Sādhu will not give anything manufactured by him. No. He's not sādhu. Sādhu means whatever he'll speak, immediately he'll give evidence from the śāstra. Sādhu-śāstra-guru. And guru means who is following sādhu and śāstra. The guru does not follow sādhu and śāstra, who does not follow Rūpa Gosvāmī, does not follow shastric injunction... Shastric injunction is that if one wants to become leader, if one is the spiritual leader or political leader or brāhmaṇa, he must give up four principles of sinful life: illicit sex life, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating, fish-eating. He must give up. This is called sādhu-mārgānugamanam. If you don't follow these principles, then how you are following sādhu? If you are intoxicated, if you are fond of smoking, drinking, gāñjā, biḍi, wine, even chewing pān... Pān is also intoxication. Drinking tea. These are all intoxication. So if you are addicted to these habits, how you can be sādhu?
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<div id="Lectures" class="section" sec_index="4" parent="compilation" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="1" parent="Lectures" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures"><h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="LectureonSB127VrndavanaOctober181972_0" class="quote" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" book="Lec" index="46" link="Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972" link_text="Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972"> | |||
<div class="heading">Guru means who is following sādhu and śāstra. | |||
</div> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972|Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Sādhu will not give anything manufactured by him. No. He's not sādhu. Sādhu means whatever he'll speak, immediately he'll give evidence from the śāstra. Sādhu-śāstra-guru. And guru means who is following sādhu and śāstra. The guru does not follow sādhu and śāstra, who does not follow Rūpa Gosvāmī, does not follow shastric injunction... Shastric injunction is that if one wants to become leader, if one is the spiritual leader or political leader or brāhmaṇa, he must give up four principles of sinful life: illicit sex life, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating, fish-eating. He must give up. This is called sādhu-mārgānugamanam. If you don't follow these principles, then how you are following sādhu? If you are intoxicated, if you are fond of smoking, drinking, gāñjā, biḍi, wine, even chewing pān... Pān is also intoxication. Drinking tea. These are all intoxication. So if you are addicted to these habits, how you can be sādhu?</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="LectureonSB127VrndavanaOctober181972_1" class="quote" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" book="Lec" index="46" link="Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972" link_text="Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972"> | |||
<div class="heading">Guru means who is following sādhu and śāstra. | |||
</div> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972|Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Vrndavana, October 18, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">You cannot read anyone's book. If he's approved sādhu, you can read his book. Then you'll be benefited. If you read hodge-podge, then you will not be able to understand. Therefore sādhu. And sādhu means he gives quotation from śāstras, authorized śāstra He's sādhu. Sādhu will not give anything manufactured by him. No. He's not sādhu. Sādhu means whatever he'll speak, immediately he'll give evidence from the śāstra. Sādhu-śāstra-guru. And guru means who is following sādhu and śāstra. The guru does not follow sādhu and śāstra, who does not follow Rūpa Gosvāmī, does not follow shastric injunction... Shastric injunction is that if one wants to become leader, if one is the spiritual leader or political leader or brāhmaṇa, he must give up four principles of sinful life: illicit sex life, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating, fish-eating. He must give up. This is called sādhu-mārgānugamanam. If you don't follow these principles, then how you are following sādhu? If you are intoxicated, if you are fond of smoking, drinking, gāñjā, biḍi, wine, even chewing pān... Pān is also intoxication. Drinking tea. These are all intoxication. So if you are addicted to these habits, how you can be sādhu?</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="LectureonSB5514VrndavanaNovember21976_2" class="quote" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" book="Lec" index="546" link="Lecture on SB 5.5.14 -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1976" link_text="Lecture on SB 5.5.14 -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1976"> | |||
<div class="heading">You have to follow the sādhu, the ācārya. That is bhakti. | |||
</div> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 5.5.14 -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1976|Lecture on SB 5.5.14 -- Vrndavana, November 2, 1976]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Anuvṛtyā means following. Not that I have become more than my guru, I can invent something. No. Bhakti means, sādhu-mārgānugamanam. You have to follow the sādhu, the ācārya. That is bhakti. Bhakti does not means that I am so learned I can manufacture something. That is rascal. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ. That is bhakti. You have to become servant of the servant of the servant of the servant ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 13.80|CC Madhya 13.80]]). Not that at a point you become suddenly very learned scholar, and you do not remain a servant, but you want to become a master, to dictate the guru. That is rascal. That will not help us.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="LectureonSB5532VrndavanaNovember191976_3" class="quote" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" book="Lec" index="563" link="Lecture on SB 5.5.32 -- Vrndavana, November 19, 1976" link_text="Lecture on SB 5.5.32 -- Vrndavana, November 19, 1976"> | |||
<div class="heading">Just try to follow. Sādhu-mārga-anugamanam, ādau gurv-āśrayam sad-dharma-pṛcchā, sādhu-mārganugamanam. We have to follow the footprints of great saintly persons, devotees, mahājana. | |||
</div> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 5.5.32 -- Vrndavana, November 19, 1976|Lecture on SB 5.5.32 -- Vrndavana, November 19, 1976]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Mahājanas are described in the śāstra, twelve mahājana:</p> | |||
:svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ | |||
:kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ | |||
:prahlādo janako bhīṣmo | |||
:balir vaiyāsakir vayam | |||
:([[Vanisource:SB 6.3.20-21|SB 6.3.20]]) | |||
<p>So they are twelve mahājanas, and we have to follow these mahājanas. The Ṛṣabhadeva is also mahājana, and the greatest mahājana is Kṛṣṇa. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). Jana, jana means life, and mahājana, the supreme person. So mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 17.186|CC Madhya 17.186]]). Don't argue unnecessarily. Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā. You cannot come to conclusion by this method or that method. Just try to follow. Sādhu-mārga-anugamanam, ādau gurv-āśrayam sad-dharma-pṛcchā, sādhu-mārganugamanam. We have to follow the footprints of great saintly persons, devotees, mahājana. Here is Ṛṣabhadeva. But in the Kali-yuga it is not possible to imitate ājagara-vṛtti. It is not possible because we are already so weak. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ ([[Vanisource:SB 1.1.10|SB 1.1.10]]). This is our position. We are very unfortunate. Every one of us, we are very bad, mandāḥ, bad habits. So it is not possible to imitate Ṛṣabhadeva or Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Don't imitate but try to follow.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="LectureonSB621214AllahabadJanuary171971atKumbhamela_4" class="quote" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" book="Lec" index="713" link="Lecture on SB 6.2.12-14 -- Allahabad, January 17, 1971, at Kumbha-mela" link_text="Lecture on SB 6.2.12-14 -- Allahabad, January 17, 1971, at Kumbha-mela"> | |||
<div class="heading">Guru means who follows the sādhu and the śāstra. | |||
</div> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 6.2.12-14 -- Allahabad, January 17, 1971, at Kumbha-mela|Lecture on SB 6.2.12-14 -- Allahabad, January 17, 1971, at Kumbha-mela]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">You'll never find any disagreement with the śāstra, sādhu, and guru. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya. That is our guidance. Sādhu. If you say Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a sādhu or a devotee, so His words and the words of the scriptures are the same. The sādhu will speak only on the authority of śāstra. And śāstra means the description given by the sādhu. They are correlative. And guru means who follows the sādhu and the śāstra. So these are very instructive.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="LectureonSB621214AllahabadJanuary171971atKumbhamela_5" class="quote" parent="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" book="Lec" index="713" link="Lecture on SB 6.2.12-14 -- Allahabad, January 17, 1971, at Kumbha-mela" link_text="Lecture on SB 6.2.12-14 -- Allahabad, January 17, 1971, at Kumbha-mela"> | |||
<div class="heading">Sādhu does not mean he malinterprets the śāstra. He should present the śāstra as it is. And guru means who is following sādhu and śāstra. | |||
</div> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 6.2.12-14 -- Allahabad, January 17, 1971, at Kumbha-mela|Lecture on SB 6.2.12-14 -- Allahabad, January 17, 1971, at Kumbha-mela]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So if there is one sādhu, he can make many other sādhus. Sādhu. Sādhu does not mean that he is alone enjoying the fruits of his spiritual life. Sādhu means who is trying to make others sādhu. He is sādhu. Kṛṣṇa likes such sādhu, as He has described in the last portion of Bhagavad-gītā, na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ ([[Vanisource:BG 18.69 (1972)|BG 18.69]]). The sādhu... And sādhu means he should preach according to the scriptures, not outside the scriptures. Sādhu does not mean he malinterprets the śāstra. He should present the śāstra as it is. He should understand the śāstra as it is. And guru means who is following sādhu and śāstra. He is guru. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that sādhu, śāstra, these things should be confirmed by the spiritual master, and if we should follow these principles, sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya... We should confirmed one thing by the other, the other by another. In this way we have to make our conclusion.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="Nectar_of_Devotion_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="2" parent="Lectures" text="Nectar of Devotion Lectures"><h3>Nectar of Devotion Lectures</h3> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="TheNectarofDevotionVrndavanaNovember131972_0" class="quote" parent="Nectar_of_Devotion_Lectures" book="Lec" index="42" link="The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972" link_text="The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972"> | |||
<div class="heading">We must follow sādhu-mārga. | |||
</div> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972|The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1972]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">The regulative principles means that you don't manufacture anything. Regulative principle means authorized—as they are mentioned in the authorized scriptures and as it is confirmed by the spiritual master. Because we do not know. When it is confirmed by the spiritual master, yes, it is right. Sādhu guru, sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya. The same statement of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. Sādhu, principles which are followed, sādhu-mārga-anugamanam. We cannot follow asādhu-mārga. We must follow sādhu-mārga. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ ([[Vanisource:CC Madhya 17.186|CC Madhya 17.186]]). We cannot follow an upstart, manufacturing some song, manufacturing some ideas. We cannot follow that. What is authorized song, we shall sing. What is authorized method, we shall follow. Sādhu-guru-śāstra-vākya. Sādhu and guru means on the basis of śāstra. And śāstra means the statements of sādhu and guru. Therefore sādhu and guru and śāstra, they are identical.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="3" parent="Lectures" text="Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures"><h3>Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures</h3> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="LectureonCCMadhyalila20334341NewYorkDecember241966_0" class="quote" parent="Sri_Caitanya-caritamrta_Lectures" book="Lec" index="94" link="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.334-341 -- New York, December 24, 1966" link_text="Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.334-341 -- New York, December 24, 1966"> | |||
<div class="heading">We may do whatever we like. But if we follow the sādhu, śāstra and guru, that is the way of understanding. | |||
</div> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.334-341 -- New York, December 24, 1966|Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.334-341 -- New York, December 24, 1966]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">We may do whatever we like. But if we follow the sādhu, śāstra and guru, that is the way of understanding. That is the way of getting knowledge, to follow the instruction of saintly persons and scriptures and spiritual master. Then it is possible to reach the goal of life. And that was taught by Lord Caitanya. Prema-bhakti dilā loke lañā bhakta-gaṇa. Not only He alone, but always associated by His lieutenants and associates. We have seen the picture. Lord Caitanya is dancing and chanting with His principal associates.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="General_Lectures" class="sub_section" sec_index="11" parent="Lectures" text="General Lectures"><h3>General Lectures</h3> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="LectureonTeachingsofLordCaitanyaBombayMarch171971_0" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="77" link="Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Bombay, March 17, 1971" link_text="Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Bombay, March 17, 1971"> | |||
<div class="heading">Guru is bona fide spiritual master who follows sādhu and śāstra. Who follows his bona fide spiritual master and who follows the instructions of śāstra, he is guru. | |||
</div> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Bombay, March 17, 1971|Lecture on Teachings of Lord Caitanya -- Bombay, March 17, 1971]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">So, Kṛṣṇa says that even fire is so pure, still there are some defect, there is smoke. So, if you want to find out defect, you'll find out in fire also. But that doesn't matter, fire is fire. Similarly, a devotee, an unflinching devotee, without any other desires, who is dedicated to the service of the Lord, he is sādhu. So we have to take shelter of such sādhu. Ādau gurv-āśrayam. And sādhu will instruct you. Not by whims, but through śāstra. He is sādhu. Sādhu will never speak to you anything which is not in the śāstra. Sādhu, śāstra, and guru. And guru is bona fide spiritual master who follows sādhu and śāstra. Who follows his bona fide spiritual master and who follows the instructions of śāstra, he is guru.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
<div id="EveningLectureBhuvanesvaraJanuary231977_1" class="quote" parent="General_Lectures" book="Lec" index="180" link="Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 23, 1977" link_text="Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 23, 1977"> | |||
<div class="heading">"Your first business is to approach bona fide guru and take his āśraya." Otherwise there is no devotion. He must follow. Sādhu-mārgānugāmanam, which is prescribed by the sādhu, guru, you have to accept that. | |||
</div> | |||
<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 23, 1977|Evening Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 23, 1977]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">There is no devotion unless you go to a guru. Forget it. Ādau gurvāśrayam. First thing is, first business, is to accept a bona fide guru. Otherwise there is no devotion. It is simply false imitation. This is the injunction of Rūpa Gosvāmī in Bhakti-rasāmṛta sindhu. Ādau gurvāśrayam: "Your first business is to approach bona fide guru and take his āśraya." Otherwise there is no devotion. That has been the defect in the modern society. They imagine. This business should be given up. He must follow. Sādhu-mārgānugāmanam, which is prescribed by the sādhu, guru, you have to accept that. You cannot manufacture your own way.</p> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> | |||
</div> |
Latest revision as of 03:17, 27 August 2019
Expressions researched:
"follow sadhu"
|"follow the sadhu"
|"follow the sadhu"
|"following sadhu"
|"following these sadhus"
|"follows sadhu"
|"follows the sadhu"
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
You cannot read anyone's book. If he's approved sādhu, you can read his book. Then you'll be benefited. If you read hodge-podge, then you will not be able to understand. Therefore sādhu. And sādhu means he gives quotation from śāstras, authorized śāstra He's sādhu. Sādhu will not give anything manufactured by him. No. He's not sādhu. Sādhu means whatever he'll speak, immediately he'll give evidence from the śāstra. Sādhu-śāstra-guru. And guru means who is following sādhu and śāstra. The guru does not follow sādhu and śāstra, who does not follow Rūpa Gosvāmī, does not follow shastric injunction... Shastric injunction is that if one wants to become leader, if one is the spiritual leader or political leader or brāhmaṇa, he must give up four principles of sinful life: illicit sex life, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating, fish-eating. He must give up. This is called sādhu-mārgānugamanam. If you don't follow these principles, then how you are following sādhu? If you are intoxicated, if you are fond of smoking, drinking, gāñjā, biḍi, wine, even chewing pān... Pān is also intoxication. Drinking tea. These are all intoxication. So if you are addicted to these habits, how you can be sādhu?
Anuvṛtyā means following. Not that I have become more than my guru, I can invent something. No. Bhakti means, sādhu-mārgānugamanam. You have to follow the sādhu, the ācārya. That is bhakti. Bhakti does not means that I am so learned I can manufacture something. That is rascal. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ. That is bhakti. You have to become servant of the servant of the servant of the servant (CC Madhya 13.80). Not that at a point you become suddenly very learned scholar, and you do not remain a servant, but you want to become a master, to dictate the guru. That is rascal. That will not help us.
Mahājanas are described in the śāstra, twelve mahājana:
- svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ
- kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ
- prahlādo janako bhīṣmo
- balir vaiyāsakir vayam
- (SB 6.3.20)
So they are twelve mahājanas, and we have to follow these mahājanas. The Ṛṣabhadeva is also mahājana, and the greatest mahājana is Kṛṣṇa. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). Jana, jana means life, and mahājana, the supreme person. So mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Don't argue unnecessarily. Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā. You cannot come to conclusion by this method or that method. Just try to follow. Sādhu-mārga-anugamanam, ādau gurv-āśrayam sad-dharma-pṛcchā, sādhu-mārganugamanam. We have to follow the footprints of great saintly persons, devotees, mahājana. Here is Ṛṣabhadeva. But in the Kali-yuga it is not possible to imitate ājagara-vṛtti. It is not possible because we are already so weak. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). This is our position. We are very unfortunate. Every one of us, we are very bad, mandāḥ, bad habits. So it is not possible to imitate Ṛṣabhadeva or Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Don't imitate but try to follow.
You'll never find any disagreement with the śāstra, sādhu, and guru. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya. That is our guidance. Sādhu. If you say Caitanya Mahāprabhu was a sādhu or a devotee, so His words and the words of the scriptures are the same. The sādhu will speak only on the authority of śāstra. And śāstra means the description given by the sādhu. They are correlative. And guru means who follows the sādhu and the śāstra. So these are very instructive.
So if there is one sādhu, he can make many other sādhus. Sādhu. Sādhu does not mean that he is alone enjoying the fruits of his spiritual life. Sādhu means who is trying to make others sādhu. He is sādhu. Kṛṣṇa likes such sādhu, as He has described in the last portion of Bhagavad-gītā, na ca tasmān manuṣyeṣu kaścin me priya-kṛttamaḥ (BG 18.69). The sādhu... And sādhu means he should preach according to the scriptures, not outside the scriptures. Sādhu does not mean he malinterprets the śāstra. He should present the śāstra as it is. He should understand the śāstra as it is. And guru means who is following sādhu and śāstra. He is guru. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that sādhu, śāstra, these things should be confirmed by the spiritual master, and if we should follow these principles, sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya... We should confirmed one thing by the other, the other by another. In this way we have to make our conclusion.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The regulative principles means that you don't manufacture anything. Regulative principle means authorized—as they are mentioned in the authorized scriptures and as it is confirmed by the spiritual master. Because we do not know. When it is confirmed by the spiritual master, yes, it is right. Sādhu guru, sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, tinete kariyā aikya. The same statement of Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. Sādhu, principles which are followed, sādhu-mārga-anugamanam. We cannot follow asādhu-mārga. We must follow sādhu-mārga. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). We cannot follow an upstart, manufacturing some song, manufacturing some ideas. We cannot follow that. What is authorized song, we shall sing. What is authorized method, we shall follow. Sādhu-guru-śāstra-vākya. Sādhu and guru means on the basis of śāstra. And śāstra means the statements of sādhu and guru. Therefore sādhu and guru and śāstra, they are identical.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
We may do whatever we like. But if we follow the sādhu, śāstra and guru, that is the way of understanding. That is the way of getting knowledge, to follow the instruction of saintly persons and scriptures and spiritual master. Then it is possible to reach the goal of life. And that was taught by Lord Caitanya. Prema-bhakti dilā loke lañā bhakta-gaṇa. Not only He alone, but always associated by His lieutenants and associates. We have seen the picture. Lord Caitanya is dancing and chanting with His principal associates.
General Lectures
So, Kṛṣṇa says that even fire is so pure, still there are some defect, there is smoke. So, if you want to find out defect, you'll find out in fire also. But that doesn't matter, fire is fire. Similarly, a devotee, an unflinching devotee, without any other desires, who is dedicated to the service of the Lord, he is sādhu. So we have to take shelter of such sādhu. Ādau gurv-āśrayam. And sādhu will instruct you. Not by whims, but through śāstra. He is sādhu. Sādhu will never speak to you anything which is not in the śāstra. Sādhu, śāstra, and guru. And guru is bona fide spiritual master who follows sādhu and śāstra. Who follows his bona fide spiritual master and who follows the instructions of śāstra, he is guru.
There is no devotion unless you go to a guru. Forget it. Ādau gurvāśrayam. First thing is, first business, is to accept a bona fide guru. Otherwise there is no devotion. It is simply false imitation. This is the injunction of Rūpa Gosvāmī in Bhakti-rasāmṛta sindhu. Ādau gurvāśrayam: "Your first business is to approach bona fide guru and take his āśraya." Otherwise there is no devotion. That has been the defect in the modern society. They imagine. This business should be given up. He must follow. Sādhu-mārgānugāmanam, which is prescribed by the sādhu, guru, you have to accept that. You cannot manufacture your own way.