Guru or Goru – the importance of the guru

Guru or Goru? – the importance of the bonafide guru

(Compiled by Yaśodānandana dās)

Devotee (3): Then how is it that some people do finally come to accept Kṛṣṇa?

Srila Prabhupāda: Yes. They come in the paramparā system, through guru. Tad-vijñānārtham sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Therefore, you have to go to guru to understand. You cannot understand personally. That is not possible. Therefore, our system is to see through the guru and śāstra, not by these naked eyes. That is misleading.

Devotee (3): Then the key would be to recognize and appreciate the importance of the guru.

Srila Prabhupāda: Parampara. Guru is also not authority by himself. He is authority by his guru, paramparā. If he is coming in the paramparā system, then he is guru. Otherwise he’s not guru. Just like what we are doing? We are simply repeating the Kṛṣṇa’s word. That’s all. Therefore guru. And as soon as I make addition or alteration, I am goru.

Harikeśa: Goru means?

Srila Prabhupāda: Goru means cow, animal. Go-kharaḥ. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). The go-kharaḥ, these animals have been, I mean, exemplified because these two animals work for others very heavily. The bull also loads heavily, and the ass also loads very heavily—for others, not for his own benefit. The bull is working day and night and being whipped . . . (break) (end). 

Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk Conversation, Bombay, Maharashtra, India. November. 11, 1975

Some key points by Srila Prabhupada:

Therefore, you have to go to guru to understand. You cannot understand personally.

• Therefore, our system is to see through the guru and śāstra, not by these naked eyes. That is misleading.
• Guru is also not authority by himself. He is authority by his guru, paramparā.
• If he is coming in the paramparā system, then he is guru. Otherwise he’s not guru.
• Just like what we are doing? We are simply repeating the Kṛṣṇa’s word. That’s all. Therefore guru.
• And as soon as I make addition or alteration, I am goru.
• Goru means cow, animal. Go-kharaḥ. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). The go-kharaḥ, these animals have been, I mean, exemplified because these two animals work for others very heavily.

Many gurus came, but they did
not make any pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa.

Yaśodānandana: Before you came, many gurus came, but they did not make any pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa.

Srila Prabhupāda: How they can? He is not pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, how he can do? Kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nāhe nāma pracāra: “Without being empowered by Kṛṣṇa nobody can turn a person to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa.” It is not… Artificially, you cannot make. He may make show of gold manufacturing, but he cannot make a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible.

Devotee: So, the purpose of having in the Society is to show the devotees how they can always be twenty-four hours engaged according to your instruction.

Srila Prabhupāda: Yes, that is helping one another. If I am deficient, by seeing your example I shall correct myself. This is the idea. Not that a fool’s paradise = all fools and join together. Not like that. There should be ideal life, at least the leaders, the president, the GBC. They will show the example, and they will follow. Then it is beneficial. And all of them are fools, then it is fool’s paradise. At least, in the blind association, at least if one man has got eyes, then he can lead all the blind men. But if all of them are blind, then it is fool’s paradise. So somehow or other, we have got now a position. People likes us. So, we should not spoil by personal sense gratification. That is my request. If we can maintain this institution rigidly, according to the order, then many people will be benefited. By seeing our behavior, by character, they will become. Apani ācāri prabhu jīveri ṛṣi[?]. The leader should be ideal.

Devotee (1): We should dedicate our lives to preaching this message of Lord Caitanya.

Srila Prabhupāda: Yes. Preaching, preaching, you will become perfect preacher. Preach only what you have heard from Kṛṣṇa and guru, that’s all. Don’t add and subtract. Then you are secure. And if you add some concoction, just like somebody says that “I may do whatever I like independently. If I chant, then everything is all right,” this is nonsense addition. It is not the fact. That is the danger. Some inexperienced man, he introduces some concoction. Sometimes they say, “Prabhupāda said it.” [laughs] More misleading.

Devotee: That’s become so common.

Srila Prabhupāda: Yes. Hare Kṛṣṇa. [devotees chanting japa] [end]

Srila Prabhupada Morning Walk Conversation, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. February 3, 1975

Some key points by Srila Prabhupada:

• Kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nāhe nāma pracāra: “Without being empowered by Kṛṣṇa nobody can turn a person to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa.
• If I am deficient, by seeing your example I shall correct myself. This is the idea. Not that a fool’s paradise = all fools and join together. Not like that. There should be ideal life, at least the leaders, the president, the GBC.
• At least, in the blind association, at least if one man has got eyes, then he can lead all the blind men. But if all of them are blind, then it is fool’s paradise.
• So, we should not spoil by personal sense gratification. That is my request.
• apani ācāri prabhu jīveri ṛṣi[?]. The leader should be ideal.
• Yes. Preaching, preaching, you will become perfect preacher.  Preach only what you have heard from Kṛṣṇa and guru, that’s all.
• Don’t add and subtract. Then you are secure. And if you add some concoction, just like somebody says that “I may do whatever I like independently. If I chant, then everything is all right,” this is nonsense addition. It is not the fact. That is the danger.
•  Some inexperienced man, he introduces some concoction. Sometimes they say, “Prabhupāda said it.” [laughs] More misleading.

Srila Prabhupada: Who is Guru?

THEY ARE NOT GURUS

760628bj.nv
Prabhupada: So-called gurus, they are so-called gurus. They are not gurus. That is already explained. If one does not speak what Krsna speaks, he is not guru. If you accept so-called guru, that is your misfortune. What can be done?
Pusta Krsna: Some of them will say some things that Krsna says, but they’ll take from other places also. What is the position of such persons?
Prabhupada: He’s MOST DANGEROUS. He’s MOST DANGEROUS. He is OPPORTUNIST. HE’S FINDING OUT CUSTOMER, SOMETHING HERE… ACCORDING TO THE CUSTOMER HE IS GIVING SOMETHING, AS THE CUSTOMERS WILL BE PLEASED. SO HE IS NOT GURU. He’s a servant. He wants to serve the so-called disciples so that he may be satisfied and pay him something. He’s servant. He’s not guru. Guru is the master. You cannot disobey guru. But if you become a servant, you want to please the disciple by flattering him to get his money, then you are not guru, you are servant. Just like a servant pleases the master. He’s not guru. He’s servant. So our position should be servant, yes, but servant of the Supreme. So guru means heavy. You cannot utilize him for satisfying your whims. That is not guru.

Prabhupada: GURU CHEATING NOT EFFECTIVE (April 22.77).

Prabhupada: People complained against [a GBC for trying to appear as a guru]. …You become guru, but you must be QUALIFIED FIRST of all. THEN you become. …What is the use of producing some RASCAL GURU?
Tamala Krishna: Well, I have studied myself and all of your disciples, and it’s clear fact that we are ALL CONDITIONED SOULS, so we CANNOT BE gurus. MAYBE someday it may be possible….
Prabhupada: Hm. [agrees]
Tamala Krishna: …but not now.
Prabhupada: Yes. I shall produce some gurus. I shall say who is guru, ‘No you become acharya. You become authorized.’ I retire completely. But the training must be COMPLETE.
Tamala Krishna: The process of purification must be there. …No rubber stamp.
Prabhupada: You can cheat, but it will not be effective. Just see our Gaudiya Matha. Everyone wanted to be guru. A small temple and “guru.” What kind of guru?

Srila Prabhupada: We haven’t got to manufacture. To manufacture ideas is troublesome. Why should we take the trouble? And as soon as you want to manufacture something to my…., that is DANGEROUS. …That you are singing every day, “what our guru has said, that is our life and soul.” …As soon as this POISON will come-suppress guru and I become Brahman-everything FINISHED. Spiritual life is finished. Gaudiya Matha finished, …VIOLATED the orders of Guru Maharaja.

…And as soon as you manufacture, fall down. This manufacturing idea is very, very dangerous in spiritual life. …Our mission is to serve bhakta visesa and live with devotees. NOT THAT YOU TAKE THE PLACE OF GURU. THAT IS NONSENSE, VERY DANGEROUS. Then everything will be spoiled. As soon as you become AMBITIOUS to TAKE THE PLACE of GURU-gurusuh nara matih. That is MATERIAL DISEASE.

Srila Prabhupada: Don’t be allured by cheap disciples. Go on steadfastly to render service first. If you immediately become guru, then the service activities will be stopped; and as there are so many cheap gurus and cheap disciples, without any substantial knowledge, and manufacturing new sampradayas, and with service activities stopped, and all spiritual progress choked up. (SPL (VI 1987) 68.8.17)

KILL GURU AND BECOME GURU

Srila Prabhupada: “I am practically seeing that as soon as they, our students, begin to learn a little Sanskrit, they immediately feel they have become more than their guru. Then the policy is to kill their guru and become guru themselves”. “As soon as he learns that Guru Maharaj is dead, now I am so advanced I can kill guru and become guru. Then he is finished.” (Srila Prabhupada 1976).

Srila Prabhupada: “This is the function of the GBC, to see that one may not be taken away by maya. The GBC should all be the instructor gurus. I am the initiator guru, and you should be the instructor guru by teaching what I am teaching and doing what I am doing. This is not a title, but you must actually come to this platform. This is what I want.” (to Madhudvisa 4 Aug, 1975)

Srila Prabhupada: “I am the Spiritual Master of this institution, and ALL the members of the Society, they’re supposed to be MY disciples. They follow the rules and regulations which I ask them to follow, and they are INITIATED BY ME spiritually” – (Srila Prabhupada Radio Interview, 12 March 1968, San Francisco)

Srila Prabhupada: “I wish that each and every branch shall keep their separate identity and cooperate keeping the acharya in the center. On this principle we can open any number of branches all over the world. The Rama Krishna mission works on this principle and thus as an organization they have done wonderfully.” (letter 11th Feb. 1967)

PRABHUPADA: THE RASCALS ARE READY TO CHECK THIS MOVEMENT

So this movement is so important. Somehow or other if you can engage them in chanting and dancing, the whole world will be united. What the United Nations has failed, this movement can do–if it is not checked by the rascals. But the rascals are ready to check this movement. That is the difficulty. Otherwise, God, Krsna, is always ready to help us. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.18 Bombay, December 27, 1974)

RASCAL GURUS

The whole situation has been spoiled by these so-called rascal gurus who gives his own opinion. This is our plain declaration: Let any rascal guru come. We can convince him that he is not guru, because he is speaking differently….So guru is one. Guru cannot be two. As soon as you find two opinions of guru, either both of them are rascals, or one is still at least rascal. (Lecture: What is a Guru? London, August 22, 1973)

Many times they give me very great credit that I have done wonderful. Yes, I have done wonderful. But what is the reason? Because I am not a rascal. I speak what Krsna has spoken. That’s all. Very easy. Everyone can do that. Not only I. Any of you, you can do this. Simply speak what is…, what Krsna has said. That’s all. Don’t make addition, alteration. Then you become rascal. Immediately you become rascal. (Srimad-Bhagavatam Lecture 1.5.29 Vrndavana, August 10, 1974)

THE RASCAL EDITORS (Jayadvaita Swami), THEY ARE DOING HAVOC

Prabhupada: The rascal editors, they are doing havoc.
Yasoda-nandana: Sometimes they appeal that “We can make better English,” so they change like that, just like in the case of Isopanisad. There are over a hundred changes. So where is the need? Your words are sufficient. The potency is there. When they change, it is something else.
Svarupa Damodara: That’s actually a very dangerous mentality.
Yasoda-nandana: What is it going to be in five years? It’s going to be a different book.
Prabhupada: So you… What you are going… It is very serious situation. You write one letter that “Why you have made so many changes?” And whom to write? Who will care? All rascals are there. Write to Satsvarupa that “This is the position. They are doing anything and everything at their whim.” The next printing should be again to the original way.
Tamala Krsna: They should have a board of Satsvarupa and Jayadvaita.
Prabhupada: Hm.
Tamala Krsna: Those two men are both in Los Angeles now.
Prabhupada: So write them immediately that “The rascal editors, they are doing havoc, and they are being maintained by Ramesvara and party.” (S.P.Conversation, “Rascal Editors,”June 22, 1977, Vrndavana)
Prabhupada: Change of government… Just like they say, a change of theories by the rascals. Change means rascal.
Harikesa: But as soon as a government changes…
Prabhupada: Anything change means it is the domain of rascals, pandemonium. Just like in Manu-samhita it is said that, nasyam svatantratam arhati, women should not be given independence. Once said, that is fact. If you want to change, you suffer. That’s all. (S.P. Morning Walk December 14, 1975, New Delhi)

DON’T SURRENDER YOUR INTELLIGENCE

“A devotee should have intelligence to know who is deviating. Surrender by your intelligence but don’t surrender your intelligence.” (SP to Bali Mardana, 1974)

IF YOU WORSHIP A RASCAL, THEN YOUR LIFE IS SPOILED

Now, Canakya Pandita gives three things, formula, “If you want to be fortunate, then do these three things.” What is that? Murkha yatra na pujyante: “Do not give any credit to the rascal.” That is first qualification. Don’t be carried away by the rascal. Murkha yatra na pujyante. If you worship a rascal, then your life is spoiled. You must worship a really learned representative of God. That is very good. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.31 San Francisco, July 16, 1975)