“The Lord is all powerful, and by His grace His pure devotee can be as powerful as He may desire, and there is no limit to it.”
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.15.13, Purport)
“Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has sung that the devotees of Lord Caitanya are so powerful that each one of them can deliver a universe.”
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.58, Purport)
“Pure devotees of the Lord are more powerful than the waters of the sacred river Ganges. One can derive spiritual benefit out of prolonged use of the Ganges waters. But one can be sanctified at once by the mercy of a pure devotee of the Lord.”
(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.15, Purport)
“The verdict of all revealed scriptures is that by even a moment’s association with a pure devotee, one can attain all success.”
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya, 22.54)
“Kṛṣṇa is yours; you have the power to give Him to me. I am simply running behind you shouting, ‘Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa!'”
(Ohe Vaiṣṇava Thākura, Verse 4)
“It is said that a single pure devotee of the Lord can deliver all the fallen souls of the world…” (Bhagavatam 2.8.5, Purport.)—————————————————
Hare Krsna –many so called devotees think that practically anybody can become spiritual master or guru, but here above we see some of the massive qualifications of such a great Maha Bhagavat pure devotee of the Lord. These great personalities are even present in their pictures or murti-what conditioned soul can honestly say such a thing? Unless he is a madman nobody would dare to claim such a thing. The only “loophole” if you want to call it that for anybody to assume a title as “acarya” is this order given by Srila Prabhupada himself. And this order was never changed or altered by him.
“….A person who is liberated acharya and guru cannot commit any mistake, but there are persons who are less qualified or not liberated, but still can act as guru and acharya by strictly following the disciplic succession.”Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/letters/new_york/april/26/1968/janardana
This “loophole” is to become authorized as an officiating acarya or ritvik acarya. In this position one does not have to be a liberated soul, but has to be so ordered by Srila Prabhupada himself to act in this officiating capacity. And that order WAS given by Srila Prabhupada himself. And the disciples are Srila Prabhupadas, not the one giving the fire ceremony.
May 28 1977 VrndavanaSatsvarūpa: By the votes of the present GBC. Then our next question concerns initiations in the future, particularly at that time when you’re no longer with us. We want to know how first and second initiation would be conducted.
Prabhupāda: Yes. I shall recommend some of you. After this is settled up, I shall recommend some of you to act as officiating ācāryas.Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is that called ṛtvik–ācārya?Prabhupāda:Ṛtvik, yes.——————————————-
—The order of the spiritual master is the active principle in spiritual life. Anyone who disobeys the order of the spiritual master immediately becomes useless.
PURPORTHere is the opinion of Śrīla KṛṣṇadāsaKavirāja Gosvāmī. Persons who strictly follow the orders of the spiritual master are useful in executing the will of the Supreme, whereas persons who deviate from the strict order of the spiritual master are useless.Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/12/10