Question: Many times, Srila Prabhupada clearly said in his lectures and written in his books that if one wants to say or write about Krishna, then one should just repeat, through paraphrasing or summarizing, whatever one has heard from one’s disciplic succession Guru and the revealed Vedic scriptures.
Now, please let me know whether Srila Prabhupada thus means one should not give one’s own explanations and if one wants to give explanations, then it should be just repeating, in one’s own words, the purports given by the acharyas.
Answer by Romapada Swami:
Yes, you are correct, one just needs to repeat the message of the acaryas coming in bonafide disciplic succession – in one’s own words, of course. Having said that, one should also give reference to the acaryas in one’s writings and not deviate from the teachings of SP and our previous acaryas. Naturally, the relevance of one’s time-place-circumstance, as well as one’s nature + realizations per Parampara teachings, will come out.
Srila Prabhupada also provides many references in his purports, by quoting commentaries of previous acaryas and also referring to the various bonafide scriptures to bring out important points.
Lastly, it is always auspicious to seek out the blessings and guidance of one’s Gurus (Diksha, Siksha) and senior devotees, before taking up the service of writing.
