This knowledge, Vedic knowledge, is received by parampara system. Just like Krsna said to sun-god,

imam vivasvate yogam
proktavan aham avyayam
vivasvan manave praha
manur iksvakave 'bravit
[Bg. 4.1]

evam parampara-praptam
imam rajarsayo viduh
[Bg. 4.2]

Krsna said that "This yoga system, first of all I explained to the sun-god, and he explained to his son, Manu, and Manu explained to his son, Iskvaku. In this way, by the parampara system, by the disciplic succession, the knowledge is coming." Sa kaleneha yogo nastah parantapa. But as soon as it began to be explained to others, without being in the disciplic succession, in the chain of disciplic succession, speaking the same truth, it becomes broken. Sa kaleneha yogo nastah. Yoga nastah. It is spoiled. If one does not come in the disciplic succession, he'll spoil the teaching. That is being done. So-called commentator, teacher of Bhagavad-gita, he does not come in the disciplic succession. He is self-made guru. Therefore he's not guru. Self-made guru cannot be guru. He must be authorized by the bona fide guru. Then he's guru. This is the fact. Here... Nobody can be self-made anything. A medical practitioner, he cannot become self-made, that "I have studied all the medical books in my home." No. "Have you ever gone to the medical college and taken instruction from the bona fide teachers?" Then, if you have got the certificate, then you are medical practitioner. Similarly, bona fide guru means he must be authorized by the superior guru. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. He must receive the order from the superior. And the superior must be bona fide. Then he's bona fide, not self-made. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. The direction is that one must go to a guru. But who is guru? Sabde ca pare ca nisnatam brahmany upasamasrayam. These are the descriptions.

So to find out a bona fide guru is not difficult, provided one is bona fide to search out a guru. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. By the mercy of guru and Krsna... Because by the mercy of Krsna one gets a bona fide guru, and by the mercy of bona fide guru, one gets Krsna. This is the process. When I am actually serious to have connection with Krsna, Krsna is sitting in everyone's heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. So Krsna can understand. We cannot hide anything from Krsna. That is not possible. Because Krsna is sitting side by side, just like two birds, sitting side by side. One bird is eating the fruit of the tree. Another bird is the witness. That is the Vedic version. So as soon as I become serious to know about Krsna, Krsna can understand, "Now My friend is very serious." So He will find out a bona fide guru for him. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. By the, by the double mercy... Krsna's mercy, and guru's mercy. If one is serious, Krsna is satisfied: "Now he's serious about finding out, about knowing Me." Then Krsna gives him direction that "Here is guru, My representative. You take shelter of him and you will get Me." This is the way.

That is explained in this..., that by the grace of Krsna, that it is a fortunate person. Fortunate person means he must be sincere, serious to know about Krsna. That is fortunate. Because our misfortune has begun by forgetting Krsna. Krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare. When we desire to enjoy this material world, forgetting service of Krsna, that is the beginning of our misfortune. That is the beginning. Because as soon as I forget Krsna, that is the beginning of my misfortune. So in order to be, in order to become again fortunate, I have to become Krsna conscious. That is the way. The same... By some way or other... Anadi-bahirmukha jiva krsna bhuli gela ataeva krsna maya..., ataeva maya tare galila baddhiya (?). Some way or other, we forgot Krsna. Unfortunate because we are, even we have got this opportunity of remembering Krsna, we are trying to avoid Him. We are bringing so many nonsense things: "Why not this? Why not that? Why not...?" This is misfortune. Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityaja mam ekam saranam vraja. But we are presenting, "Why not this? Why not that? Why not this? Why not that?" this is our misfortune. Why? Krsna says, mam ekam. Why shall I try to put another alternative? Why? What is the reason? That is our misfortune. Krsna is offering the fortune. Sarva-dharman parityaja mam ekam saranam vraja. This is fortune. But I'll not take that. Krsna says, "Get up. Give up all other engagements. Simply take shelter of Me. I shall give you all protection." But I don't believe Krsna; therefore it is my misfortune. This fortune, to become fortunate and misfortunate... Just like in English word, "Man is the architect of his own fortune." Is it not? "Man is the architect of his own fortune." But if you, as you are architect of your own fortune, you are architect of your own misfortune also. So if you don't accept Krsna's advice, then you must consider yourself unfortunate. We should be cautious: "Why shall I become unfortunate? I must become fortunate." So that, to become fortunate, is not very difficult thing. All these Krsna consciousness people, they are fortunate. They have taken Krsna's advice as it is, without any change. They're fortunate. And that is being manifested, that they are fortunate.

So this is the process. By the grace of Krsna, if we are sincere and serious, then Krsna becomes kind upon us and gives direction: buddhi-yogam dadami tam. "I give them buddhi-yogam." Buddhi means intelligence. So here, everyone has got intelligence. At least, he thinks that he is very intelligent. Everyone thinks. Although he's fool number one, he thinks himself as very intelligent. Because intelligence is there. But when the intelligence is used for material fortune, that is unfortunate. When intelligence used for developing Krsna consciousness, that is fortune. So we can set up our own fortune or misfortune. The fortune means that we must be serious after hearing about Krsna. One must be serious. Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. So if we are intelligent, we should seriously think over this proposal. Why Krsna said, "Give up everything and surrender unto Me"? There is sufficient reason. If one has seriously studied Bhagavad-gita, there is sufficient reason to surrender unto God, unto Krsna. Everywhere. That... Those who are karmis, Krsna says unto them, yat karosi yaj juhosi yad asnasi kurusva tad mad-arpanam [Bg. 9.27]. Karmany evadhikaras te ma phalesu kadacana. This is for the karmis. And for the jnanis, bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. After many, many births, the so-called jnanis, when he surrenders unto Krsna, that is success. Sa mahatma su-durlabhah. Vasudevah sarvam iti. By culture of knowledge, by philosophical speculation, if one comes to this point, conclusion, that vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19], Vasudeva, Krsna, is everything, then he's jnanavan, real jnanavan. That is real... Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. He must be submissive. That submissive means, "Yes, after cultivating knowledge, my Lord, Krsna, I have come to this conclusion, that You are the Supreme Absolute Truth. I bow down my head upon Your lotus..." That is real jnana. That is jnana. Otherwise, ajnana.

But they are accepting ajnana as jnana. To accept ajnana as jnana is the most unfortunate position. That is not jnana. Real jnana is how to surrender to Krsna. So this is jnana. For yogi, this instruction also is there. Karmi, jnani, yogi, and bhakta. There are four classes of men, transcendentalists. They're all transcendentalists, culturing spiritual... That's, that's all right. But even in the spiritual cultivation, there is superior, inferior. Not exactly superior or inferior, because that is the material. But still there are classification. This classification is ended when one comes to know Krsna. Yasmin vijnate sarvam evam vijnatam bhavanti. If one understands Krsna, then Paramatma and Brahman becomes automatically known. Sarvam evam vijnatam bhavanti. Just like if you have got 100,000 dollars, ten dollar is within it, fifty dollar is within it, five hundred dollars is within it. So in the Bhagavad-gita everything is discussed there, jnana-yoga, karma-yoga, dhyana-yoga, buddhi-yoga, so many yogas. But Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], ultimately. That means, "If you surrender unto Me, all these yogas are included." All these yogas, karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga, all yogas are included. Yoginam api sarvesam [Bg. 6.47]. That we have to understand. We have to become fortunate to understand this philosophy. Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya. This, this philosophy... If, if one surrenders to Krsna, if one becomes Krsna conscious, then his karma-yogi, jnana-yogi, dhyana-yogi, hatha-yogi, everything..., everything is included there. He hasn't got to practice separately karma-yoga, dhyana-yoga, jnana-yoga, hatha-yoga. Everything is there. The hatha-yogis, they can display many wonderful things, but Krsna-bhakta, without endeavoring for all these things, Krsna can show many magic on his behalf. Why should he take trouble himself, to play the magic himself? Krsna will show how magical things are performed by the devotees. Krsna will show. Just like small child, he doesn't require to earn money for spending. If he's rich man's son, his father will take care of him. Similarly, a devotee does not endeavor to become expert in jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga, hatha-yoga, this yoga. He depends on Krsna. And when some yogic, mystic power has to be shown, Krsna will show that. That is the process, bhakti-yoga. You take to Krsna, and everything will be done. Krsna, Krsna says, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah: [Bg. 18.66] "Don't worry. I shall take care of you." So therefore the conclusion is that one who is fortunate, he can take to Krsna consciousness cent percent, without any deviation. That is wanted. Go on.

Pradyumna: "...then by the grace of the spiritual master, one becomes advanced in Krsna consciousness. In this way the whole jurisdiction of Krsna consciousness is directly under the spiritual energy -- Krsna and the spiritual master. This has nothing to do with the material world. When we speak of Krsna, we refer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead along with His many expansions."

Prabhupada: Yes. Krsna is not alone. Just like when we speak of "the king," although it is singular number, "king" means there are so many others. There is the queen, there is the minister, there is the secretary, there is the commander-in-chief, there is bodyguards, there are so many other things. Similarly, when we speak of Krsna, Krsna means His expansions. He has got different types of expansion -- svamsa and vibhinnamsa. Svamsa expansion is Visnu-tattva. Krsna is the original person. Aham sarvasya prabhavah mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. All others... Just like Visnu, Narayana, or demigods, all others, they are all expansions of Krsna. We are also expansions of Krsna; we living entities, we are vibhinnamsa. Mamaivamsa. Krsna says mamaivamsa. Jiva-loka, jiva-loke, "The all these living entities, they are My part and parcel." We are also expansion of Krsna, or the demigods, they're also expansions of Krsna. The Visnu-tattva, They're also expansions of Krsna -- everyone. So Krsna means including His expansion, including His energies, including His personal paraphernalia, including His dhama -- everything. That is Krsna. Ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan [Bs. 5.39]. Tisthan means continuing to exist. Ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena. With His expansions, svamsa expansions, vibhinnamsa expansions.

So Krsna is not alone. Krsna is not nirakara. Krsna is not impersonal, because He has got so many personal associates. Nityo nityanam. All these personal associates, they're individual persons. We are all person. You are person, I am person. We are all individual. I have got my individual opinion; you have got your individual opinion. Oneness means when these individual opinions are coincided in the matter of surrendering to Krsna; that is oneness. Oneness does not mean that all these individuals become one, homogeneous. No. They keep their individuality, but they become one in the service of Krsna. That is oneness. Now everyone is working for his sense gratification, personal. When everyone becomes agreed that "We shall satisfy Krsna," that is oneness. That is oneness. One nation. We can understand: one family. One family means they're individual persons, but they're working for the interest of the family -- all of them combinedly, conjointly, working. Similarly, they're working conjointly for the society, or they're working conjointly for the community, or conjointly working for the nation. That is oneness. When we speak, "We are Indian nation, oneness," that oneness does not mean that every individual Indian has become homogeneous with other Indians. No. Every Indian is an individual person, but he has sacrificed his individuality and engaged himself for the service of the country. That is national consciousness. Similarly, Krsna consciousness. As there is national consciousness, community consciousness, family consciousness, so many other consciousness, similarly, Krsna consciousness means all persons agree to work for the satisfaction of Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. That is oneness. Oneness does not mean we lose our individuality. Sometimes, individually we fight. Just like in the legislative assembly, our representative, M.P.'s, they go and fight. There is a deliberation. But that purpose is to serve the country. Therefore, instead of the difference of opinions, they agree to work in this way. That is legislative assembly. Similarly, individuality there must be always, but when we find out a one means to satisfy Krsna, Krsna consciousness, to satisfy Krsna, that is oneness. Ekatvam anupasyatah [Iso 7]. Eka. That is ekatvam. Why a... In other words, ekatvam... This is the version of the Isopanisad, ekatvam anupasyatah. Ekatvam anupasyatah. Ekatvam, at the same time, anupasyatah. That means we are all spirit soul. We are part and parcel of Krsna. That is anupasyatah. And on this basis, when we find ekatvam, oneness, that is the platform of peace, that "We are all servants of Krsna." Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised this, jivera svarupa haya nitya krsna dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. When we feel that "Eternally I am servant of Krsna, you are servant of Krsna," that is ekatvam. Not that we become a lump of thing. No. Impersonality cannot be... Personality cannot be changed. Jiva-loke. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah jiva-loke sanatanah [Bg. 15.7]. This individuality is sanatana, eternal. But when we disagree to serve Krsna, that is asanatana, not sanatana. That is artificial.

So here in this material world, we have disagreed to serve Krsna. Therefore the whole proposal is again agree to serve Krsna. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is real philosophy. We disagreed; therefore we came into this material world, and we are fighting with one another. Now again the proposal is, agree to this oneness, ekam. Then there will be peace. Jnatva mam santim rcchanti. These things are there.

bhoktaram yajna-tapasam
sarva-loka-mahesvaram
suhrdam sarva-bhutanam
jnatva mam santim rcchati
[Bg. 5.29]

We are becoming leaders, the friend of the people. But we are not friend of the people. Krsna is the friend of... Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam. If I simply say that "I am your friend in this sense that I deliver the message to you that 'Krsna is your best friend.' I do not... I am friend so far I am giving you this information. But actual friend is Krsna," suhrdam sarva-bhutanam, so this is friendship. If one preaches Krsna consciousness and teaches everyone that Krsna is your best friend... He does not say, "I am your best friend." "I am your best friend in this sense that I am giving you this information." Actually, Krsna is your best friend. What can I do? I am a teeny living entity. What can I do for you? I be..., may become your friend, but when you are in danger, I cannot give you any protection. Krsna can give you protection. This is real friendship. He does not take himself. He always carries the message only. Ya imam mad-bhaktesu abhidasyati. Simply our business is to carry the message of Krsna. Then we are friend. Otherwise we are not friend. We may pose to become friend, but we are not friend because we do not know how to benefit the friend. Sometimes we mislead him.

Therefore our business is to point that "Krsna is your friend." Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 5.29]. "He's the proprietor. Don't claim your proprietorship. You are not proprietor. You are falsely claiming; because what you are claiming as your property, it will be taken away by Krsna at the time of your death. Everything will be finished." Mrtyuh sarva-haras ca aham, Krsna says. Mrtyu... Krsna says, "I am death when I take away everything from the person -- his life, property, body and everything." Actually, we claim, "This is my property." This is moha. Aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. Lokasya janasya moho 'yam. This is friendship, to educate people that "You are not proprietor. Krsna is proprietor. You are not enjoyer. Krsna is enjoyer. You are seeking out friends to give you protection. Krsna is the supreme friend who will give you protection." If we spread this message all over the world, then I am friend of Krsna, I am friend of the persons. Otherwise, I am not friend, because I cannot become friend. I can simply carry... Just like post peon give you five thousand rupees, delivers. He does not deliver. Somebody else is delivering. He's simply carrying. That's all. Similarly, if we simply carry the message of Krsna as it is, we become perfect. It is not very difficult. If I simply carry the message of Krsna, where is the difficulty? Everything is there. Krsna has said everything. Krsna says, man-mana mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru. We carry this message. Just always think of Krsna, always offer obeisances to Krsna, become a devotee of Krsna. Man-mana, think of Krsna always. We have to carry this message. Where is the difficulty?

So to become a bona fide spiritual master, there is no difficulty, if you, simply, if we carry the message of Krsna as it is, without any adulteration. So we must find out a person who is actually bona fide spiritual master by this test, that he's not, I mean to say, adulterating Krsna's message. He's not playing havoc with the message of Krsna in order to introduce himself, his person. He's simply presenting the message of Krsna as it is. Then he's spiritual master. Nobody else.

Thank you very much. (end)
The Nectar of Devotion
--
Vrndavana, November 1, 1972