God Is Revealed

The spiritual master has completely surrendered to God, and God has revealed Himself fully to such a pure devotee. The spiritual master acts as a via medium between ourselves, who are contaminated by our association with matter, and Krsna, God. In this sense the spiritual master is even more merciful than God, since he comes and reveals himself to the conditioned soul who is still contaminated by material association. But since the spiritual master is pure in his surrender to God and the will of God, he is, in a sense, one with God. Thus the student who comes to hear and love the spiritual master also comes to develop knowledge and love of God.

Of course it is the mercy of God to send the spiritual master, and then it is the grace of the spiritual master to deliver God. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, the process for going back to Godhead is simply to engage in devotional service to God. But how can we, who are so minute and actually helpless, do anything for God, who controls and owns everything? The answer is to serve the spiritual master. It is like this: Suppose one knows a very, very rich man. What can one do to please him? Nothing. He has everything, and in comparison we have nothing. But suppose the man has a son. Then simply by giving a small piece of fruit to the son, one can please the son, and when the son is pleased, then automatically the father becomes pleased. So in this way one can please a very rich man.

The spiritual master is very dear to Krsna, just as a son is dear to the loving father, and by pleasing the spiritual master one can please God Himself. In Bhagavad-gita, the Supreme Lord states, "There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear." (Bg. 18.69) So Krsna has feelings, and He dearly loves the spiritual master. In fact, as stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Third Canto, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is thinking, "There is no way I can ever repay My pure devotees." When a man walks barefoot in the blazing sun, his feet are scorched, but his head feels no pain. Similarly, although He may tolerate offenses to Himself, Krsna tolerates no abuse to His pure devotee. As stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam, Third Canto, "They captivate My heart who are gladdened in heart; they look upon the brahmanas [holy men] as My own Self and pacify them by praising them in loving words, even as a son would appease an angry father or as I am pacifying you." So by serving the spiritual master we can please the Supreme Lord and thus go back to Him, by His divine grace.