The Fundamental Truths about Guru or the Divine Spiritual Masters

  Paramahamsa Shri Shrimad Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaja

In this line of sages, of Gaudiya Vaishnava Saints, the guru or divine spiritual master is essential in the spiritual life of the practitioner. Through the spiritual master or guru, one will be able to contact the transcendental plane of the soul, and the spiritual world. The guru is a mediator to transmit the windows of that spiritual plane. He will manifest in the heart of the student, what he himself has realized in his bhakti-yoga trance.

In the ancient scriptures of The Vedas, the description of the guru or divine spiritual master is established:

“A sober and intelligent person, who can dominate the impetus of speech, the agitation of the mind, the arrival of anger, the vehemence of the tongue, the urges of the stomach and the agitation of the genitals, can instruct the whole world. In other words, the whole world can become the disciples of such a self- controlled person” (Rupa Goswami, Upadeshamrita)

“Therefore, a person who desires seriously the optimal spiritual perfection should look for a bona fide guru and take shelter in him. The characteristics of such a genuine guru are that he must have realized completely all the Vedic Scriptures and the Absolute Truth, and for whom this material world holds no charm whatsoever” (Shrimad Bhagavatam 11.3.21)

“A guru or spiritual leader (acharya) is he who understands completely the conclusions of the revealed scriptures, and whose behavior reflects his deep spiritual realization. He is the living example because he teaches the meaning of the scriptures by word and action” (Vayu Purana)

“He who is an ocean of mercy, who is completely self-satisfied, who acts only for the benefit of the souls, who is devoid of all material desires (lust), who is perfect in all senses (who has realized his eternal spiritual identity and the spiritual plane), who knows all the knowledge and is well versed in all the Vedic Scriptures and the science of transcendental devotion (bhakti), who can cut from the root all doubts, who is free from lethargy, is known as the genuine spiritual master” (Vishnu Smiriti Vachana)

“Very few have the great fortune to hear about the science of the soul. From those few who hear it, the majority cannot understand it, because it is very difficult to find a guru who is a genuine seeker of the Absolute Truth. A real genuine guru is very difficult to find. Only those who follow his teachings can realize the Absolute Truth and will become an expert in bhakti (the science of pure transcendental devotion). Such genuine disciples are also very hard to find” (Katha Upanishad 1.2.7)

The guru or spiritual master of the highest level called an uttam uttam maha bhagavat, of our disciplic succession of Gaudiya Vaishnava Saints, are fully self-realized. This means that they have realized the eleven characteristics of the  eternal spiritual body (eka-dasa-bhavas),  like their eternal relationship with God, eternal age, name, form, dress, group, residence, service, specific instruction, etc. (Jaiva-dharma, Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur)

We can only serve God with our spiritual body, not with this material body. Therefore, only those gurus or divine masters that have reached this spiritual perfection will be able to help us realize our eternal spiritual identity and relationship with God within our heart. Our eternal relationship with God is to be His eternal servant. Everything will be injected in the heart of the student by the inconceivable spiritual potency of the guru. Narottam das Thakur, a Vaishnava Saint of the highest level of realization has glorified guru saying:

“Life after life you are my divine master because you have given me a divine vision (divya gyan) in my heart.”

The sacred Vedic scriptures establish the importance of receiving the spiritual enlightenment called diksha. This enlightenment is made possible through the divine sound vibration, which is transmitted directly to the disciple or student from the lotus mouth of the guru. A beautiful example is given by my divine spiritual master:

“The internal spiritual emotions of the guru or divine spiritual master of service with the Divine Couple are conveyed to the student through the mantra (transcendental sound). Everything is given in the form of seed in the mantra. In the beginning, the student will not be able to understand it, but as he gradually advances in his spiritual practices of meditation under the guidance of the guru, and meditates in this mantra, gradually everything will be revealed. Therefore, here it is said that mantra is the direct representation of guru or the divine spiritual master” (Shrila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Maharaja)

“When the living entity who has started the path of devotion (bhakti), surrenders, first of all, to the lotus feet of a genuine pure guru or spiritual master, God will accept Him as His. The guru or divine master will liberate him from the bodily identity and conception of life and will give him, the direct perception of his eternal spiritual nature (svarup). With this divine knowledge, the devotee takes a spiritual body perfectly suitable for his transcendental service to God. This is the mystery behind the initiation called diksha”  (Shrila Bhakti Pramod Puri Maharaja)

“The living entity, by the cause of his karma, is destined to wander through the entire universe (taking birth in different species of life). From millions of living entities, those who are extremely fortunate will receive the mercy of an enlightened guru and of God, who will plant the seed of transcendental devotion (bhakti) in his heart” (Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu Bindhu)

“No one can attain perfection or the supreme destination without a diksha guru, without a divine spiritual master who is self-realized. He will bestow upon the sincere student the transcendental sound of the mantras. Therefore, with the utmost care, one should receive the spiritual initiation through the mantras called diksha, from a genuine and bona fide spiritual master” (Purana Vakya)

“Oh, Vamoru! All the auspicious activities that a man performs are useless without accepting diksha (spiritual initiation receiving the mantras or the transcendental sound from the lotus mouth of a genuine divine master). Those who are devoid of diksha take birth in the lowest species of life” (Skanda Purana, Hari Bhakti Vilas 2.6)

“Divya gyan  is the divine knowledge contained in a mantra (transcendental sound) which reveals the form and eternal identity of the Supreme Lord as well as the knowledge of the eternal relationship of the living entity with God” (Bhakti Sandarbha 83)

“The relationship between God and the living entity is to serve and be served. God is served and the living entity is the servant; this is only a general relationship. In the advanced stage, this same relationship is manifested in a particular form in any of the most prominent eternal relationships with God like 1. a servant, 2. a friend, 3. a parent, 4. a conjugal lover. The divine spiritual master, shri guru, knowing the inherent and natural disposition of the disciple, that is, his eternal relationship with God, nourishes him with a particular sentiment in order to manifest it clearly in his heart” (Shrila Visvanath Chakravarti Thakur)

The lineage of self-realized souls descending since 5000 years

Guru Parampara

Original Lord Sri Krishna

Sri Brahmahna

Sri Narada Muni

Sri Vyasadeva

Sri Madhvacharya

Sri Padmanabha

Sri Narhari

Sri Madhava

Sri Aksobhya

Sri Jaya TirthaSri Jñanasindhu

Sri Dayanidhi

Sri Vidyanidhi

Sri Rajendra

Sri Jayadharma

Sri Purusottama

Sri Brahmanya Tirtha

Sri Vyasa Tirtha

Sri Laksmipati

Sri Madhavendra Puri

Sri Ishvara PuriSri Nityananda

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Sri Rupa Goswami (Sri Svarup, Sri Sanatan)

Sri Raghunath Das Goswami, Sri Jiva Goswami

Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami

Srila Narottam Das Thakur

Srila Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur

Srila Jagannath Das Babaji Maharaja

Srila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakur

Srila Gaura Kishor Das Babaji Maharaja

Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur

Srila Bhakti Prajñan Keshava Goswami Maharaja

 Paramahamsa Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami Maharaja

 

    Lord Krishna, Original Supreme Personality of Gohead

                   Narada Muni

        Vyasadeva, compiler  of the Vedas

           Madhavendra   Puripad

         Ishvara Puripad

          Nityananda  Prabhu

           

       

   Lord Chaitanya   

       Mahaprabhu

 

             Rupa Goswami

  Sanatan Goswami

     Raghunath das Goswami

Gopal Bhatta Goswami

            Jiva Goswami

    Krishna das Kaviraja

       Lokanath das Thakur

       Narottam das Thakur

      Narottam, Shrinivas Shyamananda prabhus

Vishvanath Chakravarti Thakur

Baladeva Vidyabhushan

Jagannath das Babaji

     Bhaktivinod Thakur

       Gaura Kishor das Babaji

              Shrila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur

          Shrila Bhakti Pragyan Keshav Goswami

   Paramahamsa Bhaktivedanta Narayan Goswami