Selecting a Guru in ISKCON – Steps & Procedures involved!
(Part of the Series “Duties of a disciple to his Guru”)
To jump to PART-2, CLICK HERE
If a new devotee thinks of accepting a guru, he can’t accept a guru immediately after starting to come to the ISKCON temple.
Initiation means the start of dedicated devotional life under the guidance of a bonafide Spiritual master.
So, before starting the dedicated devotional life, he should prepare himself thru different sadhanas and learnings.
(Who can accept disciples? Qualifications of a bonafide Guru! READ HERE!)
This process of selecting a guru in ISKCON may take atleast One or a few years after getting introduced to ISKCON.
So, a devotee has to cross the following stages before accepting a guru in ISKCON:
ONE YEAR PREPARATORY PERIOD:
A devotee should –
Engage favorably in devotional service.
Strictly follow 4 regulative principles.
Chant sixteen rounds a day.
Attend full morning program (for temple residents).
Attend morning program at home or Namahatta centers (non temple residents).
PRABHUPADA ASRAYA:
Focus attention & (Get convinced) on Srila Prabhupäda as pre-eminent siksha guru.
Chant Srila Prabhupäda’s Pranama mantras while offering obeisances.
Receive guidance from respective ISCKON spiritual authorities (Siksha gurus).
(Importance of GBC in ISKCON & Status of an authorized guru! READ HERE!)
DIKSHA & SIKSHA GURU-PADASRAYA:
After a minimum of six months of following the above, one may select an ISKCON authorized diksha guru, from amongst ones established Siksha gurus.
Note that six months is the minimum period, and one may take as much time as required to make this selection.
The candidates should choose his guru by the exercise of their own intelligence.
Notify the local Temple President or relevant authority about your preparedness to accept a guru..
Take written examination issued by ISKCON authority.
Receive formal letter of recommendation from ISKCON authority.
Receive permission from the selected guru.
Begin to worship that guru and chant his Pranama-mantra (followed by at least the first of Srila Prabhupäda’s Pranama mantras).
In addition to taking instruction from ones selected diksha guru, one continues to take instruction from ones established siksha gurus.
Communicate to guru and local authorities if one decides to aspire for initiation from another ISKCON guru.
HARI-NAMA INITIATION:
After a subsequent minimum of six months, one may accept Vaishnava Diksha.
The guru is under no obligation to initiate a candidate.
After initiation one may accept additional siksha gurus, with the permission of one’s diksha guru.
These are the stages of selecting a guru in ISKCON and getting diksha from him.
(Importance of Guru (Spiritual master) in a devotee’s Spiritual Life! READ HERE!)
SELECTING A GURU IN ISKCON PROPERLY BEFORE ACCEPTING
(1) Don’t accept a guru suddenly out of fanaticism:
Science of Self Realization 2a: What Is a Guru?
The sästras enjoin that before we take a guru we study him carefully to find out whether we can surrender to him. We should not accept a guru suddenly out of fanaticism. That is very dangerous. The guru should also study the person who wants to become a disciple to see if he is fit. That is the way a relationship is established between the guru and disciple”
(2) Meet together at least for one year:
Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.16.25 — Hawaii, January 21, 1974:
In Hari-bhakti-vilasa by Sanätana Gosvami it is directed that the spiritual master and the disciple must meet together at least for one year so that the disciple may also understand that “Here is a person whom I can accept as my guru,” and the guru also can see that “Here is a person who is fit for becoming my disciple.” Then the business is nice.
(3) One must hear him at least for one year:
Srimad-Bhägavatam 1.16.25 — Hawaii, January 21, 1974:
So therefore the process is before accepting a guru, one must hear him at least for one year.And when he’s convinced that “Here is actually a guru who can teach me,” then you accept him, guru. Don’t accept whimsically.
(4) Scrutinize before accepting instead of rejecting later:
Harinama Cintamani—6:
The scriptures recommend that both the spiritual master and the disciple place each other under strict scrutiny before mutual acceptance. Since even ordinary household items are tested before acquisition, it is only an unfortunate fool who will fail to go through a testing period in the selection of his true spiritual master, who is the best friend of the living entities. The point is that one must not bring upon himself the calamity of having to reject his spiritual master. If one is prudent, he can avoid such a situation.
(5) Social conventions are not the basis:
Caitanya-caritamruta, Adi 1.35 purport:
It is imperative that a serious person accept a bona fide spiritual master in terms of the sastric injunctions. Sri Jiva Gosvami advises that one not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary social and ecclesiastical conventions. One should simply try to find a genuinely qualified spiritual master for actual advancement in spiritual understanding.
(Importance of GBC in ISKCON & Status of an authorized guru! READ HERE!)
(6) Choose applying intelligence:
ISKCON Law 7.2 Responsibility of Candidate for Initiation 37:
It is the personal responsibility of candidates for initiation to correctly choose, by the exercise of their own intelligence, a particular devotee as spiritual master. Candidates for initiation should accept initiation from a spiritual master only after developing firm and mature faith in that devotee and in his ability to take them back to Godhead. Sadhu, shastra, and guru are the authoritative references to apply in ascertaining the level of advancement of a devotee. Receiving official ISKCON guru approval signifies that the devotee has successfully completed the authorization process set forth in ISKCON law, and that in the judgment of certain senior devotees the candidate measures up to the standards and guidelines given in ISKCON law.
However, such approval is not automatically to be taken as a statement about the degree of God-realization of the approved guru, and it is not intended to replace the intelligent discrimination of the candidate.
(7) Accept an uttama-adhikari as a spiritual master:
Upadesamrta Verse 5 Purport:
When a person realizes himself to be an eternal servitor of Krishna, he loses interest in everything but Krishna’s service. Always thinking of Krishna, devising means by which to spread the holy name of Krishna, he understands that his only business is in spreading the Krishna consciousness movement all over the world. Such a person is to be recognized as an uttama adhikari, and his association should be immediately accepted according to the six processes (dadati pratigrhati, etc.). Indeed, the advanced uttama-adhikari Vaisnava devotee should be accepted as a spiritual master. Everything one possesses should be offered to him, for it is enjoined that one should deliver whatever he has to the spiritual master.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has given some practical hints to the effect that an uttama-adhikari Vaisnava can be recognized by his ability to convert many fallen souls to Vaisnavism.
In this verse Srila Rupa Gosvami advises the devotee to be intelligent enough to distinguish between the kanista-adhikari, madhyama- adhikari and uttama- adhikari.
One should not become a spiritual master unless he has attained the platform of uttama-adhikari. A neophyte Vaisnava or a Vaisnava situated on the intermediate platform can also accept disciples, but such disciples must be on the same platform, and it should be understood that they cannot advance very well toward the ultimate goal of life under his insufficient guidance.
Therefore a disciple should be careful to accept an uttama- adhikari as a spiritual master.
(8) You don’t require large definition, what is guru:
Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.26-27 lecture, Philadelphia, July 12th, 1975:
You don’t require large definition, what is guru. So Vedic knowledge gives you indication that
If you want to know the science of spiritual life, you must approach guru. And who is guru? Guru means who is the faithful servant of God. Very simple.
That’s all about Selecting a Guru in ISKCON.
(Who can accept disciples? Qualifications of a bonafide Guru! READ HERE!)