FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF SRILA PRABHUPADA

(by Ishan das)

INTRODUCTION

In 1968, while accompanying Srila Prabhupada on his morning walk, on John Lennon’s estate, His Divine Grace turned to me and asked: “Are you always thinking of Krishna?” At that time we only had MacMillans abridged version of Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and The Teachings of Lord Caitanya. I didn’t have an understanding of Krishna like we have today. I said, “I don’t know very much about Krishna, Srila Prabhupada, but I always try to remember you.” Srila Prabhupada said: “You can always think of me as always thinking of Krishna.”

We are all meant to be Prabhupadanugas. The concept of “following in the footsteps” of the pure devotee is the essence of the path of Krishna conscious development. To follow in the footsteps of the residents of Vrindavan is the process of following, in one’s heart, the feelings of love for Krishna as they are displayed by Krishna’s eternal associates. For most of us, following in the footsteps of the residents of Vrindavan may be many lifetimes in the future. But the point is that to be a Prabhupadanuga means to meditate on Srila Prabhupada’s heartfelt devotional feelings and to cultivate them through our own sadhana. Shravanam kirtanam. The forms are prescribed. And the devotional content is imbibed from the pure devotee. Therefore shravanam, hearing, is the first prescription. One who hears nicely can chant nicely.

This is the process transcendental empathy. We are inconceivably fortunate in that we have come in touch with a pure devotee. If we can imbibe, even in some small degree, his feelings of devotion for Krishna, that is the bhakti-lata bija that we can sew in our hearts. And if, through our sadhana, our chanting and our Deity worship, and through our lives, we can cultivate that very seed-taste emanating from His Divine Grace, this is the essence of following in his footsteps. Srila Prabhupada’s devotion has conquered Krishna’ heart. As we endeavor to cultivate the seed-taste of his devotion, this will move Krishna to bestow His mercy upon us.

This Sankirtan movement of Lord Caitanya, is the yuga dharma. The most important way in which we can imbibe the flavor of Srila Prabhupada’ devotion is through the submissive aural reception of his chanting. And if we try to saturate our chanting with his devotional feelings, that becomes the worship of the holy name. In this way we become devotional apprentices, devotional understudies – Prabhupadanugas.

If we had to compress the essence of this article into a few sentences, it would be as follows: When we chant Hare Krishna, either in our sixteen rounds of in kirtan, let us open our hearts to Srila Prabhupada’s devotion and endeavor to chant with that same feeling. In that way, Srila Prabhupada, as the external manifestation of the Lord in the heart, will be our personal guide along the path of devotion to Krishna.

As you read through the collection of shastric evidences that comprise this article, one quote at a time, hold this concept of devotional following in mind. In that way you will acquire conviction regarding the actual purport of “following in the footsteps of the pure devotee of the Lord”. Let guru, sadhu and shastra be the criteria for all of our conclusions.

 

GURU AS MAHABHAGAVATA PURE DEVOTEE

“Thus the guru, whether shiksha or diksha, must be the servant of Krishna and an associate of the Lord eternally in Vrindavan. One should serve the guru with great devotion, knowing him to be directly empowered by Krishna, the dearmost servant of Krishna and one’s own eternal spiritual guide. “ (Sri Harinama Cintamani, Ch 6).

In the light of the above quote, the next quote becomes understandable:
“The spiritual master is to be honored as much as the Supreme Lord, because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord. This is acknowledged in all revealed scriptures and followed by all authorities. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is a bonafide representative of Sri Hari (Krishna)” (Sri Sri Gurv-ashtaka vs. #7)

RECEIVING THE MERCY OF THE PURE DEVOTEE

“In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is also confirmed by Prahlāda Mahārāj that merely by personal efforts or by the instructions of higher authorities one cannot attain to the stage of devotional service. One must become blessed by the dust of the lotus feet of a pure devotee who is completely freed from the contamination of material desires. “ (NOD Ch 1, Section: The Rareness of Pure Devotional Service, Srila Prabhupada quotes Prahlada Maharaja).

“By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Krishna. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember and praise the spiritual master. At least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spriritual master. “ (Sri Sri Gurv-astaka, Srila Vishvanatha Cakravarti Thakur)
Srrila Prabhupada’s letters to his initiated disciples always begins with : “Please accept my blessings.” In other words, the mercy of Srila Prabhupada is always available. It is only a question of availing ourselves of his divine grace.

“The Lotus feet of our spiritual master are the only way by which we can attain pure devotional service. I bow down to his lotus feet with great awe and reverence. By his grace one can cross over the ocean of material suffering and obtain the mercy of Krishna.” (Sri Guru-Vandana, Srila Narottama das Thakura)

If we avail ourselves of the grace of the spiritual master, by learning from him how to love Krishna, we can obtain the mercy of Krishna.

“In the preliminary phase of spiritual life there are different kinds of austerities, penances and similar processes for attaining self-realization. However, even if an executor of these processes is without any material desire (,mukti, a liberated soul) he still cannot achieve devotional service. And aspiring by oneself alone to achieve devotional service is also not very hopeful because Kṛṣṇa does not agree to award devotional service to merely anyone. Kṛiṣhṇa can easily offer a person material happiness or even liberation, but He does not agree very easily to award a person engagement in His devotional service. Devotional service can in fact be attained only through the mercy of a pure devotee. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya 19.151 it is said, “By the mercy of the spiritual master who is a pure devotee and by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa one can achieve the platform of devotional service. There is no other way.” (NOD Ch 1, Section: The Rareness of Pure Devotional Service).

THE TRANSMISSION OF PURE DEVOTION, FROM GURU TO DISCIPLE

The process of transmission is two-sided. On one side, the quality of pure devotion emanates from the pure devotee spiritual master (“From him Krishna prema emanates”). On the other side, the student actively endeavors to imbibe the taste or flavor of devotion of the spiritual master. By associating with the pure devotee in a mood of submissive receptivity, the sincere disciple becomes “infected” with the devotional qualities of the pure devotee. After internalizing that seed-taste of devotion, received from the pure devotee, the disciple cultivates that very taste through his sadhana and through his every engagement. Srila Prabhupada explains this process of infection as a form of active receptivity, or “imbibing”, absorbing the flavor of devotion emanating from the pure devotee. Srila Prabhupada elaborates on this process in his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.25 as follows:
“Pure devotion is as much infectious, in a good sense, as infectious diseases. A pure devotee is cleared from all kinds of sins. The Personality of Godhead is the purest entity, and unless one is equally pure from the infection of material qualities, one cannot become a pure devotee of the Lord. The bhakti-vedāntas as above mentioned were pure devotees, and the boy became infected with their qualities of purity by their association and by eating once the remnants of the foodstuff taken by them. Such remnants may be taken even without permission of the pure devotees. There are sometimes pseudo-devotees, and one should be very much cautious about them”

So far, in this purport, Srila Prabhupada has explained that by association with the pure devotees, the boy (Narada Muni in a previous birth) became infected with their devotional qualities. As the purport unfolds, Srila Prabhupada explains how that infection takes place. He also explains how one becomes cleansed of all material desires:

“There are many things which hinder one from entering devotional service. But by the association of pure devotees all these obstacles are removed. The neophyte devotee becomes practically enriched with the transcendental qualities of the pure devotee, which means attraction for the Personality of Godhead’s name, fame, quality, pastimes, etc. Infection of the qualities of the pure devotee means to imbibe the taste of pure devotion always in the transcendental activities of the Personality of eGodhad. This transcendental taste at once makes all material things distasteful. Therefore a pure devotee is not at all attracted by material activities”.

In the above statements, Srila Prabhupada explains two points. The first point is that the student actively takes into himself, or imbibes the taste of pure devotion which emanates from the pure devotee. This is the seed of devotional service, bhakti lata bija. The second point is that when the student absorbs that transcendental taste, at once, all material things become distasteful, without separate endeavor. This can be directly experienced as we practice in this way. And then, after all obstacles are eliminated from our hearts by imbibing the devotional energy of the pure devotee, that same energy continues to purify us, taking us from one stage of progress to the next. Srila Prabhupada’s purport continues in this way:

“After the elimination of all sins or obstacles on the path of devotional service, one can become attracted, one can have steadiness, one can have perfect taste, one can have transcendental emotions, and at last one can be situated on the plane of loving service of the Lord. All these stages develop by the association of pure devotees, and that is the purport of this stanza.”

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur explains the process in the same way in Sri Harinama Cintamani, fourth chapter.
“In the pure Vaishnava resides Krishna’s energies of Bhakti, hladini, and samvit. Thus by contacting a Vaishnava one can also receive Krishna bhakti. For this reason also, the food remnants, the foot water, and the foot dust from the pure Vaishnavas are three powerful articles for creating bhakti. If one stays near a pure Vaishnava for some time, one can receive the bhakti energy flowing from his body. If one can bind that energy within one’s heart, after having developed strong faith, bhakti will develop and one’s body will begin to tremble in ecstasy. Thus, by living close to a Vaishnava, soon devotion will appear in one’s heart. First, such a person will begin chanting the holy name, and then, by the power of the name, he will receive all good qualities. This is the power of the uttama adhikari.”
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur has explained (above) that the pure devotee is a reservoir of devotional qualities which naturally emanate from him. By associating with such a vaishnava one can receive the devotional energy that is “flowing from his body”. If the disciple can hold, or “bind that energy within one’s heart” and cultivate it within oneself, one will gradually develop the symptoms of devotional ecstasy. The first step, after receiving the devotional energy of the pure devotee, is to engage in chanting the Holy Name with that same devotional energy as received, and then, by the power of such chanting under superior guidance, one receives all good qualities. This is the power of the devotional energy emanating from the uttama adhikari: when imbibed by the student, and nicely engaged, one gradually receives Krishna’s mercy.

Again, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur elaborates on this process of transmission of devotional energy in his Bhakti Tattva Viveka:
“By associating with Vaishnavas, saintliness (sadhuta) will manifest in our hearts and sinfulness will be completely removed. When our hearts are clean, a ray from the sun of prema will enter. This ray, which enriches our hearts with prema, comes from the heart of a saintly Vaishnava. This is the only way to attain prema……..

The nature of krishna-prema is such that it is only entrusted into the heart of visuddha bhaktas of Krishna and it has no other dwelling place. It is passed from one atma to another, just as lightning passes from one cloud to another.

Gradually, by associating with Vaishnavas, the prema in the Vaishnava’s heart is naturally transmitted to the heart of the jiva. At that time wicked tendencies are removed from the heart of that jiva and a saintly nature manifests in him.”

Here once more (in the above quote), Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur delineates the same sequence of in the process of purification: After imbibing the devotional energy of the pure devotee, (prema), wicked tendencies are removed from the heart. And when our hearts are purified in this way, that very energy of prema will enrich our hearts with devotional feelings. “This is the only way to attain prema….”
The very same understanding is presented in the Sri Guru-vandana prayer of Srila Narottama das Thakur:
prema-bhakti jaha hoite, avaidya visnasha jate
“From him ecstatic prema emanates; by him ignorance is destroyed”
In other words, when we imbibe the ecstatic prema which emanates from the pure devotee guru, and cultivate it within our hearts, our taste for illusory forms of mundane gratifications evaporates. In this way our ignorance is destroyed.

Thus the process of transmission of pure devotion is described. From the pure devotee, Krishna prema emanates. The taste of this pure devotion is then imbibed by the submissively receptive student, and then bound within his/her heart. After binding that seed taste of devotion, one can cultivate the ability to carry it in the heart. This is the cultivation of Krishna consciousness that removes all unwanted things from our hearts. And when our hearts become purified in this way, that same Krishna prema begins to expand within our hearts. Therefore Srila Prabhupada’s letters to all of his students begins with his heartfelt request: “Please accept my blessings.”
In his dedication of his writing of the Srimad Bhagavatam at the lotus feet of his spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada writes:

He lives forever by his divine instructions
and
the follower lives with him

One may conclude that by mechanically following Srila Prabhupada’s instructions one will one day be blessed with ecstatic love for Krishna. However, the proper understanding is that the process of imbibing the seed-taste of devotion emanating from the pure devotee and the cultivation of that taste through one’s sadhana and practical service – is part and parcel of those divine instructions.

The whole process is very simple. There is no way in which one can develop pure devotional service to Krishna other than by receiving the freely given mercy of the spiritual master. The process is: from him Krishna prema emanates. The student imbibes that energy, and proceeds to cultivate that very taste of devotion through his sadhana, through his every thought, word, and deed.

In order to make a distinction between conceptual instruction and the sharing of the very taste of devotion, Srila Prabhupada writes in his purport to Caitanya-caritamrita, Adi Lila, 1.47:

“There are two kinds of instructing spiritual masters. One is the liberated person fully absorbed in meditation in devotional service, and the other is he who invokes the disciple’s spiritual consciousness by means of relevant instructions. Thus the instructions in the science of devotion are differentiated in terms of the objective and subjective ways of understanding.” (CC, Adi Lila, 1.47)

The objective way of understanding Krishna consciousness is conceptual understanding. And the devotee who confines himself to this mode of understanding engages in Krishna consciousness on the “mental platform”. His engagement is authorized by the spiritual master, and is “rubber stamped” as devotional activity. But the moment to moment taste of loving service is wanting.

The subjective way of understanding is the process of imbibing the taste of devotion that emanates from “the liberated person fully absorbed in meditation in devotional service”, and engaging in one’s service, moment to moment, with that taste in one’s heart.

So often we have heard that satisfaction of the spiritual master will invoke the blessings of both the spiritual master and Krishna. The spiritual master will be pleased with all of his disciples who engage in devotional service. But he is especially pleased with that disciple who receives the subjective way of understanding by sincerely meditating on the devotional heart of the spiritual master, and by decorating both his sadhana and his practical service, with that same quality of devotion. This is what Krishna means when He proclaims that “One who says he is My devotee is not my devotee; but one who claims to be the devotee of my devotee – he is My real devotee”. This is what vaishnavas mean when they use the term “anuga”, following in the footsteps of the acarya. Following in the footsteps means following the heart of the pure devotee.

GURU-GAURANGA AND TRANSMISSION OF THE HOLY NAME

Up to this point in our discussion, we have been dwelling on the understanding that love for Krishna, Kirshna prema , emanates from the pure devotee, and that the taste of devotion, when imbibed from the spiritual master, serves to saturate the heart of the disciple. “The neophyte devotee becomes practically enriched with the transcendental qualities of the pure devotee, which means attraction for the Personality of Godhead’s name, fame, quality, pastimes, etc.” (S.B 1.5.25, purport). From this statement, we can understand directly that when the neophyte devotee imbibes the taste of devotion emanating from the pure devotee, he becomes enriched with an attraction for the holy name of the Lord.
In this age of Kali Yuga the prescribed process for the development of love of God is the chanting of the holy name. In the Brihan-naradiya Purana we find the following Shloka:

harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā

Translation:
In this age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.

Therefore the spiritual master instructs us to chant the Hare Krishna maha mantra. But “the instructions in the science of devotion are differentiated in terms of the objective and subjective ways of understanding.” The student is not simply instructed to chant, but he is also taught how to chant, following in the footsteps of the pure devotee. In The Teachings of Lord Caitanya, eighteenth chapter, Srila Prabhupada sheds light on this subjective way of understanding:
“The process is that a bonafide spiritual master chants the Holy Name, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, and the transcendental sound vibration enters into the ear of the disciple. If the disciple follows in the footsteps of his spiritual master and chants the holy name with equal respect, that becomes the worship of the transcendental name. When the transcendental name becomes worshiped by the devotee (in that way) , the Name Himself spreads His glories within the heart of the devotee, ………….And the devotee who chants it becomes transcendentally situated in ecstasy, and sometimes laughs and cries and dances in his ecstasy”.

In other words, the disciple does not chant the holy name alone. Rather his chanting of the holy name is a meditation on the chanting of the pure devotee spiritual master. In his chanting the disciple meditates on the taste of devotion imbibed from the spiritual master. “From him Krishna prema emanates.” And in response to the devotion of the spiritual master, which is now manifest in the heart of the disciple, the Name reciprocates by spreading His glories within the heart of the disciple….”And the devotee who chants it becomes transcendentally situated in ecstasy……”

In his Sri Harinama Cintamani, sixth chapter, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur describes this process as follows:
“With the guru in mind, one should worship Krishna, and with the guru in mind, one should chant Krishna’s name.”
Again, in his prayer entitled “Gurudeva”, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur writes in verse 2:
Translation: I offer you all respects,
for thus I may have the energy
to know you correctly.
Then by chanting the holy name in great ecstasy,
all my offenses will cease.

In these succinct lines Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur instructs us that we must in all humility be most respectful to the spiritual master. And according to our sincerity we will be able to understand his heart. Then we can begin to chant the holy name, following in his footsteps. And by chanting in that way, Krishna will bestow His mercy upon us so that we will be able to taste the nectar of the holy name. Then all of our offenses will cease.
Again, in his prayer, Ohe! Vaishnava Thakur, in the fourth verse, Srila Bhaktivinoda writes:

Krishna is yours.
You have the power to give Him to me.
I am simply running behind you
shouting, Krishna, Krishna!

Again, “running behind” means following in the footsteps. Following in the footsteps means following the heartfelt devotion of the pure devotee. In this way we attain Krishna by the power of the pure devotee.

We have all heard the words of Srila Prabhupada in one of his first recordings:
“As far as possible, the chanting should be heard from the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord so that immediate effect can be achieved.”

What is that “immediate effect”? Only the devotional love of the maha bhagavata that can attract Krishna’s mercy. If we can imbibe the taste of his devotion, and chant with equal respect, and equal love, we also can attract Krishna’s mercy. Then we will begin to experience the nectar of the name. That is the immediate effect. Therefore as far as possible the chanting should be heard from the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord. One who hears nicely in this way can chant nicely.

Let us consider the manner in which Lord Caitanya distributed love of God. In a drama, entitled Vidagdha-Madhava, Srila Rupa Goswami has written the following verse, which was later included in the Sri Caitanya-caritamrita by Srila Krishna das Kaviraj, Adi lila, chapter 1, verse 4, and again in Chapter 3, verse 4.

May that Lord
Who is known as the son of Srimate Sacidevi
be transcendentally situated
in the innermost core of your heart
Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold
He has appeared in this age of Kali
by His causeless mercy
to bestow
what no incarnation has ever offered before:
the most elevated mellow of devotional service,
the mellow of conjugal love

Similarly, in his introduction to Sri Caitany-caritamrita, Srila Prabhupada quotes Srila Rupa Goswami’s prayer to Lord Caitanya:

namo maha-vadanyaya Krishna –prema-pradayate
krishnaya Krishna-caitanya namne gaura-tvishe nama

Translation: I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Surpreme Lord Sri Krishna Caitanya
Who is more magnanimous than any other avatar, even Krishna Himself,
because He is bestowing freely what no one else has ever given –
pure love of Krishna.

In Adi-Lila, chapter three, Krishna das Kaviraj quotes Lord Sri Krishna as follows:

Everywhere in the world people worship Me according to scriptural injunctions. But simply by following such regulative principles one cannot attain the loving sentiments of the devotees in Varjabhumi. (Adi-lila 3.15).

Knowing My opulences, the whole world looks upon Me with awe and veneration. But devotion made feeble by such reverence does not attract Me. (Adi-lila 3.16).

By performing such regulated devotional service in awe and veneration, one may go to Vaikuntha and attain the four kinds of liberation. (Adi-lila, 3.17).

I shall personally inaugurate the religion of the age – nama-sankirtana, the congregational chanting of the holy name. I shall make the world dance in ecstasy, realizing the four mellows of loving devotional service. (Adi-lila, 3.19).

I shall accept the role of a devotee, and I shall teach devotional service by practicing it Myself. (Adi-lila, 3.20).

Raising His arms, chanting the holy name and looking upon all with deep love , he drives away all the sins and floods everyone with love of Godhead. (Adi-lil, 3.62).

Sri Pancha-tattva themselves danced again and again and thus made it easier (for others) to drink nectarian love of Godhead. They danced , cried, laughed and chanted like madmen, and in this way they distributed love of Godhead. (Adi-lila, 7.22).

Upon seeing the dancing and ecstatic love of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, everyone became astonished. In their hearts they became infatuated with love of Krishna. (Madhya-lila, 13.176).

By personally tasting the mellows of love of Godhead, Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught the process….(Madhya-lila, 2.81).
Purport excerpt: “……His devotees, who learned it from Him, also had to distribute it munificently all over the world. This Krishna consciousness movement, following in the footsteps of Sri Caitanya Mahprabhu and His confidential devotees is also trying to distribute love of God all over the world through the chanting of the holy names of the Lord………….”

In all the villages through which the Lord passed and in all the places He rested on His journey, everyone was purified and awakened to ecstatic love of God. When some heard the chanting of the Holy Name from the mouth of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and someone else heard this chanting from that second person, and someone again heard this chanting from the third person, everyone in all countries became a vaishnava through such disciplic succession. Thus everyone chanted the Holy Name of Krishna and Hari, and they danced, cried and smiled. (Madhya-lila, 17. 47-49).

The Lord did not always manifest His ecstasy. Being afraid of a great number of people, the Lord kept His ecstasy concealed. Although Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not manifest His natural ecstatic love, everyone became a pure devotee simply by seeing and hearing Him. (Madhya-lila, 17. 50-51).
Purport excerpt: …….Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared 500 years ago, but it cannot be said that the potency of the Hare Krishna mantra is less powerful now than it was in His presence. By hearing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu through the parampara system, one can be purified…….

NOW THE POINT IS BEING MADE MOST CLEARLY: By hearing the ecstatic chanting of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and by then chanting, following in His footsteps, people became pure devotees. And this effect was there even when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu did not outwardly manifest His ecstatic symptoms. Similarly, even though Srila Prabhupada always tried his best not to outwardly manifest his ecstatic symptoms, “by hearing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu through the parampara system, one can be purified……”. Herein, Srila Prabhupada is stating that …….”Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared 500 years ago, but it cannot be said that the potency of the Hare Krishna mantra is less powerful now than it was in His presence”. In other words, hearing the ecstatic chanting of Srila Prabhupada is non-different from hearing the ecstatic chanting of Sri Caitainya Mahprabhu: “by hearing Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu through the parampara system, one can be purified……”. “The process is that a bonafide spiritual master chants the Holy Name, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, and the transcendental sound vibration enters into the ear of the disciple. If the disciple follows in the footsteps of his spiritual master and chants the holy name with equal respect, that becomes the worship of the transcendental name.”

This very point is embellished, and put forward most strongly in the following verses by Srila Krishna das Kaviraj:

To deliver people in regions throughout the universe who could not meet Him, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally entered the bodies of pure devotees. Thus He empowered living beings (His pure devotees) by manifesting in them so much of His own devotion that people in all other countries became devotees by seeing them. (Antya-lila, 2.13-14).

In his purport to Antya-lila, 7.11, Srila Prabhupada makes the same point:

Unless one is empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, one cannot spread the Holy Names of the Hare Krishna Maha mantra throughout the world. Persons who do so are empowered. Therefore they are sometimes called avesha-rupa or incarnations for they are endowed with the power of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Now let us try to recap our attempt to describe the path which we must tread in order to develop Krishna prema. First we must have a qualified teacher or guru. In order for the guru to share Krishna prema with us, he must be endowed with that very quality. The process is that the spiritual master, who is endowed with the devotional energy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, chants the mantra, and the sound vibration enters into the ear of the disciple. The disciple who understands the process, endeavors with all humility and respect, to imbibe the taste of pure devotion of the spiritual master. And when the disciple chants the Hare Krishna mantra with equal feeling and respect, this becomes the worship of the Holy Name of Krishna. When Krishna is worshipped in that way by the sincere student, He bestows His mercy upon him, creating in his heart an ecstatic attraction for the Names of the Lord, His qualities, pastimes, etc. As this attraction is established in one’s heart, all material things become distasteful. And when our anarthas are removed in this way, we gradually develop ecstatic love of God, up to and including the platform of Krishna prema. The process is confirmed by guru,sadhu and shastra.

Recently there has been a movement among the devotees of Lord Caitanya to call themselves Prabhupadanugas. Although this nomenclature was not endorsed by Srila Prabhupad, that feeling and conviction is there. To be a follower (anuga) of His Divine Grace, is to imbibe the nectar of devotion of Srila Prabhupada, as expressed in his bhajans and his chanting of the Holy Name, andto carry the nectar of his devotion in our hearts, making that the heartfelt mood of our own chanting.

MORE BASIC PRINCIPLES

There is still another aspect of the guru-student relationship that has to be mentioned in order to make this presentation more complete. This other aspect is more commonly understood by Srila Prabhupada’s disciples. And it is equally important. Therefore it would be inappropriate not to mention it.

The essence of this other aspect is to develop genuine feelings of love for our spiritual master, and to endeavor with all our strength to sincerely please him in order to obtain his blessings. Therefore we add the following quotes as a gesture of recognition of the importance of this understanding.
The word ‘snigdha” (very peaceful) and the word ‘su-snigdha’ (affectionate) are used in verses 14 and 15, and they are also found in Srimad Bhagavatam 1.1.8:
bruyah snigdhasya sisysasya guravo guhyam apyy uta
‘A disciple who has actual love for his spiritual master, is endowed by the blessings of his spiritual master with all confidential knowledge’. Srila Sridhara Swami has commented that the word ‘snigdhasya’ means ‘prema-vatah’. The word ‘prema-vatah’ indicates that one has great love for his spiritual master. (CC Madhya-lila, 17.15, purport excerpt).

Then we find the following in The Teachings of Lord Caitanya, in the chapter entitled: The Ecstasy of the Lord and His Devotees:
Thus Sanatana Gosvami prayed for the Lord’s confirmation that the Lord’s 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 acharyas are authorized by higher authorities. Instruction alone cannot make one an expert. Unless one is blessed by the spiritual master, or the acharya, such 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.

And in his purport to Srimad Bahagavatam, 6.5.41, Srila Prabhupada writes as follows:
……….Material nature , however, is so strong that although a man suffers at every step, he will not cease his attempts to enjoy. Under the circumstances, unless one gets the association of a devotee like Narada Muni or his servant in disciplic succession, one’s dormant spirit of renunciation cannot be awakened. It is not a fact that because material enjoyment involves so many painful conditions one will automatically become detached. One needs the blessings of a devotee like Narada Muni. Then one can renounce his attachment for the material world…………

In his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam, 2.1.10, Srila Prabhupada writes:
Srimad Bhagavatam is recognized Vedic wisdom, and the system of receiving Vedic wisdom is called ‘avaroha-pantha’, or the process of receiving transcendental knowledge through bonafide disciplic succession. For advancement of material knowledge there is need of personal capacity and researching aptitude, but in the case of spiritual knowledge, all progress depends more or less on the mercy of the spiritual master. The spiritual master must be satisfied with the disciple; only then is knowledge automatically manifest before the disciple of spiritual science…………. The bonafide spiritual master reasonably explains everything to the disciple on the authorities of Vedic wisdom. The disciple can receive such teachings not exactly intellectually, but by submissive inquiries and a service attitude.
And lastly, in order to highlight the mood of the acarya, for our eternal guidance, let us contemplate the words of Srila Prabhupada, delivered at the feet of his guru, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Maharaja, in the concluding lines of his Vyas Puja address:
…….Therefore let me with all my earnestness pray at the lotus feet of my Divine master to let me suffer the lot which I am destined to do for all my past misdoings, but let me have this power of recollection (that I am nothing but a tiny servant of the almighty absolute Godhead) realized through the unflinching mercy of my Divine Master. Let me therefore bow down at his lotus feet with all the humility at my command.

CONCLUSION

On the one hand, this attempt to bring into focus the essence of our relationship with our spiritual master, begins by pointing us in the direction of imbibing the taste of devotion that emanates from the pure devotee, and then to make this very taste of his devotion the baseline of our chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra, indeed of every aspect of our service. This will be pleasing to Krishna, Who in turn will shower His blessings upon us. And this bestowal of mercy will free us from all material hankering and lamentation and fill our hearts with genuine feelings of love for Krishna.
On the other hand, the later series of quotes point to aspiring after the pleasure and satisfaction of our spiritual master, and the engagement in heartfelt prayer for his mercy in terms of our ability to comprehend his teachings, to be free of material desires, and to have the power of recollection that we are in fact Krishna’s eternal servants. And most wondrous of all, that if we can simply have sincere feelings of love for our spiritual master, we will be endowed, by his blessings, with all confidential knowledge.

These apparently different approaches are not mutually contradictory; rather they are mutually supportive. The more we try to please our spiritual master and beg him for his mercy, the more we can understand his heart, so that we can imbibe from him the transcendental taste of love of Krishna as it has come down through our disciplic succession of pure devotees.

The argument may be put forward that a living diksha guru is mandatory. But we have to understand the underlying principle. It is only in the last 100 years or so that we could record the acarya, thereby capturing his transcendental devotional vibration. Modern technology has changed all of that. It is with this in mind that Srila Prabhupada insisted that his lectures, his kirtans and his bhajans be recorded so that today we can have this great treasure of transcendental audio and video. One of the prohibitions given to us is that we should not follow the rules and regulations fanatically when there is no sensible application. As Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur has written: “He reasons ill that Vaishnavas die when thou art living still in sound.” Formerly that same quality of transcendental sound was received from Lord Caitanya through the disciplic succession. And our only link to that sound was a living diksha guru who was a pure devotee. Modern technology has removed the need for that stipulation. A new devotee can become closer to Srila Prabhupada today than someone who was initiated 50 years ago. It is simply a matter of submissive aural reception. One who hears nicely can chant nicely. Everything else will follow. A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami will be available as the acarya for generations to come.
If we try to collect, from the teachings of Srila Prabhupada and the predecessor acaryas, all of the quotes that support the focus of this compilation, we will find ourselves contending with a voluminous collection of slokas and purports. The intention here is to capture the heart of the matter, and make it readily available and easily understandable, so that we can all go forward in our spiritual life straight away. Let us all move forward together in our service to Srila Prabhupada and Lord Caitanya, and attain our shelter at Krishna’s lotus feet.