Are the acharyas’ names also non-different from them?
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So in the material world when a person goes nothing of them remains only their name remains as a record they have got nothing to do with that particular record they have gone somewhere else now we understand Krishna is omnipotent so Krishna and his name are non-different but what about the Acharyas if we remember their name we remember their pastimes so are they also non-different exactly how does it work yeah there are actually there are levels of connectedness that means only Krishna is omnipotent only Krishna is God only Krishna is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent so that means Krishna and his holy name are non-different we will discuss about that in the next verse more now when it comes to the Acharyas now they are not ordinary souls they are souls in the sense that in absolute sense they are like us they are also Atmas but they are a completely different level in terms of their consciousness in terms of their connectedness with Krishna and therefore by Krishna’s grace they are given certain special powers so now there is so as I said there are degrees of connectedness so at one level Prabhupada’s picture is non-different from Prabhupada’s we go down to the picture we go down to the Deity, at the same time Prabhupada did not expect or mandate that we do the same kind of bhoga offering with all the elaborate worship exactly all the same way that we do for the Deities there can be higher and higher standards of Prabhupada’s worship also but Prabhupada did not mandate that exactly so the primary idea over here is that the Acharyas are given potency by Krishna by which they can manifest themselves to those who approach them, to those who appeal to them to those who are taking shelter of them, the Acharyas themselves are not inherently or intrinsically omnipresent but by Krishna’s potency they can manifest themselves so when we recite an Acharya’s name when we remember their pastimes, when we worship in front of their picture because of Krishna’s potency because Krishna has engaged them used them because of their exalted surrender as his instruments so Krishna gives them not exactly the omnipotency but the potency substantially larger potency than what other Jivas have by which they can also guide and bless us so this is Krishna’s special mercy on the great souls so now there was an incident when when one devotee asked Prabhupada that actually Krishna’s devotees are more dear to Krishna than himself then instead of chanting Krishna’s name can we chant the spiritual master, can we chant the pure devotee so instead of Hare Krishna can we do Japa, Prabhupada Prabhupada said don’t speculate Prabhupada also said don’t speculate so yes, so that means there is there are two extremes one is that we say that okay the Acharyas are not God so they are just like Jivas that is wrong that is as it is in the Padma Krishna Purana that is Naraki Buddhi when we consider Acharya to be like a Guru Shu Naramati consider Guru to be just like an ordinary human being that is a hellish mentality to say but the other extreme is to consider the Acharya in every way equivalent to God and you think I will worship only the Acharya and not worship the God at all that is also not correct so the Acharya is at a position much higher than other Jivas but not at the position of Krishna and the Acharyas are given that position and potency of that position by Krishna because of their connectedness with Krishna so definitely remembering the past times of the Acharyas remembering their names and praying to them all that has potency has enormous potency at the same time usually when we remember the Acharyas we remember them for their connectedness with Krishna so we either sing the Mangal Adi in the morning or the Guru Pooja in the later morning, the whole prayers are how those great Acharyas are devoted to Krishna so we don’t see the Acharyas separately, we see them in their connection with Krishna and it is their connection with Krishna that gives their names, their pictures, their past times a special potency does it answer your question? so if you feel like adding anything any time please let me know anyone else if they have comments also and answers please let me know yeah please