TEXTS 3031
guru-susrusaya bhaktya
sarva-labdharpanena ca
sangena sadhu-bhaktanam
isvararadhanena ca
sraddhaya tat-kathayam ca
kirtanair guna-karmanam
tat-padamburuha-dhyanat
tal-lingeksarhanadibhih
SYNONYMS
guru-susrusayaby rendering service to the bona fide spiritual master; bhaktyawith faith and devotion; sarvaall; labdhaof material gains; arpanenaby offering (to the guru, or to Krsna through the spiritual master); caand; sangenaby the association; sadhu-bhaktanamof devotees and saintly persons; isvaraof the Supreme Personality of Godhead; aradhanenaby the worship; caand; sraddhayawith great faith; tat-kathayamin discourses about the Lord; caand; kirtanaihby glorifications; guna-karmanamof the transcendental qualities and activities of the Lord; tatHis; pada-amburuhaon the lotus feet; dhyanatby meditation; tatHis; lingaforms (Deities); iksaobserving; arhana-adibhihand by worshiping.
TRANSLATION
One must accept the bona fide spiritual master and render service unto him with great devotion and faith. Whatever one has in ones possession should be offered to the spiritual master, and in the association of saintly persons and devotees one should worship the Lord, hear the glories of the Lord with faith, glorify the transcendental qualities and activities of the Lord, always meditate on the Lords lotus feet, and worship the Deity of the Lord strictly according to the injunctions of the sastra and guru.
PURPORT
In the previous verse it has been said that the process which immediately increases ones love and affection for the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the best of the many thousands of ways to become free from the entanglement of material existence. It is also said, dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam: actually the truth of religious principles is extremely confidential. Nonetheless, it can be understood very easily if one actually adopts the principles of religion. As it is said, dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam: [SB 6.3.19] the process of religion is enunciated by the Supreme Lord because He is the supreme authority. This is also indicated in the previous verse by the word bhagavatoditah. The injunctions or directions of the Lord are infallible, and their benefits are fully assured. According to His directions, which are explained in this verse, the perfect form of religion is bhakti-yoga.
To practice bhakti-yoga, one must first accept a bona fide spiritual master. Srila Rupa Gosvami, in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.2.7475), advises:
guru-padasrayas tasmat
krsna-diksadi-siksanam
visrambhena guroh seva
sadhu-vartmanuvartanam
Ones first duty is to accept a bona fide spiritual master. The student or disciple should be very inquisitive; he should be eager to know the complete truth about eternal religion (sanatana-dharma). The words guru-susrusaya mean that one should personally serve the spiritual master by giving him bodily comforts, helping him in bathing, dressing, sleeping, eating and so on. This is called guru-susrusanam. A disciple should serve the spiritual master as a menial servant, and whatever he has in his possession should be dedicated to the spiritual master. pranair arthair dhiya vaca. Everyone has his life, his wealth, his intelligence and his words, and all of them should be offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the via medium of the spiritual master. Everything should be offered to the spiritual master as a matter of duty, but the offering should be made to the spiritual master with heart and soul, not artificially to gain material prestige. This offering is called arpana. Moreover, one should live among devotees, saintly persons, to learn the etiquette and proper behavior of devotional service. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura remarks in this connection that whatever is offered to the spiritual master should be offered with love and affection, not for material adoration. Similarly, it is recommended that one associate with devotees, but there must be some discrimination. Actually, a sadhu, a saintly person, must be saintly in his behavior (sadhavah sad-acarah). Unless one adheres to the standard behavior, ones position as a sadhu, a saintly person, is not complete. Therefore a Vaisnava, a sadhu, must completely adhere to the standard of behavior. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that a Vaisnava, a person initiated into the Vaisnava cult, should be offered the respect befitting a Vaisnava, which means that he should be offered service and prayers. However, one should not associate with him if he is not a fit person with whom to associate.

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