaiṣṇava-ācāra. Then he'll remain safe. Hopeless person, don't waste your time talking with them. Īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca. Four observations. Bhagavān—īśvara; prema—love; and prema-maitrī, friendship with devotees; and kṛpa, mercy to the innocent person; and upekṣā, no more talking. Don't waste time talking with all these nonsense. Better utilize, properly utilize the time by instructing a person who is innocent and eager to hear. Like that.