Verse Text
Śrī-kṛṣṇa-dīkṣādi-śikṣaṇaṁ, yathā tatraiva—
tatra bhāgavatān dharmān śikṣed gurv-ātma-daivataḥ |
amāyayānuvṛttyā yais tuṣyed ātmātma-do hariḥ ||98||
Translation
Acquiring knowledge after initiation (verse 74), also from the Eleventh Canto: Accepting the bona fide spiritual master as one’s life and soul and worshipable deity, the disciple should learn from him the process of pure bhakti by sincere service. By that pure bhakti the Lord, the supreme soul, will be satisfied, and give Himself to that devotee. SB 11.3.22
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
The guru is called ātmā because he is as dear as the self is. One should learn bhagavat- dharma (bhakti) from the guru who is worthy of worship like a deity (daivataḥ) and is as dear as one’s self, by sincere service (amāyayā anuvṛttyā). The Lord, who is the real ātmā and who gives Himself to the worshippers, is pleased by those acts of bhakti.
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
Accepting Initiation from the Spiritual Master and Receiving Instructions from Him
Sage Prabuddha continued to speak to the King as follows: “My dear King, a disciple has to accept the spiritual master not only as spiritual master, but also as the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the Supersoul. In other words, the disciple should accept the spiritual master as God, because he is the external manifestation of Kṛṣṇa. This is confirmed in every scripture, and a disciple should accept the spiritual master as such. One should learn Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam seriously and with all respect and veneration for the spiritual master. Hearing and speaking Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the religious process which elevates one to the platform of serving and loving the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
The attitude of the disciple should be to satisfy the bona fide spiritual master. Then it will be very easy for him to understand spiritual knowledge. This is confirmed in the Vedas, and Rūpa Gosvāmī will further explain that for a person who has unflinching faith in God and the spiritual master, everything becomes revealed very easily.