Prabhupada > Books > Srimad-Bhagavatam > Canto 8 > SB 8.16 > SB 8.16.23
 
TEXT 23
adisa tvam dvija-srestha
vidhim tad-upadhavanam
asu tusyati me devah
sidantyah saha putrakaih
SYNONYMS
adisa—just instruct me; tvam—O my husband; dvija-srestha—O best of the brahmanas; vidhim—the regulative principles; tat—the Lord; upadhavanam—the process of worshiping; asu—very soon; tusyati—becomes satisfied; me—unto me; devah—the Lord; sidantyah—now lamenting; saha—with; putrakaih—all my sons, the demigods.
TRANSLATION
O best of the brahmanas, kindly instruct me in the perfect method of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead in devotional service, by which the Lord may very soon be pleased with me and save me, along with my sons, from this most dangerous condition.
PURPORT
Sometimes less intelligent men ask whether one has to approach a guru to be instructed in devotional service for spiritual advancement. The answer is given here—indeed, not only here, but also in Bhagavad-gita, where Arjuna accepted Krsna as his guru (sisyas te ’ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam). The Vedas also instruct, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: [MU
tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet
samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham
“To understand these things properly, one must humbly approach, with firewood in hand, a spiritual master who is learned in the Vedas and firmly devoted to the Absolute Truth.”
[Mundaka Upanisad 1.2.12]
1.2.12] one must accept a guru for proper direction if one is seriously inclined toward advancement in spiritual life. The Lord says that one must worship the acarya, who is the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (acaryam mam vijaniyat). One should definitely understand this. In Caitanya-caritamrta it is said that the guru is the manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, according to all the evidence given by the sastra and by the practical behavior of devotees, one must accept a guru. Aditi accepted her husband as her guru, so that he would direct her how to advance in spiritual consciousness, devotional service, by worshiping the Supreme Lord.

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