non-different to Krishna

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-sauhrdah 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...)

According to the Vaisnava philosophy, a devotee is as good as Narayana not by becoming Narayana but by becoming the most confidential servant of Narayana. Such great personalities act as spiritual masters for the benefit of the people in general, and as such, a spiritual master who is preaching the glories of Narayana should be accepted as Narayana and be given all respects due Him. (More...)

In this verse the word ksetra-vit is also important. This word is explained in Bhagavad-gita: idam sariram kaunteya ksetram ity abhidhiyate (Bg. 13.2). This body is called ksetra, or the field of activities, and the proprietors of the body, the individual soul and the Supersoul sitting within the body, are both called ksetra-vit. But there is a difference between the two kinds of ksetra-vit. One ksetra-vit, or knower of the body, namely the Paramatma or the Supersoul, is directing the individual soul. When we rightly take the direction of the Supersoul, our life becomes successful. He is directing from within and from without. From within He is directing as caitya-guru, or the spiritual master sitting within the heart. Indirectly He is also helping the living entity by manifesting Himself as the spiritual master outside. In both ways the Lord is giving directions to the living entity so that he may finish up his material activities and come back home, back to Godhead. The presence of the Supreme Soul and the individual soul within the body can be perceived by anyone by the fact that as long as the individual soul and the Supersoul are both living within the body, the body is always shining and fresh. But as soon as the Supersoul and the individual soul give up possession of the gross body, it immediately decomposes. One who is spiritually advanced can thus understand the real difference between a dead body and a living body. In conclusion, one should not waste his time by so-called economic development and sense gratification but should cultivate spiritual knowledge to understand the Supersoul and the individual soul and their relationship. In this way, by advancement of knowledge, one can achieve liberation and the ultimate goal of life. It is said that if one takes to the path of liberation, even rejecting his so-called duties in the material world, he is not a loser at all. But a person who does not take to the path of liberation yet carefully executes economic development and sense gratification, loses everything. Narada's statement before Vyasadeva is appropriate in this connection: (More...)

The supreme Vaisnava is the spiritual master, and he is nondifferent from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is said that sometimes Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to chant the names of the gopis. Some of the Lord's students tried to advise Him to chant the name of Krsna instead, but upon hearing this Caitanya Mahaprabhu became very angry with His students. The controversy on this subject reached a point that after this incident Caitanya Mahaprabhu decided to take sannyasa because He was not taken very seriously in His grhastha-asrama. The point is that since Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu chanted the names of the gopis, worship of the gopis or the devotees of the Lord is as good as devotional service rendered directly to the Lord. It is also stated by the Lord Himself that devotional service to His devotees is better than service offered directly to Him. Sometimes the sahajiya class of devotees are only interested in Krsna's personal pastimes to the exclusion of the activities of the devotees. This type of devotee is not on a very high level; one who sees the devotee and the Lord on the same level has further progressed. (More...)

Figuratively, King Malayadhvaja is the spiritual master, and his wife, Vaidarbhi, is the disciple. The disciple accepts the spiritual master as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura in Gurv-astaka, saksad-dharitvena: "One directly accepts the guru, the spiritual master, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead." One should accept the spiritual master not in the sense that the Mayavadi philosophers do, but in the way recommended here. Since the spiritual master is the most confidential servant of the Lord, he should be treated exactly like the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The spiritual master should never be neglected or disobeyed, like an ordinary person. (More...)

When a person's relative dies, renunciation is automatically visible. Consultation with the Supersoul seated within everyone's heart is possible only when one is completely free from the contamination of material attachment. One who is sincere and pure gets an opportunity to consult with the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His Paramatma feature sitting within everyone's heart. The Paramatma is always the caitya-guru, the spiritual master within, and He comes before one externally as the instructor and initiator spiritual master. The Lord can reside within the heart, and He can also come out before a person and give him instructions. Thus the spiritual master is not different from the Supersoul sitting within the heart. An uncontaminated soul or living entity can get a chance to meet the Paramatma face to face. Just as one gets a chance to consult with the Paramatma within his heart, he also gets a chance to see Him actually situated before him. Then one can take instructions from the Supersoul directly. This is the duty of the pure devotee: to see the bona fide spiritual master and consult with the Supersoul within the heart. (More...)

One who is engaged in devotional service has not the least fear in material existence. This is because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the Supersoul and friend of everyone. One who knows this secret is actually educated, and one thus educated can become the spiritual master of the world. One who is an actually bona fide spiritual master, representative of Krsna, is not different from Krsna. (More...)

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says: saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih. The spiritual master is described in every scripture as the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The spiritual master is accepted as identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead because he is the most confidential servant of the Lord (kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya). The purport is that both the Supersoul and the individual soul are very dear to everyone. Everyone loves himself, and when he becomes more advanced, he loves the Supersoul also. A person who is self-realized does not recommend the worship of anyone but the Supersoul. He knows that to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead is easier than to worship various demigods under the influence of lust and the desire for material enjoyment. The devotee is therefore always engaged in the loving devotional service of the Lord. Such a person is a true guru. In Padma it is said: (More...)

In this verse bhagavan naradah indicates that Narada is always absorbed in thoughts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhagavaty uttama-sloka avistatma. Narada has no other business than thinking of Krsna, talking of Krsna and preaching about Krsna; therefore he is sometimes called bhagavan. Bhagavan means "one who possesses all opulences." When a person possesses Bhagavan within his heart, he is also sometimes called bhagavan. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura said, saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih: in every sastra the spiritual master is accepted directly as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This does not mean that the spiritual master or a saintly person like Narada has actually become the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but he is accepted in this way because he possesses the Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart constantly. As described here (avistatma), when one is simply absorbed in the thought of Krsna, he is also called bhagavan. Bhagavan possesses all opulence. If one possesses Bhagavan within his heart always, does he not automatically possess all opulence also? In that sense a great devotee like Narada can be called bhagavan. However, we cannot tolerate when a rascal or imposter is called bhagavan. One must possess either all opulences or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan, who possesses all opulences. (More...)

When a conditioned soul becomes a devotee of Krishna, Krishna by His causeless Mercy trains him in two ways: He trains him by the Spiritual Master from the outside, and He trains him from the inside by the Supersoul. In this connection there is a very nice verse in the Srimad Bhagwatam, Eleventh Canto, Twenty-ninth Chapter [11.29.6], in which it is said: "O my dear Lord, if somebody should get a duration of life like Brahma's, still he would be unable to express his gratitude to You for the benefits derived from remembering You; because, out of Your causeless mercy, You drive away all inauspicious conditions for a devotee, expressing Yourself from outside as the Spiritual Master, and from inside as the Supersoul." (More...)

The purpose of our Krsna consciousness movement is to propagate this advanced scientific idea to people in general, and the process is very simple. Simply by chanting the holy names of God-Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare-one cleanses the dirt from his heart and gains understanding that he is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord and that it is his duty to serve Him. This process is very pleasant: we chant the Hare Krsna mantra, we dance rhythmically, and we eat nice prasadam. While enjoying this life, we are preparing to enter into the kingdom of God in our next life. This is not a fabrication-it is all factual. Although to a layman this appears to be a fabrication, Krsna reveals Himself from within to one who is serious about God realization. Both Krsna and the spiritual master help the sincere soul. The spiritual master is the external manifestation of God, who is situated in everyone's heart as Supersoul. For one who is very serious about understanding the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Supersoul immediately renders assistance by directing him to a bona fide spiritual master. In this way the spiritual candidate is helped from within and without. (More...)

So guru is helping from inside and from outside. Antar-bahih. So Krsna is so kind. Therefore Krsna manifests Himself as spiritual master. Therefore Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says, saksad-dhari, saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih. Manifestation of; empowered. One who is pure devotee, he's empowered by Krsna to act as spiritual master. Therefore spiritual master should be accepted: saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair uktah. It is described there. Tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih. Those who are learned scholar, actual devotee, they accept. But that does not mean guru is Krsna. Kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya. Now, that, if you accept, you... Accept means you honor spiritual master as good as Krsna, because he's representative. But not that Mayavada philosophy that guru and Krsna is the same. This is simultaneously one and different. Kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya. He is as good as Krsna because he is very, very dear to Krsna. Why dear? Because he's preaching on behalf of Krsna. What Krsna wants, he's doing that. Therefore he's very dear. (More...)

So Krsna, when instructs from within the heart, He is called caitya-guru. And that caitya-guru is expanded by the process, personal presentation of spiritual master. So both ways He is helping us. Krsna is so kind. Guru-krsna-krpaya. Krsna is helping from within, but sometimes we are so dull, naturally, that we cannot understand. Therefore He sends His representative to instruct externally. So He is helping internally and externally. There is no difference between the internal and external instructor. We should take advantage of this instruction. That is called vyavasayatmika buddhih, fixed-up resolution. Fixed-up resolution. If we become fixed up in this resolution, that "Whatever we have heard from my guru, the representative of Krsna, I must execute it. I do not care for my personal convenience or inconvenience. This is my life and soul," then your life is perfect. Then your life is... If I make some amendment, addition, alteration in the name of Krsna, guru, then it is spoiled. No. We should receive the instruction as it is, especially... (More...)

Prabhupada: That's all. Krsna is within you. He'll give you. As soon as you become a pure devotee, all dictation will come from within. And besides that, Krsna is helping, inside and outside. Outside is spiritual master; inside Krsna Himself. Where is the difficulty? Simply you have to become sincere. That's all. Everything is there. But if we become cheaters, we do, say, something before Krsna, before spiritual master, before fire, and do something else, then there is no question of dictation from Krsna. You do your activities. Sva-karmana, by your own work, you suffer or enjoy. There is no enjoyment, simply suffer. That's all. Material world, there is no question of enjoyment. Simply we concoct, "This is enjoyment." This is not enjoyment. It is suffering. (More...)

Therefore guru, guru is servant of Krsna, but he is accepted as Krsna. Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih. This is the verdict of all sastra. Guru never says that "I am Krsna. I am God. I am Bhagavan." No. He never says. He is not guru then. He will say, "I am the most humble servant of the servant of the servant of God," not direct servant-servant, servant, servant, servant, hundred times down. Gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasa-dasa-dasanudasah [Cc Madhya 13.80]. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's words. Gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor dasa-dasa-dasa-dasanudasah. The more you become servant, servant, you are perfect servant. Don't try to become direct servant. That is not possible. You cannot become direct servant. You first of all become servant of the servant. The guru is the servant of Krsna, and you become his servant. Then you..., you are bona fide servant. That is our real position. (More...)

Prabhupada: Krsna is everything, outside and inside. Inside He is Paramatma, outside He is spiritual master. So Krsna is trying to help the conditioned soul both ways-outside and inside. Therefore spiritual master is representative of Krsna. Krsna comes outside as spiritual master, and inside He is personally there. (More...)

God is situated in everyone's heart, and He is dictating. Even He is dictating to the thief that, "You are going to steal. It is not good. If you are arrested you will be punished." That dictation is there, but he disobeys the dictation and he steals, commits sin. That is sin. So the dictator is there, we admit that. Krsna, or God is there within the heart and He is giving dictation, but you disobey. But if we accept that dictation, then you become devotee. Dictation is already there; otherwise why this thief is going to steal at night? Dictation is there that, "You don't go at the daytime. You will be captured and be punished." "All right, I shall go at night, when everyone is asleep." So dictation is there. Dictation is there in two ways-from the heart and from the representative. God's representative, saintly person, spiritual master is dictating, "My dear boy, you do not do this; you do this." Outside dictation. And inside dictation. But he is disobeying. Regularly he is disobeying. Then how he can be happy? (More...)

Regarding your question, this surrender to Supersoul is in the advanced stage of Krishna Consciousness. So long one is not advanced, he has to take information and direction from the representative of Supersoul or the Spiritual Master. The spiritual master is external manifestation of the Supersoul. Thus the Lord helps the living entity, helps both from inside & outside. (More...)

Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letters dated July 4, 6, & 8th, 1975 and have noted the contents. Regarding Vrindaban, yes purchase immediately that land at Rs. 20/-. I have already advised the bank to issue one letter of credit for up to Rs. one lakh. If the cost is more, then we shall pay. Atul Krishna Goswami has given a good certificate. Yes, everybody says like that, that I am incarnation of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Actually Krishna and Krishna's representative are not different. Anything that is Krishna's is not different from Krishna. Therefore it is said saksadharitvena 'samasta sastrair. The spiritual master is accepted by all advanced devotees as Hari. (More...)

So those who are vyavasaya, niscayatmika-buddhi, their duty is to carry out the orders of the Supreme. And the Supreme is giving order in two ways: as caitya-guru from within, and as spiritual master. Inside and outside. (More...)