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Our Guru Maharaja

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Kṛṣṇa reminded him, "Sudāmā, do you remember that one day we went to collect fuel for our Guru Mahārāja, and there was storm and rain, and we could not get out of the forest.
Lecture on BG 4.16 -- Bombay, April 5, 1974:

A brahmacārī, from the very beginning of his life, he is trained to act only for guru. That is brahmacārī. It is enjoined that a brahmacārī live at the shelter, at the care of guru just like a menial servant. Kṛṣṇa also, although He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, when He was living as brahmacārī at His guru's house, Sāndīpani Muni, He was collecting wood, fuel, from the jungle. He was going daily. It is not that because He was Personality of Godhead, therefore He should not go. No. You will find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Kṛṣṇa Book, that when Sudāmā Vipra met him, he was talking with Him about His childhood stories. Kṛṣṇa reminded him, "Sudāmā, do you remember that one day we went to collect fuel for our Guru Mahārāja, and there was storm and rain, and we could not get out of the forest. We had to live overnight there. Then on the morning Guru Mahārāja came with other disciples and they recovered us from the jungle. Do you remember?" So Kṛṣṇa had to do this. This is training.

You are searching after God. Now here is God Himself speaking. So recognized God by all sages: Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita. And later on by Rāmānujācārya, by Śaṅkarācārya, by Madhvācārya, by Viṣṇu Svāmī, by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and then our Guru Mahārāja.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Ahmedabad, December 13, 1972:

So Bhagavad-gītā is that, religion combined with philosophy. If you simply take philosophy, it is dry speculation. No juice. Carvita-carvaṇānām: "Chewing the chewed." There is no benefit. And if you take, simply take religion without basis of philosophy, then it is fanaticism. That's all. So both should be combined. Religion based on philosophy and logic, that is religion. So that combination is Bhagavad-gītā. So here in the Seventh Chapter, beginning, opening chapter, it is said, bhagavān uvāca. You are searching after God. Now here is God Himself speaking. So recognized God by all sages: Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita. And later on by Rāmānujācārya, by Śaṅkarācārya, by Madhvācārya, by Viṣṇu Svāmī, by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and then our Guru Mahārāja. So our method is very simple: evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). So we accept this paramparā system. I may not know what is God, but because my predecessors, ācāryas, confirm it, the "Here is Bhagavān," we accept it. That's all.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

These welfare activities are extended selfishness. This word we learned from our Guru Mahārāja: "extended selfishness."
Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Vrndavana, October 19, 1972:

People are very much interested in welfare activities for the human society. So they think that by feeding poor men or giving cloth or opening hospitals, schools, colleges—"These things are required. What is the use of hearing about Kṛṣṇa?" That is their opinion. But these welfare activities are extended selfishness. This word we learned from our Guru Mahārāja: "extended selfishness." Just like I love myself for my sense gratification, and then I extend it to my son. I am gratifying my senses. I have got my wife. And to get my son another wife... The principle is the same. Then my grandchildren, then my great-grandchildren. Or, not only limited with the family, then society, then community, then nationally, then internationally. But they are all extended selfishness.

If we imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, that "I shall chant only," that is not chanting. You'll sleep only. That's all. That is not possible. It is possible only for the liberated person. Therefore we should not imitate. Our Guru Mahārāja has condemned this.
Lecture on SB 1.5.24 -- Vrndavana, August 5, 1975:

At the same time, service must be there. And simply, "I'm chanting, but no, I'm not giving service..." That may be possible for Haridāsa Ṭhākura. He was simply chanting 300,000 times. That was possible by Haridāsa Ṭhākura. But if we imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, that "I shall chant only," that is not chanting. You'll sleep only. That's all. That is not possible. It is possible only for the liberated person. Therefore we should not imitate. Our Guru Mahārāja has condemned this. Mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava, pratiṣṭhāra tare nirjanera ghare, tava hari-nāma kevala kaitava. In Vṛndāvana you'll find there are so many, they imitate. In a secluded place they are chanting, but they cannot give up even smoking biḍi. You see? So this kind of imitation has no value.

That is our propaganda. Some or other, we are giving one book. This is in the matter of following the footprints of our Guru Mahārāja.
Lecture on SB 1.7.7 -- Vrndavana, April 24, 1975:

We are giving this Bhāgavata translation all over the world. And you will be surprised that we are selling more than thirty, forty lakhs of rupees per month. This movement is helping the whole human civilization. So yasyāṁ vai... If one purchases... That is our propaganda. Some or other, we are giving one book. This is in the matter of following the footprints of our Guru Mahārāja. Our Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī, he was publishing one small paper, Dainika(?) Nadiya Prakash in Bengali. And if a brahmacārī would go and sell a few copies, he would be very, very glad. He would be very, very glad. And similarly, he advised me also that "If you get some money, publish book." And he used to say that "This press propaganda, the publication propaganda, is bṛhad-mṛdaṅga." So just to satisfy him we are trying to publish this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, very, very authoritative books, in English.

We have learned from our Guru Mahārāja that preaching is very, very important thing, and when one is actually an experienced preacher, then he is able to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without any offense.
Lecture on SB 1.7.19 -- Vrndavana, September 16, 1976:

Caitanya Mahāprabhu never said that "You chant." He has given certainly the chanting, but so far His mission is concerned, He said that "Everyone of you become guru." Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). And deliver, preach, that people understand what is Kṛṣṇa.

yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa

āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa
(CC Madhya 7.128)

Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi. That is His mission. It is not that "Become a big Vaiṣṇava and sit down and imitate." This is all rascaldom. So don't follow this thing. So at least we cannot advise you in that way. We have learned from our Guru Mahārāja that preaching is very, very important thing, and when one is actually an experienced preacher, then he is able to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without any offense.

If we give up this śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, then it will be thought that "Our Guru Mahārāja has given a burden in the neck, galagraha." This is the danger. So we must be very much alert in śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Otherwise all this labor will be futile.
Lecture on SB 1.8.19 -- Mayapura, September 29, 1974:

Unless there is life of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, these big, big buildings, temples, will become burden. So if we are, if we want to create burden for future, then we may give up this hearing and chanting and sleep very nicely. It will be burden. Galagraha. Not śrī-vigraha, but galagraha. Galagraha. Śrī-vigraha means worshipable Deity. So if we give up this śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, then it will be thought that "Our Guru Mahārāja has given a burden in the neck, galagraha." This is the danger. So we must be very much alert in śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Otherwise all this labor will be futile. This building will be only the nest, nest for the doves and the pigeons. That is the danger.

When Aśvatthāmā was arrested, then he was let loose by the request of Draupadī that "I am suffering for the death of my sons, and this rascal is the son of our Guru Mahārāja, Droṇācārya, who has done so much for us. If he dies also, then mother guru will be very much unhappy. So let him go away."
Lecture on SB 1.8.24 -- Los Angeles, April 16, 1973:

So he (Aśvatthāmā) was arrested. He was arrested by Arjuna, and he was to be killed. Kṛṣṇa ordered that "Kill him. He is not a brāhmaṇa. He is less than śūdra." So when he was arrested, then he was let loose by the request of Draupadī that "I am suffering for the death of my sons, and this rascal is the son of our Guru Mahārāja, Droṇācārya, who has done so much for us. If he dies also, then mother guru will be very much unhappy. So let him go away." So, being insulted, he threw atom bomb, brahmāstra. The brahmāstra is something like atomic weapon, nuclear weapon. It can go to the enemy wherever the enemy is. It doesn't matter. It will go and kill him. That is called brahmāstra. So the brahmāstra was... He knew that "The rest of the Kuru family is Parīkṣit, the son of Abhimanyu. He is in the womb of Uttarā. So let me kill him also. Then everything finished."

I am writing all these books simply for selling, not for reading. This is not good. And if somebody asks you, "You are so much eager to sell your books. Do you read your books?" Then what you will say? "No, sir, we don't read. We sell only. Our Guru Mahārāja writes, and we sell." That is not good business. You must read.
Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:

So we are also old. In the Bhagavad-gītā you find this verse, nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Do you remember, any one of you, this verse from the Bhagavad-gītā? Eh? But you don't read. So I am writing all these books simply for selling, not for reading. This is not good. And if somebody asks you, "You are so much eager to sell your books. Do you read your books?" Then what you will say? "No, sir, we don't read. We sell only. Our Guru Mahārāja writes, and we sell." That is not good business. You must read. Why I am writing so many books? Not a single moment waste. If you want to become successful in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, don't lose even a single moment. That should be the first determination. Avyartha-kālatvam (Cc. Madhya 23.18-19), Rūpa Gosvāmī says. Forget sleeping, eating, mating. This is all material necessities. If you increase these things, then you cannot make any progress in spiritual life.

One political leader... Perhaps you have heard his name. His name was Madan Mohan Mallabhya. In India. He came to see our Guru Mahārāja...
Lecture on SB 2.1.2-5 -- Montreal, October 23, 1968:

One political leader... Perhaps you have heard his name. His name was Madan Mohan Mallabhya.(?) In India. He came to see our Guru Mahārāja, and he inquired that "What are your activities?" So then some of our Godbrothers presented that "We have got six periodicals in six languages: one in English, one in Bengali, one in Hindu, one in Oriya, one is Assami. And we have got one paper, Bengali, daily." So this Madan Mohan Mallabhya was astonished that "You are issuing a paper daily, simply discussing about God?" So my Guru Mahārāja said, "Yes. Why not?"

If you do not arrange for this gorgeous system, people are not attracted. Therefore we have to do sometimes to attract people, this gorgeousness. Otherwise, chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without any offense is sufficient. Therefore our Guru Mahārāja introduced both the processes.
Lecture on SB 6.2.24-25 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

If you do not arrange for this gorgeous system, people are not attracted. Therefore we have to do sometimes to attract people, this gorgeousness. Otherwise, chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without any offense is sufficient. Therefore our Guru Mahārāja introduced both the processes. This arca, arca, this is pañcarātriki-vidhi. According to pañcarātrika system, Nārada-pañcarātra, this worship of the Deity is there. And bhāgavata-mārga, the path of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, is simply śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Out of the nine processes recommended, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23), so up to śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ smaraṇam, that is Bhāgavata-mārga. That is the best. And pāda-sevanaṁ arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyam, that is pañcarātriki-vidhi.

Like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. He was a family man, but all of the, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, his wife, his children—and the best child is our Guru Mahārāja...
Lecture on SB 7.6.8 -- New Vrindaban, June 24, 1976:

So family attachment is the greatest impediment in the matter of advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but if the whole family is Kṛṣṇa conscious, that is very nice. Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. He was a family man, but all of the, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, his wife, his children—and the best children is our Guru Mahārāja, best child... So he has sung by his experience, ye dina gṛhe bhajana dekhi gṛhete goloka bhaya. If family-wise, everyone is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, that is very nice. That is not ordinary family. That attachment is not ordinary attachment. But generally people are attached materially. That is condemned here.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

We asked this question, bhoga-tyāga, to our Guru Mahārāja. So... What is the difference...?
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

We asked this question, bhoga-tyāga, to our Guru Mahārāja. So... What is the difference...? Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī, he left everything for Caitanya Mahāprabhu's service. His lucrative service, minister post and everything, he re... Tyāga. And Rāmānanda Rāya, he was governor. He was governor and gṛhastha, and living very luxuriantly. He's bhoga, he's bhoga platform. Now both of them were devotees of Lord Caitanya. So what is the difference? This question was put. So our Guru Mahārāja replied: Just like a woman. According to our Vedic system, when the husband is out of home, the women is not supposed to dress herself very nicely. Proṣita bhartṛkā. It is called proṣita bhartṛkā. The system was that one should dress herself in such a way that people can understand what is her position—whether she's unmarried, whether she's married, whether she's widow, whether her husband is away, whether she's a pro..., she's a prostitute, everything.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Study this Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Now we have got this English edition, very elaborately described, following the footsteps of our Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.1 -- Mayapur, March 25, 1975:

So study this Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Now we have got this English edition, very elaborately described, following the footsteps of our Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda. So there is no such edition of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, very elaborately described. But it can be understood by the advanced student. It can be... And so... Advanced, you can, anyone, you can become advanced. Advanced means at least one should understand that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If you simply understand these two words, that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then you are advanced. It is not very difficult.

During the lifetime of our Guru Mahārāja, all our Godbrothers now who are acting as ācārya, they did not do so. That is not etiquette. That is insult. So if you insult your ācārya, then you are finished.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.13 -- Mayapur, April 6, 1975:

Don't become premature ācārya. First of all follow the orders of ācārya, and you become mature. Then it is better to become ācārya. Because we are interested in preparing ācārya, but the etiquette is, at least for the period the guru is present, one should not become ācārya. Even if he is complete he should not, because the etiquette is, if somebody comes for becoming initiated, it is the duty of such person to bring that prospective candidate to his ācārya. Not that "Now people are coming to me, so I can become ācārya." That is avamanya. Nāvamanyeta karhicit. Don't transgress this etiquette. Nāvamanyeta. That will be falldown. Just like during the lifetime of our Guru Mahārāja, all our Godbrothers now who are acting as ācārya, they did not do so. That is not etiquette. Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyāt na avaman... That is insult. So if you insult your ācārya, then you are finished.

Whenever we used to ask our Guru Mahārāja something, "Is it going to be happened like that?" some work, he never said, "Yes, it is going to happen. Yes, we are going to do it." No. "Yes, if Kṛṣṇa desires, it may be."
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 3.87-88 -- New York, December 27, 1966:

Therefore the common saying is that "Man proposes; God disposes." Therefore a devotee, he never depends in himself. He never considers himself, "I am independent." He simply depends on the supreme will of the Lord. That is devotion. "If God desires... If Kṛṣṇa desires..." Whenever we used to ask our Guru Mahārāja something, "Is it going to be happened like that?" some work, he never said, "Yes, it is going to happen. Yes, we are going to do it." No. "Yes, if Kṛṣṇa desires, it may be." He never said like that, positively. "If Kṛṣṇa desires." Actually this is the fact. If Kṛṣṇa desires, God desires, anything wonderful can be done. If He does not desire, however you may try, it will never be done.

Practical example I have seen: our Guru Mahārāja, when we offered obeisances, he used to return me: "I am your servant."
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.66-96 -- New York, November 21, 1966:

So that is the relation between spiritual master and the student, not that the spiritual master, because he has officially accepted the post as spiritual master, he should remain as... He should accept the students also as his spiritual master. This is the reciprocation. Prabhu. Everyone would address the other as prabhu. But officially one may be a spiritual master. But in spiritual platform there is no such difference. But officially, custom is that spiritual master is considered in the place of Supreme Lord, and therefore he is given the such respect. But the spiritual master, bona fide spiritual master, he thinks that "I am your disciple. I am your disciple." And practical example I have seen: our Guru Mahārāja, when we offered obeisances, he used to return me, dāso 'smi: "I am your servant." He used to return me this way, "I am your servant."

Festival Lectures

The perfect knowledge can be received through this paramparā system. From Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa to Brahmā, Brahmā to Nārada, Nārada to Vyāsa, Vyāsa to Madhvācārya. In this way, from Caitanya Mahāprabhu, six Gosvāmīs, then our Guru Mahārāja, in this way.
Sri Vyasa-puja -- London, August 22, 1973:

Therefore, a so-called philosopher, scientist's knowledge is always imperfect. The perfect knowledge can be received through this paramparā system. From Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa to Brahmā, Brahmā to Nārada, Nārada to Vyāsa, Vyāsa to Madhvācārya. In this way, from Caitanya Mahāprabhu, six Gosvāmīs, then our Guru Mahārāja, in this way. And our business is just to present whatever we have heard. This is very important point. And because we do not speculate mentally, just like so many svāmīs comes from India. They make their own presentation by speculation. So whatever little success I have got, it is due to this process, that I do not present anything which is created by me. That is the secret of success.

It is not that because I am acting as guru, I am no longer student. No, I am still student. Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught us this instruction that we shall always remain a foolish student before our Guru Mahārāja. That is the Vedic culture.
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Hyderabad, December 10, 1976:

Yes, one should remain perpetually a student, but he has to act as guru. That is the mission of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It is not that because I am acting as guru, I am no longer student. No, I am still student. Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught us this instruction that we shall always remain a foolish student before our Guru Mahārāja. 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 mūrkha dekhi' karila śāśana (CC Adi 7.71). We should be always prepared to be controlled by the guru. That is very good qualification. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. Āra nā kariha mane āśā **. So we should become always a very obedient student to our guru. That is the qualification. That is the spiritual qualification.

The Jagannātha car stopped, and mother of our Guru Mahārāja, the child Guru Mahārāja, so she took the opportunity, and because she was manager's wife, so everyone respected with the child. So she put the child on the leg of Jagannātha. And as there are so many garlands, one garland immediately fell on the child.
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, February 7, 1969:

That embryo cord was like this. Yes. That means brāhmaṇa from the beginning. You see? So when he was a child... He appeared in February. Then... When the Ratha-yātrā takes place? In July. So February, March, April, May, June, July. So when he was six months old, the Ratha-yātrā festival was held. And by chance the big cart stopped in front of that house. That is generally in the Jagannātha car stops. Just like our car also stops somewhere. And you have some difficulty to push it again? That's nice. That also happens in Jagannātha Purī. It was stopped, and some people were... Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to push with His head. So that was wonderful. So anyway the car stopped, and mother of our Guru Mahārāja, the child Guru Mahārāja, so she took the opportunity, and because she was manager's wife, so everyone respected with the child. So she put the child on the leg of Jagannātha. And as there are so many garlands, one garland immediately fell on the child. Yes. Automatically. So in this way Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura could understand that "This child is not ordinary child," and he knew that "I prayed to Gaurasundara to send me somebody. So this boy, this child, is sent by Him." So he took care of him very carefully. And in this way his name was Bimala Prasāda, Bimala Prasāda Datta.

We are observing Vyāsa-pūjā ceremony, the birth anniversary of our Guru Mahārāja. Why? We cannot understand Kṛṣṇa without spiritual master. That is bogus.
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Atlanta, March 2, 1975:

So try to receive Kṛṣṇa's grace through the disciplic succession, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then you will understand everything. Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau (ŚU 6.23). This is the process, Vedic process. One should have unflinching faith in God and spiritual master. Don't jump over God, crossing the spiritual master. Then it will be failure. You must go through. We are observing Vyāsa-pūjā ceremony, the birth anniversary of our Guru Mahārāja. Why? We cannot understand Kṛṣṇa without spiritual master. That is bogus. If anyone wants to understand Kṛṣṇa, jumping over the spiritual master, then immediately he becomes a bogus. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). That is Vedic injunction. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). Nobody can understand Kṛṣṇa without going through His most confidential servant.

Our Guru Mahārāja Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he is Vaiṣṇava, cent percent Vaiṣṇava. And he was para-duḥkha-duḥkhi. This is Vaiṣṇava.
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Mayapur, February 8, 1977:

We should become intelligent. And to make us intelligent, Kṛṣṇa comes, Kṛṣṇa's devotees come, some messenger comes. And Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura is one of the messengers of Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And not only he preached, but he trained up many disciples to preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. So by his grace we are also endeavoring to do something. This is called paramparā system. So we should take advantage of this Vaiṣṇava mission. As Caitanya... Prahlāda Mahārāja said, they are very anxious. Vaiṣṇava means para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Kṛpaṁbudhir yas tam, ahaṁ prapadye (CC Madhya 6.254). Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. Vaiṣṇava... Our Guru Mahārāja Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he is Vaiṣṇava, cent percent Vaiṣṇava. And he was para-duḥkha-duḥkhi. This is Vaiṣṇava.

Departure Talks

Our Guru Mahārāja was..., rūpānuga-viruddhāpasiddhānta-dhvānta-hāriṇe: "Anything against the plan of Rūpa Gosvāmī, not accepted."
Departure Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 27, 1975:

Everything of Rūpa Gosvāmī. We are called rūpānuga, "strictly following the footstep of Rūpa Gosvāmī." Rūpānuga-varāya te. And our Guru Mahārāja was..., rūpānuga-viruddhāpasiddhānta-dhvānta-hāriṇe: "Anything against the plan of Rūpa Gosvāmī, not accepted." Rūpa-raghunātha-pade yāra āśa, caitanya-caritāmṛta kahe kṛṣṇadāsa.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Gosvāmīs were always engaged. Volumes of books they have written. When there is no writing, chanting, dancing, talking, and like that—engaged in Kṛṣṇa always. That we have been taught by our Guru Mahārāja, twenty-four hours engagement with Kṛṣṇa. So māyā has no scope to enter in our mind.
Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 13, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Allen Ginsberg: Except that it would mean concentrating all my consciousness on the one single image of Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Not image.

Allen Ginsberg: Or the one single thought or name or feeling or awareness.

Prabhupāda: That we have got varieties of duties. Just like we are. You have seen all these boys. They are always engaged. Always engaged. Similarly, everywhere they are always engaged in Kṛṣṇa. We want extra time to work for Kṛṣṇa. The twenty-four hours is not sufficient for us. Yes. Then we shall see that we are sleeping, wasting time. Gosvāmīs, they used to sleep for one half-hour only. That also sometimes forgot.

Allen Ginsberg: To dream?

Prabhupāda: No. They were always engaged. Volumes of books they have written. When there is no writing, chanting, dancing, talking, and like that—engaged in Kṛṣṇa always. That we have been taught by our Guru Mahārāja, twenty-four hours engagement with Kṛṣṇa. So māyā has no scope to enter in our mind. She always remains aloof: "Oh, here is fire. I cannot touch." Bhakti mukulitāñ... Bhaktis tvayi sthiratarā yadi bhagavan syād daivena phalati divya-kiśora-mūrtiḥ, muktir mukulitāñjaliḥ sevate 'smān. Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, a great devotee, he executed devotional service for seven hundred years. He lived for seven hundred years in Vṛndāvana. That picture you have seen, Sūradāsa?

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Many such persons questioned, "How is that, sannyāsīs are going in car, living in palatial building?" So our Guru Mahārāja replied that "A devotee should be offered the best comfort of life..."
Morning Walk -- March 9, 1974, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: So how Caitanya Mahāprabhu treated them equally or gave better position to Rāmānanda Rāya than Rūpa Gosvāmī? This question was raised—not only now—when our Guru Mahārāja started Gauḍīya Maṭha. So he was allowing the sannyāsīs to live in palatial building and go in car for preaching work. So many such persons questioned, "How is that, sannyāsīs are going in car, living in palatial building?" So our Guru Mahārāja replied that "A devotee should be offered the best comfort of life. And if he would not have introduced this comfortable life, at the same time, to become pure devotee, then these devotees from Western countries will, would never come. They would never agree to sit down under the tree and, imitating Rūpa Gosvāmī... That is not possible."

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

In 1935, our Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he went to Rādhā-kuṇḍa for kārttika-vrata. So at that time he was reading Upaniṣads...
Morning Walk -- June 7, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: The books are there for reading. By reading, you become purified. (break) In 1935, our Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, he went to Rādhā-kuṇḍa for kārttika-vrata. So at that time he was reading Upaniṣads. So first of all, these bābājīs they were coming. Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī had come at Rādhā-kuṇḍa. He's giving some class. So they used to come. But as soon as they saw that he was reading Upaniṣads, they stopped coming. They saw: "They are jñānīs, they are not bhaktas."

Brahmā's disciple is Nārada, Nārada's disciple is Vyāsadeva, and Vyāsadeva's disciple is Śukadeva Gosvāmī. In this way, we come to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu's disciples, the six Gosvāmīs. Then others, then our Guru Mahārāja. But the same thing we are speaking.
Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: According to our process, we follow the Brahma-sampradāya. And Brahmā is one of the mahājanas. So Brahmā has his disciplic succession, paramparā. Brahmā's disciple is Nārada, Nārada's disciple is Vyāsadeva, and Vyāsadeva's disciple is Śukadeva Gosvāmī. In this way, we come to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu's disciples, the six Gosvāmīs. Then others, then our Guru Mahārāja. But the same thing we are speaking. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). We are not manufacturing anything. That is the guru-paramparā system. And if we follow strictly the line of mahājana, then there is no question of mistake. It is not blind faith. The superiors are following, and we are also following. Of course, there are books, there are everything.

We pray to our Guru Mahārāja, rūpānuga-viruddhāpasiddhānta-dhvānta-hāriṇe. Anyone who is going against the decision of Rūpa Gosvāmī, reject him.
Room Conversation -- September 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That should be our prayer. When Rūpa Gosvāmī, who has established the mission of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when I shall get shelter of his lotus feet. And that is... Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura prays, tāṅdera caraṇa-sebi. Tāṅdera means the six Gosvāmīs. Ei chay gosāi yāṅr tāṅr mui dās. I'm servant of that person who is engaged in the service of the six Gosvāmīs. And we pray to our Guru Mahārāja, rūpānuga-viruddhāpasiddhānta-dhvānta-hāriṇe. Anyone who is going against the decision of Rūpa Gosvāmī, reject him. Rūpānuga-viruddhāpasiddhānta-dhvānta. This is our process.

Everyone be happy and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Ācchā. He's your son?

Guest (6): He's my son. He has just come day before from London to...

Prabhupāda: You live in London?

Guest (6): No, he's studying. He's an executive with the German company over there via India this German firm. And she is my daughter.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Everyone be happy and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is our... A good family. (break)

Dr. Patel: So his friend is my friend. (Everyone talking at once.) Swamiji says, he gave a good comparison about the bulbs Some bulbs have forty candles, some have twenty-five, some a thousand.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Jaya. So where is our Guru Mahārāja?

Devotee: Gurudāsa Swami?

Prabhupāda: He went away?

Guest (5): So I'll see them again.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

These people will never say that "Our Guru Mahārāja is more than Kṛṣṇa." They are not so nonsense. They will say "My Guru Mahārāja is servant of Kṛṣṇa and I am his servant."
Morning Walk -- January 4, 1977, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: He's not Puruṣottama. He does not say that. Puruṣottama is really reality in true sense and...

Prabhupāda: But his disciples say he is more than Kṛṣṇa.

Dr. Patel: Disciples..., disciples...

Prabhupāda: That means why he has created such nonsense? If the disciples say something wrong, then that means he is also wrong. These people will never say that "Our Guru Mahārāja is more than Kṛṣṇa." They are not so nonsense. They will say "My Guru Mahārāja is servant of Kṛṣṇa and I am his servant."

Our Guru Mahārāja, so strict... A little discrepancy, he would chastise like anything. But we liked it very much.
Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Guru more mūrkha dekhi' karila śāsana (CC Adi 7.71). Guru more mūrkha dekhi' karila śāsana. A student should always remain to be chastised by guru. That is his right position. And as soon as he thinks that he has become more than his guru, then he'll be finished, his career.

Trivikrama: Jumping over the head.

Prabhupāda: Just like our Nitāi. (chuckles) This is the difficulty. Caitanya Mahāprabhu remained-guru more mūrkha dekhi' karila śāsana: "My Guru Mahārāja has chastised Me because I am fool number one." Caitanya Mahāprabhu is fool? But He's showing the example that you should always remain...

Dr. Patel: The avatāras shall behave like common men. Otherwise they will not be... All avatāras behave like common men.

Prabhupāda: Our Guru Mahārāja, so strict... A little discrepancy, he would chastise like anything. But we liked it very much.

Indian (3): Guru's chastise is the mercy.

Our Guru Mahārāja, Indian, he is not coming. We are doing, because we are benefited. We know we are benefited. Therefore it must be spread. That is our success. "Good thing must be given."
Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Rāmeśvara: They say every man has the right to think the way he wants.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore I have go the right to think like that.

Rāmeśvara: So if I don't want to hear your philosophy, why are you imposing?

Prabhupāda: It is not imposing. It is good philosophy. We are canvassing, "Take it. You'll be benefited." And they are being benefited. Those who are reading, they are being benefited. Just like we are canvassing. We are Americans. You are not benefited. Therefore you are... Our Guru Mahārāja, Indian, he is not coming. We are doing, because we are benefited. We know we are benefited. Therefore it must be spread. That is our success. "Good thing must be given." Why you are advertising big, big order(?), "Please come and purchase Ford car," "Purchase Chevrolet car"? Yearly. Why you are canvassing?

"Our Guru Mahārāja went to America with this hope—that Indian culture and American money combined together will save the world." That's a fact.
Room Conversation -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes. "Our Guru Mahārāja went to America with this hope—that Indian culture and American money combined together will save the world." That's a fact. Everything requires money, but we are securing money with hard labor. If money little easily comes, we can make very nice program.

Our Guru Mahārāja said that although we condemn these sahajiyās, but they are better than the Māyāvādīs because they accept Kṛṣṇa as Supreme Lord.
Room Conversation -- February 3, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gargamuni: Yes. In many countries we are known to be very dangerous, this Hare Kṛṣṇa. They are afraid.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They even write, the psychiatrists, that "These people are very dangerous." (Prabhupāda chuckles)

Bhāgavata: We are threatening their sense gratification.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So go on with fighting. We are not the Vṛndāvana bābājīs: "No, we are so perfect we do not go out of Vṛndāvana, and chant... Chant or not chant, we have got three dozen widows." This is going on. Sahajiyā. Still they are better because they have accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord, than these demons. Our Guru Mahārāja said that although we condemn these sahajiyās, but they are better than the Māyāvādīs because they accept Kṛṣṇa as Supreme Lord. Their character is not good. But still, because they accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord somehow or other, they are better than these Māyāvādīs.

We get very much happy when our Guru Mahārāja chastises us.
Room Conversation Meeting with Dr. Sharma (from Russia) -- April 17, 1977, Bombay:

Dr. Sharma: Śāsana means punishment, to check.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We get very much happy when our Guru Mahārāja chastises us. So you are already reading our books. So let us cooperate, and I think if you will preach systematically, the Russian people, they are intelligent, they will appreciate it.

Correspondence

1967 Correspondence

Our Guru Maharaja injected his Spiritual Vision in some of us, and the work is continuing in different branches, as fast as possible by Bon Maharaja Tirtha Maharaja, my humble self and others.
Letter to Satsvarupa -- Vrindaban 29 August, 1967:

I am very glad to learn that you have finished editing the TLC and if you send me copies by post, I will immediately begin printing here. I am so encouraged that one branch in N.M. and one in Boston are opened, even in my absence. This is wanted. Physically I may be present or not; but the work must continue. Our Guru Maharaja injected his Spiritual Vision in some of us, and the work is continuing in different branches, as fast as possible by Bon Maharaja Tirtha Maharaja, my humble self and others. Similarly in the Western world, Krishna has sent me some good souls like you, and I hope, even in my absence, that the spirit of Krishna Consciousness will be spread.

1968 Correspondence

Sometimes Bon Maharaja greatly offended our Guru Maharaja, and it so happened that at the last stage, practically Guru Maharaja rejected him.
Letter to Janardana -- New York 26 April, 1968:

Regarding the action of Bon Maharaja: We shall discuss the matter when we meet. For the present, you may know that this gentleman is very much materially ambitious. He wants to utilize Krishna Consciousness for his material name and fame. Sometimes he greatly offended our Guru Maharaja, and it so happened that at the last stage, practically Guru Maharaja rejected him. And the result, we can find that instead of becoming a great preacher of Krishna Consciousness, this gentleman has become artificially a head of a mundane institution. To become a very important man in the mundane estimation is not success in Krishna Consciousness.

1972 Correspondence

On the invitation card you have written All Glories to Our Guru Maharaja. This is impersonalism. As soon as we offer obeisances to guru, the name should be there.
Letter to Bhavananda -- London 14 July, 1972:

One thing, on the invitation card you have written All Glories to Our Guru Maharaja. This is impersonalism. As soon as we offer obeisances to guru, the name should be there. We are strictly personalists. The sahajiya's, they write Glories to Guru. Why you are learning this impersonalism, who has taught you? Daily I am offering obeisances to my Guru by vibrating his real name, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, otherwise it is impersonal.

I could scarcely stop from laughing when I heard such story, but it was effective to get the money and give to our Guru Maharaja, and he was pleased by our gift.
Letter to Sankarasana -- Bombay 31 December, 1972:

Some of my godbrothers, I can remember, when we used to go out for begging some contribution from some big man, they used to say that my Guru Maharaja had lived for 12 years in the forest in solitary place, living only on the tulasi leaves. I could scarcely stop from laughing when I heard such story, but it was effective to get the money and give to our Guru Maharaja, and he was pleased by our gift. So the idea is not what you are saying, so much as how you say it. If you understand this properly, then you may be able to say the truth at all times in the most palatable way, according to the situation and the type of hearer.

Page Title:Our Guru Maharaja
Compiler:Archana, Alakananda, MadhuGopaldas
Created:03 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=23, Con=12, Let=4
No. of Quotes:39