The original spiritual master etc.,

[Guest guest]

11. Is Sri Radharani the original spiritual master?

 

Sri Radhika, who is the hladini aspect of the Lord's internal energy, is the

original spiritual master of all devotees. She is even Krsna's spiritual

master. As Her disciple, Krsna learns how to dance from Her. Pure devotees

belonging to rasas other than the madhurya-rasa accept Sri Nityananda Prabhu

as their original spiritual master, but Sri Radhika is the original

spiritual master of the rasika devotees belonging to the madhurya-rasa.

 

12. Is faith in the spiritual master's lotus feet the root of devotional

service?

 

Before awakening pure devotional service, we must certainly learn of our

relationship with the Supreme Lord. The spiritual master alone is able to

bestow such knowledge. Therefore the root of devotional service is firm

faith in the transcendental spiritual master. This faith is the first

principle on the devotional path. The first requirement any devotee must

fulfill is to give up the blind conception that there are many religions. He

must also reject the path of argumentation and maintain faith in his

spiritual master's auspicious instructions.

What is faith? Faith means full confidence in Sri Gurudeva's words. We

cannot rely on the words of worldly persons but trust only Gurudeva.

Everyone else is a pretender. Therefore we should give up all worldly topics

and have complete faith in the spiritual master's words. We cannot find

success in any other way. By the spiritual master's mercy, our anarthas will

be destroyed, our desires fulfilled, and we will certainly attain the Lord's

mercy and dar?ana.

Our troubles are vanquished and we achieve devotional service when we

approach and associate with guru and sadhu. That is why we should rely

implicitly on Sri Gurudeva if we wish to approach and serve the Absolute

Person. The spiritual master will give us the highest good. If perchance we

meet a real spiritual master, we must be saved. We must be able to reach our

goal. The spiritual master will always supply and enrich us with

transcendental knowledge and service.

"I will regulate the spiritual master": this is an atheist's conception. It

comes from the offense of disregarding the spiritual master's order. We must

renounce this mentality as soon as it appears. I will not listen to the

words of anyone in this world. I will listen only to my spiritual master's

words because he has descended from Vaikuntha to deliver me.

We are minute, conscious souls. We can approach the supreme conscious Lord

simply by the guru's mercy. We will give up the association of others and

return to our Eternal Master. Although the spiritual master considers

himself the Supreme Lord's insignificant servant, we must undoubtedly accept

him as the only means by which we can go back to Godhead. He is our eternal

well-wisher.

I offer everything at the lotus feet of my spiritual master, knowing that he

is most dear to God; he is as good as God. I will perform all my work in his

service and desire nothing in return. Then I will attain perfection.

 

 

(Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Amrta Vani; an upcoming book)