Neglecting or disobeying the Guru

guror-avajna

Glory to Panca-Tattva, glory to Sri Radha-Madhava. Glory to Navadvipa, Vraja, Yamuna and Vaishnava.

Hari Dasa said: Oh Lord, at Your request I will now talk about the third aparadha and what happens when it appears.

According to Your order, I will detail all the offenses that arise from neglecting the Guru.

After wandering through many wombs, one reaches a human form that is very rare and extremely lucky. However, having achieved that status in life, that body is also temporary.

If no effort is made to reach the highest auspiciousness, then one must be reborn in this mundane world, accept a temporary body and die once again.

One must understand how rare it is to achieve the human form within the cycle of birth and death.

The imprisoned Jiva must take shelter of an authentic Guru

Samsari jiva avasya sadguru asraya karibe

The Guru is the captain of the ship, and one should take shelter of him. Thus, by the favor of Krishna, one can cross the ocean of births and deaths.

One of the characteristics of a Guru is that he is a peaceful devotee of Krishna. One should approach such a person with submission, satisfy him and accept krishna-diksa from him. In this way one can cross samsara[1].

It is easy for the intelligence of the Jiva to fixate on Krishna when the useless rhetoric has faded. Rejecting such logic and taking refuge in true wisdom, one must accept the mantra from a Guru.

Those Jivas who are householders should remain situated within varnasrama and take shelter of an authentic spiritual master.

The Brahmanas and other superior Varnas should be accepted as Gurus if they are qualified

brahmanadi ucca-varne sat-patra thakile tini haibara yogya

The brahmana is the acarya of all other varnas if he follows krishna-bhakti.

In the absence of a qualified person from a brahmana family, one should accept diksa from someone of another type of lineage. A householder should accept a Guru from a varna higher than his own. The Guru and the disciple should examine each other.

The consideration of qualification is more important than Varna

Varna-vicara apeksa supatrera vicara adhika sreyah

It is natural that one who is conversant with krishna-tattva is eligible to be a Guru. Whether he is a brahmana, a sudra, a householder or a sannyasi, the Guru is like a wish-fulfilling tree[2].

Considering suitability based on the reputation of a particular varna from the highest point of view is not an acceptable thing. Finding the right qualifications is always necessary if you want to achieve pure rati[3].

Proper suitability is the basis for accepting someone as Guru. Such a person is like pure gold. If one meets such a person among the highest varnas, that person is as beautiful as gold[4].

[1] The cycle of births, lives, deaths and rebirths.

[2] Kalpa-taru.

[3] Affection towards the Lord.

[4] The idea therefore is that a Guru of a higher varna is better. If it is not found, then initiation and instructions can also be accepted from a lower varna, but always higher than the one in which the disciple is found. However, qualification is more important than any other consideration.

This is a section of the book “Harinama Cintamani (English)”.

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