1430
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 4, Ch. 29]
Supreme Personality of Godhead is easier than to worship various demigods under the influence of lust and the desire for material enjoyment. The devotee is therefore always engaged in the loving devotional service of the Lord. Such a person is a true  guru . In  Padma Purāṇa  it is said:
ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ avaiṣṇavo gurur na syād vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ
“Even if a  brāhmaṇa  is very learned in Vedic scriptures and knows the six occupational duties of a  brāhmaṇa , he cannot become a  guru  or spiritual master unless he is a devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, if one is born in a family of dog-eaters but is a pure devotee of the Lord, he can become a spiritual master.” The conclusion is that one cannot become a spiritual master unless he is a pure devotee of the Lord. One who is a spiritual master in accordance with the above descriptions of devotional service is to be understood as the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally present. According to the words mentioned here ( gurur hariḥ ), consulting a bona fide spiritual master means consulting the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally. One should therefore take shelter of such a bona fide spiritual master. Success in life means accepting a spiritual master who knows  Kṛṣṇa  as the only supreme beloved personality. One should worship such a confidential devotee of the Lord.
TEXT 52
नारद उवाच
प्रश्न एवं हि संछिन्नो मवतः पुरुषर्षम ।
अत्र मे वदतो गुह्यं निशामय सुनिश्चितम् ॥५२॥
nārada uvāca praśna evam hi sañchinno bhavataḥ puruṣarṣabha atra me vadato guhyam niśāmaya suniścitam
nāradaḥ uvāca —Nārada said;  praśnaḥ —question;  evam —thus;  hi —certainly;  sañchinnaḥ —answered;  bhavataḥ —your;  puruṣa-rṣabha —O great personality;  atra —here;  me vadataḥ —as I am speaking;  guhyam —confidential;  niśāmaya —hear;  su-niścitam —perfectly ascertained.