Devotee (1): If one surrenders to a spiritual master, what then is their relationship to Kṛṣṇa?
Prabhupāda: Oh. Spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, surrendering to the spiritual master means surrendering to Kṛṣṇa. He is the bona fide. Spiritual master is just like, as just I explained the śloka, hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām. I'll try to relate one nice story in this connection, the story of Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja was a child, and he was insulted by his stepmother. So he went to his own mother and he prayed, "My dear mother"—he was five years old only—"my stepmother has insulted me in this way. I was sitting on the lap of my father and she dragged me out. She told me that 'You cannot sit on the lap on your father.'" So he was the son of king, so he felt insulted and he went to his mother and cried. Then he asked his mother, "What is the remedy?" Because he was a son of a kṣatriya, he was resentful. So his mother directed, "My dear son, your father do not care for me, so he will not hear whatever I say. So if God can help you, then you can get revenge." Then—he was child—he said, "Oh, where is God?" Then mother replied, "Oh, we understand that God is in the forest. Somebody goes to the forest and realizes God. So you cannot go, my dear son." "No, I shall go." So he went to the forest. He went to the forest, and he was asking the tiger, "Oh, you are God?" The elephant, "You are God?" Just like a child. Then when he was so serious, then, because God is within himself, then he was..., Nārada was sent to him, that "You go to the boy. How he is anxious that what is the actual point (indistinct). You just try to help him." So this is the process. When we are seriously anxious about understanding the science of God, then God is within you, He will make your relationship with such a spiritual master who will enlighten you further and further. So practically, the spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa. Now, it depends on me. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). The degree of my serious thought, if I am seriously about actually perception of the Supreme Lord, then I will get such a spiritual master who can give me information of the Supreme Lord. But if I want something else, then Kṛṣṇa will help you in that way also, you will get something else. So ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. The spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, and He, Kṛṣṇa, is sitting within our heart. As you are anxious, your degree of anxiety will be helped by Kṛṣṇa by sending similar quality of spiritual master. (end)