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<\/center><\/p>\nBy Danavir Goswami<\/strong><\/p>\n Looking back to 1987, I remember trying my best to counsel several weeping ISKCON Vaisnavas when they learned that their guru had just defaulted his position. Their guru was previously a dynamic, conquering her who shone like fire through preaching, making disciples, and leading the sankirtan movement. Yet, those weeping Vaisnavas sitting in my office would have traded all the joy they shared with him during the victories just to have him remain their own spiritually-healthy guru. These devotees had surrendered their young and capable lives to Lord Krishna, but now they grieved because their guru was careless in following his own guru\u2019s instructions. It is my contention that an ISKCON guru must fully participate in the temple morning program each day lest he disqualifies himself to be a guru. Of course there may be exceptions such as an emergency or a serious illness but if he can walk (or be carried), talk and honor prasadam, he should be shining like a beacon at the morning program. During his last visit to the West in September of 1977, Srila Prabhupada personally came to the morning program every day while he stayed at the Manor. If ever a guru had a valid excuse for not attending the morning program it was then, yet he underwent the inconvenience to set an example.<\/span><\/p>\n A synonym for the word guru is acarya which means one who teaches by example. Guru means preacher and preacher means acarya\u2014 \u00e4c\u00e4ra prac\u00e4ra. A devotee who executes sadhana bhakti carefully for many years may be allowed to accept disciples. A main qualification for one\u2019s becoming a guru in the first place was his strict adherence to the practices defined by his spiritual master. After some time however if that devotee, now guiding disciples, relaxes his sadhana due to \u201cbeing advanced,\u201d or to \u201cpreaching,\u201d or some other reason, is it not a fly in the ointment? Unable to maintain the standard after accepting disciples, he should either immediately rectify the situation or in our humble opinion, discontinue accepting more disciples until he is able to recover. Meticulous attendance at the morning program is required for devotees living in an ISKCON temple, and it is a prerequisite for receiving brahminical initiation, why then should it not apply for gurus?<\/span><\/p>\n \u00c4pani \u00e4cari prabhu j\u00e9veri \u00e7ik\u00f1\u00e4ya. That is Caitanya Mah\u00e4prabhu\u2019s movement. He teaches others by behaving Himself. \u201cExample is better than precept.\u201d If you cannot rise early in the morning, then how can you ask others to rise early in the morning? What is the effect? There is no effect. We have got business early in the morning, to attend ma\u00ecgala \u00e4rati. And if you sleep yourself and teach others, so who will take it? (Srila Prabhupada on a Morning Walk \u2014 April 23, 1974, Hyderabad)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Why must an advanced teacher clock in, so to speak, for temple services and rudimentary classes?<\/span><\/p>\n Because our spiritual master has ordered us to attend the morning program. Because this is the standard spiritual practice since time immemorial. Because gurus, i.e. acaryas, teach by their personal example.<\/span><\/p>\n yad yad \u00e4carati \u00e7re\u00f1\u00f6has Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues. (Bhagavad-gita 3.21)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Because rising early to see the Lord, hear His glories and to dance and chant before Him are not mere rituals for neophytes\u2014they are Goloka activities. Because due to so many guru falldowns, faith is low and needs to be improved. Seeing gurus at morning programs definitely enhances the faith of the devotees. Because we may not have yet attained the highest stage of a paramahamsa. Because even if one is a paramahamsa, he voluntarily acts on the level of madhyama adhikari for preaching purposes. Whatever action a guru performs\u2026the disciples perform. Where gurus don\u2019t attend, it should come as no surprise that disciples don\u2019t either. One senior Godbrother recently confided in me that in his opinion the singlemost important way to improve ISKCON would be to make sure that all of the leaders were exemplary in their devotional practices especially in attending the morning program. A guru who does not attend morning temple programs is super-conspicuous by his absence. Conversely, when the guru is there, more of his sisyas will be there.<\/span><\/p>\n If gurus don\u2019t attend mangala arati it sends out a signal as loud as the conchshell that there are other more important things to do at four thirty in the morning than attending mangala arati. Younger devotees will think that later when they mature, they too can do more important things at that time of the day. A guru must know that staying up late at night can be a mortal enemy of mangala arati.<\/span><\/p>\n Q: Is attending mangala arati optional for a guru?<\/span><\/p>\n A: It is indeed obligatory. <\/span><\/p>\n Q: But Srila Prabhupada didn\u2019t attend.<\/span><\/p>\n A: That is correct. However he was fully awake every brahma muhurta at four thirty AM singing his melodious Bhaktivedanta purports for all to hear.<\/span><\/p>\n Q: But he did say \u201cdo as I am doing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n A: His statement shouldn\u2019t be taken out of context. He wanted to impress his sannyasis, in particular, with the importance of performing all types of services for Krishna. \u201cDo as I am doing\u201d means to do the needful and be expert in spreading Krishna consciousness like he was. Sri Krishna lifted up Govardhana As rasa dancing is exclusively for Krishna and drinking an ocean of poison is only for Lord Siva, let us concede His Divine Grace the unique privilege of not attending mangala arati by graciously not attempting to claim the right for ourselves. He clearly instructed his followers to attend and he did not authorize missing mangala arati.<\/span><\/p>\n One time it was brought to his attention that a senior devotee was not attending mangala arati. \u201cDo it to set the example for the other devotees,\u201d \u00c7r\u00e9la Prabhup\u00e4da said. \u201cYou, yourself are very advanced. You do not need to attend mangala arati, but you should set the example for those that require it.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Q: If a guru is not requested to give the morning temple Srimad Bhagavatam class, should he stay for the class or go elsewhere? A: A guru should still sit in the temple room and hear the Bh\u00e4gavata philosophy explained by the speaker just like the four Kumaras and the six Goswamis of Vrndavana listen to each other transmit their realizations. If the speaker is junior to the guru, it is no reason to abandon the class, since Narada Muni and Srila Vy\u00e4sadeva offered full attention to a junior speaker.<\/span><\/p>\n Q: Isn\u2019t it a waste of a guru\u2019s time to sit and listen to a neophyte devotee give a Bhagavatam class when the guru could be directly drinking the nectar from Srila Prabhupada\u2019s books and purports?<\/span><\/p>\n A: The Srimad Bhagavatam class exclusively uses Srila Prabhup\u00e4da\u2019s translations and purports, so even gurus can relish the verses and purports in association with other Vaisnavas. When a guru vacates Bhagavatam classes, it sets a precedent for others devotees to follow.<\/span><\/p>\n Q: What if the guru finds the class\u2026well, just plain boring?<\/span><\/p>\n A: Uh oh. And may I ask what is more interesting\u2026reading books by scholars or hearing lectures given by secular professors? As disheartening as it may be, if a guru cannot bring himself to sit and hear Srimad Bhagavatam classes given by other Vaisnavas in good standing, he has apparently lost some of his taste for Krishna katha. Q: Instead of attending Bhagavatam class, the guru could be writing books for the benefit of the whole world or organizing some type of preaching strategy. After all, the guru is a general in the sankirtan army so why must he be expected to obey all the routine regulations like a new recruit?<\/span><\/p>\n A: There is certainly a fine line between a) the privileges afforded to an experienced devotee-preacher, b) negligence of spiritual duty and c) hypocrisy. It is agreed that we do not want to foster an ISKCON where spiritual leaders\u2019 creativity is stifled nor where spiritual leaders are suspect at every moment. On the other hand, we cannot overlook the weighty responsibilities of the guru. Srila Prabhupada once made a statement that Arjuna didn\u2019t chant 16 rounds because of his fighting a war. There was a devotee acting as a guru in our movement who tried using this statement to exclude himself from chanting sixteen rounds. He reasoned that he, like Arjuna, was working very hard managing, preaching and fighting the forces of maya. Nevertheless, the devotee fell down. One difference is that Arjuna\u2019s gurudeva, Sri Krishna, was constantly by his side sanctioning each of His disciple\u2019s actions, whereas our gurudeva constantly wrote and spoke that his disciple(s) must always chant a minimum of sixteen rounds every day.<\/span><\/p>\n What may be allowed for Arjuna is not allowed for all. Remembering the story of a monkey who imitated a lumberman, we should perform our own duty without attempting to perform that of another. <\/span><\/p>\n Q: Does every guru in ISKCON have to chant sixteen rounds daily?<\/span><\/p>\n A: Yes, it is considered one of the qualifications of a guru.<\/span><\/p>\n Q: But, one might argue that Haridasa Thakura was allowed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to reduce his number of rounds.<\/span><\/p>\n A: True, but that was only days before Haridasa departed from this world at a time when his body was barely functional. Haridasa\u2019 daily number of rounds was 174 plus and as a matter of reference, he also declined Lord Caitanya\u2019s offer to reduce.<\/span><\/p>\n Q: Why wouldn\u2019t it be okay for a guru to chant less than sixteen rounds if circumstances warranted?<\/span><\/p>\n A: Because Srila Prabhupada, our beloved spiritual master and transparent via media, negotiated on our behalf with Lord Krishna and They came to a mutual concession: sixteen rounds. Sixteen rounds was, is and will be the minimum medicine to cure our disease. On the subject of chanting rounds, we strongly urge gurus to chant these within the vision of devotees to allay doubts and enthuse everybody.<\/span><\/p>\n Q: Is it necessary for a guru to be present each day to greet the deities? Isn\u2019t this merely a formality or ritual required only by neophytes?<\/span><\/p>\n A: If this were not important why would Srila Prabhupada have done it himself every day? He was the only guru in ISKCON and because he set the proper example, the movement flourished. Now in order for our movement to flourish\u2014 all ISKCON gurus must combinedly greet the deities. We have discussed the need for gurus to attend all aspects of the morning temple program each day. Yet what if extenuating circumstances arise? For example, what if:<\/span><\/p>\n A guru regularly arrives at midnight or there abouts making it difficult for him to attend. A guru must prioritize his activities allocating the morning program NUMBER 1 TOP SPOT. Even if he cannot do anything else the rest of the day, he should attend the entire morning program if for no other reason than to honor the emphasis Srila Prabhupada placed on it. Gurus must show that the morning program is not a waste of time, rather there is simply nothing more important to be doing.<\/span><\/p>\n Recent history has shown that neglect of the morning program brings falldown for gurus.<\/span><\/p>\n Our society wants and needs spiritually healthy gurus.<\/span><\/p>\n There are some ISKCON gurus today who do not place participating in the morning temple program as their number one priority. Such devotees may have capabilities as speakers, managers, etc. yet they should not take the position of initiating gurus because that requires one to act as an example for his sisyas. If the guru is unable to daily attend the morning program, it is probably a good time for him to defer from initiating more disciples until he recovers.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00c7r\u00e9 Caitanya Mah\u00e4prabhu therefore stated that the spiritual master who plays the part of K\u00e5\u00f1\u00eba\u2019s 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. \u00c7r\u00e9 Caitanya Mah\u00e4prabhu therefore advised that one not accept many disciples. (Srimad Bhagavatam 4.21.31 Purport)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n A guru who does not attend the morning program scrupulously, may already be exhibiting effects of being overwhelmed. He can defer from initiating for some time while he concentrates on his own sadhana and that of his already initiated disciples. We are not commenting here upon a devotee\u2019s value, preaching ability, or spiritual advancement, instead we are suggesting that if one does not perform the functions of a guru either by choice or due to factors beyond his control, then he should not accept the post of taking formal disciples.<\/span><\/p>\n Thank you very much. Hare Krishna.<\/span><\/p>\n Endnotes:<\/span><\/p>\n \u00e4pane \u00e4care keha, n\u00e4 kare prac\u00e4ra \u201cSome behave very well but do not preach the cult of K\u00e5\u00f1\u00eba consciousness, whereas others preach but do not behave properly.<\/span><\/p>\n \u2018\u00e4c\u00e4ra\u2019, \u2018prac\u00e4ra\u2019,\u2014\u2014n\u00e4mera karaha \u2018dui\u2019 k\u00e4rya \u201cYou simultaneously perform both duties in relation to the holy name by your personal behavior and by your preaching. Therefore you are the spiritual master of the entire world, for you are the most advanced devotee in the world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n PURPORT: San\u00e4tana Gosv\u00e4m\u00e9 clearly defines herein the bona fide spiritual master of the world. The qualifications expressed in this connection are that one must act according to the scriptural injunctions and at the same time preach. One who does so is a bona fide spiritual master. Harid\u00e4sa \u00d6h\u00e4kura was the ideal spiritual master because he regularly chanted on his beads a prescribed number of times. Indeed, he was chanting the holy name of the Lord 300,000 times a day. Similarly, the members of the K\u00e5\u00f1\u00eba consciousness movement chant a minimum of sixteen rounds a day, which can be done without difficulty, and at the same time they must preach the cult of Caitanya Mah\u00e4prabhu according to the gospel of Bhagavad-g\u00e9t\u00e4 As It Is. One who does so is quite fit to become a spiritual master for the entire world. (Caitanya-carit\u00e4m\u00e5ta Antya 4.102 Antya 4.103 with purport)<\/span><\/p>\n 2. In this K\u00e5\u00f1\u00eba consciousness movement we require everyone to rise early in the morning, by four A.M., and attend ma\u00ecgala-\u00e4rati, or morning worship, then read \u00c7r\u00e9mad-Bh\u00e4gavatam, perform k\u00e9rtana, and so forth. (Nectar of Instruction; Text 3; Purport)<\/span><\/p>\n 3. When one is further advanced by chanting the Hare K\u00e5\u00f1\u00eba mantra sixteen rounds daily, following the regulative principles and attending classes, he receives the sacred thread (brahminical recognition) after the second six months. (Caitanya-carit\u00e4m\u00e5ta Madhya 15.108 Purport)<\/span><\/p>\n 4. So you are the president there at Schloss Rettershof, it is your duty to see that the standards of Krishna Consciousness are always maintained, especially chanting 16 rounds daily, observing the four regulative principles, no meat, fish, eggs, no intoxication, no gambling, and no illicit sex life. The students must all attend morning and evening arati and classes. If we follow this simple program along with regular sankirtana, distributing the books and preaching, then there will be no fall down. Just like if one keeps himself clean and properly nourished by eating regularly, he will not infect disease, but if there is neglect, then there is room for infection, he becomes weak and fall prey to disease. So Krishna consciousness is the medicine for the material disease, and chanting Hare Krishna mantra sincerely is the basic ingredient of that medicine. (Letter to: Cakravarti \u2014 New Delhi 2 December, 1975)<\/span><\/p>\n 5. Interviewer:<\/strong> Did you work out the spiritual disciplines for the group yourself? I mean about the morning chanting and the recital of the two thousand Hare K\u00e5\u00f1\u00ebas a day and\u2026 Did you work those out yourself?\u2026 satata\u00e0 k\u00e9rtayanto m\u00e4\u00e0 Prabhup\u00e4da:<\/strong> So this was spoken five thousand years ago and we are doing the same thing. Now your answer is there, it is not that I invented something. 6. \u00c4c\u00e4rya means he must show by example. \u00c4pani \u00e4cari bhakti \u00e7ikh\u00e4imu sab\u00e4re. (Morning Walk \u2014 December 5, 1973, Los Angeles)<\/span><\/p>\n 7. And for a devotee, one who is actually pure devotee of K\u00e5\u00f1\u00eba, he is sa gu\u00eb\u00e4n samat\u00e9tyait\u00e4n [Bg. 14.26]. Not that a tiny devotee can claim that he has overcome the influence of this world. No. This is called paramaha\u00e0sa. Sa gu\u00eb\u00e4n samat\u00e9tyait\u00e4n [Bg. 14.26]. Not that because you have taken to devotional\u2026, you have become immediately. The process has begun immediately, curing process. But we should not think that we have become perfect. That is wrong. Yaj\u00efa-d\u00e4na-tapa\u00f9-karma na ty\u00e4jyam. Therefore you must follow the regulative principles. As soon as you become a rascal\u2014\u201dNow I have become advanced. I don\u2019t require to chant sixteen rounds. I can do whatever I like\u201d\u2014then he has gone to hell. Upstart, immediately he becomes paramaha\u00e0sa. He\u2019s a rascal\u2026 Therefore amongst the devotees, there are three grades: kani\u00f1\u00f6ha-adhik\u00e4r\u00e9, madhyama-adhik\u00e4r\u00e9, and uttama-adhik\u00e4r\u00e9. So if the kani\u00f1\u00f6ha-adhik\u00e4r\u00e9 thinks that \u201cI have become uttama-adhik\u00e4r\u00e9,\u201d then he\u2019s a rascal. He\u2019s a rascal. If he wants to imitate the uttama-adhik\u00e4r\u00e9, then he\u2019s a rascal. (Morning Walk \u2014 February 4, 1976, M\u00e4y\u00e4pura)<\/span><\/p>\n 8. But a guru, although he is paramaha\u00e0sa, because he is teaching, he come down as madhyama-adhik\u00e4r\u00e9. There are three kinds of Vai\u00f1\u00ebava: kani\u00f1\u00f6ha adhik\u00e4r\u00e9, madhyama adhik\u00e4r\u00e9 and uttama adhik\u00e4r\u00e9. Uttama adhik\u00e4r\u00e9 may be without kunti, without \u00e7ikh\u00e4, without Vai\u00f1\u00ebava symptoms. He\u2019s paramaha\u00e0sa. But when he comes to the preaching platform he must become a madhyama adhik\u00e4r\u00e9, not to imitate uttama adhik\u00e4r\u00e9, because he has to teach. He cannot deviate from the teaching principles. So what you are speaking, that \u201cWithout \u00e7ikh\u00e4 without kunti, one can become guru,\u201d that is fact for the paramaha\u00e0sa, not for the preacher. Preacher must behave very nicely. (Lecture: \u00c7r\u00e9 Caitanya-carit\u00e4m\u00e5ta, Madhya-l\u00e9l\u00e4 8.128 \u2014 Bhubanesvara, January 24, 1977)<\/span><\/p>\n 9. So the future of this Krishna Consciousness movement is very bright, so long the managers remain vigilant that 16 rounds are being chanted by everyone without fail, that they are all rising before four morning, attending mangal arati. (Letter to: Karandhara \u2014 Bombay 22 December, 1972)<\/span><\/p>\n 10. You must rise early (before 4:00 AM), attend the mangala arati, attend the classes, chant at least 16 good rounds daily, and observe the four basic principles. These things you must do without fail otherwise, there is no question of spiritual life. (Letter to: Caranaravinda \u2014 Mayapur 2 April, 1975)<\/span><\/p>\n 11. Everyone should attend the class, rise early in the morning, attend ma\u00ecgala-\u00e4rati. (\u00c7r\u00e9mad-Bh\u00e4gavatam 7.12.3 Lecture by Srila Prabhupada \u2014 Bombay, April 14, 1976)<\/span><\/p>\n 12. That is the test. Yes. One who cannot rise early in the morning, he is not spiritually serious. (Room Conversation \u2014 December 13, 1970, Indore)<\/span><\/p>\n 13. Sannyasi simply means to do as I am doing, and sometimes I have to manage, sometimes cook, sometimes go to the bank, keep the money, write books, chant, preach in the class, keep accounts\u2013sannyasi should be expert in every department. (Letter to: Satsvarupa \u2014 Vrindaban 5 November, 1972)<\/span><\/p>\n 14. So I am very much pleased upon you for your kindly guiding and training the new devotees in so many ways. Yes, if you simply instruct them as I have taught also you, being yourself always the perfect example and above suspicion, that will act with great force. I am doing that. And I wanted to make some sannyasis to do what I am doing, and if you keep the standard, always chanting Hare Krishna, then it will go on continuously without impediment. That is your duty as sannyasa, to keep yourself always above suspicion in Krishna Consciousness programme, and to teach others to become like you, that\u2019s all. That is our perfect programme. (Letter to: Sudama \u2014 Bombay 23 December, 1972)<\/span><\/p>\n 15. Jayadeva das (UK) from \u201cI Never Knew You\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n 16. (Srila Prabhupada Uvaca; 62. By Srutikirti dasa Adhikari)<\/span><\/p>\n 17. In the discussions held among the four brothers, one of them, namely Sanandana, was selected to speak, and the other brothers became the audience to hear him. (Krishna Book 87: Prayers by the Personified Vedas)<\/span><\/p>\n 18. You must see that they strictly follow the regulative principles, the four prohibitions as well as the devotional practices of arising early, taking morning bath, putting on tilaka, attending mangal arati, chanting japa 16 rounds, and attending Srimad Bhagavatam class. This is the duty of all my initiated disciples, whether they are big or they are small. Actually in our movement there is no such thing as big or small. Everyone is a devotee. So everyone is expected to follow the devotional practices. Here in Vrindaban I am enjoying my disciples how they are speaking. So two times daily everyone must attend the classes. During the morning and evening times there should be no business, simply kirtana, chant, dance, and be purified. Do not be paramahamsa that now I haven\u2019t got to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. Don\u2019t be a better paramahamsa than your Guru Maharaja. I go and sit and I enjoy the lectures and how they are performing kirtana. So as I am doing, you must also do. (Letter to: Gopijanavallabha \u2014 Vrindaban 19 September, 1974)<\/span><\/p>\n 19. In the great assembly of saintly personalities, there was Vy\u00e4sadeva the brahmar\u00f1i, N\u00e4rada the devar\u00f1i, Para\u00e7ur\u00e4ma the great ruler of the k\u00f1atriya kings, etc. Some of them were powerful incarnations of the Lord. \u00c7ukadeva Gosv\u00e4m\u00e9 [the speaker] was not known as brahmar\u00f1i, r\u00e4jar\u00f1i or devar\u00f1i, nor was he an incarnation like N\u00e4rada, Vy\u00e4sa or Para\u00e7ur\u00e4ma. (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.19.30 Purport)<\/span><\/p>\n 20. sat\u00e4\u00e0 prasa\u00ecg\u00e4n mama v\u00e9rya-sa\u00e0vido SYNONYMS: sat\u00e4m\u2014of pure devotees; prasa\u00ecg\u00e4t\u2014through the association; mama\u2014My; v\u00e9rya\u2014wonderful activities; sa\u00e0vida\u00f9\u2014by discussion of; bhavanti\u2014become; h\u00e5t\u2014to the heart; kar\u00eba\u2014to the ear; rasa-ayan\u00e4\u00f9\u2014pleasing; kath\u00e4\u00f9\u2014the stories; tat\u2014of that; jo\u00f1a\u00eb\u00e4t\u2014by cultivation; \u00e4\u00e7u\u2014quickly; apavarga\u2014of liberation; vartmani\u2014on the path; \u00e7raddh\u00e4\u2014firm faith; rati\u00f9\u2014attraction; bhakti\u00f9\u2014devotion; anukrami\u00f1yati\u2014will follow in order.<\/span><\/p>\n TRANSLATION: In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin. (Srimad Bhagavatam 3.25.25 Spoken by Lord Kapiladeva)<\/span><\/p>\n 21. You must see that they strictly follow the regulative principles, the four prohibitions as well as the devotional practices of arising early, taking morning bath, putting on tilaka, attending mangal arati, chanting japa 16 rounds, and attending Srimad Bhagavatam class. This is the duty of all my initiated disciples, whether they are big or they are small. Actually in our movement there is no such thing as big or small. Everyone is a devotee. So everyone is expected to follow the devotional practices. Here in Vrindaban I am enjoying my disciples how they are speaking. So two times daily everyone must attend the classes. During the morning and evening times there should be no business, simply kirtana, chant, dance, and be purified. Do not be paramahamsa that now I haven\u2019t got to hear Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita. Don\u2019t be a better paramahamsa than your Guru Maharaja. I go and sit and I enjoy the lectures and how they are performing kirtana. So as I am doing, you must also do. (Letter to: Gopijanavallabha \u2014 Vrindaban 19 September, 1974)<\/span><\/p>\n 22. \u201cArjuna, when he was fighting the battle of Kuruksetra, he did not chant his 16 rounds. When you are fighting a battle, where is the time to chant your rounds?\u201d(Srila Prabhupada speaking: Prabhupada Uvaca 49: Sruti Kirti dasa)<\/span><\/p>\n 23. There is no question of your falldown. Chant 16 rounds regularly and no power in all three worlds will make you fall down. Krishna will save you always.( Letter to: Himavati \u2014 London 19 August, 1971)<\/span><\/p>\n 24. When I had only been in the movement for a few weeks Srila Prabhupada personally drove home the point about chanting rounds like a thunderbolt. It was 1970 in the Los Angeles temple. His Divine Grace while seated on his vyasasana decided to do a spot check to see if all of his disciples present were chanting their prescribed number of rounds each day. One brahmacari confessed he wasn\u2019t on account of his working very hard and sleeping only four hours nightly. Srila Prabhupada replied forcefully, \u201cThen sleep two hours\u2013 but you must finish sixteen rounds every day!\u201d (His Divine Grace, by Danavir Goswami)<\/span><\/p>\n 25. Just like Arjuna, he was not a Vedantist, he was not a br\u00e4hma\u00eba, he was not a sanny\u00e4s\u00e9. He was householder. He was military man. But he knew his business, how to do it nicely. So you do your business nicely. That is expert. And when it is dovetailed in K\u00e5\u00f1\u00eba, there is no gradation that this business is better and that business is lower because everything is for K\u00e5\u00f1\u00eba. So that business becomes K\u00e5\u00f1\u00eba. Do it nicely and K\u00e5\u00f1\u00eba is satisfied. And that is your success. Avy\u00e4pare suvyaparam yo nara\u00f9 kartum icchati, sa-mulo hanyate \u2019khila p\u00e4rthiva v\u00e4nara\u00f9.(?) Expert. There is a very nice story in Sanskrit. A monkey. A monkey\u2026 You might have some experience, that sawmen, who cut wood? Sawmen. So a sawman was cutting wood by the saw. So at the end of business it was half cut so he pulled down a, I mean to say, a plug so that next day he will come and he\u2019ll again begin sawing. So went away. So one monkey came. So monkey sat down there and began to pull on the plug because monkey\u2019s business is simply mischievous. So he did not know that some portion of his thigh was within the hole and when he took out this plug it was, (claps) I mean to say, clipped, and he could not get out and died. So the instruction is that\u2026 \u2019Khila p\u00e4rthiva v\u00e4nara\u00f9, vy\u00e4pare suvyaparam. Avy\u00e4para means a occupation, an occupation which is not fit for you. That is avy\u00e4para. Avy\u00e4para-suvyaparam. And one occupation which is not exactly fitting you, you do not know how to do it, so avy\u00e4pare suvyaparam yo kartu\u2026 If one wants to act in a business in which he is unable to do, then he is killed just like this fool monkey. Avy\u00e4pare suvyaparam yo nara\u00f9 kartum icchati, sa-mulo hanyate. That foolish person is killed just like this monkey. The monkey\u2019s business was not to imitate the sawman, but he wanted to imitate. The result was that he was killed. So that is not expertness. Expertness is you just try to do which is easily performed by you. You don\u2019t accept anything heavy task because K\u00e5\u00f1\u00eba does not want that you have to do this heavy task. Whatever you know, you just apply it. (Room Conversation \u2014 July 16, 1968, Montreal)<\/span><\/p>\n 26. Out of many such Vai\u00f1\u00ebavas, one may be found to be very seriously engaged in the service of the Lord and strictly following all the regulative principles, chanting the prescribed number of rounds on japa beads and always thinking of how to expand the K\u00e5\u00f1\u00eba consciousness movement. Such a Vai\u00f1\u00ebava should be accepted as an uttama-adhik\u00e4r\u00e9, a highly advanced devotee, and his association should always be sought. (Nectar of Instruction 5)<\/span><\/p>\n 27. So the future of this Krishna Consciousness movement is very bright, so long the managers remain vigilant that 16 rounds are being chanted by everyone without fail, that they are all rising before four morning, attending mangal arati\u2013our leaders shall be careful not to kill the spirit of enthusiastic service, which is individual and spontaneous and voluntary.(Letter to: Karandhara \u2014 Bombay 22 December, 1972)<\/span><\/p>\n 28. His spiritual master had said that anyone who didn\u2019t chant sixty-four rounds a day was fallen. At first some of the boys thought that they would also have to chant sixty-four rounds, and they became perplexed: that would take all day! How could you go to a job if you had to chant sixty-four rounds? How could anyone chant sixty-four rounds? Then someone said Swamiji had told him that thirty-two rounds a day would be a sufficient minimum for the West. Wally said he had heard Swamiji say twenty-five\u2014but even that seemed impossible. Then Prabhup\u00e4da offered the rock-bottom minimum: sixteen rounds a day, without fail. Whoever got initiated would have to promise. (Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta Volume 2. 19: Satsvarupa Goswami)<\/span><\/p>\n 29. So we have to stick to these principles to keep ourselves on the transcendental platform, rising early in the morning, offer ma\u00ecgala \u00e4rati, then gradually, one after another, attending class, guru-p\u00fcj\u00e4, and so on, so on. (Lecture: \u00c7r\u00e9mad-Bh\u00e4gavatam 6.1.61 \u2014 V\u00e5nd\u00e4vana, August 28, 1975)<\/span><\/p>\n 30. Prabhup\u00e4da: So in every center they must rise early in the morning. They must follow the regulative principles. They must attend class. Otherwise let them go out. We don\u2019t want. (Room Conversation \u2014 November 25, 1975, Delhi)<\/span><\/p>\n 31. The man who cannot rise early in the morning and cannot take the brahminical principle, \u00e7\u00fcdra, k\u00f1atriya, vai\u00e7ya, he should be helped with the knowledge acquired by the br\u00e4hma\u00eba. (Room Conversation with Banker \u2014 September 21, 1973, Bombay)<\/span><\/p>\n 32. \u00c4c\u00e4rya, you have heard the name \u00e4c\u00e4rya. \u00c4c\u00e4rya means he teaches by personal behavior. Just like I teach you, \u201cno intoxication.\u201d So if I am addicted to intoxication and if I say that \u201cYou don\u2019t take any intoxication,\u201d then who will care for me? This is therefore \u00e4c\u00e4ra. \u00c4c\u00e4rati. Practically you have to behave; then you can preach. Otherwise you cannot become \u00e4c\u00e4rya. \u00c4c\u00e4rya means one who practices the \u00e4c\u00e4ra and then teaches. He is \u00e4c\u00e4rya. So \u00e4c\u00e4ra. Na \u00e7auca\u00e0 n\u00e4pi c\u00e4c\u00e4ro na satyam. Satyam means truthfulness. He is preaching something and doing something. That is not truthfulness. (Lecture; Bhagavad-g\u00e9t\u00e4 16.7 \u2014 Hyderabad, December 15, 1976)<\/span><\/p>\n 33. So I do not think the leaders are themselves following, nor they are seeing the others are following strictly. That must be rectified at once. (Letter to: Karandhara \u2014 Bombay 22 December, 1972)<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A synonym for the word guru is acarya which means one who teaches by example. Guru means preacher and preacher means acarya\u2014 \u00e4c\u00e4ra prac\u00e4ra. A devotee who executes sadhana bhakti carefully for many years may be allowed to accept disciples. A main qualification for one\u2019s becoming a guru in the first place was his strict adherence to the practices defined by his spiritual master. After some time however if that devotee, now guiding disciples, relaxes his sadhana due to \u201cbeing advanced,\u201d or to \u201cpreaching,\u201d or some other reason, is it not a fly in the ointment? Unable to maintain the standard after accepting disciples, he should either immediately rectify the situation or in our humble opinion, discontinue accepting more disciples until he is able to recover. Meticulous attendance at the morning program is required for devotees living in an ISKCON temple, and it is a prerequisite for receiving brahminical initiation, why then should it not apply for gurus?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48175","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48175","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=48175"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48175\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48177,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48175\/revisions\/48177"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=48175"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=48175"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=48175"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nThis paper suggests one major safeguard which will definitely help to avert future calamities.<\/p>\nWHAT SHOULD A GURU DO IN THE MORNING?<\/h2>\n
\n
GURU AS MADHYAMA ADHIKARI<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
\n<\/span>tat tad evetaro jana\u00f9
\n<\/span>sa yat pram\u00e4\u00eba\u00e0 kurute
\n<\/span>lokas tad anuvartate<\/span><\/p>\nWHEN THE CONCHSHELL BLOWS<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n<\/span> There are many things Srila Prabhupada did which none of us are able to copy, such as sleeping only four hours a day and rising at 1 AM for translating Bhagavatam, etc. One modern devotee-poet wrote to Srila Prabhupada:<\/span><\/p>\n\n
\n<\/span>With His lotus left hand
\n<\/span>But you lifted up the whole wide world
\n<\/span>On your Guru Maharaja\u2019s command<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
LISTENING TO JUNIORS?<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span> A few years ago, the devotees at a successful temple in Europe invited me to visit their center. After I gave the Srimad Bhagavatam class one morning, one devotee asked what I thought about seminars since he knew I was involved in Vaisnava education. I said that I thought seminars were great and so did Srila Prabhupada that is why he instituted two daily seminars in every ISKCON center. He asked what I meant. I said the morning Srimad Bhagavatam seminar and the evening Bhagavad-gita seminar. The person explained that he wasn\u2019t referring to those seminars, he meant other types of seminars and workshops. I expressed that it seemed presumptuous to promote extra seminars while slighting the ones established by our spiritual master.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span> A guru must attend classes given by devotees on his level, (i.e. Godbrother colleagues), out of respect to the Vaisnava speaker as well as to the sacred Bhagavatam scripture itself. When a junior devotee speaks, the guru attends too, but it could be as a teacher observing the progress of a student. Like a teacher, he listens to how well the student has assimilated the subject matter and is able to convey it. A guru may offer comments and even discrete corrections if required and in this way, he adds value to the class. Such participation encourages the students and the audience while simultaneously fulfilling the guru\u2019s own responsibility to attend the class as a parampara learner himself.<\/span><\/p>\nARJUNA DIDN\u2019T CHANT 16 ROUNDS<\/span><\/h2>\n
ROCK-BOTTOM<\/span><\/h2>\n
GREETINGS & PUJA<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n<\/span> There is an interesting incident connected to gurupuja. Once, a few of Srila Prabhupada\u2019s leading disciples left the gurupuja ceremony where Srila Prabhupada was being worshiped in order to take care of some other service. It seemed innocent enough, however His Divine Grace took this as an indication of conspiracy against him.<\/span><\/p>\nA GURU\u2019S PRIORITIES<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n<\/span>A guru is so busy managing his duties that he hasn\u2019t time to attend.
\n<\/span>A guru is too tired to attend.
\n<\/span>A guru has poor health and therefore has trouble attending.
\n<\/span>A guru worships his own deities privately and doesn\u2019t attend.
\n<\/span>A guru studies or writes during that time and doesn\u2019t attend.
\n<\/span>A guru prefers to sleep during that time.<\/span><\/p>\nWHEN TO DEFER<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n<\/span>prac\u00e4ra karena keha, n\u00e4 karena \u00e4c\u00e4ra<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>tumi\u2014\u2014sarva-guru, tumi jagatera \u00e4rya<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>Prabhup\u00e4da:<\/strong> No, this is the disciplic process.
\n<\/span>Interviewer:<\/strong> Yes, who originated those steps?
\n<\/span>Prabhup\u00e4da:<\/strong> It is since time immemorial. Just like in the Bhagavad-g\u00e9t\u00e4 you\u2019ll find, satata\u00e0 k\u00e9rtayanto m\u00e4\u00e0 yatanta\u00e7 ca d\u00e5\u00f2ha-vrat\u00e4\u00f9 [Bg. 9.14].<\/span><\/p>\n\n
\n<\/span>yatanta\u00e7 ca d\u00e5\u00f2ha-vrat\u00e4\u00f9
\n<\/span>namasyanta\u00e7 ca m\u00e4\u00e0 bhakty\u00e4
\n<\/span>nitya-yukt\u00e4 up\u00e4sate
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>\u201cAlways chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.\u201d [Bg. 9.14]<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n<\/span>Interviewer:<\/strong> Yes, you didn\u2019t invent it, I get the point, that it derives from the Vedic scriptures.
\n<\/span>Prabhup\u00e4da:<\/strong> Whatever we are doing, it is authorized. That is the principle for spiritual understanding. (Interview with Religious Editor of the Associated Press \u2014 July 16, 1976, New York)<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>bhavanti h\u00e5t-kar\u00eba-ras\u00e4yan\u00e4\u00f9 kath\u00e4\u00f9
\n<\/span>taj-jo\u00f1a\u00eb\u00e4d \u00e4\u00e7v apavarga-vartmani
\n<\/span>\u00e7raddh\u00e4 ratir bhaktir anukrami\u00f1yati<\/span><\/p>\n![\"Hare](\"http:\/\/i.imgur.com\/vxMROgK.jpg\")
By Danavir Goswami<\/strong><\/p>\n