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EDITORIAL  Questions & Answers With Srila Bhakti Bibudha Bodhayan Maharaja SUBMITTED INDRADYUMNA DAS EDITORIAL, Jun 30 (VNN) — QUESTION: Dear Srila Bodhayan Maharaj, I've heard that once Srila Bhakti Pramod Puri Gosvami Maharaj, our spiritual master, said that the disciple should develop his inner attitude/feeling towards his/her spiritual master. Did he say so? If yes, what is the proper understanding of his words and what is the proper standard of following his instruction? What should be the proper inner attitude towards ones Spiritual Master? I know that in Bhagavad Gita (4.34) it is said that: tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya upadeksyanti te jnanam jnaninas tattva-darsinah Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realised soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth. ANSWER: Here are some guidelines for the proper understanding of his (Srila Guru Maharaja's) words and the proper standard of following his instruction, in accordance with the teachings/precepts about Sri Guru as described in the Holy Scriptures. For examples: 1) From Srila Viswanath Chakrabarti Thakur's writings--"saksaddharitvena samasta-sastraih..." 2) "yasya prasadat bhagavat prasado...." plus other verses from "gurvastakam". 3) From Srila Narottam das Thakur's songs about Sri Gurudeva--such as "sri guru-carana-padma:" and "gurudev krpa vindu diya:" etc. 4) Verses from Srimad Bhagavatam-such as "acaryam mam vijaniyat..." translation: "you must always know an Acharya or Sri Guru as non-different self of Mine. So, never disrespectfully consider or treat him as a worldly person. All demigods dwell in him. Or, he is the abode of all Godliness." (S.B.11/17/27) 5)"tasmat gurum prapadyeta:" (S.B.11/3/21) Translation: "Being deeply eager to know from him (Sri Guru) about the highest good of his life, one should humbly approach and take shelter of or surrender unto a bonafide Guru who is..." 6)"Guru is to be considered as the pilot of your human life-boat in the worldly ocean of birth and death" deham adyam su-labham su-durlabham:"(S.B. 11/20/17) 7) From Bhagavad Gita (4/34)-"tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya...." 8) From Bhakti-Rasamrta-Sindhu (East Division)-"adau sri gurupadasraya, tasmat krsna-diksadi siksanam, visrambhena guroh seva..." etc. Translation: "First of all, one should devotedly accept full shelter of Sri Guru's lotus feet and then respectfully receive initiation in and education of Krishna-consciousness from him while faithfully and whole-heartedly (devotedly) engaged in the devotional service of His Divine Grace..." [see full translations of all the above verses] As you look into the translations of above verses, you can easily receive the guidelines of how to develop one's inner attitude/feeling towards his/her spiritual master. Please note that Prabhupada Srila B.S.Saraswati Goswami Thakur has explained to us that Sri Gurudev can be viewed as the manifestation of Sriman Nityananda Prabhu, Sriman Mahaprabhu and the Divine Couple Sri Sri Radha-Krishna Chandra. Sometimes he emphasized Sri Guru-Svarupa (in the form of asraya vigraha) as Sri Nityananda Prabhu and other times as Srimati Radharani. The complete Guru-tatva should be understood through acintya-bhedaabheda principle. QUESTION: Also I have seen that you wrote that the Spiritual Master (Gurudeva) is like the media for the disciple. In material world we have such experience that when someone uses some media to reach his goals, after he has reached his goals, he rejects his media as useless. For example, when some man want to enjoy his senses, he says so many sweet words to the woman. But when he has enjoyed, he gives up his women and looks for another object. That is why, please explain what our relationship with guru should be after we have gone through such stages of the devotional practise as anartha-nivrtti (unwanted habits gradually go away), nistha (steadiness of purpose), ruci (taste), asakti, bhava and reach by the blessings of Gurudeva the goal of the Vaishnavas Prema? I understand that Gurudeva is like our guide and he is pure (transparent), that he gives nothing else but teaches how to serve Srila Rupa Goswami. But when we are so advanced that we attained our goal, Prema, and gain our swarupa, and even entered the Spiritual Realm, then does it mean that we will reject our Gurudeva as useless and serve only Sri Sri Radha Krishna? ANSWER: I actually referred to 'spiritual media' instead of a 'material media' while I wrote 'the spiritual master (Gurudeva) is like the media for the disciple'. The conception of a spiritual media is completely transcendental to the concept of a material media. Therefore, Sri Gurudeva is naturally understood to be much more than just becoming a media of limited mundane concept. So, even after the attainment of our final goal, engagement in the eternal service of Sri Sri Radha Krishna, we have to continue our natural services to Sri Gurudeva in his svarupa-form. In no way, we can ever reject our Gurudeva in any situation. Because ultimately Sri Gurudeva is none other than the nondifferent merciful extension of Their Lordships. The sastrasiddhanta (scriptural conclusion), in this connection, has already been clarified by the above-mentioned verses. QUESTION: And as part of the above question I want to ask you about what is the attitude of the inhabitants of the spiritual world towards each other? I think that they are fully engaged in the service to their Beloved Couple, but do they have attraction to each other, do they feel Prema towards each other or only towards to Sri Sri Radha and Krishna? What is the evidence of sastra? ANSWER: While exclusively or whole-heartedly engaged in the devotional service to the Divine Couple, the inhabitants of the spiritual world can also naturally feel attraction between/among each other; but the character of that attraction must be fully in relation to the interest of the Divine Couple, and never otherwise or that of one's independent desire. Everything on that transcendental plane is fully centered around Sriman Mahaprabhu & Sri Sri Radha Gopinathjiu. Love and affection for each other among the devotees of the spiritual world is so obvious that I don't think any particular example is necessary for evidence. You can find many related examples all over the scriptures. Contact VNN about this story  Send this story to a friend
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