An acharya adapts eternal principles to contemporary circumstances, enabling all people to advance in Krishna consciousness through sincere chanting.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.2.46 Māgha-melā — January 30, 1971, Prayāga 710130SB-PRAYAGA [38:55 Minutes] SB-06.02.46_710130SB-PRAYAGA Devotee: [introducing recording] ... Kṛṣṇa. Prabhupāda's morning lecture on the 30th of January 1971, Māgha-melā. [kīrtana] [break]
Prabhupāda: [sings Śrī Śrī Ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭaka; devotees sing responsively] vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau priya-karau nirmatsarau pūjitau dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau priya-karau nirmatsarau pūjitau dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau priya-karau nirmatsarau pūjitau śrī-caitanya-kṛpā-bharau bhuvi bhuvo bhārāvahantārakau śrī-caitanya-kṛpā-bharau bhuvi bhuvo bhārāvahantārakau vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī Thank you. Hare Kṛṣṇa. om ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave-namaḥ ["I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance."] śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam ["When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?"] vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-[?] na yat punaḥ karmasu sajjate mano rajas-tamobhyāṁ kalilaṁ tato 'nyathā [SB 6.2.46] So we have been discussing the advantage of chanting the holy name. This is recommended for all the ages, but especially for this ages. It is not that something new has been advented.
Just like for this particular Kali-yuga, from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which was written, recorded, five thousand years ago, and this incident of Ajāmila's deliverance, it took place long, long ago before writing this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It is a historical reference. So tens of thousand years ago, the same recommendation was there, but it is more advantageous in this age. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's introduction. No ācārya will introduce something new of his own concoction.
Then he is not ācārya. Always remember: evaṁ paramparā-prāptam [Bg. 4.2]. One has to receive knowledge, Vedic knowledge, through the disciple chain, and it is the business of the ācārya which one is suitable for the particular time, age, circumstances. That is ācārya. Just like we are chanting about the Gosvāmīs.
Five hundred years ago these Gosvāmīs left their opulent position as ministers, as zamindars—they were very highly posted. Vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. All of them either were very, very rich man or very, very great scholar, learned scholar. They are not ordinary men.
So they left their home, Rūpa, Sanātana, Raghunāth dāsa Gosvāmī. Raghunāth dāsa Gosvāmī, he was the only child of his father and uncle, and at that time their income not less than one lakh of rupees per month. One lakh of rupees of that day, it is fifty lakhs now; you can understand from the exchange value. So he was such rich man, and he was only child. The whole property was for him.
And he was married, with a very, very beautiful wife. He left everything for preaching Caitanya Mahāprabhu's cult. Similarly Rūpa Gosvāmī, he was highly exalted minister in the government of Nawab Hussain Shah, both the brothers. Practically the whole kingdom was entrusted to them. The Nawab was very happy by entrusting the administration to these Gosvāmīs because they were so expert administrator.