What is the purpose of a guru

[Haridham]

Hare Krsna everyone. I have just a question.

 

What is the purpose of a guru. I have always thought that guru is someone who takes you to krsna. BUt after I talked to a couple of people from the temple. Somewhat "knowledgable" guys who said krsna says in the bhagavat gita surrender unto a bonofide spiritual and render service unto him because he has seen the truth.

 

So they said that doesnt mean the guru takes you to krsna because thats not what krsna says.

 

So this has kinda disturbed me. I always thought that krsna was meaning in that verse that by surrendering to a guru is the only way to reach him. Can someone clarify this for me. Plus i dont know if I actually said what I wanted to say because its like 1am in vancouver.

 

Anyways let me know. What is the purpose of a guru. I think I wont talk much anymore but rather listen from now on. Just keep chanting. I guess its good that this happened because its a good way to find out more about what you are doing.

 

Hare Krsna

[Guest guest]

http://www.sivanandadlshq.org/teachings/guru.htm#need

[yasodanandana]

What is the purpose of a guru. I have always thought that guru is someone who takes you to krsna. BUt after I talked to a couple of people from the temple. Somewhat "knowledgable" guys who said krsna says in the bhagavat gita surrender unto a bonofide spiritual and render service unto him because he has seen the truth.

 

maybe i do not understand because my italenglish is not so good... but where's the contraddiction? a guru has to be one who sees the truth (krsna) to give it to me and you, so if he "has" really krsna he can give Him to others, and if krsna is given to us and we sincerely take Him in our heart, mind, actions, behaviour.. we are back in the spiritual world

 

very simple...

 

 

What is the purpose of a guru.

-to show us krsna..

[gHari]

Indeed, Haridham, in Srimad Bhagavatam 8.20.1:<blockquote><CENTER>zrI-zuka uvAca

balir evaM gRha-patiH

kulAcAryeNa bhASitaH

tUSNIM bhUtvA kSaNaM rAjann

uvAcAvahito gurum

</CENTER>

zrI-zukaH uvAca--SrI Sukadeva GosvAmI said; baliH--Bali MahArAja; evam--thus; gRha-patiH--the master of the household affairs, although guided by the priests; kula-AcAryeNa--by the family AcArya or guide; bhASitaH--being thus addressed; tUSNIm--silent; bhUtvA--becoming; kSaNam--for a moment; rAjan--O King (MahArAja ParIkSit); uvAca--said; avahitaH--after full deliberation; gurum--unto his spiritual master.

SrI Sukadeva GosvAmI said: O King ParIkSit, when Bali MahArAja was thus advised by his spiritual master, SukrAcArya, his family priest, he remained silent for some time, and then, after full deliberation, he replied to his spiritual master as follows.

 

PURPORT

SrIla VizvanAtha CakravartI ThAkura remarks that Bali MahArAja remained silent at a critical point. How could he disobey the instruction of SukrAcArya, his spiritual master? It is the duty of such a sober personality as Bali MahArAja to abide by the orders of his spiritual master immediately, as his spiritual master had advised. But Bali MahArAja also considered that SukrAcArya was no longer to be accepted as a spiritual master, for he had deviated from the duty of a spiritual master. <font color="blue">According to zAstra, the duty of the guru is to take the disciple back home, back to Godhead.</font> If he is unable to do so and instead hinders the disciple in going back to Godhead, he should not be a guru. Gurur na sa syAt (BhAg. 5.5.18). One should not become a guru if he cannot enable his disciple to advance in KRSNa consciousness. The goal of life is to become a devotee of Lord KRSNa so that one may be freed from the bondage of material existence (tyaktvA dehaM punar janma naiti mam eti so 'rjuna [bg. 4.9]). The spiritual master helps the disciple attain this stage by developing KRSNa consciousness. Now SukrAcArya has advised Bali MahArAja to deny the promise to VAmanadeva. Under the circumstances, therefore, Bali MahArAja thought that there would be no fault if he disobeyed the order of his spiritual master. He deliberated on this point--should he refuse to accept the advise of his spiritual master, or should he independently do everything to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead? He took some time. Therefore it is said, tUSNIM bhUtvA kSaNaM rajann uvAcAvahito gurum. After deliberating on this point, he decided that Lord ViSNu should be pleased in all circumstances, even at the risk of ignoring the guru's advice to the contrary.

 

Anyone who is supposed to be a guru but who goes against the principle of viSNu-bhakti cannot be accepted as guru. If one has falsely accepted such a guru, one should reject him. Such a guru is described as follows (MahAbhArata, Udyoga 179.25):

<CENTER>

guror apy avaliptasya

kAryAkAryam ajAnataH

utpatha-pratipannasya

parityAgo vidhIyate

</CENTER>

SrIla JIva GosvAmI has advised that such a useless guru, a family priest acting as guru, should be given up, and that the proper, bona-fide guru should be accepted.

<CENTER>

SaT-karma-nipuNo vipro

mantra-tantra-vizAradaH

avaiSNavo gurur na syAd

vaiSNavaH zvapaco guruH

</CENTER>

"A scholarly brAhmaNa expert in all subjects of Vedic knowledge is unfit to become a spiritual master without being a VaiSNava, but if a person born in a family of a lower caste is a VaiSNava, he can become a spiritual master." (Padma PurANa)</blockquote>

Srimad Bhagavatam 4.8.44:<blockquote><CENTER>prANAyAmena tri-vRtA

prANendriya-mano-malam

zanair vyudasyAbhidhyAyen

manasA guruNA gurum

</CENTER>

prANAyAmena--by breathing exercises; tri-vRtA--by the three recommended ways; prANa-indriya--the life air and the senses; manaH--mind; malam--impurity; zanaiH--gradually; vyudasya--giving up; abhidhyAyet--meditate upon; manasA--by the mind; guruNA--undisturbed; gurum--the supreme spiritual master, KRSNa.

After sitting on your seat, practice the three kinds of breathing exercises, and thus gradually control the life air, the mind and the senses. Completely free yourself from all material contamination, and with great patience begin to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

PURPORT

In this verse the entire yoga system is described in summary, and special stress is given to the breathing exercises for stopping the disturbing mind. The mind, by nature, is always oscillating, for it is very fickle, but the breathing exercise is meant to control it. This process of controlling the mind might have been very possible in those days millions of years ago when Dhruva MahArAja took to it, but at the present moment the mind has to be fixed directly on the lotus feet of the Lord by the chanting process. By chanting the Hare KRSNa mantra one immediately concentrates on the sound vibration and thinks of the lotus feet of the Lord, and very quickly one is elevated to the position of samAdhi, or trance. If one goes on chanting the holy names of the Lord, which are not different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, naturally his mind becomes absorbed in thought of the Lord.

 

It is here recommended to Dhruva MahArAja that he meditate on the supreme guru, or supreme spiritual master. The supreme spiritual master is KRSNa, who is therefore known as caitya-guru. This refers to the Supersoul, who is sitting in everyone's heart. He helps from within as stated in Bhagavad-gItA, and He sends the spiritual master, who helps from without. The spiritual master is the external manifestation of the caitya-guru, or the spiritual master sitting in everyone's heart.

 

The process by which we give up our thoughts of material things is called pratyAhAra, which entails being freed from all material thoughts and engagements. The word abhidhyAyet, which is used in this verse, indicates that unless one's mind is fixed, one cannot meditate. The conclusion, therefore, is that meditation means thinking of the Lord within. Whether one comes to that stage by the aSTAGga-yoga system or by the method recommended in the zAstras especially for this present age--to constantly chant the holy name of the Lord--the goal is to meditate on the Supreme Personality of Godhead.</blockquote>

SB 1.19.36:<blockquote><CENTER>anyathA te 'vyakta-gater

darzanaM naH kathaM nRNAm

nitarAM mriyamANAnAM

saMsiddhasya vanIyasaH

</CENTER>

anyathA--otherwise; te--your; avyakta-gateH--of one whose movements are invisible; darzanam--meeting; naH--for us; katham--how; nRNAm--of the people; nitarAm--specifically; mriyamANAnAm--of those who are about to die; saMsiddhasya--of one who is all-perfect; vanIyasaH--voluntary appearance.

Otherwise [without being inspired by Lord KRSNa] how is it that you have voluntarily appeared here, though you are moving incognito to the common man and are not visible to us who are on the verge of death?

 

PURPORT

The great sage Sukadeva GosvAmI was certainly inspired by Lord KRSNa to appear voluntarily before MahArAja ParIkSit, the great devotee of the Lord, just to give him the teachings of SrImad-BhAgavatam. One can achieve the nucleus of the devotional service of the Lord by the mercy of the spiritual master and the Personality of Godhead. The spiritual master is the manifested representative of the Lord to help one achieve ultimate success. One who is not authorized by the Lord cannot become a spiritual master. SrIla Sukadeva GosvAmI is an authorized spiritual master, and thus he was inspired by the Lord to appear before MahArAja ParIkSit and instruct him in the teachings of SrImad-BhAgavatam. One can achieve the ultimate success of going back to Godhead if he is favored by the Lord's sending His true representative. As soon as a true representative of the Lord is met by a devotee of the Lord, the devotee is assured a guarantee for going back to Godhead just after leaving the present body. This, however, depends on the sincerity of the devotee himself. The Lord is seated in the heart of all living beings, and thus he knows very well the movements of all individual persons. As soon as the Lord finds that a particular soul is very eager to go back to Godhead, the Lord at once sends His bona fide representative. The sincere devotee is thus assured by the Lord of going back to Godhead. The conclusion is that to get the assistance and help of a bona fide spiritual master means to receive the direct help of the Lord Himself.</blockquote>

SB 4.24.15:<blockquote><CENTER>yad uktaM pathi dRSTena

girizena prasIdatA

tad dhyAyanto japantaz ca

pUjayantaz ca saMyatAH

</CENTER>

yat--that; uktam--said; pathi--on the way; dRSTena--while meeting; girizena--by Lord Siva; prasIdatA--being very much satisfied; tat--that; dhyAyantaH--meditating; japantaH ca--chanting also; pUjayantaH ca--worshiping also; saMyatAH--with great control.

When all the sons of PrAcInabarhi left home to execute austerities, they met Lord Siva, who, out of great mercy, instructed them about the Absolute Truth. All the sons of PrAcInabarhi meditated upon the instructions, chanting and worshiping them with great care and attention.

 

PURPORT

It is clear that to perform austerities or penances, or, for that matter, any form of devotional service, one has to be guided by a spiritual master. Here it is clearly stated that the ten sons of MahArAja PrAcInabarhi were favored by the appearance of Lord Siva, who, out of great kindness, gave them instructions regarding the execution of austerities. Lord Siva actually became the spiritual master of the ten sons, and in turn his disciples took his words so seriously that simply by meditating upon his instructions (dhyAyantaH) they became perfect. This is the secret of success.

 

After being initiated and receiving the orders of the spiritual master, the disciple should unhesitatingly think about the instructions or orders of the spiritual master and should not allow himself to be disturbed by anything else. This is also the verdict of SrIla VizvanAtha CakravartI ThAkura, who, while explaining a verse of Bhagavad-gItA (vyavasAyAtmikA buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana, Bg. 2.41), points out that the order of the spiritual master is the life substance of the disciple. <font color="blue">The disciple should not consider whether he is going back home, back to Godhead; his first business should be to execute the order of his spiritual master.</font> Thus a disciple should always meditate on the order of the spiritual master, and that is perfectional meditation. Not only should he meditate upon that order, but he should find out the means by which he can perfectly worship and execute it.</blockquote>

SB 7.15.30:<blockquote><CENTER>SaD-varga-saMyamaikAntAH

sarvA niyama-codanAH

tad-antA yadi no yogAn

AvaheyuH zramAvahAH

</CENTER>

SaT-varga--the six elements, namely the five working senses and the mind; saMyama-ekAntAH--the ultimate aim of subjugating; sarvAH--all such activities; niyama-codanAH--the regulative principles further meant for controlling the senses and mind; tat-antAH--the ultimate goal of such activities; yadi--if; no--not; yogAn--the positive link with the Supreme; AvaheyuH--did lead to; zrama-AvahAH--a waste of time and labor.

Ritualistic ceremonies, regulative principles, austerities and the practice of yoga are all meant to control the senses and mind, but even after one is able to control the senses and mind, if he does not come to the point of meditation upon the Supreme Lord, all such activities are simply labor in frustration.

 

PURPORT

One may argue that one may achieve the ultimate goal of life--realization of the Supersoul--by practicing the yoga system and ritualistic performances according to the Vedic principles, even without staunch devotion to the spiritual master. The actual fact, however, is that by practicing yoga one must come to the platform of meditating upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As stated in the scriptures, dhyAnAvasthita-tad-gatena manasA pazyanti yaM yoginaH: [sB 12.13.1] a person in meditation achieves the perfection of yoga practice when he can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By various practices, one may come to the point of controlling the senses, but simply controlling the senses does not bring one to a substantial conclusion. However, by staunch faith in the spiritual master and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one not only controls the senses but also realizes the Supreme Lord.

<CENTER>

yasya deve parA bhaktir

yathA deve tathA gurau

tasyaite kathitA hy arthAH

prakAzante mahAtmanaH

[sU 6.23]

</CENTER>

"Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of the Vedic knowledge automatically revealed." (SvetAzvatara UpaniSad 6.23) It is further stated, tuSyeyaM sarva-bhUtAtmA guru-zuzrUSayA and taranty aJjo bhavArNavam. Simply by rendering service to the spiritual master, one crosses the ocean of nescience and returns home, back to Godhead. Thus he gradually sees the Supreme Lord face to face and enjoys life in association with the Lord. The ultimate goal of yoga is to come in contact with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Unless this point is achieved, one's so-called yoga practice is simply labor without any benefit.</blockquote>

Bg 4.34:<blockquote><CENTER>tad viddhi praNipAtena

paripraznena sevayA

upadekSyanti te jJAnaM

jJAninas tattva-darzinaH

</CENTER>

tat--that knowledge of different sacrifices; viddhi--try to understand; praNipAtena--by approaching a spiritual master; paripraznena--by submissive inquiries; sevayA--by the rendering of service; upadekSyanti--they will initiate; te--you; jJAnam--into knowledge; jJAninaH--the self-realized; tattva--of the truth; darzinaH--seers.

Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.

 

PURPORT

The path of spiritual realization is undoubtedly difficult. The Lord therefore advises us to approach a bona fide spiritual master in the line of disciplic succession from the Lord Himself. No one can be a bona fide spiritual master without following this principle of disciplic succession. The Lord is the original spiritual master, and a person in the disciplic succession can convey the message of the Lord as it is to his disciple. No one can be spiritually realized by manufacturing his own process, as is the fashion of the foolish pretenders.

 

The BhAgavatam (6.3.19) says, dharmaM tu sAkSAd bhagavat-praNItam: the path of religion is directly enunciated by the Lord. Therefore, mental speculation or dry arguments cannot help lead one to the right path. Nor by independent study of books of knowledge can one progress in spiritual life. One has to approach a bona fide spiritual master to receive the knowledge. Such a spiritual master should be accepted in full surrender, and one should serve the spiritual master like a menial servant, without false prestige. Satisfaction of the self-realized spiritual master is the secret of advancement in spiritual life. Inquiries and submission constitute the proper combination for spiritual understanding.

 

Unless there is submission and service, inquiries from the learned spiritual master will not be effective. One must be able to pass the test of the spiritual master, and when he sees the genuine desire of the disciple, he automatically blesses the disciple with genuine spiritual understanding. In this verse, both blind following and absurd inquiries are condemned. Not only should one hear submissively from the spiritual master, but one must also get a clear understanding from him, in submission and service and inquiries. A bona fide spiritual master is by nature very kind toward the disciple. Therefore when the student is submissive and is always ready to render service, the reciprocation of knowledge and inquiries becomes perfect.</blockquote>

From the "Path of Perfection":<blockquote>In the bhakti-yoga process, the role of the spiritual master is most important and essential. Although the spiritual master will always come back until his devotees have achieved God realization, one should not try to take advantage of this. We should not trouble our spiritual master but should complete the bhakti-yoga process in this life. The disciple should be serious in his service to the spiritual master, and if the devotee is intelligent, he should think, "Why should I act in such a way that my spiritual master has to take the trouble to reclaim me again? Let me realize KRSNa in this life." That is the proper way of thinking. We should not think, "Oh, I am sure that my spiritual master will come and save me. Therefore I will do as I please." If we have any affection for our spiritual master, we should complete the process in this life, so that he does not have to return to reclaim us.</blockquote>

LA 1969:<blockquote>Devotee: PrabhupAda, I heard it said that the spiritual master will always come back until his devotees, his disciples, have achieved God realization. Can you explain that?

 

PrabhupAda: Yes. But don't try to take advantage of it. (laughter) Don't try to give trouble to your spiritual master like that. Finish your business in this life. That is especially meant for those who are slack. His devotee, his disciple should be serious in serving spiritual master. If he is intelligent he should know that "Why should I act in such a way that my spiritual master has to take the trouble to reclaim me again? Let my business be finished in this life." That should be the right way of thinking. Not that, "Oh I am sure my spiritual master will come, let me do all nonsense." No. So if you have got any, I mean to say, affection for the spiritual master, then you should finish your business in this life so that he may not come again to reclaim you. Is that all right? Don't take advantage of this business. Rather, be serious to finish your business. That is a fact.

 

There is an instance of BilvamaGgala ThAkura. BilvamaGgala ThAkura was in his previous life, elevated to almost prema-bhakti, highest platform of devotional service. But there is always chance of falldown. So somehow or other he fell down. And next life he was born in a very rich family as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gItA: zucInAM zrImatAM gehe. So he was born in a rich brAhmaNa family, but he became, naturally as rich boys become attached to woman-hunter.

 

So it is said that his spiritual master instructed him through his prostitute. At the right moment, his spiritual master said through that prostitute, "Oh, you are so much attached with this flesh and bone. If you had been attached so much with KRSNa, how good you could have achieved." Immediately he took to that position. So that responsibility is for the spiritual master. But we should not take advantage of that. That is not very good. We should try: yasya prasAdAd bhagavat-prasAdaH **. We should not try to put our spiritual master in a position that he has to reclaim me from prostitute's house. <font color="blue">But he has to do it. Because he accepts his disciple, he has got the responsibility like that.</font> Yes?</blockquote>

 

Lecture 1976:<blockquote><CENTER>vyavasAyAtmikA buddhir

ekeha kuru-nandana

bahu-zAkhA (hy) anantAz ca

buddhi avyavasAyinAm

</CENTER>

So in this connection, VizvanAtha CakravartI ThAkura said that "My only duty is to execute the order of my spiritual master. I do not mind whether I am going to hell or going back to Godhead. No. My only life and soul is to execute the order of my spiritual master." He has explained like that. So devotional service is great responsibility, to execute the order of the superior. Then our life is successful.

 

Thank you very much. (end)</blockquote>

 

[krsna]

All Glories to our most exalted spiritual preceptor

acarya

Srila Prabhupada who has made spiritual life

simple for the simple

but very difficult for the crooked.

Hare Krishna

ps: Kc is simple and sublime

but its application is difficult.

[Haridham]

Thank you Ghari ji. I read everything word for word. It was very nice what you explained to me. I wish I wasnt so dull headed because I am sure to forget about 90 percent of what is on there. Oh well, I will read it again and I have this site to come back too.

 

You clearly showed me in the first verse Srimad Bhagavatam 8.20.1 in prabhupads purports he says that according to sastra the duty of a guru is to take the discpile home, back to godhead.

 

All other verses followed basically matched that.

 

I also realise now the verse from the srimad bhagavatam about gurur na tasyat.....about someone cannot be a guru unless one can take his dependent/disciple back to godhead.(Sb.5.5.18)

 

So thank you Ghari ji.

I hope to hear from you.

Hare Krsna

[gHari]

I too read it all word for word several times. It seemed to stress the import of the guru's instructions. I remembered how you have placed all importance on your chanting vows, and realized that you had already discovered the special significance of following the master's treasured commands.

 

Here is that 5.5.18 Bhagavatam verse you referenced:<blockquote><center>gurur na sa syAt sva-jano na sa syAt

pitA na sa syAj jananI na sA syAt

daivaM na tat syAn na patiz ca sa syAn

na mocayed yaH samupeta-mRtyum

</center>

guruH--a spiritual master; na--not; saH--he; syAt--should become; sva-janaH--a relative; na--not; saH--such a person; syAt--should become; pitA--a father; na--not; saH--he; syAt--should become; jananI--a mother; na--not; sA--she; syAt--should become; daivam--the worshipable deity; na--not; tat--that; syAt--should become; na--not; patiH--a husband; ca--also; saH--he; syAt--should become; na--not; mocayet--can deliver; yaH--who; samupeta-mRtyum--one who is on the path of repeated birth and death.

"One who cannot deliver his dependents from the path of repeated birth and death should never become a spiritual master, a father, a husband, a mother or a worshipable demigod.

 

PURPORT

There are many spiritual masters, but RSabhadeva advises that one should not become a spiritual master if he is unable to save his disciple from the path of birth and death. Unless one is a pure devotee of KRSNa, he cannot save himself from the path of repeated birth and death. TyaktvA dehaM punar janma naiti mAm eti so'rjuna [bg. 4.9]. One can stop birth and death only by returning home, back to Godhead. However, who can go back to Godhead unless he understands the Supreme Lord in truth? Janma karma ca me divyam evaM yo vetti tattvataH [bg. 4.9].

 

We have many instances in history illustrating RSabhadeva's instructions. SukrAcArya was rejected by Bali MahArAja due to his inability to save Bali MahArAja from the path of repeated birth and death. SukrAcArya was not a pure devotee, he was more or less inclined to fruitive activity, and he objected when Bali MahArAja promised to give everything to Lord ViSNu. Actually one is supposed to give everything to the Lord because everything belongs to the Lord. Consequently, the Supreme Lord advises in Bhagavad-gItA (9.27):

<CENTER>

yat karoSi yad aznAsi

yaj juhoSi dadAsi yat

yat tapasyasi kaunteya

tat kuruSva mad-arpaNam

</center>

"O son of KuntI, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me." This is bhakti. Unless one is devoted, he cannot give everything to the Supreme Lord. Unless one can do so, he cannot become a spiritual master, husband, father or mother. Similarly, the wives of the brAhmaNas who were performing sacrifices gave up their relatives just to satisfy KRSNa. This is an example of a wife rejecting a husband who cannot deliver her from the impending dangers of birth and death. Similarly, PrahlAda MahArAja rejected his father, and Bharata MahArAja rejected his mother (jananI na sA syAt). The word daivam indicates a demigod or one who accepts worship from a dependent.

 

Ordinarily, the spiritual master, husband, father, mother or superior relative accepts worship from an inferior relative, but here RSabhadeva forbids this. First the father, spiritual master or husband must be able to release the dependent from repeated birth and death. If he cannot do this, he plunges himself into the ocean of reproachment for his unlawful activities. Everyone should be very responsible and take charge of his dependents just as a spiritual master takes charge of his disciple or a father takes charge of his son. All these responsibilities cannot be discharged honestly unless one can save the dependent from repeated birth and death.</blockquote>

 

If you continue to follow your master's orders with attention and love, then you should be qualified as a husband and father too.

[Haridham]

about my friends stating that this statement....

 

....Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.

 

doesnt neccesarily mean that krsna says without a guru you cannot go back to godhead. What can we reply to that? All of Prabhupads purports I guess?

 

Let me kow

[Guest guest]

krsna is the absolute truth.. just to learn the truth you have to approach a spiritual master who can give it because he has seen it

 

so guru is essential

[Guest guest]

 

Somewhat "knowledgable" guys who said krsna says in the bhagavat gita surrender unto a bonofide spiritual and render service unto him because he has seen the truth.

 

 

 

"Surrender unto a bonafide spiritual master" is not in bhagavad-gItA, at least not in those exact words. You are talking about verse 4.34 are you not? That verse states that one should inquire from and render service to a guru who knows the Absolute Truth. Krishna is discussing knowledge of various types and then He says that one should inquire from a very knowledgeable guru in that verse.

 

I think everyone agrees that a guru is indispensable for spiritual life. One has to have a guru in order to learn divine knowledge; without one liberation is impossible. Another way of looking at is that while anyone can have the grace of Lord Krishna, one of the ways the Lord shows His grace is by sending a qualified guru to instruct one on the path to self-realization.

 

 

 

[gHari]

That statement BG 4.34 does not say that there is no possibility of success without approaching a seer of the truth. And surely we can find some examples of this, even in the elephant community. Certainly it is a very rare case.

 

But without guru, without Krsna's kindest mercy it is truly impossible. Even Lord Krsna's astanga yoga (dhyAna-yoga) teachings direct us to the Supersoul who is Guru. I am nothing without guru and Krsna. It doesn't take long to discover that for an honest heart.

 

Lord Krsna continues in His talk with Arjuna about this rare knowledge:<blockquote>4.35: Having obtained real knowledge from a self-realized soul, you will never fall again into such illusion, for by this knowledge you will see that all living beings are but part of the Supreme, or, in other words, that they are Mine.

 

BG 4.36: Even if you are considered to be the most sinful of all sinners, when you are situated in the boat of transcendental knowledge you will be able to cross over the ocean of miseries.

 

BG 4.37: As a blazing fire turns firewood to ashes, O Arjuna, so does the fire of knowledge burn to ashes all reactions to material activities.

 

BG 4.38: In this world, there is nothing so sublime and pure as transcendental knowledge. Such knowledge is the mature fruit of all mysticism. And one who has become accomplished in the practice of devotional service enjoys this knowledge within himself in due course of time.

 

BG 4.39: A faithful man who is dedicated to transcendental knowledge and who subdues his senses is eligible to achieve such knowledge, and having achieved it he quickly attains the supreme spiritual peace.</blockquote>

This real knowledge cuts the knots of attachment in the heart:<blockquote><center>Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.17

zRNvatAM sva-kathAH kRSNaH

puNya-zravaNa-kIrtanaH

hRdy antaH stho hy abhadrANi

vidhunoti suhRt satAm

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zRNvatAm--those who have developed the urge to hear the message of; sva-kathAH--His own words; kRSNaH--the Personality of Godhead; puNya--virtues; zravaNa--hearing; kIrtanaH--chanting; hRdi antaH sthaH--within one's heart; hi--certainly; abhadrANi--desire to enjoy matter; vidhunoti--cleanses; suhRt--benefactor; satAm--of the truthful.

SrI KRSNa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the ParamAtmA [supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.

 

PURPORT

Messages of the Personality of Godhead SrI KRSNa are nondifferent from Him. Whenever, therefore, offenseless hearing and glorification of God are undertaken, it is to be understood that Lord KRSNa is present there in the form of transcendental sound, which is as powerful as the Lord personally. SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu, in His SikSASTaka, declares clearly that the holy name of the Lord has all the potencies of the Lord and that He has endowed His innumerable names with the same potency. There is no rigid fixture of time, and anyone can chant the holy name with attention and reverence at his convenience. The Lord is so kind to us that He can be present before us personally in the form of transcendental sound, but unfortunately we have no taste for hearing and glorifying the Lord's name and activities. We have already discussed developing a taste for hearing and chanting the holy sound. It is done through the medium of service to the pure devotee of the Lord.

 

The Lord is reciprocally respondent to His devotees. When He sees that a devotee is completely sincere in getting admittance to the transcendental service of the Lord and has thus become eager to hear about Him, the Lord acts from within the devotee in such a way that the devotee may easily go back to Him. The Lord is more anxious to take us back into His kingdom than we can desire. Most of us do not desire at all to go back to Godhead. Only a very few men want to go back to Godhead. But anyone who desires to go back to Godhead, SrI KRSNa helps in all respects.

 

One cannot enter into the kingdom of God unless one is perfectly cleared of all sins. The material sins are products of our desires to lord it over material nature. It is very difficult to get rid of such desires. Women and wealth are very difficult problems for the devotee making progress on the path back to Godhead. Many stalwarts in the devotional line fell victim to these allurements and thus retreated from the path of liberation. But when one is helped by the Lord Himself, the whole process becomes as easy as anything by the divine grace of the Lord.

 

To become restless in the contact of women and wealth is not an astonishment, because every living being is associated with such things from remote time, practically immemorial, and it takes time to recover from this foreign nature. But if one is engaged in hearing the glories of the Lord, gradually he realizes his real position. By the grace of God such a devotee gets sufficient strength to defend himself from the state of disturbances, and gradually all disturbing elements are eliminated from his mind.

 

<center>Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.21

bhidyate hRdaya-granthiz

chidyante sarva-saMzayAH

kSIyante cAsya karmANi

dRSTa evAtmanIzvare

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bhidyate--pierced; hRdaya--heart; granthiH--knots; chidyante--cut to pieces; sarva--all; saMzayAH--misgivings; kSIyante--terminated; ca--and; asya--his; karmANi--chain of fruitive actions; dRSTe--having seen; eva--certainly; Atmani--unto the self; Izvare--dominating.

Thus the knot in the heart is pierced, and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions is terminated when one sees the self as master.

 

PURPORT

Attaining scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead means seeing one's own self simultaneously. As far as the identity of the living being as spirit self is concerned, there are a number of speculations and misgivings. The materialist does not believe in the existence of the spirit self, and empiric philosophers believe in the impersonal feature of the whole spirit without individuality of the living beings. But the transcendentalists affirm that the soul and the Supersoul are two different identities, qualitatively one but quantitatively different. There are many other theories, but all these different speculations are at once cleared off as soon as SrI KRSNa is realized in truth by the process of bhakti-yoga. SrI KRSNa is like the sun, and the materialistic speculations about the Absolute Truth are like the darkest midnight. As soon as the KRSNa sun is arisen within one's heart, the darkness of materialistic speculations about the Absolute Truth and the living beings is at once cleared off. In the presence of the sun, the darkness cannot stand, and the relative truths that were hidden within the dense darkness of ignorance become clearly manifested by the mercy of KRSNa, who is residing in everyone's heart as the Supersoul.

 

In the Bhagavad-gItA (10.11) the Lord says that in order to show special favor to His pure devotees, He personally eradicates the dense darkness of all misgivings by switching on the light of pure knowledge within the heart of a devotee. Therefore, because of the Personality of Godhead's taking charge of illuminating the heart of His devotee, certainly a devotee, engaged in His service in transcendental love, cannot remain in darkness. He comes to know everything of the absolute and the relative truths. The devotee cannot remain in darkness, and because a devotee is enlightened by the Personality of Godhead, his knowledge is certainly perfect. This is not the case for those who speculate on the Absolute Truth by dint of their own limited power of approach. Perfect knowledge is called paramparA, or deductive knowledge coming down from the authority to the submissive aural receiver who is bona fide by service and surrender. One cannot challenge the authority of the Supreme and know Him also at the same time. He reserves the right of not being exposed to such a challenging spirit of an insignificant spark of the whole, a spark subjected to the control of illusory energy. The devotees are submissive, and therefore the transcendental knowledge descends from the Personality of Godhead to BrahmA and from BrahmA to his sons and disciples in succession. This process is helped by the Supersoul within such devotees. That is the perfect way of learning transcendental knowledge.

 

This enlightenment perfectly enables the devotee to distinguish spirit from matter because the knot of spirit and matter is untied by the Lord. This knot is called ahaGkAra, and it falsely obliges a living being to become identified with matter. As soon as this knot is loosened, therefore, all the clouds of doubt are at once cleared off. One sees his master and fully engages himself in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, making a full termination of the chain of fruitive action. In material existence, a living being creates his own chain of fruitive work and enjoys the good and bad effects of those actions life after life. But as soon as he engages himself in the loving service of the Lord, he at once becomes free from the chain of karma. His actions no longer create any reaction.

 

<center>Srimad Bhagavatam 11.20.30

bhidyate hRdaya-granthiz

chidyante sarva-saMzayAH

kSIyante cAsya karmANi

mayi dRSTe 'khilAtmani

</center>

bhidyate--pierced; hRdaya--heart; granthiH--knots; chidyante--cut to pieces; sarva--all; saMzayAH--misgivings; kSIyante--terminated; ca--and; asya--his; karmaNi--chain of fruitive actions; mayi--when I; dRSTe--am seen; akhila-Atmani--as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The knot in the heart is pierced, all misgivings are cut to pieces and the chain of fruitive actions is terminated when I am seen as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

PURPORT

HRdaya-granthi indicates that one's heart is bound to illusion by false identification with the material body. One thus becomes absorbed in material sex pleasure, dreaming of innumerable combinations of male and female bodies. A person intoxicated by sex attraction cannot understand that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of all pleasure and the supreme enjoyer. When a devotee achieves steadiness in devotional service, feeling transcendental pleasure at every moment in the execution of his loving service to the Lord, the knot of false identification is pierced and all his misgivings are cut to pieces. In illusion we imagine that the living entity cannot be fully satisfied without material sense gratification and speculative doubting of the Absolute Truth. Materialistic persons consider sense enjoyment and speculative doubting to be essential for civilized life. A pure devotee, however, realizes that Lord KRSNa is an unlimited ocean of happiness and the personification of all knowledge. This realization of Lord KRSNa completely eradicates the twin tendencies of sense gratification and mental speculation. Thus the chain of fruitive activities, or karma, automatically collapses, just as a fire collapses and goes out when its fuel is removed.

 

Advanced devotional service automatically awards one liberation from material bondage, as confirmed by Lord Kapila: jarayaty Azu yA kozaM nigIrNam analo yathA. "Bhakti, devotional service, dissolves the subtle body of the living entity without separate effort, just as fire in the stomach digests all that we eat." (BhAg. 3.25.33) SrIla PrabhupAda states in his purport to this verse, "A devotee does not have to try separately to attain liberation. That very service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the process of liberation, because to engage oneself in the service of the Lord is to liberate oneself from material entanglement. SrI BilvamaGgala ThAkura explained this position very nicely. He said, ‘If I have unflinching devotion unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord, then mukti, or liberation, serves me as my maidservant. Mukti the maidservant is always ready to do whatever I ask.' For a devotee, liberation is no problem at all. Liberation takes place without separate endeavor."</blockquote>

 

 

[krsna]

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