hearing properly from his guru
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Imported quote 16085 There is a statement in Brahma-samhita: Just ride on the airplane which runs at the speed of mind. Our material airplanes can run 2,000 miles per hour, but what is the speed of mind? You are sitting at home, you immediately think of India, say 10,000 miles away, and at once it is in your home. Your mind has gone there. The mind-speed is so swift. Therefore it is stated, "If you travel at this speed for millions of years, you'll find that the Spiritual Sky is unlimited." It is not possible even to approach it. Therefore, the Vedic injunction is that one must approach-the word "compulsory" is used-a bona fide spiritual master, a guru. And what is the qualification of a spiritual master? He has rightly heard the Vedic message from the right source. Otherwise he is not bona fide. He must practically be firmly established in Brahman. These are the two qualities. This Krsna Consciousness movement is completely authorized from Vedic principles. In the Bhagavad-gita Krsna says, "The actual aim of Vedic research is to find out Krsna." In the Brahma-samhita it is also stated, "Krsna, Govinda, has innumerable Forms, but they are all one." They are not like our forms, which are fallible. His Form is infallible. My form has a beginning, but His Form has no beginning. It is ananta. And His Form-so many multiforms-has no end. My form is sitting here and not in my apartment. You are sitting there and not in your apartment. But Krsna can be anywhere at one time. He can sit down in Goloka Vrndavana and at the same time He is everywhere, all-pervading. He is Original, the Oldest, but whenever you look at a picture of Krsna you'll find a young Boy of 15-20 years old. You will never find an old man. You have seen pictures of Krsna as a charioteer from the Bhagavad-gita. At that time He was not less than 100 years old. He had great-grandchildren, but He looked just like a boy. Krsna, God, never becomes old. That is His Supreme power. And if you want to search out Krsna by studying the Vedic literature, then you will be baffled. It may be possible, but it is very difficult. But you can very easily learn about Him from His devotee. His devotee can deliver Him to you: "Here He is, take Him." That is the potency of Krsna's devotees.
(More...) Imported quote 17452 These are the practical experience of mahajana, Brahma. The Brahma-samhita is written by Brahma. He's mahajana. Mahajana means the person who knows Krsna. The mahajanas are described, you know: twelve mahajanas. Naradaḥ svayambhūḥ sambhuḥ. Narada is mahajana, and Brahma is mahajana, Svayambhū. And Lord Siva is mahajana. Kapilaḥ kumaro manuḥ prahlado bhismaḥ. The mahajanas are there. So we have to follow. Mahajano yena gataḥ sa panthaḥ [Cc Madhya 17.186].
(More...) Imported quote 18001 So tad-vijnanartham, if you want to understand spiritual knowledge, then you have to approach a guru. Guru. Guru means weighty, I mean to say, one who has got better knowledge. Heavy. Guru means heavy, heavy with knowledge. And what is that knowledge? "I have got so much knowledge." No. Transcendental. Tad-vijnana. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet, samit-paniḥ srotriyam brahma-nistham [Munḍaka Upanisad 1.2.12].
(More...) So those who are in the line of hearing from the preceptorial succession, disciplic succession... As it is said in the Bhagavad-gita, evam parampara-praptam [Bg 4.2]. Not, I mean to say, upstart knowledge. Standard knowledge. Standard knowledge is received from the parampara system, disciplic succession. Therefore it is said, srotriyam. Srotriyam means "who has heard from the parampara system." Srotriyam. And the result is brahma-nistham: "He is firmly fixed up in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Brahma-nistham. He has no other business. This is two qualification. He must have heard the Vedic knowledge through the disciplic succession. It does not require that he is very learned scholar. No. Simply he must hear from the authority. Srotriyam. You have... Krsna has given you, God has given you the ear. This is our system. Simply they hear and they become big, big preacher. It doesn't require that he has to pass M.A., C.B.A.C., or Ph.D. examinations. Hearing is sufficient. Sthane sthitaḥ sruti-gatam tanu-vah-manobhiḥ [SB 10.14.3]. You remain in your position, in your place. You do not require to change it. Sthane sthitaḥ.
(More...) Imported quote 22636 Prabhupada: That I am coming. That I am coming. Guru... That is next line. It is said, srotriyam brahma-nistham. Guru means who has properly heard the Vedas, sruti. Srotriyam. And as a result of his hearing he is firmly convinced in the existence of the Absolute Truth, God.
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