There is no difference between Kṛṣṇa's instruction and Guru's instruction

Continued from the book " Perfect questions and Perfect answers"

Bob: Lord Caitanya—He was a different type of guru than you are?

Śrīla Prabhupāda: No, no. Gurus cannot be of different types. All gurus are of one type.

Bob: But He was He also an incarnation at the same time?

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes, He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, but He is representing the guru.

Bob: I... I see.

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bob: And then...

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Because Kṛṣṇa was God, He demanded:

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
[Bg. 18.66]

"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me." But people misunderstood Him. Therefore Kṛṣṇa again came as a guru and taught people how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

Śyāmasundara: Doesn't He say in Bhagavad-gītā, "I am the spiritual master"?

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes, He is the original spiritual master because He was accepted as spiritual master by Arjuna. So what is the difficulty? Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam [Bg. 2.7]. Arjuna told the Lord, "I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me." So unless He is a spiritual master how does Arjuna become His disciple? He is the original guru. Tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye: [SB 1.1.1] "It is He only who first imparted Vedic knowledge unto the heart of Brahmā, the first created being." Therefore He is the original guru.

Bob: Kṛṣṇa.

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes. He is the original guru. Then His disciple Brahmā is a guru, then his disciple Nārada is a guru, then his disciple Vyāsa is a guru—in this way there is a guru-paramparā [disciplic succession of gurus]. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam: [Bg. 4.2] the transcendental knowledge is received through the disciplic succession.

Bob: So a guru receives his knowledge through the disciplic succession, not directly from Kṛṣṇa? Do you receive some knowledge directly from Kṛṣṇa?

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa's direct instruction is there: Bhagavad-gītā.

Bob: I see, but...

Śrīla Prabhupāda: But you have to learn it through the disciplic succession, otherwise you will misunderstand it.

Bob: But presently you do not receive information directly from Kṛṣṇa? It comes through the disciplic succession from the books?

Śrīla Prabhupāda: There is no difference. Suppose I say that this is a pencil. If you say to him, "There is a pencil," and if he says to another man, "This is a pencil," then what is the difference between his instruction and my instructions?

Bob: Kṛṣṇa's mercy allows you to know this now?

Śrīla Prabhupāda: You can take Kṛṣṇa's mercy also, provided it is delivered as it is. Just as we are teaching Bhagavad-gītā. In Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says:

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
[Bg. 18.66]

"Just give up all other forms of religion and simply surrender unto Me." Now we are saying that you should give up everything and surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, there is no difference between Kṛṣṇa's instruction and our instruction. There is no deviation. So if you receive knowledge in that perfect way, that is as good as receiving instruction directly from Kṛṣṇa. But we don't change anything.

Bob: When I pray reverently, faithfully, does Kṛṣṇa hear me?

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bob: From me to Him?

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Yes, because He is within your heat He is always hearing you—whether you are praying or not praying. When you are doing some nonsense, He is also hearing you. And when you pray, that is very good—welcome.

Bob: To Kṛṣṇa's ear, is praying louder than nonsense?

Śrīla Prabhupāda: No. He is all-perfect. He can hear everything. Even if you don't speak, even if you simply think, "I shall do it," then He hears you. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ: [Bg. 15.15] Kṛṣṇa is seated in everyone's heart.

Bob: But one should pray—is that so?

Śrīla Prabhupāda: That is his business—praying.

Bob: Whose business?

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Every living entity's. That is the only business. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13) That is the statement of the Vedas.

Bob: What does that mean?

Śrīla Prabhupāda: He supplies everything to everyone. He is supplying food to everyone. So He is the Father. So why should you not pray, "Father, give me this"? Just as in the Christian Bible there is, "Father, give us our daily bread." That is good—they are accepting the Supreme Father. But grown-up children should not ask from the father; rather, they should be prepared to serve the father. That is bhakti [devotion].

Bob: My questions you solve so nicely. [Everyone laughs with affection.]

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Thank you very much.

Bob: So, should I ask you another question now?

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Yes!

Finish of chapter 3