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ACARYA
- Acarya is one who is teaching the practical application and philosophical significance.
- Subteacher who teaches a particular portion or aspect of the Veda is called upadhyaya (Jyotisha, music etc). Modern teachers are all upadhyayis because acarya means one who knows the connection to the Lord.
- Guru performs family ceremonies. During sacrifices one calls for the officiating priest, who is a guru just for the duration of the sacrifice.
- 09:20 Ritviks - officiating priests - can be utilized in certain sacrifices, but not initiation.
- Ritviks are trying to turn our line into diksha line, which is what case goswamis do. They are our first bonafide apasampradaya.
- Why only initiation from Prabhupada? Why not from Bhaktivinoda, why not from Lord Brahma?
- Prabhupada authorized to initiate on his behalf, while he was still present.
- Ramanujacarya also appointed 74 disciples to initiate on his behalf while he was still present, just to see that they can function properly.
- Parents chose whom the children learn from, but the teacher who fills one's ears with Vedas is even more respectable than parents.
- One will die from the birth that one took from parents, but initiation into Vedic knowledge is eternal.
- 18:00 A man destitute of sacred knowledge is a child, and one who teaches him the Veda becomes father.
- Seniority among brahmanas is judged by knowledge, ksatriyas - valor, vaishyas - commodities, shudras - age.
- Stock money is not actually real wealth.
- Actors who came up for a short time are not considered so much of an actor by other actors.
- Real musicians practice 10 to 12 hours a day. But to be able to do something special with one's skill takes several lifetimes of practice.
- 29:00 Is stock market gambling? For those who know what they are doing is just risky, educated business. For others it is gambling.
- Owner of gambling house is not gambler; it is just a business, bad business.
- In the casino, if you know what you are doing you are considered a cheater.
- We are amazed by the feats of oriental martial artists, but every monkey in Vrindavana can do that. Animals can easily do things that humans do with amazing talents.
- Unlearned brahmana is useless and is brahmana in name only.
- Criticized person may sleep peacefully but the criticizer perishes.
- Person who criticizes others develops the same qualities that they criticize.
- Study of the Vedas is the highest austerity.
- There is only the brahminical culture, there is no separate culture for kshatriyas and vaishyas.
- Person who daily studies the Vedas obtains the benefits of thrice giving away the whole earth.
- If devotees are looking for money - study!
- Studying the essential scriptures of the sampradaya is equal to the study of the Veda. If devotees have no time for that, they fall to the level of shudra.
- First birth is from mother, 2nd - upanayanam, 3rd - initiation in the Vedic sacrifices.
- If one's diksha guru leaves devotional service, the validity of initiation remains, but one must find siksha guru. Siksha guru may be Srila Prabhupada, but it is better to also find living siksha guru. Otherwise, why are all Prabhupada's disciples not inspired?