Recently, a devotee who has been newly introduced to Krishna Consciousness asked me a question, “If we just chant the names of spiritual master, then can we go home back to Godhead?”

I paused for a brief moment, said “Yes”, and added that a devotee won’t just chant the names of spiritual master. He will chant Krishna’s names as well!

1] Thinking of Spiritual Master and Krishna is the SAME :

One time, when Shrila Prabhupada was in Mexico, after an unusual number of impertinent questions, Hṛdayānanda Maharaja stopped translating and instructed the crowd not to ask nonsensical questions.

Immediately one of the ladies raised her hand. “I’ve heard from the devotees,” she began, “that at the time of leaving my body it will be a very important test for my life for getting my next body. I’ve also heard from the devotees that it is important for us to think of Lord Kṛṣṇa at that time of passing away of our body.

What I want to ask Your Divine Grace is: Is it as good as thinking of Kṛṣṇa at the time of my death to think of you?”

Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja presented her question to Prabhupāda. Śrīla Prabhupāda smiled. “Yes, that is very good. You will get the same result.”

2] Spiritual Master’s Order is Primary :

Our sastras say – saksat haritvena samasta sastrair – guru is non-different from the spiritual master. In that way, even if one chants the holy name of spiritual master, one can be delivered.

But, a devotee who is fully fixed in following the orders of his or her spiritual master will chant Krishna’s Holy Names because that is the primary order of the spiritual master.

A devotee is more interested to follow the will of spiritual master than to practice according to his or her own whims. So, a devotee cannot remain without chanting the Holy Names of the Lord. Through chanting the Holy Names of Krishna, he or she is rendering service to the spiritual master.

3] Test to Identify a True Spiritual Master:

Any spiritual master who doesn’t tell his disciples to chant Krishna’s Holy Name cannot be a true spiritual master. He may say, “My followers are chanting my name, what can I do?” A genuine spiritual master will always tell his disciples to chant Krishna’s Holy Names, and he will never desire glory for himself.

We chant Hare Krishna, at the same time, we chant Jai Prabhupada also! During Gurvastakam, we are simply glorifying the qualities of the spiritual master. We chant Krishna’s name, and we also chant spiritual master’s name. Yet, in the name of affection for Prabhupada, we don’t miss out the instruction of Prabhupada. That is the test of a disciple.

Guru has to be given prominence, but not through external formalities, not by offering of big bunch of flowers, but by following his instructions. So, a devotee will never compromise on the instruction of chanting the Holy Names of Krishna.

Our predecessor acaryas who came after Lord Caitanya chanted the names of Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityananda. They even wrote songs glorifying their grace. But they held on to the prime instruction of Lord Caitanya – to chant Krishna’s Holy Names.