Accepting a Guru Is Not a Fashion
The relationship between a spiritual master and a disciple is based on absolute truth and total surrender, yet Śrīla Prabhupāda observes that in the current age, it has often degraded into a fashion. Many people collect gurus like material possessions or seek out those who can perform mystical jugglery, without any intent to actually follow instructions. This article explores Śrīla Prabhupāda's critique of this superficial spirituality and his guidance on how to avoid the trap of "pet dog" gurus.
"Pet Dog" Mentality
A prevalent misconception is that one can accept a guru while maintaining complete independence in one's life. Śrīla Prabhupāda compares this to keeping a pet dog—something to show off but not to obey. If a disciple accepts a guru but thinks, "I do not care for my guru's order," the relationship is useless. Real acceptance involves a willingness to be disciplined and to surrender one's own arguments.
- If you think that you know better than Krsna or Krsna's representative, the guru, there is no necessity of accepting guru. Do not keep a guru as a pet dog.
- If you find out somebody where you can fully surrender, then accept guru. Don't make guru a fashion. People generally do that, "Everyone has a guru. Let me collect. Let me pick up some guru who will be dancing dog." That kind of guru will not help you.
- I accept a guru, but in my mind I remain independent, "Oh, why shall I abide by the orders of guru?" That means there is no surrender. There is no surrender. It is false.
Avoiding Cheaters
Because the general populace is eager for cheap miracles rather than the difficult path of self-purification, they fall victim to bogus gurus. Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that if one is impressed by gold-making or word jugglery, they will be cheated. A true guru is one who speaks the science of Kṛṣṇa, not one who caters to the material desires of the disciple.
- If you are inquisitive to understand transcendental truth, the Absolute Truth, the guru is... To have a guru is not a fashion. Now it has become a fashion. If somebody shows some jugglery, people become very much anxious to accept such guru. No.
- If they are eager to accept a guru, they accept a false guru, and they are materially disturbed. This is the position of the people of this age.
- Unless you find somebody where you can fully surrender, don't accept guru. That is cheating.
Standard of Mutual Examination
To prevent these unfortunate situations, the Vedic system prescribes a period of mutual testing. Śrīla Prabhupāda advises that a prospective disciple should hear from the guru for at least one year. This allows the disciple to confirm the guru's knowledge and behavior, and the guru to assess the disciple's sincerity. Only after this conviction is established should one formally accept initiation.
- The rules and regulation are that nobody should accept blindly any guru, and nobody should blindly accept any disciple. They must behave, one another, at least for one year.
- By Sanatana 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.
- When he's convinced that, "Here is actually a guru who can teach me," then you accept him, guru. Don't accept him whimsically.
Conclusion
Accepting a guru is the most significant decision in a human being's life, as it opens the door to the eternal world. Therefore, Śrīla Prabhupāda urges us to abandon the fashionable approach and become serious. We must reject the pretenders and the desire for social validation, and instead seek a bona fide representative of Kṛṣṇa to whom we can fully surrender our life and intelligence.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Accepting a Guru. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.