264 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 8, Ch. 24
someone as a guru who is a rascal and a fool. But we are interested
in self-realization. Therefore we accept You, the Supreme Per-
sonality of Godhead, as our spiritual master, for You are able to see
in all directions and are omniscient like the sun.
PURPORT

The conditioned soul, being wrapped in ignorance and therefore not
knowing the goal of life, accepts a guru who can juggle words and make
some display of magic that is wonderful to a fool. Sometimes a foolish
person accepts someone as a guru because he can manufacture a small
quantity of gold by mystic yogic power. Because such a disciple has a
poor fund of knowledge, he cannot judge whether the manufacture of
gold is the criterion for a guru. Why should one not accept the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Krsna, from whom unlimited numbers of gold
mines come into being? Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam
pravartate. All the gold mines are created by the energy of the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Therefore, why should one accept a magician
who can manufacture only a small portion of gold? Such gurus are ac-
cepted by those who are blind, not knowing the goal of life. Maharaja
Satyavrata, however, knew the goal of life. He knew the Supreme Per-
sonality of Godhead, and therefore he accepted the Lord as his guru.
Either the Supreme Lord or His representative can become guru. The
Lord says, mdm eva ye prapadyante maydm etam taranti te: “One can
get relief from the clutches of maya as soon as he surrenders unto Me.”
Therefore it is the gurw’s business to instruct his disciple to surrender to
the Supreme Personality of Godhead if he wants relief from the material
clutches. This is the symptom of the guru. This same principle was in-
structed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: ydre dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna’-
upadeSa. In other words, one is advised not to accept a guru who does not
follow the path of instruction given by Lord Krsna.

TEXT 51
at qaenferasadt aa
TH Maa Td aa: |
a aay AAAATTAAN
Wada Fa Fat Met ITT UMA
