Disciplic Succession

Furthermore, the Vedas set forth the qualifications of the bona fide spiritual master. The first requirement for the bona fide spiritual master is that he be in the line of disciplic succession from the Supreme Lord Himself. Not just anyone can qualify as a spiritual master, nor should the student accept anyone to be a spiritual master simply on sentiment. Sri Krsna is the original spiritual master, as stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam: "The path of religion is directly enunciated by the Lord." The bona fide spiritual master teaches the transcendental science, as first enunciated by the Lord, as it is, without concoction or alteration. He is able to do so because he understands the purport of the Lord's teaching from the disciplic succession descending directly from the Lord.

The knowledge mercifully given by the Lord is like a perfect fruit passed down from the top of a tree. The fruit must be passed delicately. If someone drops the fruit, or lets it fall, or in any way mishandles it, then the whole fruit is spoiled. If the bona fide spiritual master is in the line of disciplic succession from the Supreme Lord, he is careful to pass the fruit of Vedic wisdom to us without personally motivated interpretation. The conclusion of all Vedic knowledge is that Sri Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the goal of all yoga, knowledge and sacrifice. All the great saints and sages in our line of disciplic succession, the Brahma-Madhva-Gauḍiya Sampradaya, beginning with Sri Krsna and including Brahma, Narada, Vyasa, Lord Caitanya, Srila Narottama Dasa Thakur, Srila Bhaktivinode, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Maharaja Prabhupada, and finally His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, have personally realized and taught Krsna consciousness. If the result of a process is good, then the process itself must be good. These great saints and acaryas are unmatched in spiritual realization so the process of God realization first spoken by Krsna and passed on through the disciplic succession is also matchless.

The second requirement of the bona fide spiritual master is that he speak only on the authority of the Vedas or of his spiritual master, so that the disciplic succession may be kept rigidly in line with the original teachings. The spiritual master never invents ideas or processes for self-realization, but always goes to the higher authorities. He is aware of the limitations of the minute living entity and his small mind and imperfect senses, so he similarly teaches his students to speak only from the higher authority.

Even the Supreme Lord Himself does this. In the Bhagavad-gita, Chapter Thirteen, Verse 4, Krsna states, "That knowledge of the field of activities and of the knower of activities is described by various sages in various Vedic writings, especially in the Vedanta-sūtra." Of course, Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ultimate source of all the Vedas, and the supreme authority on all matters, but still He cites the accepted spiritual literature. Lord Krsna teaches by example how the bona fide spiritual master always gives evidence from previous authorities. That is the process. Similarly, Lord Caitanya, who was also the Supreme Personality of Godhead, accepted a bona fide spiritual master in the line of disciplic succession, and He always quoted His spiritual master.

The spiritual master and student alike strictly follow the line of disciplic succession and the Vedic authorities, so others who are interested in spiritual life should follow this process too. People are so prone to indulge in transitory speculation, even when they are to educate themselves on areas beyond their empiric jurisdiction. People so often mistake these illusory experiences, especially when influenced by a drug or "meditative" process, for genuine spiritual realization. They so often have "inspirations," "visions," "experiences" and "revelations" which are merely the concoctions of a limited and deluded mind. The person interested in spiritual life should therefore be very wary of his own personal messages. God, Krsna, is in our hearts as Paramatma, Supersoul, and thus He can speak to us. But there are parallel tracks-God on the inside and spiritual master on the outside-so the religious seeker must confirm his inner realizations by the authority of the spiritual master on the outside. This dual confirmation is very important; one must go to the spiritual master.