Who Is A Bona Fide Spiritual Master And Who Is Not
by Chaitanya Priya das —
http://vaniquotes.org/wiki/Category:Unless
WHO IS ACTUALLY THE BONA FIDE SPIRITUAL MASTER AND WHO IS NOT.
Srila Prabhupada very often makes use of the of the linguistic structure “UNLESS ONE…ONE CANNOT” on many different subjects.
Here we will put only a few quotes where Srila Prabhupada teaches us WHO IS ACTUALLY THE BONA FIDE SPIRITUAL MASTER AND WHO IS NOT using this CATEGORICAL CONDITIONAL structure “UNLESS ONE…ONE CANNOT”
MEANING OF “UNLESS”
Due to the use of the conditional form UNLESS it is categorically rejected as anything that does not meet the required condition.
UNLESS categorically means that there are no exceptions to that which does not satisfy the condition. It is impossible. It is not possible.
Examples in the sastra are with the same structure.
“NOBODY CAN become successful UNLESS HE satisfies Kṛṣṇa.” (SB 1.7.36-37 — Vrndavana, September 29, 1976)
One CAN become successful WITHOUT satisfying Krsna. Is this POSSIBLE?
UNLESS ONE surrenders completely at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, HE CANNOT get out of the entanglement of the three modes of material nature. (SB 4.25.55)
UNLESS ONE is favored by the Supreme Lord, ONE CANNOT cross over the ocean of the nescience of repeated birth and death.(SB 3.16.19)
UNLESS ONE practices devotional service to the Lord, HE CANNOT KNOW Kṛṣṇa as He is (tattvataḥ), even though one is a great scholar or philosopher.(Bg 7.3)
ONE CANNOT be disinfected from sinful activities UNLESS HE surrenders unto the Supreme Lord. (BG 10.12-13)
WE CANNOT get relief from these clutches of material world UNLESS WE surrender unto Kṛṣṇa. (Pandal Lecture — Bombay, April 7, 1971)
ONE CANNOT be sure of entrance into the spiritual realm—in either the impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence of the Lord or the Vaikuṇṭha planets within that Brahman effulgence UNLESS HE is surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. (SB 3.25.43)
You CANNOT be happy UNLESS you surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is sanātana-dharma. (Lecture on BG 2.24 — Hyderabad, November 28, 1972)
http://prabhupadabooks.com/jsd/7/shortcomings_of_marxism
Just as A FISH CANNOT BE HAPPY UNLESS HE IS IN THE WATER, we cannot be happy apart from the spiritual world.
CONDITIONAL clauses can begin with UNLESS.
Meaning of CONDITION :
- something INDISPENSABLE to the existence of something else.
- a circumstance INDISPENSABLE to some result; prerequisite.
Srila Prabhupada countless times makes THE SAME STATEMENT USING DIFFERENT WORDS about WHO IS REALLY A BONA FIDE, GENUINE SPIRITUAL MASTER and therefore WHO IS NOT a bona fide spiritual master, one who is just a pretender, a cheater, a usurper and impostor, someone who only imitates. These are conclusive and absolute words of the authority Srila Prabhupada:
“ONE SHOULD NOT become a spiritual master UNLESS he has attained the platform of uttama-adhikārī.” (Upadesamrta five)
“UNLESS ONE is a resident of Krishna Loka, ONE CANNOT be a Spiritual Master.
(Srila Prabhupada Letter, June 10th, 1969)
“ONE CANNOT become a spiritual master UNLESS he is a pure devotee of the Lord.”
(SB 4.29.51)
“UNLESS ONE is self-realized and knows what his relationship with the Supersoul is, HE CANNOT be a bona fide spiritual master.” (SB 3.28.2)
“UNLESS one takes shelter of a bona fide, FULLY KRSNA CONSCIOUS spiritual master, THERE IS NO CHANCE of understanding Krsna.” (SB 7.5.32 )
“UNLESS ONE surrenders to the dust of the lotus feet of PURE DEVOTEE, Kṛṣṇa consciousness CANNOT BE developed. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE. That is the secret.” (The Nectar of Devotion — Bombay, January 6, 1973)
UNLESS …cannot be/ONLY BY…can one be..
SB 7.5.32:
TRANSLATION
UNLESS they smear upon their bodies the dust of the lotus feet OF A VAISNAVA COMPLETELY FREED FROM MATERIAL CONTAMINATION, persons very much inclined toward materialistic life CANNOT be attached to the lotus feet of the Lord, who is glorified for His uncommon activities. ONLY BY becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious and taking shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord IN THIS WAY CAN ONE be freed from material contamination.
PURPORT
UNLESS one takes shelter of a bona fide, fully Kṛṣṇa conscious spiritual master, THERE IS NO CHANCE OF understanding Kṛṣṇa. ONLY one who has surrendered to a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa and taken the dust of his lotus feet CAN understand Kṛṣṇa.
“Person Bhāgavatam is the self-realized bona fide spiritual master, and through him ONLY CAN ONE understand the lessons of Bhāgavatam in order to receive the desired result. (SB 1.3.40 )
SB 5.14.1 purport:
“NO ONE CAN get out of this struggle for existence, which is full of miseries, WITHOUT accepting A PURE DEVOTEE OF THE LORD.”
A FEW QUOTES MORE ABOUT WHO IS REALLY THE BONA FIDE ,GENUINE, SPIRITUAL MASTER AND WHO IS NOT:
- “The guru must be situated on the topmost platform of devotional service.
- There are three classes of devotees, and the guru must be accepted from the topmost class.
- The first-class devotee is the spiritual master for all kinds of people.
- When one has attained the topmost position of mahā-bhāgavata, he is to be accepted as a guru and worshiped exactly like Hari, the Personality of Godhead.
- ONLY such a person is eligible to occupy the post of a guru.”
(CC Madhya-Lila 24,330)
Indeed, the advanced uttama-adhikārī Vaiṣṇava devotee should be accepted as a spiritual master. ONE SHOULD NOT become a spiritual master UNLESS he has attained the platform of uttama-adhikārī. Therefore a disciple should be careful to accept an uttama-adhikārī as a spiritual master. (Upadesamrta five)
“UNLESS one is a resident of Krishna Loka, ONE CANNOT be a Spiritual Master. A BONA FIDE Spiritual Master is a resident of Krsnaloka” (Srila Prabhupada Letter, June 10th, 1969)
However, if one is born in a family of dog-eaters but is A PURE DEVOTEE OF THE LORD, he can become a spiritual master.” The conclusion is that ONE CANNOT become a spiritual master UNLESS HE IS A PURE DEVOTEE OF THE LORD . (SB 4.29.51)
- “The BONA FIDE representative of God
- the loving representative of the Lord
- a pure devotee of the Lord.
- THE TRANSCENDENTAL PURE DEVOTEE OF THE LORD”
SB 2.7.46
“Atma-vit means A SELF-REALIZED SOUL OR BONA FIDE SPIRITUAL MASTER. UNLESS one is self-realized and knows what his relationship with the Supersoul is, HE CANNOT be a bona fide spiritual master. (SB 3.28.2 : Srila Prabhupada Purport)
A spiritual master
WHO IS ONE HUNDRED PERCENT KRSNA CONSCIOUS IS THE BONA FIDE spiritual master, for he can solve the problems of life.” *Bg 2.8 : Srila Prabhupada’s PURPORT)
———————————————————————————————-
A BONA FIDE spiritual master
Who is fully cognizant of the methods of spiritual science, learned in the spiritual scriptures such as the Bhagavad-gita, Vedanta, Srimad-Bhagavatam and Upanisads, and who is also A REALIZED SOUL who has made a tangible connection with the Supreme Lord, is the transparent medium by which the willing candidate is led to the path of the Vaikunthas. ”
(Easy Journey to Other Planets” ,1: Antimaterial Worlds)
Such a personality is kṛṣṇāliṅgita-vigraha-that is, he is always embraced by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Such a person is above the considerations of the varṇāśrama institution. He is the guru or spiritual master for the entire world,A DEVOTEE ON THE TOPMOST PLATFORM,THE MAHA-BHAGAVATA STAGE,AND A PARAMAHAMSA-THAKURA, a spiritual form only fit to be addressed as paramahaṁsa or ṭhākura.”
(CC Madhya 25.9)
“One must become blessed by the dust of the lotus feet of A PURE DEVOTEE WHO IS COMPLETELY FREED FROM THE CONTAMINATION OF MATERIAL DESIRES .” (
The Nectar of Devotion: 1: 1970 Edition)
So one must find out a guru who is PARAMAHAMSA . Neither kuṭīcaka, nor bahūdaka, nor parivrājakācārya. Paramahaṁsa.
Lecture: Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.10-13 — Vrndavana, November 1, 1976
Unless…cannot be,
Only by…can one be..
SB 7.5.32:
TRANSLATION
UNLESS they smear upon their bodies the dust of the lotus feet of A VAISNAVA COMPLETELY FREE FROM MATERIAL CONTAMINATION , persons very much inclined toward materialistic life CANNOT be attached to the lotus feet of the Lord, who is glorified for His uncommon activities.
ONLY BY becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious and taking shelter at the lotus feet of the Lord in this way CAN ONE be freed from material contamination.
PURPORT
UNLESS one takes shelter of a BONA FIDE, FULLY KRSNA CONSCIOUS SPIRITUAL MASTER , THERE IS NO CHANCE OF understanding Kṛṣṇa.
ONLY one who has surrendered to A PURE DEVOTEE OF KRSNA and taken the dust of his lotus feet CAN understand Kṛṣṇa. And to become Kṛṣṇa conscious very easily, one must take shelter of A REALIZED SOUL—a mahat, or mahātmā—whose only interest is to engage in the service of the Supreme Lord. One must take shelter of A SELF REALIZED spiritual master, not a materially educated scholar or politician. One must take shelter of a niskincana, a person engaged in devotional service and free from material contamination.
That is the way to return home, back to Godhead
“PERSON BHAGAVATAM IS THE SELF-REALIZED BONA FIDE SPIRITUAL MASTER , and through him ONLY CAN ONE understand the lessons of Bhāgavatam in order to receive the desired result. (SB 1.3.40 purport)
“Everyone has to see Kṛṣṇa according to the verdict of Vedic literatures presented by the SELF-REALIZED spiritual master.” (Madhya 18.99 purport)
PURE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE FLOWS BY THE ASSOCIATION OF PURE DEVOTEES. (SB 1.5.28)
SB 3.4.31:
“THE SPECIFIC QUALIFICATION FOR BECOMING THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LORD IS:
-“TO BE UNAFFECTED BY THE MATERIAL MODES OF NATURE.”,“NEVER AFFECTED BY THE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE.”
-“SITUATED IN UNALLOYED GOODNESS, śuddha-sattva, or vasudeva.”
-“A PURE DEVOTEE OF THE LORD.”
-“jīvan-mukta, OR LIBERATED.A LIBERATED SOUL.”
(1)“Uddhava WAS IN SUCH A TRANSCENDENTAL POSITION, and thus
(2) HE WAS “SELECTED” TO BE THE FACTUAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE LORD”
SB 5.14.1
TRANSLATION
Struggling for existence in this way, he cannot get THE SHELTER OF PURE DEVOTEES , who are like bumblebees engaged in loving service at the lotus feet of Lord Viṣṇu.
PURPORT
NO ONE CAN get out of this struggle for existence, which is full of miseries, WITHOUT ACCEPTING A PURE DEVOTEE OF THE LORD.
The material attempt changes from one position to another, and no one actually gains relief from the struggle for existence.
The only resort is the lotus feet of a BONA FIDE spiritual master, and, through him, the lotus feet of the Lord.
“If we have actually found out a person who is SELF-REALIZED and we have surrendered there honestly, with inquiry and service, then we must know that our spiritual salvation is guaranteed. Guaranteed. There is no doubt about it.” (BG , 4.37-40 -New York, August 21, 1966)
SB 1.5.34:
one has to, first of all, seek THE ASSOCIATION OF PURE DEVOTEES who not only are learned in the Vedānta but are SELF-REALIZED SOULS and UNALLOYED DEVOTEES of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. IN THAT ASSOCIATION, the neophyte devotees must render loving service physically and mentally without reservation.
SB 4.20.25:
“Although when A PURE DEVOTEE speaks, the articulation of his voice may resemble the sound of this material sky, the voice is spiritually very powerful because it touches the particles of saffron dust on the lotus feet of the Lord. As soon as a sleeping living entity hears the powerful voice emanating from the mouth of A PURE DEVOTEE, he immediately remembers his eternal relationship with the Lord, although up until that moment he had forgotten everything.”
SB 1.5.25 purport: BY THE ASSOCIATION OF PURE DEVOTEES:
PURE DEVOTION is as much INFECTIOUS, in a good sense, as infectious diseases. The bhakti-vedāntas as above mentioned were PURE DEVOTEES, and the boy BE CAME INFECTED WITH THEIR QUALITIES OF PURITY by their association and by eating once the remnants of the foodstuff taken by them. The neophyte devotee BECOMES PRACTICALLY ENRICHED WITH THE TRANSCENDENTAL QUALITIES OF THE PURE DEVOTEE, which means attraction for the Personality of Godhead’s name, fame, quality, pastimes, etc.
INFECTION OF THE QUALITIES OF THE PURE DEVOTEE MEANS to imbibe THE TASTE OF PURE DEVOTION always in the transcendental activities of the Personality of Godhead.
SIMPLY BY ATTENTIVE HEARING OF THE TRANSCENDENTAL PASTIMES OF THE LORD FROM THE RIGHT SOURCES,THE PURE DEVOTEES.
SB 1.5.26 purport:
The whole idea is that SIMPLY BY HEARING about the Lord’s pastimes one can become one of the associates of the Lord. One can attain to the highest perfection of life SIMPLY BY ATTENTIVE HEARING OF THE TRANSCENDENTAL PASTIMES OF THE LORD FROM THE RIGHT SOURCES, as Śrī Nārada HEARD THEM FROM THE PURE DEVOTEES (bhakti-vedāntas) in his previous life. THIS PROCESS OF HEARING IN THE ASSOCIATION OF THE DEVOTEES is especially recommended in this age of quarrel (Kali).
PURE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE FLOWS BY THE ASSOCIATION OF PURE DEVOTEES
SB 1.5.28 purport:
“If, by the grace of the Lord and the great-souled devotees of the Lord, a living being becomes fortunate enough TO ASSOCIATE WITH THE UNADULTERATED DEVOTEES OF THE LORD and gets a chance TO HEAR THE UNADULTERATED GLORIES OF THE LORD, certainly THE FLOW OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE takes place like the flow of a river. As the river flows on till she reaches the sea, similarly PURE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE FLOWS BY THE ASSOCIATION OF PURE DEVOTEES till it reaches the ultimate goal, namely, transcendental love of God.
SB 1.5.29 purport:
These are the necessary qualifications of a prospective candidate who can expect TO BE ELEVATED TO THE POSITION OF A PURE UNADULTERATED DEVOTEE. Such a candidate must always seek THE ASSOCIATION OF PURE DEVOTEES. ONE SHOULD NOT BE MISLED BY A PSEUDO-DEVOTEE. He himself must be plain and gentle to receive the instructions of SUCH A PURE DEVOTEE. A PURE DEVOTEE is a completely surrendered soul unto the Personality of Godhead. He knows the Personality of Godhead as the supreme proprietor and all others as His servitors. And BY THE ASSOCIATION OF PURE DEVOTEES ONLY, one can get rid of all sins accumulated by mundane association. A neophyte devotee must FAITHFULLY SERVE THE PURE DEVOTEE, and he should be very much obedient and strictly follow the instructions. These are the signs of a devotee who is determined to achieve success even in the existing duration of life.