HH Radhanath Swami’s Vyasa Puja offering | HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj | ISKCON Chennai | Dec 7, 2025
nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracharine
nirvishesha-shunyavadi-pashchatya-desha-tarine
jaya sri-krishna-chaitanya
prabhu nityananda
sri-adwaita gadadhara
shrivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
We see from scripture that first of all we should accept Guru. Secondly, we have to worship the Guru with great respect. And of course, what is the purpose of accepting a Guru? The general purpose, of course of, Guru means he teaches. And in our movement, of course, then he gives some knowledge. So that is the essential function of the Guru. What knowledge does he give? Knowledge of scripture. Of course, knowledge of scripture also is particular scriptures. So we see that Sri Prabhupad, what knowledge did he give? He gave knowledge of Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. And he spent time translating and commenting on these works. And then he translated Caitanya Caritamrta. So, this is the basis of our knowledge.
Though we are Bhakti movement, Bhakti does not simply means emotion. And as Prabhupad says, if we just have a movement based on emotion, then it becomes sentiment. If we just have knowledge, then it becomes very dry. So we need the devotion, but we also need proper knowledge. And though Caitanya Mahaprabhu didn’t write anything, he entrusted his followers, like the six Goswamis, to write works. So they wrote many works, and also the devotees after them wrote many works. So this is the knowledge aspect that has been handed down to us. So this knowledge, of course, is not material knowledge. It’s knowledge about Krishna. It’s knowledge about bhakti. So that knowledge is very necessary for our practice. Though we chant the holy name, and the holy name is independent of everything, still, in order to chant, we have to chant properly. What is the use of chanting nicely 24 hours a day, but it’s full of aparadhs? So the scriptures give us knowledge, so we can avoid the aparadhs. So we chant the holy name, and we study scripture, so we can chant properly.
Though we have scripture, then scriptures tell us, you have to learn the scripture through a Guru. In other words, we have to have a teacher who can teach us. So, of course, we have the original teachers, we have the Lord Caitanya, we have the six Goswamis, and all the works they wrote. So, they are our teachers also. But, as well, you have to approach a Guru to get the knowledge. So, whatever the followers of Lord Caitanya wrote, we accept that through a Guru.
So, now we have, within ISKCON, we have two types of Guru. One is Srila Prabhupad, he is the ‘Founder Acharya’ of ISKCON, he wrote and commented on Bhagavatam, Caitanya Caritamrita, and Bhagavad Gita. So, he is the Guru for all the devotees. And he is the Guru for all the devotees in the future. So, he is the ‘Founder Acharya’, that’s what it means. So, therefore, he is one Guru that we accept. And then, we have a living Guru. So, we have the teachings of the Goswamis handed down through Srila Prabhupad, and then we have another Guru who speaks the knowledge again. So, therefore, within ISKCON, not only we have Srila Prabhupad, then we have other devotees who take up that role of being Guru. So, ISKCON is a rather unique movement. Most movements will have one Guru. But, we see in ISKCON, we have many Gurus. Of course, we have one Guru in the form of Srila Prabhupad, but then we have many living Gurus. So, this is according to the desire of Srila Prabhupad.
So, within the movement with many Gurus, then we have a choice who we want to choose as our Guru. And what will determine our choice? Of course, there are many factors. Some of the factors may be material. For instance, live in the same area. Of course, that’s not such a limitation nowadays due to communication. Another material qualification would be that he’s a nice speaker. Or, he’s a nice singer. Or, he’s very tall. Or, he’s very fat [Laughs]. We can have all sorts of different material qualifications that you may get attracted to. But, that’s not the real qualification. So, the real qualification is some appreciation and taste and knowledge of Krishna. And if that devotee, that Guru, can inspire another person to enthusiastically take to Krishna consciousness, and continue Krishna consciousness, then that person is functioning as Guru.
As I said, though the Guru may enthuse the devotees, etc., his main function is to teach. So, he will enthuse and encourage the devotee or disciple through his instructions and teachings. And, those teachings do not deviate from the scripture. So, because that particular Guru is able to inspire us to take to Krishna consciousness and progress in Krishna consciousness, then we give respect and worship. And, of course, without the respect and worship, we can’t even get the knowledge. So, in Bhagavad Gita, there Krishna says that you approach with ‘pranipat’. So, literally, ‘pat’ means to fall down. And, we say ‘patita pavan’, one who delivers the fallen souls, ‘patita’. So, ‘ni’ (pranipat) in front of that means to fall down very much. So, literally, it means to offer your respects [Laughs]. Of course, we’re not only interested in physical offering – Dandavats, but the mentality has to be one of submission. So, submission means we admit that we do not have knowledge. We’re in a lower position. And, it’s only when we accept the lower position, that we can accept the knowledge. Just like water flows from a high position to a low position. So, knowledge will also flow from Guru to disciple who’s in a low position. If the disciple thinks he’s higher than Guru, how can there be any knowledge? So, therefore, this is a basic principle of the relationship between Guru and disciple.
But, we can say that attitude and that relationship cannot be separated from its function. So, if we have our respect for Guru and we’re humble before Guru, but we don’t get any knowledge, no guidance, then what is that respect for? So, therefore, disciple is responsible for choosing a Guru who has some knowledge to give. So, we don’t choose based on material considerations. We choose on capacity to give us teachings. And, once we accept that relationship, we continue to give proper respect. And, we continue to get relevant spiritual instructions. So, that is why we have the worship of Guru.
Now, worship, of course, in itself can lead to problems. Yes, we worship Krishna. But, worship is also considered to be an anartha for the devotee. So, therefore, yes, we worship Guru, at the same time, we have to be careful that the anartha of worship also does not creep into that. And, thus, we have to modify our worship in respect to temple, Srila Prabhupad, etc. So, in this way, we do respect Guru, but it is modified according to our situation. So, in the Guruvastakam there, it says you should remember Guru three times a day. So, in other words, we do have profound debt to pay.
But, the nature of Guru is such that, as I said, it is spread over many people. So, shiksha Gurus can be many. So, when we talk about respect for Guru, we should not confine that to one person. It could be many persons. Wherever we get the relevant instructions and inspirational instructions, we offer our respect. So, in this way, we can have many Gurus. And, we have to give proper respect. We also have respect in relation to advancement. We respect all devotees. We give more respect to serious devotees. If the devotees are more advanced, we give more respect. And, if they are more advanced, we give more respect. So, therefore, worship and respect is there, but it is also on different levels. Ultimately, we give all respect to Krishna. Then, we give all respect to Srila Prabhupad. And then, we respect all the other Gurus, but according to their level of advancement. So, when we learn how to do this properly, then we can advance nicely in our devotional service.
So, within ISKCON, as I said, we have many Gurus. And, we see that Radhanath Swami is one among many Gurus. He also has many disciples. Of course, it is one of the materialistic aspects of choosing Guru. It’s choosing Guru because he’s got many followers, that’s material [Laughs]. We see that Gaurakishore Das Babaji didn’t have any followers. So, we can’t use that as a measure of how advanced Gaurakishore is or Jagannath Das Babaji is. Number of followers does not matter. Nevertheless, as I said, Radhanath Swami has many disciples. And hopefully, they become inspired to take initiation, not because of the numbers [Laughs], but because of his knowledge, they are getting from him. And, we do see that many of his followers, many of his disciples also get very, very good standard of knowledge. They have good standard of conduct. And, they have loyalty to ISKCON. So, in this way, we see that the disciples of Radhanath Swami are good followers of ISKCON [claps]. And, this is a reflection of his own standing as a devotee. It’s a measure of his sincerity in following Srila Prabhupad.
So, therefore, as I said, you can remember Guru every day, but then of course, we have special day called Vyasa Puja. Just as we worship Krishna every day, but then we have special day called Janmashtami. But, though we have this day to remember, you can remember your relationship with your Guru, still, it should not be a one day affair [Laughs]. If you can remember every day, very, very good. But, in that remembrance, again, you understand why you are remembering. And, as I said, main element is, we show respect because of the teachings that he gives you. The valuable instructions he gives, so you can advance in Krishna consciousness.
Vishwanath Chakravarti, in his commentary on Bhagavad Gita, the verse, ‘Vyavasayatmika Buddhi’, there he talks about your determination. And, it’s this commentary that inspires Srila Prabhupad to go to the West and preach. So, there, in the commentary, talking about this very determined intelligence, then Vishwanath Chakravarti says, ‘you take the instruction of Guru and take it as your life-sustaining medicine’. So, sometimes people are very sick. But, there’s a medicine, and if they take the medicine, then they get cured. But, if you stop taking the medicine, you get sick again and you die. So, following the instructions that Guru gives is like the medicine, life-sustaining medicine. You take it, you advance towards Krishna. You don’t take it, finished. No spiritual life.
So, of course, Guru can give many instructions. Like, take a bath every day [Laughs]. Brush your teeth. Wash your clothes. Live in Mumbai [Laughs]. Preach.. whatever like that. He can give many, many instructions. But, all of these instructions lead to one instruction. And, that’s what Vishwanath mentions in his commentary. The instruction of the Guru is that, ‘you establish your eternal service to Radha and Krishna’. So, all the instructions of Guru, whatever they are, are ultimately for that purpose. In other words, all these instructions are to bring us closer and closer to Krishna. And, of course, if instructions lead us in that direction, then this is the best thing for us, the most valuable thing we can get. And, therefore, we give the utmost respect to Guru. So, with that in mind, on this day of the Vasya puja of Radhanath Swami, you remember the valuable instructions and how it is leading you closer to Krishna. And, with that in mind, you show your respect.
Hare Krsna !