Kanistha/Madhyama Adhikari Gurus? BG 4.34

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Ryan Prabhu asked:

 

> So my question is are kanistha/madhyama adikaris who initiate either now

> or during vedic time(although in the purport of text 5 NOI prabhupada

> recommends one to seek an uttama-adhikari because his guidance is more

> expert) considered Gurus according to the above info.

>

> This is because the lower and intermeadiate gurus are not self-realized,

> otherwise they wouldn't be kanistha/madhyama adikaris, and thus they must

> not see the truth according to the above info.

 

GURU MUST BE ACCEPTED FROM THE TOPMOST CLASS

 

Purport by Shrila Prabhupada Cc Madhya 24.330:

 

In the Padma Purana, the characteristics of the guru, the bona fide

spiritual master, have been described:

 

maha-bhagavata-srestho brahmano vai gurur nrnam

sarvesam eva lokanam asau pujyo yatha harih

maha-kula-prasuto 'pi sarva-yajnesu diksitah

sahasra-sakhadhyayi ca na guruh syad avaisnavah

 

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The guru must be situated on the topmost platform of devotional service.

There are three classes of devotees, and the guru must be accepted from the

topmost class. The first-class devotee is the spiritual master for all kinds

of people.

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It is said, gurur nrnam. The word nrnam means "of all human beings." The

guru is not limited to a particular group. It is stated in the Upadesamrta

of Rupa Gosvami that a guru is a gosvami, a controller of the senses and the

mind. Such a guru can accept disciples from all over the world. Prthivim sa

sisyat. This is the test of the guru.

 

Bhag. 5.5.18:

 

Srila Rsabhadeva advised His sons, gurur na sa syat. .. na mocayed yah

samupeta-mrtyum: "One should not take up the post of spiritual master unless

he is able to lead his disciple from the cycle of birth and death."

 

DON'T ACCEPT ANYONE EXCEPT A PURE DEVOTEE AS YOUR GURU

 

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura confirms this in Hari-nama-cintamani:

 

suddha-bhakta vyatita anyera guru karibe na

guru varanera purvai guru o'sisyera pariksha sastra nirdesa kariyachena

suddha-guru PARIKSHA kariya varana karibe...

 

Don't accept anyone except a pure devotee as your guru.

Accept a pure devotee as guru after testing him. This is the instruction of

the sastra.

 

Why? Because

 

bhajiya ayogya guru sisya haya panda

 

Worshipping an unqualified guru the disciple becomes useless or ineffectual.

 

ATAEVA PRATHAME VISESA YATNA KARI SUDDHA BHAKTA LAIBENA GURURUPE VARI

 

AND THAT IS WHY WITH GREAT ENDEAVOUR IN THE VERY BEGINNING TRY TO SEEK OUT

THE SUDDHA BHAKTA AND THEN ACCEPT HIM AS YOUR GURU.

 

Because one who disobeys the order of the sadguru, he is the most sinful

offender in the whole world.

 

Srila Prabhupada says in NOI Verse 5 purp: "THEREFORE A DISCIPLE SHOULD BE

CAREFUL TO ACCEPT AN UTTAMA-ADHIKARI AS A SPIRITUAL MASTER."

 

I would like to conclude with this message from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta which

confirms all the statements above:

 

GURU SHOULD BE WHOLLY GOOD

 

The Harmonist, December 1931, vol. XXIX No.6

 

"No one is a good preceptor who has not realised the Absolute. One who has

realised the Absolute is saved from the necessity of walking on the worldly

path. The good preceptor who lives the spiritual life is, therefore, bound

to be WHOLLY* good. He should be wholly free from any desire for anything of

this world whether good or bad."

 

"If a preceptor accepts as his disciple one who refuses to be wholly guided

by him, or if a disciple submits to a preceptor who is not wholly good, such

preceptor and such disciple are, both of them, doomed to fall from their

spiritual state."

 

"The disciple retains the right of renouncing his allegiance to the

preceptor the moment he is satisfied that the preceptor is a fallible

creature like himself. Nor does a good preceptor accept any one as his

disciple unless the latter is prepared to submit to him freely."

 

"As soon as we are fully convinced of the necessity of submitting

unambiguously to the good preceptor it is then and only then that he is

enabled to show us the way into the spiritual world in accordance with the

method laid down in the shastras of that purpose which he can apply properly

and without perpetrating a fatal blunder in as much as he himself happens to

belong to the realm of the spirit."