Srila Prabhupada speaks out- “So all my disciples are expected
to become siksa-guru on my order, not by his own order.”
Indian lady: Can the death of a spiritual master take to us, or I can get… Is that spiritual master still guiding after the death? (?)
Srila Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Just like Kṛṣṇa is guiding us, similarly, spiritual master will guide. We are being guided by Kṛṣṇa, by the Bhagavad-gītā. Although Kṛṣṇa is not physically present, so-called… Kṛṣṇa is present always. But even if we say that Kṛṣṇa is not physically present as He was present before Arjuna, still, His book, Bhagavad-gītā, is there. And that Bhagavad-gītā is non different from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s teaching, the same, absolute. That is Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s… Here form, the same. It is not that we are making show of offering Kṛṣṇa some food. No, we are offering directly to Kṛṣṇa and He’s eating. Kṛṣṇa being absolute, He can perform through anything provided we are sincere and serious. All right. (Srila Prabhupada’s Lecture on the Appearance Day of Srila Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākur London, September 3, 1971)
Gopala Krsna: Srila Prabhupada, I am just trying to clarify — I don’t want to offend anyone — but no disciple of yours should call himself diksa-guru or siksa-guru. Am I right?
Srila Prabhupada:..” Well, everyone is engaged to become siksa-guru, but one should become perfect. The attempt is — what is called? — probationer. When probationer period is finished, then he is naturally, automatically, bona fide guru. Not in the probationer period. That is immature attempt. That will failure. Amara ajnaya [Cc. Madhya 7.128], Caitanya Mahaprabhu said: “By My order.” So all my disciples are expected to become siksa-guru on my order, not by his own order.” That is meaning I am giving sannyasa, I am sending you to different places, so this means that you have to carry out the order of the guru very strictly; then you become mature. Otherwise it will be artificial attempt, and that kind of guru will not help.”(Srila Prabhupada’s room conversation May 30 1976 Honolulu, Hawaii.)