You Need a Guru

[ancient_paztriot]

… lookin' after YOU!

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Hayagriva dasa: Jung also felt that materialistic progress could be a possible enemy to the individual. “A favorable environment merely strengthens the dangerous tendency to expect everything to originate from outside,” he writes, “even that metamorphosis which external reality cannot provide, mainly, a deep-seated change of the inner man… ”

 

Srila Prabhupada: Yes, everything originates from inside, from the soul. It is confirmed by Bhaktivinoda Öhakura and others that material progress is essentially an expansion of the external energy, maya, illusion. We are livng in illusion, and so-called scientists and philosophers cannot even understand God and their relationship to Him, despite their material advancement. Material advancement and knowledge are actually hindrances to the progressive march of Krsna consciousness. To live a saintly life, we minimize our necessities. We are not after luxurious living. We feel that life is meant for spiritual progress and Krsna consciousness, not for material advancement.

 

Hayagriva dasa: To inspire this deep-seated change in the inner man, Jung feels that a proper teacher is needed, someone to explain religion.

 

Srila Prabhupada: Yes, according to the Vedic injunction, it is essential to seek out a guru, who, by definition, is a representative of God. Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair (Sri Gurv-astaka 7). The representative of God is worshipped as God, but he never says, “I am God.” Although he is worshippped as God, he is the servant of God. God Himself is always master. Caitanya Mahaprabhua requested everyone to become a guru. “Whatever you are, it doesn’t matter. Simply become a guru and deliver all these people who are in ignorance.” One may say, “I am not very learned. How can I become a guru?” Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that it is not necessary to be a learned scholar, for there are many so-called learned scholars who are fools. It is only necessary to impart Krsna’s instructions, which are already there in Bhagavad-gita. Whoever explains Bhagavad-gita as it is is a guru by definition. If one is fortunate enough to approach such a guru, his life becomes successful.