By Damaghosa dasa
Lokanātha: …five thousand years back, until now, there’s only thirty ācāryas…
Prabhupāda: Chain is broken when there are false spiritual masters. Otherwise, it is not broken. Chain is broken if a so-called spiritual master speaks something manufactured. Then the chain is broken. Otherwise, chain is not broken.
Prabhupāda: No, you could not. [break] Uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya: ** “The spiritual master is as good as God because he’s very dear to Kṛṣṇa.” He’s preaching Kṛṣṇa’s mission, and Kṛṣṇa is very, very pleased with him. Na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya–kṛttamaḥ [Bg. 18.69]. That is spiritual master’s qualification. He’s trying his best to deliver the soul from these clutches of māyā. That is a great service. Therefore, he is very dear. One who is chanting or executing devotional service for his personal benefit and one who is trying to deliver others for others’ benefit, there is difference.
Caraṇāravindam: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Isn’t it the case that for some people then when the disciplic succession is lost, because if you’re following a false guru… For example, your teachings now will always be on the planet. There will be other gurus who present some false teaching. So does that mean that for some people the disciplic succession is there and some people it’s not there? If they’re following a false guru does that mean they’ve lost the disciplic succession?
Prabhupāda: Oh, there is a good boy. Nāma?
Prabhupāda: Kapila. Oh, Kapiladeva. (end) Sept 2 1976 New Delhi conversations
Note–unfortunately Srila Prabhupada’s answer to this last question was not on this tape but we do have his answer as he said in the beginning-…
..”Chain is broken when there are false spiritual masters. Otherwise, it is not broken. Chain is broken if a so-called spiritual master speaks something manufactured. Then the chain is broken. Otherwise, chain is not broken.”
And there were so many other times when he also explained the same idea of losing the disciplic succession by false gurus. Here are some below….
Now the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is going on in my presence. Now after my departure, if you do not do this, then it is lost.
Gaṇeśa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, if the knowledge was handed down by the saintly kings, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam [Bg. 4.2], how is it that the knowledge was lost?
Prabhupāda: When it was not handed down. Simply understood by speculation. Or if it is not handed down as it is. They might have made some changes. Or they did not hand it down. Suppose I handed it down to you, but if you do not do that, then it is lost. Now the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is going on in my presence. Now after my departure, if you do not do this, then it is lost. If you go on as you are doing now, then it will go on. But if you stop… (end) MAY 9 1975 Perth Australia
Wherever you live, if you follow strictly the instruction of guru, then you remain perfect.
Prabhupāda: So, this is the process. That is the… You sing every day. Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya **. That is the process. Wherever you live, if you follow strictly the instruction of guru, then you remain perfect. But if we create, concoct ideas against the instruction of guru, then we are doomed, hell. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ‘pi **. There is no more shelter, finished. Yasya prasādāt. If guru thinks that “This person, I wanted to take him back to home, back to Godhead. Now he is going against me. He is not following,” aprasādāt, he is displeased, then everything is finished. Conversations : 1975 Conversations : February, 1975 : Morning Walk — February 3, 1975, Hawaii : 750203mw.haw :
As soon as a foolish disciple tries to overtake his spiritual master and becomes ambitious to occupy his post, he immediately falls down.
The incident herein described is very significant. In a previous verse it is stated, vinā mahat-pāda-rajo-’bhiṣekam: one cannot attain perfection without smearing the dust from the lotus feet of an exalted devotee on his head. If one always follows the orders of the spiritual master, there is no question of falling down. As soon as a foolish disciple tries to overtake his spiritual master and becomes ambitious to occupy his post, he immediately falls down. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto ’pi . If the spiritual master is considered an ordinary man, the disciple surely loses his chance to advance further. Despite a very rigid life in devotional service, Bharata Mahārāja did not consult a spiritual master when he became overly attached to a deer. Consequently, he became strongly attached to the deer, and, forgetting his spiritual routine, he fell down. SB 5.12: Conversation Between Maharaja Rahugana and Jada Bharata : SB 5.12.14 : PURPORT :
na sabhāṁ praviśet prājñaḥ sabhya-doṣān anusmaran abruvan vibruvann ajño naraḥ kilbiṣam aśnute
“A wise person should not enter an assembly if he knows the participants there are committing acts of impropriety. And if, having entered such an assembly, he fails to speak the truth, speaks falsely or pleads ignorance, he will certainly incur sin.” — Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.44.10
nindāṁ bhagavataḥ śṛṇvaṁs tat-parasya janasya vā tato nāpaiti yaḥ so ’pi yāty adhaḥ sukṛtāc cyutaḥ
“Anyone who fails to immediately leave the place where he hears criticism of the Supreme Lord or His faithful devotee will certainly fall down, bereft of his pious credit.” — Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.74.40
Follow bogus guru-you go to hell
Unless one is perfectly anxious to inquire about the way of perfection, there is no necessity of approaching a spiritual master. A spiritual master is not a kind of decoration for a householder. Generally a fashionable materialist engages a so-called spiritual master without any profit. The pseudo spiritual master flatters the so-called disciple, and thereby both the master and his ward go to hell without a doubt. SB 1.19.37 P The Appearance of Sukadeva Gosvami
Leaders who have fallen into ignorance and who mislead people by directing them to the path of destruction [as described in the previous verse] are, in effect, boarding a stone boat, and so too are those who blindly follow them. A stone boat would be unable to float and would sink in the water with its passengers. Similarly, those who mislead people go to hell, and their followers go with them. SB 6.7.14 Indra Offends His Spiritual Master, Brhaspati
As for your next question, can only a few pure devotees deliver others, anyone, if he is a pure devotee he can deliver others, he can become spiritual master. But unless he on that platform he should not attempt it. THEN BOTH OF THEM WILL TO GO TO HELL, LIKE BLIND MEN LEADING THE BLIND. 72-12-14. Letter: Tusta Krsna