Who is a Real Guru?

Prabhupada said he was "not a very great scholar"
Srila Prabhupada accepted his spiritual master's orders as his life and soul
Srila Prabhupada's first view of the United States
A devotee is very humble

Prabhupada said he was "not a very great scholar"
My spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, although he was a very educated man, always said, "I am not a great scholar." And if you look through his life Srila Prabhupada didn't spend all his time studying the scriptures, of course he was always studying, but he was a householder so he was raising a family and he was running a chemical business.

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Srila Prabhupada accepted his spiritual master's orders as his life and soul
As soon as Srila Prabhupada received the instruction of his spiritual master, His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, he knew that was his business. He knew that, "I have to do this, my spiritual master has instructed me to preach in the Western countries. I don't know how it is possible but I have to try and do something. Even though I'm a householder and I have to maintain this business, I have to maintain my family. What can I do?"

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A devotee doesn't do anything independently
Srila Prabhupada knew he had to preach in the West. He had accepted the instruction of his spiritual master as his life and soul. So Krishna made all arrangements in his life to enable him to preach and fulfil his spiritual masters desire. This is the way it works. A devotee doesn't do anything independently. The devotee simply surrenders to Krishna. He says, "Krishna, I am a soul surrendered unto you, I'm worthless, I'm useless, I can't do anything independently, so will You please make my power of speaking suitable for the people to understand. When I am speaking I want You to be speaking, simply use me as Your instrument." This is the feeling of the devotee. He's not interested in making some big intellectual gymnastic exercise by becoming a great debater or a great scholar, he simply wants to be the via-medium. He wants to be an instrument in Krishna's hands.

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Srila Prabhupada's first view of the United States
We want to be the puppet and we want Krishna to be the puppet-master. We simply want to dance. Srila Prabhupada wrote a very beautiful poem when he first arrived in the United States. He first landed in Boston, he came to the pier and the red light district was there, so his first impression was so much prostitution, so much intoxication, so much gambling, so much meat eating. These are the four principal sinful activities which stop us from understanding spiritual life. As Srila Prabhupada got off the ship in Boston he saw all of this in such an advanced state. He had been living in India and even though all of these things are also in India, particularly at that time, they were no where near as advanced as in the United States. America is full-on sense gratification. So he wrote this beautiful prayer:

"My dear Lord Krishna, you are so kind upon this useless soul, but I do not know why You have brought me here. Now You can do whatever You like with me. But I guess You have some business here, otherwise why would You bring me to this terrible place?

"Most of the population here is covered by the material modes of ignorance and passion, absorbed in material life they think themselves very happy and satisfied and therefore they have no taste for the transcendental message of Vasudeva, Krishna. I do not know how they will be able to understand it, but I know that Your causeless mercy can make anything possible because You are the most expert mystic.

"How will they understand the mellows of devotional service? O Lord, I am simply praying for Your mercy so I will be able to convince them about your message.

"All living entities have come under the control of the illusory energy by Your will and therefore if You like, by Your will, they can also be released from the clutches of illusion. I wish that You may deliver them. Therefore if You so desire their deliverance then only will they be able to understand Your message.

"The words of Srimad-Bhagavatam are Your incarnation, and if a sober person receives it with submissive aural reception, then he will be able to understand Your message.

"It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.17-21): "Sri Krishna, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Supersoul in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who relishes His messages.

"How will I make them understand this message of Krishna consciousness? I am very unfortunate, unqualified and the most fallen therefore I am seeking your benediction so that I can convince them. I am powerless to do so on my own.

"Somehow or other, O Lord, You have brought me here to speak about You. Now my Lord, it is up to You to make me a success or a failure as You like.

"O spiritual master of all the worlds, I can simply repeat Your messages, so if You like You can make my power of speaking suitable for their understanding. Only by Your causeless mercy will my words become pure.

"I am sure that when this transcendental message penetrates their hearts they will certainly feel gladdened and thus become liberated from all unhappy conditions of life.

"O Lord, I am just like a puppet in Your hands, so if You have brought me here to dance, make me dance, make me dance my Lord. Make me dance as You like.

"I have no devotion, nor do I have any knowledge, but I have strong faith in the Holy Name of Krishna. I have been designated as Bhaktivedanta and now if You like You can fulfil the real purport of Bhaktivedanta.

"Signed the most unfortunate, insignificant beggar, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami."

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A devotee is very humble
This poem was written on board the ship Jaladuta, at the Commonwealth Pier, Boston on the 18th. of September 1965. This was Srila Prabhupada's response to his first sight of the United States of America. It's very humble and this is the nature of a devotee. The devotee is very humble. A devotee is thinking he is simply an instrument in the hands of Krishna. If Krishna wants him to be successful, that's alright and if Krishna doesn't want, that's also alright. The devotee is not attached to the results, he is attached to serving Krishna. He's not thinking, "I know Krishna, I'm very advanced." He's thinking the only way I can serve Krishna is by fulfilling the order of my spiritual master. Because my spiritual master knows Krishna if I can please my spiritual master then Krishna will be pleased. He's not thinking, "I know Krishna, I'm independent," but there is a direct process. Krishna is within the devotee's heart and He is helping as the Guru within, so it is a direct process. It is a little difficult to understand, but Krishna is directly recprocating with the devotee.

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada!

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Chant Hare Krishna and be happy! All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada!

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