Text 752167 (90 lines)
From:     Jayapataka Swami (GBC)
Date:     18-Aug-97 23:09 SST
Refernce: Text 732693 by Janaka Gauranga (das) JPS (NE-BBT)
To:       Answers To KC Questions (Jayapataka Swami) [136]
Subject:  sending again - question from bhn. Larisa
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> Dear Jayapataka Swami,
> Please accept my respectful obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
>
> In your Prague lecture you mentioned that you know about 15 points which help
> one to find out who is his spiritual master. Can you share them with us?
>
> your servant
> bhn. Larisa

My dear bhaktin Larisa,

Please accept my best wishes.  All glories to Srila Prabhupada! Thankyou for
your question.  Yes I can share the points with you and you can ask any
question on Krsna consciousness here.

These points are for helping one to choose a Spiritual Master when one has
faith in more than one bona fide spiritual master in Srila Prabhupadas
Parampara.  So I am not listing all the basic qualifications to choose a guru
like being in a bona fide parampara or such fundamental issues. These points
are more for a devotee who has already understood who is a bona fide spiritual
master and has a field of more than one to choose from but cannot understand
who should be the diksa guru.  So these points are to help one to understand
one's own faith and inspiration.

One needs to pray to Srila Prabhupada, Lord Nitai-Gauranga and Lord Krishna
Balaram for Their blessings and inspiration as to whom the candidate should
acccept as diksa and siksa guru.  Then if one still is not sure you can use
these points as meditations to analyse your heart and inspiration.

I hope they are useful for you.

Your well-wisher,

Jayapataka Swami

[Note: If anyone on this conference has some more points like this then you can
send to me personally and I will consider if I want to add them or not.]



Points to help to decide one's guru:

1. To be inspired by a particular guru or by the spiritual master's
enthusiasm or intensity, and also want to get that same kind of spirit
of devotional service is one reason to choose a particular guru.

2. If one is inspired by a guru's preaching and it enthuses him or her
in their devotional service.

3. One may have faith that the vibration of the spiritual master is
totally Krishna conscious and want to acquire that vibration.

4. To desire to help the spiritual master in his particular mission of
serving Srila Prabhupada.

5. One particular guru is more mercifully inclined towards caring for
the spiritual welfare of the devotee or is more merciful towards the
devotee.

6. The disciple wants to ensure a relationship with the spiritual
mater and see an eternal relationship is established.

7. One guru inspires one to develop more faith and devotion for Srila
Prabhupada.

8. One feels that Krishna and Srila Prabhupada are speaking clearly to
the disciple through a particular spiritual master.

9. If by the preaching of the spiritual master one's doubts and
anarthas are removed then that is another reason to accept him.

10. One can open the heart and communicate and there is KC
reciprocation. This may be an external reason, not so spiritual, but
perhaps an important point. This is also an aspect of Bhakti.

11. The guru represents the Gurvastaka prayers best in your opinion.

12. One can put all confidence in him and fully trust that he would
advice and instruct always according to guru, sastra and sadhu and
wouldn't lead one away from Srila Prabhupada and Krishna.

13. One feels more attached to the particular guru and also feels more
separation from him.

14. The spiritual master is able to bring out the best devotional
quality in you and keeps on inspiring you to new heights of devotional
service.

15. By following the guru's instructions one feels more closer to
Krishna.

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