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Bona fide spiritual master (Lectures, BG)

Expressions researched:
"bona fide spiritual master" |"bona fide spiritual masters" |"bona fide. Spiritual master" |"bone fide spiritual master"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.13-14 -- London, July 14, 1973:

So we have to follow these mahājana. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ dharmasya tattvaṁ nihito guhāyām (CC Madhya 17.186). We have to follow great personalities, ācāryas. ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who has got, one who has taken shelter of ācārya, bona fide spiritual master, he knows. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Because he is receiving the right knowledge from the right source, ācārya... Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Ācārya means by disciplic succession. As Kṛṣṇa says, disciplic succession, all the ācāryas will say the same thing. They will not change, they will not interpret. They can explain. But the original fact is not distorted. That is ācārya. Ācārya will never say that "Kṛṣṇa is material. Kṛṣṇa... There was no such thing as Kṛṣṇa. There was no such battle, Battle of Kurukṣetra. These are all imaginary." So if we don't want to be cheated, then we should take Kṛṣṇa as He is presenting Himself and as it is confirmed by the ācāryas. Then our knowledge is perfect.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Pittsburgh, September 8, 1972:

This is the injunction, Vedic. If you want to know things which is beyond your conception, beyond your sense perception, then you must approach a bona fide spiritual master. What is the symptom of bona fide spiritual master? Everyone wants to become spiritual master. So that is also stated. Śābde pare ca niṣṇātam. One who has taken complete bath in the ocean of the Vedic literature, śābde pare ca niṣṇātam. Just like if you take bath, you become refreshed. If you take nice bath, you feel refreshed. Śābde pare ca niṣṇātam. Without refreshness, one cannot understand this sublime subject matter. And the guru, or the spiritual master, should be refreshed by taking bath in the ocean of Vedic knowledge. And what is the result? Śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam. By, after such cleanliness, he has taken shelter of the Supreme Absolute Truth, without any material desires. He has no more any material desires; he's simply interested in Kṛṣṇa, or the Absolute Truth. These are the symptoms of guru, or spiritual master.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Hyderabad, November 21, 1972:

So the natural commentary of Vedānta-sūtra is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā na, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. This is our life. Jīvasya, of every living being. Every living being means especially human beings. Because cats and dogs, they cannot inquire about Brahman, or the Absolute Truth. Therefore the conclusion is that the human form of life, one should not be engaged simply in the animal propensities of life. That is simply waste of time. He must inquire of the Absolute Truth. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. And he must try to understand. Tad viddhi, tattva-darśibhiḥ. From the tattva-darśī. Jñāninaḥ, tattva-darśinaḥ, these are the words. So in the human form of life therefore, in every society, the system is that the children are sent to school, colleges, to understand things. Similarly, for spiritual understanding, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Abhigacchet means one must. There is no alternative. One cannot say "I'll..., I may not go." No, if you do not go, then you are cheated. That is our Vaiṣṇava system. Ādau gurvāśrayam. The first thing is to take shelter of the bona fide spiritual master. Ādau gurvāśrayaṁ sad-dharma-pṛcchā. Not that I'll, as it has become a system: "I'll make a guru. Now my business is finished. I've got a guru." No. Tattva-jijñāsā. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Guru means, to accept guru means to inquire from him about the Absolute Truth. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. These are the Vedic injunctions. One who is jijñāsu, means inquisitive. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Śreyaḥ. Śreyaḥ means beneficial. So uttamam, the prime benefit. One who is inquisitive to know about the prime benefit of life, for him there is need of accepting a guru.

Lecture on BG 2.15 -- Mexico, February 15, 1975:

If you are diseased, you can be cured if you take the proper medicine, treatment. That's all. Disease is not hopelessness. Otherwise why the people go for treatment to a physician? Similarly, out of ignorance you are now in this miserable condition, but if you become treated by bona fide spiritual master, then you'll be cured. Originally every one of us—pure. Now, by material condition we are now contaminated. That... But there is process to get out of this material contamination. Then again we become pure. And as soon as we become pure, there is no more birth, death, old age, and disease. Finished.

Lecture on BG 2.26 -- Hyderabad, November 30, 1972:

So in a position of perplexity, one must approach a bona fide spiritual master. That is the process, Vedic process. Otherwise, it is not possible. And our Sanātana Gosvāmī, our predecessor, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's direct disciple, he gives his direction that avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇa-pūta-hari-kathāmṛtam, śravaṇaṁ na kartavyam. He says. He says, "Do not hear from a person who is not a Vaiṣṇava." He must, one must become a Vaiṣṇava. Otherwise his so-called ideas and interpretation has no value. Has no value. Just like in your country, South India, Dr. Radhakrishnan, he has done so many works. But to tell you frankly, it is useless labor. Because he has said in one of his writings that Bhagavad-gītā is mental speculation. He is surpassing all the ācāryas who came, who appeared in South India. Rāmānujācārya appeared in South India, Madhvācārya appeared in South India. Nimbārka appeared in South India. Viṣṇu Svāmī appeared in South India. Śaṅkarācārya appeared in South India. South India is so blessed. And he also appeared in South India. He's decrying all the ācāryas. Just see the position. He says, "Bhagavad-gītā is a mental speculation." And he has interpreted in a different way.

Lecture on BG 2.27-38 -- Los Angeles, December 11, 1968:

Niṣkiñcana means a great personality who has become completely freed from all material consciousness. He is called mahīyasām. He is also great, the great soul. So unless one takes shelter of the lotus feet or the dust of the lotus feet of a great personality who has no material affection, nobody can understand what is God. Naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ (SB 7.5.32). As soon as one understands the spirit soul and the supreme soul... That can be understood only when one is taken shelter of a great personality freed from material contamination. This is the version of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Otherwise, it is amazement. To understand about soul is amazement. To understand about God is amazement. So Vedic injunction is therefore that if you are at all serious to understand tad vijñānam, that science, transcendental science... Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). The Veda says, "Then you must find out a bona fide spiritual master." Tad vijñānārtham, if you are seriously interested.

Lecture on BG 2.49-51 -- New York, April 5, 1966:

Just like a small child, when he begins to walk, he requires the help of his elder brother or sister or father or mother to catch, and one step, one step, one step, one step... But when he begins to walk independently, then he doesn't require any help. Similarly, to learn this art, "Whether I am acting on the spiritual platform or on the material platform," you require a spiritual master, guide. And this is called dvija, or the second birth. When you catch hold of a bona fide spiritual master just to guide you to act on the spiritual platform, then your second life begins. It is called dvija. So this life is so important that one must begin it. One must begin it. There is no alternative. If a man is intelligent enough, if at all he wants to make his life successful, this must he do. That is the injunction of the Vedas. The Vedas says, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This abhigacchet is the form of verb which is imperative, "You must." Abhigacchet. This, this form of verb is used when the sense is "You must." So the Vedic Upaniṣad directs that tad-vijñānārtham: "In order to be situated, or in order to learn how to act on the spiritual platform, you must seek out a bona fide spiritual master who can guide you." So Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna has selected Kṛṣṇa as the spiritual master. We have already explained that Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna surrendered unto Arjuna (Kṛṣṇa).

Lecture on BG 4.12-13 -- New York, July 29, 1966:

So this is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the simple process introduced by Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya also supported this philosophy of Kṛṣṇa, that anyone is eligible for going back to the kingdom of Kṛṣṇa. This simple process. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. We have discussed that simply by knowing the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa, we become eligible for entering into His kingdom, simply by knowing. So try to know. Try to study what is Kṛṣṇa.

And do you know what is the recommendation of Caitanya Mahāprabhu? Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He said that

kibā śūdra kibā vipra nyāsī kene naya
yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya
(CC Madhya 8.128)

That means "It doesn't matter whether he is a householder or a swami, renounced order, or a brāhmaṇa or a śūdra or a lowborn, whatever he is. That doesn't matter. If he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, he is a bona fide spiritual master, if he simply knows the science of Kṛṣṇa." This is cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma (BG 4.13). It is the quality.

Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:

In Kaṭha Upaniṣad it is said tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Abhigacchet. This is a Sanskrit grammatical injunction. Where there is the question if imperative, "you must," there vidhilin, this form of verb, is used, gacchet, gacchet. Gacchet means "You must go." You don't think that without going to a qualified, bona fide spiritual master you can have. No. That is not possible. Here also, Lord Kṛṣṇa also recommends, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā: (BG 4.34) "If you want to learn that transcendental science, then you have to find out a transcendentalist first of all." That is also recommended in Kaṭhopaniṣad.

Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:

Who is recommended to find out a spiritual master? Tasmād gurum...jijñāsuḥ. Jijñāsuḥ means who is inquisitive. What kind of inquisitive? Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam: "What is the ultimate goal of my life?" If you have no such view to inquire what is the ultimate goal of your, you need not require to search out a spiritual master. Spiritual master is not a show bottle. Just like, "Oh, so many people, they have got a spiritual master. Let me have also some spiritual master." It is not like that. It is only jijñāsuḥ, one must be very much inquisitive of the transcendental subject matter. He requires a spiritual master. So here also, the Lord says that tad viddhi: "If you want to understand that transcendental subject matter, then you must approach a person, a bona fide spiritual master."

And the process is praṇipāta, praṇipātena. Praṇipāta means full surrender. Pra means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa, fully, and nipāta means completely becoming a blank slate. Blank slate. Nobody should approach a bona fide spiritual master just to argue with him and just to, with a desire that "I shall see what kind of spiritual master." No. This is useless. You have to select a spiritual master.

Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:

So here also the same thing recommended by Lord Kṛṣṇa, that praṇipāta. First of all, you have to find out a bona fide spiritual master, and then you should surrender unto him. This is the first process. Praṇipātena paripraśnena. Paripraśnena means by sincere inquiries. Not only surrender, you must be intelligent enough to inquire. Not that when something is heard, and there is no question. No. There must be some question. Paripraśnena and sevayā. So surrender, inquiry, and sevā, service.

Lecture on BG 4.24-34 -- New York, August 12, 1966:

Yasya, if we actually find a spiritual master, bona fide spiritual master, and if we can make him satisfied by my service, then my path for realization of God is guaranteed. This is the thing. Here it is. First of all we have to find out a bona fide spiritual master. Then by my service, by my surrender, by my questions, if we utilize, then my path for back to Godhead, back to home, is guaranteed. That is the... It is very important verse. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā, upadekṣyanti te jñānam (BG 4.34). That knowledge by which you can go to the point of your self-interest, Viṣṇu, that knowledge you can realize.

Lecture on BG 4.34 -- Questions & Answers -- August 14, 1968, New York:

Spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, surrendering to the spiritual master means surrendering to Kṛṣṇa. He is the bona fide. Spiritual master is just like, as just I explained the śloka, hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām. I'll try to relate one nice story in this connection, the story of Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja was a child, and he was insulted by his stepmother. So he went to his own mother and he prayed, "My dear mother"—he was five years old only—"my stepmother has insulted me in this way. I was sitting on the lap of my father and she dragged me out. She told me that 'You cannot sit on the lap on your father.'" So he was the son of king, so he felt insulted and he went to his mother and cried. Then he asked his mother, "What is the remedy?" Because he was a son of a kṣatriya, he was resentful. So his mother directed, "My dear son, your father do not care for me, so he will not hear whatever I say. So if God can help you, then you can get revenge." Then—he was child—he said, "Oh, where is God?" Then mother replied, "Oh, we understand that God is in the forest. Somebody goes to the forest and realizes God. So you cannot go, my dear son." "No, I shall go." So he went to the forest. He went to the forest, and he was asking the tiger, "Oh, you are God?" The elephant, "You are God?" Just like a child. Then when he was so serious, then, because God is within himself, then he was..., Nārada was sent to him, that "You go to the boy. How he is anxious that what is the actual point (indistinct). You just try to help him." So this is the process.

Lecture on BG 4.34-38 -- New York, August 17, 1966:

Just like in India, generally, the brāhmaṇas are expected to be the spiritual masters. Because brāhmaṇa means who have sufficient knowledge in the transcendental science. That is brāhmaṇa. Brahma jānātīti brāhmaṇaḥ. Now, due to this modern age, Kali-yuga, it is very difficult to find out a qualified brāhmaṇa. So therefore it is very difficult also to find out a qualified spiritual master. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He has recommended that,

kibā vipra, kibā nyāsī, śūdra kene naya
yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei 'guru' haya
(CC Madhya 8.128)

"Never mind whether he's a brāhmaṇa or a śūdra or a sannyāsī or a householder. Never mind what he is. That doesn't matter. If he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, then he is the bona fide spiritual master." He is the bona fide spiritual master. So here this Bhagavad-gītā is the science of Kṛṣṇa. Every one of you, if you study Bhagavad-gītā very scrutinizingly, with all your arguments, with all your sense, with all your philosophical knowledge... Because it is said here, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena (BG 4.34).

Lecture on BG 4.34-38 -- New York, August 17, 1966:

So yaj jñātvā punar moham evaṁ yāsyasi. So Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna... He's addressing Arjuna because Arjuna is hearing as representative of us. He was not speaking to Arjuna alone, but He was speaking to all the human race. So yaj jñātvā na punar moham: "By understanding this science then you cannot go, you cannot be illusioned." Because Arjuna was illusioned and he was not prepared to fight, so this instruction was given, this Bhagavad-gītā instruction was given to Arjuna. So He says that "If you have actually undergone the training under the experienced, bona fide spiritual master, then you would not have gone under such illusory energy."

Lecture on BG 4.34-39 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1969:

Here truth means the Absolute Truth, not relative truth. Or even if you want to know relative truth, you have to approach a particular expert. But here, it is indicated, truth means the Absolute Truth. So Kṛṣṇa indicates that "Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master." Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). That is the Vedic injunction. In the Kaṭhopaniṣad the Vedas says that "If you want to learn transcendental science, so you have to approach a bona fide spiritual master."

Lecture on BG 4.34-39 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1969:

And who is bona fide spiritual master? That is also described, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham: "One who has heard from his spiritual master." This is... Spiritual master becomes by disciplic succession, ascending process. Just like we learn "Man is mortal" from higher authority, from my father, from mother or any other authority.

Lecture on BG 4.34-39 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1969:

Therefore just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. One who is fortunate to have a bona fide spiritual master, he is supposed to... Ācāryavān puruṣo veda: "One who has taken shelter of a real ācārya, spiritual master, from the disciplic succession, he knows." Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Veda means "He is in the knowledge." One who has accepted a bona fide spiritual master, he is in the knowledge. Others are fools. This is the Vedic version everywhere. Here also, Bhagavad-gītā, it is said that "You try to learn the truth by approaching spiritual master."

Lecture on BG 4.34-39 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1969:

Just like here the Bhagavad-gītā is the description, what is God, how He is creating. You know that God has created this world. Now, here there is description how He creates. So such inquiries, such spiritual master, is overcrowded, but you have, if you are sincere, then you have to find out some spiritual master, bona fide spiritual master, who knows about the science of God. Then you try to see God. Otherwise you'll be cheated.

Lecture on BG 4.34-39 -- Los Angeles, January 12, 1969:

Just like a small part of the Pacific Ocean, a small drop. You taste it; it is salty. So you can understand the whole Pacific Ocean is salty. Immediately you understand what is Pacific Ocean. Similarly, if you study yourself, "What I am?"—that is called meditation—then you can understand God, that "God is like me also. But He is profuse, unlimited. I am limited. But the same qualities are there." Same qualities. Otherwise how can you get it? The part and parcel of gold is gold, but that is not whole gold. The quality is gold. You cannot say it is iron. Even a small particle of gold, no chemist will say, "No, it is iron." It is gold, but not that whole gold. This is understanding. So one who approaches a bona fide spiritual master, then he can understand what is God and what is he. He does not make a conglomeration, what is called? A mixing up.

Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969:

Now, "A true yogi observes Me in all beings." How he can see? They interpret that all beings are Kṛṣṇa. So therefore there is no use of worshiping Kṛṣṇa separately. They take therefore to the humanitarian activities. They say this is better. Why Kṛṣṇa shall be worshiped. Kṛṣṇa says that one should see in every being Kṛṣṇa. So let us serve (?) but they do not know the techniques. That requires training under bona fide spiritual master. This, "A true yogi observes Me in all beings." A true yogi, devotee. Just like these devotees are going to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness outside. Why? They see Kṛṣṇa in all beings. How? Because they see that all beings are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. They are under forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa. So let us awake them to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. A devotee sees others whose not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like sometimes some missionary activities are there to give education to the uneducated community. Why? Because they see they are human beings. They should be educated. They should know the value of life. That is their sympathy. Here also the same thing. That everyone should know that he's part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Forgetting this consciousness he suffers. That is to see Kṛṣṇa in everything. Not that everything has become Kṛṣṇa. Don't see like that, then you'll be mistaken.

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

The śravaṇa-kīrtana is the beginning of Kṛṣṇa conscious life. One who is very fortunate, he's in meeting, he meets somebody who is a pure devotee and accepts him as his spiritual master. Therefore here it is stated, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. One has to take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master... A spiritual master is always bona fide. And if he cultivates this Kṛṣṇa consciousness under the direction of a spiritual master, āśraye lañā bhaje, kṛṣṇa tāre nāhi tyaje.(?) Kṛṣṇa does not reject him. Kṛṣṇa accepts him. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi **. That, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says, that "If you can please your spiritual master, then Kṛṣṇa is automatically pleased. And if you cannot please your spiritual master, then there is no way to understand Kṛṣṇa."

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

So therefore Kṛṣṇa says particularly here, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan... We have to execute the Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga system under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Then asaṁśaya, without any doubt. Samagram, in fullness. In fullness means brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti (SB 1.2.11). Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). Brahman is sad-aṁśa, the part which is eternal, and Paramātmā is cid-aṁśa, and Bhagavān is ānanda-aṁśa. And Bhagavān is full, sac-cid-ānanda. And we are all seeking after ānanda. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). The Vedānta says that a living entity, or Kṛṣṇa... Any living entity... Kṛṣṇa is also the supreme living entity, and we are small living entities. So every one of us are seeking after ānanda, transcendental bliss. So when we join together, the living entities and the Supreme Lord, that becomes ānanda, rāsa-līlā. That is wanted. That we are seeking. But we are seeking in a different way, in the material world. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa therefore says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī also, in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, he says, ādau gurvāśrayam. "If one is interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, he must approach a spiritual master." Kṛṣṇa also says, mad-āśrayaḥ. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). These are all Vedic injunctions. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12).

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

So how the animals can be interested in Kṛṣṇa? That is not possible. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). "Out of many thousands of people." Just like we have started this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, in the Western countries for the last five years, but how many people have come to take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement? Not very many. We have got about three thousand followers. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that it is not attractive for everyone. But if one is attracted, his life is successful. His life is successful. Lord Caitanya also said the same thing. Brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva. There are many, innumerable living entities. They are wandering within this universe in different forms of body and different planets, transmigrating from one body to another, one planet to another. Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa, kona... Out of them, if one is fortunate enough to associate with a bona fide spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa, his life is becomes successful.

Lecture on BG 9.26-27 -- New York, December 16, 1966:

In the Bhagavad-gītā in the Thirteenth Chapter you have read it that ācāryopāsanam. Ācāryopāsanam. You have to approach an ācārya. That is the way of learning transcendental knowledge in all Vedic scriptures. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) "If you want to learn that transcendental science, then you have to approach the bona fide spiritual master." Tad-vijñānārtham. Tat means transcendental; vijñāna means science. If you want to learn. So the Vedic literature teaches us to accept the authorized bona fide spiritual master ācārya. Kṛṣṇa is the head of all ācāryas. He is the principal ācārya. From Kṛṣṇa, Brahmā learned this Vedic literature. From Brahmā, Nārada learned this Vedic literature. From Nārada, Vyāsadeva; from Vyāsadeva, Madhvācārya. From Madhvācārya, so many. In this way the paramparā system, the ācārya system, is coming down. So we have to believe that. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). You have to follow the footprints of ācārya. Not only in the... Everywhere, the footprints of ācāryas are followed. Just like in your country you are following the footprints of Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, that is the way. Or any ācārya. Because the ācārya, they come here to teach us about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness. That is their business. They have no other business. That is bona fide ācārya. If somebody claims that "I am God," then he is fool number one. At once reject him. One who teaches about the message of God, he is ācārya.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 2, 1973:

Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This is Vedic instruction. If you at all interested in the understanding of spiritual subject matter, then you must approach a bona fide spiritual master. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet. Abhigacchet means must. It is not that if you like, you can go; if you do not like, you do not. No, you must. Abhigacchet. Samit-pāṇi śrotrīyaṁ brahma-niṣṭam. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijṇāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). It is not a fashion to accept one guru. If you are actually interested, śreya uttamam, the highest perfection of life—tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta—then you have to accept a guru. This is called ācāryopāsanam.

Lecture on BG 13.18 -- Bombay, October 12, 1973:

Therefore the bhakti path has to be accepted—bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā—by knowledge in the Vedic literature, by hearing. Śruta-gṛhītayā means I... You... The Vedic literature is also understood by hearing from the bona fide spiritual master. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). Unless you hear from realized soul, it is not possible. Simply by speculation it is useless waste of time. Teṣāṁ kleśala eva śiṣyate. After hearing for many, many years the Vedas from the non-realized soul, simply hearing from this hole of the ear and going out from the other hole—that kind of hearing will not help us.

Page Title:Bona fide spiritual master (Lectures, BG)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Serene
Created:10 of Feb, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=27, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:27