Topic: Guru-tattva

The scripture reflects the heart of the pure devotee, and the heart of the pure devotee reveals the essence of the scripture. Together, they are the twin pramāṇas of the Bhāgavat Paramparā, the dual authority of śāstra and realized śikṣā through which transcendental truth is transmitted.

To surrender to Kṛṣṇa directly, to surrender to the Holy Name, that is very difficult, almost impossible and not very pleasing to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has no necessity of that. However, there is a necessity to serve a Vaiṣṇava, to serve the representatives, Kṛṣṇa’s intimate devotees. That is an indispensable part of surrender.

All glories! All glories! to Śrīla Gurudeva, whose name is Śrī Bhaktigaurava Narasiṅgha Mahārāja. O Ācārya, I pay my respects unto your lotus feet. You are an ocean of mercy, and purifier of the fallen souls. As a liberal distributor of the love of Mahāprabhu Śrī Caitanya, you are surely the very life of Śrī Mādhava. Your character is forthright and an abode of all divine qualities. Just by seeing you everyone is inspired to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.

Most of us generally learn the basics of spiritual activities and conceptions from the older disciples of the Guru. Therein exists a hierarchy based on experience and realization. At some point direct association and possibly personal training comes from the Guru himself, but this actually turns out to be quite rare. To consider one's older god-brothers and god-sisters as śīkṣa-gurus in the living time of the Ācārya is the natural course one follows in spiritual life.

Initiation is a noble prospect that you are put in connection with. But so much will have to come from our side, the disciple, in order to progress.

Śrīla Prabhupāda has written that, “Satisfaction of the self realized spiritual master is the secret of success in spiritual life.” In essence, this refers to service that is known to be what the spiritual master desires, wherever and whenever it is performed.

The good preceptor although he appears to belong to this world is not really of this world. No one who belongs to this world can deliver us from worldliness. The good preceptor is a denizen of the spiritual world who has been enabled by the will of God to appear in this world in order to enable us to realise the spiritual existence.

If someone says I accept the divinity of Mahāprabhu but not the divinity of Nityānanda Prabhu, then he is a philosopher of this half-hen philosophy. The whole thing is spoiled. So from Nityānanda Prabhu, our fortune begins.

Prabhupāda is not a title applicable only to Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedānta Svāmī Prabhupāda or even to only Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Prabhupāda.

Such intimacies are better kept secret - not to be told here and there and certainly not to be forced upon others.

Uddhava said the gopis were the greatest devotees of Krsna. Similarly, in his adult life, Srila Puri Maharaja carried the message of krsna-bhakti to the world.

He is not in a class by himself – he is in the top class of the servants of the Lord, who live eternally in the Lord’s company