Duty of the guru

Expressions researched:
"duty of the guru" |"guru duty" |"guru's duty" |"duty of the siksa-guru or diksa-guru"

SB Canto 8

According to śāstra, the duty of the guru is to take the disciple back home, back to Godhead

SB 8.20.1, Purport: Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura remarks that Bali Maharaja remained silent at a critical point. How could he disobey the instruction of Sukracarya, his spiritual master? It is the duty of such a sober personality as Bali Maharaja to abide by the orders of his spiritual master immediately, as his spiritual master had advised. But Bali Maharaja also considered that Sukracarya was no longer to be accepted as a spiritual master, for he had deviated from the duty of a spiritual master. According to sastra, the duty of the guru is to take the disciple back home, back to Godhead. If he is unable to do so and instead hinders the disciple in going back to Godhead, he should not be a guru. Gurur na sa syat (SB 5.5.18). One should not become a guru if he cannot enable his disciple to advance in Krsna consciousness. The goal of life is to become a devotee of Lord Krsna so that one may be freed from the bondage of material existence (tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so 'rjuna [Bg. 4.9]).

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

The duty of the guru is to find the means, according to the time, the circumstances and the candidate, by which one can be induced to render devotional service, which Kṛṣṇa accepts from a candidate who wants to be successful in going back home, back to Godhead

SB 10.2.31, Purport: This statement reveals how the merciful acaryas and the merciful Supreme Personality of Godhead together help the serious devotee who wants to return home, back to Godhead. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in His teachings to Rupa Gosvami, said:

brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva

guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija

(Cc. Madhya 19.151)

One can achieve the seed of bhakti-lata, devotional service, by the mercy of guru and Krsna. The duty of the guru is to find the means, according to the time, the circumstances and the candidate, by which one can be induced to render devotional service, which Krsna accepts from a candidate who wants to be successful in going back home, back to Godhead. After wandering throughout the universe, a fortunate person within this material world seeks shelter of such a guru, or acarya, who trains the devotee in the suitable ways to render service according to the circumstances so that the Supreme Personality of Godhead will accept the service. This makes it easier for the candidate to reach the ultimate destination. The acarya's duty, therefore, is to find the means by which devotees may render service according to references from sastra. Rupa Gosvami, for example, in order to help subsequent devotees, published such devotional books as Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu. Thus it is the duty of the acarya to publish books that will help future candidates take up the method of service and become eligible to return home, back to Godhead, by the mercy of the Lord.

A student and disciple has the right to ask the guru about any confidential service, and it is the duty of the guru to explain these confidential matters to his disciple

SB 10.12.43, Tanslation and Purport: O my lord, my spiritual master, although we are the lowest of ksatriyas, we are glorified and benefited because we have the opportunity of always hearing from you the nectar of the pious activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The pious activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are very confidential. It is not ordinarily possible to hear such activities unless one is very, very fortunate. Pariksit Maharaja placed himself as ksatra-bandhavah, which means "the lowest of the ksatriyas." The qualities of the ksatriya are described in Bhagavad-gita, and although the general quality of the ksatriya is isvara-bhava, the tendency to rule, a ksatriya is not supposed to rule over a brahmana. Thus Maharaja Pariksit regretted that he had wanted to rule over the brahmanas and had therefore been cursed. He considered himself the lowest of the ksatriyas. Danam isvara-bhavas ca ksatram karma svabhavajam (Bg. 18.43). There was no doubt that Maharaja Pariksit had the good qualities of a ksatriya, but as a devotee he presented himself, with submissiveness and humility, as the lowest of the ksatriyas, remembering his act of wrapping a dead serpent around the neck of a brahmana. A student and disciple has the right to ask the guru about any confidential service, and it is the duty of the guru to explain these confidential matters to his disciple.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Unqualified guru means who does not know how to guide the disciple. Guru's duty is to guide. So such kind of guru can be at least rejected

Lecture on BG 2.4-5 -- London, August 5, 1973: So gurun ahatva. A devotee of Krsna, if need be, if he's unqualified guru... Unqualified guru means who does not know how to guide the disciple. Guru's duty is to guide. So such kind of guru can be at least rejected. That is Jiva Gosvami's... Karya-karyam ajanatah. A guru who does not know what to do and what not to do, but by mistake, by mistakenly I have accepted somebody as guru, he can be rejected. By rejecting him, you can accept an actual bona fide guru. So guru is not killed, but he can be rejected. That is the injunction of the sastra. So Bhismadeva or Dronacarya, certainly they were gurus, but Krsna indirectly giving indication to Arjuna, that "Although they are in the position of guru, you can reject them." Karya-karyam ajanatah. "They do not know factually." This Bhismadeva, he materially considered his position. He knew everything from the beginning, that the Pandavas, they were parentless, fatherless children, and he raised them from the very beginning.

Guru's duty is... A śiṣya, a disciple, comes to the guru for enlightenment

BG 2.9, London, August 15, 1973: So hrsikesam, I have several times explained. Hrsika means the senses, and isa means the master. Hrsika-isa, and they join together: Hrsikesa. Similarly, Arjuna also. Gudakesa. Gudaka means darkness, and isa... Darkness means ignorance.

ajnana-timirandhasya

jnananjana-salakaya

caksur-unmilitam yena

tasmai sri-guruve namah

Guru's duty is... A sisya, a disciple, comes to the guru for enlightenment. Everyone is born foolish. Everyone. Even the human beings, because they are coming from the animal kingdom by evolution, so the birth is the same, ignorance, like animals. Therefore, even though one is human being, he requires education. The animal cannot take education, but a human being can take education. Therefore sastra says, nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye [SB 5.5.1]. I have several times recited this verse, that now... In the lower than human being condition, we have to work very hard simply for four necessities of life: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Sense gratification. Main object is sense gratification. Therefore everyone has to work very hard. But in the human form of life, Krsna gives us so much facilities, intelligence.

Anyone you meet, "My dear friend, just hear little." "What is that?" "Now, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You kindly think of Kṛṣṇa. Just offer your obeisances to Kṛṣṇa, just become a bhakta and chant His holy name." Bas. Your guru duty is finished

Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Hyderabad, December 16, 1976: First of all make yourself perfect. You can make yourself perfect because in the Bharatavarsa there are this Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Vedic literature. Just study them. And therefore we are publishing so many books on the basis of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam and people are appreciating very much all over the world. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Every one of you can become a guru. He says that. Amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Wherever you are, you can deliver the persons, surrounding persons in your neighborhood. "How can I become guru? I have no qualification." No. There is no need of qualification. Simply repeat. Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Very simple thing. Anyone you meet, "My dear friend, just hear little." "What is that?" "Now, Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You kindly think of Krsna. Just offer your obeisances to Krsna, just become a bhakta and chant His holy name." Bas. Your guru duty is finished. So it is not very difficult task. Anyone can do this. And then everyone will be benefited. And that is Krsna consciousness movement. Thank you very much.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

So it is the duty of the guru to give all opportunities, that "No more birth, this is the last birth, now you go back to home, back to Godhead"

Lecture on SB 1.16.1 -- Los Angeles, December 29, 1973: Our Prahlāda Mahārāja therefore says, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha, durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma [SB 7.6.1]. Just like I began that this human form of life is the only opportunity to become free from this material entanglement, to become perfect. So it is the duty of the father, it is the duty of the guru, it is the duty of the king, government, to give all opportunities, that "No more birth. This is the last birth. Now you go back to home, back to Godhead." That is government. No more again coming as cats and dogs and trees. And if we do not do that, then again we enter into the cycle of birth and death. This is the risk.

It is the duty of the guru to see that his subordinate is being trained up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this life, so that there will be no more death

Lecture on SB 1.16.10 -- Los Angeles, January 7, 1974: So it is the duty of the king, it is the duty of the government, it is the duty of the father, it is the duty of the guru, it is the duty of the husband to see that his subordinate is being trained up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this life, so that there will be no more death. Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. People do not know that he is being carried away. One is being carried away by the clutches of māyā in the cycle of birth and death. They do not know it, neither they want any solution. Although everyone does not want to die, but no scientist, no philosopher can give you any information that death can be checked.

And guru's duty is to guide them, guide him how to overcome this cycle of birth of death

Lecture on SB 5.5.18 -- Vrndavana, November 6, 1976: As soon as sees, Kṛṣṇa, that "Here is a sincere person who wants Me," He'll give you nice guru. Guru-kṛṣṇa kṛpa. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādat. And if you have really a bona fide guru, then by pleasing him you will get the favor of Kṛṣṇa. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi **. If you have become more than your guru, then "Overcoming guru, I shall get Kṛṣṇa's prasāda, Kṛṣṇa's favor, I have learnt more, guru mara vidyā," that is also not good. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasya **. This is the injunction of the ācārya, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. He has described very nicely vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru nandana [Bg. 2.41]. The order of guru should be the life and soul of the disciple, without caring for his personal salvation. This is the qualification of śiṣya. Śiṣyas te 'ham śādhi māṁ prapannam [Bg. 2.7], fully surrendered. And guru's duty is to guide them, guide him how to overcome this cycle of birth of death. These are the relationship between guru and disciple or father and son, mother and son, friend and friend, devatā... There are so many devatās. In the śāstras there are thirty-three millions of devatā. They say, "Whatever you worship," the rascals say, not any intelligent man, that "whatever devatā. You worship Kali, that's all right. You worship Gaṇeśa, that's all right. You worship Sūrya, that's all right. Whatever you are doing is all right. It is the same thing." No. Kṛṣṇa does not say. Kṛṣṇa says mām ekam. That is wanted. Kṛṣṇa never says that "You are worshiping Goddess Kali, or Durga, or this, or that, that's all right." But these rascals said, "Oh, this is all right." And he has become guru. He does not know what is the path of salvation, how one can get out, can get rid of this problem of birth, death—and still they preach.

It is the duty of the guru, the duty of the parents, duty of the government to train people in such a way that they may become pious, sinless

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Honolulu, May 19, 1976: So in the Kali-yuga, this age, there is no such king. There is no such government. Therefore people are becoming polluted. It is the duty of the guru, the duty of the parents, duty of the government to train people in such a way that they may become pious, sinless. But they do not believe, even in the next life, that "If we act impiously, then we have to suffer next life." They avoid to believe that there is next life. But there is next life. In the morning we were talking about this. How you can say there is no next life? The child has got next life: a boy. The boy has got next life: a young man. And the young man has next life, to become old man. Similarly, the old man has got next life. It is very common logic. And it is spoken by Kṛṣṇa, the supreme authority. Even if you do not understand, your dull brain, but we have to accept the words of Kṛṣṇa. That is the critical point. If we take Kṛṣṇa's instruction, everything will be solved. There will be no problem.

So guru's duty is to open the eyes, and by opening your eyes he will give you Kṛṣṇa

Lecture on SB 6.1.28-29 -- Philadelphia, July 13, 1975:

Prabhupāda: No, no, what is that Bengali language? You cannot... You are singing daily?

Kṛta-kṛta: Prema-bhakti jāhā hoite, avidyā vināśa jāte.

Prabhupāda: Ah. Avidyā vināśa jāte, kṛṣṇa-prāpti haya... So these are the things. Avidyā vināśa jāte. Avidyā means ignorance. We are full of ignorance. So guru's duty is to open the eyes, and by opening your eyes he will give you Kṛṣṇa. So this is the process. So you should be very much careful not to cheat Kṛṣṇa, not to cheat guru, and become very sincere and follow. Then it is guaranteed. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. Two things required. You cannot jump over Kṛṣṇa, neglecting guru. Then it is finished. If you want to jump over Kṛṣṇa without favor of the guru, Kṛṣṇa is not so easy. So these things should be very carefully observed, no offense. Sincerely follow. Then Kṛṣṇa will protect, and your progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to go back to home, back to Godhead, will be assured, insured.

This is the duty of the guru

Lecture on SB 6.1.66 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1975: This is brāhmaṇa's business.

śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā

śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau

yuktasya bhaktāṁś ca niyuñjato 'pi

vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam **

This is the duty of the guru. He worships himself. Unless he knows how to worship, how he will teach them? So he acts himself as brāhmaṇa, and he teaches the disciple how to work as a brāhmaṇa. Śrī-vigraha. This is called yajana yājana. Paṭhana pāṭhana. He must be a learned brāhmaṇa, and he must teach others how to become learned brāhmaṇa, paṇḍita. Paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana dāna pratigraha. He can accept charity from others, and he will distribute it by temple worship, distribute. All that you have collected, worship the Deity and distribute prasādam. Distribute this. Distribute. Dānaḥ pratigrahaḥ. This is brāhmaṇa's business.

Then what is the duty of the father? What is the duty of the government? Duty of the guru?

Lecture on SB 6.2.5-6 -- Vrndavana, September 9, 1975: So we are eternal spiritual spark. Kṛṣṇa says that the living entity is eternal. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg. 2.20]. This is the information we get from the authority, that "The living entity is eternal," nitya, śāśvata, "and ever-existing, and does not die on the death or annihilation of the body." Then what is the duty of the father? What is the duty of the government? Duty of the guru? Now how to save him from this repetition of birth and death. And that is the duty. Otherwise to give some food... That also, people cannot give now. Rather, killing their children in the womb. This is Kali-yuga. Whereas it is the duty of the parents how to save the child or the son from the clutches of death, they are now killing.

It is the duty of the father and mother, the duty of the guru, the duty of the relative, to save one another from the cycle of birth and death

Lecture on SB 7.6.7 -- Vrndavana, December 9, 1975: Don't be illusioned. Even bālye, in childhood, they should not be because there is no question of bālya or vṛddha. Any, at any moment the life can be finished. You know. There is no guarantee, "Because a child is a child, oh, he has got hundred years' age, so let him play now." No, that is not. He should be trained up. This is the duty of the father and mother. Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. "One should not become father, one should not become mother, if he is not very careful to save the child from the imminent death." The imminent death does not mean motor accident. Imminent death means we are in the cycle of birth and death. It is the duty of the father and mother, the duty of the guru, the duty of the relative, to save one another from the cycle of birth and death. This is real upakāra, to save from the cycle of birth... Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. This life, we are thinking that "I am eighty years old or ninety years old." But it is not eighty years, ninety... It is mṛtyu. Mṛtyu. You are dying every moment.

It is the duty of the guru to engage his disciple in Deity worship, in cleansing the temple, dressing the Deity, decorating the Deity, so many engagements

Lecture on SB 7.9.34 -- Mayapur, March 12, 1976: Take directly. If you are engaged twenty-four hours in the service of the Deity, you cannot see except the Deity. This bhakti-yoga practice is so simple. Therefore kaniṣṭha adhikārī, those who are neophyte, they must take to Deity worship. By Deity worship he is elevated to the position of seeing the Lord within the heart. This is very important thing. You can see—He is there—but you have no knowledge, or even if you have knowledge, you are not competent to see Him. But if you practice Deity worship...

Therefore it is the duty of guru to engage the neophyte devotee always in Deity worship.

śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-

śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau

yuktasya bhaktāṁś ca niyuñjato 'pi

vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam **

It is the duty of the guru to engage his disciple in Deity worship, in cleansing the temple, dressing the Deity, decorating the Deity, so many engagements. So everyone should be engaged. If one is not competent to dress the Deity—everyone is competent—he can simply wash the temple and cleanse it. That will also help. There is no difference, that one who is cleansing the floor of the temple and one who is engaged directly in the Deity worship...

Gurvaṣṭaka we chant daily, guru, what is the duty of the guru

Lecture on SB 7.12.2 -- Bombay, April 13, 1976: So guru, according to the capacity of the student, he teaches first about Brahman, then Paramātmā, then Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate knowledge of tattva-jñāna. And one who teaches this tattva-jñāna, he is guru. Otherwise he's a rascal. So therefore the first indication is that if you want to become a real human being, then you must approach a real guru and learn from him. Mold your life in that way. This is human civilization. Then, after guru... Gurvaṣṭaka we chant daily. Guru. What is the duty of the guru?

saàsära-dävänala-léòha-loka-

trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam

prāptasya kalyāṇa-guṇārṇavasya

vande guroḥ śrī caraṇāravindam **

We have Daily we understand what is guru. Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, citette kariyā aikya, āra nā kariya mane āśā **. This is that. This is wanted. If you have got real guru and if you follow him, then your life is successful. There is no doubt. But if you have a so-called bogus guru, and without any knowledge of the śāstra, then your life will be spoiled.

So one should read or hear chandāṁsi, chandāṁsy adhīyīta guroḥ, it is guru's duty

Lecture on SB 7.12.3 -- Bombay, April 14, 1976: In the Vedic literature you won't find these four defects. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, if you give evidence from the Vedic literature, it is to be accepted. No more argument. Anything which is accepted in the Vedas, vedavatā, there is no more argument. This is Indian civilization. All our literatures you'll find, therefore, full of quotation from Vedic literature to prove it. That is the actual. It is not imaginary. So one should read or hear chandäàsi. Chandäàsy adhéyéta guroù. It is guru's duty. Ädau gurv-äçrayam. Tad-vijïänärthaà sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. Tad-vijïäna, transcendental knowledge, one should approach guru. So guru-kula means guru's place. So he keeps the disciples to learn the Vedic literature. This is guru-kula. We are constructing such big, big houses. Why? We are inviting people to come here and live in this guru-kula and learn Vedic literature. This is our purpose.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

We are entangled by this process of birth, death, old age and disease, and it is the duty of the guru, duty of the father, duty of the mother, duty of the government, how to save them from this process of birth, death, old and di...

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 1.11 -- Mayapur, April 4, 1975: :So if you can stop your punar janma—no more taking birth—that is perfection of life. Therefore it is recommended that the guardians, namely the guru, spiritual master, the father, the mother, the king, or the government. The whole system should be so centralized that people may be saved from this process of punar janma. That is real government, real parenthood, real guruism—how to save the disciples or the citizens or the son, subordinates. They come to your shelter. Just like these children have come to the shelter of father and mother, the disciples have come to the shelter of guru. The citizens are expecting good government. So they are subordinate, expecting protection from the superior. Therefore the whole scheme should be how to protect them from repetition of death. Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. We are entangled by this process of birth, death, old age and disease, and it is the duty of the guru, duty of the father, duty of the mother, duty of the government, how to save them from this process of birth, death, old and di... That is civilization. Otherwise it is dog civilization. What is the meaning? This is civilization.

General Lectures

That is the duty of the state, that is the duty of the parents, that is the duty of the guru, that is the duty of kinsmen

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 12, 1971: But somehow or other, I got the inspiration from my father worshiping a small Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deity. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha [SB 7.6.1]. Actually the students, the children, should be given chance to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the duty of the state, that is the duty of the parents, that is the duty of the guru, that is the duty of kinsmen. That is the instruction given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Gurur na sa syāt sva-jano na sa syāt, pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt, na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum.

So this is the duty of the guru, to awaken that divya-jñāna

Lecture -- Bombay, April 1, 1977 :: Divyam means we are combination of matter and spirit. That spirit is divya, transcendental. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parā [Bg. 7.5]. That is parā prakṛti, superior. If there is the superior identity... And for understanding that superior identity we require superior knowledge, not ordinary knowledge. Divya-jñāna hṛde prakāśito. So this is the duty of the guru, to awaken that divya-jñāna. Divya-jñāna. And because guru enlightens that divya-jñāna, he is worshiped. That is required.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Pitā na sa syāt, guru's duty

Morning Walk -- April 19, 1975, Vrndavana: Prabhupāda: The things are there already, especially in India. We have got everything ready, and especially this land India. It is specially meant for God realization. By the birth, one is Kṛṣṇa conscious, or God conscious. Still in these days, whenever... You have seen in Hyderabad. Although your conference was going on, still, at least five thousand men were attracted to hear me. (Guest laughs) And I was speaking the dry subject of Kṛṣṇa. So India is so fortunate. They are still ready to assimilate the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. The land is so fortunate. So we must give them the chance. That is our duty. That is government's duty. That is teacher's duty. That is father's duty. That is explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavata. Pitā na sa syāt. Guru's duty. One who has got the chance of accepting something very easily... The guardians... The first guardian, the government, the second, the father, then the teacher, then so many, friends, relatives—that chance should be given.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

The guru's duty is to give them education; the sannyāsī's duty is to give....

Morning Walk -- May 3, 1976, Fiji:

Prabhupāda: (tape very distorted) They are not beggar. But Kṛṣṇa has assured, yoga-kṣemaṁ vahām... Why they should go to beg? That this is only a process to approach them. If you approach any gentleman as beggar, he'll give you, at least in India. Not.... Just to enlighten, give them education. [break] He's thinking, "This is life." And the sannyāsī's duty is: "No, not this is life. You are in darkness, mūḍha." That is sannyāsī's business: to enlighten. [break] ...everything, and only for understanding future, they'll be left on the hand of the nature. Is that very good proposal? Hmm? No. There must be.

Indian man: But they have process. They earn wealth. That's all. And no future for the child, they don't...

Prabhupāda: Because they have no education. The guru's duty is to give them education; the sannyāsī's duty is to give.... They do not give. They say, "Yes, you are all right. Give me some money." That's all. That they go: "I am avatāra, I am this, I am that," that's all. And he is.... He return (indistinct) to darkness. That's all. [break] ...they used to discover, whole method is finished.