(H H Kadamba Kanana Swami, November 2011, Mayapur) Lecture: Caitanya-caritāmṛta part 11
The point is that you go on the path but you still go through your own experience on that path, and you also have to use your own intelligence on how to deal with it. It is said that the disciple must become dependent on the spiritual master, but not totally dependent, where every five minutes there is an SMS stating:
‘What shall I do next? I cant help now.’
‘Did you offer your obeiscance?’
‘Oh no, thank you.’
So we are always waiting for instructions. We have to come to a point where we learn and we start to apply things ourselves, and in everything it is like that. So it’s very obvious that in spiritual life, a disciple has to take the instructions and start to apply them, because everyone lives in individual circumstances. No one’s life is the same – we may have similarities but no two people have the same life! It’s not like that. Even if you are married, it’s quite close but still the husband and wife also have their own lives. Sometimes they live in different worlds, which also happens. So two individuals can be in the same position at the same time. Or in the same room but in different spot, and everyone is seeing something else!
So even the spiritual master is seeing everything that Krishna wants him to see. As Prabhupada explains:
‘Krishna is your best friend.’
And one of his disciple, said:
‘Oh no Prabhupada you are our best friend’.
‘So Prabhupada said:
‘ Krishna is your best friend. Krishna is a omniscient. He knows everything that you desire. Me – I am not omniscient, I’m just a jiva. So I might disappoint you.’
‘On, no…no.’
But he didn’t get the philosophical point. Prabhupada’s point was:
‘Yes, I might not always understand what you want, but Krishna always understands what you want. Therefore, He’s your best friend…. He will never disappoint you!’