Is Being a Guru Dishonest?

In the Bhagavad-gita (12.7) Lord Sri Krishna states, "I am the swift deliverer from the ocean of birth and death." And in the Srimad Bhagavatam (5.5.18) it is stated that one should not become a guru unless he can deliver his disciples from birth and death. So one might question, "Since Krishna is the actual deliverer, how can anyone legitimately take the position of being a spiritual master? Wouldn't that be dishonest?" The answer is that both Lord Sri Krishna and the spiritual master are the deliverers because Krishna does His work of delivering the fallen conditioned soul through the agency of the bona fide spiritual master. In other words, the bona fide spiritual master is empowered by Krishna to deliver his disciples back to the spiritual world.

For example, I have many disciples all over the world. By connecting my disciples with the sublime process of Krishna consciousness as taught by my spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada, and by Lord Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita I am factually delivering my disciples from the cycle of repeated birth and death. Even though I am not the doer, I am giving them immortality by connecting them with my spiritual master and Lord Sri Krishna.

The conclusion is that no one become a guru by manufacturing his own teachings and that anyone can become a guru by purely presenting the teachings of Lord Sri Krishna as they are coming down to us through the bona fide process of disciplic succession.

Initiating Disciples in Vrindavana--6 November 2015

Sankarshan Das Adhikari - Initiating Disciples in Vrindavana

Artist's Concept of Our Completed Project in Austin, Texas USA

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Sankarshan Das Adhikari - Artist's Concept of Our Completed Project in Austin, Texas USA

Answers by Citing the Vedic Version:

Question: How Can I Get Fixed at Your Lotus Feet?

How can I get fixed at your lotus feet, Srila Gurudeva? I just want to do it, but I don't do it. It is childishness.

Your servant

S.D.

Answer: Follow this Instruction

To remain fixed at the lotus feet of your spiritual master always remember and follow this most wonderful and powerful enlightening instruction given by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur in Mantra 8 of his famous Gurvastakam prayers:

"By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Krishna. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement. Therefore, I should always remember and praise the spiritual master. At least three times a day I should offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master."

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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