If our spiritual guides are not perfect, what will inspire us to surrender to them?
When we understand that the spiritual master has a human dimension, which comes with certain limitations, what then can inspire us to selflessly surrender? I’ll explain this in three parts.
First, what do we mean by perfection or imperfection?
Once, during a morning walk, Jayadvaita Maharaj asked Srila Prabhupada, “How should we understand if a spiritual master commits some mistakes?” Prabhupada replied, “The spiritual master doesn’t commit mistakes.”
Jayadvaita Maharaj then asked, “But what if, objectively, a verse is quoted incorrectly, or a verse is attributed to the wrong book?”
Prabhupada replied, “That is material vision.”
At this point, Satsvarupa Maharaj commented, “That means we have an incorrect understanding of perfection.”
Prabhupada clarified, “Perfection means that the spiritual master purely desires to serve Krishna. That is perfection. The spiritual master is not omniscient.”
When we understand perfection in this sense—that in the heart of the spiritual master there is an unwavering desire to serve, glorify, and love Krishna, and to bring others closer to Him—then we realize that this desire is the soul’s greatest treasure. It grants complete absorption in Krishna.
If we equate perfection with omniscience, thinking that perfection means never making a wrong decision or knowing everything fully, that is not the scriptural definition of perfection.
In any field, our expectations are realistic. For example, if we are learning English, we expect the teacher to be proficient in English, but we don’t expect them to be a financial advisor or a medical expert. Similarly, a spiritual master’s perfection lies in their pure-hearted desire to serve Krishna, not in being all-knowing.
Second, how does that desire to serve Krishna awaken in our own hearts?
It happens when we sincerely try to serve Krishna. We serve Krishna through His devotees. Just like one lit candle can light another, the desire to love Krishna can be transferred from the hearts of those who already have it into our own hearts.
Nowhere is it said that for us to receive this desire, the devotee whose heart carries it must be perfect or omniscient. What matters is that their heart is illuminated by the desire to love and serve Krishna.
By associating with and serving such devotees, we allow their spiritual desires to enter and awaken our own. This can happen through any devotee, not only our spiritual master.
Third, do we have to take exactly the same desire as our spiritual master?
There are two aspects:
- We receive from the spiritual master the desire to serve Krishna.
- This does not mean we must take up the exact same service or mission as them.
Surrender manifests in different ways. Some disciples were deeply inspired by their spiritual master and took up bhakti very seriously, even though their guru later faced difficulties. They continued in their devotional life because what they had imbibed was the desire to serve Krishna, not necessarily a specific external service.
Surrender does not mean giving up our individuality or intelligence. It means allowing our hearts to be touched by the same love that drives the spiritual master.
The level of inspiration we draw may vary with different devotees, and sometimes a specific inspiration for service may come from someone other than our spiritual master. That is completely fine.
In summary:
- Perfection does not mean omniscience; it means having an unalloyed desire to serve Krishna.
- Our spiritual growth depends primarily on developing this desire, which we receive by associating with and serving devotees, especially our spiritual master.
- Our surrender means cultivating our own desire to serve Krishna, even if it is not identical to that of our spiritual master.