should not accept many
|
If one increases the number of disciples simply for some prestige or false honor, he will surely fall down in the matter of executing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The one point is that without increasing the number of disciples, there is no propagation of the cult of Krsna consciousness. Therefore, sometimes even at a risk, a sannyasi in the line of Caitanya Mahaprabhu may accept even a person who is not thoroughly fit to become a disciple. Later on, by the mercy of such a bona fide spiritual master, the disciple is gradually elevated. However, if one increases the number of disciples simply for some prestige or false honor, he will surely fall down in the matter of executing Krsna consciousness.
(More...) Imported quote 13558 Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore stated that the spiritual master who plays the part of Krsna's representative has to consume all the sinful reactions of his disciple. Sometimes a spiritual master takes the risk of being overwhelmed by the sinful reactions of the disciples and undergoes a sort of tribulation due to their acceptance. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore advised that one not accept many disciples.
(More...) Imported quote 15864 13. He must not take on unlimited disciples. This means that a candidate who has successfully followed the first twelve items can also become a spiritual master himself, just as a student becomes a monitor in class with a limited number of disciples.
(More...) Imported quote 15908 Please accept my blessings. I am so glad to receive your letter dated 15th Nov. 1967. You're very anxious to see me back in New York and I may inform you that I had settled to be in San Francisco on the 24 of Nov. but due to a petty revolution in Calcutta I am not able to leave. Future arrangements are pending. I wish to go from San Francisco to the other two new branches and then return to New York. I am so glad to learn that you are now getting the fruit of chanting Hare Krishna. Hare Krishna is so nice that it clears the dirty things from the mind of the devotee and the more one is used to chant the Holy Name offenselessly, the more one develops love of God, forgetting the whole material nonsense. (It is my duty to deliver you the right thing in right earnestness and it is the duty of the receiver to act in the standard spiritual regulation. When you left us I simply prayed to Krishna for your return to Krishna Consciousness because that was my duty. Any good soul who approaches me once for spiritual enlightenment is supposed to be depending on my responsibility to get him back to Krishna, back to home. The disciple may misunderstand a bona fide spiritual master being obliged to do so under pressure of Maya's influence. But a bona fide spiritual master never lets go a devotee once accepted. When a disciple misunderstands a bona fide spiritual master, the master regrets for his inability to protect the disciple and sometimes he cries with tears in the eyes. We had an experience while my Guru Maharaja was alive. One of His disciples who accepted sannyasa was one day forcibly dragged by his wife. My Guru Maharaja lamented with tears in His eyes saying that He could not save the soul.) We should always, therefore, be careful in the matter of being attacked by Maya's influence and the only means of guarantee is to chant Hare Krishna offenselessly. The greatest offense is to defy the spiritual master and to act sinfully, thinking in the strength of chanting. If a man thinks that chanting will save him from all kinds of sinful reaction deliberately committed by him, then he becomes the greatest offender. By chanting Hare Krishna certainly we become free from all sinful reactions, but that does not mean that we shall deliberately commit sins and counteract it by chanting. Your reference to Kirtanananda and Hayagriva is very nicely appreciated. We shall silently pray for them to Krishna and shed tears for them for our inability to save them. Let us honestly pray and go ahead with Krishna Consciousness. More when we meet. Hope you are well Your ever well-wisher
(More...)A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Imported quote 21175 Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 1-5-75 and have noted the contents. The best thing is if you continue to visit our temple regularly in Vrndavana at Raman Reti. The temple manager there is His Holiness Aksayananda Swami. Since I am overseas and cannot personally interview you, you please request Aksayananda Swami to recommend you to me for initiation, and then do the needful as he may suggest to you. By this process, it may be possible for you and your wife to be initiated as my disciples. We are very strict in the selection of disciples. We are not after large numbers. In order to be initiated by us, one has to chant at least 16 times around his japa beads daily (the Hare Krishna maha-mantra), he has to follow strict rules such as: no meat, fish, eggs, no intoxication-including tea and cigarettes, no illicit sex, and no gambling. I hope this meets you in good health. Imported quote 22398 Prabhupada: You see, Krsna says that aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami [Bg 18.66]. So Krsna's so powerful that He can immediately take up all the sins of others and immediately make it gone. But when a living entity plays the part on behalf of Krsna, he also takes the responsibility of these sinful activities of his devotee. So to become a guru is not the easy task. You see?
(More...) Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/?qg=2625
|