Srila Prabhupada: The Perfect Person and the Infallible Master

Acarya das (ACBSP), USA: Lord Krishna, the fountainhead of all of existence, is the Supreme Person, infallible and full in all the six opulences. To attain real knowledge there is no other way than to depend on Krishna. Just like we depend on Krishna for everything else, we also depend on Him for knowledge. Therefore we can know conclusively from Krishna, how Srila Prabhupada is the perfect person and the infallible master, beyond any doubt and mistake.

Lord Krishna hands the perfect transcendental knowledge through the system of disciplic succession, the parampara. Knowledge received in this way is as perfect as the Supreme Lord Krishna Himself. The way of receiving such knowledge is described by Srila Prabhupada with the following words:

“Perfect knowledge is called parampara, or deductive knowledge coming down from the authority to the submissive aural receiver who is bona fide by service and surrender. One cannot challenge the authority of the Supreme and know Him also at the same time. He reserves the right of not being exposed to such a challenging spirit of an insignificant spark of the whole, a spark subjected to the control of illusory energy. The devotees are submissive, and therefore the transcendental knowledge descends from the Personality of Godhead to Brahma and from Brahma to his sons and disciples in succession. This process is helped by the Supersoul within such devotees. That is the perfect way of learning transcendental knowledge.”

(Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.21)

Srila Prabhupada, the current link in the succession coming down from Krishna Himself, informs us that service and surrender to Lord Krishna and His authorized representative is the qualification for receiving knowledge through the system of the parampara. If, therefore, we take tight shelter of the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada, we will be able to connect to the perfect source of all knowledge, Sri Krishna. Srila Prabhupada is the via medium for Krishna’s message and if we surrender unto His words, we can know everything that we want and need to.

To establish Srila Prabhupada’s infallible and perfect position I would like to present some quotes which I hope will clear the doubts in the minds of those who have difficulty in understanding and accepting this wonderful and encouraging fact. Srila Prabhupada has at times and by different persons unjustifiably been looked upon as fallible. To help resolve such an unfortunate misunderstanding, I would like to submit the following evidence for the benefit and pleasure of all the devotees of Srila Prabhupada.

“O Narada, because I have caught hold of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, with great zeal, whatever I say has never proved to have been false. Nor is the progress of my mind ever deterred. Nor are my senses ever degraded by temporary attachment to matter.

Lord Brahma is the original speaker of Vedic wisdom to Narada, and Narada is the distributor of transcendental knowledge all over the world through his various disciples, like Vyasadeva and others. The followers of Vedic wisdom accept the statements of Brahmaji as gospel truth, and transcendental knowledge is thus being distributed all over the world by the process of disciplic succession from time immemorial, since the beginning of the creation. Lord Brahma is the perfect liberated living being within the material world, and any sincere student of transcendental knowledge must accept the words and statements of Brahmaji as infallible. The Vedic knowledge is infallible because it comes down directly from the Supreme Lord unto the heart of Brahma, and since he is the most perfect living being, Brahmaji is always correct to the letter. And this is because Lord Brahma is a great devotee of the Lord who has earnestly accepted the lotus feet of the Lord as the supreme truth. In the Brahma-samhita, which is compiled by Brahmaji, he repeats the aphorism govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami: ** “I am a worshiper of the original Personality of Godhead, Govinda, the primeval Lord.” So whatever he says, whatever he thinks, and whatever he does normally in his mood are to be accepted as truth because of his direct and very intimate connection with Govinda, the primeval Lord. Sri Govinda, who pleasingly accepts the loving transcendental service of His devotees, gives all protection to the words and actions of His devotees. The Lord declares in the Bhagavad-gita (9.31), kaunteya pratijanihi: “O son of Kunti, please declare it.” The Lord asks Arjuna to declare, and why? Because sometimes the declaration of Govinda Himself may seem contradictory to mundane creatures, but the mundaner will never find any contradiction in the words of the Lord’s devotees. The devotees are especially protected by the Lord so that they may remain infallible.”

(Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.6.13)

This Vedic evidence is most convincing and fit to solve any dispute over whether Srila Prabhupada is perfect or sometimes mistaken. Although I have always thought it is basic understanding, it has proven to me that by bad association of false devotees, misunderstandings of such vital nature can become quite acceptable. The aftermath of such a misunderstanding is very dangerous and therefore such a misunderstanding should be avoided just like one avoids being bitten by a snake.

Kindly hear the following evidence, dear devotees.

“The spiritual master should be considered to be directly the Supreme Lord because he gives transcendental knowledge for enlightenment. Consequently, for one who maintains the material conception that the spiritual master is an ordinary human being, everything is frustrated. His enlightenment and his Vedic studies and knowledge are like the bathing of an elephant.

It is recommended that one honor the spiritual master as being on an equal status with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sakshad dharitvena samasta-sastraih. This is enjoined in every scripture. Acaryam mam vijaniyat [SB 11.17.27]. One should consider the acarya to be as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In spite of all these instructions, if one considers the spiritual master an ordinary human being, one is doomed. His study of the Vedas and his austerities and penances for enlightenment are all useless, like the bathing of an elephant. An elephant bathes in a lake quite thoroughly, but as soon as it comes on the shore it takes some dust from the ground and strews it over its body. Thus there is no meaning to the elephant’s bath. One may argue by saying that since the spiritual master’s relatives and the men of his neighborhood consider him an ordinary human being, what is the fault on the part of the disciple who considers the spiritual master an ordinary human being? This will be answered in the next verse, but the injunction is that the spiritual master should never be considered an ordinary man. One should strictly adhere to the instructions of the spiritual master, for if he is pleased, certainly the Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto ‘pi.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna, is the master of all other living entities and of the material nature. His lotus feet are sought and worshiped by great saintly persons like Vyasa. Nonetheless, there are fools who consider Lord Krishna an ordinary human being.

The example of Lord Krishna’s being the Supreme Personality of Godhead is appropriate in regard to understanding the spiritual master. The spiritual master is called sevaka-bhagavan, the servitor Personality of Godhead, and Krishna is called sevya-bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is to be worshiped. The spiritual master is the worshiper God, whereas the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is the worshipable God. This is the difference between the spiritual master and the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Another point: Bhagavad-gita, which constitutes the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is presented by the spiritual master as it is, without deviation. Therefore the Absolute Truth is present in the spiritual master. As clearly stated in Text 26, jnana-dipa-prade. The Supreme Personality of Godhead gives real knowledge to the entire world, and the spiritual master, as the representative of the Supreme Godhead, carries the message throughout the world. Therefore, on the absolute platform, there is no difference between the spiritual master and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If someone considers the Supreme Personality—Krishna or Lord Ramacandra—to be an ordinary human being, this does not mean that the Lord becomes an ordinary human being. Similarly, if the family members of the spiritual master, who is the bona fide representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, consider the spiritual master an ordinary human being, this does not mean that he becomes an ordinary human being. The spiritual master is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore one who is very serious about spiritual advancement must regard the spiritual master in this way. Even a slight deviation from this understanding can create disaster in the disciple’s Vedic studies and austerities.”

(Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.15.26-27)

I hope the devotees of Srila Prabhupada will happily accept my conclusion on the basis of the presented evidence. All misunderstandings are perfectly resolved by taking shelter of Srila Prabhupada’s infallible and transcendental words, not otherwise.

And as far as our own perfection is concerned, it is fully dependent on the pleasure of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and Srila Prabhupada, his perfect representative. By following the perfect and infallible master Srila Prabhupada, surrendering unto his words and serving them, we will be able to return to Krishna and even meet Him right now!

“In His Paramatma feature, Krishna is the old friend of everyone. According to Vedic injunction, Krishna is sitting with the living entity side by side. According to the sruti-mantra (dva suparna sayuja sakhayah), the Lord is sitting within the heart of every living entity as suhrit, the best friend. The Lord is always eager to have the living entity come home, back to Godhead. Sitting with the living entity as witness, the Lord gives him all chances to enjoy himself materially, but whenever there is an opportunity, the Lord gives good counsel and advises the living entity to abandon trying to become happy through material adjustment and instead turn his face toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead and surrender unto Him. When one becomes serious to follow the mission of the spiritual master, his resolution is tantamount to seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As explained before, this means meeting the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the instruction of the spiritual master. This is technically called vani-seva. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura states in his Bhagavad-gita commentary on the verse vyavasayatmika buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana (Bg. 2.41) that one should serve the words of the spiritual master. The disciple must stick to whatever the spiritual master orders. Simply by following on that line, one sees the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Paramatma, appeared before the Queen as a brahmana, but why didn’t He appear in His original form as Sri Krishna? Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura remarks that unless one is very highly elevated in loving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one cannot see Him as He is. Nonetheless, if one sticks to the principles enunciated by the spiritual master, somehow or other he is in association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since the Lord is in the heart, He can advise a sincere disciple from within. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (10.10):

tesham satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te

“To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give the understanding by which they can come to Me.”

In conclusion, if a disciple is very serious to execute the mission of the spiritual master, he immediately associates with the Supreme Personality of Godhead by vani or vapuh. This is the only secret of success in seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Instead of being eager to see the Lord in some bush of Vrindavana while at the same time engaging in sense gratification, if one instead sticks to the principle of following the words of the spiritual master, he will see the Supreme Lord without difficulty.”

(Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.28.51)

So who would dare to change Srila Prabhupada’s words, thinking he is mistaken?

“You are so—what is called?—fool that you do not know what is defective. What is that English proverb? “Fools rush in where angels dare not.”

(Srila Prabhupada’s Conversation on Train to Allahabad, January 11, 1977)

“If the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is not bestowed upon a person-regardless of how learned a scholar that person may be and regardless of his seeing or listening-he cannot accept Lord Caitanya as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

The same principles can be applied to demoniac persons, even though they be in the sampradaya of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Without receiving the Lord’s special power, one cannot preach His glories all over the world. Even though one may celebrate himself as a learned follower of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and even though one may attempt to preach the holy name of the Lord all over the world, if he is not favored by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu he will find fault with the pure devotee and will not be able to understand how a preacher is empowered by Lord Caitanya. One must be considered bereft of the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu when he criticizes the Krishna consciousness movement now spreading all over the world or finds fault with this movement or the leader of the movement.”

(Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 11.103)

Radha-vallabha: “So we should just leave it exactly.
Prabhupada: Oh, yes. You should not be more educated.
Radha-vallabha: He wasn’t changing any of the words. He was just…
Prabhupada: Nothing of the… This of should be strictly forbidden.
Radha-vallabha: So no corrections. That makes it simple.
Prabhupada: They can divide the synonyms. That’s all.
Radha-vallabha: Synonyms. So even…
Prabhupada: That is his tendency, to correct. That’s very bad. He should not do that.
Radha-vallabha: So I’ll just forget this, then.
Prabhupada: The system is: whatever authority has done, even there is mistake, it should be accepted.
Radha-vallabha: Oh.
Prabhupada: Asa-praya(?) That is ha… He should not become more learned than the authority. That is very bad habit.
Radha-vallabha: He was always wondering how he should think. So I’ll tell him that. He thinks, “If I think I see a mistake, what should I think?” I’ll tell him what you just said.
Prabhupada: He cannot see mistake. He is mistake. (laughter) He should… That is being done by this rascal. I don’t want. ”

(Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, February 27, 1977, Mayapur)