Worshipping the Spiritual Master as Good as God

People may find it odd that we are worshipping a human being as good as God. In fact some people consider this to be downright demoniac. So why do we worship the spiritual master as good as God? Is there something wrong with this?

The answer is a resounding, "No!" To worship the spiritual master as good as God is authorized, quite proper and necessary according to the supreme authority, Lord Sri Krishna, who instructs as follows in the Srimad Bhagavatam 11.17.27:

ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān
nāvamanyeta karhicit
na martya-buddhyāsūyeta
sarva-deva-mayo guruḥ

"One should understand the spiritual master to be as good as I am. Nobody should be jealous of the spiritual master or think of him as an ordinary man, because the spiritual master is the sum total of all the demigods."

It is also confirmed by the great Vaisnava acharya, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur:

sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair
uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ
kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

"The spiritual master is to be honored as much as the Supreme Lord, because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord. This is acknowledged in all revealed scriptures and followed by all authorities. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is a bona fide representative of Śrī Hari [Krishna]."

Of course, it is not that the spiritual master is God. It's just that because he purely represents God he is given the same honor and respect that is given to God.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Offering Arati to Srila Prabhupada Sri Vrindavana Dhama, India--7 April 2013

Offering Arati to Srila Prabhupada Sri Vrindavana Dhama, India

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version:

Question: Why Prerequisites for Initiation?

Dear Gurudeva,

I am confused with your statement that every person aspiring for Krishna consciousness should get initiated from an authorized guru. But on the other hand you say initiation is subject to fulfilling certain conditions. I personally feel that there should be no prerequisites to get initiation in order to attract many people to this movement and to inundate this planet earth with Krishna bhakti.

Your servant,

Rajendra

Answer: Meaningless Ritual If Without Commitment

Just as a sick man requires to take the doctor's prescription in order to become cured, in a similar way one who is suffering from the disease of material consciousness requires to follow the spiritual master's prescription in order to become cured. Would it make any sense for people to go see a doctor if they refused to take the medicine he prescribes? Initiation is a commitment to accept the spiritual master's prescription. Without this commitment there is no meaning to initiation. It would just be an empty, meaningless, impotent ritual. One cannot become Krishna conscious without accepting the prescription given by the spiritual master. Therefore initiation is mandatory.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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