[Spoken by Srila Gurudeva on January 12th, 1998, in Australia, published as part of the Bhakta Bandhav Anthology, Volume 23]
Srila Gurudeva: Guru is not a person of this material world. He is not like us. He never cheats anyone, he never wants any worldly things. He is a special associate of Krsna, from Goloka Vrndavana. Always serving and very expert in serving Krsna and Radha to help Them meet together in Their kunja and to serve Them there. He is always serving there in Their kunjas, in Radha-kunda, Svananda-sukhada-kunja or any other places. He is so expert in serving. Krsna has sent them to this world to help needy persons who want to serve Radha-Krsna conjugal. Guru is not an ordinary person. He is not clever, only having so much worldly knowledge and being very intelligent. He is not expert in making money or anything, or playing duplicity or politics. He is the special associate of Krsna from Vrndavana, Radha-kunda, Govardhana. Mercifully he descends to this world. So by the mercy of that Guru, you can have something. By the mercy of Krsna or a devotee like that. They are very rare in this world. We pretend to be a Guru, acarya, but really they are akhanda-guru-tattva. Nityananda Prabhu, Baladeva Prabhu is akhanda-guru-tattva. They descend in this world in a disciplic line of acaryas. We see how strong personalities, acaryas, have come: Brahma, Narada, Vedavyasa, Sukadeva Gosvami, Suta Gosvami, Madhvacarya, Jaya-Tirtha, Madhavendra Puri, Isvara Puri. How great personalities they were? They used to always weep and tell, “O Krsna, where are You? O Lalite, where are You?” Always weeping.
he deva he dayita he bhuvanaika-bandho
he krsna he capala he karunaika-sindho
he natha he ramana he nayanabhirama
ha ha kada nu bhavitasi padam drsor me
-Krsna-karnamrta 40
[O Lord! O dearest one! O only friend of the three worlds! O Krsna! O restless one! O only ocean of compassion! O Deva! O lover (ramana)! O You who delight the eyes! When will You again be visible to My eyes? When will I receive Your darsana?]
This sloka has been spoken by Radhika. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is telling, “This sloka is from Srimati Radhika. There is no one in this world who can realize this sloka.” First, it was realized by Madhavendra Puri, and he always used to weep bitterly for that, “O Krsna, where are You? Where are you?” After that, there was the successor of Madhavendra Puripada; Isvara Puripada. Especially there were Lalita and Visakha, Svarupa Damodara and Raya Ramananda. They came and established this thing, pure bhakti. After that, they gave it in succession to Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami and all six Gosvamis. We are so fortunate to be in this disciplic line of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. We are so fortunate. We have some hope that bhakti will come into our hearts. How will it come? Krsna will arrange that you can come and hear and serve Vaisnavas and Guru. So, we have some hope. You should have very strong faith in Vaisnavas, but not blind faith, not blind faith.