Accepting Spiritual Master as God According to Śāstra
In the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the position of the spiritual master is of paramount importance. Śrīla Prabhupāda consistently teaches that according to the verdict of all revealed scriptures, the spiritual master must be honored and accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This profound theological principle ensures that the disciple approaches the guru with the necessary submission and reverence required to receive transcendental knowledge. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that this acceptance is based on the guru's function as the Supreme Lord's most confidential representative, not on a claim of becoming God Himself.
Injunction of All Śāstras
Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that the instruction to accept the guru as God is not a sectarian opinion but the unanimous conclusion of all Vedic scriptures. Citing the authority of great ācāryas like Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, he explains that the phrase sākṣād-dharitvena indicates that the spiritual master is directly treated as Hari, the Supreme Lord.
- A guru should be accepted as God. That is the injunction of all sastras.
- As stated by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura in Gurv-astaka, saksad-dharitvena: One directly accepts the guru, the spiritual master, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura said, saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastraih: in every sastra the spiritual master is accepted directly as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- In all the sastras, the guru is respected as Krsna is respected. Saksad-dharitvena. Haritva. Hari means Lord. Samasta-sa . . . in all the scriptures, guru is accepted as Krsna.
Confidential Servant
The theological basis for worshipping the guru as God is his intimacy with the Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the spiritual master is the most confidential servant (kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya) and a bona fide representative who delivers the message of Kṛṣṇa without change. Therefore, honoring the representative is equal to honoring the Supreme Person.
- The spiritual master is accepted as identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead because he is the most confidential servant of the Lord (kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya). The purport is that both the Supersoul and the individual soul are very dear to everyone.
- This is the qualification of spiritual master, that he delivers things at it is. He does not make any adulteration. Then he is real representative, and he is to be accepted as God Himself. That is the process.
- We are thinking that being a servant of God is like being a servant of some man, but in the spiritual world the servant and the served are the same. For instance, the guru is the servant of Krsna, but he is accepted as Krsna.
External Manifestation
Śrīla Prabhupāda describes the spiritual master as the external manifestation of Kṛṣṇa, appearing to guide the conditioned soul who cannot yet see the Lord within the heart. By strictly following the instructions of this external manifestation, the disciple effectively follows God Himself.
- Acaryam mam vijaniyan: the Supreme Personality of Godhead says that one should respect the spiritual master, accepting him as the Lord Himself. Navamanyeta karhicit: one should not disrespect the acarya at any time.
- Prabuddha said, "In other words, the disciple should accept the spiritual master as God because he is the external manifestation of Krsna."
- Figuratively, King Malayadhvaja is the spiritual master, and his wife, Vaidarbhi, is the disciple. The disciple accepts the spiritual master as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Warning Against False Claims
While the disciple must worship the guru as God, Śrīla Prabhupāda sternly warns against the Māyāvādī misconception where a spiritual master claims to actually be God. He clarifies that a bona fide Vaiṣṇava guru always sees himself as a humble servant, and any claim to the contrary is blasphemous and grounds for immediate rejection.
- The Mayavadis cannot understand this. They think, "Because the spiritual master has to be accepted as God and because I have become a spiritual master, I have become God." This is rebellious.
- Following in the footsteps of Sri Narada Muni, one should not blindly accept his spiritual master as God Himself. A spiritual master is duly respected on a par with God, but a spiritual master claiming to be God Himself should at once be rejected.
- This (in all the scriptures the spiritual master is considered to be as good as God) does not mean, however, that the Vaisnava thinks himself God, for this is blasphemous.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Śrīla Prabhupāda establishes that accepting the spiritual master as God is a mandatory aspect of Vedic culture and spiritual discipline. This acceptance is rooted in the guru's position as the sākṣād-dharitvena, or the direct representative of the Supreme Lord. However, this philosophy operates on the principle of simultaneous oneness and difference; the guru is one with God in purpose and interest, but eternally distinct in identity as His servant. True spiritual advancement depends on honoring the spiritual master as God while understanding he is the most dear servant of God.
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