Disciple

yo hy adharmeṇa vibrūyād gṛhṇīyād vāpy adharmataḥ

yo hy adharmeṇa vibrūyād gṛhṇīyād vāpy adharmataḥ |
hīyetāṁ tāv ubhau kṣipraṁ syātāṁ vā vairiṇāv ubhau ||
(Mahābhārata: 9.50.46)

“One who shall teach undharmicly [i.e., without accepting the student as a disciple] and one who shall acquire [knowledge] undharmicly [i.e., without acceptance of discipleship to the teacher]—both shall quickly abandon one another or become enemies of one another.”

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nṛpo na hari-sevitā vyaya-kṛtī na hary-arpakaḥ

nṛpo na hari-sevitā vyaya-kṛtī na hary-arpakaḥ
kavir na hari-varṇakaḥ śrita-gurur na hary-āśritaḥ |
guṇī na hari-tatparaḥ sarala-dhīr na kṛṣṇāśrayaḥ
sa na vraja-ramānugaḥ sva-hṛdi sapta-śalyāni me ||
(Gopāla-campū: 1.33.178)

“A king who is not a servant of Hari,

A spender who is not an offerer to Hari,

A poet who is not a narrator of Hari,

A disciple of a guru who is not sheltered in Hari,

A virtuous person who is not devoted to Hari,

A simple [alt., sincere, unpretentious] person who is not sheltered in Hari,

And he [i.e., one who is sheltered in Hari] who is not a follower of the beautiful ladies of Vraja—

[These seven types of persons] Are seven spears in my own heart.”

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varaṁ na rājyaṁ na kurāja-rājyaṁ

varaṁ na rājyaṁ na kurāja-rājyaṁ
varaṁ na mitraṁ na kumitra-mitram |
varaṁ na śiṣyo na kuśiṣya-śiṣyo
varaṁ na dārā na kudāra-dāraḥ ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti-darpaṇa: 6.13)

“Better no kingdom than a kingdom with a bad king. Better no friend than a friend who is a bad friend. Better no disciple than a disciple who is a bad disciple. Better no wife than a wife who is a bad wife.”

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paṭhakāḥ pāṭhakāś caiva ye cānye śāstra-cintakāḥ

paṭhakāḥ pāṭhakāś caiva ye cānye śāstra-cintakāḥ |
sarve vyasanino mūrkhā yaḥ kriyāvān sa paṇḍitaḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: 3.313.110)

“All the students, teachers, and others who consider śāstra but are addicted to vices are fools. One who engages in practice [of all that is taught in śāstra] is wise.”

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yo vakti nyāya-rahitam anyāyena śṛṇoti yaḥ

yo vakti nyāya-rahitam anyāyena śṛṇoti yaḥ |
tāv ubhau narakaṁ ghoraṁ vrajataḥ kālam akṣayam ||
(Nārada Pañcarātra; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 1.101; Bhakti Sandarbha: 238)

“Both one who speaks devoid of rule [i.e., without adherence to śāstra] and one who listens devoid of rule [i.e., without adherence to śāstra] proceed to a dark hell for unlimited time.”

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yathā siddha-rasa-sparśāt tāmraṁ bhavati kāñcanam

yathā siddha-rasa-sparśāt tāmraṁ bhavati kāñcanam |
sannidhānād guror evaṁ śiṣyo viṣṇumayo bhavet ||
(Āgama-śāstra; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 237)

“As copper turns into gold at the touch of quicksilver, so a disciple becomes absorbed in [devotion to] Viṣṇu as a result of being in the company of guru.”

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śṛṇuṣvāvahito rājann api guhyaṁ vadāmi te

śṛṇuṣvāvahito rājann api guhyaṁ vadāmi te |
brūyuḥ snigdhasya śiṣyasya guravo guhyam apy uta ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.13.3)

[Śukadeva Gosvāmī to Parīkṣit Mahārāja:] “O King, listen attentively. Although it [i.e., the answer to your question] is a secret, I will tell you [this], for gurus may indeed speak even secrets before a devout disciple.”

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jñānī guruś ca balavān bhavābdheḥ śiṣyam uddharet

jñānī guruś ca balavān bhavābdheḥ śiṣyam uddharet
guruḥ svayam asiddhaś ca durbalaḥ katham uddharet
(Nārada Pañcarātra 1.10.19)

“A guru, who is knowledgable and strong, delivers a disciple from the ocean of material existence. How can a guru who is not realized (asiddha) and weak deliver [a disciple]?”

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śṛṇuṣvāvahito rājann

śṛṇuṣvāvahito rājann api guhyaṁ vadāmi te |
brūyuḥ snigdhasya śiṣyasya guravo guhyam apy uta ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.13.3)

[Śukadeva Gosvāmī to Parīkṣit Mahārāja:] “O King, listen attentively. Although it [i.e., the answer to your question] is a secret, I will tell you [this], for gurus may indeed speak even secrets before a devout disciple.”

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samānī va ākūtiḥ

samānī va ākūtiḥ samānā hṛdayāni vaḥ |
samānam astu vo mano yathā vaḥ susahāsati ||
(Ṛg Veda: 10.191.4)

“May your intention be united, your hearts united, and your minds united, so that you have excellent companionship.”

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