SB 04.22.24 - Following in the footsteps does not mean imitation
Bhagavat-Sangi-Sangasya
SB 04.22.24 - Following in the footsteps does not mean imitation
ahiṁsayā pāramahaṁsya-caryayā
smṛtyā mukundācaritāgrya-sīdhunā
yamair akāmair niyamaiś cāpy anindayā
TRANSLATION
A candidate for spiritual advancement must be nonviolent, must follow in the footsteps of great ācāryas, must always remember the nectar of the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, must follow the regulative principles without material desire and, while following the regulative principles, should not blaspheme others. A devotee should lead a very simple life and not be disturbed by the duality of opposing elements. He should learn to tolerate them.
Let us just focus on the word pāramahaṁsya-caryayā which means by following in the footsteps of great ācāryas. So, the question may be asked- what does it actually mean following in the footsteps of acharyas?
It means following their instructions. Please note, following in the footsteps does not mean imitating the acharya. Acharya or a spiritual master or a pure devotee may sleep just 2 hrs a day just like Srila Prabhupad, a pure devotee may live happily in a chilling cold with just a small cloth, etc but we can’t imitate this. We may not even survive if we try to imitate such activities of elevated devotees.
Our acharya Srila Prabhupad and others have given us so many practical instructions like chanting the holy name attentively, offering food to Krishna daily, reading Bhagavad Gita & Bhagavatam, associate with serious devotees, include Krishna in our day to day activities, preach the general public in a way it suits to them, etc.
So we can take the following message from this verse:-For spiritual advancement we must follow in the footsteps of our acharyas by following their instructions.
