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Guru karanadharam, the captain

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 4

In the human form of life one can obtain the guidance of a good navigator, the spiritual master.
SB 4.23.28, Purport: As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.20.17):
nṛ-deham ādyaṁ sulabhaṁ sudurlabhaṁ
plavaṁ sukalpaṁ guru-karṇadhāram
mayānukūlena nabhasvateritaṁ
pumān bhavābdhiṁ na taret sa ātma-hā
When one wants to cross a large ocean, he requires a strong boat. It is said that this human form of life is a good boat by which one can cross the ocean of nescience. In the human form of life one can obtain the guidance of a good navigator, the spiritual master. One also gets a favorable wind by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, and that wind is the instructions of Kṛṣṇa. The human body is the boat, the instructions of Lord Kṛṣṇa are the favorable winds, and the spiritual master is the navigator. The spiritual master knows well how to adjust the sails to catch the winds favorably and steer the boat to its destination. If, however, one does not take advantage of this opportunity, one wastes the human form of life. Wasting time and life in this way is the same as committing suicide.

SB Canto 7

This human form of body is a most valuable boat, and the spiritual master is the captain, guru-karṇadhāram, to guide the boat in plying across the ocean of nescience.
SB 7.15.45, Purport: It is said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.20.17):
nṛ-deham ādyaṁ sulabhaṁ sudurlabhaṁ
plavaṁ sukalpaṁ guru-karṇadhāram
mayānukūlena nabhasvateritaṁ
pumān bhavābdhiṁ na taret sa ātma-hā
This human form of body is a most valuable boat, and the spiritual master is the captain, guru-karṇadhāram, to guide the boat in plying across the ocean of nescience. The instruction of Kṛṣṇa is a favorable breeze. One must use all these facilities to cross over the ocean of nescience. Since the spiritual master is the captain, one must serve the spiritual master very sincerely so that by his mercy one will be able to get the mercy of the Supreme Lord.

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

And guru-karṇadhāram: "And the captain, steering man, is guru." He is giving instruction, "Row like this. Turn this way, that way." He is turning everything.
Lecture on SB 6.1.30 -- Philadelphia, July 14, 1975: Therefore this machine is sulabham. Sulabham means very fortunately we have got this machine. And sukalpam, "very nicely made." Those who are medical man, they see how nicely made it is, how the nerves are working, the nails are working, the intestines and the heart and everything—a grand machine. Therefore it is called sukalpam, "very well planned." And what for? Just like a nice boat, well planned. If you have got a nice boat, you get on it and cross over the river or the ocean. Similarly, we are in this material ocean. Life after life we are struggling. So now we have got a nice boat, this human body. Sulabhaṁ sudurlabham. And it is specially advantageous because the breeze is very favorable. When you ply your boat, if the breeze is favorable, pushing on, that is another advantage, good boat and good breeze. And guru-karṇadhāram: "And the captain, steering man, is guru." He is giving instruction, "Row like this. Turn this way, that way." He is turning everything. So we have got this opportunity. If the boat is very nice, the captain is very nice, the breeze is very favorable, and even accepting or getting this nice boat, favorable, if we do not cross over the sea of ignorance, of material existence, then we are committing suicide. Sa ātma-hā. You get all the opportunities, and still you remain in this material world, repetition of birth, death, old age and disease? Is that very good intelligence? No. That is not good.
Page Title:Guru karanadharam, the captain
Compiler:Kanupriya
Created:20 of Nov, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=2, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:3