So Kṛṣṇa is the original guru. Then Kṛṣṇa spoke to the sun god, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham (BG 4.1). So anyone, if we follow Kṛṣṇa, then we are actually guru. And if you do not follow Kṛṣṇa and want to become Kṛṣṇa, then you are rascal. This is the test. If you want to have a perfect guru, then you have to see whether he is speaking on behalf of Kṛṣṇa or on his own behalf. One who speaks on his own behalf, manufactures, he is not guru; he's a rascal. One who speaks on behalf of Kṛṣṇa, he is guru. Therefore guru is so worshiped.
Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā,
- tad viddhi praṇipātena
- paripraśnena sevayā
- upadekṣyanti tad-jñānaṁ
- jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
- (BG 4.34)
Jñāni means tattva-darśī. Tattva means Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, paraṁ tattva. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). Tattva. What is that tattva? The tattva is described in three phases: vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam. Tattva-jñāna is one. What is that? Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. So Bhagavān is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu svayaṁ bhagavān (SB 1.3.28). So guru, according to the capacity of the student, he teaches first about Brahman, then Paramātmā, then Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate knowledge of tattva-jñāna. And one who teaches this tattva-jñāna, he is guru. Otherwise he's a rascal. So therefore the first indication is that if you want to become a real human being, then you must approach a real guru and learn from him. Mold your life in that way. This is human civilization. Then, after guru . . . Gurvaṣṭaka we chant daily. Guru. What is the duty of the guru?
- saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka-
- trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam
- prāptasya kalyāṇa-guṇārṇavasya
- vande guroḥ śrī caraṇāravindam
We have . . . Daily we understand what is guru. Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, citette kariyā aikya, āra nā kariya mane āśā (Sri Prema-bhakti-candrika). This is that. This is wanted. If you have got real guru and if you follow him, then your life is successful. There is no doubt. But if you have a so-called bogus guru, and without any knowledge of the śāstra, then your life will be spoiled. Especially the Māyāvādī guru, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has warned, māyāvādī-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa (CC Madhya 6.169). Māyāvādī guru means one who thinks that everyone is God. That is Māyāvādī guru. If you approach such guru, then your life is spoiled. Māyāvādī-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa. Finished. Your spiritual progress finished.