38 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta

TRANSLATION

| first offer my respectful obeisances at the lotus feet of my initiating spiritual
master and all my instructing spiritual masters.

PURPORT

Srila Jiva Gosvami, in his thesis Bhakti-sandarbha (202), has stated that uncon-
taminated devotional service is the objective of pure Vaisnavas and that one has to
execute such service in the association of other devotees. By associating with devotees
of Lord Krsna, one develops a sense of Krsna consciousness and thus becomes in-
clined toward the loving service of the Lord. This is the process of approaching the
Supreme Lord by gradual appreciation in devotional service. If one desires unalloyed
devotional service, one must associate with devotees of Sri Krsna, for by such asso-
ciation only can a conditioned soul achieve a taste for transcendental love and thus
revive his eternal relation with Godhead in a specific manifestation and in terms of
the specific transcendental mellow (rasa) that one has eternally inherent in him.

If one develops love for Krsna by Krsna conscious activities, one can know the
Supreme Absolute Truth, but he who tries to understand God simply by logical
arguments will not succeed, nor will he get a taste for unalloyed devotion. The
secret is that one must submissively listen to those who know perfectly the science
of God, and one must begin the mode of service regulated by the preceptor. A
devotee already attracted by the name, form, qualities, etc., of the Supreme Lord
may be directed to his specific manner of devotional service; he need not waste time
in approaching the Lord through logic. The expert spiritual master knows well how
to engage his disciple’s energy in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, and
thus he engages a devotee in a specific devotional service according to his special
tendency. A devotee must have only one initiating spiritual master because in the
scriptures acceptance of more than one is always forbidden. There is no limit, how-
ever, to the number of instructing spiritual masters one may accept. Generally a
spiritual master who constantly instructs a disciple in spiritual science becomes his
initiating spiritual master later on.

One should always remember that a person who is reluctant to accept a spiritual
master and be initiated is sure to be baffled in his endeavor to go back to Godhead.
One who is not properly initiated may present himself as a great devotee, but in fact
he is sure to encounter many stumbling blocks on his path of progress toward spiri-
tual realization, with the result that he must continue his term of material existence
without relief. Such a helpless person is compared to a ship without a rudder, for
such a ship can never reach its destination. It is imperative, therefore, that one accept
a spiritual master if he at all desires to gain the favor of the Lord. The service of the
spiritual master is essential. If there is no chance to serve the spiritual master directly,
a devotee should serve him by remembering his instructions. There is no difference
between the spiritual. master’s instructions and the spiritual master himself. In his
absence, therefore, his words of direction should be the pride of the disciple. If one
thinks that he is above consulting anyone else, including a spiritual master, he is at
once an offender at the lotus feet of the Lord. Such an offender can never go back
to Godhead. It is imperative that a serious person accept a bona fide spiritual master
