How do we find a genuine spiritual master?
The first step in attaining perfection is to take shelter of a bonafide spiritual master. By the Lord’s will, everyone receives a spiritual master accordingly to his own qualification, just as the Christians received Jesus Christ and the Muslims Prophet Mohammad. Moreover, according to their luck, materialists remain attached to material life by accepting family priests as their spiritual masters. But if we are fortunate and search sincerely for a bonafide spiritual master, and if we humbly pray to the Lord to attain the mercy of such a guru, then by the Lord’s mercy as well certainly receive a bonafide guru in this lifetime. Then by taking shelter at his lotus feet our life will become successful.
Sri Chaitanya caritamrita states:
Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bonafide spiritual master by the grace of Krsna. By the mercy of both Krsna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service. (Madhya 19.151)
Krsna is situated in everyone’s heart as the caitya-guru, the spiritual master within. When He is kind to some fortunate conditioned soul, He personally gives him lessons so he can progress in devotional service, instructing the person as the Supersoul within and the spiritual master without. (Madhya 22.47)
According to the deliberate opinion of all revealed scriptures, the spiritual master is nondifferent from Krsna. Lord Krsna in the form of the spiritual master delivers his devotees. (Add 1.45)
Although I know that my spiritual master is a servitor of Sri Chaitanya, I know him also as a plenary manifestation of the Lord. (Add 1.44)
One should know the instructing spiritual master to be the Personality of Krsna. Lord Krsna manifests Himself as the Supersoul and as the greatest devotee of the Lord. (Add 1.47)
One should know the instrcucting spiritual master to be the Personality of Krsna. Lord Krsna manifests Himself as the Supresoul and as the greatest devotee of the Lord. Since one cannot visaully experience the presence of the Supresoul, He appears before us as a liberated devotee. Such a spiritual master is none other than Krsna Himself. (Adi 1.58)
“O Krsnacandra!, Please accept me as your servant. I will not continue to serve this temporary material world while thinking of myself as an enjoyer.” When a living entity sincerely and humbly prays to the Lord in this way, then the most merciful Krsna appears before him in the form of a liberated devotee. Unless we are fortunate enough to receive transcendental knowledge from a bonafide spiritual master, we cannot become qualified to engage in the Lord’s service. Since no human being or demigod is capable of awarding such transcendental knowledge, we must find shelter under a bonafide spiritual master.