Srila Prabhupada, His Movement & You

Gaps in the Line

Regarding parampara system: There is nothing to wonder for big gaps. Just like we belong to the Brahma Sampradaya, so we accept it from Krishna to Brahma, Brahma to Narada, Narada to Vyasadeva, Vyasadeva to Madhva and between Vyasadeva and Madhva there is a big gap. But it is sometimes said that Vyasadeva is still living, and Madhva was fortunate enough to meet him directly. In a similar way, we find in the Bhagavad-gita that the Gita was taught to the sun god some millions of years ago, but Krishna has mentioned only three names in this parampara system-namely, Vivasvan, Manu and Iksvaku; and so these gaps do not hamper from understanding the parampara system. We have to pick up the prominent acharya and follow from him. There are many branches also from the parampara system, and it is not possible to record all the branches and sub-branches in the disciplic succession. We have to pick up from the authority of the acharya in whatever sampradaya we belong to. (Letter to Dayananda, dated 12 April, 1968)

And in a lecture given in India, 1972, Srila Prabhupada also said:

Which you can do only if you follow the acharyas, not these rascals. Do not follow any rascal. You follow the acharyas, you get the benefit of Krishna consciousness. Ramanuja Acharya commentary is there, Madhvacharya commentary is there, so you take advantage of them, and read them very nicely. (Lecture given in Visakapatnam, India, February 20, 1972)

Prescription Takes Precedence Over Book Knowledge

I am aware of the fact that devotees will bring so many quotations from Srila Prabhupada’s books to support conclusions contrary to the rittvik representative system prescribed by Srila Prabhupada in the July 9, 1977 letter.

To such devotees we must point out that Prabhupada’s books are the standard books for everyone in the Brahma Gaudiya Sampradaya, just as the law books or medical books are standard books in their field. Still, when the judge hands down a judgment or the physician writes a specific prescription for the patient, that takes precedence over the book knowledge. Although Prabhupada wrote so many books, his prescription for his immature disciples in the last days was “Act as rittvik representative of the ACHARYA, DEPUTIES and MONITOR of the ACHARYA.”

Having run the full course of this race, this point is very clear by realization born of the fire of ordeal. I am not philosophising; these are my realizations by the grace of Prabhupada and Krishna.