19910107 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.8

The following is a lecture given by His Holiness Jāyapatākā Swāmī on January 7th, 1991 in Melbourne, Australia. The class begins with a reading from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, First Canto, Chapter 1, Verse 8.

Jāyapatākā Swami: (leads chanting of the verse) (devotees repeat)

vettha tvaṁ saumya tat sarvaṁ tattvatas tad-anugrahāt
brūyuḥ snigdhasya śiṣyasya guravo guhyam apy uta

Translation: And because you are submissive, your spiritual masters have endowed you with all the favors bestowed upon a gentle disciple. Therefore you can tell us all that you have scientifically learned from them.

Purport: The secret of success in spiritual life is in satisfying the spiritual master and thereby getting his sincere blessings. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has sung in his famous eight stanzas on the spiritual master as follows: “I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master. Only by his satisfaction can one please the Personality of Godhead, and when he is dissatisfied there is only havoc on the path of spiritual realization.” It is essential, therefore, that a disciple be very much obedient and submissive to the bona fide spiritual master. Śrīla Sūta Gosvāmī fulfilled all these qualifications as a disciple, and therefore he was endowed with all favors by his learned and self-realized spiritual masters such as Śrīla Vyāsadeva and others. The sages of Naimiṣāraṇya were confident that Śrīla Sūta Gosvāmī was bona fide. Therefore they were anxious to hear from him.

Thus, ends the Bhaktivedānta Svāmi translation and purport to Canto 1, Chapter 1, Text 8 of the Srimad Bhagavatam in the matter of the questions by the sages, or questions by the sages, spoken today in Melbourne ISKCON, 504th year after Lord Caitanya January 7th 1991.

This verse reveals some secrets of the secrets of the success of spiritual life, is in satisfying the spiritual master and getting his sincere blessings. I remember in Māyāpura Dhāma, Śrīla Prabhupāda was establishing the Māyāpura project, which was to build the biggest Temple, or most fabulous Temple. Or wonderful Temple, to develop his spiritual city and and one day, it was on the disappearance of His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhakthi Siddhantha Sarasvati Thakura.

I mentioned this before, that Śrīla Prabhupāda after explaining the significance of the tirobhāva-tithi of the spiritual master, the disappearance festival. Then he mentioned that historically how Bhakti Vinoda Ṭhākura had begged door to door and built the first temple at the birthplace of Lord Caitanya. Of course, we also know historically that, Jagannātha Dāsa Bābājī helped him, located the exact location.

Then Prabhupāda said he had traced out all the disciplic succession, all the gurus were attracted to something, to develop Śrīdhāma Māyāpura. His spiritual master Śrīla Bhaktisiddhantha Saraswati Thakura had also built the birth place temple and showed them develop the holy birthplace of Lord Caitanya for Māyāpura Dhāma. Visiting many holy placing, building temples there.

So Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “I am also trying to do something, following in their footsteps”. And he said that “the secret of success is to please the previous ācāryas”. It is said that the secret of success is to please the previous acāryas. Then he said that he was very grateful to his followers who were also trying to (inaudible 5:31) assisting in developing the holy dhāma of Māyāpur, which was desires so much of our previous ācāryas and that's how Śrīla Prabhupāda would liaise with me when he choked up, he couldn't speak anymore. Tears were pouring through his eyes, front of the eyes and after a while he would ask us to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and that was the end of the night, basically.

So, several times Śrīla Prabhupāda, he revealed how much he was always in that mood of trying to please the previous ācāryas. It was necessary and so he repeated all the time, it was obvious that he was thinking about that, all of the time. Not that the ācārya considers himself the new authority and he forgets about all the previous ācāryas, That may be the Māyāvādī system. We have heard that Māyāvādī’s, they all think that when they become sannyāsī, or they become guru, they think they have become God. So they can do whatever they like. Guru brahmā, guru viṣṇu, guru devo maheśvara, like this type of mantra.

So, we understand that for them, the previous guru is something like a doormat, you step your foot on his head, and you go into the nirvan or brahma-jyoti. But in our Vaiṣṇava tradition, we are personalists, and we are always remembering the previous ācāryas in disciplic succession and trying to keep their desires at the top of our consciousness.

Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He illustrated this very strongly. Although the first commentator of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by Śrīdhara Swami, did not, no he gave a nice connotation of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. But it may not have been the most extensive, actually later on other commentators further expounded on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

But Lord Caitanya didn't appreciate this commentary, didn't respect, the original commentators. In fact, when one commentator, somehow reduced the position of Śrīdhara Swami’s commentation, then Lord Caitanya said that “You are not being loyal to your Swami”. Indirectly He was saying an allegory that Swami means both sannyāsī, also means husband. And so, this other woman, she is not faithful to her husband, it means indirectly you are saying she is like a loose woman, or even a prostitute.

Lord Caitanya, He was very strict on this point, whoever the previous ācārya are, we always offer them respect, we take whatever contribution they have had to offer. We try to preserve that, expand it, and if we can expand something, further develop it, that’s alright. But not at their expense, with all respects and honor and accreditation given to them, not that we are trying to monarch them. We are rather trying to serve them and fulfill their purpose. They will be more pleased if we are able to further what they have done and further expand it. It's not that, because Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura built a bigger temple than Bhakti Vinoda Ṭhākura, that was an offence to Bhakti Vinoda Ṭhākura? Rather how much more pleased would Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura will be that a bigger temple came?

Similarly, in ISKCON if we are able to build a more glorious beautiful temple for Lord Caitanya at the holy dhāma of Māyāpur. Certainly that would be more pleased, and giving more pleasure to previous ācāryas. Some of the contemporary preachers in Māyāpur were trying to hint to Prabhupāda to build a bigger temple than the birthplace, that would be displeasing to the previous ācāryas. All this is a political statement.

So Śrīla Prabhupāda was illustrating that, actually his desire was always rather to please them. So sometimes this came out like that, so he revealed, how much he was thinking about pleasing them. And he mentioned that, if anybody can build a thirty story skyscraper in Māyāpur. That they would be taken back to the spiritual world. Then someone asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, “If we get the President of United states and the king of England to come and open up, at the inauguration day of the big temple, will that be pleasing to the previous ācāryas?” or something like that, then Śrīla Prabhupāda said, “If you can do that, then Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura would come from the spiritual world to take you hand in hand, right back.” (Devotees: Laughing).

So that way Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was, he was just always keeping in his heart, that this something very pleasing to the previous ācāryas. This is how they wanted it, this is what they wanted, and this way he was instructing. So, hearing this verse, the great sages, they were glorifying Sūta Goswami. He was submissive to your spiritual master; therefore, they have endowed you, with all their blessings. Submissiveness and insolence for [Break] What’s the opposite of submissiveness? Un-submissiveness? (Devotees Laughing), those who are un-submissive (Devotees laughing) they won’t follow what the previous ācāryas are saying. They will have to present their ideas, of something exclusive or better, or do they not follow their instructions?

So, in this way they are actually creating a disturbance to the disciplic succession. So, the point that Prabhupāda said, “that they were, the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya were confident that Srila Sūta Goswami was bonafide, therefore they were interested from hearing from him”.

What is the qualification of being bonofide? If someone is un-submissive to their guru, then how can he represent the guru? If someone is not submissive and learning everything from the guru and then faithully presenting the same idea, then that guru-paraṁparā transmission, how will it be maintained?

By oral reception, by the blessings of the guru, someone can understand the Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy, can get the essence of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and then in turn can hand that on. But if someone is not submissive, if they are not listening like that, then naturally. If they are putting their own ideas, that same message is not being handed down, there is something tainted, something different.

So, this was what Śrīla, what Lord Caitanya was protesting against to one great paṇḍita, that “you may be very learned, but because you are neglecting the original commentator, therefore you have deviated. We have to preserve what they have done and then further and if we have that, we can explain something further, but not at their expense”.

Whether we carried to be more intelligent than the previous ācāryas and present our ideas as being contradictory to them, then how they are bonafide? We are slightly deviating. That was the problem of Sūta Goswami’s father, he was also extremely arrogant. But somehow, he was not giving the point, the essence, some act of submissiveness was there. When the original guru Balarāma was seen, he should have stood up, offered some respect. It's an ordinary thing, where the Lord himself has come. Vyāsāsana means you are sitting on the seat of Vyāsa, you are representing Vyāsa, if Vyāsadeva himself comes, simply he'll get up and offer respect. If he tells to sit back down give the class then he'll do it. But if you are offered and you are the person I am representing, you come, whenever you want, it's your seat.

So here Balarāma is coming, but he is thinking that I am on the seat. I don't have to offer respect to anybody, there somehow his vision got a little tainted. Otherwise why Balarāma walk up to him, and give him a little, grass on my head (Devotees Laughing) which took away his life air. Left everybody without a teacher. There is no doubt that Romahaṣaṇa was a great paṇḍita, otherwise he would not be sitting there in front of all the great sages. But why was he kicked off his seat? Why was he lowered down? He wouldn't offer his obeisances or respects to Balarāma, he was forced to lie down on the ground, before Balarāma.

So, we can understand here that, although scientific learning is essential to be able to speak on the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But even more essential, or the essential part more than scientific knowledge we learn the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is that, one was submissive to his spiritual master. And is being faithful to that message. If we find something different, somebody is presenting that I know something different from my guru, in a way which is not respectful, is not a sign that person is greater. It is a sign that the person maybe like Romaharṣaṇa, unqualified.

So, it is very important to be faithful and submissive to the instructions of the previous ācāryas. That is our faith with the whole disciplic succession. So that is what the great sages were analyzing, this was their teacher, their guru, they saw that Balarāma was accepting Sūta Goswami. Then they are reflecting, why Sūta Goswami is being put in Vyāsasana (inaudible 16:14) because he is submissive, he is faithful. He has learnt from his spiritual masters and he has received their blessings, for his submissive, faithful nature.

There may be a challenging disciple, or there may be a motivating disciple, or there may be many kinds of disciple. The general disciple is concerned, how to please his spiritual master. It is a type of disciple that everyone needs to be, following in the footsteps of this great devotee. Also, before accepting a guru, someone should be confident that the guru is bonafide. That confidence should not be based on some sentiments, but should be based on real criteria, of who is a bonafide guru.

Many people are confident that someone is a bonafide guru, because he can produce ashes from his t-shirt, or he can make rasagullās appear from the air. One famous magician recently came to Māyāpur, and said he is exposed one famous, so called avatāra, but he was nothing but a magician. When he came up to the magician, and magician was disposing as an ordinary person, and he said that “I am feeling anxiety, my Lord please bless me that I can be peaceful, give me your blessings”. So then that so called avatāra, he was like this, and handed him a rasagullā (Devotees Laughing) (inaudible 17:49) something like this.

We can do that also but still we are not getting peace. Here please take a sandwich. (Devotees Laughing)

Who are you!?

Immediately they took him to the back, they said “Why you are doing all these things?,

You are just doing magical tricks but you are presenting yourself like you are some avatāra? This can't be an honest magician”.

He said “Don't mind please, don't say anything to anyone, you know I am just trying to do some good religious work, people are getting some inspirations, don’t, please don’t mess up my things” (Devotees Laughing)

These things are going on, so people are having faith in such magicians, they are just showing some tricks. No question of paramparā, no question of anything. Just through some sentiments, oh yes, he is very great, he is avatāra. So just like some sentiments, sentiment will be there, but that sentiment also has to be based on sādhu, śāstra or guru.

So, the sages perceived that yes Sūta Goswami, he was there at that time, heard from Śukadeva Goswami. He was blessed by Vyāsadeva, he was blessed by all, he was very submissive. He is blessed by Lord Balarāma, so they are confident, yes, he is a proper disciple.

What is the first qualification of a guru?

Prabhupāda explains “his first qualification, he has to be a disciple” [Break] actually the guru, is actually first be a disciple.

When Śrīla Prabhupāda was asked “what is the secret of your success?” he also mentioned this point, that “I am just trying to please my spiritual master”. “If I could do anything right, I tried to listen to him very carefully”, by listening, then one is able to repeat, if you don't listen, how can you repeat? [Break] he explained. So Śrīla Prabhupāda was a very good listener, he also mentioned that. One time he would always stay to listen to Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.

One day they were going on a Navadvīpa parikramā, They had gone with Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura visiting many holy places. There was one holy place, I forget which one it was, it was a little bit off, too big and track. So people were given the choice, you can go with the party and see that place and then we will come back the next day, or those who want to, they can just remain here at the main camp and here Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura give class.

So Śrīla Prabhupāda thought it was more important to hear from the guru, than to just go to see some holy places. So, he stayed back to listen to Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. While he was listening, somebody came up to him and tapped him on the shoulders. Prabhupāda was ignoring this and kept on listening to every word that Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saravatī was saying. And this person kept on tapping and tapping, wanting to tell him something. Finally succumbing to that person’s poking, he just turned his head and said, “What is it?”, immediately in that moment, Bhakti Siddhānta Ṭhākura was kind of mellowed out. “Now you don't need to listen anymore? Ignoring me?” or something like that, or something to that effect, I don't know his exact words, but don't need to listen anymore. So then Prabhupāda was focused on the class, and after that he felt like he got a special blessing from Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. Just that little bit of being noticed that, his listening was important to Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, proved to him that he was also speaking directly to him.

Anyways, he felt very much, by being chastised, he felt more blessed.

When Śrīla Prabhupāda wanted to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, it was other Vaiṣṇavas that told him, “What is the use? How will you preach in the western countries? Those people are so much in the modes of ignorance and passion?” so he said Lord Caitanya said

pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma
sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma.

“We should spread this message to every town and village throughout the whole entire world!”, “Oh! at that time the world just meant India. He just meant by ‘pṛthivīte' meaning the Whole India”. “India never, Pṛthivīte means whole world! Doesn’t mean just one continent”.

But they weren't accepting, neither was Prabhupāda accepting their version. He knew that Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura sent people to the Western countries wanting the preaching to go abroad and send people to London. So, therefore he was determined to, he knew what Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura wanted, and he was determined try to fulfill that.

So, this is the meaning of a gentle disciple, someone who is dedicated to carrying out submissively the instructions of the spiritual master. So Śrīla Prabhupāda, I remember, in Māyāpur , also one time he was stating how [Break] Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura was always by his side, and every moment he was by his side. And how he was simply dependent upon his mercy in order to be Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Actually, there was some criticism, because he didn't, every time he drove into Māyāpur he didn't get down and bow down at the samādhī temple of Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura.

But he would explain that, when we go by, I was in the car, I was with him, he would say you go like this to the temple. But we didn't go by, because he didn't stop, he stopped once or twice, but he didn't stop every time. They said he didn't, he heard him that such a great preacher had such a little insignificant temple build for his samādhī. And moreover, that the deity, he thought was made in the image of, it was more like Rupānuga, it didn't look like Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura at all. So, he was like, the deity was cheap, (audio not clear) Plus he would go there and they would put him through a(inaudible:24:36)

So, he offered his respects, but when he heard that he was criticizing like that, and then he became a little indignant, that Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, my spiritual master he is always by my side. Everything I am doing, my whole purpose of doing everything, is for his pleasure. Becouse he was concern that we would be affected by this criticism Śrīla Prabhupāda in his purport, anxious that we dont have a similar situation, he was forced to be in. Were there were many senior disciples, but they weren't cooperating together. And Prabhupāda’s intention was always to bring in unity amongst all those senior Vaiṣṇavas.

I remember in 1972 when we had the first Gaura-pūrṇimā festival, and we laid Ananta-Śeṣa, Prabhupāda went deep in underground of twelve foot hole and laid the Ananta-Śeṣa and did abhiṣeka. And said this will maintain the entire project on his head, and he will, Ananta-Śeṣa will be carrying it on his head. So that time he called all of his godbrothers and godnephews, whoever, ācāryas of different branches of the Gauḍīya Maṭha. He called them all together and he simply requested that “Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura wanted us all to cooperate together."

Let us form a new GBC and cooperate together and simply work for spreading this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement together, unitedly, which was his desire. I got manpower, I got money, I am willing to offer everything I have to disposal. Let us work together and cooperate together”. But then one by one they all faded out. Later one person said, admitted that, “Swamījī you are world preacher, if we join with you, then you will be head and shoulder above us, it’s better to be the big fish in the little pond, than to be a small fish in the big pond” (Devotees Laughing)

Prabhupāda would discuss that what we do in spiritual level (Devotees: Laughing), You should not have to become fish, you should become (Devotees:Laughing) submissive disciples of the previous ācāryas. So then Śrīla Prabhupāda, he proceeded to organize ISKCON in the way that he knew Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura wanted to have this sampradāya organised. And he requested his followers to preach. “Learn from other’s mistakes, don't make the same mistake”, somehow or other stay united in serving his instructions.

So of course, there are many tests by Kali-yuga and māyā. But somehow or other devotees are remaining steadfast in their determination, to submissively follow obediently Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions. And that is what we can understand from this verse, that is the secret of success in spiritual life.

We need Śrīla Prabhupāda’s blessings, every moment, and we know that by trying to carry out his instructions. Because he is all merciful and the previous ācāryas are all so merciful, that their blessings will be forthcoming, and are coming. Spiritual life is not just something external, it's something sublime. It's something which is always in connection with Kṛṣṇa, because it's not different from Kṛṣṇa.

Devotional service is one of His, is one form of Kṛṣṇa, so we cannot neglect Kṛṣṇa and His pure devotees in order to do some devotional service. We always have to be submissively following it. And that's where of course the Vaiṣṇavas help each other, because in case one person gets a little bit off, some other senior devotees may advice that this is not the ideal thing. This is not, it doesn't appear to be pleasing to the previous ācārya,Srila Prabhupada. That’s our protection, not that we should resent that someone, but we should always be testing ourself, when someone else is asking us that question, ‘is what you doing pleasing to Śrīla Prabhupāda?’, we should take him as the greatest blessing. We should analyze, whether it is, and if we feel it is, then we should defend how it is, or that kind of introspection and verification is helpful. Because we know that the mind can be our best friend if its controlled, it could be our worst enemy, if its uncontrolled, and if it is not serving Prabhupāda then it is out of control.

It's like, Dhruva mahārāja, he is a great devotee, there is no doubt about his sincerity of purpose. But then taking revenge against his brother being killed by yakṣas, he declared war against the whole yakṣas. It was getting so much out of hand, millions of yakṣas were getting destroyed.

Then finally Brahmadeva came down as the original guru of the universe, and he just told Dhuruva mahārāja that, “Whatever happened, it’s alright but - enough is enough (Audience:Laughing) and what you are doing is not really would be pleasing to Kṛṣṇa. That for one yakṣa, all the yakṣas, even the innocent yakṣas, that had nothing to do with the murdering of his brother, they should all be punished?”.

So, then he came to his senses and everything was worked out. The leader of the yakṣas, Kuvera became down so everything was amicably settled. So even though a great devotee may get carried away in particular service. But then thats the duty of the Superior senior devotees or the other pure Vaiṣṇavas, sometimes they say something. Or even any devotee can ask, is what you're doing is correct? So, then we have to defend that, this is correct, that this is correct for this reason. Because everything we do should be backed up by the śāstra, by the orders of the guru and by the example of other Vaiṣṇavas.

Otherwise it is easy to start speculating, through logic we can prove anything. Lord Caitanya is Nimāi Paṇḍita, he once said that, “I can challenge anyone with logic and I can defeat them. After defeating them, then I will take their position, and I will defeat myself and reprove them, then again, I will take the opposite side, and repeat that again by higher logic in this way go on, logic is such a thing”. [Break]Later he says that, “now I understand all this logic, does not leave one to the absolute understanding of Kṛṣṇa consciousness (inaudible:31:42) bohut door, It leads you far away from actual logic, ultimately we have to hear from the previous ācārya, that is the higher logic.

That, they know, they are revealing the truth. So here in this verse also it mentions that, because you have, because he was endowed with favors by his learned self realised spiritual masters, he was listening to them carefully. [Break] was a proper teacher because he was conversive to all the philosophies. He has learned everything from his teacher, you learn from the previous guru and then you instruct it. This is the context and applied in wrong sense, that creates some confusion.

Prabhupāda said the disciple when he is listening to the spiritual master, that his mind should be like a clear slate, like the black board. Here is a white board (Devotees Laughing), and the guru is just writing on it. He had just been hearing everything that the guru said, then afterwards he will see, ok, this is what the guru said, let me try to digest it, try to realise, understand it. If somehow, you are not able to digest it. Like you are getting indigestion. Then he has to bring it back out, so ask him submissive enquiries, “so what is this meaning, I don't understand it?”. Then after everything is thoroughly understood and digested it fully, then you are able to repeat it properly to others.

So, the principle mentioned by Jīva Gosvāmī is that one should always be serving as Vaiṣṇavas. We should be serving Kṛṣṇa through the Vaiṣṇavas.

Prabhupāda explained that how the Vaiṣṇavas were so dear to Kṛṣṇa, he said in the Bhāgavatam. That the Vaiṣṇava sits in his heart, and that he is in the heart of the Vaiṣṇava. That the Vaiṣṇava is even more dear to him, than himself.

So, He is more pleased when someone is serving His devotees than when someone is trying to directly approach Him or serve Him. Serving Vaiṣṇavas the principle, even Rādhārāṇī states, when she sees some other devotee serving Kṛṣṇa nicely, she wants to go and serve that devotee. There is competition between Rādhārāṇī and the gopīs, That competition between Rādhārāṇī  and the gopīs, Rādhārāṇī  is trying to push the gopīs ahead to go and serve Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa is expecting Rādhārāṇī to come, but instead she pushes forward Lalitā, Viśākhā or some Indulekhā or someone, and they go to serve Kṛṣṇa. But they want to push her forward and say, “No you go and serve Kṛṣṇa”. They are more pleased to see her serving Kṛṣṇa, so like this there is a competition. So, all these top Vaiṣṇavas are serving the Vaiṣṇavas. Thats there mood and Kṛṣṇa himself, he wants to serve His devotees.

This is interesting, one time I was looking for the birthplace of Kṛṣṇadas Kavirāja, and some other places which were not easily accessible. There is no road there, but we had to cross by some river and road and some dirt road. So, I went to the birth temple of Lord Caitanya established by Gadādhara Dāsa. At the place where Lord Caitanya took sannyāsa. And the chief pūjārī there, is very favorable to ISKCON, so I requested him, he is also like a caste guru, but he is favorable to vegetarian, somewhat strict. He is maintaining that tradition.

So, I asked him if he could please send a disciple or some devotee with us to guide us. If he knew which is the area, where the birth place of Kṛṣṇadas Kavirāja, samadhi temple of Udara Data Thakur, the āśrama of Gaura Ganga Goswamiji, many other holy places, he knew where they were. Which were not on the map even, or they were on the map but it was hard to find them. So, we had come all the way by jeep, we had to take the jeep across the river by bamboo boat, there was no bridge, there was no ferries, it was very tricky. I wanted to get going quickly, before it was already mid day. He had just finished offering the noon prasādam to the deities.

So, I said,“look, we came all the way from Māyāpur, took us, you know, we left in the morning, now it is afternoon, we want to go and finish the work”. He said “you should take prasādam first”. So, I said “we have to do Kṛṣṇa’s work, we had no time to be concerned about ourselves right now”. He said “well, as the pūjārī of this temple, I am acting on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, you have to do Kṛṣṇa’s work, but Kṛṣṇa’s own work is to serve His devotees. If you want me to give you a guide, you have to accept prasāda first (Audience: Laughing), then only I will give you a guide, Kṛṣṇa wants to serve His devotees, so you have to accept, otherwise, I am sorry” (Devotees Laughing) well if you present it like that (Devotees Laughing).

So here we are discussing the point of course, competition. The devotee wants to serve Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa also, He is serving His devotees. Direct from the Gosvāmī’s literature, this thing has come up several times. That Sanātana Goswami was observing how Ragunātha Dāsa Goswami was living under a different tree every night. There was some tiger that was wanting to go to the water hole but there Raghunātha Dāsa was drinking some water at the water hole, and that tiger was there, so the tiger is dangerous.

So, Kṛṣṇa himself has to stand and keep the tiger away from Raghunātha Dāsa. Sanātana Goswami said, “you are putting Kṛṣṇa in so much trouble, He has to protect you all the time, you are living each night under a different tree, but then Kṛṣṇa is standing there whole night to protect you, whether you have a little grass hut, then it will relieve Kṛṣṇa from so much effort in protecting you”. So then because of explaining it in that way, Raghunātha Dāsa agreed to live in a little hut.

One time it was Janmāṣṭami coming up, and Rūpa Gosvāmī was thinking that it will be so nice to offer some nice prasādam to the deities. But then you know, here you are in the forest, you dont have any facility. He is thinking like that. Just the day before Janmāṣṭami, one little village girl came, with a big basket of things and dropped off, sweet, gur, and grains and milk products, everything to him, She said: “So here, this is for you to offer a nice offering to the deities for Janmāṣṭami”, and she went away.

So, he thought, oh this is nice, so he offered, he prepared very nice feast and offered to his deities. Then Sanātana Goswami comes along and he sees a huge spread, big feast is being offered to Radha Govinda jī. And he said “where did you get all that?” (Devotees Laughing) How is it that a person,living like a mendicant in the forest, living under a tree, get... you know, ghee and milk and yogurt and grains and vegetables and fruits everything.

He said “Oh one of the village people dropped it off” (Devotees Laughing),

“Really?(Devotees Laughing), who was that?”,

“Well it was a little girl“,

“Really, what did she look like?”,

“Well she was very young, you know, thin waisted, she was”,

“What was her complexion?”,

“well, She looking golden in colour, golden”,

“That was Rādha Rāṇī!!! (Devotees Laughing)

You are accepting service from Rādhā Rāṇī! We are here to serve Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. And in fact you are accepting service from them. Anyway you have already done it, but in future, you should be careful”.

So, the devotees, they want to offer service to the Lord, and the Lord, He wants to offer service to the devotee. So, the devotee who wants something, this Rupa Gosvāmī is thinking, it will be nice to have, so then immediately Kṛṣṇa is like alright, I will arrange. This of course is very high level, not the level of anything, the level of the six Gosvāmīs devotion, their purity they wanted to offer. In one sense you can say that, there was nothing wrong, he wanted to serve Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā, but there are so much trying to refine their devotional service, that they wanted to simply be offering pure loving devotion to the Lord and to Rādhā Rāṇī. They didn't once want that they should be put in any inconvenience, you can imagine the level of their devotion.

So, normally in religion, everyone goes to church, temple and mosque and they are just praying you know, give me this thing, give me that thing. Here they feel very ashamed to ask anything from the Lord. They just asked the Lord just to please you, if it is something bona fide, like please save my spiritual master. Alow him to remain for some more time, if it pleases you. One day guru is sick, or the temple may be at some danger, they may ask, but generally we don't want to ask anything, if thats something for devotional service, a devotee may ask, in a qualified way.

Deciple of Rāmānujācārya, who was blinded by one Śaivite king, actually the Śaivite king wanted to kill Rāmānuja. So he captured, he asked some of his soldiers to capture Rāmānuja, but his disciples came and warned him, he said “you take my gṛhastha white clothes and you escape, I will take your clothes and I will go an represent you, if there is any harm, let it come to me, not to you, you are more important for preaching the movement of Vaiṣṇavavism”.

So, in this way they exchanged clothes and Rāmānuja is dressed in white. He was smuggled out of the country through the forest and mountains. The disciple was captured by the king’s man, they thought he was Rāmānuja, they asked him to accept that Śiva was the supreme personality of godhead, he was the ultimate. He said that “Śiva gets his power from Viṣṇu”, so forgive my sight in not accepting that the all time destroyer is the greatest”. Therefore “I am blinding you for your refusal to see the truth”. So he blinded that devotee, and in this way, of course later that king had some disease came over and he died in a few short time.

Rāmānuja came back, that devotee was in the temple of Viṣṇu Kāñci, Varadarāja in Kanchipuram. He would regularly be chanting before Varadarāja Kṛṣṇa deity, Viṣṇu deity. And his bhajana was so sweet that the deity asked him, he could have anything he wanted. So then he said to “forgive all those people that have tortured me”, and then he kept doing devotional service, then again, the deity asked him what he would like to have. He was such a great devotee that the deity would speak to him, then again, he would asked forgiveness for some other devotees that before time have done something against him.

But you see Rāmānujācārya, of course the word got around that the deity keeps offering him whatever he wants, but he is always asking for things for other devotees and not anything for himself. So then Rāmānuja said, it's very nice you are begging for everyone's forgiveness, but you have already given your body to the guru, for his service. Now your body is not complete, so your body can’t do the maximum service it could do.

So, If the Lord ever asks you again if there was anything you want, you can say that some property that you have given to your guru, which is not completely able to do all of the services to your guru, because it is incomplete. Therefore, if it could be completed again, so that you could do proper service. So that you can do proper service and be useful in the service of the guru, more perfectly. Like this he gave some instructions.

So after that, he did his bhajanas, the deity again said he could have anything he would like. So then he stood up and offered his prayers, exactly like that “my guru said, I have some some property to my guru, and that property is not complete, namely body is for the use of the guru and I have lost my eyesight, so if my guru’s property can be restored to full capability of doing service for him”. Then that consciousness, giving that Vaiṣṇava, he would never asked anything for himself, ok my body is also my guru’s property.

There was one time I stepped on a nail, and I wasn't able to go on a harināma. Somehow the word came to Śrīla Prabhupāda. He wrote me a letter that “you have already given your body to the guru for devotional service, you have to be careful and take care of it, don't be neglectful stepping on nails and things and not taking care (Devotees Laughing), to take care of the body as the guru’s property.

To take initiation in the disciplic succession, we are offering our body to Kṛṣṇa to the entire disciplic succession. So, our body belongs to Kṛṣṇa, its Kṛṣṇa’s property. We have to take care of it, not like these people say “It's my body, I want to smoke and die of cancer, I can do it, I wanna take drugs, it's my life”. But for the devotee, it's not our life, we have already given our life to Kṛṣṇa, given our body to Kṛṣṇa, everything is Kṛṣṇa’s through the disciplic succession. So, we don't have the right to misuse our body, we don't have the right to commit suicide, we don't have the right to take anything which is harmful for the body. We have the responsibility to engage Kṛṣṇa’s property in Kṛṣṇa’s service.

When someone is doing that properly, then their whole existence becomes spiritualized. So Sūta Goswami is glorified, because his existence is spiritualized, he has understood the esoteric significance of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and everyone wants to hear from him. Thank you very much.

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare,
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

Any questions?

(Devotees Question) In our service we need to - “not sure” make sure our existence in spiritual life is to please the spiritual master. Śrīla Prabhupāda gave many, many instructions to his disciples to follow the Kṛṣṇa conscious movement. They used to come and Prabhupāda mentioned that one time that, “if you follow my instructions, you are my disciple, if you don't follow my instructions, you are not my disciple”. So how would we know, what is, which, because the disciple would not able to follow all of Prabhupāda’s instructions and devote our time (inaudible:48:40) how we really follow those instructions that we know Śrīla Prabhupāda has asked us to follow, so Śrīla Prabhupāda would consider us as following those instructions

Jāyapatākā Swami: So, each devotee, when they take initiation, they promise to chant sixteen rounds and follow the four principles, so that's like the bottom line, so do that. Apart from that, also to distinguish, which instruction was important, or which one isn't important, which one we can take, or which one we can't take. We have to try our best to follow all the instructions. If we are not 100% at least we should be trying to do it, following these things, while I think you know, I can't do that, it's too difficult.

Prabhupāda’s instructions are very practical, I can't even think off hand, which instruction that is, we can't follow. He didn't ask us to buy minimum wage and wear bare clothes, so this is something you know, that was impossible to do. So, what he did was give us instructions which were, very, they are the easiest way of getting anything done, probably if you tried to do it some other way, you would be in more trouble. Some instructions which are not applicable, to certain devotees because they are not in that particular situation. There are some instructions which are applicable to everyone. I don't say that this may not be applicable, in the sense that, that particular situation, the instruction may not be referring to someone in that situation.

Say Prabhupāda gave some instructions on behalf of gṛhasthas, which would not be applicable to sannyāsa-āśrama, and vice versa. The instructions he gave to the sannyāsīs, would not be applicable for those sannyāsa-āśramas. Though there are some instructions in here for everyone. Cooperating or working on it.

So, we try to do everything. usually the responsability of many instructions, increases one's responsibility. When you are responsible for other people's spiritual life, then you have to teach them what Prabhupāda wanted in those circumstances. We do what, when there is a decision, there is a cross road, we have to decide, what to do, what not to do, then we should decide to do what is more pleasing to Prabhupāda, because he is the previous ācārya.

I would not know how to sort out. We should try to, everything we do is for sādhu, śāstra and guru, so it's not like the devotee, that's why the disciple is considered properly situated. He is protected, we don't have to speculate what to do with this circumstance. The only difficulty, even in GBC meeting or anything in ISKCON, is the particular area, where we do not have so much instruction from Śrīla Prabhupāda, that is the most difficult situation. We just have a few basic instructions, we wanna fill in the details, we have to research the previous ācārya’s works, it is the most critical thing for us.

So, if we have a direct instruction from Śrīla Prabhupāda in a particular thing, it is the greatest relief, it is so clear. But we forgot, we neglet,our neglect, we didn't ask Prabhupāda any questions about guru-disciple relationship, what will happen when he wasn't there? How he wanted things to be done? If we had cleared up, but at that time, nobody could even think that Prabhupāda wasn’t gonna be here. This was something unthinkable, even though we knew it in the back of our minds, we didn't consciously bring ourselves to discuss that topic. Maybe if he could have sent us a letter. He asked us, any questions we had about what would happen in the future when I would not be here? we should have asked.

So much to discuss, because we didn't ask, it's not, it's our fault we didn't ask. So, where we have Prabhupāda's instructions, that's not like, oh he gave us so many instructions, it's a burden, I think it's the opposite. I really wish we had more instructions. If we had asked more question, now if we could get an interview, I am sharing with people that come up with, you know, a lot of questions, so we didn't ask before we went on spiritual progress.

But we also could get the answer from Prabhupāda’s books, in the books he has quoted different scriptures, we found where those scriptures are, And then in those scriptures it gives the context more details.

So, in this way Prabhupāda gave instructions, not that we are over-burdened by his instructions, the more instructions, we feel more protected. Because it is giving us more guidance in all types of situations, what we can do, what we should do, so we don't get off the path. In the previous, or in the next, one of these verses here, yeah on the tenth.

SB 1.1.10: It says, men have short lives in Kali-yuga. They are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and, above all, always disturbed.

So generally, in Kali yuga, we are misguided, we don't want to be misguided. We want to be properly guided, and that's why Prabhupāda spent all his energy in writing so many books. So we can study these book’s instructions so we will be properly guided. So that guidance is our protection. If someone is not able to follow this advice, at least they should be trying to follow, to whatever extent they can. Not that we should change, oh...Prabhupad gave us this instruction, its a little difficult, so lets change it.

(Audio not clear) He has given me these instructions, I am so fallen, I am not able to follow it. But I am going to try to follow it, that's glorious. Through Prabhupāda’s mercy, somehow, we are actually able to follow it. That’s why Śrīla Prabhupāda stood up for all his peers, somehow he kept hammering this point that, “whether we can do it or not, it's Bhakti Siddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s instructions, we should try to care about each and every instruction. He wanted that we should cooperate together and make a government body, so let’s Do it!”.

But there is this trouble, community managements to create, so much problem you know. Who cares what problems there are? That problem is our burden of love, to carry out the orders of the guru. So, we can see in Gauḍīya Maṭha, we decide to make one ācārya, he is the one authority. Then later he fell down, then the whole mission was sutured down.

So, in ISKCON of course we got to face similar problems, many responsible devotees, spiritual masters, they suffered spiritual disasters in their spiritual career. But because there was a governing body, it wasn't dependent on one person, things went on, and are going on. And devotees were protected by Prabhupāda, protected by the Vaiṣṇavas, and they are going on in their devotional service. The same thing happened in Gauḍīya Maṭha and everything collapsed. So, this thing can happen in Kali-yuga.

So therefore, we got to establish that if one person is a be ācārya, that everyone has to follow that person, someone if they are a ācārya, they are not that officially appointed someone that wants to follow you. So, he falls in ācārya means, its someone, his own explanations of the previous ācāryas is so clear, then everyone accepts he can easily identify, yes, he is a proper understanding. That's how you know, not that self-effulgent means, some people come around and say“ Look here, he is self-effulgent”.

“Really?”

“Yes, can't you see?”

“Well turn on the light, then I can see” (Devotees Laughing)

“No no, see, I can see, you can't see? Its self-effulgence there, its self-effulgence”

If someone was self-effulgent, people won't have to come and tell you about it. Right? It’s like you go and say, “look there is sun in the sky”

“Really, where is it?” “See there”

Everyone can see there is sun in the sky. It's self-effulgent. Self-effulgent means without any introduction, everybody gets so inspired. But if people have to go out and tell you, “look at him, he is so self-effulgent”. That means he is not self-effulgent, if he was self-effulgent, then he won't have to tell people about it, they would already feel inspired. That he is more self-effulgent than the other person, so then you start to criticize other Vaiṣṇavas or Kṛṣṇa, this is like, what do you call it, travesty? controversy.

Now these things happen, creating a lot of confusion. The point was Prabhupāda wanted everyone to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If somebody is really empowered by his devotional service, people will become inspired, you don't have to, it will become automatic. You don't have to push it down anybody’s throat. You don't have to administer, things should go on, make them go on...Prabhupāda said. Some of these so called self-effulgent people are fallen down also.

So, what we have to do is just be very practical about what Prabhupāda wants, who is effectively cariying that out. All glories to their service and we continue to go on with our devotional service. Because we know that we have to serve the Vaiṣṇava, you are Vaiṣṇava now. “You are a Vaiṣṇava now, you are properly situated, I want to serve you” whether they may or may not be properly situated.

So whatever Prabhupāda said, we can't complain about anything, of course what things are more important, he said many times those things, which he repeated again and again are more important. Those things which he wrote in his books are most important. He gave himself what is the standard, “what I wrote down is more important than things that I have just spoken”. “What I said in my lectures are more generally applicable than what I say in my letters.” because sometimes you know he may be writing a letter to a particular individual, giving them a specific individual instruction, which may not be able to be applicable to everyone.

So how many times did Prabhupāda say that books are the basics? That book distribution is important? You know there is a whole book, this whole book compilation of Prabhupāda's quotations on book distribution, so we know that books are very important. How many times did Prabhupāda explain about position of a guru?

So, there are also devotees and disciples that compile, how many, there is a whole book of compilation, just from his literature. So you can see what Prabhupāda’s important instructions are, but we can't say that any instruction is unimportant. But some may be more important, because he repeats them again and again and again. These are essential, when he said that this is the secret to success, that means that we understand that these are essential, secret, this is important. He will say, he will bonafide what instruction.

Sometimes preachers may not be at a higher standard of cleanliness, but that is not as important as, of course we want him to be clean. But in case a person comes back after 12 hours of distributing books on the street and he is a little dirty, doesn't mean that pūjārī should think I am better than he is, because I am very clean, and this guy is a dirty bum. He has been sticking it out for 12 hours on the streets, selling books, he is very dear to Kṛṣṇa. I mean more dear than the person, even though he has been worshiping the deity. So then the pūjārī should respect, he has sacrificed for the saṅkīrtana-yajña for Kṛṣṇa.

All glories to your service. He is doing his service to keep the deities ready, so when he comes back after seeing twelve hours of materialistic people, when he sees the beautiful deities, and he gathers a little, pūjārī is serving the Vaiṣṇavas. His service to the deities is good but I wanna serve the Vaiṣṇavas to help them in their enthusiasm to serve Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in his saṅkīrtana movement. So, everybody takes the mood of serving the Vaiṣṇavas, pūjārī, saṅkīrtanas, everyone. So that is the mood that Prabhupāda tried to instill amongst us, but he always spotted out, we tend to think ourselves better than others, then lose our service attitude to the Vaiṣṇavas.

Any questions?

Question: I am trying to understand what is the determining factor that makes one disciple understand the essence of a spiritual master’s instructions. The others may have some unpleasant circumstances. How do we distinguish the different types, like anusara, anugraha, anutha, - [Not Clear 1:01:36] so one can actually understand? So is it through hearing, and then enquiring or [Break]

Jāyapatākā Swami: [Break]This verse has some very interested, some very some(audio not clear). Words, sound somia, one is pure and simple, ‘Anugraha’ by the favour of, ‘snigdasya' one who is submissive, ‘śiṣyasya’ disciple. That everyone can understand that there is a difference and how submissive a person can be, how dedicated one is.

And there can be a difference, it's hard to pin it down to, you know, but there is a difference. Everyone can see that, just like so many examples are there that when, Mādhavendra Purī was sick, and he was close to the end of his life. He was so old, he was just lying in the same place, he was, his mind was. Even though his body was sick, it was old and invalid, his mind was meditation was completely on Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. He was chanting that verse again and again (Not clear 1:02:25) oh Mathurānātha, Lord of Mathurā, you are the protector of the humble, merciful to the surrendered devotees. In the mood that Rādhārāṇī was feeling separation from Kṛṣṇa, he was repeating this particular verse.

So Īśvara Purī was his disciple, he was the servant to the guru cleaning up his, that was just there at the same place he was lying. And cleaning his body, sponging it down, And cleaning places, and doing all the menial service to the spiritual master, at the same time being very submissive and respectful.

Rāmacandra Purī was another disciple, but he thought that, “Ok I learnt something from my guru, now I know so much, and do so much before”, this is the. Then he goes back and he sees Mādhavendra Purī chanting his prayers to Kṛṣṇa. He said “What is this? Why you are chanting this prayer? You should just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, study Vedānta.”. He is like telling his guru what to do. So this way he disturbed the samādhī, the ecstasy of Mādhavendra Purī, and he like cursed him “Get out of here”. He rejected him.

Kṛṣṇa was Caitanya Mahāprabhu, was a preacher, he was the guru, but when he was in ecstacy, chanting the names of the gopīs, and some of his students came and they started criticizing him. “Don't chant the names of the gopīs, just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa”. Then Lord Caitanya came out of his trance, “What you people are chatting about, I taught you everything, and now you are telling on me?” .

Sometimes you learnt a little something and the disciple thinks he knows more than the guru. So before one starts to instruct the guru, you have to be careful. You have to be very sure that guru is off, before you properly submit yourself to the guru and ask him that. It wasent that Lord Caitanya was off, he was in ecstasy, he was Kṛṣṇa Himself in ecstasy, in the mood of devotee, remembering his pure devotee’s the gopīs.

So, they couldn't understand this esoteric practice, they were just thinking in a very external way, for being submissive. Also, the point is, one shouldn’t be foolish.

We were once having a class in Māyāpur, where iṣṭagoṣṭhī, Māyāpur Gurukula hadn't asked everybody (inaudible 1:05:05).His Holiness Bhaktividyā Pūrṇa Mahārāja and Ātmatattva Prabhu. They were discusing about this. What does it mean to be submissive to the guru? What does it mean to serve the guru?

So then they told there is one story from the Purāṇas or something, some story from some Vedānta. There was one guru, he had many disciples, and he gave each of the disciple’s different services, so one disciple was to take care of clothes, someone took care of the bathing, some took care of.

So, two disciples were there, each one was assigned one foot. One took care of the left foot; one took care of the right foot. So, then they used to massage, put oil on it, cut the nails. So, they didn't have anything to do, that was their duty, just this service, you know 15 centimeters above the ankle down. That particular part of the guru’s body, was their service. So, every day they would go and stood there, serve the lotus feet of their guru, or lotus foot (Devotees Laughing), left foot, right foot (Devotees Laughing).

So, what would happen is that each one would become very possessive with their service. That this is My foot, My service to the foot. And the other one, began to resent the other devotee, that you know, he is not doing his service as nicely as My service, that devotee is no good. You know, he is disturbing My service to My foot. (Devotees laughing). What happened was, one day one disciple fell sick, the one from the right foot (Devotees laughing), he didn't show up, so the left foot devotee he finished his service, and then, the guru said, “what happened, the other devotee has not come today, maybe you can do his, the other foot” (Devotees Laughing). So this disciple had to gather so much enmity to eachother, while he was massaging, he thought just see he didnt come to his service. now I have to do double. You know he became more and more envious against the other disciple, thinking, he is ruining you know, my own situation.

So, I will give him trouble, so he will know what it is, to not come and serve your guru properly. He is not doing his service, this time he did *snap* - broke the foot of his guru. (Devotees laughing), the guru aaaaaaaaaaaaagggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh”, screaming and yelling. all the other disciples come, “what you broke the foot of the guru!” and like beating him with sticks you know. And the guru goes “No, don’t hit him, don’t hit him, he is just very absorbed in his service, something so absorbed you know, broke the foot” (Devotees laughing),” don't beat him”. So then, he got saved, then again he went back to his service, he went back to his right foot. (Devotees laughing), then the left foot servant came, he was very angry, “he broke the foot that I had so much trouble you know (Devotees laughing). It was very much more complicated to serve the foot of the guru, once it was broken, (Devotees laughing), To heal it, to get it back. So one day, the other one, he didn’t come to serve the right foot, (Devotees Laughing), so when the left foot servitor finished the the left foot the guru said maybe he didnt complicate it for some reason. Maybe you can do the other foot. So then he was doing the other foot, then he was remembering how he broke the foot I work with. Caused so much trouble. Now I have my chance to get back to him. *snap* he broke the foot of the other feet, then he goes “aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, my foot” (Audience laughing) All the disciples come, “you broke the foot of the guru?” Pow! Pow! Pow!, they started beating him up, then the guru said “No, anyway he is just absorbed in his service. Dont beat him."

So when this story was told, everyone was asked to tell others, what was the moral of this story? (Audience laughing),... I dont know if we have time to get in to all that. The conclusion was ofcouse that... there were several morals to that story. One conclusion was that, we are there to serve the guru. Serve his interest, but if we become foolish, then we start thinking that, “this is my service, my foot I am massaging”, no it is the guru’s foot you know, instead it’s, my service and he is envying other person that was doing one. So, they get completely off the track. So they get completely off the track. To the point, the very person that was supposed to be serving the guru, he is the one causing to suffer more.

Like Prabhupāda, gave the example about the sons massaging the back of the father and the son starts getting, “I want this part, no” ‘thush thush thush’, they were punching the back of the father. And the father was saying, save me! Your beating me to death. Prabhupāda says it is like the neophyte disciple, they are fighting over who does what service or this service is mine, does not mean, I must cause pain to the guru.

So, the point is, that guru should not be the object of our sense gratification, that I want to enjoy the guru, that this is “this is my service” or “this is mine” you know, somehow its like you come a sense object of our service. But service means to do that which is anukūlena , which is favorable and pleasing to the objective to the service. So, when we carry out the instructions, we have to do it in a favorable way. The other point was, another part of the story, that the guru shouldn't accept a foolish disciple. And should not leave them in a foolish state. That guru, ultimately who was forced to suffer more? Was the guru. If he had these fanatical disciples, they were so fanatical, this is my service, my foot, they get to the point that they break the other foot. Not even thinking that this is the foot of my guru and I am not actually supposed to cause suffering to the foot, but serving the guru’s foot, supposed to be serving the guru.

So, the guru also has to see the disciples do not remain on the foolish platform foolish. Otherwise they might end up with a broken foot, or broken something. So thers a lot of allegorical examples like that, about disciples and gurus. Using our intelligence, and doing our service properly, so the sincere disciple will actually understand what the guru wants, and they do that.

Prabhupāda said, uttama disciple means, that without the guru saying, he can understand the guru’s mind, and he does that. Madhyama means, the guru tells them what to do, and he does that perfectly, enthusiastically. And kaniṣṭha disciple means, that he knows what the guru wants, more or less, he tries to do it, but it is kind of half-hearted or un-submissive or he gets it done, but just more, just like barely. With extreme effort and pain like a neophyte disciple. And adhama disciple, or fallen disciple someone who doesn’t care awfully whatever, so that is not actually disciple.

So, the disciple in one sense, formally, but in reality, he is not functioning like a disciple, that is why he is called adhama-śiṣya, or fallen disciple. So, we should avoid being in the adhama-śiṣya, and try to be uttama or at least try to be madhyama. Uttama can come only with the blessings of the guru. That comes by sincere carrying out the orders of the guru eventually one can anticipate what the guru wants, intuitively. That cannot really be imitated. So at least we always try for madhyama.