from Jaya Mangala Das – India, Vrindavan

Dear Srila Gurudev,

Please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to your divine grace on the auspicious day of your Vyasa Puja.

Nowadays the word “guru” has become the household word all over the globe. People talk about online gurus, guitar gurus, business gurus, finance gurus, etc. Delightful as it seems, the wide acceptance of the term is tainted with the wrong connotation people give it. Just like the word “pandit” just means “a scholar” according to their interpretations, the word “guru” just bears the meaning “an instructor” regardless of what kind of knowledge you can gain from his/her instructions. Fortunately enough from the Vedic literatures we know the real meaning of guru. There is a quote from scriptures, depriving those other “gurus” of their right to be called guru.

ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ avaiṣṇavo gurur na syād vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ

“A scholarly brahmaṇa expert in all subjects of Vedic knowledge is unfit to become a spiritual master without being a Vaisnava, but a person born in a family of a lower caste can become a spiritual master if he is a Vaisnava.” [Padma Purana].

According to this quote, only a devotee of Vishnu has the right to be guru. No other qualification counts, such as high birth, education, upbringing, etc. Why? The true purpose of a guru is to help his students to solve the ultimate problems of life, like birth, death, old age, and diseases, by reviving the disciple’s original consciousness of servitude towards Krsna and His devotees. Only then, the pure soul purified of all false designations, wakes up to his real eternal identity and goes back to the spiritual kingdom, where even the problems have the nature of transcendental bliss. Thus the real definition of guru is the one, who is heavy (guru) with transcendental knowledge and Krsna’s mercy. All the other “gurus” are actually “laghu”, which means that they have nothing real to offer.

The spiritual master is creating wanders by just his words and good example (although slaps and even hooks are also useful sometimes). Srila Gurudev, you have always been the hero for all of your sincere followers. Your words, inspiring us to serve Srila Prabhupada’s mission in this world both externally (by participating in the preaching activities) and internally (by working on the quality of our own spiritual practice to become fit for preaching), are as inspiring as your personal example. A devotee’s life is centered on Krsna’s holy name. As you told to one of your Russian disciples, every breath of yours is the Hare Krsna mantra. You are living and breathing just to chant the holy name and induce others to devoteе their lives to the service of the holy name. Only such a person is fit to chant the holy name.

When I joined, the Hare Krsna mantra was not something new to me. Back that time many people chanted the Hare Krsna mantra as a type of meditation for the peace of mind or to obtain some mystic powers. And even such chanting was fun. But, when I heard it from the devotees, and especially from you, this is where my real spiritual practice began. Later on, I found the following passage from Narada Pancaratra:

avaisnavo padistena mantrena nirayam vrajet punas ca vidhina samyag grahayed vaisnavad guroh

“One who is initiated into a mantra by a non-Vaishnava must go to hell. Therefore he should again be initiated properly, according to the prescribed method, by a Vaishnava guru.”

This is why it i very important to give the people of this world a scope of opportunities to hear the holy name, chanted by the devotees, and especially by the pure devotees. It is for this purpose only, you have been travelling around the globe for almost forty years, or even more than that. People get attracted by prasadam, devotees, and chanting and some of them join our camp. Then, when the novices gain enough interest in the spiritual life, you mercifully give them a chance to become your disciples.

Speaking of disciples, your sincere disciples, like the ones serving you with all their heart in Vrindavan and other parts of the world, have been another source of inspiration for me. Their very existence is the proof of your qualification as the spiritual master. Looking at their pure and enthusiastic service to your lotus feet, I realize that the only way I can even start repaying my debt to you is to try and serve you in their association. I do not know what is going to happen, as the situation in the world seems to be taking ruff and unexpected turns, but I hope their good example and blessings will someday make the quality of my service to you better. All glories to your service and divine life,

Gurudev! Kripa-bindu diya koro ei dase

Your servant, Jaya Mangala Das