Srila Prabhupada diverges from Hari-bhakti-vilasa

[Guruvani]

Here is a nice example of how Srila Prabhupada sometimes diverges from the principles given in Hari-bhakti-vilasa.

 

Teachings of Lord Chaitanya

chapter 31 -

In the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa it is stated that if one bona fide spiritual master is born in a brāhmaṇa family and another, who is also qualified, is born in a śūdra family, one should accept the one who is born in a brāhmaṇa family. This statement serves as a social compromise, but it has nothing to do with spiritual understanding. This injunction is only applicable for those who consider social status more important than spiritual status. It is not for people who are spiritually serious. A serious person would accept Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction that anyone — regardless of his position — conversant with Kṛṣṇa science must be accepted as the spiritual master.