224 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 7, Ch. 15
enlightenment. Consequently, for one who maintains the material
conception that the spiritual master is an ordinary human being,
everything is frustrated. His enlightenment and his Vedic studies
and knowledge are like the bathing of an elephant.
PURPORT

It is recommended that one honor the spiritual master as being on
an equal status with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Saksad
dharitvena samasta-sdstraih. This is enjoined in every scripture.
Acaryarn mar vijaniyat. One should consider the dcdrya to be as good as
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In spite of all these instructions, if
one considers the spiritual master an ordinary human being, one is
doomed. His study of the Vedas and his austerities and penances for en-
lightenment are all useless, like the bathing of an elephant. An elephant
bathes in a lake quite thoroughly, but as soon as it comes on the shore it
takes some dust from the ground and strews it over its body. Thus there
is no meaning to the elephant’s bath. One may argue by saying that since
the spiritual master’s relatives and the men of his neighborhood consider
him an ordinary human being, what is the fault on the part of the disci-
ple who considers the spiritual master an ordinary human being? This
will be answered in the next verse, but the injunction is that the spiritual
master should never be considered an ordinary man. One should strictly
adhere to the instructions of the spiritual master, for if he is pleased, cer-
tainly the Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased. Yasya prasddad
bhagavat-prasddo yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto ‘pi.

TEXT 27
wy Ff ATAAT THATS: |
Triage F ATT ATT |RI
esa vai bhagavan sdksat
pradhana-purusesvarah
yogesvarair vimrgyarighrir
loko yarn manyate naram

esah—this; vai—indeed; bhagavan—Supreme Personality of God-

head; sa@ksat—directly; pradhadna—the chief cause of the material
