Discipleship

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Hari-bhakti-vilasa lists the following qualifications for a bona fide

disciple:

 

 

He should be devoted to the lotus feet of the spiritual master. He

should be fully capable of upholding the vows made to the spiritual master.

He should be engaged day and night in the Lord's service with body, mind and

words. He should be desirous of knowing the Absolute Truth.

 

He should be spotless in character, truthful, gentle and polite,

pleasing in appearance and intelligent. He should show proper respect to

elders, to initiated Vaisnavas and to the Lord; he should observe silence

concerning material subjects and should have control of his senses. He

should have no attraction for committing sinful activities.

 

 

The bona fide disciple should not possess the following characteristics:

 

He should not be lazy, dirty, sickly, continually afflicted or

lamenting, angry, proud, lusty or coveting material desires. He should not

show the enjoying mood; he should not indulge in sinful activities such as

taking meat, intoxication, gambling or illicit sex; he should not earn a

living by unjust means.

 

He should not use vulgar or coarse language, should not be critical

of others, and should not be miserly, malicious, devious or envious; he

should not give pain to others or be addicted to cruel activities. He should

not be ignorant, nor should he be proud of material learning; he should not

indulge in non-Vaisnava philosophies; he should not be addicted to

over-eating.

 

 

The following rules of ettiquete should be observed by the bona fide

disciple in relation to his spiritual master:

 

He should fall down like an uprooted tree (dandavat) on seeing the

guru. When the guru approaches he should face him and when he leaves, he

should follow him. He should not leave the guru's presence without asking

permission. He should not utter the guru's name inattentively, but always

with respect. He should address him as om sri ............visnupada, and bow

his head and fold his hands in respect.

 

He should not imitate the gait, activities or voice of the guru. He

should always hold the guru's words in great respect. Though he may be

punished by the guru, he should not take it unkindly. He should not bear to

hear criticism of the guru, the scriptures or the Lord, but should leave the

place immediately.

 

He should not step on the guru's garland, bed, shoes, asana, shadow

or eating table. He should not spread his legs before the guru, nor should

he yawn, laugh or make disrespectful noises before the guru. He should not

sit on an asana or bed before the guru.

 

He should not worship others in preference to the guru. He should

not give diksa, give scriptural explanations or show superiority in front of

the guru. He should not give orders to the guru, but obey him. He should

treat the guru's guru with similar respect. He should treat the wife, son

and relatives of the guru as the guru, but he should not clean the body of

the son, take his remnants or wash his feet.