GURU SEWA – HOW TO SERVE GURU?
(Part of the Series “Duties of a Disciple to his Guru”)
Click Here to jump to PART-2
We have seen Guru Puja and worship of guru in the previous parts.
In this Part, Let us see GURU SEWA.
Krishna too served His guru Sandeepani Rishi. In the vedic culture one should serve his guru during his brahmacharya ashram and even beyond that.
Without serving one’s guru, his spiritual life will not be complete.
(How to select, serve and please guru (Spiritual master)? READ HERE!
There are so many instructions given by Srila Prabhupada about serving the guru.
Let us see some of them:
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lecture 2.3.25, Los Angeles, June 23, 1972:
Just like if you purchase something, you must pay for it. Therefore it is called Sevayä. You cannot pay by returning the value, which is taught by the spiritual master. That is not possible. Therefore it is called Sevayä. Dedicate your life for his service. You cannot pay. What you have got to pay to a spiritual master?
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Purport, Madhya-lila 16.64:
The devotees of Lord Caitanya must preach Kåñëa consciousness in every village and town in the world. That will satisfy the Lord. It is not that one should act whimsically for his own personal satisfaction. This order comes down through the paramparä system, and the spiritual master presents these orders to the disciple so that he can spread the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is the duty of every disciple to carry out the order of the bona fide spiritual master and spread Lord Caitanya’s message all over the world.
Bhagavad-Gita As It Is 4.34:
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. 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.
(Importance of Guru (Spiritual master) in a devotee’s Spiritual Life! READ HERE!)
Room Conversation—July 1st 1974, Melbourne:
Our movement is that beginning of spiritual life is to surrender. If there is no surrendering, then it is no advance. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam çaranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is the beginning. If that thing is lacking, there is no beginning even, what to speak of advancement. That is discussed already. Na siddhia sa avapnoti na sukhaa na paraa gatiu. This is the beginning of spiritual life. The word is called disciple. Disciple means who accept discipline. If there is no discipline, where is disciple?
Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta Antya 6.312:
The principle of very rigidly carrying out the order of the spiritual master must be observed. The spiritual master gives different orders to different people. For example, Sri Caitanya Mahäprabhu ordered Jiva Gosvami, Rüpa Gosvami and Sanaana Gosvami to preach, and He ordered Raghunätha dasa Gosvami to strictly follow the rules and regulations of the renounced order. All six Gosvamis strictly followed the instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. This is the principle for progress in devotional service. After receiving an order from the spiritual master, one must strictly try to execute the order. That is the way of success.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 19.156:
Giving up the regulative principles and living according to one’s whims is compared to a mad elephant, which by force uproots the bhakti-lata and breaks it to pieces. In this way the bhaktilata shrivels up. Such an offense is especially created when one disobeys the instructions of the spiritual master. This is called guru-avajna. The devotee must therefore be very careful not to commit offenses against the spiritual master by disobeying his instructions. As soon as one is deviated from the instructions of the spiritual master, the uprooting of the bhakti-lata begins, and gradually all the leaves dry up.
(Guru Puja & Worship of Gurus – Importance! READ HERE!)
Let us continue the right methods of Guru Sewa, i.e, Serving Guru as said by Srila Prabhupada:
Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.24.15:
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 Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura, who, while explaining a verse of Bhagavad-gita (vyavasayatmika buddhir ekeha kurunandana, Bhagavad-gita As It Is 2.41), points out that the order of the spiritual master is the life substance of the disciple. The disciple shouldn’t consider whether he is going back home, back to Godhead; his first business should be to execute the order of the spiritual master. 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.
Lecture 5.5.1-Tittenhurst, London, 12th Sep, 1969:
To accept a spiritual master means to voluntarily agree to abide by the rules and regulations given by a great personality. This is what being a disciple means—to voluntarily agree, “Yes, sir. Whatever you say, I accept.” The Sanskrit word Cisya means “one who abides by the rules,” and in English there is the word disciple, which is related to the word discipline. So a disciple becomes disciplined by the spiritual master. “Even at the inconvenience of my personal comfort, I must abide by the orders of my spiritual master.”
Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.23.7:
For spiritual achievement, the easiest path is to take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master and to serve him with heart and soul. That is the secret of success. As stated by Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura in his eight stanzas of prayer to the spiritual master, yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadau. By serving or receiving the grace of the spiritual master, one receives the grace of the Supreme Lord. By serving her devotee-husband, Kardama Muni, Devahuti shared in his achievements. Similarly, a sincere disciple, simply by serving a bona fide spiritual master, can achieve all the mercy of the Lord and the spiritual master simultaneously.
Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.28.51:
If a disciple is very serious to execute the mission of the spiritual master, he immediately associates with the Supreme Personality of Godhead by vani or vapu. This is the only secret of success in seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Instead of being eager to see the Lord in some bush of Vrndavana while at the same time engaging in sense gratification, if one instead sticks to the principle of following the words of the spiritual master, he will see the Supreme Lord without difficulty.
Letter to: Govinda — Los Angeles 17 August, 1969:
You write that you have desire to avail of my association again, but why do you forget that you are always in association with me? When you are helping my missionary activities I am always thinking of you and you are always thinking of me. That is real association.
Letter to: Bhakta Don — Los Angeles 1 December, 1973:
The Spiritual Master is present wherever his sincere disciple is trying to serve his instructions. This is possible by the Mercy of Krsna. In your attempts to serve me and in all your sincere devotional sentiments I am with you as My Guru Maharaja is with me. Remember this always.
Next, we will see two types of Sewas!
(Selecting a Guru in ISKCON & Steps – Procedures involved! READ HERE!)