Prabhupāda: If you compare the guru is God, then you should compare similarity.
Dr. Patel: Similarity, this body and Kṛṣṇa's body are different.
Prabhupāda: No, no, no, no. That is an ignorance. You do not know.
Dr. Patel: Kṛṣṇa's body is spiritual. His, any part of His body...
Prabhupāda: That's all right. That is all right. I mean to say that sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ. When you accept guru equal to Kṛṣṇa, then you cannot make such distinction.
Dr. Patel: Bodily distinction...
Prabhupāda: Then why bodily or anything!?
Dr. Patel: It is very important.
Prabhupāda: It is the... No, no, no. They cannot make, say distinc...
Dr. Patel: The body, this body...
Prabhupāda: Cinmaya...
Dr. Patel: ...becomes ill and he has got to come to a doctor sometimes.
Prabhupāda: Body, that... If...
Dr. Patel: But that, Kṛṣṇa's body is not that body.
Prabhupāda: Not only, not only guru. Anyone who is spiritually advanced, he has no more material body.
Dr. Patel: That's... From higher stand point of view.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So if you, if the guru is in the lower standard, then how he becomes guru?
Dr. Patel: No, that guru who knows that he has no real material body, he's beyond the body consciousness, that is right.
Prabhupāda: No, no! Even the material body's there...
Dr. Patel: Guru thinks so, but what about this...
Prabhupāda: Even the material body is there, still he's to be taken as spiritual. That is the philosophy. The example is given: just like you have got an iron stick. You put it in the fire, and it becomes warm. And when it is red-hot, it is no more iron stick. It is fire. Do you accept this?
Dr. Patel: I accept it.
Prabhupāda: Then? Similarly, one who is always merged in Kṛṣṇa thought, his body is not material.
Dr. Patel: That way you say.
Prabhupāda: Yes! Yes, that is the way.
Dr. Patel: Now I understand.
Prabhupāda: Because his material body is not working. That is stopped. He's working simply spiritually. Therefore his body is spiritual. The same example: it has become so hot, red-hot, that it is no more working as iron rod. It is working as fire.
Dr. Patel: Because it burns anybody who touches it.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Dr. Patel: So guru also does the same thing.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Dr. Patel: He electrifies anybody who touches him. So we touch your feet. (laughs)
Prabhupāda: Therefore, therefore he has no material body.
Dr. Patel: No.
Prabhupāda: It is aparādha. Guruṣu nara-matiḥ. This is forbidden. Guruṣu nara-matiḥ. Arcye śilā-dhīr... Just like everyone knows... The atheist class will say, "Oh, here is a stone statue, and these rascals are worshiping as Kṛṣṇa."
Dr. Patel: That is wrong.
Prabhupāda: So everyone knows that is a stone statue. But we are so fool that we are worshiping a stone statue? Therefore this is offense. Arcye śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara... Similarly guru. Although he's working, moving just like ordinary human being, one should not consider that he's ordinary human being. Guruṣu nara-matiḥ.
Dr. Patel: That is how the guru can be accepted by...
Prabhupāda: Everyone knows that "Here is a stone statue." Then so many hundred and thousands of people are coming to worship that stone statue? Somebody can argue. The atheist will argue. And when... So... We have got millions of temples. Especially in South India and Jagannātha Purī and many where. So are they going, spending so much money to worship a statue? That is forbidden. Guruṣu nara-matiḥ. Guru should not be considered in that way. If he's actually guru.