(Click to enlarge photo of Srila Prabhupada and disciples)
"We should always remember that this human life is meant for controlling the senses. Athāto brahma jijñāsā (Vedanta Sutra). It is simply meant for inquiring about our spiritual life. That is perfect civilization. Therefore brahmacārī means living under direction of guru, guror hitam. And guror hitam: how he can be simply thinking of benefiting the spiritual master. Unless that position comes, nobody can serve guru. It is not an artificial thing. The brahmacārī, the disciple, must have genuine love for guru. Then he can be under his control. Otherwise why one should be under the control of another person? Therefore it is said, ācaran dāsavat. Dāsa. Dāsa means servant. Not only servant, but menial servant. Menial servant means just like the sweeper, the cobbler, like that. They are called menial servant...
So a disciple is expected to live in gurukula or—gurukula means at the shelter of guru—nīcavat, menial servant. Menial servant. Nīcavat. Ācaran dāsavan nīco gurau sudṛdha sauhṛdaḥ (SB 7.12.1). This can be possible when one is very thickly related with the guru. Otherwise, ordinary relationship will not do. One who has got actually the conviction, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo (Gurvastaka verse 8).... One who is convinced that 'If I can please my guru, then Kṛṣṇa will be pleased.' This is called sudṛdha, full faith. Yasya prasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi. 'And if I displease my guru, then I have no place.' In this way... Of course, guru cannot be a false guru. False guru has no such thing. If one guru is genuine and the disciple is genuine, then both of them are benefited, and they go back to home, back to Godhead."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Bombay, April 12, 1976)
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