Mahasrnga Dāsa [ACBSP] – Jaipur: He told us to follow the 4 rules and regulations, to chant 16 rounds, rise early, be clean, no long hairs, follow his instructions and many other pertinent things. Anyone who claims to be a disciple or follower of Srila Prabhupada must come to the conclusion that pleasing His Divine Grace is pretty much the only way to get to the spiritual world and be eternally happy. And of course pleasing him means following his instructions.
This means he was/is/will be the authority for his ISKCON as long as it exists;
Lecture, Srimad Bhagavatam, 6.1.16 Denver, June 29, 1975
Any question?
Devotee (1): Does one have to be a pure devotee to be a…? The twelve authorities, are they all pure devotees?
Srila Prabhupada: Why do you ask this question? YOU HAVE NO SENSE. WITHOUT PURE DEVOTEE, WHO THEY BECAME AUTHORITY? You are ask the question, “Is Mr. Rockefeller a rich man?” Your question is like that. He is known a very rich man, and he has foundation. If you ask, “Is he a rich man?” is that very intelligent question? UNLESS PURE DEVOTEE, HOW THEY ARE AUTHORIZED?
Prabhupada made it crystal clear that one must surrender to a pure devotee, of which with the collapse of the 42 and counting, shows tens of thousands didn’t understand that point.
Lecture, Bhagavad-gita 7.9 Vrindavan, August 15, 1974
Revati-nandana: …….. Sometimes this question comes up, with the devotees especially, that it says the devotee makes advancement when the spiritual master is pleased. Right? So sometimes the spiritual master is far, far away. He may be in Los Angeles. Somebody is coming to Hamburg temple. He thinks, “How will the spiritual master be pleased?”
Srila Prabhupada: Just follow his order. Spiritual master is along with you by his words. Just like my spiritual master is not physically present, but I am associating with him by his words.
Revati-nandana: And Krishna knows that; therefore we make advancement. He is sitting in our heart. He knows what we’re doing. So He sees, “He’s serving My pure devotee,” immediately there is advancement.
Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Spiritual master…, Krishna is not limited. It is not material. You can associate with Krishna and the spiritual master in any circumstance, provided you want two things. Just like we can associate with Krishna immediately if we take Bhagavad-gita as it is. He is not different from Bhagavad-gita. Nama-rupe kali-kale Krishna-avatara. Krishna is incarnated in His name in this age. You associate with Krishna’s name, immediately associate with Krishna.Lecture, Srimad Bhagavatam, 1.8.25, Vrindavan, October 5, 1974
Therefore nobody can understand Krishna without being trained up by a self-realized devotee. If a… If one takes the shelter of Krishna’s representative, devotee, then it doesn’t matter what he is. Kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah, ye ’nye ca papa yad-apasrayasrayah. If he has taken shelter of a pure devotee—never mind he’s a kirata, huna, andhra, pulinda, pulkasa—he is sudhyanti
AND;
Lecture, Srimad Bhagavatam, 63,18-19, Gorakhpur, December 2, 1971
Therefore one has to take shelter of a PURE DEVOTEE. That is the only solution. He says, naisam matis tavad urukramangrhim. The beginning was that “They are not interested in Krishna consciousness.” Then how to become Krishna conscious if that is the solution? Then Prahlada Maharaja says, naisam matis tavad: “So long one does not approach a pure devotee,” mahiyasam niskincananam, “great personalities, who has no more any material interest,” niskincana, “and takes the dust of his lotus feet on the head…” Naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim: “So long one does not approach such personality, there is no possibility of becoming Krishna conscious.” Naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim. As soon as one approaches the pure devotee and takes the dust of his lotus feet and puts it on his head, immediately, anartha apagamah, he’ll be freed from all this nonsense. That means he’ll forget this idea that “Materially we can advance.”
This is the process. So we have to approach a niskincana, who has nothing to do with this material world. His only ambition is to serve more Krishna. And if somebody approaches him and takes the dust of his lotus feet, then he can understand. Mahiyasam pada-rajo-’bhisekam niskincananam na vrnita yavat.
SOMETHING IS WRONG, SOMEWHERE AND PEOPLE ARE FOCUSING ON THE GURU ISSUE:
PRABHUPADA: Try to understand. Don’t go very speedily. A guru can become guru when he’s ordered by his guru. That’s all. Otherwise, nobody can become guru.
In Nairobi ,Lecture on Bhagavad-gita 7.2, Nairobi, October 28, 1975.
Was the order given? GBC say yes, Ritviks and Sun say NO, fence sitters are still thinking. The zonals kicked out anyone who questioned or spoke up about this issue and the GBC refuse to discuss. It’s time we came back, organized and took back our ISKCON.