Ramya devi dasi

om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri gurave namah

Dear Guru Maharaja, you are an extremely loyal warrior of Lord Krsna, full of love for your master, Sri Krsna. You are the direct representative of Krsna in the parampara.

As time passes, I am gradually beginning to understand deeper connotations of initiation. That is, it is very important to realize the true meaning of an acarya and guru. Merely accepting initiation does not mean one truly has a guru. True initiation begins when we sincerely follow the teachings of Sri Guru. Lord Hari says, “I am the acarya and the guru.”

“One should know the acarya as Myself and never disrespect him in any way. One should not envy him, thinking him an ordinary man, for he is the representative of all the demigods. [Srimad Bhagavatam 11.17.27]

Thinking that the spiritual master as an ordinary person and becoming envious of him is a major reason why devotees fall down. Devotional service requires proper training under the guidance of a spiritual master. When one humbly approaches the spiritual master, inquires submissively, and renders service, then true guidance becomes possible. But for those who are envious of their spiritual master, all of this becomes impossible.

“O my Lord! Transcendental poets and experts in spiritual science could not fully express their indebtedness to You, even if they were endowed with the prolonged lifetime of Brahma, for you appear in two features-externally as the acarya and internally as the Supersoul to deliver the embodied living being by directing him how to come to You.” [Srimad Bhagavatam 11.29.6]

“Therefore any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, should be understood to be bona fide spiritual masters.” [Srimad Bhagavatam 11.3.21]

saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair
uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih
kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

“The spiritual master is to be honored as much as the Supreme Lord, because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord. This is acknowledged in all revealed scriptures and followed by all authorities. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is a bona fide representative of Sri Hari [Krsna]” [Sri Sri Guru-astakam 07]

Your servant’s servant’s servant,
Ramya devi dasi