Category:Thoughts of a Spiritual Master
Theme Analysis
What does a spiritual master think? Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals that the internal mood of a bona fide guru is one of profound humility and service. Far from thinking himself a master, he views his disciples as his own spiritual masters sent by Kṛṣṇa to engage him in service. This vision allows him to see the good even in those who approach with mixed motives, as exemplified by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. The thoughts of the ācāryas are always absorbed in the spiritual well-being of the general public. This is contrasted with the demigods like Brahmā and Śiva, whose thoughts can sometimes be bewildered by pride or illusion. Furthermore, Śrīla Prabhupāda strongly defends the integrity of the previous ācāryas, dismissing fabricated stories suggesting that Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī ever thought of hindering the publication of Caitanya-caritāmṛta out of envy.
- The Servant's Vision: The spiritual master thinks of himself as the servant of his disciples, believing that Kṛṣṇa has sent them to give him the opportunity to serve.
- Compassionate Correction: When a sage like Nārada Muni curses, his thoughts are not of revenge (tamaḥ) but of how to cure the madness of the conditioned souls.
- Defending the Tradition: Śrīla Prabhupāda refutes the apocryphal story that Jīva Gosvāmī threw Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja's manuscript into a well, calling such thoughts a blasphemy against the guru.
- Divine vs. Demigod: While pure devotees like Prahlāda feel unqualified, powerful demigods like Brahmā and Śiva can sometimes think with pride or confusion when faced with Kṛṣṇa's māyā.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Thoughts of a Spiritual Master - Humility and Compassion.
Pages in category "Thoughts of a Spiritual Master"
The following 17 pages are in this category, out of 17 total.
A
- A spiritual master takes his disciples as his spiritual master. That is the position. He thinks that, "Krsna has sent me so many spiritual master." He does not think himself as spiritual master, he thinks himself their servant
- Although Prahlada Maharaja was a pure, exalted Vaisnava, he thought himself most unqualified to offer prayers to the Supreme Lord. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah (CC Madhya 17.186). Every pure Vaisnava should think like this
- Another story fabricated to defame Srila Jiva Gosvami states that when Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami showed him the newly-completed manuscript of CC, Jiva Gosvami thought it would hamper his reputation as a big scholar & therefore threw it into a well
B
- Brahma thought, "What is this?" And then he was not even able to see. Lord Krsna, understanding Brahma's position, then at once removed the curtain of His yogamaya - SB 10.13.57
- By materialistic calculations, Sukracarya thought that Bali Maharaja would under no circumstances be able to keep his promise to the brahmacari, Lord Vamanadeva
L
- Like one of my big Godbrothers - he wanted to make business with my Guru Maharaja (spiritual master), but my Guru Maharaja did not take the bad side. He took the good side. He thought, - He has come forward to give me some service
- Lord Brahma thought: Whatever boys and calves there were in Gokula, I have kept them sleeping on the bed of my mystic potency, and to this very day they have not yet risen again - SB 10.13.41
- Lord Brahma, thinking and thinking for a long time, tried to distinguish between those two sets of boys, who were each separately existing. He tried to understand who was real and who was not real, but he couldn't understand at all - SB 10.13.43
S
- Siva thought, "The Daityas may have been bewildered, but since even the demigods could not be agitated, what to speak of me, who am the best of all the demigods?"
- Some devotees think that Narayana is the original Personality of Godhead and that Krsna is an incarnation
- Sri Yamunacarya, a great devotee in KC, said: Since I have been engaged in the transcendental loving service of Krsna, realizing ever-new pleasure in Him, whenever I think of sex pleasure, I spit at the thought, and my lips curl with distaste. BG 1972 p
- Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami was greatly shocked, according to this story (that Jiva Gosvami thought manuscript of CC of Krsnadasa Kaviraja would hamper his reputation as a big scholar and therefore threw it into a well), and he died immediately
- Such a story (that Jiva Gosvami thought manuscript of CC of Krsnadasa Kaviraja would hamper his reputation as a big scholar and therefore threw it into a well) should never be accepted as authoritative