Who Is A Real Guru?

Srimad Bhagavatam Explains



Srila Prabhupada propagating Sangirtana Yagna in the Western world

A bonafide spiritual master is he who can deliver us from the pangs of material life. He frees us from the miserable cycle of birth and death and delivers us back to our original pure identity in the pastimes of the Supreme Lord in the spiritual world.

 

The qualification for the bona fide spiritual master is given as follows in the Srimad Bhagavatam 11.3.21:

tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta
jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam
śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ
brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam

“Therefore any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation.

 

The qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these conclusions.

 

Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, should be understood to be bona fide spiritual masters.”
***