Nov 11 1975 Bombay
Devotee (3): [break] You were speaking about the blind person who is thinking that he can see. He is in illusion. How can we best convince him that he is not able to see?
Prabhupāda: You have to convince him that “Your eyes are imperfect.” Then you can tell, “Just close your eyes. Can you see the eyelid? It closes, but you cannot see. Why? You have got eyes. When there is some particle in the eye, so close and find out where is the particle. Why making this way, this way, this way? So what is the value of your eyes? This is the proof. You cannot see even your eyelids. So why do… Why you are so much proud of seeing?” Is it not?
Devotee (3): Yes.
Prabhupāda: This is conviction. He can say that “I cannot see on account of distant place, the planet,” but you see the nearest. So you cannot see distant place things and you cannot see nearest. Then what is the value of your eyes? That means you can see only under certain condition. So condition is offered by somebody else. Therefore you are conditioned. Your seeing is conditioned, because it is not absolute. So how do you believe your eyes? Hm?
Devotee (3): The vision of the eyes is imperfect. We have to see by intelligence, from the authority…
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is not intelligence; that is fact. Intelligence you should have that “However I can perceive by the senses, the senses being imperfect, all our perceptions are imperfect.” That is intelligence.
Devotee (3): :Then one may ask, “Well, how do I recognize that this is the bona fide authority?”
Prabhupāda: :Who authorized? Another rascal, that’s all. He’s a rascal. Another rascal… Just like sva-vid-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ [SB 2.3.19]. A lion is being praised by the rabbit in the jungle. The rabbit is also animal; lion is also. So what is the use of lion being praised by a rabbit? If a lion is praised by a rabbit, does it mean lion is more than animal? So similarly, these so-called scientists, big men, they are being praised by small rascals. That does not mean on account of praising, he has become more than animal. He remains animal.
Devotee (3): :We see Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but they see Him as a common man like themselves also.
Prabhupāda: :Therefore they are mūḍhas. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ. Only the mūḍhas can deride. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritaḥ [Bg. 9.11]. It is stated already.
Devotee (3): :Then how is it that some people do finally come to accept Kṛṣṇa?
Prabhupāda: Yes. They come in the paramparā system, through guru. Tad-vij�ānārtham sa gurum evābhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. Therefore you have to go to guru to understand. You cannot understand personally. That is not possible. Therefore our system is to see through the guru and śāstra, not by these naked eyes. That is misleading.
Devotee (3): Then the key would be to recognize and appreciate the importance of the guru.
Prabhupāda: Parampara. Guru is also not authority by himself. He is authority by his guru, paramparā. If he is coming in the paramparā system, then he is guru. Otherwise he’s not guru. Just like what we are doing? We are simply repeating the Kṛṣṇa’s word. That’s all. Therefore guru. And as soon as I make addition or alteration, I am goru
Harikeśa: Goru means?
Prabhupāda: Goru means cow, animal. Go-kharaḥ. Sa eva go-kharaḥ [SB 10.84.13]. The go-kharaḥ, these animals have been, I mean, exemplified because these two animals work for others very heavily. The bull also loads heavily, and the ass also loads very heavily for others, not for his own benefit. The bull is working day and night and being whipped… (end)
Link to this page:https://prabhupadabooks.com/conversations/1975/nov/morning_walk/bombay/november/11/1975
Some Conclusions- Today it has become fashionable and commonplace to disobey or disbelieve in the bona fide gurus instructions. And even if someone repeats verbatim his instructions, still they wont believe you or will argue with you. This is yet only another symptom of this degraded age of quarrel and hypocrisy.
SB 4.18.5–A foolish person who manufactures his own ways and means through mental speculation and does not recognize the authority of the sages who lay down unimpeachable directions is simply unsuccessful again and again in his attempts.
PURPORT-At the present moment it has become fashionable to disobey the unimpeachable directions given by the ācāryas and liberated souls of the past. Presently people are so fallen that they cannot distinguish between a liberated soul and a conditioned soul. A conditioned soul is hampered by four defects: he is sure to commit mistakes, he is sure to become illusioned, he has a tendency to cheat others, and his senses are imperfect. Consequently we have to take direction from liberated persons. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement directly receives instructions from the Supreme Personality of Godhead via persons who are strictly following His instructions. Although a follower may not be a liberated person, if he follows the supreme, liberated Personality of Godhead, his actions are naturally liberated from the contamination of the material nature. Lord Caitanya therefore says: “By My order you may become a spiritual master.” One can immediately become a spiritual master by having full faith in the transcendental words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and by following His instructions. Materialistic men are not interested in taking directions from a liberated person, but they are very much interested in their own concocted ideas, which make them repeatedly fail in their attempts. Because the entire world is now following the imperfect directions of conditioned souls, humanity is completely bewildered.
