Not a fashion

A spiritual master is not a fashion, that "Oh, I should have a spiritual master." People after fashion. No. One must be very much inquisitive to know what is the highest perfection of life. If one is actually inquisitive to understand about the highest perfectional stage of our life, then he should search after a spiritual master.

~ His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada;
lecture in New Vrindavan, May 22, 1969

Thirty-eight years -- to the date -- after Srila Prabhupada spoke those words, Krsangi and I sat in a SoHo yoga studio, along with about 149 other people, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Radhanath Swami, our guru maharaj who is visiting for a few days.

Krsangi later told me that she had an interesting episode at the program. She had been sitting next to an NYU student who is new to Krishna consciousness. When she told him that Radhanath Swami was her guru and that she only got to see him once or twice a year, he was flabbergasted. "But then, how do you actually learn from him?" She tried her best to explain, but it made her really think about our relationship with Radhanath Maharaj and how we can make sure we are not just following him as a "fashion" statement.

"...how do you actually learn from him?"

Its a good question, and sitting at the dining table last night, Krsangi, Mom, and I tried to answer it. Here's some of what we came up with:

• Our relationship with Maharaj is based on following his instructions, the most important of which is to chant 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra every day.
• To the extent that we are trying to imbibe the mood of a saragrahi vaisnava - living with humility, tolerance, forgiveness, appreciation, empathy, service - to that extent we are associating with Radhanath Maharaj. (The converse is true too)
  
• The guru's instructions need not always be specific to the details of disciple's situation. Classes delivered or lessons imparted in a general setting (like a Srimad Bhagavatm lecture) can be just as meaningful and life-transformative as a personal one-on-one instruction.
• If we are actually making spiritual advancement, then our relationship with our guru should be going deeper (though not necessarily more physical association).
  
• Radhanath Maharaj wants us to serve and take shelter of the mature, caring, and dedicated devotees (like Yajna Purusa prabhu, for instance) who are able to counsel us on the day-to-day process of trying to make spiritual advancement. We must develop the faith to see our spiritual master's instructions in these devotees. And Maharaj is most happy when we are genuinely trying to be "servants of the servants."
  
• Although everything above is true, it must never become an excuse for complacency. The instruction (vani) of the spiritual master is more important, but the physical presence (vapuh) should not be artificially neglected. We are personalists and should appreciate that physical proximity is a gift to be appreciated. So we should be very enthusiastic about hearing from Maharaj, seeing him, spending time with him, and most of all serving him, when Krishna gives us such an opportunity.

Other thoughts? Leave a comment.