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nāma-śreṣṭhaṁ manum api śacī-putram atra svarūpaṁ

nāma-śreṣṭhaṁ manum api śacī-putram atra svarūpaṁ
rūpaṁ tasyāgrajam uru-purīṁ māthurīṁ goṣṭha-vāṭīm |
rādhā-kuṇḍaṁ giri-varam aho rādhikā-mādhavāśāṁ
prāpto yasya prathita-kṛpayā śrī-guruṁ taṁ nato’smi ||
(Muktā-caritam)

“I offer obeisance unto śrī-guru, he by whose celebrated grace I have received the supreme name, the mantra, the Son of Śacī, Svarūpa, Rūpa, his elder brother [i.e., Sanātana], the great abode of Mathurā, Vṛndāvana, Rādhā Kuṇḍa, the best of mountains [i.e., Govardhana], and aho!, hope of [personally serving] Rādhikā and Mādhava.”

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nāhi kā̐hāso virodha

nāhi kā̐hāso virodha, nāhi kā̐hā anurodha,
sahaja vastu kari vivecana |
yadi haya rāga-dveśa, tāhā̐ haya āveśa,
sahaja vastu nā yāya likhana ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.2.86)

“Neither out of opposition to anyone, nor in compliance to anyone, I discuss the fundamental subject-matter. If partiality or enmity arise and absorption in them occurs, then description of the fundamental subject is not possible.”

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tasmād anyad bhagavad-bhajanam api nāpekṣate

tasmād anyad bhagavad-bhajanam api nāpekṣate |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 237)

“Therefore [i.e., because Hari can become pleased to reveal himself simply in response to guru-bhakti], even other service to Bhagavān is not required [for a sādhaka fully engaged in personal service to his guru].”

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guru-mūlam idaṁ sarvaṁ tasmān nityaṁ guruṁ bhajet

guru-mūlam idaṁ sarvaṁ tasmān nityaṁ guruṁ bhajet |
puraścaraṇa-hīno’pi mantrī siddhyen na saṁśayaḥ ||
(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 17.242)

“The basis of all these [preliminary rites] is the guru. Therefore, always serve the guru. Thereby, even a mantra-sādhaka who has not performed any preliminary rites (puraścaraṇa) can attain perfection. Of this, there is no doubt.”

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tatra bhāgavatān dharmān śikṣed gurv-ātma-daivataḥ

tatra bhāgavatān dharmān śikṣed gurv-ātma-daivataḥ |
amāyayānuvṛttyā yais tuṣyed ātmātmado hariḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.3.22; cited in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.98; Bhakti Sandarbha: 206)

“One for whom the guru is the Self (ātmā) and the Devatā should, through unaffected adherence, learn from him [viz., the guru] Bhāgavata-dharmas by which Hari, he who is the Self and the Bestower of himself, can be pleased.”

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vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana

vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana |
bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca buddhayo’vyavasāyinām ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 2.41)

“O son of the Kurus, the resolute intellect (buddhi) is one [i.e., one-pointed] in this regard [i.e., in regard to practicing bhakti-yoga]. The intellects of the irresolute, however, are many-branched and endless [i.e., divided between numerous different pursuits and driven by an endless number of worldly desires].”

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yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā guruḥ

yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā guruḥ |
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ prakāśante mahātmanaḥ ||
(Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad: 6.23; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 4.346; Bhagavat Sandarbha: 98; Bhakti Sandarbha: 5, 21, 209; Govinda-bhāṣya: 3.3.44, 45, 3.4.50)

“These discussed subjects [i.e., the teachings a guru gives to a disciple regarding Brahma-vidyā] are revealed to the great soul who has pure bhakti to Deva, and as to Deva, so also to guru.”

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acakṣur andhasya yathāgraṇīḥ kṛtas

acakṣur andhasya yathāgraṇīḥ kṛtas
tathā janasyāviduṣo’budho guruḥ |
tvam arka-dṛk sarva-dṛśāṁ samīkṣaṇo
vṛto gurur naḥ sva-gatiṁ bubhutsatām ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 8.24.50)

[Satyavrata Rāja to Matsya Avatāra:] “As an eyeless person [i.e., a blind person] is made a leader of a blind person [by a blind person who doesn’t realize that they are accepting another blind person as a leader], so an ignorant person is [made a leader] of an unknowing person [by the unknowing person who fails to recognize that the person whom they have accepted as a guru is actually ignorant]. [Thus,] You, whose knowledge is [illuminating] like the sun and who are the illuminator of all knowledges, are accepted [by us] as the guru of we who are desirous of understanding our own path [i.e., the best path for our true selves, viz., bhakti].”

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itthaṁ-vidhāny anekāni vasatāṁ guru-veśmani

itthaṁ-vidhāny anekāni vasatāṁ guru-veśmani |
guror anugraheṇaiva pumān pūrṇaḥ praśāntaye ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.80.43)

“[Kṛṣṇa to Sudāmā:] While living in the home of our guru, we had many [experiences] of such type. Only by the grace of guru does a person become fulfilled and completely peaceful.”

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