BACK HOME TO GODHEAD

THE GURU DELIVERS US



THE GURU GIVES US SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE AND DELIVERS US BACK HOME TO GOHEAD
GURU MEANS "HEAVY WITH KNOWLEDGE"

KRISHNA SAYS IN THE BHAGAVAD-GITA AS IT IS 4.34:

"Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth."

OUT OF COMPASSION, GOD REVEALS HIMSELF AS THE GURU

Only out of His immense compassion does the Personality of Godhead reveal Himself as the spiritual master. Therefore in the dealings of an acarya there are no activities but those of transcendental loving service to the Lord. He is the Supreme Personality of Servitor Godhead. It is worthwhile to take shelter of such a steady devotee, who is called asraya-vigraha, or the manifestation or form of the Lord of whom one must take shelter.

GURU IS THE DIRECT MANIFESTATION OF THE LORD

If one poses himself as an acarya but does not have an attitude of servitorship to the Lord, he must be considered an offender, and this offensive attitude disqualifies him from being an acarya. The bona fide spiritual master always engages in unalloyed devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By this test he is known to be a direct manifestation of the Lord and a genuine representative of Sri Nityananda Prabhu. Such a spiritual master is known as acaryadeva. Influenced by an envious temperament and dissatisfied because of an attitude of sense gratification, mundaners criticize a real acarya. In fact, however, a bona fide acarya is nondifferent from the Personality of Godhead, and therefore to envy such an acarya is to envy the Personality of Godhead Himself. This will produce an effect subversive of transcendental realization.

-Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 1.46 Purport

THE GURU MUST BE ABLE TO DELIVER THE DISCIPLE FROM THE CYCLE OF BIRTH, DEATH, OLD AGE AND DISEASE AND LEAD HIM OR HER BACK HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD, THE ETERNAL BLISSFUL SPIRITUAL WORLD

Is there any science that gives us the knowledge by which we may become immortal? Yes, we may become immortal, but not in the material sense. We cannot receive this knowledge in so-called universities. However, there is knowledge contained in the Vedic scriptures by which we may become immortal. That immortality is our better position. No more birth, no more death, no more old age, no more disease. Thus the guru takes on a very great responsibility. He must guide his disciple and enable him to become an eligible candidate for the perfect position-immortality. The guru must be competent to lead his disciple back home, back to Godhead.

-The Science of Self-Realization
chapter 2-What is a Guru?

THE FOLLOWING IS A SECTION OF THE BOOKLET, "WHAT IS THE VALUE OF A GURU IF HE CAN'T DELIVER YOU FROM THE CYCLE OF BIRTH AND DEATH" WRITTEN BY KAPINDRA SWAMI, PRESIDENT OF PRABHUPADA SANKIRTAN SOCIETY, ISKCON AS IT IS SINCE 1986:

There are many gurus. But we need to take refuge of a God-realized guru, a spiritual master as good as Lord Krsna, who can deliver us from the cycle of birth and death. Otherwise, what is the value of having a guru?

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada came as such a guru to deliver us from the cycle of birth and death. Obviously none of us have the power to free conditioned souls from material bondage. So after November 14, 1977, the date of his departure, Srila Prabhupada naturally continued on as our beloved spiritual master to deliver all his disciples, old and new. Please always try to remember me by my teachings and we shall always be together. Just like I have written in the first publications of Srimad-Bhagavatam, ``The spiritual Master lives forever by his divine instruction and the disciple lives with him.'', because I have always served my Guru Maharaja and followed His teachings I am now even never separated from Him. Sometimes Maya may come and try to interfere but we must not falter, we must always follow the chalked out path layed down by the great acharyas and in the end you will see. (Srila Prabhupada letter to Cidananda, November 25, 1973) The principle being the same for all, past, present and future. Out of millions of liberated souls, only a pure devotee of Lord Krsna can deliver his disciples to the eternal abode of Lord Krsna, Krsnaloka. It is illegal to become a spiritual master if one is unable to deliver the disciple. (Journey of Self-Discovery 4.2)

Therefore, it is easy to understand why serious devotees are seeking the shelter of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada as their eternal spiritual master, who is always present in his books, audio and video recordings and instructions, and present within the heart. Srila Prabhupada said, I shall remain your personal guidance physically present or not physically just as I am getting personal guidance from my guru maharaj. (Conversation with Srila Prabhupada, July 14, 1977, Vrindavana)