Who can accept disciples? Qualifications of a bonafide Guru!
(Part of the Series “Duties of a Disciple to his Guru”)
CLICK HERE TO JUMP TO PART-2
This is an important part of this Guru – Disciples topic.
Unless we surrender to a right and bonafide guru, we may spoil our spiritual life and waste this lifetime.
(Importance of Guru (Spiritual master) in a devotee’s Spiritual Life! READ HERE!)
WHO CAN ACCEPT DISCIPLES?
Similarly, the person who likes to accept the disciples should ensure that he possesses the following qualities:
Upadesamrta Verse 1 Says:
vaco vegam manasah krodha-vegam jihva-vegam udaropastha-vegam
etan vegan yo visaheta dhirah sarvam apimam prthivim sa sisyat
MEANING:
A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind’s demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world.
OTHER QUALIFICATIONS OF A BONAFIDE GURU
(1) MUNTAKA UPANISAD (1.2.12) SAYS:
tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet
samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham
MEANING:
To understand these things properly, one must humbly approach, with firewood in hand, a spiritual master who is learned in the Vedas and firmly devoted to the Absolute Truth.
(Can a disciple of a Non-bonafide Guru take Diksha in ISKCON? READ HERE!)
(2) TEACHINGS OF LORD KAPILA, VERSE 4: APPROACHING A BONA FIDE GURU:
“A bona fide guru does not impart some self-styled, concocted knowledge; his knowledge is standard and received from the parampara system. He is also firmly fixed in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (brahma-nistham).
These are his two qualifications: he must have heard the Vedic knowledge through the disciplic succession, and he must be established in service to the Supreme Lord. He does not have to be a very learned scholar, but he must have heard from the proper authority.”
Nowadays, new self styled gurus are blossoming everywhere and the people are lured by such persons.
So, the devotees and common people should keep the above verses in mind and choose the guru to follow.
Being careless in the choice of the guru ruins the spiritual life.
This evaluation and choice of guru is the most important activity one does in his lifetime.
Always keep the above three quotes in mind while choosing a guru for you and also before guiding others and also before accepting disciples.
Let us continue further in other related posts.
(Importance of GBC in ISKCON & Status of an authorized guru! READ HERE!)
Who is a bonafide guru? Qualifications of a bonafide Guru! – Part -2
(Part of the Series “Duties of a Disciple to his Guru”)
Srila Prabhupada has spoken about this topic in many places. Let us read more views here:
A Spiritual master should have realized the conclusions of Scriptures:
Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.3.21):
tasmad gurua prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam
sabde pare ca nisnatam brahmany upaçamasrayam
Therefore any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, should be understood to be bona fide spiritual master.
A Guru should serve Holy name by Personal Behavior and Preaching:
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Antya 4.103:
acara’, ‘pracara’,—namera karaha ‘dui’ kärya
tumi—sarva-guru, tumi jagatera arya
“You simultaneously perform both duties in relation to the holy name by your personal behavior and by your preaching. Therefore you are the spiritual master of the entire world, for you are the most advanced devotee in the world.”
Purport:
Sanätana Gosvämé clearly defines herein the bona fide spiritual master of the world. The qualifications expressed in this connection are that one must act according to the scriptural injunctions and at the same time preach. One who does so is a bona fide spiritual master.
One can become a Guru from any Asrama:
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 8.128:
kiba vipra, kiba nyasi, sudra kene naya
yei krisna-tattva-vetta, sei ‘guru’ haya
Whether one is a brähmaëa, a sannyasi or a sudra—regardless of what he is—he can become a spiritual master if he knows the science of Krsna.
(Can a disciple of a Non-bonafide Guru take Diksha in ISKCON? READ HERE!)
Every one of you become the spiritual master:
Bhagavad-Gita 4.1-2 Lecture — Columbus, May 9, 1969:
amara ajnaya guru hara tara’ ei deça
yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-upadeça
(said in) Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya 7.128:
Lord Caitanya says that “Every one of you become the spiritual master, every one of you. Why one, two? Every one of you.” “Oh, spiritual master is very difficult job.” No. No difficult job. Caitanya Mahaa… Ämara äjïäya: “Just try to carry out My order. That’s all. Then you become spiritual master.”
Become a Spiritual master “On My order.”:
Bhagavad-Gita 2.2 lecture, London, Aug 3, 1973:
“So how everyone can become a spiritual master? A spiritual master must have sufficient knowledge, so many other qualifications. No. Even without any qualifications, one can become a spiritual master. How? Now the process is, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, amara ajnaya: “On My order.” That is the crucial point. One does not become spiritual master by his own whims. That is not spiritual master. He must be ordered by superior authority. Then he’s spiritual master. amara ajnaya. Just like in our case. Our superior authority, our spiritual master, he ordered me that “You just try to preach this gospel, whatever you have learned from me, in English.” So we have tried it. That’s all. It is not that I am very much qualified. The only qualification is that I have tried to execute the order of superior authority. That’s all. This is the secret of success.”
Thus, anyone of the above qualifications can become a Spiritual master.
(Is Shankara Sampradhaya a bonafide Sampradhaya? How? READ HERE!)