Which guru should I follow?

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Which Guru Should I Follow?

21 January 2025

Sometimes we hear the bogus philosophy that one can reject his dīkṣā-guru and follow a śikṣā-guru instead. But we must clearly understand that our initiating guru (dīkṣā-guru) is our one authority. Others who assist us in serving our dīkṣā-guru are known as instructing spiritual masters (śikṣā-guru). It is not that we can neglect following our dīkṣā-guru and follow the śikṣā-guru instead. Srila Prabhupada makes it very clear that if the śikṣā-guru teaches something different from the dīkṣā-guru, he is not a śikṣā-guru, He is a demon. So we have to be very careful not to be misled on this path of Krishna bhakti. This is compared to a razor's edge. One slip and there is blood. We have to be very careful not to be mislead by a so-called śikṣā-guru.

Here is exactly what Srila Prabhupada said in this connection: "Then so śikṣā and dīkṣā-guru... A śikṣā-guru who instructs against the instruction of the spiritual master he is not a śikṣā-guru. He is a demon. Śikṣā-guru, dīkṣā-guru means... Sometimes a dīkṣā-guru is not present always. Therefore one can take learning, instruction, from an advanced devotee. That is called the śikṣā-guru. Śikṣā-guru does not mean he is speaking something against the teachings of the dīkṣā-guru. He is not a śikṣā-guru. He is a rascal."

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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Questions and Answers

Hare Krishna Srila Gurudev,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you and Srila Prabhupada.

Dear Gurudev, I am chanting, attending classes online, reading at times but I still sometimes feel that I am slipping and falling back to my old tendencies, like how I was before coming into bhakti, even though I know it's wrong still I feel helpless.

1) How do I overcome this?

2) At times I feel I have changed and got rid of my old tendencies and sins, but then when that thing comes again infront of me I again find myself acting in the similar manner rather than discarding it, I get drawn to it.

Will it ever stop completely permanently?

Please enlighten me with the right understanding.

Your most fallen servant,
Jahanvi

Answer

From: Austin, Texas, USA

My Dear Jahanvi,

Please accept my blessings.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Ups and downs are quite normal for us neophytes. Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita, Chapter 2, Text 14:

"O son of Kunti, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness and distress, and their disappearance in due course, are like the appearance and disappearance of winter and summer seasons. They arise from sense perception, O scion of Bharata, and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed."

So we have to patiently continue chanting our rounds and following the four regulative principles. By doing so we will gradually rise beyond the dualities and be solidly fixed in Krishna consciousness.

I hope this meets you in the best of health.
Your ever well-wisher,

Sankarshan Das Adhikari


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