This Treatise will give you references regarding guru-tattva, (guru-truth). There is no lack of such information, instructions, and orders, which all have the quality of “personal verifiable criteria”. Thus, any sincere person will be able to verify the reference or instruction.
Srila Prabhupada wrote in Quest for Enlightenment, 2f, The Mercy of Lord Caitanya:
As Naratama Dasa Thakura says,
“Make the orders of the spiritual master your life and soul.”
And then,
“Do not think otherwise. Simply accept what he says.”
Of course,
“First of all, you must select who will be your spiritual master”.
You must know his qualifications. If you want to purchase gold, you must at least know where gold is available. If you are so foolish that you go to a butcher shop to buy diamonds or gold, then you’ll be cheated. Similarly, if out of ignorance, you approach the wrong person for spiritual guidance, you’ll be cheated.
So, finding a bona fide guru requires intelligence and sincerity. If you are serious about understanding the goal of life, spiritual knowledge, then Krishna will help you. He is situated in everyone’s heart, and he understands when you are sincerely seeking the Absolute Truth. Then He gives direction: “Go to this person.” Krishna is already giving direction in every respect. We want to do so many things, and Krishna is giving us the facility. As He says in the Bhagavad-gita 18.61,
“The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.”
As the Supersoul in the heart, Krishna is giving facilities to all living entities in their wanderings throughout the various species. But when one becomes very eager to understand Krishna, or God, He is glad to give instruction:
‘Go to such-and-such person and submissively inquire from him. You’ll be enlightened.”
Caitanya-caritamrta-Madhya-lila 19.15,
“According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. By the mercy of both Krishna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.”
By the mercy of the spiritual master and Krishna one can make spiritual advancement. One must simply be sincere.
This Treatise will give you references regarding guru-tattva, (guru-truth). There is no lack of such information, instructions, and orders, which all have the quality of “personal verifiable criteria”. Thus, any sincere person will be able to verify the reference or instruction.
Srila Prabhupada wrote in Quest for Enlightenment, 2f, The Mercy of Lord Caitanya:
As Naratama Dasa Thakura says,
“Make the orders of the spiritual master your life and soul.”
And then,
“Do not think otherwise. Simply accept what he says.”
Of course,
“First of all, you must select who will be your spiritual master”.
You must know his qualifications. If you want to purchase gold, you must at least know where gold is available. If you are so foolish that you go to a butcher shop to buy diamonds or gold, then you’ll be cheated.
Similarly, if out of ignorance, you approach the wrong person for spiritual guidance, you’ll be cheated.
So, finding a bona fide guru requires intelligence and sincerity. If you are serious about understanding the goal of life, spiritual knowledge, then Krishna will help you. He is situated in everyone’s heart, and he understands when you are sincerely seeking the Absolute Truth. Then He gives direction: “Go to this person.” Krishna is already giving direction in every respect. We want to do so many things, and Krishna is giving us the facility. As He says in the Bhagavad-gita 18.61,
“The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.”
As the Supersoul in the heart, Krishna is giving facilities to all living entities in their wanderings throughout the various species. But when one becomes very eager to understand Krishna, or God, He is glad to give instruction:
‘Go to such-and-such person and submissively inquire from him. You’ll be enlightened.”
Caitanya-caritamrta-Madhya-lila 19.15,
“According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krishna. By the mercy of both Krishna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.”
By the mercy of the spiritual master and Krishna one can make spiritual advancement. One must simply be sincere.
Krishna did not say that someone else will select for you by providing a list of GBC approved gurus, which Srila Prabhupada called “Rubber-Stamping”, and which he disapproved of. This has been confirmed by Srila Jiva Gosvami when he advises that one not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary social and ecclesiastical conventions.
Srila Prabhupada also said,
“You must know his qualifications”.
There will be on this Website, soon, a White Paper with the title of,
“Guru & Disciple Tattva, (White Paper on Guru & Disciple Truths). According to Srila Prabhupada.”
This White Paper contains a large quantity of references, from Srila Prabhupada’s works, regarding Guru & Disciple Tattva. This Primer, can assist you with what Srila Prabhupada said about Guru & Disciple Relationship. It will guide an aspiring disciple, in their quest, to finding a guru, who is qualified to be a Siksa or Diksa-guru. In addition, it will guide them with what it means to be a disciple.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrita-Madhya-lila 19.151,
“By the mercy of the spiritual master and Krishna one can make spiritual advancement. One must simply be sincere.”
“Sincere” means,
“Free from ‘pretense’, or ‘deceit’.”
“Pretense”, means,
“An attempt to make something that is not the case appear true; a false display of feelings, attitudes, or intentions.”
“Deceit”, means,
“The action or practice of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth.”
ISKCON leaders are not sincere, because they are not free from pretense or deceit. They make things that are not the case, appear to be true. They display false feelings, attitudes, and intention. They deceive their disciples and followers, by concealing and misrepresenting the “Truth” regarding the selection of a guru and what it means to be a disciple.