On choosing a guru...

[Guest guest]

> "Do not jump like a horse for guru and regret later, jump like a deer,

> they have greater rhythm."

 

> HH NITAI CHAND SWAMI, lecture in London.

 

If one does not have a diksha guru as yet, it is better to wait for some or

many years (even though it may take 10 or 20 years) and search out a guru

who is chanting the pure Name (offenselessly) and who is directly serving

under Srimati Radharani in the spiritual world then to suffer in hell for

many lifetimes after accepting a guru on a lower platform and after seeing

his shortcomings commit offenses against him or taking him lightly or reject

him completely. If one already has a guru on the intermediate platform then

one should study Sri Krsna Bhajanamrta, Hari-nama-cintamani carefully and

one should understand how to serve, respect & worship him inspite of his

intermediate situation and his shortcomings. One should worship him with

great care knowing in one's heart that he is also gradually progressing

towards the perfect stage. Ofcourse we know from the Nectar of Instruction

that his guidance won't be completely sufficient to take us back to Godhead.

 

Now we may ask how do we know that the guru is really on that platform. I

would say that a personality on the highest platform of devotional service

would not remain hidden for long in a preaching movement like ISKCON unless

ofcourse if he is a bhajananandi. He will be self-effulgent as per Srila

Prabhupada. Wherever he is situated, he will exhibit his purity and

spiritual potency. The most fortunate souls are the ones who get the shelter

of a maha-bhagavata and follow his instructions because they don't have to

do anything else to go back to Godhead. And the most unfortunate are the

ones who give up the instructions of a maha-bhagavata after getting his

shelter. Ultimately it is a fact that these guru-issue problems can't be

fully solved unless an unanimously accepted, self-effulgent uttama adhikari

guru is personally present in our society. Such a personality does not

replace Prabhupada or the GBC but gives guidance to the GBC and glorifies

Prabhupada even more simply by his presence. And that is why Prabhupada had

said that his Guru Maharaj wanted to form the GBC and then let the

self-effulgent acarya be automatically selected. So it is a fact that such

acaryas are a must in a preaching society. A situation without them is a

kind of compromise. The GBC alone cannot fully substitute for the absence of

such an acarya or acaryas. And that is why Prabhupada said that when an

acarya leaves the planet, there is chaos. And that chaos cannot be fully

eliminated until the emergence of the next acarya.

 

The next question can be that if we don't see anyone on that platform then

do we go ahead with accepting the guru on a lower platform. We can do so if

we feel the need for personal guidance but while accepting such a guru one

should be aware that his guidance only will not be sufficient to take him

back to Godhead. Even after being aware of such a situation he should give

utmost service & respect to his guru and consult his guru even if he wants

to go to a more advanced siksha guru for guidance. Then his faith is mature

and is according to the scriptures and will not be shaken even in the

unfortunate case when his guru happens to fall down.

 

Thus the training & education to the aspiring disciples in ISKCON about the

situation of uttama & madhyama gurus as per the above books is very

necessary and should be made an inherent part of our education.

 

Your servant,

Nayana-ranjana das