Solid Gold

Solid Gold
Guru-Tattva
Sri Srimad
Gour Govinda Swami Maharaja

Tattva Vicara Publications
Solid Gold Guru Tattva

The information in this booklet is a Lecture by r rmad Gour Govinda Swami Mahrja on
Caitanya-caritmta, di-ll 1.43-6, 29 September, 1991, Bhaktivedanta Manor, UK.
This booklet is a humble offering by Tattva Vicara Publications to our divine spiritual master r
rmad Gour Govinda Swami Mahrja on the 20th anniversary of his disappearance 28 February
2016.
Quotes from the books of rla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupda are copyrighted The
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.
ISBN: 978-0-9875988-1-3
2015 Tattva Vicara Publications
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Table of Contents
Solid Gold Guru Tattva
The Spiritual Master is Non-Different from Ka
One Should Know the crya as Myself
Before Whom Does He Appear?
The Conditioned Soul Has Forgotten Ka
How Can a Conditioned Soul Revive His Memory?
Ka Should be Understood in Tattva
Approach a Bona Fide Guru
10
What Is the Process?
10
Who is eligible for bhakti?
11
The Dharma of the Jva Is to Surrender
12
How Can You Surrender unto Ka

Whom You Cannot See?
13
Without Surrendering to Guru

You Cannot Become a Servant of Ka
The Definition of an crya
14
15
So-Called Gurus Create Disturbances in the Society 16

Skd-Dhari He Is as Good as Hari
17
Guru Is the Manifestation of Nitynanda-Rma
18
A Spiritual Master Should Not Imitate

the Transcendental Pastimes of the Lord
Kali Has Entered Mahprabhus Movement
19
20
The Spiritual Master Is Mukunda-Preha
23
Yoga Is Training of the Mind
26
Guru Is As Good As Hari - But Not Identical
30
Develop Strong Attachement to these Eight Tattvas 33

Mrtimn-Ka-Prasda

Guru Is the Embodiment of Kas Mercy
36
Real Fortune Is to Receive the Bhakti-Lat-Bja
37
r Guru Uncovers the Covering
38
Guru First Inculcates raddh
40
References
42
r rmad Gour Govinda Swami Mahrja
a in the form of Gaurga gave prema, love of Ka,

through chanting His holy name. Prema appeared in
His holy name. That prema which cannot be obtained through karma-nih fruitive activities, through tapasya
penance, through dhyna meditation, through aga-yoga
eightfold perfection in yoga, through vairgya detachment, stava
prayers, or karma-tyga giving up the fruits of ones activities. This is a very confidential tattva, guhya-tattva. That was not
manifested prior to the advent of rmn Caitanya Gauracandra.
Therefore I pay my obeisances, naumi-gauram to that acnandana Gaurga who gave prema through chanting the holy name
of Ka.
caitanya candraya namo namaste
caitanya candraya namo namaste
caitanya-caritra ei amtera sindhu
jagat nande bhsya yra eka-bindu1
r Guru Makes Ka Appear in Your Heart
This Caitanya-caritra (the pastimes of r Caitanya known as

Caitanya-caritmta) is nectar, amta. Even one drop of that ocean
can inundate the whole world with prema. Before compiling the
Caitanya-caritmta, rla Kadsa Kavirja Gosvm first wrote
this verse:
vande gurn a-bhaktn
am vatrakn
tat-prak ca tac-chakt
ka-caitanya-sajakam
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the spiritual masters,
the devotees of the Lord, the Lords incarnations, His plenary
portions, His energies, and the primeval Lord Himself, r
Ka Caitanya.2
Then he wrote the second, third, and fourth verse fourteen

verses in total, as the Magalcaraa. After that he explained
these fourteen verses one by one. The first topic is guru-tattva,
vande-guru.
The Spiritual Master is Non-Different from Ka

svarae prabhure kariy namaskra
ei chaya teho yaiche kariye vicra
Having offered obeisances unto the Lord and all His
associates, I shall now try to explain these six diversities in
one.3
yadyapi mra guru caitanyera dsa

tathpi jniye mi thra praka
Solid Gold Guru-Tattva
Although I know that my spiritual master is a servitor of

r Caitanya, I know Him also as a plenary manifestation of
the Lord.4
guru ka-rpa hana strera prame

guru-rpe ka kp karena bhakta-gae
According to the deliberate opinion of all revealed
scriptures, the spiritual master is non-different from Ka.
Lord Ka in the form of the spiritual master delivers His
devotees.5
The relationship of a disciple with his spiritual master is as

good as his relationship with the Supreme Lord. A spiritual master always represents himself as the humblest servitor of the Personality of Godhead, but the disciple must look upon him as the
manifested representation of Godhead.6
Guru ka-rpa hana strera prame, this is stra-prama
evidence given in the revealed scriptures. rla Prabhupda
has written: According to the deliberate opinion of all revealed
scriptures, the spiritual master is non-different from Ka.
One Should Know the crya as Myself

Then rla Kadsa Kavirja Gosvm quotes one straprama from the Eleventh Canto of the rmad-Bhgavatam:
crya m vijnyn
nvamanyeta karhicit
na martya-buddhysyeta
sarva-deva-mayo guru
One should know the crya as Myself and never disrespect

him in any way. One should not envy him, thinking him an
ordinary man, for he is the representative of all the demigods.7
This is stra-prama, one of the ten pramas evidences.

My revered spiritual master, rla Prabhupda commented on
this verse in his purport: This is a verse from rmad-Bhgavatam
(11.17.27) spoken by Lord Ka when He was questioned by Uddhava regarding the four social and spiritual orders of society. He
was specifically instructing how a brahmacr should behave under
the care of a spiritual master. A spiritual master is not an enjoyer
of facilities offered by his disciples. He is like a parent. Without
the attentive service of his parents, a child cannot grow to manhood; similarly, without the care of the spiritual master one cannot rise to the plane of transcendental service.
The spiritual master is also called crya, or a transcendental
professor of spiritual science. The Manu-sahit (2.140) explains
the duties of an crya, describing that a bona fide spiritual master
accepts charge of disciples, teaches them the Vedic knowledge
with all its intricacies, and gives them their second birth. The ceremony performed to initiate a disciple into the study of spiritual
science is called upanti, or the function that brings one nearer
to the spiritual master. One who cannot be brought nearer to a
spiritual master cannot have a sacred thread, and thus he is indicated to be a dra. The sacred thread on the body of a brhmaa,
katriya or vaiya is a symbol of initiation by the spiritual master;
it is worth nothing if worn merely to boast of high parentage. The
duty of the spiritual master is to initiate a disciple with the sacred
thread ceremony, and after this saskra, or purificatory process,
the spiritual master actually begins to teach the disciple about
the Vedas. A person born a dra is not barred from such spiritual
initiation, provided he is approved by the spiritual master, who
is duly authorised to award a disciple the right to be a brhmaa

if he finds him perfectly qualified. In the Vyu Pura an crya
is defined as one who knows the import of all Vedic literature,
explains the purpose of the Vedas, abides by their rules and regulations, and teaches his disciples to act in the same way.
Only out of His immense compassion does the Personality of
Godhead reveal Himself as the spiritual master.8
nyam tm pravacanena labhyo
na medhay na bahun rutena
yam evaia vute tena labhyas
tasyaia tm vivute tanu svm9
This is another stra-prama, evidence from the scriptures.
The Upaniadas are the topmost section of the Vedas. The Katha Upaniad states: nyam tm pravacanena labhyo, you cannot
understand this paramtm-tattva, even by hearing so many pravacanas from so many paitas, scholars, jns, or yogs. Na medhay,
you also cannot understand this paramtm-tattva by dint of your
own material merit, knowledge or intelligence. Yam evaia vute
tena labhyas tasyaia tm vivute tanu svm, but when that Lord
who is there in your heart as Paramtm, known as caitya-guru,
manifests Himself by assuming a body before you, and when He
speaks Himself, then by His mercy you can understand that paramtm-tattva.
Before Whom Does He Appear?

Before whom does He appear? That is another question. He appears before the jva, living entity, who has become very eager to
understand this paramtm-tattva. Ka has said in Bhagavad-gt,
catur-vidh bhajante m
jan suktino rjuna
rto jijsur arthrth
jn ca bharatarabha
O best among the Bhratas, four kinds of pious men begin
to render devotional service unto Me the distressed, the
desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for
knowledge of the Absolute.10
This is jijsu: one who is very eager to know and inquire about
what that paramtm-tattva is. When you are very eager in your
heart, then Ka, who is there in your heart as Paramtm, caitya-guru, understands, Yes, he is now very eager to understand
Me, but without My help he will not be able to understand Me.
Without Kas help, you cannot understand Him. For example, without the help of the sunshine you cannot see the sun. At
night when there is no sun, can any one show you the sun? We
can challenge any scientist to come forward with his most recent
scientific invention and show the sun. Will he be able to? No. He
cannot, because without the help of the sunshine you cannot see
the sun. Similarly, without the help of Ka you cannot see or
understand Him.
One who is very eager to know and always inquires: Who is
that Gaurga? Who is He? Who is that Supreme Lord? How can
I understand Him? How can I know Him? How can I understand
Him? How can I approach Him? How can I get Him? The Paramtm, who is situated in his heart, knows: Oh, he is now very
eager to understand Me. And before him He appears yam evaia
vute tena labhyas tasyaia tm vivute tanu svm, as stated in
the Katha Upaniada. Now that he is the qualified person to understand Ka, so He appears before him as guru.
As stated at the beginning of this chapter: guru ka-rpa hana

strera prame according to the deliberate opinion of all revealed scriptures, the spiritual master is non-different from Ka.
It is stra-prama.
The Conditioned Soul Has Forgotten Ka

In the Bhagavad-gt, Ka has said, Suhda sarva-bhtn
jtv m ntim cchati, I am the only well-wishing friend of
all living entities. There are no other friends. He is our only
well-wishing friend, suhda. The conditioned soul has forgotten
Ka since time immemorial. You cannot trace its history; its
beginning is andi.
ka bhuli sei jva andi-bahirmukha
ataeva my tre deya sasra-dukha
Forgetting Ka, the living entity has been attracted by
the external feature from time immemorial. Therefore the
illusory energy [my] gives him all kinds of misery in his
material existence.11
Andi means from time immemorial. It has no beginning. The

conditioned soul has completely forgotten Ka and he, being
entrapped by my, has been suffering here in this material world.
So how can he understand Ka? He has completely forgotten
Him. He has no memory at all. But Ka has said, Suhda sarva-bhtn, I am the only well-wishing friend of all living entities. Ka has not forgotten you. He remembers you and He
always remembers you. He is so merciful; suhda, a well-wishing
friend. So what is He doing to revive your memory?
How Can a Conditioned Soul Revive His Memory?

In the Caitanya-caritmta you will find:
stra-guru-tma-rpe panre jnna
ka mora prabhu, trt jvera haya jna
The forgetful conditioned soul is educated by Ka
through the Vedic literatures, the realised spiritual master and
the Supersoul. Through these, he can understand the Supreme
Personality of Godhead as He is, and he can understand that
Lord Ka is his eternal master and deliverer from the clutches
of my. In this way one can acquire real knowledge of his
conditioned life and can come to understand how to attain
liberation.12
How does a conditioned soul receive this knowledge? He receives it first through stra. The Bhagavad-gt (16.24) states,
tasmc chstra prama te krykrya-vyavasthitau, one should
therefore understand what is duty and what is not duty by the
regulations of the scriptures. Tasmc chstra prama, (stram
means Vedic literature) you should accept the Vedic evidences
given in stra stra-prama, veda-prama, ruti-prama.
Pramera madhye ruti prama pradhna, although there is
other evidence, the evidence given in the Vedic version must be
taken as foremost.*
my-mugdha jvera nhi svata ka-jna
jvere kpya kail ka veda-pura
The conditioned soul cannot revive his Ka
consciousness by his own effort. But out of causeless mercy,
*Caitanya-caritmta, Madhya-ll 6.135
Lord Ka compiled the Vedic literature and its supplements,

the Puras.13
My-mugdha jva, the conditioned and totally bewildered soul

has completely forgotten Ka, nhi svata ka-jna. Thus he
first receives knowledge through stra. Jvere kpya kail ka
veda-pura, out of mercy Ka compiled these veda-puras
through which He speaks. Therefore it is said; stra-guru-tmarpe panre jnna ka mora prabhu, trt jvera haya jna.14
Ka Should be Understood in Tattva

But what has been said in stra? That He is to be understood
through tattva, which Ka has also said in the Bhagavad-gt.
janma karma ca me divyam
eva yo vetti tattvata
tyaktv deha punar janma
naiti mm eti so rjuna15
Ka said, My birth, My activities are not material, they are
transcendental, janma karma ca me divyam eva yo vetti tattvata.
One who understands this in tattva, in essence, tyaktv deha punar janma naiti mm eti so rjuna, after quitting his body he will
come to Me. He will never again be born here. Thus that is the
goal of human life: to understand Ka in tattva. What He has
said through veda-pura should be understood in tattva, however,
a conditioned soul cannot understand what Veda has said in tattva. No. Therefore a guru is required.
Approach a Bona Fide Guru

tad viddhi praiptena
paripranena sevay
upadekyanti te jna
jninas tattva-darina
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.16
Tattva-dari, approach those who have seen the truth. Who

is para-tattva the Absolute Truth, para-satya the Supreme
Truth, advaya-tattva the Absolute Truth, without a second?
Advaya-jna-tattva, vraje vrajendra-nandana,* Vrajendra-kumra,
the son of Nanda Mahraja, Nanda-nandana-ka is advaya-jna-tattva. And one who has seen Him tattva-dra, and tattva-jt one who knows this tattva, he is guru.
What Is the Process?

tad-vijnrtha sa gurum evbhigacchet
samit-pi rotriya brahma-niham
To understand these things properly, one must humbly
approach, with firewood in hand, a spiritual master who
is learned in the Vedas and firmly devoted to the Absolute
Truth.17
*Caitanya-caritmta, Madhya-ll 20.152
10
There are so many stra-pramas, Vedic evidences. The

Muaka Upaniad states that one should approach a bona fide
guru to understand the paramtm-tattva. Who is a bona fide guru?
A bona fide guru is rotriya brahma-niham.
There is one other thing: tad-vijnrtha sa gurum evbhigacchet samit-pi, a disciple should not approach a guru empty-handed, but he must present something to guru, samit-pi.
He should collect some samit, some presentations. His guru is
rotriya brahma-niham, one who has heard this tattva from his
guru. By serving the lotus feet of his guru, he has heard rotriya, and attained this tattva-jna. It is a hearing process, rota
parampar. A bona fide guru is he who is brahma-niham fixed
in Parabrahma, Supreme Brahma, Ka. One should approach
such a guru.
Who is eligible for bhakti?

raddhvn jana, one who has developed faith in the words of
sdhu-guru-stra and the words of Ka is eligible. He is a qualified person to come to this path of bhakti. uro raddhadhnasya*
one who is very eager to understand, vsudeva-kath-ruci, who
has developed taste in vsudeva-kath and has developed raddh
unflinching faith in the words of sdhu-guru, Ka and stravkya, is eligible for bhakti. This is another qualification or el*
uro raddhadhnasya
vsudeva-kath-ruci
syn mahat-sevay vipr
puya-trtha-nievat
O twice-born sages, by serving those devotees who are completely freed from all
vice, great service is done. By such service, one gains affinity for hearing the messages
of Vsudeva. (rmad-Bhgavatam 1.2.16)
11
igibility, and therefore this has been said: raddhvn jana haya
bhakti-adhikr.* These are all stra-pramas.
The Dharma of the Jva Is to Surrender

tad viddhi praiptena
paripranena sevay
upadekyanti te jna
jninas tattva-darina
Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master.
Enquire from him submissively and render service unto him.
The self-realised soul can impart knowledge unto you because
he has seen the truth.18
Thus, there are three things we must do: praiptena approach

a tattva-dari guru, paripranena enquire submissively, and sevay
render service. This is the process. Kas last and most confidential instruction, guhyatama-upadea, to all humanity, through
Arjuna in Bhagavad-gt was: sarva-dharmn parityajya mm eka
araa vraja give up all varieties of religion and just surrender
unto Me. This is aragati, surrender. aragati is jvasya-dharma: it is the dharma of the jva to surrender unto the lotus feet of
Ka. So first you should approach such a tattva-dari guru, who
has seen the truth and who knows the truth, and then dedicate
yourself, completely surrender yourself unto his lotus feet. This is
pranipta surrender.
*
raddhvn jana haya bhakti-adhikr

uttama, madhyama, kaniharaddh-anusr
A faithful devotee is a truly eligible candidate for the loving service of the Lord.
According to ones faith, one is classified as a topmost devotee, an intermediate devotee
or an inferior devotee. (Caitanya-caritmta, Madhya-ll 22.64)
12
How Can You Surrender unto Ka

Whom You Cannot See?
You have to surrender unto Ka but you cannot see Ka.
The conditioned soul has no right at all to know Ka and to talk
with Him. Now that you have completely forgotten Ka, and
have no remembrance at all, how can you surrender unto Him?
How can you see Ka? Therefore it is stated that He has come
here:
guru ka-rpa hana strera prame
guru-rpe ka kp karena bhakta-gae19
According to the deliberate opinion of all revealed scriptures,
the spiritual master is non-different from Ka. Therefore He has
appeared here in the form of guru.
You can see him. So go and approach him and surrender yourself at his lotus feet, with full faith. This is praipta. There should
not even be a tinge of doubt in it. Ka, as the Supreme Authority has said,
crya m vijnyn
nvamanyeta karhicit
One should know the crya as Myself and never disrespect
him in any way. One should not envy him, thinking him an
ordinary man, for he is the representative of all the demigods.20
13
He is as good as Myself, crya m vijnyn. Thus, in the

same way as one should surrender unto Ka, a conditioned soul
who cannot see Ka and who does not know how to surrender,
must first approach a tattva-dari-guru, who is non-different from
Ka, and surrender unto him. Thereafter comes pariprana and
seva. Tad viddhi praiptena paripranena sevay. Guru-pdraya
take shelter of guru; first praipta, then pariprana, and then
seva. You should serve that guru, please him and then humbly
enquire about this tattva. That is pariprana. The disciple who is
surrendered has that right. The enquiry of those who are not surrendered cannot be termed as pariprana. How can they enquire
if they have no faith in the words of sdhu-stra-guru. How can
they do pariprana? Therefore it is said; paripranena sevay. This
is the process. Then out of mercy, when guru is pleased, he imparts to you this tattva-jna. By his mercy you can understand it.
Therefore it is stated that a guru is required.
Knowledge first comes through stra, and then what has been
said in stra should be understood in tattva. That is why one
should approach a tattva-dari guru, serve him, surrender unto his
lotus feet, satisfy him, and enquire. Then that guru, who is the
manifestation of the Paramtm, will impart tattva-jna. Only
then can a conditioned soul understand ka mora prabhu, trt
Ka is my eternal master and my deliverer. Otherwise a conditioned soul cannot understand this.
Without Surrendering to Guru

You Cannot Become a Servant of Ka
Can one become a servant of Ka without becoming a servant of guru, who is a bona fide representative of Ka, a mani-
14
festation of Ka, the Paramtm? All the cryas have said the
same: Without surrendering unto guru you cannot become a servant of Ka. Those who have not taken shelter at the lotus feet of
guru, they cannot be called servants, or in other words, Vaiavas.
A Vaiava is a servant of Ka. One cannot be called iya,
disciple, if he is not being disciplined by the guru. How can he be
called disciple if he is ahakra-vimhtm, bewildered by his false
ego? His ego is so great he never surrenders, ahakra-vimhtm
kartham iti manyate [Gt 3.27]. He wants to enjoy and does not
want to give enjoyment to Ka. He thinks himself the master
and enjoyer. How can he surrender and become a Vaiava, a
servant, a iya? There is no question at all. You should understand that the jva cannot become an enjoyer, because he is to
give enjoyment to the supreme and only enjoyer, r Ka.
The Definition of an crya

My Guru Mahrja has quoted the definition of an crya from
the Vyu Pura:
cinoti ya strrtham cre sthpayaty api
svayam carate yasmd cryas tena krtita
An crya is one who fully understands the conclusions
of the revealed scriptures, and whose behaviour reflects his
deep realisation. He is a living example because he teaches the
meaning of the scriptures both by word and deed.21
This is stric evidence. An crya is defined as one who knows

the import of all Vedic literature. He knows stra-tattva. He is
tattva-dar, tattva-jt. He explains the purpose of the Vedas,
and abides by their rules and regulations. He himself observes
15
it; he does not just theoretically explain it. Theoretical explaining will never help, unless he himself observes it in his own life.
Therefore it is said, svayam carate. Svayam he himself observes
the purpose of Veda and cre sthpayaty he teaches his disciples
to act in that way. In Gurv-aaka we chant, yuktasya bhakt ca
niyujato pi vande guro r-cararavindam. When a iya comes
to that guru, and takes shelter, what does he do? He himself serves
Ka and he teaches his disciple how to serve Ka. He has surrendered himself and he teaches how to surrender by his practical
dealings and behaviour. He is an crya.
So-Called Gurus
Create Disturbances in the Society
There is another quote; crya bhakti-asant* he who
teaches bhakti by observing it in his own life is an crya. That
is bhakti-asant. What happens if a so-called guru, not a bona
fide guru, who teaches the process of surrender, bhakti, does not
observe the process in his own life by his practical activities, but
only speaks theoretically? What is the result? The Brahma-vaivarta Pura states aparkyopadia yat loka-nya tad bhavet, that it
will create disturbances in this society, loka-nya. He will be the
cause of the annihilation of all living entities. There are so many
stra-pramas.
ruti-smti-purdipacartra-vidhi vin
aikntik harer bhaktir
utptyaiva kalpate
*Caitanya-caritmta, di-ll 1.13
16
Devotional service of the Lord that ignores the authorised

Vedic literatures like the Upaniads, Puras and Nrada
Pacartra is simply an unnecessary disturbance in society.22
This is another quote, another stra-prama. So-called gurus

will create such huge disturbances. He is a hypocrite if he only
theoretically speaks, but never practically demonstrates.
Skd-Dhari
He Is as Good as Hari
As previously mentioned, only out of His immense compassion
does the Personality of Godhead reveal Himself as the spiritual
master. But to whom does He reveal Himself? He reveals Himself
to one who is very eager, and who is crying in his heart. That is
the eligibility. Therefore in the dealings of an crya there are no
activities but those of transcendental loving service to the Lord.
It is loving service. He renders loving service to the Lord. He is
a servant of the Lord. He is the Supreme Personality of Servitor
Godhead. He is sevaka-bhagavn.
skd-dharitvena samasta-strair
uktas tath bhvyata eva sadbhi
kinto prabhor ya priya eva tasya
vande guro r-cararavindam
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 r Hari [Ka].23
17
What do we chant in Gurv-aakam every day? Skd-dhari!

He is as good as Hari! And rla Kavirja Gosvm has said
the same; guru ka-rpa hana guru is as good as Ka. Guru
ka-rpa hana strera prame. It is not concocted: it is straprama, Vedic proof. Skd-dharitvena samasta-strair uktas, in
all stras it is said that he is skd-dhari. He, guru-pdapadma, is
as good as Hari. Kinto prabhor ya priya eva tasya he is very dear
to Prabhu, the Supreme Lord. Vande guro r-cararavindam, I
pay obeisances unto that guru-pdapadma who is very dear to the
Lord, mukunda-preha.
Guru Is the Manifestation of Nitynanda-Rma

It is worthwhile to take shelter of such a steady devotee, who
is called crya, the raya-vigraha, or the manifestation or form
of the Lord of whom one must take shelter. If one poses himself as an crya but does not have an attitude of servitorship to
the Lord, he must be considered an offender, and this offensive
attitude disqualifies him from being an crya.* How can he become an crya? The bona fide spiritual master always engages in
unalloyed devotional loving service to the Supreme Personality
of Godhead.** This is the test. By this test he is known to be a
direct manifestation of the Lord and a genuine representative of
r Nitynanda Prabhu.*** He is the representative of Nitynanda-Rma, Balarma.
rla Vndvana dsa hkura caitanya-ll vysa vndvana
dsa, who is Vysa of caitanya-ll wrote the Caitanya-magala.
Later on, when rla Locana Dsa hkura wrote another book
that was also called Caitanya-magala, the name changed and it
*,**, *** Caitanya-caritmta, di-ll 1.46 purport.
18
became Caitanya-bhgavata. Herein, Vndvana dsa hkura has

said,
sasrera pra hai bhaktira sgare
ye ubibe, se bhajuka niti-cdere24
One who is very eager and serious to cross over this
dreadful material ocean of existence and drown himself in the
ocean of bhakti must take shelter of Nitynanda-Rma.
The manifestation of Nitynanda-Rma is guru. In other

words, we may say that he is guru-pdapadma. One must take shelter of that guru who is a manifestation of Nitynanda-Rma. That
has been said here. Such a spiritual master is known as cryadeva.
Influenced by an envious temperament and dissatisfied because
of an attitude of sense gratification, mundaners criticise a real
crya. In fact, however, a bona fide crya is non-different from
the Personality of Godhead, and therefore to envy such an crya
is to envy the Personality of Godhead Himself.*
A Spiritual Master Should Not Imitate

the Transcendental Pastimes of the Lord
crya m vijnyn
nvamanyeta karhicit
*Caitanya-caritmta, di-ll 1.46 purport.
19
One should know the crya to be My self and never

disrespect him in any way. One should not envy him, thinking
him an ordinary man, for he is the representative of all the
demigods.25
Ka Himself spoke this verse and Kavirja Gosvm stated:

Therefore to envy such an crya is to envy the Personality of
Godhead Himself. This will produce an effect subversive of transcendental realisation.* Then you cannot understand this transcendental tattva.
As mentioned previously, a disciple should always respect the
spiritual master as a manifestation of r Ka, but at the same
time one should always remember that a spiritual master is never
authorised to imitate the transcendental pastimes of the Lord.**
This is most important: He should not imitate the transcendental
pastimes of the Lord. Those who want to be one with the Lord or
equal with the Lord, the so-called Myvds, Brahmavds, they
are great offenders because they imitate. As it is said, they imitate
the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. In this Vaiava line
you will also find this. This is so dangerous! There are thirteen
apa-sampradyas that appeared after the disappearance of rman
Mahprabhu. This is the activity of Kali.
Kali Has Entered Mahprabhus Movement

kali-kukkura-kadana jadi co
kali-yuga-pvana, kali-bhaya-nana
r-ac-nandana go
*Caitanya-caritmta, di-ll 1.46
**Caitanya-caritmta, di-ll 1.46 purport.
20
If you want to be rid of the influence of the dog-like

personality of Kali, then just sing the glories of the beautiful
Son of Mother ac. He is the saviour of Kali-yuga, and He is
the destroyer of all fear caused by the age of quarrel.26
The son of ac-mt is Gaurahari, acnandana. You should

take shelter of Him. He has crushed Kali completely, kali-yuga-pvana, kali-bhaya-nana.
Mahprabhu gave these four regulative principles no fish and
meat eating, no gambling, no intoxication, and no illicit sex because these are the four pillars of sinful activity. Kali-yuga means
a yuga of sinful activity. Thereby He bolted these doors tightly
so that there is no question of Kali at all. Mahprabhu crushed
Kali, but then Kali thought: Oh, Mahprabhu has completely
killed me. What shall I do? How can I survive? I must become a
Vaiava. I must enter into His Movement. So Kali has entered.
Why has Kali entered Mahprabhus Movement? He is so drato,
cunning. Kali is a cunning fellow. He is not intelligent. There is a
difference between the two words intelligent and cunning. Kali
is a cunning fellow with mischievous activities and therefore he
was thinking in that way. So what did he do?
eo to eka kalir cel
mth ne kapni par, tilak nke, galy ml*
*(1)
eo to eka kalir cel
mth ne kapni par, tilak nke, galy ml
Here is just another disciple of Kali-yuga. He keeps his head shaved, wears a loincloth, tilak on his nose and tulas beads around his neck.
(2)
dekhte vaiaver mata, salo kta kjer bel
sahaja-bhajan korchena mmu,
sage loye parer bl
(Footnote cont. page 78)
21
He shaved his head and kept a ikh. He wears kah, kaupna

and tilaka. He has chanting beads and chants, Hare blurrr, blurrr,
blurrr, blurrr. He is a kali-cel. Dekhte vaisnaver mata, salo kta
kjer bel, outwardly he looks like a Vaiava but he never follows the four regulative principles. This is a very nice song that
Bhaktivinoda hkura has written. Sahaja-bhajan korchena mmu,
sage loye parer bl, he is sahaja, taking with him the wife of
another person. Sakh-bhve bhajchena tre, nije hoye nanda-ll,
apna kemane nandall.
By looks he appears to be a Vaiava, but in actuality his conduct is that of a kta,
one who worships the principle of material energy in order to enjoy her. He engages
in sahaja-bhajan (so-called natural worship), but does so by posing as uncle to the
children of others, and then stealthily taking the illicit association of their daughters.
(3)
sakh-bhve bhajchena tre, nije hoye nanda-ll
ka-dser kathr chale mah-janake dicchena al
Accepting these young girls as sakhs (Rdhs gop friends), he fancies himself to
be the Son of Nanda. By the deceptive lecturing about how everyone should become
Ka-dsa (the servant of himself as Ka), this disciple of Kali-yuga thus hurls a
sharp spear at the true devotees of the Lord.
(4)
nava-rasika pane mni khcchena br mana-kol
bul bole dohi, o bhi, dra koro e ll-khel
Giving artificial recognition to nava-rasika (the nine relishers), he thus eats and enjoys the bananas of his own mental fabrications. Chd Bul says, O my dear brothers!
Desist from this bogus imitation of the Lords amorous sports.
(Song 6 of Baul Sagt (Songs of the Madman), an obscure work composed by rla
Bhaktivinoda hkura in 1893, is a collection of twelve songs in Bengali verse. Bhaktivinoda saw that the Indian society at that time had become overrun with many different types of pretentious so-called Vaiavas. He identified thirteen deviant sects-ul,
Bul, Kartt-bhaj, Ne, Dara-vea, Sn, Sahajiy, Sakh-bhek, Smrta, Jta-gosi,
Ativd, Ca-dhr, and Gaurga-ngar. Since ordinary village people are not
sufficiently educated or philosphically-inclined to distinguish between these various
apasampradya groups, most of these deviants simply came to be known collectively as
Bul (transcendental madmen).)
22
This song is about hypocrisy, which is going on also in this

Vaiava sampradya. Imitating Nanda-ll, apna kemane nandall, I am Nanda-ll, the son of Nanda Mahrja. When he
sees a very beautiful woman, Oh, if I preach to her and make her
a devotee, a Vaiav, then it will be all right. Then he preaches
to that woman and makes her a Vaiav. Now you have become
Vaiav. I am a Vaiava. So let us stay together and do bhajana.
I am Nanda-ll, and you are Rdh-sakh. This type of illicit sex
is going on, and is only imitation. There should be no imitation.
That is what my revered spiritual master has said here: ... at the
same time one should always remember that a spiritual master is
never authorised to imitate the transcendental pastimes of the
Lord. False spiritual masters pose themselves as identical with r
Ka in every respect to exploit the sentiments of their disciples,
but such impersonalists can only mislead their disciples, for their
ultimate aim is to become one with the Lord. This is against the
principles of the devotional cult.* No one can become one with
the Lord: He is Supreme. He is advaya-tattva, one without second.
The Spiritual Master Is Mukunda-Preha

Therefore there is this tattva,
skd-dharitvena samasta-strair
uktas tath bhvyata eva sadbhi
kinto prabhor ya priya eva tasya
vande guro r-cararavindam
23
Skd-dhari he is as good as Hari, and rla Kavirja Gosvm

has also said that according to the deliberate opinion of all revealed scriptures, the spiritual master is non-different from Ka,
guru ka-rpa hana strera prame. Therefore the tattva is as
Prabhupdaji Mahrja has explained: The real Vedic philosophy is acintya-bhedbheda-tattva, which establishes everything to
be simultaneously one with and different from the Personality of
Godhead. rla Raghuntha dsa Gosvm confirms that this is
the real position of a bona fide spiritual master and has stated that
one should always think of the spiritual master in terms of his
intimate relationship with Mukunda (r Ka).* The spiritual
master is mukunda-preha.
rla Raghuntha dsa Gosvm who is mukunda-preha, has
written r Mana-ik, which is very famous. I will quote it here,
and you should understand what rla Raghuntha dsa Gosvm
has written. That is why rla Prabhupda has mentioned it.
gurau gohe gohayiu sujane bhsura-gae
sva-mantre ri-nmni vraja-nava-yuva-dvandva arae
sad dambha hitv kuru ratim aprvm atitarm
aye svantr bhrta caubhir abhiyce dhta-pada
O my dear brother, my foolish mind, taking hold of your
feet, I humbly pray to you with sweet words. Please give up
all pride and quickly develop deep, loving attachment for the
spiritual master, r Vraja-dhma, the residents of Vraja, the
Vaiavas, the brhmaas, your dk-mantras, the holy names
of the Supreme Lord, and the shelter of r r Rdh-Ka,
the eternal youthful Divine Couple of Vraja.27
na dharma ndharma ruti-gaa-nirukta kila kuru

vraje rdh-ka-pracura-paricarym iha tanu
24
ac-snu nandvara-pati-sutatve guru-vara

mukunda-prehatve smara param ajasra nanu maha
O my dear mind, please do not perform either the routine
religious activities resulting in piety (dharma) or the irreligious
activities resulting in sin (adharma) as mentioned in the rutis.
Rather, render profuse loving service to r Rdh-Ka
Yugala here in Vraja, for the rutis have ascertained Them to
be the highest principle of supreme worship and the Supreme
Absolute Truth. Always meditate on acnandana r Caitanya
Mahprabhu, who is richly endowed with the complexion
and sentiments of rmat Rdhik, as non-different from r
Nanda-nandana. And always remember the spiritual master as
most dear to r Mukunda.28
Prabhupdji Mahrja just mentioned this here; he only gave

a hint. He did not quote the verses. He said, rla Raghuntha
dsa Gosvm confirms that this is the real position of a bona
fide spiritual master and says that one should always think of
the spiritual master in terms of his intimate relationship with
Mukunda (r Ka). rla Jva Gosvm, in his Bhakti-sandarbha
(213), has clearly defined that a pure devotees observation of the
spiritual master and Lord iva as one with the Personality of Godhead exists in terms of their being very dear to the Lord, not identical with Him in all respects. Following in the footsteps of rla
Raghuntha dsa Gosvm and rla Jva Gosvm, later cryas
like rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura have confirmed the
same truths. In his prayers to the spiritual master*, rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura confirms that all the revealed scriptures
accept the spiritual master to be identical with the Personality
of Godhead because he is a very dear and confidential servant
of the Lord. Gauya Vaiavas therefore worship rla Gurude*skd-dharitvena, Gurv-aakam.
25
va, the spiritual master, in the light of his being the servitor of
the Personality of Godhead. In all the ancient scriptures of devotional service, and in the more recent songs of rla Narottama
dsa hkura, rla Bhaktivinoda hkura and other unalloyed
Vaiavas, the spiritual master is always considered either one of
the confidential associates of rmat Rdhr or a manifested representation of rla Nitynanda Prabhu.* These are the
tattvas. Thus what rla Raghuntha dsa Gosvm has said are
teachings to the mind, mana-ika. This mind is a wicked mind,
dua mana. Mana tumi baa dua, the mind is very wicked, stupid,
stubborn, very strong, and never obeys. It is disobedient, abhgyavn.
Yoga Is Training of the Mind

The Bhagavad-gt describes how Ka advised Arjuna to control his mind, but Arjuna responded that it is very difficult; nearly
impossible.
cacala hi mana ka
pramthi balavad dham
tasyha nigraha manye
vyor iva su-dukaram29
Arjuna, a great warrior, said, O Ka, it is quite impossible.
It is as impossible to control this wicked mind as trying to check
the blowing of the wind with your fist. The mind is so stubborn,
cacala, very fickle, stupid, a rascal, and disobedient.
Bhaktivinoda hkura has said, mana je pgala mora n mne
sana. He prayed, O Gopntha, my mind is pgala, it is a mad
fellow. I tried my best to control this wicked mind, but still, it
26
never obeys, n mne sana. Hra je menechi mi I admit my

defeat to control this mind. Therefore all these teachings are
given to the mind.
What is yoga? Yoga is training of the mind. That is what yoga is:
nothing but training of the mind. Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gt,
where Ka gives His most confidential instruction man-man
bhava it begins with the mind: Think of Me, keep Me in your
mind.
When Ka came as Mahprabhu, He gave the same instruction: ahar-niam bolo ka-cint, day and night you should chant
His name and think of Ka. Do not think of anything else than
Ka. This is the same instruction; yoga is nothing but the training of the mind.
That is why there are the instructions to the mind. Bhaktivinoda hkura has written one Manah-ika* and Raghuntha dsa
Gosvm has also written Mana-ika. Bhaktivinoda hkura has
written this in a poetic form:
dharmaboli vede yre, eteka pras kore,
adharma boliy ninde yre
th kicchu nhi koro, dharmdharma parihara,
hao rata nigha vypre
(ycchi mana, dhari tava pya),
sei sakala parihari, vrajabhme vsa kori,
rata hao yugala sevya
*Bhajana-darpaa-bhya, a Sanskrit commentary on rla Raghuntha dsa Goswms
12-verse Sanskrit prayer entitled Mana-ik (Instructions to the Mind), written by
rla Bhaktivinodha hkura in 1886.
27
r acinandana dhane, r nandanandana sane

eka kori karoha bhajana,
r mukunda priya jana, gurudeva jna mana,
tom lgi patitapvana,
jagate prakaa bhi, th vin gati ni,
yadi co pana kuala,
thra caraa dhori, taddea sad smari,
e bhaktivinoda deho bola30
This is the commentary by Bhaktivinoda crya of the second
verse of Mana-ik: adharma boliy ninde yre, th kicchu nhi
koro, dharmdharma parihara, hao rata nigha vypre.
Sarva-dharmn parityajya, give up all varieties of religions. Give
up that what the Vedas describe as dharma and what the Vedas
describe as adharma. Dharmdharma parihara hao rata nigha vypre engage yourself in that what is most confidential, nigha,
which is rendering loving service unto the lotus feet of Rdh
and Ka. Ycchi mana, dhari tava pya means: whose mind is so
wicked dua, and never listens. So, here Prabhupda Mahrja
has said the same, O Mind, I capture your feet and request you.
Otherwise this dua, this wicked mind will never listen, dhari tava
pya.
sei sakala parihari, vrajabhume vsa kori,
rata hao yugala sevya
Give up all dharma and adharma that are described in the Vedas. Stay in Vrajabhmi and engage yourself in loving service of
Rdh and Ka.
28
r acinandana dhane, r nandanandana sane

eka kori karoha bhajana
acnandana and Nandanandana are non-different. Do not
think that there is any difference. Perform your bhajana in that
way.
r mukunda priya jana, gurudeva jna mana,
tom lgi patitapvana
Gurudeva is mukunda-preha. That is the same as what rla
Prabhupda Mahrja has said, rla Raghuntha dsa Gosvm
confirms that this is the real position of a bona fide spiritual master
and says that one should always think of the spiritual master in
terms of his intimate relationship with Mukunda (r Ka).
Mukunda-preha. r mukunda priya jana, gurudeva jna mana, O
mana, mind, you should understand that guru is very dear and intimate to Lord Mukunda, Ka. Tom lgi patitapvana he has
come here to deliver you, a degraded soul.
jagate prakata bhi th vin gati ni,
yadi co pana kusala
O my mind, O my brother, if you want what is best for you,
catching hold of your feet I request you, please take shelter of that
guru who is very dear to Lord Mukunda. For you he has appeared
here, to deliver you, jagate prakata bhi th vin gati ni. Without
taking shelter of that guru-pdapadma you cannot be delivered.
You have no destination at all, gati kuto pi. Yasya prasdd bhagavat-prasdo yasyprasdn na gati kuto pi*, by the pleasure and
mercy of the guru you can get the mercy of Ka. If guru becomes
*Gurv-aakam
29
displeased, gati kuto pi, Ka cannot deliver you. Harau rue

gurus trt gurau rue na kacana,* if Lord Hari will become angry
with you, guru can deliver you, but if guru will become angry with
you, na kacana, no one can deliver you, even Ka cannot. That
is said here by yadi co pana kusala if you really want your own
good, please take shelter of that guru-pdapadma who is mukunda-preha, very dear to Lord Mukunda.
thra carana dhori, taddesa sad smari,
e bhakativinoda deho bola
Bhaktivinoda hkura says, Go and approach such a guru
who is very dear to Lord Mukunda, take shelter at his lotus feet,
surrender completely and carry out his orders. Then he will give
me strength, O mind.
Raghuntha dsa Gosvm and Bhaktivinoda hkura have
both said the same thing.
Guru Is As Good As Hari - But Not Identical

There is also another point made: rla Jva Gosvm, in his
Bhakti-sandarbha (213), has clearly defined that a pure devotees
observation of the spiritual master and Lord iva as one with the
Personality of Godhead exists in terms of their being very dear to
the Lord, not identical with Him in all respects.** This is a very
confidential tattva. Also in the Fourth Canto of Bhgavata it is
stated:
vaya tu skd bhagavan bhavasya
priyasya sakhyu kaa-sagamena
*Hari-bhakti-vilsa 4.360
**Caitanya-caritmta, di-ll 1.46 purport.
30
suducikitsyasya bhavasya mtyor

bhiaktama tvdya gati gat sma
Dear Lord, by virtue of a moments association with Lord
iva, who is very dear to You and who is Your most intimate
friend, we were fortunate to attain You. You are the most
expert physician, capable of treating the incurable disease of
material existence. On account of our great fortune, we have
been able to take shelter at Your lotus feet.31
This is pracet-vkya, the Pracets offering prayers to Lord Hari.

The words priyasya sakhyu quoted here are significant. rla Jva
Gosvm has commented on the usage of priyasya sakhyu in his
Bhakti-sandarbha. The Pracets are saying to Lord Hari, Because
we had the association of Your dear devotee Lord iva only for a
moment, kaa-sagamena, we are now able to meet You. That is
the result of the association of Your dear devotee Lord iva because he is priyasya sakhyu, Your very dear friend.
In his Bhakti-sandarbha, rla Jva Gosvm writes,
uddha-bhakts tv eke r-guro
r-ivasya ca bhagavat
sahbheda-di tat-priya
tamatvenaiva manyante32
A pure devotees observation of the spiritual master and Lord
iva as one with the Personality of Godhead exists in terms of
their being very dear to the Lord, not identical... Priyasya sakhyu
and kintu prabhor ya priya eva tasya are both the same. Bhgavata
states it, rla Jva Gosvm has said it, rla Vivantha Cakravati hkura has said it, rla Bhaktivinoda hkura has said it,
and rla Narottama dsa hkura has said it; they have all said
31
it. rla Prabhupda has mentioned all these names in his purport.
This is tattva: One but not identical. This is significant. This is guru-tattva, and you should understand this. You should know these
quotes because they are pramas; stric proofs given by cryas,
proofs given by stra.
As quoted above, the Katha Upaniad explains how guru is a
manifestation of the caitya-guru or Paramtm, who appears before a fortunate soul who is very eager to enquire, and the verse
mentioned previously from the Caitanya-caritmta stra-gurutma-rpe panre jnna ka mora prabhu, trt jvera haya
jna describes how the forgetful conditioned soul is educated
by Ka through stra, and then by guru, who teaches him tattva. Thus, guru in that sense is non-different from Ka. That is
why the cryas have said this, and it is also stated,
yadyapi mra guru caitanyera dsa
tathpi jniye mi thra praka
Although I know that my spiritual master is a servitor of
r Caitanya, I know him also as a plenary manifestation of
the Lord.33
That means, vara parama ka sac-cid-nanda-vigraha

andir dir govinda sarva-kraa-kraam. Bhagavn is sac-cidnanda, transcendental, spiritual, and not material. He has a
body, and that body has limbs, hands and legs. So Jva Gosvm
has said, As if the Lord Himself is massaging His own legs with
His own hands. Do you understand what has been said? It is very
confidential. Priyasya sakhyu one who is very dear, he serves
the beloved. The lover serves the beloved, who is very dear. As we
have seen, Raghuntha dsa Gosvm and Bhaktivinoda hkura
have said that guru is mukunda-preha, very dear to Lord Mukunda, Ka. So that guru, who is very dear and intimate to Mukun32
da, is always engaged in the loving service unto the lotus feet of
Ka. That means he is massaging the legs of Ka. So in tattva,
guru means that it is as if Ka Himself is massaging His own legs
with His own hands, because priyasya sakhyu. Jva Gosvmpda
has said this. So in that sense, priyasya sakhyu, it is said: one, but
not identical with Him. It is sevaka-bhagavn and sevya-bhagavn.
Guru is servitor bhagavn, skd-dharitvena samasta-strair. Guru
is also Bhagavn. He is skd-dhari, he is as good as Hari, but not
identical. He is servitor bhagavn, sevaka-bhagavn. He, who massages the legs of that Mukunda, is very dear. That means Ka
teaches how to serve Ka, how to serve Himself. What is stated
here is a very confidential tattva.
Unless Ka speaks, no one can understand His paramrtha-tattva. Without the help of the sunshine no one can see the
sun. Without the help of Ka no one can understand Him. The
tattva here is: to teach His own tattva He manifests Himself as
gurudeva. So Mukunda is sevya-bhagavn, whereas His preha, His
dear mukunda-preha, guru is sevaka-bhagavn. Ka is viaya-vigraha-bhagavn and guru is raya-vigraha-bhagavn. They are on
the same level. This is our tattva. There is no one as dear to Ka
as my guru-pdapadma; he is mukunda-preha. rla Raghuntha
dsa Gosvm has said the same. And you should understand that
guru is like this. Mukunda-preha, and in that way you serve, you
engage your mind, you engage yourself and be fixed in that loving
service of Lord Mukunda.
Develop Strong Attachement

to these Eight Tattvas
Below is Bhaktivinoda hkuras commentary on the first
verse from Mana-ik by rla Raghuntha dsa Gosvm which
was quoted previously in this chapter.
33
gurudeve vrajavane, vrajabhmi vsi jane

uddha-bhakte ra vipragae
iamantre hari-nme yugala bhajana kme,
koro rati aprva jatane
(dhori mana caraa tomra)
jniycchi eve sra, ka bhakti vin ra,
nhi ghuce jvera sasra
karma jna tapoyoga,sakali ta karmabhoga,
karma caite keha nre
sakala! ciy bhi, raddha devra gua gi,
yra kpa bhakti dite pre
cchi dambha anuksana, smara aa-tattva mana,
koro the nikapae rati
sei rati prrthanya, r dsa gosvm pya,
e bhaktivinoda kore nati34
Bhaktivinoda hkura has written here: first gurudeva, then
brajabhmi, then brajabhmi-vss the residents of Vrajabhmi,
then uddh-bhakta pure devotees, hen vipra brhmas, then
the ia-mantra that guru has given you and hari-nma, and then
yugala-bhajana serving the lotus feet of Rdh and Ka. These
are aa, eight tattvas in total. It is called aa-tattva; cchi dambha anukana, smara aa-tattva. Aprva jatane rati, develop rati
strong attachment, to these eight tattvas. rla Prabhupda has
34
translated rati in this way: strong attachment. Dhori mana caraa

tomra, O my wicked mind, I catch hold of your feet and request
you, please do this.
jniycchi eve sra, ka bhakti vin ra,
nhi ghuce jvera sasra
I have heard from sdhu-stra-guru, without ka-bhakti a jva
cannot be delivered from this material sasra.
karma jna tapoyoga, sakali ta karmabhoga,
karma caite keha nre
If you take to the process of karma, jna, yoga or tapasya, you
cannot be delivered; you cannot become free from the reactions
of your karma. This can be done only by bhakti.
sakala! ciy bhi, raddha devra gua gi,
yra kpa bhakti dite pre
Therefore, O bhi, O my brother wicked mind, I request you,
give up all these things and develop strong unflinching faith in
the words of sdhu-stra-guru. Then you will develop prema-bhakti.
cchi dambha anuksana, smara aa-tattva mana,
koro the nikapae rati
Give up pride, become simple, nikapata. Give up kpatya,
all duplicity, crookedness and become td api suncena. This is
Mahprabhus ika.
35
sei rati prrthanya, r dsa gosvm pya,

e bhaktivinoda kore nati
So Bhaktivinoda also wrote this prayer to the mind. Therefore
one should understand this guru-tattva.
Mrtimn-Ka-Prasda
Guru Is the Embodiment of Kas Mercy
brahma bhramite kona bhgyavn jva
guru-ka-prasde pya bhakti-lat-bja
According to their karma, all living entities are wandering
throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being
elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going
down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions
of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets
an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master
by the grace of Ka. By the mercy of both Ka and the
spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper
of devotional service.35
In rpa-ika*, Mahprabhu has explained that by the mercy

of both, guru and Ka, the seed of the devotional creeper, bhakti-lat-bja, is received. Further on in the Caitanya-caritmta rla
Kavirja Gosvm wrote,
ka yadi kp kare kona bhgyavne
guru-antarymi-rpe ikhya pane
*Chapter 19 of r Caitanya-caritmta where Lord r Caitanya Mahprabhu Instructs
rla Rpa Gosvm.
36
Ka is situated in everyones heart as the caitya-guru,

the spiritual master within. When He is kind to some fortunate
conditioned soul, He personally gives him lessons so he can
progress in devotional service, instructing the person as the
Supersoul within and the spiritual master without.36
If Ka showers His mercy onto some fortunate person, He

Himself appears as guru and teaches bhakti. This is bhgyavn.
Therefore guru is known as ka-kp-mrti: the mercy of Ka,
ka-kp, has assumed a body. That is guru. Guru is mrtimn-ka-prasda, guru is an embodiment of Kas mercy. If
someone gets such a guru he is considered most fortunate, bhgyavn.
Real Fortune Is to Receive the Bhakti-Lat-Bja

The word bhgyavn (fortunate) in brahma bhramite kona
bhgyavn jva, is very significant: that jva is considered fortunate
because he gets the seed of that devotional creeper. In this material world one may get material enjoyment bhukti, or liberation
mukti, or some gold kanaka, or a beautiful woman to enjoy
kamini, or material name, fame and prestige pratistha. And if
someone gets one or two of these, then he thinks himself very
fortunate. But this is not good fortune. Real fortune is to receive
bhakti-lat-bja, the seed of the devotional creeper. That is true
bhgya, which one only gets by meeting such a guru. This is superior. This is the super most fortune because there is no greater
fortune than to get such a guru.
Another name of that seed is raddh. raddh means unflinching faith, strong faith in the words of sdhu-stra-guru. That is
raddh.
37
One question is: what is the seed of raddh? The mercy of guru
or sdhu guru-kp or sdhu-kp is the seed, and nitya-siddhasya
bhvasya prkaya hdi sdhyat* that seed is sown in the heart.
That means that by the mercy of such a guru one can develop
prema-bhakti. Without that mercy it is not possible. This gradual
development begins with faith, then taste, and then affection
sraddh, ruci, prti.
r Guru Uncovers the Covering

This verse from the Third Canto of the Bhgavatam, where
Kapiladeva speaks to Devahti, states:
sat prasagn mama vrya-savido
bhavanti ht-kara-rasyan kath
taj-joad v apavarga-vartmani
raddh ratir bhaktir anukramiyati
In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the
pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By
cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced
on the path of liberation, and thereafter he is freed, and his
attraction becomes fixed. Then real devotion (bhava-bhakti)
and devotional service in love (prema-bhakti) begin.37
This is stated in stra. Lord Kapiladeva has said the same;

raddh, rati, prema-bhakti, prti. Here prti means prema-bhakti.
These are eternal, perfect sentiments, nitya-siddha-bhva. And by
the mercy of that guru you can obtain it. Without that mercy you
cannot have it by any means. Your identity is jivera svarupa haya
*Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.2.2
38
ka nitya dsa; you are an eternal servant of Ka. That means

that this servitorship to Ka is already present in you, but it is
covered by my.
ka bhuli sei jva andi-bahirmukha
ataeva my tre deya sasra-dukha
Forgetting Ka, the living entity has been attracted by
the external feature from time immemorial. Therefore the
illusory energy [my] gives him all kinds of misery in his
material existence.38
The jvas svarpa is ka-bhakta. That means that he is a servitor of Ka, but it is covered. There is a covering and guru
uncovers it. That is gurus business; he, out of mercy, uncovers the
covering. And one should have raddh, strong faith in such guru:
Yes, he is the person who can uncover this. Guru develops that
raddh in the disciple. One who can develop such raddh; he is
guru. He is a mah-bhgavata. He is mukunda-preha, very dear to
Lord Mukunda. Up till now I was unhappy but now that I have
received the bhakti-lat-bja, the seed of the devotional creeper,
I have become happy. Therefore this is bhgya, fortune. I was
unhappy, but now that I have met a mahtm, who is guru-pdapadma, he will make me happy because he has sown the seed of
the devotional creeper in my heart. He came here to deliver me.
This is raddh. You should put unflinching faith in it.
ka se tomra, ka dite pra
tomra akati che
mi ta kgla, ka ka bali
dhi tava pche pche*
*aragati Bhajana-Llas (Hankering for Divine Service), Song 7 by rla Bhaktivinoda hkura.
39
O Vaiava hkura, Ka belongs to you. You have bound

Ka with the rope of love in your heart. I am so fortunate that
I met a person who has come to deliver me. You are the capable
person to give me Ka and I am hankering for it, Ka, Ka,
please give me Ka. This is raddh. One should have such
raddh, strong faith in that guru. It is a question of raddh.
Guru First Inculcates raddh

Thus, what is the first thing that guru does? First he inculcates
raddh unto the person who approaches him. Therefore Rpa
Gosvm has said,
dau raddh tata sdhusago tha bhajana-kriy
tato nartha-nivtti syt
tato nih rucis tata
athsaktis tato bhvas
tata prembhyudacati
sdhaknm aya prema
prdurbhve bhavet krama
In the beginning one must have a preliminary desire for
self-realisation. This will bring one to the stage of trying to
associate with persons who are spiritually elevated. In the next
stage one becomes initiated by an elevated spiritual master, and
under his instruction the neophyte devotee begins the process
of devotional service. By execution of devotional service under
the guidance of the spiritual master, one becomes free from
all material attachment, attains steadiness in self-realisation,
and acquires a taste for hearing about the Absolute Personality
of Godhead, r Ka. This taste leads one further forward
40
to attachment for Ka consciousness, which is matured in

bhva, or the preliminary stage of transcendental love of God.
Real love for God is called prema, the highest perfectional
stage of life.39
This is the krama, chronological order: It is by the association

with persons who are mukunda-preha-jana, very dear to Lord
Mukunda, who are practically engaged in the loving service unto
Mukunda, and by listening to what they say with complete faith,
that, by their mercy, raddh will be inculcated. Then you can
understand who you are, who the Paramtma is, who Ka is,
and how to get Him. Otherwise you do not have a chance. This is
guru-tattva. There is so much information: it is like an unlimited
ocean. rla Kavirja Gosvm has described guru-tattva and has
given so much information about it.
41
References
1. Caitanya-caritmta, Madhya-ll 18.228

2. Caitanya-caritmta, di-ll 1.1
6. Caitanya-caritmta, di-ll 1.45, purport.
7. rmad-Bhgavatam 11.17.27
8. Caitanya-caritmta, di-ll 1.46, purport.
9. Kaha Upaniad 1.2.23
10. Bhagavad-gt 7.16
15. Bhagavad-gt 4.9
17. Muaka Upaniad 1.2.12
21. Vyu Pura
22. Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.2.101
23. Gurv-aaka 7
24. Caitanya-bhgavata, di-khaa 1.77
26. Kalya-kalpa-taru 4.1.1, by rla Bhaktivinoda hkura.
27. r Mana-ik, Text 1, by rla Raghuntha dsa Gosvm.
28. r Mana-ik, Text 2, by rla Raghuntha dsa Gosvm.
42
30. r Mana-ik, Bhajana 2 by rla Bhaktivinoda hkura.

32. Bhakti-sandarbha 213
34. r Mana-ik, Bhajana 1, by rla Bhaktivinoda hkura.
39. Bhakti-rasmta-sindhu 1.4.15-16
43
rla Jva Gosvm, in

his Bhakti-sandarbha (213),
has clearly defined that a pure
devotees observation of the
spiritual master and Lord iva
as one with the Personality
of Godhead exists in terms of
their being very dear to the
Lord, not identical with Him
in all respects. Following in the footsteps of rla Raghuntha dsa Gosvm and rla Jva Gosvm, later cryas
like rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura have confirmed
the same truths. In his prayers to the spiritual master, rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura confirms that all the revealed scriptures skd-dharitvena (r Gurv-aaka) accept the spiritual master to be identical with the Personality
of Godhead because he is a very dear and confidential servant of the Lord. Gauya Vaiavas therefore worship rla Gurudeva (the spiritual master) in the light of his being
the servitor of the Personality of Godhead. In all the ancient scriptures of devotional service and in the more recent
songs of rla Narottama dsa hkura, rla Bhaktivinoda
hkura, and other unalloyed Vaiavas, the spiritual master is always considered either one of the confidential associates of rmat Rdhr or a manifested representation
of rla Nitynanda Prabhu.
TAT T VA V I C A R A P U B L I C AT I O N S
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Solid Gold Guru Tattva

The Spiritual Master is Non-Different from Ka 

One Should Know the crya as Myself 

Before Whom Does He Appear? 

The Conditioned Soul Has Forgotten Ka

How Can a Conditioned Soul Revive His Memory? 

Ka Should be Understood in Tattva

Approach a Bona Fide Guru

What Is the Process? 

Who is eligible for bhakti? 

The Dharma of the Jva Is to Surrender

How Can You Surrender unto Ka 

Whom You Cannot See?

Without Surrendering to Guru 

You Cannot Become a Servant of Ka

The Definition of an crya 

So-Called Gurus Create Disturbances in the Society 16

Guru Is the Manifestation of Nitynanda-Rma 

A Spiritual Master Should Not Imitate 

the Transcendental Pastimes of the Lord

Kali Has Entered Mahprabhus Movement

The Spiritual Master Is Mukunda-Preha

Yoga Is Training of the Mind

Guru Is As Good As Hari - But Not Identical

Develop Strong Attachement to these Eight Tattvas 33

Guru Is the Embodiment of Kas Mercy

Real Fortune Is to Receive the Bhakti-Lat-Bja

r Guru Uncovers the Covering

Guru First Inculcates raddh

r rmad Gour Govinda Swami Mahrja

a in the form of Gaurga gave prema, love of Ka,

r Guru Makes Ka Appear in Your Heart

This Caitanya-caritra (the pastimes of r Caitanya known as

Then he wrote the second, third, and fourth verse fourteen

The Spiritual Master is Non-Different from Ka

yadyapi mra guru caitanyera dsa

Solid Gold Guru-Tattva

Although I know that my spiritual master is a servitor of

guru ka-rpa hana strera prame

The relationship of a disciple with his spiritual master is as

One Should Know the crya as Myself

r Guru Makes Ka Appear in Your Heart

One should know the crya as Myself and never disrespect

This is stra-prama, one of the ten pramas evidences.

Solid Gold Guru-Tattva

is duly authorised to award a disciple the right to be a brhmaa

Before Whom Does He Appear?

r Guru Makes Ka Appear in Your Heart

Solid Gold Guru-Tattva

As stated at the beginning of this chapter: guru ka-rpa hana

The Conditioned Soul Has Forgotten Ka

Andi means from time immemorial. It has no beginning. The

r Guru Makes Ka Appear in Your Heart

How Can a Conditioned Soul Revive His Memory?

Solid Gold Guru-Tattva

Lord Ka compiled the Vedic literature and its supplements,

My-mugdha jva, the conditioned and totally bewildered soul

Ka Should be Understood in Tattva

r Guru Makes Ka Appear in Your Heart

The Spiritual Master is Non-Different from Ka

One Should Know the crya as Myself

Before Whom Does He Appear?

The Conditioned Soul Has Forgotten Ka

How Can a Conditioned Soul Revive His Memory?

Ka Should be Understood in Tattva

Approach a Bona Fide Guru

What Is the Process?

Who is eligible for bhakti?

The Dharma of the Jva Is to Surrender

How Can You Surrender unto Ka

Whom You Cannot See?

Without Surrendering to Guru

You Cannot Become a Servant of Ka

The Definition of an crya

So-Called Gurus Create Disturbances in the Society 16

Guru Is the Manifestation of Nitynanda-Rma

A Spiritual Master Should Not Imitate

the Transcendental Pastimes of the Lord

Kali Has Entered Mahprabhus Movement

The Spiritual Master Is Mukunda-Preha

Yoga Is Training of the Mind

Guru Is As Good As Hari - But Not Identical

Develop Strong Attachement to these Eight Tattvas 33

Guru Is the Embodiment of Kas Mercy

Real Fortune Is to Receive the Bhakti-Lat-Bja

r Guru Uncovers the Covering

Guru First Inculcates raddh