The most important factor which leads to success in bhakti is guru-nistha, a deep faith in the Spiritual master.
What does it mean to have faith in Guru and how to develop that faith?
Bhagavat Gita 4.34 explains that developing faith in Guru has three phases-praṇipāta, paripraśna, and sevā.
1. Praṇipāta:
This is the stage where the seeker is inspired by the guru and presents his inclination to learn by offering himself to the guru and accepting his authority.
2. Paripraśna
The desire to inquire from the spiritual master is the next stage. It is an essential factor in the progressive path. The inquiries should be made in complete humility and not in a challenging spirit. If we do not have the inquisitiveness to learn, our approach to the guru will not be effective.
3. Seva
When a disciple approaches a guru for shelter and inquires of him submissively, the guru, as per the level of the disciple, gives him practical instructions. The disciple takes the instructions to heart and makes them his life and soul. A disciple must serve the guru with sincerity and humility. Services could include cleaning the room, washing clothes, transcribing classes, or driving the Guru to a program. When an activity is performed with a devotional attitude and with faith, it is called sevā or devotional service.
If we desire to develop a deep relationship with the guru, we need to follow all three stages. Inquiry without submission and without rendering Seva to the guru, will not give us the desired result.
A natural question comes up; How can I develop guru-nistha without having personal association with the guru?
It is a good question.
My answer is to associate with, serve, and observe those who already have guru-nistha!
Every day after the morning prayers in the temple room I go to Srila Prabhupada’s rooms to chant my Japa. These rooms are my favourite place in the temple. Prabhupada performed his sadhana, translated his books and gave many talks in those rooms.
If the mind is still and your heart is open, you can still feel the presence of Srila Prabhupada there.
My daily routine is that I sit on the floor in front of Srila Prabhupada and in the mood of full surrender chant on my Japa mala.
Every day without fail, around 5:15am a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada comes into the rooms and firstly offers obeisance and prayers. After that, he comes closer to Srila Prabhupada and checks if all the items on Prabhupada’s table are in the right place. He opens all the window curtains to bring morning light into the rooms. He slightly opens the windows to release fresh air into the room for the pleasure of his guru.
His seva doesn’t stop there. He goes around the room and adjusts all the pictures on the walls to be straight and removes any dust or flower petals from the garlands that may be lying on the floor. He checks the other rooms to make certain that everything is in the right place. On the way back to the main room, he turns on an audio player with Srila Prabhupada chanting Japa. After that, he sits down, reads his guru’s books for a while, and then begins chanting.
His spiritual master left the planet many years ago, but this devotee continues to follow three phases-praṇipāta, paripraśna, and sevā.
He daily offers obeisances to his spiritual master, inquiries from him by reading his books and renders seva by cleaning rooms and doing other menial services for his spiritual master.
Every morning he cycles to the temple during the rain, cold, or snow. Nothing can stop him from carrying out seva to his spiritual master.
Whilst chanting my Japa in these rooms, I secretly enjoy observing this devotee and his relationship with Srila Prabhupada.
For him, the relationship with the guru is not restricted to physical association only. His relationship with Srila Prabhupada is much deeper than that. He realised that Srila Prabhupada is always present in his rooms, books, instructions, and a sincere disciple’s heart.
That is Guru Nistha!
Ananta Gopal das
11 January 2023
Bhakti Wisdom 