The following is a transcription of a discourse delivered by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja in Varṣāṇā, India, on November 14, 1996

The most prominent aspect is śrī guru’s realisation of Śrī Bhagavān. A sad-guru is he who manifests Bhagavān in the hearts of his disciples and offers them unto His lotus feet. A guru who cannot do this is not a guru. It is sometimes seen that certain disciples of a sad-guru fall down because they were not his factual disciples. Therefore, one should not be a so-called disciple. A disciple accepts the moods and teachings of his guru as they truly are. Those who have accepted initiation but don’t follow their guru’s example and teachings are not really disciples. Those who are not following and practising are not real disciples of Svāmījī, even if he initiated them. On the other hand, even if Svāmījī has not initiated someone but still truly follows his teachings, he deserves to be called his true disciple. Those who have taken initiation outwardly but are not practically following cannot be called real disciples.

There are two lines of guru, and they are bhāgavat-paramparā and pāncarātrika-paramparā. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura followed bhāgavat-paramparā. Pāncarātrika-paramparā is included within bhāgavat-paramparā. We should try to know what these two different types of paramparā are. Those wholly and heartily following their gurudeva’s moods and teachings are included within bhāgavat-paramparā. You know that Śrī Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja did not initiate Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. You know that Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura did not initiate Śrī Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa Prabhu. You know that Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura was not initiated by Śrī Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. Also, Śrī Haridāsa Ṭhākura was not formally initiated by anyone. Then how did he come into our line? Because he accepted Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Advaita Ācārya as his gurus and followed them wholly. Do you know who initiated Śrīvāsa Paṇḍita? Who initiated Śrī Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī? By a Māyāvadi? So, you will have to reconcile. They are all in bhāgavat-paramparā.

We are in the line of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. We should try to know what bhāgavat-paramparā is. Śrīnivāsa Ācārya had a disciple named Rāmacandra Kavirāja. He used to always stay with Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. So, can we say that he was not a disciple of Śrīnivāsa Ācārya? He was not serving him? We cannot say this. He thought of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura as his śikṣā-guru. Who was the superior between Śrīnivāsa Ācārya and Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura? Both were the same. This is bhāgavat-paramparā. In this way, we should reconcile everything and follow Svāmījī’s teachings and practices. Don’t blindly follow or imitate him. I saw a person who said, “I am a disciple of Śrīdhara Mahārāja.” And he was imitating the way pūjyapāda Śrīdhara Mahārāja spoke. But he was not interested in accepting pūjyapāda Śrīdhara Mahārāja’s mood and siddhānta. Only imitating will not do. We should always try to follow his siddhānta, practices and moods. A disciple can never fall down — never. What should we do if anyone falls down? We should know that he had never been a disciple in the first place. How can one fall if he has truly taken shelter of śrī guru? He can never leave his guru. Only those who haven’t taken shelter fall down. They haven’t really taken initiation at all.

Initiation implies an underlying mood of the heart. Only blowing air into the ear doesn’t imply initiation. How can we accept a guru who doesn’t even have time for his disciples? The śāstras state that a bona fide guru instils ruci (taste) for the service of Śrī Bhagavān in the disciple’s heart. One who cannot do this is not a sad-guru. A bogus person thought, “I have become a guru.” He then preached for some time and made disciples. One of his disciples later killed him. We should not accept such a guru.

So, today is Svāmījī’s disappearance day. I am very happy to hear about the moods of his disciples. Even those who received harināma from him honoured him so much. I think we have successfully observed the disappearance day of Svāmījī here in Varṣāṇā. I pray he showers his mercy upon us all. In this way, we will become bona fide disciples and serve Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and Gaura-Nityānanda Prabhu.

The doctors have warned me not to speak so much. We will stop here. All of you should chant the mahā-mantra.

(Audio break)

I wanted to see how Svāmījī has preached in the West. So I desired to pay my respects to the places where he has preached. Second, I wanted to fulfil the order he had given me. I read in many places that some of his disciples had left ISKCON. I realised that many needed inspiration and association to advance in their bhakti. I know that some of the senior-most, sincere, energetic and learned disciples of Svāmī Mahārāja left ISKCON. ISKCON means Svāmījī himself. There is no difference between ISKCON and him. But now I see ISKCON is not Svāmījī. There is a difference now. And that is why Svāmījī left this world. He was not happy during his last days; he told me. So, everyone became very inspired when I went to the Western countries. I always desire to serve my Gurudeva, Svāmījī, our disciplic ācāryas, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself continuously. So, I am so glad to see many devotees from Western countries here. They have become very enthusiastic again. Many are even chanting 64 rounds, while some are chanting 32 rounds. They wish to chant even more. I have seen that their faith and honour for Svāmījī have increased so much more after coming into contact with me.

I don’t want to steal their faith, honour, and keep it for myself. I desire all your faith to go to the lotus feet of Svāmījī and our disciplic guruvarga. So, we want to help and inspire all of you. I will help all of you to the best of my ability. I am not so qualified. Don’t compare me to Svāmījī — I know I cannot even be compared to the foot-dust present on the lotus feet of Śrīla Svāmījī. I cannot be like the dust on his feet. My Guru Mahārāja and Svāmījī were of the same class, and they can be compared, but not I. I have no qualities; I have nothing. So, please don’t compare me with Svāmījī. I honour him as my śikṣā-guru. Śikṣā-guru and dīkṣā-guru are the same. I am so fortunate that my gurudeva was also my dīkṣā-guru and śikṣā-guru. I think you are also so fortunate to have Svāmījī as your guru. All of you who have come in his disciplic line of succession are also so fortunate. Those who are the disciples of his disciples are also so fortunate. Those initiated by his bona fide disciples are also so fortunate. You are in his line.

So, I am finishing here. You should be merciful to me.

Gaura-premānande!

Source: Purebhakti.com

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Unless indicated differently, all verse translations and quotes are from the books by Śrīla Prabhupāda (Vedabase.com)