Vartma-pradarsaka-guru

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Srila Prabhupada based his commentaries mainly on the works of

Bhaktisiddhanta and Bhaktivinoda. Perhaps one could find the terms there as

well? Sadhu Maharaja, you know all these things.

 

The reason I'm asking is that a fellow devotee is working on a document on

different kinds of gurus, and the historical aspect of classification is

naturally a factor. He couldn't find the term in Gosvami granthas.

 

 

> Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura also states that although one is

> situated as a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, vanaprastha,

> grhastha or sannyasi, if he is conversant in the science of Krsna he can

> become a spiritual master as vartma-pradarsaka-guru, diksa-guru or

> siksa-guru. The spiritual master who first gives information about

> spiritual life is called the vartma-pradarsaka-guru,

>

> >>> Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 8.128

>

> If one becomes a guru, he is automatically a brahmana. Sometimes a caste

> guru says that ye krsna-tattva-vetta, sei guru haya means that one who is

> not a brahmana may become a siksa-guru or a vartma-pradarsaka-guru but not

> an initiator guru. According to such caste gurus, birth and family ties

> are considered foremost. However, the hereditary consideration is not

> acceptable to Vaisnavas. The word guru is equally applicable to the

> vartma-pradarsaka-guru, siksa-guru and diksa-guru. Unless we accept the

> principle enunciated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, this Krsna consciousness

> movement cannot spread all over the world. According to Sri Caitanya

> Mahaprabhu's intentions, prthivite ache yata nagaradi-grama sarvatra

> pracara haibe mora nama. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's cult must be preached

> all over the world. This does not mean that people should take to His

> teachings and remain sudras or candalas. As soon as one is trained as a

> pure Vaisnava, he must be accepted as a bona fide brahmana. This is the

> essence of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instructions in this verse.

> Madhya 8.129

>

> >>> Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 8.129

>

>

>

> >>> Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 8.129