Q. Why is Srila Prabhupada awarded the title Acharya – doesn’t one of the meanings of acharya mean one who has started something new? We call Madhvacharya or Shankaracharya as acharya and not swami because he started something new, isn’t it? But Srila Prabhupada didn’t start something new, he just brought it to the western world, so what is the understanding why he is given the title Acharya? I would really appreciate your answer to this question.
Answer by Romapada Swami: “Acharya” literally means ‘one who teaches by example.’ (‘Achar’ = behavior or personal conduct) One who sets the highest standard of behavior for all humanity by his own personal example is called an Acharya.
Thus, any such exemplary teacher of Vedic knowledge could rightly be called an acharya. For example, Dronacharya was an Acharya of Dhanur-veda (the Vedic military science).
But the title “Acharya” is especially awarded to those great saintly spiritual masters who revived or strongly established the principles and teachings of an authorized disciplic succession for the spiritual benefit of the world for many generations to come.
Thus, an acharya does not have to be someone that starts something new. Quite the opposite, the mark of a bonafide acharya or spiritual master is that he does not invent anything new or independent of the Vedic teachings – (which are eternal), but simply re-presents the eternal teachings of Srila Vyasadev and his predecessor acharyas in the parampara, in a manner suitable for the particular time/place/circumstances.
It is stated in Padma Purana that there are four bona fide paramparas (disciplic successions), all beginning from Lord Krishna Himself, viz. Brahma, Sri, Rudra and Kumara sampradayas. Only those who faithfully represent one of these four paramparas can be accepted as a spiritual master or acharya.
The great vaishnava acharyas like Madhvacharya or Ramanujacharya did not present something new that was not there before them. Ramanujacarya belonged to the Sri Sampradaya, and Madhvacharya accepted initiation into the Brahma sampradaya from the spiritual masters in that line before him. But during their time, because of the spread of Buddhism followed by mayavada-impersonalism, vaishnava culture was not very widespread. Ramanujacarya and Madhvacharya strongly defeated mayavada doctrines, and systematically presented the teachings of their predecessor acharyas. They revived Vaishnavism all over the Indian subcontinent and strongly established an institution of vaishnavas that practiced these teachings. Therefore, they are regarded as the most prominent acharya of their respective sampradaya and the entire sampradaya is known after them. Their writings and the standards established by them will be the guiding light for all the followers and spiritual masters coming in their line in the future.
Similarly, Srila Prabhupada systematically presented the teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu by writing so many authoritative books and established a world-wide institution of vaishnavas, defeating so many opposing atheistic and impersonal schools of thought that are currently prevalent. Although he simply presented the teachings of previous acharyas, nevertheless his contribution is unique in making these principles and their practices most relevant and applicable and to address the mentality and needs of present-day society, and his teachings and directions will guide all the future spiritual masters carrying on this disciplic line. Therefore he is known as the Founder Acharya of ISKCON.
