Pleasing Guru

Prabhupada had decided to give an initiation lecture based on Chapter 7 of Bhagavad-gita, verse 1. Prabhupada explained that when Krsna says: "mad-asrayah -- take shelter of Me" -- He means 'take shelter of My representative, guru'.

"Not that 'I am now very much advanced. I don't require any help from my guru', as some are doing. This is rascaldom. You cannot get Krsna by overcoming guru. That is not possible. Therefore Caitanya-caritamrta, says 'guru krsna krpaya paya'. We should always remember that by the mercy of Krsna we get guru, and by the mercy of guru we get Krsna, so we have to seek mercies of both of them."

The business of the disciple, Prabhupada pointed out, was to please the guru. "If he is satisfied, then Krsna becomes immediately satisfied because he is the agent. That is very easy to understand. Suppose you are working in the office. Your immediate boss, the superintendent, if he is pleased, that means the managing director is also pleased. You haven't got to please the managing director separately. If you please his representative, and the managing director sees the report, 'Yes, this man is working nicely,' then he accepts."
Pleasing the guru, Prabhupada explained, meant strictly following his orders, especially those given at initiation. "Whatever sinful activities you have done, that is squared up; now account closed. Now you begin a new life, devotional life. And if you stick to the principle as it is instructed, 'do not have illicit sex, do not have intoxicants, do not eat meat, do not play gambling, speculate.' You promise before Krsna and before the spiritual master, before the Vaisnavas, so many witnesses, and if you violate, then you can understand what you are doing. You promise before the Deity. Krsna is not different. So when initiation takes place we promise so many things, but if we do not follow, if we do not keep our promise, that is a great fault."
Accidental falldowns were excused, Prabhupada said. But he warned against the "cheating process". "Suppose a smoker has taken to Krsna consciousness. He has promised that: 'I shall not smoke.' But all of a sudden, suppose his friends induce him, 'Ah, what is that? Smoke today .. ' So sometimes you become induced. But we should always remember that 'I have taken this vow. Why should I be induced by my friends to smoke?' That is very nice. But even if by mistake you do that, that can be excused, but not wilfully; 'Now nobody is seeing. Krsna is not here. Let me smoke now.' Not that. Krsna's eyes are everywhere. You cannot escape Krsna's eyes."

- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu