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03/21/98 - 1706
What Kind of Guru?
(VNN) - by Narasimha das
In recent years I’ve been surprised to hear devotees speak as
if they were authorities on Srila Prabhupada’s books and qualified
to be gurus, yet when asked to resolve apparent contradictions
in Srila Prabhupada’s teachings, they are unable.
Recently a few of my Godbrothers have tried to convince me that
Srila Prabhupada wanted his disciples to become spiritual masters
in ISKCON, even before they attain the highest platform of devotion
and even without a specific order to do so. To support this claim,
they usually find quotes in Srila Prabhupada’s letters to ambitious
disciples who were on the verge of grave offense--ready to take
their own disciples in Srila Prabhupada’s presence. In these cases,
Srila Prabhupada tells the ambitious devotees, “Just wait. In
the future you may be also guru. I want that.” In Srila Prabhupada’s
books and lectures we find passages that even seem to encourage
us to become gurus immediately: “Anyone can become guru. It is
not a difficult thing. Any rascal, if he simply repeats what Krishna
says, he is guru.”
On the other hand, several key passages from Srila Prabhupada’s
books explicitly state that no one can occupy the post of spiritual
master, or acarya, unless he has attained the highest position
in devotional service, and unless he is specifically empowered
by Krishna for this special service. For instance, we find:
“The guru must be situated on the topmost platform. There are
three classes of devotees, and the guru must be accepted from
the topmost class.” (C.c. Madhya, 24.330 purport)
“When one has attained the topmost position of maha-bhagavata,
he is to be accepted as guru and worshipped exactly like Hari,
the Personality of Godhead. Only such a person is eligible to
occupy the post of guru.” (C.c. Madhya 24.330, purport)
“Do not go very speedily. A guru can become guru when he’s ordered
by his guru. That’s all. Otherwise nobody can become guru.” (S.P.
Bg. Lecture, 1975)
Unfortunately, rather than understanding the differing statements
in Srila Prabhupada’s instructions regarding gurus, senior ISKCON
leaders and others have apparently decided to ignore statements
that don’t support the path they have already decided to follow.
They have been allured, it seems, into thinking, “If I can become
(or remain) a guru, I’ll be successful in life. And it may help
my preaching. Unless I have followers to praise me, who will want
to listen to me or surrender?” Such premature recognition and
praise, however, is condemned in Srimad-Bhagavatam (S.B. 4.15.23,
purport) and other places.
Contradictions in Srila Prabhupada’s vani are usually easy to
resolve. The truth of the so-called guru issue--or indeed any
“issue”--is not difficult to understand if we repeatedly study
Srila Prabhupada’s books in the association sadhus and sincerely
attempt to serve Srila Prabhupada’s mission without false motives.
When reading the scriptures, we must first understand the terminology.
For instance, when the Vedas say, “The atma merges into maha-tattva
upon the dissolution of the cosmic manifestation”, we should know
that in this case “atma” refers to the gross body. When the Vedas
say, “The atma is subtle energy that survives the death of the
body”, we understand that “atma” refers to the mind, intelligence
and false ego. When the Vedas say, “The atma is spiritual, part
and parcel of Krishna”, we understand “atma” to mean the jiva,
the soul proper. The term “atma” may also refer simultaneously
to the body, mind and soul -- the composite living being.
As there are distinct meanings for the term “atma”, there are
various meanings for the common Vedic term “guru”. When Srila
Prabhupada says “anyone can be guru, even a child”, he’s encouraging
everyone to represent Lord Caitanya’s mission by repeating what
they have understood. He never said we must initiate our own disciples.
He never said we should imitate the self-effulgent Acharya and
accept regular worship or praise from other devotees. He never
suggested that one class of ISKCON devotees should post themselves
high above certain others. He never said we should appoint ourselves,
or each other, as diksa-gurus. Rather, he strongly warned against
unauthorized, unqualified devotees trying artificially to assume
the absolute role of spiritual master.
If one claims to understand Srila Prabhupada’s books but he’s
unable to explain apparent contradictions, this proves his understanding
is defective or incomplete. Such a devotee is certainly not qualified
to be the spiritual master, the sad-guru, who is worshipped exactly
like Lord Hari by all Vaisnavas. In fact, he cannot even be a
bona fide preacher. In 1977, Srila Prabhupada several times warned
us about allowing imitators to corrupt the Movement:
“You can cheat, but it will not be effective. Just see our Gaudiya
Matha. Everyone wanted to be guru. A small temple, and guru. What
kind of guru?” (Room Conversation, Bombay, 1977)
