Gargamuni Das
Some persons are asking my personal opinion on ''female gurus in iskcon''. The fact is -- we're not to have personal opinions in KC. We follow guru, shastra, sadhu [predesessor acharayas]. The real question is -- what are the qualifications for being a guru whether male or female? HDGSP has given us these qualifications in His books and by His perfect example and by understanding these qualifications we will no longer be bewildered.
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 over intelligent. That will spoil.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Vyasa-puja Lecture -- August 22, 1973, London
"Whatever I say by My order, you become a spiritual master." Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So one may be very illiterate, no education or no scholarship, may not be born in brahmana family, or may not be a sannyasi. There are so many qualification. But one may not have all these qualification, he may be rascal number one, but still he can become spiritual master. How? As Krsna says, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, if you follow, then you become spiritual master. One may be rascal number one from material estimation, but if he simply strictly follows whatever is said by Caitanya Mahaprabhu or His representative spiritual master, then he becomes a guru.
"So it is not very difficult. One may not think that "I am not qualified to become guru." No, you are qualified if you follow strictly the parampara system. Then you are qualified. That's all. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, "Don't feel any difficulty." Because as spiritual master, what you have to do? [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Whomever you meet, you simply speak to him the instruction which Krsna gives.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Vyasa-puja Lecture -- August 22, 1973, London
"Prabhupada: Spiritual master is... Not that a particular man is spiritual master. Spiritual master is a truth. So what is that truth? The truth is [The spiritual master is receiving benediction from the ocean of mercy. Just as a cloud pours water on a forest fire to extinguish it, so the spiritual master delivers the materially afflicted world by extinguishing the blazing fire of material existence. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is an ocean of auspicious qualities.]
Some persons are asking my personal opinion on ''female gurus in iskcon''. The fact is -- we're not to have personal opinions in KC. We follow guru, shastra, sadhu [predesessor acharayas]. The real question is -- what are the qualifications for being a guru whether male or female? HDGSP has given us these qualifications in His books and by His perfect example and by understanding these qualifications we will no longer be bewildered.
HDGSP states---
"One should not become a spiritual master unless he has attained the platform of uttama-adhikari. A neophyte Vaisnava or a Vaisnava situated on the intermediate platform can also accept disciples, but such disciples must be on the same platform, and it should be understood that they cannot advance very well toward the ultimate goal of life under his insufficient guidance. Therefore a disciple should be careful to accept an uttama-adhikari as a spiritual master.
"One should not become a spiritual master unless he has attained the platform of uttama-adhikari. A neophyte Vaisnava or a Vaisnava situated on the intermediate platform can also accept disciples, but such disciples must be on the same platform, and it should be understood that they cannot advance very well toward the ultimate goal of life under his insufficient guidance. Therefore a disciple should be careful to accept an uttama-adhikari as a spiritual master.
NOI 5
"Real guru would not talk differently. Some guru says that "In my opinion, you should like this," and some guru will say, "In my opinion you'll do this" -- they are not guru; they are all rascals. Guru has no "own opinion." Guru has got only one opinion, the same opinion which was expressed by Krsna, Vyasadeva or Narada or Arjuna or Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu or the Gosvamis. You'll find the same thing. Five thousand years ago, Lord Sri Krsna spoke Bhagavad-gita and Vyasadeva wrote it, recorded it. Vyasadeva does not say that "It is my opinion." Vyasadeva writes, sri bhagavan uvaca: "Whatever writing, it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
"Real guru would not talk differently. Some guru says that "In my opinion, you should like this," and some guru will say, "In my opinion you'll do this" -- they are not guru; they are all rascals. Guru has no "own opinion." Guru has got only one opinion, the same opinion which was expressed by Krsna, Vyasadeva or Narada or Arjuna or Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu or the Gosvamis. You'll find the same thing. Five thousand years ago, Lord Sri Krsna spoke Bhagavad-gita and Vyasadeva wrote it, recorded it. Vyasadeva does not say that "It is my opinion." Vyasadeva writes, sri bhagavan uvaca: "Whatever writing, it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
"He's not giving his own opinion. Sri bhagavan uvaca. Therefore he is guru. He is not misinterpreting the words of Krsna. He's giving as it is. Just like a bearer, peon. Somebody has written you letter, the peon has got the letter. It does not mean he has to correct it or edit it or addition . No. He'll present it. That is his duty. Then he is guru. He's honest. Similarly, guru cannot be two. Mind that. The person may be different, but the message is the same. Therefore guru is one.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Lecture, "What is a Guru?" -- August 22, 1973, London
"Five thousand years or five millions of years, what was spoken by the supreme God or guru, the present guru also will say the same thing. That is guru. That is bona fide guru. Otherwise, he's not guru. Simple definition. Guru cannot change any word of the predecessor.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Lecture, "What is a Guru?" -- August 22, 1973, London
"So this is the process of guru. You cannot disobey the previous acarya or guru. No. You have to repeat the same thing. Not research. Sometimes rascals come, that "You are speaking the same thing. Why don't you speak something new by research work?" We say that we have no intelligence; we cannot make any research. [Cc. Adi 7.71]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that "My Guru Maharaja saw Me a great fool number one." So one who remains a great fool number one before his guru, he is guru. And one who says that "I'm advanced so much that I can speak better than my guru," then he's rascal. This is the process.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Lecture, "What is a Guru?" -- August 22, 1973, London
"When Krsna sees that a living entity is very anxious to understand Him or to revive his Krsna consciousness, then Krsna gives him all opportunity, especially by manifesting Himself as the spiritual master. The spiritual master is therefore Krsna's manifestation, Krsna's mercy manifestation to help a person to develop his Krsna consciousness. From within He's helping. Therefore He's called caitya-guru, and from without, He sends His representative to help how to become advanced in Krsna consciousness.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Vyasa-puja Lecture -- August 22, 1973, London
"But if you simply present whatever you have heard from your spiritual master, it is very easy. If you want to become over intelligent, to present something, to interpret something, whatever over you have heard from your 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.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Lecture, "What is a Guru?" -- August 22, 1973, London
"Five thousand years or five millions of years, what was spoken by the supreme God or guru, the present guru also will say the same thing. That is guru. That is bona fide guru. Otherwise, he's not guru. Simple definition. Guru cannot change any word of the predecessor.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Lecture, "What is a Guru?" -- August 22, 1973, London
"So this is the process of guru. You cannot disobey the previous acarya or guru. No. You have to repeat the same thing. Not research. Sometimes rascals come, that "You are speaking the same thing. Why don't you speak something new by research work?" We say that we have no intelligence; we cannot make any research. [Cc. Adi 7.71]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that "My Guru Maharaja saw Me a great fool number one." So one who remains a great fool number one before his guru, he is guru. And one who says that "I'm advanced so much that I can speak better than my guru," then he's rascal. This is the process.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Lecture, "What is a Guru?" -- August 22, 1973, London
"When Krsna sees that a living entity is very anxious to understand Him or to revive his Krsna consciousness, then Krsna gives him all opportunity, especially by manifesting Himself as the spiritual master. The spiritual master is therefore Krsna's manifestation, Krsna's mercy manifestation to help a person to develop his Krsna consciousness. From within He's helping. Therefore He's called caitya-guru, and from without, He sends His representative to help how to become advanced in Krsna consciousness.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Vyasa-puja Lecture -- August 22, 1973, London
"But if you simply present whatever you have heard from your spiritual master, it is very easy. If you want to become over intelligent, to present something, to interpret something, whatever over you have heard from your 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 over intelligent. That will spoil.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Vyasa-puja Lecture -- August 22, 1973, London
"Whatever I say by My order, you become a spiritual master." Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So one may be very illiterate, no education or no scholarship, may not be born in brahmana family, or may not be a sannyasi. There are so many qualification. But one may not have all these qualification, he may be rascal number one, but still he can become spiritual master. How? As Krsna says, as Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, if you follow, then you become spiritual master. One may be rascal number one from material estimation, but if he simply strictly follows whatever is said by Caitanya Mahaprabhu or His representative spiritual master, then he becomes a guru.
"So it is not very difficult. One may not think that "I am not qualified to become guru." No, you are qualified if you follow strictly the parampara system. Then you are qualified. That's all. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, "Don't feel any difficulty." Because as spiritual master, what you have to do? [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Whomever you meet, you simply speak to him the instruction which Krsna gives.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Vyasa-puja Lecture -- August 22, 1973, London
"Prabhupada: Spiritual master is... Not that a particular man is spiritual master. Spiritual master is a truth. So what is that truth? The truth is [The spiritual master is receiving benediction from the ocean of mercy. Just as a cloud pours water on a forest fire to extinguish it, so the spiritual master delivers the materially afflicted world by extinguishing the blazing fire of material existence. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is an ocean of auspicious qualities.]
"The whole world is in the blaze of material pangs, threefold miseries. And a person who is authorized to deliver people from that material pangs, he is called spiritual master.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Vyasa-puja -- August 17, 1968, Montreal
"So I hope that all of you, men, women, boys and girls, become spiritual master and follow this principle. Spiritual master -- simply, sincerely, follow the principles and speak to the general public. Then Krsna immediately becomes your favorite. Krsna does not become your favorite; you become Krsna's favorite."
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Vyasa-puja -- August 17, 1968, Montreal
"So I hope that all of you, men, women, boys and girls, become spiritual master and follow this principle. Spiritual master -- simply, sincerely, follow the principles and speak to the general public. Then Krsna immediately becomes your favorite. Krsna does not become your favorite; you become Krsna's favorite."
"Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, [Bg. 18.69]: "One who is doing this humble service of preaching work, Krsna consciousness, nobody is dearer than him to Me." So if you want to become recognized by Krsna very quickly, you take up this process of becoming spiritual master, present the Bhagavad-gita as it is, your life is perfect."
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Vyasa-puja Lecture -- August 22, 1973, London
"The gurus from nature's study are accepted as such on the principle that an elevated person in Krishna Consciousness does not accept anyone as disciple, but he accepts everyone as expansion of his guru. That is very high position, called Maha-bhagavata. Just like Radharani, sometimes thinks a subordinate of hers as her teacher, to understand devotion of Krishna. A person who is liberated acharya and guru cannot commit any mistake, but there are persons who are less qualified or not liberated, but still can act as guru and acharya by strictly following the disciplic succession."
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Janardana -- New York 26 April, 1968
"Guru means Krsna's representative. Not that everyone can be guru."
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.43 -- October 3, 1976, Vrndavana
"Paramahamsa-gatau: you have to approach a Vaisnava paramahamsa and follow his words and instructions; then you will get the result."
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.9.50 – April 5, 1976, Våndävana
"guru — spiritual master; harih — not different from the Lord.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Vyasa-puja Lecture -- August 22, 1973, London
"The gurus from nature's study are accepted as such on the principle that an elevated person in Krishna Consciousness does not accept anyone as disciple, but he accepts everyone as expansion of his guru. That is very high position, called Maha-bhagavata. Just like Radharani, sometimes thinks a subordinate of hers as her teacher, to understand devotion of Krishna. A person who is liberated acharya and guru cannot commit any mistake, but there are persons who are less qualified or not liberated, but still can act as guru and acharya by strictly following the disciplic succession."
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Janardana -- New York 26 April, 1968
"Guru means Krsna's representative. Not that everyone can be guru."
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.43 -- October 3, 1976, Vrndavana
"Paramahamsa-gatau: you have to approach a Vaisnava paramahamsa and follow his words and instructions; then you will get the result."
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Çrémad-Bhägavatam 7.9.50 – April 5, 1976, Våndävana
"guru — spiritual master; harih — not different from the Lord.
"The conclusion is that one cannot become a spiritual master unless he is a pure devotee of the Lord. One who is a spiritual master in accordance with the above descriptions of devotional service is to be understood as the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally present. According to the words mentioned here (gurur harih), consulting a bona fide spiritual master means consulting the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally. One should therefore take shelter of such a bona fide spiritual master. Success in life means accepting a spiritual master who knows Krsna as the only supreme beloved personality. One should worship such a confidential devotee of the Lord."
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 4.29.51
"The conclusion is that an empowered spiritual master is authorized by Krsna and his own guru and should therefore be considered as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. That is the verdict of Visvanatha Cakravarti. An authorized spiritual master is as good as Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As Hari is free to act as He likes, the empowered spiritual master is also free. As Hari is not subject to mundane rules and regulations, the spiritual master empowered by Him is also not subject.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 4.29.51
"The conclusion is that an empowered spiritual master is authorized by Krsna and his own guru and should therefore be considered as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. That is the verdict of Visvanatha Cakravarti. An authorized spiritual master is as good as Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As Hari is free to act as He likes, the empowered spiritual master is also free. As Hari is not subject to mundane rules and regulations, the spiritual master empowered by Him is also not subject.
"An authorized spiritual master empowered by Krsna can spread the glories of the holy name of the Lord, for he has power of attorney from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the mundane world, anyone possessing his master's power of attorney can act on behalf of his master. Similarly, a spiritual master empowered by Krsna through his own bona fide spiritual master should be considered as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 10.136
"A bona fide spiritual master does not mention anything not mentioned in the authorized scriptures. Ordinary people have to follow the instructions of sadhu, sastra and guru. Those statements made in the sastras and those made by the bona fide sadhu or guru cannot differ from one another.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 4.16.1
"And without any learning, how become a guru? That is going on. Everyone is self-made guru. That has to be stopped.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Evening Darsana -- May 12, 1977, Rishikesh
"Guru cannot be self-made. No. There is no such single instance throughout the whole Vedic literature. And nowadays, so many rascals, they are becoming guru without any authority. That is not guru. You must be authorized. As soon as the parampara is lost, immediately finished. The spiritual potency finished. You can dress like a guru, you can talk big, big words, but it will never be effective.
So these are the science.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.7 -- February 27, 1977, Mayapur
"So those who are fixed up in the words of guru, so "Guru has ordered me to do it. Oh, that is my life. I do not know whether I will be promoted to heaven or hell. It doesn't matter. I shall execute." That is the secret. Then he is sure to be successful. This is the secret.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk -- April 2, 1974, Bombay
So my dear prabhus, HDGSP gave us the secret of success whether we follow the order or manufacture the order--you prabhus have to decide who is guru and who is self-appointed. Myself I am absolutely not bewildered who is real guru! The above thoughts of HDGSP is but a teeny fraction of my folder on this subject who is guru? Your servant, Gargamuni Das
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 10.136
"A bona fide spiritual master does not mention anything not mentioned in the authorized scriptures. Ordinary people have to follow the instructions of sadhu, sastra and guru. Those statements made in the sastras and those made by the bona fide sadhu or guru cannot differ from one another.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => SB 4.16.1
"And without any learning, how become a guru? That is going on. Everyone is self-made guru. That has to be stopped.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Evening Darsana -- May 12, 1977, Rishikesh
"Guru cannot be self-made. No. There is no such single instance throughout the whole Vedic literature. And nowadays, so many rascals, they are becoming guru without any authority. That is not guru. You must be authorized. As soon as the parampara is lost, immediately finished. The spiritual potency finished. You can dress like a guru, you can talk big, big words, but it will never be effective.
So these are the science.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.9.7 -- February 27, 1977, Mayapur
"So those who are fixed up in the words of guru, so "Guru has ordered me to do it. Oh, that is my life. I do not know whether I will be promoted to heaven or hell. It doesn't matter. I shall execute." That is the secret. Then he is sure to be successful. This is the secret.
>>> Ref. VedaBase => Morning Walk -- April 2, 1974, Bombay
So my dear prabhus, HDGSP gave us the secret of success whether we follow the order or manufacture the order--you prabhus have to decide who is guru and who is self-appointed. Myself I am absolutely not bewildered who is real guru! The above thoughts of HDGSP is but a teeny fraction of my folder on this subject who is guru? Your servant, Gargamuni Das
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