Prabhupada 0282 - We Have to Follow the Footprints of the Acaryas
Lecture on BG 7.2 -- San Francisco, September 11, 1968
So,
- manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
- kaścid yatati siddhaye
- yatatām api siddhānāṁ
- kaścin vetti māṁ tattvataḥ
- (BG 7.3)
Here it is said that manuṣyas teṣāṁ śāstra 'dhikara yajñānāṁ sahasra-madhye. Now, what I am, what is God, what is this material world, how it is working, these things are business of an educated man. A foolish man cannot take. Therefore śāstra adhikāra. Śāstra means one has got some knowledge in the śāstras, in the books of knowledge. As soon as we find out one who has got books of knowledge, knowledge in books, or śāstra, the quantity will be at once reduced. In this quarter if you find out how many noneducated people are there, oh, you'll find many. And as soon as you want to find out how many M.A.'s are there, at once the number will be reduced. Similarly, there are many men, but if you want to search out some man who is trying to make perfection of his life, at once the number will be reduced. And out of them Just like so many transcendentalists, swamis, yogis there are. If you count amongst them who wants to understand God, who has got the knowledge of God, at once the number will be reduced. Again.
Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that out of many, many thousands of people, somebody is interested for making perfection of his life. And out of many, many thousands of men who are actually trying to make perfection of their life, you'll find somebody—or you may not find out—who knows God or Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He comes Himself to be known by everyone. And He's so kind also that before His departure from this material world, He leaves behind Him this Bhagavad-gītā so that you can know from His personal talks what is God. So if you read Bhagavad-gītā rightly, as it is spoken by Kṛṣṇa, not foolishly interpreting nonsensically, but as it is, as it is... Call the spade a spade. Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Don't interpret this version with your foolish interpretation, but accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And by His acts, by His sastric knowledge, wisdom... Everyone accepted previously, all the ācāryas.
So we have to follow the footprints of the ācāryas. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). We cannot understand higher things unless we follow the footprint of great personalities. Just like even in the scientific world, the law of gravitation. You do not know anything about law of gravitation, but Sir Isaac Newton, he said that there is law of gravitation. You accept it. That's all. That means you follow a great personality. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa should be accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead not by whims. But He has been accepted like by personalities like Lord Caitanya, Rāmānujācārya, Śaṅkarācārya, great personalities who are guiding the destiny of spiritual world. Therefore you have to accept in that way.