For Srila Prabhupada’s followers, his books are the primary source of knowledge; all other scriptures are to be considered secondary. The Vedas must be understood through the spiritual master – otherwise misunderstandings are inevitable.
Without instructions from spiritual master, how do we know which injunctions from different sastras should be accepted and which should not? That is the process of parampara. It is the duty of the Founder-Acarya to give us the proper understanding of the Vedas.
Srila Prabhupada repeatedly stated that there is no need to study books other than his. He gave primary importance to his own works, especially Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Caitanya-Caritamrta, and Nectar of Devotion. These are our essential scriptures. Other texts come after these and therefore hold secondary – or even lesser – importance for sincere followers of Srila Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada stated that his purports are even more important than the verses themselves. He said that his books would serve as the law books for the next 10,000 years – something no other acarya ever claimed. Again and again, Srila Prabhupada emphasized that his purports were the most important part of his writings. Sounds to me that he wanted us to take seriously what he instructed in his books: ”Every day you have to read, study, and learn my books just like a lawyer learns the law books.”, ”You must study my books very scrutinizingly.”
He even told his editor, Hayagriva prabhu, that he could exercise some freedom in editing the Bhagavad-gita translations “to convey a poetic flavor,” but he specifically warned him to be careful not to make unnecessary changes to his “personal ecstasies” – his purports.
If we have faith in Srila Prabhupada, why should we search through countless subsidiary Vedic and corollary literatures merely to find something that allows us to add new rules and regulations to the process given by Srila Prabhupada, or to avoid following his clear and direct instructions? His instruction is unmistakable: ”Everything is in my books.”, “I want all of my disciples to be gurus.”
In this regard Srila Prabhupada says:
”We have to receive mercy both from the spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa. We cannot jump over to Kṛṣṇa. That is another nonsense. We must approach Kṛṣṇa through guru. That is paramparā system.”
”This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu cult, guru-kṛṣṇa kṛpa. Without guru you cannot have mercy of Kṛṣṇa. You cannot jump over Kṛṣṇa like monkey. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa will not accept. If you think that ”Without guru I shall jump over Kṛṣṇa, and He’ll be merciful upon me,” that monkey’s business will not be accepted.”
”Don’t try to approach Kṛṣṇa directly, jump over. That is useless. As you receive knowledge through the steps, paramparā system, similarly, we should approach Kṛṣṇa through these step.”
”All the Vedic literature,” prakāśante, ”becomes revealed simply by these two principle.” Guru-kṛṣṇa kṛpā pāya bhakti-latā-bīja. We should not jump over Kṛṣṇa without the help of guru. That is not possible. You must go through.”
”Jumping, jumping, jumping, just like a monkey, over the head of your spiritual master. You’ll all become monkeys in Vrindavan for deviating from the order of the spiritual master.”
”Simply by becoming an academic scholar one cannot understand the Vedic statements; one has to approach the real authority who has received the Vedic knowledge by disciplic succession, as clearly explained in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.2)”
”In order to understand the transcendental science, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master.”
”Vedic knowledge must be understood from the guru. That is injunction. They defy that. They… The Vedic injunction is… Kaṭhopaniśad. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. You… To understand the Vedas, you must approach a guru. Otherwise, you cannot understand. Just like it is forbidden that without becoming a brāhmaṇa, nobody should read Vedas. Because he cannot understand. Unless one is qualified brāhmaṇa, unless one has approached another qualified brāhmaṇa who knows, there is no question of understanding Vedas. Just like Max Muller translated Veda. What does he know about Veda? Such kinds of translation, understanding, is useless.”
”One should not partially study a book just to pose oneself as a great scholar by being able to refer to scriptures. In our Krsna consciousness movement we have therefore limited our study of the Vedic literatures to the Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Caitanya-caritamrta and Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. These four works are sufficient for preaching purposes. They are adequate for the understanding of the philosophy and the spreading of missionary activities all over the world. If one studies a particular book, he must do so thoroughly. That is the principle. By thoroughly studying a limited number of books, one can understand the philosophy.”
”So if you want to understand Bhagavad-gita, then we must understand in the same way as the person who directly heard from. This is called parampara system. Suppose I have heard something from my spiritual master, so I speak to you the same thing. So this is parampara system. You cannot imagine what my spiritual master said. Or even if you read some books, you cannot understand unless you understand it from me.”
”There is no need by any of my disciples to read any books besides my books – in fact, such reading may be detrimental to their advancement in Krishna Consciousness. All reading of outside books, except in certain authorized cases such as for example to read some philosopher like Plato to make an essay comparing his philosophy with Krishna’s philosophy – but otherwise all such outside reading should be stopped immediately. It is simply another botheration. If my students cannot even read my own books thoroughly, why they should read others? I have given you TLC, what need is there to read Caitanya Caritamrta translated by someone else. You are right to stop such reading.”
”In my books the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness is explained fully so if there is anything which you do not understand, then you simply have to read again and again.”
”If you want to stay in Krsna Consciousness you will have to develop firm faith in Guru and Sastra. Therefore, you must study my books very scrutinizingly.”
”So I am requesting all of my students to read my books very seriously every day without fail. In this way, if your mind becomes absorbed at least one or two hours daily in the transcendental subject matter of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, and other books then very easily you will make your advancement in Krishna Consciousness.”
”Present the philosophy of Krsna consciousness as it is. There is no need to add anything or take anything away. As it is.”
”One who is sincere to get the light, for him Bhāgavata is the only remedy. [break] …the question that ”Why Bhāgavata is so important than other books?” The reply is there: mahā-muni kṛte kiṁ va paraiḥ. ”What is the use of other books?” It is written by Mahā-muni Vyāsadeva, the Vedānta-ācārya.”
Devotee: ”Śrīla Prabhupāda, when you are not present with us, how is it possible to receive instructions, for example, on questions that may arise?”
Prabhupāda: ”Well, the questions are… Answers are there in my books.”