Then Srila Prabhupada spoke. Given the number of guests present, he explained first why he occupied his impressive throne-like seat. He said there were two reasons; the vyasasana means the seat of Vyasa, which the representative of Vyasa is allowed to sit on; and vyasa-puja, the worship offered to the representative of Vyasa on his birthday.
He went on to lucidly describe the importance of the guru. "Now I must explain my position because in these days, a person being worshiped as most exalted personality is something revolution. Because they like democracy, by vote somebody should be elevated however rascal he may be. But our this system, guru-parampara system, is different. Our system, if you do not accept the Vedic knowledge through guru-parampara system, it is useless."
That acceptance he said, meant presenting things as they are given in the Vedas even though they may appear contradictory. He described how the stool of an ordinary animal is contaminated and, if touched, one has to immediately take a bath, but that according to the Vedas, the stool of the cow is pure and is used in the performance of sacrifice. "So it appears contradictory, the Vedic injunction. But still we accept because it is Vedic order. That is the acceptance of Vedas. Just like Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita, there are so many rascals, they cut short: 'I like this; I do not like this.' No. Arjuna says sarvam etad rtam manye. That is understanding of Vedas. If a rascal makes cut, cutting, 'I do not like this, I interpret,' this is not Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita means you have to accept as it is. That is Bhagavad-gita. We are presenting therefore Bhagavad-gita As It Is. ... Anyone who does not come through this parampara system, if he presents any interpretation of Vedic literature, it is useless. It has no meaning. Yogo nastah parantapa. You cannot interpret on the words of God."
He said that to accept Krsna means to accept His representative. "Somebody may envy that this person has sophisticated some disciples and they are offering prayers and puja. No, it is the system. Don't envy the ... Acaryam mam vijaniyan navamanyeta karhicit. Acarya is the representative of God. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado. If you offer prayers, honor to the acarya, then Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased. To please Him you have to please His representative. 'If you love me, love my dog.'"
Prabhupada said that although Krsna Himself says that the acarya should be accepted as Himself, still, an observer may think, "Why? I see that he is a man. His sons call him father, or he looks like a man, so why he should be as good as God? Because he speaks as God speaks, that's all. He does not make any change."
As to why one should accept a guru, he said that since the world is full of rascals, it requires many gurus to teach them the science of the spirit soul and thus deliver them. Informing his admirers and inquisitive onlookers that a guru is not a magician, he humbly submitted his claim as our guru and invited them to emulate his work according to their capacity. "So practically I have done this. People are giving me credit that I have done miracles, but my miracle is that I carried the message of Caitanya Mahaprabhu: yare dekha tare kaha 'krsna'-upadesa. So this is the secrecy. So anyone of you, you can become guru. It is not that I am an extraordinary man, an extraordinary god coming from some mysterious place. It is not that -- it is very simple thing. So I request you follow the Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instruction that you also, you become a guru at your home. It is not that you have to make a gigantic show of becoming guru. The father has to become guru, the mother has to become guru."
- From "A Transcendental Diary Vol 4" by HG Hari Sauri Prabhu
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