Guru Is Not a Fashion

(Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj Prabhupad's holy Sri Vyasa Puja Speech,
delivered on 19 August 1976 in Hyderabad, India)

Ladies and gentlemen, I must thank you for kindly coming here, to this Vyasa-puja ceremony.

This asan where they have seated me is called vyasa-asan. The guru is a representative of Vyasadev. Every one of you has heard the name of Vyasadev, or Vedavyas. So, anyone who represents the great acharya Vyasadev is allowed to sit on the vyasa-asan, and as the guru is a representative of Vyasadev, his birthday anniversary is accepted as Vyasa-puja.

Now, I must explain my position because these days a person being worshipped as a most exalted personality is something revolutionary. It is revolutionary because people like democracy – somebody should be elevated by vote, however big rascal he may be. But our system is the guru-parampara system, which is different. Here, if you do not accept the Vedic knowledge through the guru-parampara system, all your effort is useless. You cannot manufacture your own interpretation of the Vedic language.

For example, cow dung is the stool of an animal. There is a Vedic injunction according to which if you touch the stool of any animal, you have to immediately take bath and purify yourself; but another Vedic injunction is also that cow dung can purify any impure place. We, Hindus, especially accept this. Now, by reason it is contradictory: the stool of an animal is impure, but the Vedic injunction is that cow dung is pure. We actually accept cow dung as pure and use it to purify any place – cow dung and cow urine are parts of the pancha-gavya (the five auspicious ingredients supplied by cows). So, although Vedic injunctions may appear contradictory, we still accept because them because they are the order of the Vedas. This is what acceptance of the Vedas is.

Another example is Srimad Bhagavad-gita. There are so many rascals who try to strike things out, saying, 'Oh, I like this, but I do not like that.' No. Arjuna says, 'Sarvam etad rtam manye. I fully accept all that You have said' (Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 10.14). This is the understanding of the Vedas. If a rascal cuts it and says, 'No, I do not like it. I interpret it like this,' that is not Srimad Bhagavad-gita. Srimad Bhagavad-gita means that you have to accept it as it is. That is why we present Bhagavad-gita As It Is.

Krishna, the speaker of Srimad Bhagavad-gita, says,

ইমং বিবস্বতে যোগং প্রোক্তবানহমব্যয়ম্ ।
বিবস্বান্ মনবে প্রাহ মনুরিক্ষ্বাকবেঽব্রবীৎ ॥
স কালেনেহ মহতা যোগো নষ্টঃ পরন্তপ ॥

imam vivasvate yogam, proktavan aham avyayam
vivasvan manave praha, manur iksvakave 'bravit
sa kaleneha mahata, yogo nastah parantapa

'I imparted this imperishable yoga of knowledge, achieved by selfless action, to Surya, the presiding deity of the sun. Surya taught it to his son Vaivasvata Manu, who passed it on to his son Iksvaku. But in the course of time, this teaching has been lost.'

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 4.1–2)

'My dear Arjuna, I first told this Bhagavad-gita science to Sun God, and he then told it to his son.' This is the process. If anyone who does not come through this parampara system presents any interpretation of the Vedic literature, it is useless. It is useless! It has no meaning! 'Yogo nastah parantapa (যোগো নষ্টঃ পরন্তপ). The religion becomes destroyed.' This is what is going on. Such interpretations have no meaning. You cannot interpret the words of God. It is not possible.

As for dharma, 'dharma' means 'Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam. Religion is created and inspired by God Himself' (Srimad Bhagavatam, 6.3.19). You cannot manufacture your own religious system at home. That is rascaldom, and that is useless. Religion is formulated by the Lord Himself. It is just like law: the law is given by the government – you cannot manufacture your own law at home. For example, if the government law says 'Keep to the right' or 'Keep to the left' when you walk or drive down the street, it is common sense to follow it – you cannot say, 'What is wrong if I go in another direction?!' No, you cannot do that – if you do it, you will be a criminal.

Nowadays there are so many religios systems. Actually, not only nowadays, but from time immemorial there have existed so many religious systems. So many! But the real religious system is what God says (what Krishna says). 'Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. Leave all religions and only surrender to Me' (Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 18.66). This is easy and simple. You cannot manufacture religion. That is why it is said at the very beginning of Srimad Bhagavatam, 'Dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsaranam. Bhagavatam is a religion for the pure devotees who completely reject all religious activities motivated by material gain and who are free from envy' (Srimad Bhagavatam, 1.1.2).

So, somebody may envy, 'This person has sophisticated some disciples, and they are offering him prayers and puja!' No. There is a system. Do not envy. 'Acharyam mam vijaniyan navamanyeta karhichit. [Krishna says] You should know the bona fide spiritual master as My very Self' (Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.17.27). The acharya is the representative of God. 'Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado. If you please him, you please God.' If you offer prayers and honour to the acharya, then Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is pleased. To please Him, you have to please His representative (if you love me, love my dog). In Srimad Bhagavad-gita (13.8) it is also said, 'Acharyopasanam. We must worship the acharya.'

যস্য দেবে পরা ভক্তির্যথা দেবে তথা গুরৌ ।
তস্যৈতে কথিতা হ্যর্থাঃ প্রকাশন্তে মহাত্মনঃ ॥

yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau
tasyaite kathita hy arthah prakasante mahatmanah

‘Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of the Vedic knowledge automatically revealed.’

(Svetasvatara Upanisad, 6.23)

This is a Vedic mantra.

তদ্বিজ্ঞানার্থং স গুরুমেবাভিগচ্ছেৎ
সমিৎপাণিঃ শ্রোত্রিয়ং ব্রহ্মনিষ্ঠম্ ॥

tad-vijnartham sa gurum evabhigachchhet
samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham

'In order to learn the transcendental science, one must approach the bona fide spiritual master in disciplic succession, who is fixed in the Absolute Truth.'

(Mundaka Upanisad, 1.2.12)

তস্মাদ্গুরুং প্রপদ্যেত জিজ্ঞাসুঃ শ্রেয়ঃ উত্তমম্ ।
শাব্দে পরে চ নিষ্ণাতং ব্রহ্মণ্যুপশমাশ্রয়ম্ ॥

tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreyah uttamam
sabde pare cha nisnatam brahmany upasamasrayam

'Thus, a person in search of the ultimate good should surrender to the Guru who knows well the Vedic scriptures and the Supreme Absolute Lord, and for whom the mundane world holds no charm whatsoever.'

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.3.21)

তদ্­বিদ্ধি প্রণিপাতেন পরিপ্রশ্নেন সেবয়া ।
উপদেক্ষ্যন্তি তে জ্ঞানং জ্ঞানিনস্তত্ত্বদর্শিনঃ ॥

tad viddhi pranipatena, pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam, jnaninas tattva-darsinah

‘You will be able to attain knowledge by satisfying the divine master with submission, relevant inquiry and sincere service. The enlightened souls who are learned in scriptural knowledge and endowed with direct realisation of the Supreme Absolute Truth will impart divine knowledge to you.’

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 4.34)

So, these are the injunctions. The guru must come through the parampara system, then he is bona fide; otherwise, he is a rascal.

In order to understand the transcendental science (tad-vijnanam), you must approach a guru. You cannot say, 'Oh, I can understand it myself at home.' No. It is not possible. That is the injunction of all sastras.

তস্মাদ্গুরুং প্রপদ্যেত জিজ্ঞাসুঃ শ্রেয়ঃ উত্তমম্ ।
শাব্দে পরে চ নিষ্ণাতং ব্রহ্মণ্যুপশমাশ্রয়ম্ ॥

tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreyah uttamam
sabde pare cha nisnatam brahmany upasamasrayam

'Thus, a person in search of the ultimate good should surrender to the Guru who knows well the Vedic scriptures and the Supreme Absolute Lord, and for whom the mundane world holds no charm whatsoever.'

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.3.21)

Who requires a guru? A guru is not a fashion: just like you keep a dog as a fashion in the modern 'civilisation', similarly you can keep a guru. No, not like that. Who requires a guru? 'Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam. A person in search of the ultimate good should surrender to the guru' (Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.3.21). One who is actually serious about understanding the science of the spirit soul (tad vijnanam, om tat sat) requires a guru. The guru is not a fashion.

So, Krishna says, 'Acharyam mam vijaniyan. Accept the acharya as being Me' (Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.17.27). Why should I do this? I see that he is just a man – his sons call him father, he looks like a man, and so on – so why should he be as good as God? Because he speaks as God speaks. That is all. The guru does not make any changes. Just like God says, 'Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. Leave all religions and only surrender to Me' (Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 18.66), the guru also says, 'Surrender to Krishna', 'Surrender to God.' It is the same words. God says, 'Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto, mad-yaji mam namaskuru. Always think of Me, be My devotee, always worship Me and offer obeisances to Me (Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 18.65), and the guru says, 'Always think about Krishna, surrender unto Him, offer Him prayers, become His devotee' – there is no change. Because he says what the Supreme Personality says, therefore he is a guru. Even though you see that he is materially born and behaves like other men, but because he says the same truth as is spoken in the Vedas or by the Personality of Godhead (he does not whimsically make any changes), therefore he is a guru. This is the definition of a guru. It is very simple.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu asked everyone to become a guru. Everyone. Because there is a need for a guru – the world is full of rascals, so there is a need for so many gurus to teach them. But what is the qualification of a guru? How can everyone become a guru? This may be the next question.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says, 'Amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa' (Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.7.128). 'Ei desa' means, 'Wherever you live, become a guru there and deliver them.' Suppose you live in a small neighbourhood – you can become a guru of that neighbourhood and deliver whoever lives there. You may wonder, 'How is it possible? I have no education, I have no knowledge. How can I become a guru and deliver them?' Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says, 'It is not difficult at all. Yare dekha, tare kaha 'Krsna'-upadesa – whoever you see, tell them about Krishna.' That is your qualification. If you simply deliver the message given by Krishna, you become a guru.

Krishna said, 'Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. Leave all religions and only surrender to Me' (Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 18.66). So, preach and request everyone, 'Sir, please surrender to Krishna,' then you become a guru. It is a very simple thing. Krishna said, 'Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto, mad-yaji mam namaskuru. Always think of Me, be My devotee, always worship Me and offer obeisances to Me (Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 18.65). So, approach everybody and say, 'Please become a devotee of Krishna, please offer obeisances to Krishna. Here is a temple, here is Krishna – please come here, offer your obeisances. And if you can, offer also some leaf, flower, fruit or water (patram puspam phalam toyam; Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 9.26).' Actually, it is a very simple thing – anyone can secure a little flower, a little fruit or a little water. It is not at all difficult.

So, this is the guru's qualification. The guru does not show any magic or produce any wonderful things. This is what I personally have done – people give me credit saying that I have done miracles, but my miracle is that I simply carried Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's message: 'Yare dekha, tare kaha 'Krsna'-upadesa. Whoever you see, tell them about Krishna' (Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.7.128). That is the secret. So, any one of you can become a guru. It is not that I am an extraordinary man or an extraordinary 'god' coming from some mysterious place. It is not like that. It is a very simple thing.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says that 'Yare dekha, tare kaha 'Krsna'-upadesa. Whoever you see, tell them about Krishna' (Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, 2.7.128), so I request you: please follow Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's instruction and become a guru at your home, too! It is not that you have to make a gigantic show of becoming a guru. The father has to become a guru, the mother has to become a guru. Actually, it is said in the sastra that one should not become a father or a mother if they do not become gurus to their children (na mochayed yah samupeta-mrtyam).

গুরুর্ন স স্যাৎ স্বজনো ন স স্যাৎ,
পিতা ন স স্যাজ্জননী ন সা স্যাৎ ।
দৈবং ন তৎ স্যান্ন পতিশ্চ স স্যান্ন,
মোচয়েদ্ যঃ সমুপেতমৃত্যুম্ ॥

gurur na sa syat svajano na sa syat
pita na sa syaj janani na sa syat
daivam na tat syan na patis cha sa syan
na mochayed yah samupeta-mrtyam

"It is not your guru, it is not your family, it is not your father, it is not your mother, it is not your god, it is not your husband if that person cannot save you from the world of birth and death."

(Srimad Bhagavatam, 5.5.18)

If a man is unable to save his child from the clutches of birth and death, he should not become a father. This is the real contraceptive method. Having sex like cats and dogs and then, when the child is there, kill it with abortion – not like this! No. These are the greatest sinful activities. The real contraceptive method is that if you are unable to deliver your son from the clutches of birth and death, do not become a father! This is what is necessary. This is the principle of the whole Vedic literature.

Punar janma jayayah: How to conquer the next material birth? They do not know it. Foolish people, they have forgotten the Vedic culture. What is the Vedic culture? The Vedic culture is to conquer the next birth, that is all. But they do not believe in the next birth – 99.9% people have gone so far down, away from the Vedic culture. Srimad Bhagavad-gita expresses the same philosophy: 'Tyaktva deham punar janma, naiti mam eti so 'rjuna. O Arjuna, one who comes to know thus the truth of My pastimes of divine birth and activities, does not undergo rebirth' (Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 4.9). This is the Vedic culture. The Vedic culture means we come to this human form of life by the evolutionary process and there is a chance of stopping this transmigration of the soul from one body to another. All living entities attain another body at death (tatha dehantara praptir; Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 2.13), and you do not know what kind of body you are going to get next – it may be the body of a prime minister or something else, it may be the body of a dog. It is determined by the laws of nature.

প্রকৃতেঃ ক্রিয়মাণানি গুণৈঃ কর্ম্মাণি সর্ব্বশঃ ।
অহঙ্কারবিমূঢ়াত্মা কর্ত্তাহমিতি মন্যতে ॥

prakrteh kriyamanani, gunaih karmani sarvasah
ahankara-vimudhatma, kartaham iti manyate

'All actions in the world are in every respect effected by the modes of material nature (which impel the senses). But a man deluded by bodily identification thinks, "I alone am accomplishing this work."'

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita, 3.27)

They do not know this; they have forgotten this culture. Misusing this human form of body, they eat, sleep, mate and defend like animals – this is not civilisation. Civilisation is 'punar janma jayayah': realising how to conquer the next material birth. That is Krishna consciousness movement.

Therefore, we are presenting so many literatures and they are being accepted by the learned circle all over the world. Take advantage of this movement. In our humble attempt, we have tried to open a center here in Hyderabad – do not be envious of us; kindly show us some mercy. We are making our humble attempt, please take advantage of it. That is our request.

Thank you very much.

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