Prescription for the Age of Kali.

Similarly, in this Age of Kali [the present age of quarrel and hypocrisy] the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is prescribed in the śāstras, or scriptures. And the great teacher Caitanya Mahāprabhu, whom we consider an incarnation of God, also prescribed it. Therefore, our principle is that everyone should follow the prescription of the great authorities, and we should follow in their footsteps. That is our business. As stated in the Mahābhārata (Vana-pārva 313.117):

This Vedic mantra says that if you simply try to argue and approach the Absolute Truth, it is very difficult. By argument and reason it is very difficult, because our arguments and reason are limited. And our senses are imperfect. There are many confusing varieties of scriptures, and every philosopher has a different opinion, and unless a philosopher defeats other philosophers, he cannot become recognized as a big philosopher. One theory replaces another, and therefore philosophical speculation will not help us arrive at the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is very secret. So how can one achieve such a secret thing? You simply follow the great personalities who have already achieved success. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophical method is to follow the great personalities, such as Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya, and the great spiritual masters in disciplic succession. Take shelter of bona fide authorities and follow them – that is recommended in the Vedas. That will take you to the ultimate goal.

You Can’t Manufacture a Mantra

In the fourth chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā Śrī Kṛṣṇa says the same thing to Arjuna. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam: In this way, by disciplic succession, the knowledge is coming down. Sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ paran-tapa: But in the course of time the succession was broken. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa says, “I am speaking it to you again.” So a mantra should be received from the disciplic succession. The Vedic injunction is sampradāya-vihinā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ. If your mantra does not come through the disciplic succession, it will not be effective. Mantrās te niṣphalā. Niṣphalā means that it will not produce the desired result. So the mantra must be received through the proper channel, or it will not act. A mantra cannot be manufactured. It must originate with the Supreme Absolute and come down through the channel of disciplic succession. It has to be received in that way, and only then will it act.

According to our Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy, the mantra is coming down through four channels of disciplic succession: one through Lord Śiva, one through the goddess Lakṣmī, one through Lord Brahmā, and one through the four Kumāras. The same thing comes down through different channels. These are called the four sampradāyas, or disciplic successions. So, one has to take his mantra from one of these four sampradāyas; then only is that mantra active. If we receive the mantra in that way, it will be effective. And if one does not receive his mantra through one of these sampradāya channels, then it will not act; it will not give fruit.

Source : https://vedabase.io/en/library/cabh/2/

The Disciplic Succession

Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (Bhagavad-gītā 4.2). This Bhagavad-gītā As It Is is received through this disciplic succession:

1. Kṛṣṇa
2. Brahmā
3. Nārada
4. Vyāsa
5. Madhva
6. Padmanābha
7. Nṛhari
8. Mādhava
9. Akṣobhya
10. Jaya Tīrtha
11. Jñānasindhu
12. Dayānidhi
13. Vidyānidhi
14. Rājendra
15. Jayadharma
16. Puruṣottama
17. Brahmaṇya Tīrtha
18. Vyāsa Tīrtha
19. Lakṣmīpati
20. Mādhavendra Purī
21. Īśvara Purī, (Nityānanda, Advaita)
22. Lord Caitanya
23. Rūpa, (Svarūpa, Sanātana)
24. Raghunātha, Jīva
25. Kṛṣṇadāsa
26. Narottama
27. Viśvanātha
28. (Baladeva), Jagannātha
29. Bhaktivinoda
30. Gaurakiśora
31. Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī
32. A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Source : https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/introduction/

https://prabhupada.net/lineage/

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