Accepting a Spiritual Master - an essential subject

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Transcendental life begins when one accepts a bona fide spiritual master. Without accepting somebody as master, how can one become an expert servant? The sincere disciple should be very inquisitive and eager to hear from the spiritual master; humbly render all kinds of service; agree to abide by his orders, and inquire about one’s spiritual progress. One’s life, wealth, intelligence, and words should be offered to Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, through the via medium of the spiritual master as a matter of duty with heart and soul, not artificially to gain material prestige. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. If we accept the bona fide spiritual master as the representative of God, and please the spiritual master by submissive service, then by his mercy and pleasure, we receive the benediction of Krishna to understand Him and the spiritual world by revelation.

Srila Prabhupada's books, lectures, conversations and letters offer a comprehensive presentation of this essential subject as seen in the Vaniquotes Accepting a Spiritual Master category. An introduction from his teachings is given below in the following 15 quotes.

Quotes from Srila Prabhupada's teachings


vanipedia.org 		One has to approach a bona fide spiritual master to receive the knowledge. Such a spiritual master should be accepted in full surrender, and one should serve the spiritual master like a menial servant, without false prestige. Satisfaction of the self-realized spiritual master is the secret of advancement in spiritual life. Inquiries and submission constitute the proper combination for spiritual understanding. (Bhagavad-gītā 4.34)



vanipedia.org 		The principle of accepting a spiritual master, as mentioned in the eighth verse (of BG, Chapter 13), is essential. Even for one who takes to devotional service, it is most important. Transcendental life begins when one accepts a bona fide spiritual master. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, clearly states here that this process of knowledge is the actual path. Anything speculated beyond this is nonsense. (Bhagavad-gītā 13.8-12)



vanipedia.org 		Simplicity means that without diplomacy one should be so straightforward that he can disclose the real truth even to an enemy. As for acceptance of the spiritual master, that is essential, because without the instruction of a bona fide spiritual master one cannot progress in the spiritual science. One should approach the spiritual master with all humility and offer him all services so that he will be pleased to bestow his blessings upon the disciple. (Bhagavad-gītā 13.8-12)



vanipedia.org 		A faithful person should at first have some good association to hear of God and thus gradually become enlightened. If one accepts a spiritual master, one can learn to distinguish between matter and spirit, and that becomes the steppingstone for further spiritual realization. A spiritual master, by various instructions, teaches his students to get free from the material concept of life. (Bhagavad-gītā 13.35)



vanipedia.org 		Even Lord Caitanya, although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, accepted a spiritual master; even Lord Kṛṣṇa accepted a spiritual master, Sāndīpani Muni, in order to be enlightened; and all the ācāryas and saints of the world had spiritual masters. In Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna accepted Lord Kṛṣṇa as his spiritual master, although there was no necessity of such a formal declaration. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.7.39)



vanipedia.org 		King Purañjana's coming home, taking bath and having an appropriate dinner indicate that a materialistic person must retire from sinful activities and become purified by accepting a spiritual master and hearing from him about the values of life. If one would do this, he would feel completely refreshed, just as one feels after taking a bath. After receiving initiation from a bona fide spiritual master, one must abandon all kinds of sinful activities, namely illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.26.11)



vanipedia.org 		Figuratively, King Malayadhvaja is the spiritual master, and his wife, Vaidarbhi, is the disciple. The disciple accepts the spiritual master as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.28.43)



vanipedia.org 		Consulting a bona fide spiritual master means consulting the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally. One should therefore take shelter of such a bona fide spiritual master. Success in life means accepting a spiritual master who knows Kṛṣṇa as the only supreme beloved personality. One should worship such a confidential devotee of the Lord. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.29.51)



vanipedia.org 		In every form of life, birth after birth, the living entity gets a father and mother. In human society, however, if one is satisfied with his material father and mother and their instructions and does not make further progress by accepting a spiritual master and being educated in the śāstras, he certainly remains in darkness. The material father and mother are important only if they are interested in educating their son to become free from the clutches of death. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.5.20)



vanipedia.org 		It is therefore necessary for a spiritual master in the gṛhastha-āśrama to be a strict Vaiṣṇava. A spiritual master from the sannyāsa order has very little opportunity to perform arcana, Deity worship, but when one accepts a spiritual master from the transcendental sannyāsīs, the principle of Deity worship is not at all neglected. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 4.111)



vanipedia.org 		Your book should describe the characteristics of the bona fide guru and the bona fide disciple. Then, before accepting a spiritual master, one can be assured of the spiritual master's position. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.330)



vanipedia.org 		Lord Caitanya, previously known as Viśvambhara, accepted a spiritual master, Īśvara Purī, who was a sannyāsī. Similarly, Lord Nityānanda Prabhu and Śrī Advaita Ācārya also accepted a sannyāsī as their spiritual master, namely Mādhavendra Purī, who was a disciple of Lakṣmīpati Tīrtha. (Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 31)



vanipedia.org 		Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī warns, however, that if a person is properly initiated by a bona fide spiritual master, he should not think that simply by the acceptance of such initiation his business is then finished. One still has to follow the rules and regulations very carefully. If after accepting the spiritual master and being initiated one does not follow the rules and regulations of devotional service, then he is again fallen. (Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 5)



vanipedia.org 		A basic principle is that one has to accept a spiritual master. Exactly how one follows the instructions of his spiritual master is considered a detail. For example, if one is following the instruction of his spiritual master and that instruction is different from the instructions of another spiritual master, this is called detailed information. But the basic principle of acceptance of a spiritual master is good everywhere, although the details may be different. (Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 6)



vanipedia.org 		Acceptance of spiritual master means to accept anything, whatever he says. Therefore one has to select a spiritual master whom he can completely surrender. That is the technique. Veda-vakya. (Bhagavad-gītā Lecture, 25 November 1968, Los Angeles)


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Vanipedia has now over 903 introductory articles compiled from Srila Prabhupada's books under the series titled Essential Subjects. All these articles can be seen in the Table of Content on the right side of this article and also here in this Umbrella Category. Browse through them to relish the breadth and depth of Srila Prabhupada's teachings - There is a subject for everyone.


   
 

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