140 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 5, Ch. 17
nor should one think that the spiritual master is an ordinary human
being.” One should strictly follow this sastric injunction and worship the
Deity, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without offenses. The
spiritual master is the direct representative of the Lord, and no one
should consider him an ordinary human being. By avoiding offenses
against the Deity and the spiritual master, one can advance in spiritual
life, or Krsna consciousness.
In this regard, the following quotation appears in the Laghu-
bhagavatamrta:
padme tu parama-vyomnah
purvadye dik-catustaye
vasudevadayo vyithas
catvarah kathitah kramat
tatha pada-vibhiitau ca
nivasanti kramadi me
Jalavrti-stha-vaikuntha-
sthita vedavati-pure
satyordhve vaisnave loke
nityakhye dvaraka-pure
suddhodad uttare sveta-
dvipe cairdvati-pure
ksirambudhi-sthitante
kroda-paryanka-dhamani
sdtvatiye kvacit tantre
nava vyithah prakirtitah
catvadro vdsudevadya
nardyana-nrsimhakau
hayagrivo mahé-krodo
brahmé ceti navoditah
tatra brahmaé tu vijteyah
purvokta-vidhaya harih
