# Disciplic Succession *On the paramparā system and receiving knowledge from authorities* --- ### Coming Down from Kṛṣṇa > So there is a disciplic succession, and the ācāryas, they're authorities. Our process of knowledge is very simple: we take it from the authority. We don't speculate. Speculation will not help us to come to the real knowledge. Just like when we are in difficulty, in legal implication, we go to some authority, lawyer. — [[spoken/1971/710903ba.lon|Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Appearance Day Lecture, London, 1971]] --- ### Paramparā-Prāptam > And the next verse He says, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ: "So this confidential knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā was received in such disciplic succession." Disciplic succession. Just like the Lord Kṛṣṇa said to the sun-god, and the sun-god said to Manu, and Manu said to Ikṣvāku. — [[spoken/1966/660711bg.ny|Bhagavad-gītā 4.1 and Review, New York, 1966]] --- ### Cannot Understand by Scholarship > The Bhagavad-gītā, to understand Bhagavad-gītā, we have to accept this disciplic succession principle as Lord Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, that "It is coming down by disciplic succession." We have to take that spirit. And without taking that spirit, simply by our erudite scholarship if we want to understand Bhagavad-gītā, that is a misunderstanding. — [[spoken/1966/660711bg.ny|Bhagavad-gītā 4.1 and Review, New York, 1966]] --- ### Follow the Mahājanas > The truth is very confidential. So if you want to know that truth, mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ, you should have to follow the great ācāryas. Then you will understand. Therefore ācārya-upāsanā is essential. Ācārya-upāsanā is very essential. In all the Vedic śāstras the injunction is that. — [[spoken/1971/710903ba.lon|Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Appearance Day Lecture, London, 1971]] --- ### Arguments Will Not Help > If you want to enter into the spiritual world, you cannot get through simply by arguments. Because there is no limit of argument. I place my argument in one way; another man, who is better arguer, he places his argument in a different way. So if you simply go on arguing, it is not possible. Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ. It will never help you, argument. — [[spoken/1971/710903ba.lon|Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Appearance Day Lecture, London, 1971]] --- ### Scriptures Are Different > Scriptures are made according to different classes of men. There are three classes of men: first class, second class and third class. The third-class man cannot understand the philosophy and scriptural injunction of the first-class man. That is not possible. Higher mathematics cannot be understood by the small schoolboys who are simply trying to understand "Two plus two equal to four." — [[spoken/1971/710903ba.lon|Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Appearance Day Lecture, London, 1971]] --- ### Purport Is Lost > Now, He says that "This yoga..." This Bhagavad-gītā is also called yoga. Sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ paran-tapa: "My dear Arjuna, oh, you are the great hero. Now, that Bhagavad-gītā, the instruction which I imparted to the sun-god, was coming by disciplic succession, now it is lost..." The lost means that the purport of Bhagavad-gītā is lost. — [[spoken/1966/660711bg.ny|Bhagavad-gītā 4.1 and Review, New York, 1966]] --- ### Philosophers Differ > And there are different philosophers who are always contradictory. One philosopher is differing from another philosopher. He has got a different theory. Another has got different theory. So philosophers also cannot give you the real truth. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām. The mystery of Absolute Truth is very confidential. — [[spoken/1971/710903ba.lon|Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's Appearance Day Lecture, London, 1971]] --- ### Understand as Arjuna Understood > So anyone who has to understand Bhagavad-gītā, he has to understand as Arjuna understood it. If you try to understand in a different way, if you want to give a different interpretation of Bhagavad-gītā, that may be a manifestation of your scholarship, but that is not Bhagavad-gītā. — [[spoken/1966/660711bg.ny|Bhagavad-gītā 4.1 and Review, New York, 1966]] --- ### First Began with Kṛṣṇa > So the beginning is Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa first of all explained this Bhagavad-gītā to the sun-god. The sun-god explained to his son, Manu. This is, this age is Vaivasvata Manu age. So in this way, we have to learn the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa which is directly spoken by Kṛṣṇa, not interpreted by anyone. That is Kṛṣṇa philosophy. — [[spoken/1973/730113bg.bom|Bhagavad-gītā 7.1, Bombay, 1973]] --- *10 quotes from Śrīla Prabhupāda on disciplic succession* [[wiki/quotes|Back to Quotes]]