Chapter 10 of Prabhup\u0101da Vijaya, '\u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da \u2013 in a Class by Himself?' is an anal\u00adysis of a common phrase used to glorify \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da and is critical to understanding guru-tattva. To experience that the guru is non-different from his instructions neces\u00adsitates proper conception.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>
When speaking of \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da, we sometimes hear the quote of Bhaktivinoda \u1e6ch\u0101kura \u2013\u201cWhen thou art living still in sound,\u201d* <\/strong>or that, \u2018\u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da is living in his instructions\u2019 but this doesn\u2019t simply mean that he\u2019s living in so many gigabytes in the Bhaktived\u0101nta Folio or that he is living in the pages of the beautifully hardbound books adorning our bookshelves.<\/p>\n*From the English poem \u1e6ch\u0101kura Harid\u0101sa composed by \u015ar\u012bla Bhaktivinoda \u1e6ch\u0101kura in 1871.<\/p>\n
If we want to experience that \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da is non-different from his instructions, then we must embrace the conception of \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu. We cannot live without that concep\u00adtion and simply honour him in the form of books, folios, marble m\u016brtis<\/em> and so forth. We will have to join him by joining in with that conception. If we give so much praise to him but we ourselves don\u2019t come to the proper conception of Gau\u1e0d\u012bya Vai\u1e63\u1e47avism, then that praise may benefit us and the people in general, but it does not serve the highest purpose. It is like propagating n\u0101m\u0101bh\u0101sa<\/em> \u2013 what will n\u0101m\u0101bh\u0101sa<\/em> do? It will give freedom from material miseries, it will award liberation and it will defeat so many things \u2013 but all those results are a mere shadow of prema-bhakti<\/em>. Propa\u00adgating n\u0101m\u0101bh\u0101sa<\/em> pales in comparison to \u015buddha-n\u0101ma<\/em>, the pure Name of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. The pure Name of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a does not give liberation \u2013 the pure Name of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a gives one a taste of love of God. Even liberation is considered mundane when compared to k\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a-prema<\/em>.<\/p>\nWe must come to the right conception. Many times our \u015bik\u1e63\u0101-guru<\/em>, \u015ar\u012bla \u015ar\u012bdhara Mah\u0101r\u0101ja was asked the question, \u201cHow will we come to the right conception?\u201d Many \u2018how\u2019 questions were asked, and he answered them by saying, \u201cGuru, s\u0101dhu<\/em> and \u015b\u0101stra<\/em> \u2013 by taking shelter of the lotus feet of our spiritual master, by associating with saintly persons who themselves have the right con\u00adception and by studying the scriptures in light of that conception.<\/p>\nThe Bh\u0101gavatam<\/em> is not an alien literature to India, but who in India truly understands the meaning of the Bh\u0101gavatam<\/em>? Who understands its actual message? The followers of R\u0101m\u0101nuja study Bh\u0101gavatam<\/em>, the Tattvav\u0101d\u012bs in U\u1e0dup\u012b study Bh\u0101gavatam<\/em>, the Vall\u00adabhas study Bh\u0101gavatam<\/em> and even the M\u0101y\u0101v\u0101d\u012bs study Bh\u0101gavatam<\/em> \u2013 but Mah\u0101prabhu rejected all of them! Mah\u0101prabhu recognised \u015ar\u012bdhara Sv\u0101m\u012b, the original commentator on Bh\u0101gavatam<\/em>.<\/p>\n\u015br\u012bdhara-sv\u0101m\u012b-pras\u0101de bh\u0101gavata j\u0101ni<\/em>
\njagad-guru \u015br\u012bdhara-sv\u0101m\u012b guru kari m\u0101ni<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cIt is only by the mercy of \u015ar\u012bdhara Sv\u0101m\u012b that I understand the Bh\u0101gavatam<\/em>. Therefore, I accept jagat-guru<\/em> \u015ar\u012bdhara Sv\u0101m\u012b as My spiritual master.\u201d (Cc. Antya-l\u012bl\u0101<\/em> 7.133)<\/p>\nThere is a line from \u015ar\u012bdhara Sv\u0101m\u012b to the Six Gosv\u0101m\u012bs, to the Seventh Gosv\u0101m\u012b (Bhaktivinoda \u1e6ch\u0101kura), to Bhaktisiddh\u0101nta Sarasvat\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura and to those who live by their teachings at present \u2013 these personalities understand the Bh\u0101gavatam<\/em>. Those persons should be our holy association. Guru, s\u0101dhu<\/em> and \u015b\u0101stra<\/em> will help us come to the proper conception and then we will have the merciful presence and grace of \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da.<\/p>\nIt is sometimes said that, \u201cPrabhup\u0101da is in a class by himself.\u201d In fact, these days it has become popular to praise \u015ar\u012bla Prabhu\u00adp\u0101da by saying this. This is a misnomer. He is not in a class by himself \u2013 he is in the top class of the servants of the Lord, who live eternally in the Lord\u2019s company. He is not alone. A m\u0101y\u0101v\u0101d\u012b<\/em> may say, \u201cMy guru is in a class by himself. Bliss is experienced alone!\u201d They will eliminate everything and everyone, but we are not for elimination. \u2018A class by yourself \u2019 means you have been sentenced to hell for eternity. R\u0101m\u0101nanda R\u0101ya declared that to be without the devotees is the worst type of hell.<\/p>\ndu\u1e25kha-madhye kona du\u1e25kha haya gurutara<\/em>
\nk\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a-bhakta-viraha vin\u0101 du\u1e25kha n\u0101hi dekhi para<\/em><\/p>\n\u201c(Mah\u0101prabhu asked:) Amongst all types of miseries, which is the greatest? (R\u0101m\u0101nanda replied:) Apart from the sep\u00adaration from the devotees of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a, I see no other misery.\u201d (Cc. Madhya-l\u012bl\u0101<\/em> 8.248)<\/p>\nWe must see \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da in light of the association of the devotees. \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da would never take pleasure in those words. \u201cOh yes Prabhup\u0101da, you are alone and you are by your\u00adself!\u201d That is like saying, \u201c\u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da, you are a failure.\u201d \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da is always with his Guru Mah\u0101r\u0101ja, and \u015ar\u012bla Sarasvat\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura is always with his Guru Mah\u0101r\u0101ja and they are all gathered together far from here. If you study the \u015ar\u012bmad Bh\u0101gavatam<\/em>, you can get some idea where all these great souls are gathered together. The universe is covered by ten material layers, each one ten times thicker than the previous layer.<\/p>\netad a\u1e47\u1e0da\u03bc vi\u015be\u1e63\u0101khya\u03bc krama-v\u1e5bddhair da\u015bottarai\u1e25<\/em>
\ntoy\u0101dibhi\u1e25 pariv\u1e5bta\u03bc pradh\u0101nen\u0101v\u1e5btair bahi\u1e25<\/em>
\nyatra loka-vit\u0101no \u2019ya\u03bc r\u016bpa\u03bc bhagavato hare\u1e25<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cThe universal sphere known as vi\u015be\u1e63a<\/em> (subtle manifested energy) is surrounded with elemental layers such as water etc., each ten times thicker than the previous one. The last layer is covered by the pradh\u0101na<\/em>. Within this sphere are the various planetary systems that make up the form of Lord Hari.\u201d (Bh\u0101g. <\/em>3.26.52)<\/p>\nThe last of the ten layers is 450 quadrillion miles thick, and after you cross that, you are on the border of infinity. Those great souls are gathered together there \u2013 on the higher side of the infinite.<\/p>\n
We should select our words of praise carefully \u2013 they should not be gathered from mundane feelings. A politician may come and people will tell him, \u201cOh sir, you are a great man!\u201d but his greatness is never really defined. So we may say that \u015ar\u012bla Prabhu\u00adp\u0101da is great, he is our saviour etc. without understanding how he is great and in which way he is actually our saviour. Proper understanding is required. In the days that \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da was physically present, his disciples were often-times at a loss for words to describe his greatness and to praise his actual position.<\/p>\n
Now, as time progresses, we should try to understand and not simply make his glorification as something cheap, just as so many people praise Jesus or Mohammed. We find devotees making sim\u00adilar statements about Prabhup\u0101da \u2013 \u201cHe is the way, the truth and the light!\u201d but behind that, the meaning is very elusive. Devotees want to enthusiastically glorify \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da, but they don\u2019t actually understand his greatness and thus they make statements like, \u201cHe was in a class by himself.\u201d This is a big mistake. Our Guru Mah\u0101r\u0101ja is known as Prabhup\u0101da because he was qualified for that title and his qualification was not that he was independ\u00adent in his activities, writings or his siddh\u0101nta<\/em>. He stated many times, \u201cMy only qualification is that I did not deviate one inch from my spiritual master\u2019s instructions.\u201d<\/p>\nHe did not come to present something different to us. The proper understanding of \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da is to see him in light of the previous \u0101c\u0101ryas<\/em>, and proper glorification of him necessi\u00adtates remembering those previous \u0101c\u0101ryas<\/em>. In other words, when we think of \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da in any deep way, for any length of time, we must think of Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu, we must think of \u015ar\u012b Nity\u0101nanda Prabhu, we must think of \u015ar\u012bp\u0101da R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b, San\u0101tana Gosv\u0101m\u012b and Raghun\u0101tha D\u0101sa Gosv\u0101m\u012b. We must remember the various prayers of great \u0101c\u0101ryas<\/em> like Prabodh\u0101nanda Sarasvat\u012b. We must remember the statements of Vi\u015bvan\u0101tha Cakravart\u012b \u1e6ch\u0101kura, because these are the things that Prabhup\u0101da came to give us. The conception of Mah\u0101prabhu is represented in all these personalities.<\/p>\nIf we want to understand who \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da is, we should look at his title \u2013 \u2018Prabhup\u0101da.\u2019 Where does it come from? We find in the Madhya-l\u012bl\u0101<\/em> of Caitanya-carit\u0101m\u1e5bta<\/em> that K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a D\u0101sa Kavir\u0101ja Gosv\u0101m\u012b refers to \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu as Prabhu\u00adp\u0101da. It is also mentioned that Nity\u0101nanda Prabhu was called Prabhup\u0101da as well as \u015ar\u012b Advaita \u0100c\u0101rya.<\/p>\nk\u0101\u015b\u012b mi\u015bra kahe \u2013 \u0101mi ba\u1e0da bh\u0101gyav\u0101n<\/em>
\nmora g\u1e5bhe prabhu-p\u0101dera habe avasth\u0101na<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cK\u0101\u015b\u012b Mi\u015bra said, \u2018I am very fortunate that the Lord of all Prabhus (Prabhup\u0101da) will stay in my house.\u2019\u201d (Cc. Madhya-l\u012bl\u0101<\/em> 10.23)<\/p>\nMah\u0101prabhu, Nity\u0101nanda Prabhu and Advaita \u0100c\u0101rya are all vi\u1e63\u1e47u-tattva<\/em>, and They are all referred to as Prabhup\u0101da. Later on, in Caitanya-carit\u0101m\u1e5bta<\/em>, there is a description of the tree of caitanya-bhakti<\/em>. Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu is the trunk of that tree, then there are two branches \u2013 the two branches are \u015ar\u012b Nity\u0101\u00adnanda Prabhu and Advaita \u0100c\u0101rya. Therefore, in our parampar\u0101<\/em>, the first Prabhup\u0101da is \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu Himself and then Nity\u0101nanda Prabhu and \u015ar\u012b Advaita \u0100c\u0101rya.<\/p>\nWhen the Lord appeared, many devotees of R\u0101dh\u0101 and K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a from Goloka, also appeared in Navadv\u012bpa-dh\u0101ma and other parts of Bengal in order to assist Him in His pastimes. All were fully qualified in an infinite variety of ways; nonetheless, the Lord selected certain devotees amongst His associates that would be the icons for the samprad\u0101ya<\/em> in various ways. For example, He selected Harid\u0101sa \u1e6ch\u0101kura to be the n\u0101m\u0101c\u0101rya<\/em> \u2013 the \u0101c\u0101rya<\/em> for chanting the Holy Name. He selected \u015ar\u012bp\u0101da R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b as the rasa-tattv\u0101c\u0101rya<\/em>, and positioned him as the head of the sam\u00adprad\u0101ya<\/em>. When \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu met R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b at Pray\u0101ga, He instructed him in rasa-tattva<\/em>. R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b is also known to us as Prabhup\u0101da, but he is not vi\u1e63\u1e47u-tattva<\/em>. He heads the group of select servitors, generally known as the ma\u00f1jar\u012bs, <\/em>that serve \u015ar\u012bmat\u012b R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b. Why did \u015ar\u012b Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu select R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b to become the head of the samprad\u0101ya<\/em>? There were so many great devotees at that time. What did \u015ar\u012bla R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b do? What did he say? In particular, what did he write? We find in Caitanya-carit\u0101m\u1e5bta<\/em> that \u015ar\u012b R\u016bpa could under\u00adstand the mood and feelings of Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu:<\/p>\nmora \u015blokera abhipr\u0101ya n\u0101 j\u0101ne kona jane<\/em>
\nmora manera kath\u0101 tumi j\u0101nile kemane<\/em><\/p>\n\u201cNobody has understood the point of My verse. How did you understand the intention of My mind?\u201d (Cc. Madhya-l\u012bl\u0101<\/em> 1.69)<\/p>\nFrom that time until this day, we are known as R\u016bp\u0101nugas \u2013 the followers of \u015ar\u012b R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b.<\/p>\n
I am often surprised to see glorifications of \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da sometimes running into hundreds of pages and there is never a mention of \u015ar\u012b R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b or the previous \u0101c\u0101ryas<\/em>. \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da is waiting for the day when we will realise who he is, and what his connection is with all these great personalities. He is not in any way pleased or charmed by our foolishness when we say he is \u2018in a class by himself\u2019 or that he is the sen\u0101pati-bhakta.<\/em>* <\/strong>This means that we have not understood His Divine Grace.<\/p>\n*See Chapter 8, The Golden Age of the Sa\u1e45k\u012brtana Movement.<\/p>\n
(From a class given on \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da\u2019s disappearance day at R\u016bp\u0101nuga Bhajana \u0100\u015brama, V\u1e5bnd\u0101vana on 27th October 1995)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Chapter 10 of Prabhup\u0101da Vijaya, ‘\u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da \u2013 in a Class by Himself?’ is an anal\u00adysis of a common phrase used to glorify \u015ar\u012bla Prabhup\u0101da and is critical to understanding guru-tattva. To experience that the guru is non-different from his instructions neces\u00adsitates proper conception.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5580,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[207],"tags":[206,208],"krishna_talk_article":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5621"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5621"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5621\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5580"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5621"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5621"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5621"},{"taxonomy":"krishna_talk_article","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rupanugabhajanashram.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/krishna_talk_article?post=5621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}