Guru must...
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 5
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Madhya-lila
At the end of every chapter, the author admits the value of the disciplic succession. He never claims to have written this transcendental literature by carrying out research work. He simply admits his indebtedness to the notes taken by Svarūpa Dāmodara, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī and other authoritative persons. This is the way of writing transcendental literatures, which are never meant for so-called scholars and research workers. The process is mahā-jano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ: one has to strictly follow great personalities and ācāryas. Ācārya-vān puruṣo veda: one who has the favor of the ācārya knows everything. This statement made by Kavirāja Gosvāmī is very valuable for all pure devotees. Sometimes the prākṛtā sahajiyās claim that they have heard the truth from their guru. But one cannot have transcendental knowledge simply by hearing from a guru who is not bona fide. The guru must be bona fide, and he must have heard from his own bona fide guru. Only then will his message be accepted as bona fide. Lord Kṛṣṇa confirms this in the Bhagavad-gītā (4.1):
- śrī-bhagavān uvāca
- imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam
- vivasvān manave prāha manur ikṣvākave ’bravīt
“The Supreme Lord said, ‘I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikṣvāku.’”
In this way the message is transmitted in the bona fide spiritual disciplic succession from bona fide spiritual master to bona fide student. Śrīla Kavirāja Gosvāmī therefore as usual concludes this chapter by reasserting his faith in the lotus feet of the six Gosvāmīs. Thus he is able to set forth this transcendental literature, Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta.In the Padma Purāṇa, the characteristics of the guru, the bona fide spiritual master, have been described:
- mahā-bhāgavata-śreṣṭho brāhmaṇo vai gurur nṛṇām
- sarveṣām eva lokānām asau pūjyo yathā hariḥ
- mahā-kula-prasūto ‘pi sarva-yajñeṣu dīkṣitaḥ
- sahasra-śākhādhyāyī ca na guruḥ syād avaiṣṇavaḥ
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
All unwanted things: no smoking, no intoxication, no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling. We make this condition before making a student. It is not that "You, you will remain a śūdra, mleccha, and I make you a disciple. I'll never touch you, I'll never touch your food (foot?), and I become your guru." It is not this guru business. It is not guru business. Guru must transfer his qualities to the student. How it is there that a man makes one's person as disciple and he remains a śūdra? What is this nonsense? Can śūdra be initiated? No. No śūdra can be initiated. Dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇam, tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām.
This is Sanātana Gosvāmī's injunction. Immediately he becomes brāhmaṇa if he's actually initiated. If you are falsely initiated, he remains a śūdra and you remain a rascal. That's all. Why you should falsely initiate a person? If you cannot make him a brāhmaṇa and elevate him to the highest stage of devotional service, why should you cheat others? Initiation means making him dvijatvam. Tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām. How an initiated person can remain a śūdra? This is going on. Therefore they are thinking that "These American, they are mlecchas and yavana. How they can become sannyāsī?" This is nonsense.Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
- guru-mukha-padma-vākya cittete koriyā-aikya
- āra nā koriho mane āśā **
This is the process. This is the process. And if I think that I am more intelligent than my guru... First of all guru must be bona fide, not a bogus guru. The guru, as specified by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that is not very difficult, who is guru? Caitanya Mahāprabhu said:
- yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa
- āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa
[Cc. Madhya 7.128]
He is guru. One who is strictly following the instruction of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and after following Him, he is just delivering the instruction as Kṛṣṇa has said, then you become guru. It is not difficult. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has ordered everyone. Therefore our process is to follow Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and then try to understand Kṛṣṇa's instruction. Just like here in our temple. First of all there is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Through His mercy we are trying to understand Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. You cannot understand Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa directly. That is not possible.Festival Lectures
General Lectures
Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: A guru.... Guru must be there. There are many they say like that—"There is no need of guru."
Indian man: But do you have to make an effort to get a, to achieve a sad-guru?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, tad viddhi praṇipātena [Bg. 4.34]. Praṇipāta means you have to surrender there. So you are not a fool. When you submit somewhere, you must test, and then submit. That is sad-guru.Page Title: | Guru must... |
Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RadhaMadanGopalDas |
Created: | 16 of Nov, 2008 |
Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=2, CC=2, OB=0, Lec=19, Con=1, Let=0 |
No. of Quotes: | 24 |