Compendium of Prabhupada quotes – Prabhupadanugas Worldwide

Compendium of Prabhupada quotes

Subject: Quotes diksa

“And another thing, just like we are holding this ceremony, initiation ceremony. It should not be accepted just we are functioning some ritualistic ceremony. No. It is different from ritualistic ceremony. Although it appears like ritualistic, it is transcendental.” (SP Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture Los Angeles, December 1, 1968)

“So diksa means the initiation to begin transcendental activities. That is called initiation. Therefore, we take promise from the disciple that “You chant so many times,” “Yes, sir.” “You observe these rules and regulations,” “Yes, sir.” That is initiation. He has to observe; he has to chant. Then everything comes automatically. In the beginning he is faulty; then how he can make progress?” SP Lecture Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.15 — Auckland, February 22, 1973)

The chanting Hare Krishna is our main business, that is real initiation. And as you are all following my instruction, in that matter, the initiator is already there.” (SP Letter to Tamala Krsna, 19 August, 1968)

“So anyway, from 1922 to 1933 practically I was not initiated, but I got the impression of preaching Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s cult. That I was thinking. And that was the initiation by my Guru Maharaja.” (SP Lecture, 10/12/76, Hyderabad)

“Of course, for anyone to hear the message of Srimad-Bhagavatam will produce a favorable result but formally one should receive this knowledge from the disciplic succession. For example, Arjuna and Krishna were friends but still Arjuna submitted himself formally as Krishna’s disciple. This is essential. We should take example from these great Personalities. Arjuna was hearing Krishna speaking Bhagavad-gita but still he submitted as Krishna’s disciple. “Now I submit unto You, please teach me.” So, this is the process. I hope this will clear up your question sufficiently.” (SP Letter to John Darsinos, 23/11/68)

“Actually, this is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s initiation of Dabira Khasa and Sakara Mallika. They approached the Lord with all humility, and the Lord accepted them as old servants, as eternal servants, and He changed their names. It is to be understood from this that it is essential for a disciple to change his name after initiation.” (Madhya 1.208, The Later Pastimes of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu)

“He is therefore asking Lord Krsna, the supreme spiritual master, to make a definite solution. He offers himself to Krsna as a disciple. He wants to stop friendly talks. Talks between the master and the disciple are serious, and now Arjuna wants to talk very seriously before the recognized spiritual master.” (Bhagavad Gita, 2:7)

“So, I was at that time a fool, but I opined like this. And I accepted him as my spiritual master immediately. Not officially, but in my heart. That was in 1922. “Now instruct them very seriously about their responsibilities. To promise to follow the four prohibitive rules and to daily chant sixteen rounds means they cannot deviate. You can hold a fire yajna and inform them that in promising before the Deity and before the spiritual master, one cannot later break the rules without being punished, just as in the law court one is held for perjury.” (SP Letter to Damodara, 16 January, 1974)

“Srila Prabhupada ‘s transcendental books transmit transcendental knowledge which vanquish all material contamination caused by our previous sinful activities and thus bring us to pure love of God, where we can directly worship Krishna. This perfectly corresponds with sastric definitions of diksa. (CC Madhya lila 15-108, 9-61, 4-111).” […]

Srila Prabhupada describes our daily reading of His books as process of revealing or awakening transcendental knowledge. This process is described in the sastra as diksa.”

“The official initation has no meaning unless one who has fully surrendered to guru. There is no question of initiation. “Dibya-jnana hrdi prokasito” (S.B. lecture New Vrindavana 1974)

“Well, initiation or no initiation, first thing is knowledge. [break] …knowledge. Initiation is formality. Just like you go to a school for knowledge, and admission is formality. That is not very important thing.” (SP Press Interview, October 16, 1976, Chandigarh)

“Actually, amongst my Godbrothers no one is qualified to become acarya. So, it is better not to mix with my Godbrothers very intimately because instead of inspiring our students and disciples they may sometimes pollute them.” (Letter to Rupunuga, 28/4/74)

“So Sridhara Maharaja and his two associate gentlemen unauthorizedly selected one acarya and later it proved a failure.” (Letter to Rupunuga, 28/4/74)

“In other words, the spiritual master awakens the sleeping living entity to his original consciousness so that he can worship Lord Visnu. This is the purpose of diksa, or initiation. Initiation means receiving the pure knowledge of spiritual consciousness.” (C.c. Madhya, 9.61, purport)

“Diksa actually means initiating a disciple with transcendental knowledge by which he becomes freed from all material contamination.”(C.c. Madhya, 4.111, purport)

“Diksa is the process by which one can awaken his transcendental knowledge and vanquish all reactions caused by sinful activity. A person expert in the study of the revealed scriptures knows this process as diksa.” (C.c. Madhya, 15.108, purport)

“…in order to receive the real message of Srimad-Bhagavatam one should approach the current link, or spiritual master, in the chain of disciplic succession.” (S.B. 2.9.7, purport)

“Jagannatha Dasa Babaji INITIATED Bhaktivinoda Thakura.” (Adi, 1, Introduction)

Initiation means receiving the pure knowledge of spiritual consciousness.” (C.c. Madhya, 9.61, purport)

“Diksa actually means initiating a disciple with transcendental knowledge by which he becomes freed from all material contamination.” (C.c. Madhya, 4.111, purport)

Maha-bhagavata -srestho brahmano vai gurur nrnam
sarvesam eva lokanam asau pujyo yatha harih
maha-kula-prasuto’ pi sarva-yajnesu diksitah
sahasra-sakhadhya yi ca na guruh syad avaisnavah

“The guru must be situated on the topmost platform of devotional service. There are three classes of devotees, and the guru must be accepted from the topmost class.” (C.c. Madhya, 24.330, purport)

“When one has attained the topmost position of maha-bhagavata, he is to be accepted as a guru and worshipped exactly like Hari, the Personality of Godhead. Only such a person is eligible to occupy the post of a guru.” (C.c. Madhya, 24.330, purport)

“One who is situated in the disciplic succession can be understood by the result of his activities. This is always true as far as the activities of the Lord and His devotees are concerned.” (CC (BBT 1975) Madhya 16.65)

“Hmm yes. […] I am waiting for that […] But the training must be complete […] (The process of purification) O yes must be there […] But be qualified […] You can cheat, but it will not be effective […] Don’t go backwards. (Morning Walk April 22nd 1977)

Voting procedures […] for guru candidate […] who will be established by the voting members. (GBC document.)

Voting for guru process […] by a two third vote of the GBC […] all GBCs are candidates for appointment as guru. (GBC document.)

The GBC is the highest ecclesiastical body guiding ISKCON. (Back to Godhead)

“Mundane votes have no jurisdiction to elect a Vaisnava acarya. A Vaisnava acarya is self-effulgent, and there is no need for any court judgement. A false acarya may try to override a Vaisnava by a High Court decision, but Bhaktivinode Thakura says that he is nothing but a disciple of Kali-yuga. “ (CC (BBT 1975) Madhya 1.220)

“Srila Jiva Gosvami advises that one not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary social, and ecclesiastical conventions. “
(CC (BBT 1975) Adi 1.35)

“On the whole, you may know that he is not a liberated person, and therefore, he cannot initiate any person to Krsna Consciousness. It requires special spiritual benediction from higher authorities.” (SP Letter to Janardana, 26/4/68)

“One should take initiation from a bona fide spiritual master coming in the disciplic succession, who is authorized by his predecessor spiritual master. This is called diksa-vidhana.” (S.B. 4.8.54, purport)

Indian man: When did you become spiritual the leader of Krsna Consciousness?

Srila Prabhupada: What is that? Brahmananda: He is asking when did you become the spiritual leader of Krsna Consciousness?

Srila Prabhupada: When my Guru Maharaja ordered me. This is the guru parampara. Indian man: Did it...

Srila Prabhupada: Try to understand. Don’t go very speedily. A guru can become guru when he is ordered by his guru. That’s all. Otherwise nobody can become guru. (SP Bg. Lecture, 28/10/75)

“One who is now the disciple is the next spiritual master. And one cannot be a bona fide and authorized spiritual master unless one has been strictly obedient to his spiritual master.”(S.B. 2.9.43, purport)

“Now, tenth, eleventh, twelfth. My Guru Maharaja is tenth from Caitanya Mahaprabhu, I am eleventh, you are the twelfth. So, distribute this knowledge.” (SP Arrival Lecture, 18/5/72, Los Angeles)

“At the same time, I shall request them all to become spiritual master. Every one of you should be spiritual master next.” (SP Vyasa-Puja address, 5/9/69, Hamburg)

Reporter: What will happen to the movement in the United States when you when you die?
Srila Prabhupada: I will never die

Devotees: Jaya! Haribol! (laughter)

Srila Prabhupada: I will live from my books and you will utilize. (SP Press Conference, 16/7/75, San Francisco)

“Don’t become premature acarya. First of all, follow the orders of acarya, and you become mature. Then it is better to become acarya. Because we are interested in preparing acarya, but the etiquette is at least for the period the guru is present, one should not become acarya. Even if he is complete he should not, because the etiquette is, if somebody comes for becoming initiated, it is the duty of such person to bring that prospective candidate to his acarya.” (SPC.c. Lecture, 6/4/75, Mayapur

“And to become acarya is not very difficult. […] amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa, yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa: “By following My order, you become guru.” […] Then, in future… suppose you have got now ten thousand. We shall expand to hundred thousand. That is required. Then hundred thousand to million; and million to ten million.” (SP C.c. Lecture, 6/4/75, Mayapur)

“Physical presence is not important.” (SP Room conversation, 6/10/77, Vrindavan) or

“Physical presence is immaterial.” (SP Letter, 19/1/67)

“Therefore, one must take advantage of the vani, not the physical presence.” (C.c. Antya, concluding words)

“As far as the time of diksa (initiation) is concerned, everything depends on the position of the guru. […] If the sad-guru, the bona fide spiritual master agrees, one can be initiated immediately, without waiting for a suitable time or place.” (C.c. Madhya, 24.331, purport)

“This is the process of initiation. The disciple must admit that he will no longer commit sinful activity […] He promises to execute the order of the spiritual master. Then, the spiritual master takes care of him and elevates him to spiritual emancipation.”(C.c. Madhya, 24.256)

Devotee: How important is formal initiation?

Srila Prabhupada: Formal initiation means to accept officially to abide by the orders of Krsna and his representative. That is formal initiation. (SP Lecture, 22/2/73, Auckland)

Srila Prabhupada Who is my disciple? First of all, let him follow strictly the disciplined rules.
Disciple As long as one is following, then he is…

Srila Prabhupada: Then he is all right. (SP Morning walk, 13/6/76, Detroit)

“…unless there is discipline, there is no question of disciple. Disciple means one who follows the discipline.”(SP Morning walk, 8/3/76, Mayapur)

“ Diksa is the process by which one can awaken his transcendental knowledge and vanquish all reactions caused by sinful activity. A person expert in the study of the revealed scriptures knows this process as diksa.” (C.c. Madhya, 15.108, purport)

“Reception of spiritual knowledge is never checked by any material condition.” (S.B. 7.7.1, purport)

“The potency of transcendental sound is never minimized because the vibrator is apparently absent.” (S.B. 2.9.8, purport

“Our only tradition is how to satisfy Visnu.” (SP Bg. Lecture, 30/7/73, London)

“No. Tradition, religion, they are all material. They are also all designations.” (SP Room conversation, 13/3/75, Teheran)

“ Diksa cannot be offered to a sudra […] This initiation is offered not according to Vedic rules, because it is very difficult to find out a qualified brahmana.” (SP Bg. Lecture, 29/3/71, Bombay)

“Diksa actually means initiating a disciple with transcendental knowledge by which he becomes freed from all material contamination.” (C.c. Madhya, 4.111, purport

)

“Initiation is a formality. If you are serious, that is real initiation. My touch is simply a formality. It is your determination, that is initiation.” (BTG, Search for the Divine)

“…disciplic succession does not always mean that one has to be initiated officially. Disciplic succession means to accept the disciplic conclusion.” (SP Letter to Dinesh, 31/10/69)

“The chanting of Hare Krsna is our main business, that is real initiation. And as you are all following my instruction, in that matter, the initiator is already there.” (SP Letter to Tamal Krsna, 19/8/68)

“Well, initiation or no initiation, first thing is knowledge… knowledge. Initiation is formality. Just like you go to a school for knowledge, and admission is formality. That is not very important thing.” (SP Interview, 16/10/76, Chandigarh)

“…unless there is discipline, there is no question of disciple. Disciple means one who follows the discipline.” (SP Morning walk, 8/3/76, Mayapur)

“If one does not observe the discipline, then he is not disciple.” (SP S.B. Lecture, 21/1/74)

“In our Krsna Consciousness Movement the requirement is that one must be prepared to give up the four pillars of sinful life […] In western countries especially we first observe whether a potential disciple is prepared to follow the regulative principles.” (C.c. Madhya, 24.330, purport)

“In this way the disciple renders devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master or his representatives for at least six months to a year.” (C.c. Madhya, 24.330, purport)

“The spiritual master should study the disciple’s inquisitiveness for no less than six months or a year.” (C.c. Madhya, 24.330, purport)

“…disciplic succession does not always mean that one has to be initiated officially. Disciplic succession means to accept the disciplic conclusion.” (SP Letter to Dinesh, 31/10/69

“So, there was no difficulty in communicating with Manu or Manu’s son, Iksvaku. The communication was there, or the radio system was so nice that communication could be transferred from one planet to another.” (SP Bg. Lecture, 24/8/68)

“Mundane votes have no jurisdiction to elect a Vaisnava acarya. A Vaisnava acarya is self-effulgent, and there is no need for any court judgement.” (C.c. Madhya, 1.220, purport

)

“Srila Jiva Gosvami advises that one not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary social, and ecclesiastical conventions.” (C.c. Adi, 1.35, purport)

“Generally, a spiritual master who constantly instructs a disciple in spiritual science becomes his initiating spiritual master later on.” (C.c. Adi, 1.35, purport

“It is the duty of the siksa guru or diksa guru to instruct the disciple in the right way, and it depends on the disciple to execute the process. According to sastric injunctions, there is no difference between siksa guru and diksa guru, and generally the siksa guru later on becomes the diksa guru.” (S.B. 4.12.32, purport)

Pradyumna: Guru-padasrayah. “First one must take shelter of the lotus feet of a spiritual master.” Tasmat Krsna- diksadi-siksanam. Tasmat, “from him”, Krsna- diksadi-siksanam, “one should take Krsna- diksa, initiation, and Siksa.”

Srila Prabhupada: Diksa means divya-jnanam ksapayati iti diksa. Which explains the divya-jnana, transcendental, that is diksa. Di, divya, diksanam. diksa. So divya-jnana, transcendental knowledge… If you don’t accept a spiritual master, how you’ll get transcen… You’ll be taught here and there, here and there, and waste time. Waste time for the teacher and waste your valuable time. Therefore, you have to be guided by an expert spiritual master. Read it.

Pradyumna: Krsna- diksadi-siksanam.

Srila Prabhupada: Siksanam. We have to learn. If you don’t learn, how you’ll make progress? Then? (SP Room conversation, 27/1/77, Bhubaneswar)

“Actually, amongst my Godbrothers no one is qualified to become acarya*. […] instead of inspiring our students and disciple they may sometimes pollute them. […] they are very competent to harm our natural progress.” (SP Letter to Rupanuga, 28/4/74)

(Srila Prabhupada used the terms ‘acarya’ and ‘guru’ interchangeably):

“I shall produce some guru. I shall say who is guru, ‘Now you become acarya.‘ […] 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?” (SP Morning walk, 22/4/77)

Guest: Are you planning to choose a successor?

Srila Prabhupada: It is already successful.

Guest: But there must be somebody you know, needed to handle the thing.

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. That we are creating. We are creating these devotees who will handle.

Hanuman: One thing he’s saying, this gentleman, and I would like to know, is your successor named or your successor will…

Srila Prabhupada: My success is always there. (SP Room conversation, 12/2/75 Mexico)

“After 80 years, no one can be expected to live long. My life is almost ended. S

you have to carry on, and these books will do everything.” (SP Room conversation, 18/2/76)

“So, there is nothing to be said new. Whatever I have to speak, I have spoken in my books. Now you try to understand it and continue your endeavor. Whether I am present or not present it doesn’t matter.” (SP Arrival conversation, 17/5/77, Vrindavan)

Reporter: What will happen to the movement in the United States when you die?

Srila Prabhupada: I will never die Devotees: Jaya! Haribol! (laughter)

Srila Prabhupada: I will live from my books and you will utilise. (SP Press Conference, 16/7/75, San Francisco)

Reporter: Are you training a successor?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, my Guru Maharaja is there. (SP Press conference, 16/7/75, San Francisco)

“Only Lord Caitanya can take my place. He will take care of the Movement.” (SP Room conversation, 2/11/77)

Interviewer: What happens when that inevitable time comes a successor is needed. Ramesvara: He is asking about the future, who will guide the Movement in the future.

Srila Prabhupada: They will guide, I am training them. Interviewer: Will there be one spiritual leader though?

Srila Prabhupada: No. I am training GBC, 18 all over the world. (SP Interview, 10/6/76, Los Angeles

Reporter: Do you expect to name one person as your successor or have you already?

Srila Prabhupada: That I am not contemplating now. But there is no need of one person. (SP Interview, 4/6/76, Los Angeles

Interviewer: I was wondering if he had a successor to do…Do you have a successor to take your place when you die?

Srila Prabhupada: Not yet settled up. Not yet settled up. Interviewer: So what process? Would the Hare Krsnas…

Srila Prabhupada: We have got secretaries. They are managing. (SP Interview, 14/7/76, New York

“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.” (SP Letter to Madhudvisa, 4/8/75)

“Sometimes a diksa guru is not present always. Therefore, one can take learning, instruction, from an advanced devotee. That is called the siksa guru.”(SP Bg. Lecture, 4/7/74, Honolulu)

“Although Prthu Maharaja was factually an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he rejected those praises because the qualities of the Supreme Person were not yet manifest in him. He wanted to stress that one who does not actually possess these qualities should not try to engage his followers and devotees in offering him glory for them, even though these qualities might be manifest in the future. If a man who does not factually possess the attributes of a great personality engages his followers in praising him with the expectation that such attributes will develop in the future, that sort of praise is actually an insult.” (S.B. 4.15.23, purport)

“Therefore, a disciple should be careful to accept an uttama-adhikari as a spiritual master.”

Unqualified gurus are also warned:

“One should not become a spiritual master unless he has attained the platform of uttama-adhikari.” (The Nectar of Instruction, text 5, purport

)

“Regarding parampara system: there is nothing to wonder for big gaps […] we find in the Bhagavad-gita that the Gita was taught to the sungod, some millions of years ago, but Krsna has mentioned only three names in this parampara system – namely, Vivasvan, Manu, and Iksvaku; and so, these gaps do not hamper from understanding the parampara system. We have to pick up the prominent acaryas, and follow from him […] We have to pick up from the authority of the acarya in whatever sampradaya we belong to.” (SP Letter to Dayananda, 12/4/68)

“Srimad Viraraghava Acarya, an acarya in the disciplic succession of the Ramanuja-sampradaya, has remarked in his commentary that candalas, or conditioned souls who are born in lower than sudra families, can also be initiated according to circumstances. The formalities may be slightly changed here and there to make them Vaisnavas.” (S.B. 4.8.54 purport)

“Srila Narottama dasa Thakura who accepted Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti as his servitor.” (C.c. Adi,1)

“…Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. He accepted his guru, Narottama dasa Thakura.” (SP S.B. Lecture 17/4/76, Bombay)

“…in order to receive the real message of Srimad-Bhagavatam one should approach the current link, or spiritual master, in the chain of disciplic succession.” (S.B. 2.9.7, purport)

“Amongst my Godbrothers no one is qualified to become acarya.” (SP Letter to Rupanuga, 28/4/74

“On the whole you may know that he (Bon Maharaja) is not a liberated person, and therefore he cannot initiate any person to Krsna Consciousness. It requires special benediction from higher authorities.” (SP Letter to Janardana, 26/4/68)

“If everyone just initiates there will be contradictory result. As long as it goes on, there will be only failure.” (SP Phalgun Krishnan Pancami, verse 23)

“The guru, or acaryadeva, as we learn from bona fide scriptures, delivers the message of the absolute world…”

“…when we speak of the fundamental principle of gurudeva, or acaryadeva, we speak of something that is of universal application.”

“The acaryadeva for whom we have assembled tonight to offer our humble homage is not the guru of a sectarian institution or one out of many differing exponents of the truth. On the contrary, he is the Jagad-Guru, or the guru of all of us…”

“Regarding Bhakti Puri, Tirtha Maharaja, they are my Godbrothers and should be shown respect. But you should not have any intimate connection with them as they have gone against the orders of my Guru Maharaja.” (SP Letter to Pradyumna, 17/2/68)

“Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati has not said or given any document that Swamiji (Srila Prabhupada) will be guru.” (ISKCON Journal 1990, p.23)

The same person who said that Tirtha, Madhava and Sridhar Maharaja were bona fide acaryas, even though Srila Prabhupada had said none of them were qualified:

“But there is a system in our sampradaya. So Tirtha Maharaja, Madhava Maharaja, Sridhar Maharaja, our Gurudev, Swamiji – Swamiji Bhaktivedanta Swami – they all became acaryas.” (ISKCON Journal 1990, p.23)

Contrast the above with what Srila Prabhupada thought of one of these ‘acaryas’:

“Bhakti Vilas Tirtha is very much antagonistic to our Society and he has no clear conception of devotional service. He is contaminated.” SP Letter to Sukadeva, 14/11/73)

and with what he said of the rest:

“Amongst my Godbrothers no one is qualified to become acarya.” (SP Letter to Rupanuga, 28/4/74)

The same person who recently claimed that Srila Prabhupada had not given everything, and that it was time for a rasika guru to gain higher knowledge.

Bhavananda: ‘ It starts off in big print, “Acaryadeva Tridandi Swami Srila Bhaktivilasa Tirtha Maharaja. All learned men are aware that in the dark ages of India when the Hindu religion was in great danger…”

Srila Prabhupada: (laughs)…This is nonsense.

It is obvious what type of ‘acaryadeva’ Srila Prabhupada considers Tirtha Maharaja (the same Tirtha who is hailed as a bona fide acarya in the 1990 ISKCON Journal mentioned earlier). Later on, the pamphlet describes how Srila Bhaktisiddhanta was so fortunate to have a wonderful personality to carry on the mission.

Bhavananda: “…In proper time, he (Srila Bhaktisiddhanta) got a great personality who readily shouldered the…”

Srila Prabhupada: ‘Just see now. “He got a great personality”. He is that personality. He’ll also prove that. ..(later)…No one accepts him…Where is his greatness? Who knows him? Just see. So, he is making a plan to declare himself a great personality… (Tirtha Maharaj b) is very envious about us…These rascals they may create some trouble.’ (SP Conversation, 19/1/76, Mayapur)

“A bona fide spiritual master is in the disciplic succession from time eternal and he does not deviate at all from the instructions of the Supreme Lord.” (Bg. 4.42, purport)

Bona fide members of the disciplic succession never deviate:

“God is always God, Guru is always Guru.” (The Science of Self Realisation, chapter 2)

“Well if he is bad, how can he become a guru?” (The Science of Self Realisation, chapter 2)

“The pure devotee is always free from the clutches of Maya and her influence.” (S.B. 5.3.14)

“There is no possibility that a first-class devotee will fall down.” (C.c. Madhya, 22.71)

“A spiritual master is always liberated.” (SP Letter to Tamal Krsna, 21/6/70)

The gurus described by these previous acaryas could never have been bona fide members of the parampara: “Narada Muni, Haridasa Thakura and similar acaryas especially empowered to broadcast the glories of the Lord cannot be brought down to the material platform.” (S.B. 7.7.14, purport)

“…we must see the previous acaryas through Prabhupada. We cannot jump over Prabhupada and then look back at him through the eyes of previous acaryas.” (Our Original Position, p. 163, GBC Press)

“The bona fide spiritual master always engages in unalloyed devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (C.c. Adi, 1.46)

Srila Prabhupada taught that a guru will only fall down if he is not properly authorized to initiate:

“…sometimes a spiritual master is not properly authorized to initiate and only on his own initiative becomes a spiritual master, he may be carried away by an accumulation of wealth and a large number of disciples.” (NOD p116)

A spiritual master is always liberated.” (SP Letter 21/6/70)

Newsday Reporter: You are now the leader and the Spiritual Master. Who will take your place? Srila Prabhupada:That Krsna will dictate, who will take my place.(SP Interview, 14/7/76, New York

“The system of management will continue as it is now and there is no need of any change.”
(Srila Prabhupada’s Declaration of Will, 4th June, 1977)

“The standards I have already given you, now try to maintain them at all times under standard procedure. Do not try to innovate or create anything or manufacture anything, that will ruin everything.”(SP Letter to Bali Mardan and Pusta Krsna, 18/9/72

)

“Now I have invested the GBC for maintaining the standard of our Krsna Consciousness Society, so keep the GBC very vigilant. I have already given you full directions in my books.”(SP Letter to Satsvarupa, 13/9/70)

“I have appointed originally 12 GBC members and I have given them 12 zones for their administration and management, but simply by agreement you have changed everything, so what is this, I don’t know.”(SP Letter to Rupanuga, 4/4/72)

“What will happen when I am not here, shall everything be spoiled by GBC?”(SP Letter to Hansadutta, 11/4/72)

Devotee: Srila Prabhupada when you’re not present with us, how is it possible to receive instructions? For example, in questions that may arise.

Srila Prabhupada: Well the questions are answ…answers are there in my books. (Morning Walk, Los Angeles, 13/5/73)

So, utilize whatever time you find to make a thorough study of my books. Then all your questions will be answered. (Letter to Upendra, 7/1/76)

If it is possible to go to the temple, then take advantage of the temple. A temple is a place where by one is given the opportunity to render direct devotional service to the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. In conjunction with this you should always read my books daily and all your questions will be answered and you will have a firm basis of Krishna Consciousness. In this way your life will be perfect. (Letter to Hugo Salemon, 22/11/74)

Every one of you must regularly read our books at least twice, in the morning and evening, and automatically all questions will be answered. Letter to Randhira, 24/01/70)

In my books the philosophy of Krsna Consciousness is explained fully so if there is anything you do not understand, then you simply have to read again and again. By reading daily the knowledge will be revealed to you and by this process your spiritual life will develop. (Letter to Brahmarupa Dasa, 22/11/74)

Srila Prabhupada: Even a moments association with a pure devotee – all success!

Revatinanda: Does that apply to reading the words of a pure devotee?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes.

Revatinanda: Even a little association with your books has the same effect?

Srila Prabhupada: Effect. Of course, it requires both things. One must be very eager to take it. (Room Conversation, 13/12/70)

After 80 years, no one can be expected to live long. My life is almost ended. So, you have to carry on, and these books will do everything. (Room Conversation, 18/2/76)

Paramahamsa: My question is, a pure devotee, when he comments on Bhagavad Gita, someone who never sees him physically, but he just comes in contact with the commentary, explanation, is this the same thing?

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. You can associate with Krsna by reading Bhagavad-Gita. And these saintly persons, they have given their explanations, comments. So where is the difficulty? (Morning Walk, Paris 11/6/74)

There is nothing new to be said. Whatever I had to say, I have already said in my books. Now you must try to understand it and continue with your endeavors. Whether I am present or not does not matter. (Vrindavan, 17/5/77)

If I depart there is no cause for lamentation. I will always be with you through my books and orders. I will always remain with you in that way.(BTG 13:1-2, December 1977)