One cannot approach Krishna directly; success requires traversing the sacred channel of disciplic succession with proper reverence.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Bhajan & Purport to the Maṅgalācaraṇa Prayers — January 8, 1969, Los Angeles 690108PU-LOS ANGELES [12:00 Minutes] Bhajan & Purport_690108PU-LOS ANGELES Prabhupāda: Now, chant loudly. [sings:] vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaṁ śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca [I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇavas and unto the Six Gosvāmīs, including Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and all His devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the gopīs, headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā.] [05:51] Vande 'ham means "I am offering my respectful obeisances." Vande.
V-a-n-d-e. Vande means "offering my respectful obeisances." Aham. Aham means "I." Vande 'ham śrī-gurūn: all the gurus, or spiritual masters. The offering of respect direct to the spiritual master means offering respects to all the previous ācāryas.
Gurūn means plural number. All the ācāryas. They are not different from one another. Because they are coming in the disciplic succession from the original spiritual master and they have no different views, therefore, although they are many, they are one. Vande 'ham śrī-gurūn śrī-yuta-pada-kamalam. Śrī-yuta means "with all glories, with all opulence." Pada-kamala: "lotus feet." Offering of respect to the superior begins from the feet, and blessing begins from the head.
That is the system. The disciple offers his respect by touching the lotus feet of the spiritual master, and the spiritual master blesses the disciple by touching his head. Therefore it is said, "I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of all the ācāryas.'' Śrī-yuga-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca. Gurūn means spiritual master, and vaiṣṇavāṁś ca means all their followers, devotees of Lord. Spiritual master means they must have many followers.
They are all Vaiṣṇavas. They are called prabhus, and the spiritual master is called prabhupāda, because on his lotus feet there are many prabhus. Pada means lotus foot. So all these Vaiṣṇavas, they are all prabhus.
So they are also offered respectful... Not that the spiritual master alone, but along with his associates. And these associates are all Vaiṣṇavas, his disciples. They are also devotees of the Lord; therefore they should also be offered respectful obeisances.
This is the process. Then śrī-rūpam. The spiritual master is descending from the six Gosvāmīs. Out of the six Gosvāmīs, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī and his elder brother Sanātana Gosvāmī are heading the list. Śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātam. Agrajātam means his elder brother..., eldest brother. Śrī-rupaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitam.