A guru is worshiped. . . Just like my disciples, they are offering respect exactly like God. That is their duty. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ: "All the śāstra recommends that guru should be respected as good as God." But that does not mean guru is foolishly thinking, "I am God." Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktaḥ. Uktaḥ means "said," "it is recommended." Tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ: "Those who are exalted, advanced, they accept this truth, that guru should be respected as good as God." But why he is respected as such? Because kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya: "Because he is very, very dear to God." The guru will never think that "My disciples are worshiping me exactly like God; therefore I have become God." He is not guru; he is rascal. Guru is always in the position of servant. And because he is the most confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa, therefore he is to be respected as good as Kṛṣṇa. Because in our present position we cannot see Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa sends His representative; therefore he is respected as Kṛṣṇa. Now, how one can become guru and representative of Kṛṣṇa? Everyone will say, "I am a representative of Kṛṣṇa. I am guru." No. That is enunciated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128): "You just become guru on My order." So guru means who is carrying out the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, not a self-made guru. Guru means the most confidential servant of Kṛṣṇa or Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the same thing. He is guru.
So Caitanya Mahāprabhu is ordering everyone, especially those who are born in India. He says especially,
- bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra
- janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra
- (CC Adi 9.41)
Anyone who has taken birth in India, Bhārata-varṣa bhumi. . . Formerly, Bhārata-varṣa means the whole planet. Now it has come, India. Never mind. So "Anyone who has taken birth in India, Bhārata-varṣa, let him make his life successful," and kara para-upakāra, "and go outside India and do good to others." Para-upakāra. This is India's business. India's business is to distribute the spiritual knowledge all over the world, because they are in darkness. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra, janma sārthaka kari: "First of all you become successful." Because in India you will find Vedas, Upaniṣads, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, Purāṇas and Vedānta-sūtra, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, so many other things, all Vedic literature.
So if Indians, those who are actually prestigious. . . They should learn from guru all these literatures, make his life successful, then go outside and preach. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's. . . Then if anyone says that "I have no knowledge. I have no education. How I can learn all these books and become. . . make my life perfect, and then I preach?" so Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that you haven't got to learn so many books. He says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128): "You just become guru on My order." "Then what is Your order, Sir?" Yāre dekha, tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. This is guru. You haven't got to learn very much. You simply repeat like parrot what Kṛṣṇa has said. That's all. Is it very difficult? Kṛṣṇa has said everything in the Bhagavad-gītā. You learn Bhagavad-gītā, and you repeat that, you'll become guru. This is guru.
So sometimes people gives me very much credit that I have done wonderful throughout the whole world. But I do not know that I am wonderful man. But I know one thing: that I am speaking what Kṛṣṇa has spoken. That's all. I am not making any addition, alteration. Therefore I am presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. This credit I can take, that I don't making any nonsense addition or alteration. And I see practically it has become successful. I have not bribed so many Europeans and Americans. I am poor Indian. I came to America with forty rupees with me, and now I possess forty crores. So there is no magic. (quietly to one devotee:) You can go a little back side. You are sleeping. So this is the secret, that if you want to become guru honestly. . . If you want to cheat, that is another thing. There are so many cheaters. People also want to be cheated.