The Bona Fide Spiritual Master - Daiva Sangam

The Bona Fide Spiritual Master


Statements from shastra and Srila Prabhupada explaining the qualification of the spiritual master.

  • The final statement is atmavic-caranarcanam. Atma-vit  means a self-realized soul or bona fide spiritual master. Unless one is self-realized and knows what his relationship with the Supersoul is, he cannot be a bona fide spiritual master. SB 3.28.2 Purport 
  • Brahma's enlightenment in knowledge was due to the Lord sitting within his heart. After being created, Brahma could not ascertain the source of his appearance, but after penance and mental concentration he could see the source of his birth, and thus he became enlightened through the heart. The spiritual master outside and the spiritual master within are both representations of the Lord. Unless one has contact with such bona fide representations, one cannot claim to be a spiritual master. SB 3.9.26 purport
  • Consultation with the Supersoul seated within everyone’s heart is possible only when one is completely free from the contamination of material attachment. SB 4.28.52 Purport
  • No one can be a bona fide spiritual master without following this principle of disciplic succession. Bg. 4.34
  • One can acquire such pure knowledge only from the bona fide spiritual master Bg. 4.35
  • For one who does not take personal training under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, it is impossible to even begin to understand Krishna. The word tu is specifically used here to indicate that no other process can be used, can be recommended, or can be successful in understanding Krishna. Bg. 11.54
  • As for acceptance of the spiritual master, that is essential, because without the instruction of a bona fide spiritual master one cannot progress in the spiritual science. Bg. 13.8
  • "Any person who is seriously desirous of achieving real happiness must seek out a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of a spiritual master is that he must have realized the conclusion of the scriptures by deliberation and arguments and thus be able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken complete shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, are to be understood as bona fide spiritual masters." SB 11.3.21
  • Sanatana Goswami clearly defines herein the bona fide spiritual master of the world. The qualifications expressed in this connection are that one must act according to the scriptural injunctions and at the same time preach. One who does so is a bona fide spiritual master. Cc Antya 4.102
  • The bona fide spiritual master, who not only is a brahmana by qualification but must also be a Vaishnava. SB 3.6.34
  • All shastric injunctions, as well as the versions of great sages and authorities, establish that a bona fide spiritual master is not necessarily a brahmana. The only qualification is that he be conversant with the science of Krishna, Krishna consciousness. That alone makes one perfectly eligible to become a spiritual master. TLC
  • As stated by Narottama Dasa Thakura, sadhu-shastra-guru: one has to test all spiritual matters according to the instructions of saintly persons, scriptures and the spiritual master. The spiritual master is one who follows the instructions of his predecessors, namely the sadhus, or saintly persons. A bona fide spiritual master does not mention anything not mentioned in the authorized scriptures. Ordinary people have to follow the instructions of sadhu, shastra and guru. Those statements made in the shastras and those made by the bona fide sadhu or guru cannot differ from one another.  SB 4.16.1 Purport