Definition of guru

Expressions researched:
"guru's definition" |"definition of guru" |"definition of the guru"

SB Canto 6

This gives the definition of the guru. Everyone is in the darkness of ignorance.

SB 6.15.16, Purport: The guru should not be approached for material benefits. One should not approach a guru just to cure some disease or receive some miraculous benefit. This is not the way to approach the guru. Tad-vijñānārtham: one should approach the guru to understand the transcendental science of spiritual life. Unfortunately, in this age of Kali there are many bogus gurus who display magic to their disciples, and many foolish disciples want to see such magic for material benefits. These disciples are not interested in pursuing spiritual life to save themselves from the darkness of ignorance. It is said:

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya

jñānāñjana-śalākayā

cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena

tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

"I was born in the darkest ignorance, and my spiritual master opened my eyes with the torch of knowledge. I offer my respectful obeisances unto him." This gives the definition of the guru. Everyone is in the darkness of ignorance. Therefore everyone needs to be enlightened with transcendental knowledge. One who enlightens his disciple and saves him from rotting in the darkness of ignorance in this material world is a true guru.

SB Canto 8

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore gives a definition of guru. The bona fide guru is he who advises his disciples exactly in accordance with the principles spoken by Kṛṣṇa.

SB 8.24.48, Purport: Even though we may not have the fortune to contact the Supreme Lord personally, the Lord's representative is as good as the Lord Himself because such a representative does not say anything unless it is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore gives a definition of guru. Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa: [Cc. Madhya 7.128] the bona fide guru is he who advises his disciples exactly in accordance with the principles spoken by Kṛṣṇa. The bona fide guru is he who has accepted Kṛṣṇa as guru. This is the guru-paramparā system. The original guru is Vyāsadeva because he is the speaker of Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, wherein everything spoken relates to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore guru-pūjā is known as Vyāsa-pūjā. In the final analysis, the original guru is Kṛṣṇa, His disciple is Nārada, whose disciple is Vyāsa, and in this way we gradually come in touch with the guru-paramparā. One cannot become a guru if he does not know what the Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa or His incarnation wants. The mission of the guru is the mission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

When we are purified out of all the bad habits, then we become fixed up in spiritual knowledge. This is the process, and one who teaches this process, he is guru. This is the definition of guru.

Lecture on BG 2.11 (with Spanish translator) -- Mexico, February 11, 1975: Anartha means unwanted bad habits. So when we are children, innocent, we have no bad habits, but as we grow and associate with bad company, we also acquire all these bad habits. So to give up all these bad habits means we have to associate with sādhus or devotees, saintly persons. Then we can give it up. This is called anartha-nivṛtti, means giving up all unwanted bad habits. These things are not wanted. Nobody dies if he does not smoke or drink. Nobody dies. So artificially we learn it, so by good association we can give it up. So when we are purified out of all the bad habits, then we become fixed up in spiritual knowledge. So in this way we make advance in spiritual life, and at the last stage we become lover of God. This is the process, and one who teaches this process, he is guru. This is the definition of guru.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

One who has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa fully, no other business, he is guru. This is the definition of guru.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1974: What is that principle? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is principle. "You give up all these nonsense activities. Simply surrender." So one who has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa fully, no other business, he is guru. This is the definition of guru. There is no difficult to understand who is guru. One who follows strictly the principles laid down by jagad-guru, he is guru. So the jagad-guru says... Because we have to learn everything, especially spiritual subject matter, from guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. This is the injunction of the Vedas. If you want to understand Brahman... Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This life, human life, is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth: athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is not meant for any other purpose.

A guru's definition is given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Upaśama means fully satiated, no more any desire.

Lecture on SB 1.8.43 -- Mayapura, October 23, 1974: So long we have got family attachment, we shall be disturbed by so many material desires. But bhakti begins when all material desires are finished. Therefore a guru's definition is given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta

jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam

śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ

brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam

[SB 11.3.21]

Upaśamāśrayam. Upaśama means fully satiated, no more any desire.

He is guru who speaks only what Kṛṣṇa has spoken.

Lecture on SB 3.25.13 -- Bombay, November 13, 1974: Anyone who does not speak what Kṛṣṇa has spoken, he's not guru. He's a rascal. He cannot be guru. He is guru who speaks only what Kṛṣṇa has spoken. This is the shastric injunction.

ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro

mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ

avaiṣṇavo gurur na syād

vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ

This is the definition of guru, that one brāhmaṇa, born in brāhmaṇa family and very educated, mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ, very expert in reciting Vedic mantras... That is the duty of brāhmaṇa, veda-mantra. So mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ. But avaiṣṇava, if he's not Vaiṣṇava, or if he's not follower of the instruction of Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, avaiṣṇavo gurur na syāt, he cannot become guru. And vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-pacaḥ. Śva-pacaḥ means the dog-eater. That is considered the lowest of the mankind, dog-eaters, means caṇḍāla, bhaṅgis. He becomes gu..., he can become guru. How? If he's Vaiṣṇava, he is devotee of Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. So Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu... That is His mission.

yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa

āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa

[Cc. Madhya 7.128]

So if we simply take the words of Bhagavān and preach, then it is very easy for us to become, each and every one, to become guru.

General Lectures

That is the definition of guru. Guru is accepted as good as God, sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ, in all Vedic literature, tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ, and those who are learned, advanced, they accept it.

Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974: Who is guru? Guru means śrotriyam, who knows all the Vedic literature, the information. Śrotriyam. And brahma-niṣṭham. Brahma-niṣṭham means completely God conscious. These are two qualifications. Those who are claiming that "I am God," cheating people, they are not gurus. Guru means he's always... Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya **. That is the definition of guru. Guru is accepted as good as God, sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ, in all Vedic literature, tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ, and those who are learned, advanced, they accept it.

Philosophy Discussions

Real instruction is there, Bhagavad-gītā, and any who explains Bhagavad-gītā as it is, he is guru. This is the definition of guru.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung: Prabhupāda: How can I become guru?" So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that you do not require to be a learned scholar. There are many so-called learned foolish scholars. It has no meaning. You just instruct what Kṛṣṇa has instructed. Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. So real instruction is there, Bhagavad-gītā, and any who explains Bhagavad-gītā as it is, he is guru. This is the definition of guru. So if one is fortunate enough to approach such guru, then his life becomes successful. Guru is essential.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

One who can deliver from this entanglement of material, miserable condition of life, he is guru. That is the first definition of guru.

Morning Walk -- November 14, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Saṁsara-dāvā. You are singing daily. Saṁsara-dāvānala-līḍha-loka-trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam **. One who can deliver from this entanglement of material, miserable condition of life, he is guru. That is the first definition of guru. Saṁsara-dāvānala-līḍha-loka-trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam, prāptasya kalyāṇa—one who has obtained this qualification—vande guroḥ śrī caraṇāra..., he is guru **.

Yaśomatīnandana: 'Cause nowadays...

Prabhupāda: Nowadays... Nowadays let them talk all nonsense. But this is the definition of guru. "Nowadays the sun is rising on the western side." If somebody says like that, who is going to accept it? "Nowadays." There is no question of "nowadays" and "formerly." The truth is truth always. Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is Absolute Truth.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

What is the definition of guru given by? We are following Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā. You become a guru.

Morning Walk -- February 3, 1976, Mayapura: Prabhupāda: One who has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, one is servant of Kṛṣṇa, he is guru. That is the test. If you want to select a guru, you have to see "Whether this person is fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa?" Then he is guru. Huh? What is the definition of guru given by...? Why don't you read all these things? Why you remain fools and rascals? Why...? We are following Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā. You become a guru. How? Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. That's a guru.

The guru's definition given in the Bhagavad-gītā, unless one comes in this disciplic succession, he cannot become guru.

Interview with Trans-India Magazine -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Interviewer: Can you briefly tell us what the difference, how your approach is different from the approaches of the other gurus who have come? You seen to have rather a unique place in...

Prabhupāda: First of all, we do not accept anyone as guru if he's not competent to understand Bhagavad-gītā and preach it also. He's not a guru. The guru's definition given in the Bhagavad-gītā, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1], in the Fourth Chapter you'll find, vivasvān manave prāha manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt.

evaṁ paramparā-prāptam

imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ

sa kāleneha mahatā

yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa

[Bg. 4.2]

Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna, "My dear Arjuna, this Bhagavad-gītā philosophy or yoga system, first of all I spoke to the sun-god. And then he spoke to his son, Manu. Then Manu spoke to his son Ikṣvāku." In this way the knowledge comes down from the spiritual master to the disciple or from the father to the son. So unless one comes in this disciplic succession, he cannot become guru. Therefore I do not know all of them. All the swamis and yogis who came here, they do not belong to this paramparā system, so therefore they are not bona fide guru. They are presenting themselves as guru, but they are not guru. Therefore people are misled. People are misled, and this is the first time that we presented India's traditional philosophy and life as it is understood by the paramparā system. Therefore it is being so well received. Vivekananda came here, as you said, 1893, before my birth. I was born in 1896. But they have worked for, say, eighty-five years. What they have done? But I have worked here for seven or eight years. And it is now worldwide movement. Why? Because we presented the things as they are. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam [Bg. 4.2]. Therefore it is effective. So if the things are presented as they are, the customers will automatically come.