(from Jaiva-Dharma - Chapter 20
Prameya: Abhidheya – Vaidhi-Sadhana-Bhakti)
Vijaya: Prabhu, please give us some detailed instructions regarding sri-guru-padasraya. (#1)
Babaji: When the disciple has become qualified for undivided krsna-bhakti, he should take shelter at the feet of Sri Guru, and by coming close to the qualified guru, he will learn krsna-tattva. The jiva becomes qualified for krsna-bhakti only when he is faithful. By the influence of pious activities (sukriti) performed in previous births, he hears hari-kathä from the mouths of sädhus, and a strong faith in Krsna arises in him. This is called sraddhä. Together with sraddhä, the mood of taking shelter (saranagati) also appears to some extent. sraddhä and saranagati are almost the same tattva. The disciple is qualified for undivided (ananya) bhakti if he has developed the strong faith: “Krsna-bhakti is certainly the best and highest attainment in this world. Thus I will accept krsna-bhakti as my duty and to that end I will do whatever is favorable for it, and reject all activities that are unfavorable. Krsna is my sole protector, and I accept Him as my exclusive guardian. I am very poor, wretched and destitute, and my independent desire is not beneficial for me. Thus following Krsna’s desire exclusively is beneficial for me in all ways.” When the jiva attains that qualification, he becomes anxious to hear instructions on bhakti, and accepts shelter at the lotus feet of the sad-guru. That is to say, he becomes his disciple, and accepts instructions (siksä) on bhakti.
tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eväbhigacchet
samit-päniù çrotriyaà brahma-niñöham
Mundaka Upanisad (1.2.12)
In order to obtain knowledge of that bhagavad-vastu (the absolute truth concerning Sri Bhagavän), one should approach sad-guru, carrying fire wood for sacrifice. The qualification of sad-guru is that he is well versed in the Vedas, absorbed in the Absolute Truth (brahma-jnana) and devoted to the service of Bhagavän.
äcäryavän puruño veda
Chändogya Upaniñad (6.14.2)
He who takes shelter of sad-guru comes to know that parabrahma.
The qualities of a sad-guru (bona fide guru) and the sat-sisya (bona fide disciple) are given in detail in the Sri Hari-bhakti-viläsa (1.23.64). The essence is that only a person with pure character and sraddhä is qualified to become a sisya and only that person who is endowed with suddha-bhakti, who knows bhakti-tattva, and is of spotless character, simple, without greed, free from Mäyäväda philosophy, and expert in all devotional activities is qualified as sad-guru. A brähmana adorned with these qualities, and who is honored by the whole society, can be guru of all the other varnas. If there is no brähmana, the disciple can accept a guru who is situated in a higher varna than himself. Apart from these considerations of varnäsrama, the principal consideration is that whoever knows krsna-tattva can be accepted as guru. If a person born in one of the higher varnas – brähmana, ksatriya and vaisya – finds the above mentioned qualities present in a person born of a brahmana family and accepts him as guru, then he can get some facilities and favors in a society that respects the higher varna. Factually, though, only a worthy bhakta can be guru. The rules for testing the guru and disciple, as well as the determination of time, are given in the sästras. The purport is that the guru will bestow his mercy upon the disciple when the guru perceives the disciple to be qualified, and when the disciple has faith in the guru, understanding him to be a suddha-bhakta. There are two kinds of guru: diksä-guru and siksä-guru. One has to accept diksä from the diksä-guru; at the same time, one also has to take siksä concerning arcana (Deity worship). There is one diksä-guru, but there can be several siksä-gurus. The diksä-guru is also competent to act as siksä-guru.
Vijaya: Since the diksä-guru is not to be given up, how will Gurudeva give siksä if he is not competent of giving sat-siksä?
Babaji: Before accepting a guru, one should examine him to see that he is expert in the tattva spoken in the Vedas and has realized para-tattva. If he is, then he will certainly be capable of giving all kinds of instructions about the Absolute Truth. Normally, there is no question of giving up the diksä-guru. There are two circumstances, however, in which he should be abandoned. First, if the disciple accepted the guru without examining the guru’s knowledge of the Absolute Truth, his Vaisnava qualities, and his other qualifications, and second, if after initiation, the guru does not perform any function, he should be given up. Many passages in sastras give evidence for this:
yo vyaktir nyäya-rahitam anyäyena çåëoti yaù
täv ubhau narakaà ghoraà vrajataù kälam akñayam
Hari-bhakti-viläsa (1.62)
He who poses as an äcärya, but gives false instructions that are opposed to the sattvata-sästras, will reside in a terrible hell for an unlimited period of time, and so will the misguided disciple who mistakenly listens to such a false guru.
guror apy avaliptasya käryäkäryam ajänataù
utpatha-pratipannasya parityägo vidhéyate
Mahäbhärata Udyoga-parva (179.25) and Närada-païcarätra (1.10.20)
It is one’s duty to give up a guru who cannot teach the disciple what he should do and what he should not do, and who takes the wrong path, either because of bad association or because he is opposed to Vaisnavas.
avaiñëavopadiñöena mantreëa nirayaà vrajet
punaç ca vidhinä samyag grähayed vaiñëaväd guroù
Hari-bhakti-viläsa (4.144)
One goes to hell if he accepts mantras from an avaisnava-guru, that is, one who is associating with women, and who is devoid of krsna-bhakti. Therefore, according to the rules of sästra, one should take mantras again from a Vaisnava guru.
The second circumstance in which one may reject the guru is if he was a Vaisnava who knew the spiritual truth and principles when the disciple accepted him, but who later became a Mäyävädi or an enemy of the Vaisnavas by the influence of asat-sanga. It is one’s duty to give up such a guru. However, it is not proper to give up a guru whose knowledge is meager, if he is not a Mäyävädi or an enemy of the Vaisnavas, and is not attached to sinful activity. In that case, one should still respect him as guru, and with his permission, one should go to another Vaisnava who is more knowledgeable, and serve that Vaisnava and take instructions from him.
Vijaya: Please tell us about krsna-diksä and siksä. (#2)
Babaji: One should accept siksä about the process of arcana (Deity worship) and pure devotional service from Sri Gurudeva, and one should then perform krsna-sevä and krsnaa-anusilanam with a simple mood. We will consider the angas of arcana in more detail later. It is essential to take siksa from Sri Gurudeva regarding sambandha-jnäna (one’s relationship with Krsna), abhidheya-jnäna (the process of devotional service), and prayojana-jnäna (the ultimate goal).
Vijaya: What does it mean to perform guru-sevä with faith? (#3)
Babaji: One should not consider Sri Gurudeva to be a mortal or an ordinary jiva. Rather, one should understand him to be the representative of all the devatäs (sarva-devamaya). One should never disobey him, and one should always know him to be vaikuntha-tattva.
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