SPIRITUAL MASTER AS REPRESENTATIVE OF NITYANANDA PRABHU
compiled by Isana dasa
Nityānanda Prabhu is the immediate expansion of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Baladeva–tattva. Baladeva means who gives strength for spiritual advancement……….. So without Baladeva’s or Nityānanda’s grace, one cannot make advancement.
āra kabe nitāi–cānda karuṇā karibe
saṁsāra vāsanā mora kabe tuccha ha’be
This is the grace of Nityānanda Prabhu. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura explains, āra kabe nitāi–cānda, karuṇā karibe. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura is aspiring for the day when NityānandaPrabhu will be pleased upon him. Just like Jagāi–Mādhāi was delivered by the mercy of Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, so we have to pray Nityānanda Prabhu. He’s very merciful. He’s so kind, Baladeva, He gives spiritual strength. Then we can approach the Supreme Lord. ………This is the process……….The spiritual master… Nityānanda Prabhu is the spiritual master. Or spiritual master is the replica, representation, of Nityānanda Prabhu. So when Nityānanda Prabhu is pleased, then we become detached from this material attraction. Lecture CC Adi-lila 7..4 March 4, 1974
SPIRITUAL MASTER AS EXTERNAL MANIFESTATION
OF THE LORD IN THE HEART
Tene brahma hṛdā. Brahmā was alone. He could not see Kṛṣṇa eye to eye, but īśvaraḥ sarva–bhūtānāṁ hṛd–deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg. 18.61]. Kṛṣṇa is everyone’s heart, so He taught him from within. Kṛṣṇa’s name is Caitya–guru, “guru, spiritual master from within.” So Kṛṣṇa is trying to help us from within, and He manifests again externally also as spiritual master, directly teaching. So, from within, from without, He is trying to help us. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. From within and without. Sb 1.1.1; 8.6.71 LONDON
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.” NOD chapter 7
Regarding accepting initiation from the spiritual master, in the Eleventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 17th Chapter, 22nd verse, it is stated by Lord Kṛṣṇa: “My dear Uddhava, the spiritual master must be accepted not only as My representative but as My very self. He must never be considered on the same level with an ordinary human being. One should never be envious of the spiritual master, as one may be envious of an ordinary man. The spiritual master should always be seen as the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and by serving the spiritual master, one is able to serve all the demigods.” NOD chapter 7
………
Like the sun, Your Goodness can travel everywhere in the three worlds, and like the air you can penetrate the internal region of everyone. As such, you are as good as the all-pervasive Supersoul. Please, therefore, find out the deficiency in me, despite my being absorbed in transcendence under disciplinary regulations and vows. SB 1.5.7
yadyapi āmāra guru—caitanyera dāsa
tathāpi jāniye āmi tāṅhāra prakāśa
yadyapi—even though; āmāra—my; guru—spiritual master; caitanyera—of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu; dāsa—the servitor; tathāpi—still; jāniye—know; āmi—I; tāṅhāra—of the Lord; prakāśa—direct manifestation.
Translation
Although I know that my spiritual master is a servitor of Śrī Caitanya, I know Him also as a plenary manifestation of the Lord.
Purport
Every living entity is essentially a servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the spiritual master is also His servant. Still, the spiritual master is a direct manifestation of the Lord. With this conviction, a disciple can advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The spiritual master is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa because he is a manifestation of Kṛṣṇa.
Lord Nityānanda, who is Balarāma Himself, the first direct manifestation or expansion of Kṛṣṇa, is the original spiritual master. He helps Lord Kṛṣṇa in His pastimes, and He is a servant of the Lord.
Every living entity is eternally a servant of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya; therefore, the spiritual master cannot be other than a servant of Lord Caitanya. The spiritual master’s eternal occupation is to expand the service of the Lord by training disciples in a service attitude. A spiritual master never poses as the Supreme Lord Himself; he is considered a representative of the Lord. The revealed scriptures prohibit one’s pretending to be God, but a bona fide spiritual master is a most faithful and confidential servant of the Lord and therefore deserves as much respect as Kṛṣṇa.
Caitanya Caritamrta (1975 edition) Ādi 1.44: