The bona fide authorized acarya
Well, first of all, thing is if the spiritual master is not bona fide, how his mantra can be bona fide? Your statement is contradictory. If you say the spiritual master is not bona fide, then how his mantra becomes bona fide?
Then there is no question of mantra. There is no question of worshiping Deity. These are all bogus things.
Devotee (1): A devotee becomes more surrendered because the influence of the modes, the three modes, becomes diminished, or is the influence just changed from ignorance and passion to goodness?
Srila Prabhupāda: The surrender means surrender to whom?
Devotee (1): To Kṛṣṇa and to Your Divine Grace.
Srila Prabhupāda: So that surrender means to accept his orders. The spiritual master trains the disciple in the way of goodness quality. So, if you do not abide the orders of spiritual master, what is the use of your surrender? Surrender means ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlyasya varjanam. Anukūla, favorable things, should be accepted. And you do not know. Therefore, spiritual master will direct you, “This is favorable. This is unfavorable. Don’t smoke—this is unfavorable.” But if you don’t accept the instruction, what is the meaning of surrender? Simply by offering obeisances, falling flat for the time being, that is not surrender.
Devotee (2): Daṇḍavat.
Srila Prabhupāda: Daṇḍavat class(?). Surrender means you must abide strictly the orders, sad–dharma–pṛcchā, ādau gurvāśrayam. To accept a guru means… Śiṣya means one must agree to be governed by the spiritual master. That is called śiṣya. Śiṣya… Śās-dhātu. From śās-dhātu all these terms—śāstra, śiṣya, śāsana. These are words derived from the root śās-dhātu. Śās-dhātu means śāsana, governing. The governing is done by military, governing is done by lawbooks, governing is done by personal instruction, so many things. So śiṣya means who voluntarily accepts to be guided or being governed by the representative of God. That is śiṣya. Yes.
Devotee (3): In regard to worshiping arcā–vigraha form, you have explained that if one receives a mantra from a spiritual master who is not bona fide, that mantra has no effect. So, I would like to ask if one is worshiping a Deity and his spiritual master is not bona fide, so that Deity cannot be considered the Supreme Lord?
Srila Prabhupāda: Well, first of all, thing is if the spiritual master is not bona fide, how his mantra can be bona fide? Your statement is contradictory. If you say the spiritual master is not bona fide, then how his mantra becomes bona fide? If he is bona fide, then his mantra is bona fide.
Devotee (3): Then why is he giving instruction to worship the Deity? If the spiritual master is not bona fide, then is the Deity also not bona fide?
Srila Prabhupāda: I do not follow. What does he say?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: His idea is that if one receives a mantra from a spiritual master, if the spiritual master is not bona fide…
Srila Prabhupāda: Then there is no question of mantra. There is no question of worshiping Deity. These are all bogus things. If you are not… Just like here is a young medical man. If he has not received instruction from a bona fide medical college, so what is the value of his medical, being… That is… What is called? What is the technical name?
Devotee (4): Quack.
Srila Prabhupāda: Quack! (laughter) (pronounces like “quark”)
Devotees: Quack.
Srila Prabhupāda: A quack is not a medical man; however, he may show all red bottles, white bottles. There is a Bengali proverb, naj jal yac curi tini ei daktar.(?) One stethoscope, naj(?), and some bottles, jala, and talking all nonsense, he becomes a doctor. That means the quack doctor, not a… Qualified doctor, he knows what is what. So naj jal yac curi tini ei daktar(?). In Bengali they say. And mostly in villages they go on like that. But of course, they have got some experience. I know in Allahabad there was a doctor, Kabhir, a Dr. Kabhir. And because in my previous household life I was a chemist and druggist, I was supplying medicine, so he was my customer. So, he had that… This Dr. Kabhir was a compounder. Later on, he practiced. So, he had very, very big prac… He was my biggest customer. He was purchasing medicine like anything. But he had experience. He learned from an experienced doctor. He cannot be called a bogus, because whatever he learned, he was… But generally, one who is not a bona fide doctor, he is called a quack. So, anything, experience required, not that you have to go to the medical college. If you are trained under a bona fide doctor, then also you can get the quality of a doctor. Similarly, the whole thing is tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. One should go to the bona fide spiritual master to learn this transcendental science.
Guest: There is a, just a quotation from Bengali poet that to be devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, one should be fully trained without any… And it is often said that in this Kali–yuga, even if you do not know, or if you are not studied any books, but if you know only bhakti…
Srila Prabhupāda: What is that? If you know bhakti… That’s a very big task. If you know actually bhakti, then it is all good. But do you know what is bhakti? First thing is that.
Guest: Means worshiping God. By understanding this mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, if you do not know any scriptures, you do not know śrutis, mantras, anything, then has any effect at all?
Srila Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, because this is a special advantage for the people in this age, that if he chants this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without any offense, purely, then… There are three stages of chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. In the beginning there are full of offenses. Then it is almost offenseless. And then, when it is pure, that is perfectional stage. So, by chanting, if you practice chanting, even though in the beginning it is full of offenses, but if you continue chanting… Therefore, we say that “You must chant so many times.” So even there are offenses, by chanting, chanting, chanting, chanting, he will be purified. Ceto-darpaṇa–mārjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. So therefore, in this age we must stick to this process of chanting. That will make us perfect. If not immediately, it will do, certainly. That is special advantage for the men of this age. Kaler doṣa–nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ. Mahān guṇaḥ. It is a great advantage. What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya: [SB 12.3.51] “Simply by chanting Lord Kṛṣṇa’s name,” mukta–saṅga, ‘he becomes free from all contamination and he becomes eligible to be promoted to the spiritual kingdom.” That is special advantage of this age. Therefore, we are advising, we are preaching, that “You chant this mantra. In any condition of life, begin chanting. You will be benefited.” Yes. https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/sb/6/1/41-42/surat/december/23/1970
Guru means bona fide. But because there are so many pseudo-gurus at the present moment, therefore we have to add this word “bona fide.”
Otherwise, guru means bona fide. One who is not bona fide, he cannot be guru. But people are misled by persons, pseudo or false gurus; therefore, you have to add this word “bona fide.” Otherwise there is no necessity of adding this word.
Śyāmasundara: Today we are discussing the American philosopher John Dewey. Last time we were discussing William James, who is called a pragmatist. His philosophy deals…, believes that practice is better than theory. So, this John Dewey is more or less a successor in this same line of philosophizing. He says that practical consequences are the only valid test of truth, and he says that the proof of an idea consists in its being subject to predictable results. The idea is not true unless the results of the idea are predictable.
Srila Prabhupāda: Yes.
Śyāmasundara: He is also…
Srila Prabhupāda: That is practical. That is practical. No theoretical knowledge is necessary.
Śyāmasundara: But do the results of an idea have to be predictable?
Srila Prabhupāda: Idea may…, if it is a concocted idea, the result cannot be ascertained. If it is fact, then the result can be predicted.
Śyāmasundara: He says that the object of inquiry or asking questions is belief; that because we want to believe something we often ask questions in order to find something to believe in. This is the nature of inquiry.
Srila Prabhupāda: So that is the Vedānta-sūtra: to find out the ultimate cause of everything, the inquiries about the Absolute Truth. So, these inquiries should be made to the person who knows; otherwise, what is the use of inquiring? That is the Vedic injunction. If you want to inquire about truth, then you must approach the bona fide spiritual master, guru. Guru means bona fide. But because there are so many pseudo-gurus at the present moment, therefore we have to add this word “bona fide.” Otherwise, guru means bona fide. One who is not bona fide, he cannot be guru. But people are misled by persons, pseudo or false gurus; therefore, you have to add this word “bona fide.” Otherwise there is no necessity of adding this word.
Śyāmasundara: He believes that it is the nature of inquiry itself to want to believe something, even on the small, everyday level. If I want to know who put these flowers here, because I want to believe the truth about these flowers, I ask, I inquire.
Srila Prabhupāda: So, inquiry means to know the truth. Therefore, our inquiry should be made to a person who knows the truth. Otherwise the inquiry has no valid position. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. That is Vedic injunction. The inquiry should be genuine and the answer should come from a genuine person. Then it is all right. https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/philosophy/syamasundara/john_dewey
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Note: I looked up the word bona fide in the vedabase folio and found 1451 references to it. So, if we have a bona fide guru, then everything is fine, but if we do not have such a liberated person to guide us, then our future is very, very dark.
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We have to select a guru by whose order we won’t make mistakes
Now, to take such guidance means the spiritual master should also be a very perfect man. Otherwise, how can he guide? …Therefore, one has to select a spiritual master whose order, carrying, you’ll not commit a mistake. You see? Now, suppose if you accept a wrong person as spiritual master, and if you, if he guides you wrongly, then your whole life is spoiled. So, one has to accept a spiritual master whose guidance will make his life perfect. That is the relation between spiritual master and disciple. It is not a formality. It is a great responsibility both for the disciple and for the spiritual master. March 2, 1966 NY
Srimad-Bhagavatam warns of kali-yuga panditas
Translation-
A person’s spiritual position will be ascertained merely according to external symbols, and on that same basis people will change from one spiritual order to the next. A person’s propriety will be seriously questioned if he does not earn a good living. And one who is very clever at juggling words will be considered a learned scholar. SB 12.2.4
Srimad-Bhagavatam predicts the situation of greedy sannyasis in kali yuga
TRANSLATION-
The brahmacārīs will fail to execute their vows and become generally unclean, the householders will become beggars, the vānaprasthas will live in the villages, and the sannyāsīs will become greedy for wealth SB 12. 2. 33
Srimad-Bhagavatam predicts the appearance of bogus gurus, swamis etc.
TRANSLATION-
Uncultured men will accept charity on behalf of the Lord and will earn their livelihood by making a show of austerity and wearing a mendicant’s dress. Those who know nothing about religion will mount a high seat and presume to speak on religious principles.
PURPORT-
The epidemic of bogus gurus, swamis, priests and so forth is explicitly described here. SB 12.3.38
Note: The above translation of the verses from the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Canto 12 are from the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Gopiparadhana dasa and Hrdaya ananda Swami
Srila Prabhupada explains about the position of bogus gurus
There are many gurus. They are very expert in plundering disciples’ money, but it is very difficult to find out a guru who can take out all the anxieties of the disciple
Jayatīrtha: Yesterday Nitāi found a quote from the Purāṇas that says, “There are many gurus who will take away your money, but rare is the one who will take away your miseries.
Srila Prabhupāda: Guravo bahavaḥ santi vittāpahārakaḥ
Devotee: Yes, right.
Srila Prabhupāda: guravo bahavaḥ santi vittāpahārakaḥ taṁ tu guruṁ na paśyāmi śiṣya-santā-paharakah
There are many gurus. They are very expert in plundering disciples’ money, but it is very difficult to find out a guru who can take out all the anxieties of the disciple.” Śiṣya santa-pahārakāḥ. Guru is meant for taking away the santāpa. Saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka-trāṇāya kārunya-ghanāghanatvam **. “The śiṣya will be peaceful”—objective of life—that is the business of guru, not to take away his money.
Morning Walk Conversation with His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda Honolulu, Hawaii. February 4, 1975
Srila Prabhupāda: If money is misused, then both of them become implicated. If it is not used for Kṛṣṇa, then both of them becomes under the laws of karma
Acyutānanda: If someone gives to a person for spiritual…, consciously for spiritual improvement…
Srila Prabhupāda: There is no question of…
Acyutānanda: …and the person misuses the money, does he benefit?
Srila Prabhupāda: Eh?
Acyutānanda: If a man says, “I am giving you this donation because it is a spiritual organization,” but if the money is misused, does that man benefit?
Srila Prabhupāda: If money is misused, then both of them become implicated. If it is not used for Kṛṣṇa, then both of them becomes under the laws of karma.
Acyutānanda: But that man is sincere.
Srila Prabhupāda: Well, this word sincere, there is no meaning unless he is a devotee. Ei bala ei manda sab mano dharma: “These are all mental concoction.” There is no meaning. “This man is good. This man is sincere. This man is bad. This man is…” They are all mental concoction. Only good is he who is Kṛṣṇa conscious. Others all rascals.
Srila Prabhupada warns about so-called acaryas of the age of kali
The so-called ācāryas of the Age of Kali are more concerned with exploiting the resources of their followers than mitigating their miseries
Translation-
Seeing the activities of the world, the Ācārya felt compassion and began to ponder how He could act for the people’s.
Purport-
This sort of serious interest in the welfare of the public makes one a bona fide ācārya. An ācārya does not exploit his followers. Since the ācārya is a confidential servitor of the Lord, his heart is always full of compassion for humanity in its suffering. He knows that all suffering is due to the absence of devotional service to the Lord, and therefore he always tries to find ways to change people’s activities, making them favorable for the attainment of devotion. That is the qualification of an ācārya. Although Śrī Advaita Prabhu Himself was powerful enough to do the work, as a submissive servitor He thought that without the personal appearance of the Lord, no one could improve the fallen condition of society…
The so-called ācāryas of the Age of Kali are more concerned with exploiting the resources of their followers than mitigating their miseries; but Śrī Advaita Prabhu, as an ideal ācārya, was concerned with improving the condition of the world situation CC Adi lilA 3.98
It is illegal to become a spiritual master if one is unable to deliver the disciple.
In the process of devotional service, the first step is to take shelter of the spiritual master and then inquire from the spiritual master all about the process. This inquiry is essential for immunity to all kinds of offenses on the path of devotional service. Even if one is fixed in devotional service like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, he must still inquire from the realized spiritual master all about this. In other words, the spiritual master must also be well versed and learned so that he may be able to answer all these inquiries from the devotees. Thus, one who is not well versed in the authorized scriptures and not able to answer all such relevant inquiries should not pose as a spiritual master for the matter of material gain. It is illegal to become a spiritual master if one is unable to deliver the disciple. SB 2.8.7 purport
Follow bogus guru-you go to hell
The pseudo spiritual master flatters the so-called disciple, and thereby both the master and his ward go to hell without a doubt
Unless one is perfectly anxious to inquire about the way of perfection, there is no necessity of approaching a spiritual master. A spiritual master is not a kind of decoration for a householder. Generally, a fashionable materialist engages a so-called spiritual master without any profit. The pseudo spiritual master flatters the so-called disciple, and thereby both the master and his ward go to hell without a doubt. SB 1.19.37 The Appearance of Sukadeva Gosvami
As for your next question, can only a few pure devotees deliver others, anyone, if he is a pure devotee he can deliver others, he can become spiritual master. But unless he on that platform he should not attempt it. Then both of them will to go to hell, like blind men leading the blind. 72-12-14. Letter: Tusta Krsna
Similarly, those who mislead people go to hell, and their followers go with them.
Leaders who have fallen into ignorance and who mislead people by directing them to the path of destruction [as described in the previous verse] are, in effect, boarding a stone boat, and so too are those who blindly follow them. A stone boat would be unable to float and would sink in the water with its passengers. Similarly, those who mislead people go to hell, and their followers go with them. SB 6.7.14 Indra Offends His Spiritual Master, Brhaspati
“Put your faith to the brahma-nistam,one who is God-realized”…. Otherwise there will be disaster. Right faith
Srila Prabhupada…”So there must be faith, faith in the right person. Then it is all right…. Faith is required, but to the right person. Then it will be all right. You know that one barber is honest: then you can make your neck like this and he is with a sharpened razor. But you have faith that “He will not cut my throat; he will shave me.” This is faith. And if you do not know him and if you put your neck like this and if he is a rogue, he will cut your throat. That’s all. The same faith, if you put it to the right person, you become cleansed, shaved, and the same faith put in the wrong person—your throat is cut off. So, you must know where to put the faith. So our Vedic injunction is: “Put your faith to the brahma-nistam,one who is God-realized”…. Otherwise there will be disaster. Right faith. [break]
(Morning Walk—November 26, 1975, New Delhi )
Debauchees and paramahaṁsas are not on the same level
Srila Prabhupāda: Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says: rūpa-raghunātha-pade haibe ākuti kabe hāma bujhaba se yugala pirīti.The sahajiyās’ understanding of the love affairs between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa is not bona fide because they do not follow the principles laid down by the six Gosvāmīs. Their illicit connection and their imitation of the dress of Rūpa Gosvāmī as well as their avoidance of the prescribed methods of revealed scriptures will lead them to the lowest regions of hell. These imitative sahajiyās are cheated and unfortunate. They are not equal to advanced devotees (paramahaṁsas). Debauchees and paramahaṁsas are not on the same level. Madhya 22.153: PURPORT
Mundane manufactured sound has no potency, and as such, seemingly transcendental sound received from an unauthorized person also has no potency
One has to receive the transcendental sound from the right source and accept it as a reality and prosecute the direction without any hesitation, and the secret of success is to receive the sound from the right source of a bona fide spiritual master. Mundane manufactured sound has no potency, and as such, seemingly transcendental sound received from an unauthorized person also has no potency. One should be qualified enough to discern such transcendental potency, and either by discriminating or by fortunate chance, if one is able to receive the transcendental sound from a bona fide spiritual master, his path of liberation is guaranteed. The disciple, however, must be ready to execute the order of the bona fide spiritual master, as Lord Brahmā executed the instruction of his spiritual master, the Lord Himself. Following the order of the bona fide spiritual master is the only duty of the disciple, and this completely faithful execution of the order of the bona fide spiritual master is the secret of success. April 23 1972. lecture