During Sriman Mahaprabhu’s time and maybe a few 100 years later also , the guru parampara of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas flourished. Sriman Mahaprabhu’s dear associates usually householders took the position of guru and initiated 1000s of people into the Gopal Mantra and the Radha Mantra. It was only later during the late 1800’s that this system almost collapsed and pseudo-practitioners welled up to usurp the true sentiments of Krishna Bhavana. Thanks to the advent of Thakhura Bhakti Binode ; who raised up the bar on “deciding who can be a guru”.
Who can give Krishna to others? This is the question.
Mahaprabhu said
yāre dekha, tāre kaha ‘kṛṣṇa’-upadeśa
āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra’ ei deśa .
Simply by repeating the message of Krishna and speaking about Krishna to others one becomes a guru. We can be messengers of Krishna by speaking about Krishna to others.
However when one provides “Deeksha” to others ; one takes on the position of a Sadhguru ; on behalf of the parampara ; the Deeksha guru takes on “full responsibility” of the disciple or devotee. The Deeksha process is very very special. When the Deeksha process is undertaken.
- The disciple is immediately absolved of all karmic reactions and by the mercy of Sri Gurudeva ; he is placed on the transcendental platform
- The inadvertent deviations of the disciples even if it is sin ; performed unknowingly will be immediately absolved and the disciple is at once cleansed
- The disciple surrenders one’s entire actions at the feet of the Parampara ; Sri Gurudeva being the representative of the Parampara. The disciple immediately becomes eligible to enter the spiritual kingdom “In this very life-time”.
- However because of disciple’s fickle mindedness , if the disciple is not able to perform Bhajana as indicated to him by Sri Gurudeva at the time of Deeksha ; it is possible that the disciple may “miss the bus” for this lifetime. However even in this case it becomes the duty of Sri Gurudeva to be available for the disciple in a later incarnation in whichever planetary system the disciple has appeared.
Having stated the Deeksha relationship between Sri Guru and the disciple ; I would like to make a point about the word “Deeksha”. The word Deeksha comes from the root word in Sanskrit called “Drik”. Drik means “to see”. During the Deeksha process the Guru who is considered to be a direct manifestation of the Lord Himself transfers the potency “To see Krishna” by means of the mantra ; revealed inside the right ear of the disciple. When the disciple surrenders his all and accepts the mantra ; through the sadhana process the disciple develops this “Power to see Krishna and His plan”. This Deeksha thus becomes the pathway through which one becomes completely eligible to serve the divine couple. Once Deeksha is over ; the chanting of the Mahamantra takes on a “new role” altogether.
Before Deeksha ; the Hari nama serves to cleanse the heart of the 6 enemies of kama,krodha,lobha,moha,mada and matsarya. The Hari nama gives peace and tranquility. It is however only after Deeksha that the deep rooted sins of all previous life times that have persisted in the heart ; even in the form of some apradha still seated in the heart are completely uprooted during Deeksha. Once Deeksha mantras are being continuously chanted by the disciple ; The Mahamantra starts to give a completely new taste to the disciple. This Mahamantra now becomes the “Giver of Prema itself”.
How does one qualify as a Sadhguru ( The knower of the pastimes of Sri Radha and Krishna?)
A devotee is chosen as a Sadhguru by none other than Sriman Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Himself. The qualifications of such a person is only determined by “his” own Gurudeva who is on a completely transcendental platform. The devotee does not understand his own qualification and find himself absolutely worthless ; however by the benign will of his spiritual master and Sriman Mahaprabhu , he becomes instated to the position of “Initiating Spiritual Master”. Such a Sadhguru needs to have the following qualifications ; these qualifications are actually conferred on him by Sri Gurudeva and Sriman Mahaprabhu ; there is no way that one can falsely achieve them. Also these cannot be attained solely through Bhajana or any other spiritual means.Sri Guru Kripa being the sole factor for possessing them.
They are :
- One who understands and is able to explain the purport of Vedic Literature
- One whose urge to speak and consume food is fully under control
- One whose genitals are completely withdrawn from procreative and sensual activities
- One who has compassion for the entire world ( A feature transferred to him by Sriman Mahaprabhu as His special mercy)
- One who is not interested in any worldly activity or accumulation of wealth
- One who has no interest in creating a following for himself.
Well there can be an endless list ..There are many Gaudiya Books like Nectar of Instruction etc which can be referred ; but what I am sharing with you are details on first-hand realization/experience of the same.
The Sadhguru is an empowered representative of the Lord and surrender to The Sadhguru immediately alleviates one from the pangs of material nature.
Charan Pahari 