View source for Not the unfortunate. "It is the fortunate person who comes in contact with a bona fide spiritual master." This question we were just discussing before coming to the class, how to select a bona fide spiritual master

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[[Category:Unfortunate]]
[[Category:Fortunate Persons]]
[[Category:Come In Contact]]
[[Category:Bona Fide Spiritual Master]]
[[Category:Questions Posed by Srila Prabhupada]]
[[Category:Our Discussions (Disciples of SP)]]
[[Category:My Discussions (Prabhupada)]]
[[Category:My Classes (Prabhupada)]]
[[Category:Selecting a Spiritual Master]]
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<h2>Lectures</h2>
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<h3>Nectar of Devotion Lectures</h3>
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It is a fortunate person." Not the unfortunate. "It is the fortunate person who comes in contact with a bona fide spiritual master." This question we were just discussing before coming to the class, how to select a bona fide spiritual master. So that is not very difficult. Just like in our ordinary business life, we accept somebody as representative of the firm who is actually come, canvassing for the benefit of the firm. He's representative.
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[[Vanisource:721030 - Lecture NOD - Vrndavana|721030 - Lecture NOD - Vrndavana]]
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Pradyumna: "In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, by Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, Lord Caitanya states that it is a fortunate person who comes in contact with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. One who is serious about spiritual life is given by Kṛṣṇa the intelligence to come in contact with a bona fide spiritual master."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Here it is stated, "It is . . . it is a fortunate person." Not the unfortunate. "It is the fortunate person who comes in contact with a bona fide spiritual master." This question we were just discussing before coming to the class, how to select a bona fide spiritual master.

So that is not very difficult. Just like in our ordinary business life, we accept somebody as representative of the firm who is actually come, canvassing for the benefit of the firm. He's representative. Suppose he's representing some book-seller, publisher, so he should canvass for selling the books published by his firm, not for anything else. Suppose he has taken the advantage of becoming representative of a business firm but he's doing his own business, he's not bona fide. He's not bona fide.

So real guru is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa . . . Aham eva āsam agre ([[Vanisource:SB 2.9.33|SB 2.9.33]]). Kṛṣṇa existed before the creation. Then He made His representative, Brahmā. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye ([[Vanisource:SB 1.1.1|SB 1.1.1]]). He instructed the original guru, Brahmā. Because there was no other living creature, except Brahmā, in the beginning of creation, and He instructed Brahmā. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. There are other versions in the Vedas, that He instructed Brahmā. So therefore, the original guru is Kṛṣṇa.

The same guru, Kṛṣṇa, is instructing Arjuna also. Kṛṣṇa became guru of Arjuna. Arjuna accepted Him guru: śiṣyas te 'ham ([[Vanisource:BG 2.7 (1972)|BG 2.7]]). Arjuna said, "Now I am not talking with You as friend, but I accept You as my guru." Therefore, by śāstric conclusion, Kṛṣṇa is the original guru. Who can deny it? Kṛṣṇa is jagat-guru. He's guru of everyone, because everyone (is) accepting the authority of guru, er, Kṛṣṇa. Anyone is accepting the authority of Bhagavad-gītā, he's accepting, imperceptibly, Kṛṣṇa as guru. Therefore, bona fide spiritual master means who is representing Kṛṣṇa. Who can deny it?

So to find out a bona fide spiritual master is not very difficult job, because if one is representing guru, Kṛṣṇa, then he must speak of Kṛṣṇa, canvass for Kṛṣṇa. What do you think, Visanjī?

Indian man: Jaya, Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: So that is bona fide guru. Where is the difficulty to find out a bona fide guru? Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa upadeśa ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 7.128|CC Madhya 7.128]]). Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that "You preach the words of Kṛṣṇa." Therefore He's bona fide. Similarly, anyone who is representing Kṛṣṇa and canvassing for Kṛṣṇa, he's bona fide guru. Where is the difficulty? Is there any difficulty? Anyone can understand that if Kṛṣṇa is the original guru, and if somebody's canvassing for Kṛṣṇa, he's bona fide guru. If somebody canvassing for himself, he's not bona fide guru.
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