not ordinary person

 
Imported quote 13474
As a king, Prthu Maharaja was ordered by Lord Visnu to keep himself always aloof from the activities of the bodily situation and to engage always in the service of the Lord and thus keep himself in the liberated stage. The word baddha-sauhrdaḥ in the previous verse is explained herewith. One can fully remain in intimate connection with the Supreme Lord directly or receive orders from His bona fide representative the spiritual master and execute the orders sincerely when one keeps aloof from the activities of the body. The Lord helps us by giving us directions how to act in devotional service and thus advance on the path back home, back to Godhead. He instructs us outwardly in the form of the spiritual master. Therefore, one should not accept the spiritual master as an ordinary human being. The Lord says, acaryam mam vijaniyan navamanyeta karhicit: one should not treat the spiritual master as an ordinary human being because he is the substitute for the Supreme Personality of Godhead (Bhag. 11.17.27). One should treat the spiritual master as the Supreme Personality of Godhead and never be envious of him or consider him to be an ordinary human being. If we follow the instruction of the spiritual master and execute devotional service to the Lord, we will remain always free from the contamination of bodily or material activities, and our life will be successful.    (More...)
Imported quote 13503
The terms "pious" and "impious" are applicable only in reference to the activities of an ordinary living being. But Maharaja Prthu was a directly empowered incarnation of Lord Visnu; therefore he was not subject to the reactions of pious or impious activities. As we have already explained previously, when a living being is specifically empowered by the Supreme Lord to act for a particular purpose, he is called a saktyavesa-avatara. Prthu Maharaja was not only a saktyavesa-avatara but also a great devotee. A devotee is not subjected to the reactions resulting from past deeds. In the Brahma-samhita it is said, karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam: for devotees the results of past pious and impious activities are nullified by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The words arabdhan eva mean "as if achieved by past deeds," but in the case of Prthu Maharaja there was no question of reaction to past deeds, and thus the word eva is used here to indicate comparison to ordinary persons. In Bhagavad-gita the Lord says, avajananti mam mūḍhaḥ. This means that sometimes people misunderstand an incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead to be an ordinary man. The Supreme Godhead, His incarnations or His devotees may pose themselves as ordinary men, but they are never to be considered as such. Nor should an ordinary man not supported by authorized statements of the sastras and acaryas be accepted as an incarnation or devotee. By the evidence of sastra, Sanatana Gosvami detected Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to be a direct incarnation of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although Lord Caitanya never disclosed the fact. It is therefore generally recommended that the acarya or guru should not be accepted as an ordinary man.    (More...)
Imported quote 15130
"To those who are constantly devoted and worhip Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me." Krsna does not become the direct spiritual master unless one is fully trained by His representative spiritual master. Therefore, as we have already discussed, the Lord's representative spiritual master should not be considered an ordinary human being. The representative spiritual master never gives any false knowledge to his disciple, but only perfect knowledge. Thus he is the representative of Krsna. Krsna helps as the guru, or spiritual master, from within and from without. From without He helps the devotee as His representative, and from within He talks personally with the pure devotee and gives him instructions by which he may return home, back to Godhead.    (More...)
Imported quote 15131
In this verse the words etac cid-atmakam are very important. The material body certainly consists only of material elements, but when one awakens to Krsna conscious understanding, the body is no longer material but spiritual. The material body is meant for sense enjoyment, whereas the spiritual body engages in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Therefore, a devotee who engages in the service of the Supreme Lord and who constantly thinks of Him should never be considered to have a material body. It is therefore enjoined, gurusu nara-matiḥ: one should stop thinking of the spiritual master as an ordinary human being with a material body. Arcye visnau sila-dhiḥ: everyone knows that the Deity in the temple is made of stone, but to think that the Deity is merely stone is an offense. Similarly, to think that the body of the spiritual master consists of material ingredients is offensive. Atheists think that devotees foolishly worship a stone statue as God and an ordinary man as the guru. The fact is, however, that by the grace of Krsna's omnipotence, the so-called stone statue of the Deity is directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the body of the spiritual master is directly spiritual. A pure devotee who is engaged in unalloyed devotional service should be understood to be situated on the transcendental platform (sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhūyaya kalpate). Let us therefore offer our obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by whose mercy so-called material things also become spiritual when they are engaged in spiritual activity.    (More...)
Imported quote 17234
But otherwise, he is not guru, one who has not understood Krsna. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu confirms, yei krsna-tattva-vetta sei guru haya [Cc Madhya 8.128]. One who has understood Krsna as the supreme controller, the Supreme Person, the supreme maintainer, and everything the supreme, ultimate, then he can become guru. Otherwise, don't try to become guru. Impersonalists, half-understood, partial-understood, he cannot become guru. This is the Caitanya Mahaprabhu's formula. Therefore first of all try to understand Krsna. You will understand in such a way that you can refute all others' argument, all others' opposition. There are so many opposing elements. Then you are guru. Otherwise you cannot become a guru. Guru is not so teeny thing or trifle thing that everyone becomes Guru Maharaja. No. That is not guru. Sa mahatma... Vasudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhaḥ [Bg 7.19].    (More...)
[break] ...pravartate, iti matva bhajante mam budha bhava-samanvitaḥ [Bg 10.8]. So if you take this, that Krsna is the beginning of everything-iti matva-by understanding this, if anyone engages himself in krsna-bhakti, bhajante mam, that is bhakti. Budha bhava-samanvitaḥ. He has come immediately to the bhava stage. Means he's budhaḥ. He is actually. He has actually understood the thing. So that is visvasa. In Caitanya-caritamrta it is said visvasa..., sraddha-sabde visvasa kahe sudrḍha niscaya, krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya [Cc Madhya 22.62]. Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya. This is visvasa. Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg 18.66]. I am thinking, "I have got so many other things. Simply why shall I surrender?" That is not visvasa. Visvasa means "Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam. I'll accept." Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta. That is visvasa. Sudrḍha niscaya. Sraddha-sabde visvasa sudrḍha niscaya, krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya. That is visvasa. That visvasa wanted, not that I manufacture something. It is useless. Moghasa mogha-karmano mogha-jnana vicetasaḥ [Bg 9.12].    (More...)
Imported quote 18562
Sannyasa is very respectable position. Still it is honored in India. Anyone, where a sannyasi goes, at least in the villages, they offer respectful obeisances and gives all kinds of comforts. Still now. According to sastra, it is said if a sannyasi is not offered respect or duly honored, the punishment is the man should fast at least one day. This is Vedic system. But there are many sannyasis taking advantage of this, so we are not concerned. Neither Caitanya Mahaprabhu was a false sannyasi. He was real sannyasi. And he was also real grhastha, Ramananda Raya. So he was feeling little hesitation. To encourage him, Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately said, "No, no. Why you are feeling hesitation? Why you are feeling inferior? You are guru." "Now, how I am guru?" "Now, yei krsna-tattva-vetta, sei guru haya [Cc Madhya 8.128]."    (More...)
So this Krsna consciousness movement means that training the people who come to us to make him far, far above than the siddhas. Far, far above than the siddhas. And it is very easily one can become. One can hold this position of guru, who is... Guru means who is above the siddhas. Krsna-tattva-vetta. Yei krsna-tattva-vetta, sei guru haya. One cannot become guru unless he knows krsna-tattva. Not ordinary man. The yogis, the karmis, the jnanis, they cannot become guru. That is not sanctioned. Because even one is jnani, he has to learn Krsna after many, many births; not in one life, but many, many life. If he persists to understand what is the Absolute Truth by his jnana method, by his speculative method, then still he will have to change many, many births. Then one day he may be fortunate. If he comes in contact with a devotee, then it may be possible for him to understand Krsna.    (More...)
Imported quote 19061
Therefore guru must be authorized person, not that bhūmiphoḍa-guru. No. "I am guru," no. You cannot become guru unless you are agent to draw out the mercy water from the ocean of mercy of Krsna. That is guru. And therefore a guru is not an ordinary person. He is the representative, bona fide representative of Krsna. Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung, krsna se tomara, krsna dite para: "Vaisnava Thakura, Krsna is your property. If you like, you can give." Vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau [Bs 5.33]. You cannot get Krsna by studying Vedas. That is not possible. There is Krsna in the Vedas, but you cannot pick up. It is not possible. But if you go to the Krsna's favorite person... Kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. Krsna's very dear servant, confidential servant, is guru. Nobody can become guru unless he is in confidence of Krsna. Na ca tasman manusyesu kascid me priya-krttamaḥ [Bg 18.69]. These things are there. Not that by magic one can become guru. No. He must be... Samsara davanala-liḍha-loka-tranaya karunya-ghanaghanatvam, praptasya kalyana.    (More...)
Imported quote 19150
Acaryam mam vijaniyan. Krsna says, "Acarya means I am." Navamanyeta karhicit: "Do not try to neglect." Na martya-buddhyasūyeta: "Do not consider acarya, spiritual master, as ordinary human being and become envious." These things are warned. Acaryam mam vijaniyan navamanyeta karhicit, na martya-buddhyasūyeta. Familiarity breeds contempt. That is not good. Similarly... Because by the mercy of acarya, by the mercy of guru, you will get Krsna. You sing that, krsna-prapti yahha haite, what is that?    (More...)

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