Sadhu, Sastra, Guru (Books)
Expressions researched:
"sadhu-sastra-guru"
|"sadhu, sastra and guru"
|"sadhus, the sastra and the guru"
|"sadhu and guru"
|"guru and sastra"
|"sastra and guru"
|"guru and sadhu"
|"sastra and guru"
|"sadhu, guru and sastra"
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
SB Canto 4
It is herein stated that one should strictly follow the scriptures if one actually wants an auspicious life. The same is explained in Bhagavad-gītā (16.23):
- yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya
- vartate kāma-kārataḥ
- na sa siddhim avāpnoti
- na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim
"He who discards scriptural injunctions and acts according to his own whims attains neither perfection, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination." One who does not strictly follow the terms of the Vedic injunctions never attains success in life or happiness. And what to speak of going home, back to Godhead.
One śāstric injunction holds that a householder, a kṣatriya or an administrative head should not refuse to accept a woman if she voluntarily requests to become a wife. Since Kālakanyā, the daughter of Time, was deputed by Nārada Muni to offer herself to Yavana-rāja, the King of the Yavanas could not refuse her. All transactions must be performed in light of the śāstric injunctions. The śāstric injunctions are confirmed by great sages like Nārada Muni. As stated by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura: sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya. One should follow the principles of saintly persons, scriptures and the spiritual master. In this way one is sure to attain success in life. Kālakanyā, the daughter of Time, presented herself before the King of the Yavanas precisely in terms of sādhu, śāstra and guru. Thus there was no reason for not accepting her.SB Canto 7
In the previous verse it has been said that the process which immediately increases one's love and affection for the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the best of the many thousands of ways to become free from the entanglement of material existence. It is also said, dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām: actually the truth of religious principles is extremely confidential. Nonetheless, it can be understood very easily if one actually adopts the principles of religion. As it is said, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam: [SB 6.3.19] the process of religion is enunciated by the Supreme Lord because He is the supreme authority. This is also indicated in the previous verse by the word bhagavatoditaḥ. The injunctions or directions of the Lord are infallible, and their benefits are fully assured. According to His directions, which are explained in this verse, the perfect form of religion is bhakti-yoga.
To practice bhakti-yoga, one must first accept a bona fide spiritual master. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, in his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.74-75), advises:
- guru-pādāśrayas tasmāt
- kṛṣṇa-dīkṣādi-śikṣaṇam
- viśrambheṇa guroḥ sevā
- sādhu-vartmānuvartanam
- sad-dharma-pṛcchā bhogādi-
- tyāgaḥ kṛṣṇasya hetave
SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13
- avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ
- pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam
- śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyaṁ
- sarpocchiṣṭaṁ yathā payaḥ
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
- yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau
- tasyaite kathitā hy arthā prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
- [ŚU 6.23]
CC Madhya-lila
Being forgetful of his real position, the conditioned soul may take help from śāstra, guru and the Supersoul within his heart. Kṛṣṇa is situated within everyone’s heart as the Supersoul. As stated in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.61):
- īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām hṛd-deśe ‘rjuna tiṣṭhati
- bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
“The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine made of the material energy.”
As the śaktyāveśa-avatāra Vyāsadeva, Kṛṣṇa teaches the conditioned soul through the Vedic literatures. Kṛṣṇa externally appears as the spiritual master and trains the conditioned soul to come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When his original Kṛṣṇa consciousness is revived, the conditioned soul is delivered from the material clutches. Thus a conditioned soul is always helped by the Supreme Personality of Godhead in three ways—by the scriptures, the spiritual master and the Supersoul within the heart. The Lord is the deliverer of the conditioned soul and is accepted as the Supreme Lord of all living entities. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā (18.66):
- sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
- ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ
Page Title: | Sadhu, Sastra, Guru (Books) |
Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Labangalatika, MadhuGopaldas |
Created: | 16 of Dec, 2008 |
Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=8, CC=5, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=0 |
No. of Quotes: | 13 |