Bhagvatam: ONE SHOULD FULLY SURRENDER UNTO THE SPIRITUAL MASTER, AND WITH SERVICE (SEVAYÄ) ONE SHOULD APPROACH HIM FOR FURTHER SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT.
TRANSLATION
King Indra said: Therefore with great frankness and without duplicity I shall now bow my head at the lotus feet of Brhaspati, the spiritual master of the demigods. Because he is in the mode of goodness, he is fully aware of all knowledge and is the best of the brähmanas. Now I shall touch his lotus feet and offer my obeisances unto him to try to satisfy him.
PURPORT
Coming to his senses, King Indra realized that he was not a very sincere disciple of his spiritual master, Brhaspati.
Therefore he decided that henceforward he would be nishatha, nonduplicitous.
Nishatham shirshna-tac-caranam sprshan: he decided to touch his head to the feet of his spiritual master.
From this example, we should learn this principle enunciated by Vishvanätha Chakravarti Thäkura:
"By the mercy of the spiritual master one is benedicted by the mercy of Krshna.
Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement.”
A disciple should never be a hypocrite or be unfaithful to his spiritual master.
In Srimad-Bhägavatam (11.17.27), the spiritual master is also called ächärya.
Ächäryam mäm vijäniyän: the Supreme Personality of Godhead says that one should respect the spiritual master, accepting him as the Lord Himself.
Nävamanyeta karhicit: one should not disrespect the ächärya at any time.
Na martya-buddhyäsüyeta: one should never think the ächärya an ordinary person.
Familiarity sometimes breeds contempt, but one should be very careful in one's dealings with the ächärya.
Agädha-dhishanam dvijam: the ächärya is a perfect brähmana and has unlimited intelligence in guiding the activities of his disciple.
Therefore Krshna advises in Bhagavad-gitä (4.34):
"Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.”
One should fully surrender unto the spiritual master, and with service (sevayä) one should approach him for further spiritual enlightenment.
