Should I Choose The Spiritual Master Whose Personal Association I Get Or Whose Classes Inspire Me

Answer Podcast

Transcript

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So, thank you very much. So, should we choose a spiritual master? Which personal session we get? Or should we choose a spiritual master whose classes we have and whose disciple classes we have? This is a very personal decision and I can tell broad parameters rather than a specific decision. We all have different natures and for some people, for some of us personal association matters a lot and for some of us it’s more of the education, the philosophical education that matters more.
So, ideally if we could have both, that would be wonderful. But if that is not possible, life always involves us having many choices. So, then we will have to see from where I get more inspiration.
So, if it is personal association that gives me more inspiration, then I should associate and I should take initiation from a spiritual master who will give me more personal association. If it is more of hearing that gives me inspiration, then whoever I feel more inspired to hear, that is where I should take initiation from. Again, among these two factors also, if you consider the personal association, the personal association is something which we may not have forever.
Nobody is going to live forever. That is one factor to consider also. So, the spiritual master’s legacy is the personal association, the legacy is also the lecture that you have given, but that legacy is also the community that is created.
So, we will spend a lot of time with our God family. So, how much inspiration we get from that is also important. And if personal association is the only thing that is making us take initiation from a particular spiritual master, then we have to see what is the effect of that personal association.
Is that personal association inspiring me in my practice of bhakti? Or is it that personal association only offering me emotional support? Because if it is offering emotional support, that is also important, that is also a human need, but that is not really something spiritually stimulating. And in future, when the personal association is not there, then what will inspire me to continue my practice of bhakti? We have examples of many Srila Prabhupada disciples who were very inspired and dedicated when Prabhupada was there. But after Prabhupada departed, they couldn’t continue because they just didn’t have that connection which was beyond the personal association.
So, with respect to hearing, classes will always be there, you can keep hearing them and you can keep growing through such hearing. That is also one factor to consider. The primary connection is Vapu and Vani, as you say.
So, the Vani connection is much more important. And if, maybe what you could do is, you can pray for some time, specifically. Don’t make this into a sincerity issue.
But this is something which all of us go through. Say, this is a major decision in life and some lack of clarity. Sometimes a clear conviction emerges, this is what I need to do.
That’s a gift of Krishna, we could say. But sometimes that may be because of the rush of emotions we may decide in a particular way also. But otherwise, when a lack of clear decision is there, that may force us to go deeper and to try to analyze what is it that is actually a prime motivating force in bhakti.
And once you understand that, that understanding will stand you in good stead in the long run. So, that way, if we decide, so just write down the pros and the cons. There are pros and there are cons.
So, let me write down this and write down that. And then, instead of thinking about it constantly, just revisit it, say, whenever some thought comes, just write it down somewhere, on your phone or something. And then, do revisit it, say, once a week, every week, for maybe half an hour, one hour, look at all the factors.
Okay, I didn’t think about this. This is not that important. This is very important.
Like that, analyze. And based on that analysis, if you decide three months, six months, I’ll take to make a decision. So, now you may be inclined towards a particular thing, particular option.
But the other option also is good. So, then after six months, you find that your overall thought process is the same. And that means it’s not just a passing sentiment.
It’s like a deep conviction in you. But if in six months’ contemplation, your thought changes, then you will also have a reason why you change your thought. You’ll have it written down.
Okay, these are the reasons. So, then, you will be, whichever decision you take, it will be with greater conviction. And then, the follow-through of that decision will also be sound.
Basically, when we write thoughts down, it’s like we are taking a snapshot of our mind. And then, you see whether my mind is changing constantly, or it is overall, it’s remained the same. So, through this deliberation, this kind of deliberation is showing Krishna that we want to take this decision seriously.
And sound that even if whatever happens, there’s no need to become to see one connection as necessitating a disconnection from the other. Ultimately, it’s your spiritual life. So, you may take a decision from one person and still, you may well get to hear from the other sources also.
You have to see what is going to happen. Sometimes, you may take a decision from one person, but you might get the other person’s association also. We don’t know.
So, you’ll have to see how things play out. But don’t let this burden you too much. No need for guilt because of this.
It’s not so much hesitation or confusion, it’s more of caution. And caution is good.