The Acharya has to be authorized

The qualifications mentioned above, however, are subtle, internal and subjective. How can a prospective disciple who is in spiritual ignorance identify these esoteric and internal characteristics in an Acharya or spiritual master?

Hence Srila Prabhupada also taught that the Acharya had to be authorized. He had taught this timeless Vedic principle in his books:

One should take initiation from a bona fide
spiritual master coming in the disciplic
succession, who is authorized by his
predecessor spiritual master. This is called
dékñä-vidhäna. (Srimad Bhagavatam 4.8.54)

Srila Prabhupada gave the example of a medical practitioner to whom we go and surrender our bodies to be treated with medicine or by surgery. The lay patient may not be able to identify the technical qualifications of the physician or surgeon. Hence, the government statutes that every qualified physician or surgeon secures a license before one becomes a public medical practitioner. Srila Prabhupada taught that in the same way when one has to surrender his or her self to the spiritual master, the latter has to be authorized by his predecessor spiritual master. He explained this example in a morning class in Vrindavan on October 31st , 1972:

A self-made guru cannot be guru. A guru
must be authorized by the bona fide guru.
Then he's guru. This is the fact. Nobody can
be self-made anything. A medical
practitioner, he cannot become self-made.
One cannot say, “I have studied all the
medical books in my home, hence I can
practice.” No. “Have you ever gone to the
medical college and taken instruction from
the bona fide teachers?” And then, if you
have got the certificate, then you are a
medical practitioner. Similarly, bona fide
guru means he must be authorized by the
superior guru.

He gave yet another example of how we pay a large sum of hard earned money to an airline agent and receive in exchange a piece of paper called airline ticket. We have faith and confidence that this ticket will enable us to travel to a far off country because the seller of the ticket was an authorized agent of the airline.

In 1977, while Srila Prabhupada was preparing to depart from this world to Krishna's world, he was faced with the solemn question: who would play the role of an Acharya and give diksha to the newcomers to the movement? Who would take the position of the Acharya in the hearts of the new devotees who come to the movement? Who would receive the same level of worship, honor and devotion as Krishna Himself from new devotees, and not become corrupt by all the adoration?

Srila Prabhupada knew his leading disciples well

Srila Prabhupada was aware of the reality that his leading disciples, most of whom were Westerners, were young and inexperienced in age and spirituality. His disciples were in their mid-thirties and most had had exposure to Krishna conscious training for about five to ten years.

Srila Prabhupada was also aware that even his senior most disciples were extremely materially ambitious. He wrote about his first sannyasi disciple, Kirtanananda Swami, just two years after he had formed the ISKCON society:

Kirtanananda was awarded the position of
sannyasa because he wanted it, although I
could understand that he wanted to be a
spiritual master himself."(SPL October 27,
1967)

Srila Prabhupada had studied his disciples carefully. He wrote of another disciple, Achyutananda, who also had such tendencies to become guru:

The first thing, I warn Acyutananda, do not
try to initiate. You are not in a proper
position now to initiate anyone…. Don't be
allured by such maya. I am training you all
to become future Spiritual Masters, but do
not be in a hurry…. You don't be attracted
by such cheap disciples immediately. One
has to rise gradually by service. (Srila
Prabhupada letter to: Acyutananda,
Jayagovinda, Montreal, 21 August, 1968)
So clearly advise them not to indulge in
childish frivolities. Acyutananda has
already wasted 10 months time by his
childish frivolities; sometimes preacher,
sometimes guru, and sometimes so and so.
So you will kindly give them clear indication that
they should stop all these things, and work as
directed in the above way--without further delay.
(Srila Prabhupada letter to Brahmananda Sept 1968)

Many older ISKCON devotees have acknowledged that Srila Prabhupada had dealt with his disciples who had the ambition to become guru. Bhurijana Dasa, author of My Glorious Master, recounts yet another instance of how Srila Prabhupada reacted when he become aware of disciples who were ambitious to become guru:

Prabhupada began criticizing his disciple,
Gaurasundara, and his anger was as
intense as the monsoon rains. "He wants to
be guru, but he is not qualified. All of them,
they want to be guru without qualification
and they will fall victim to sex life."

The strongest reprimand from Srila Prabhupada comes just a few months before his passing away when Hamsaduta Goswami, one of his senior men and sannyasis, was trying to become a guru in Germany without his authorization. The transcription of the recorded conversation that took place between Srila Prabhupada and his secretary, Tamal Krishna Goswami, reveals his assessment of his disciples even towards the end of his life:

Prabhupäda: People complained against Haàsadüta. Did you know that?
Tamäla Krishna: I'm not sure of the particular incidences, but I've heard general...
Prabhupäda: In Germany. In Germany.
Tamäla Krishna:The devotees there.
Prabhupäda: So many complaints.
Tamäla Krishna: Therefore change is good.
Prabhupäda: No, you become guru, but you must be qualified first of all. Then you become.
Tamäla Krishna: Oh, that kind of complaint was there.
Prabhupäda: Did you know that?
Tamäla Krishna: Yeah, I heard that, yeah.
Prabhupäda: What is the use of producing some rascal guru?
Tamäla Krishna: Well, I have studied myself and all of your disciples, and it's clear fact that we are all conditioned souls, so we cannot be guru. Maybe one day it may be possible...
Prabhupäda: Hm.
Tamäla Krishna: ...but not now.
Prabhupäda: Yes. I shall choose some guru. I shall say, “Now you become äcärya. You become authorized.” I am waiting for that. You become all äcärya. I retire completely. But the training must be complete.
Tamäla Krishna: The process of purification must be there.
Prabhupäda: Oh, yes, must be there. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu wants that. Ämära äjïäya guru haïä. “You become guru.” (laughs) But be qualified. Little thing, strictly follower...
Tamäla Krishna: Not rubber stamp.
Prabhupäda: Then you'll not be effective. You can cheat, but it will not be effective. (Room conversation, April 22nd , 1977,
Bombay).