Question: Where can I find a list of disciplic succession starting from Krishna down? I know that we have to have a spiritual master in the disciplic succession, so I want to know who and where does the disciplic succession start?
Answer by Romapada Swami: The disciplic succession from the Brahma-Gaudiya sampradaya is listed in the beginning of Bhagavad-gita As It Is by Srila Prabhupada. There are four bona fide disciplic successions which all originate from the Supreme Lord Krishna, then coming respectively through Lord Brahma, Lakshmi-devi, Lord Shiva and the Kumaras. The principal acaryas who strongly reestablished these four lines in recent times were Madhvacarya, Ramanujacarya, Vishnu Swami and Nimbarkacarya. Lord Caitanya took initiation in the Brahma-Madhva-sampradaya, and thus the disciplic succession following Lord Caitanya and His associates is called Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya sampradaya. Ref. BG 4.2
