SP explains the difference between a liberated soul (guru) and mixed devotees
August 17, 2021 in Articles by Damaghosa dasa
SB 3.27.27 purport..Anyone engaged in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is known as a devotee, but there is a distinction between pure devotees and mixed devotees. A mixed devotee engages in devotional service for the spiritual benefit of being eternally engaged in the transcendental abode of the Lord in full bliss and knowledge. In material existence, when a devotee is not completely purified, he expects material benefit from the Lord in the form of relief from material miseries, or he wants material gain, advancement in knowledge of the relationship between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the living entity, or knowledge as to the real nature of the Supreme Lord. When a person is transcendental to these conditions, he is called a pure devotee. He does not engage himself in the service of the Lord for any material benefit or for understanding of the Supreme Lord. His one interest is that he loves the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he spontaneously engages in satisfying Him.
The highest example of pure devotional service is that of the gopīs in Vṛndāvana. They are not interested in understanding Kṛṣṇa, but only in loving Him. That platform of love is the pure state of devotional service. Unless one is advanced to this pure state of devotional service, there is a tendency to desire elevation to a higher material position. A mixed devotee may desire to enjoy a comfortable life on another planet with a greater span of life, such as on Brahmaloka. These are material desires, but because a mixed devotee engages in the service of the Lord, ultimately, after many, many lives of material enjoyment, he undoubtedly develops Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and the symptom of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is that he is no longer interested in any sort of materially elevated life. He does not even aspire to become a personality like Lord Brahmā.
Note-In the above purport Srila Prabhupada explains the mentality of mixed devotees in that we want to be engaged in spiritual activity– for the spiritual benefits. Ore even if we want to have knowledge of God-Krsna or know our eternal relationship with Krsna or just to know Krsna as He is , what to speak of relief from material misery, Prabhupada says above-this is all in the category of mixed devotee- not a pure devotee yet.
SB 3.28.2 purport...In this verse there are many important words which could be very elaborately explained, but we shall briefly discuss the important aspects of each. The final statement is ātmavic-caraṇārcanam. Ātma-vit means a self-realized soul or bona fide spiritual master. Unless one is self-realized and knows what his relationship with the Supersoul is, he cannot be a bona fide spiritual master. Here it is recommended that one should seek out a bona fide spiritual master and surrender unto him (arcanam), for by inquiring from and worshiping him one can learn spiritual activities.
Note-So here again above, more proof of who is a pure devotee or actual spiritual master. Unless one actually knows his svarupa siddhi or eternal relationship with God-Krsna, then he cannot be a bona fide spiritual master or guru. How many devotees have we met who know this? I have only met one….
Once Srila Prabhupada was asked this question and he said-“that you dont require to know”, In other words you rascal, you fool, first become qualified yourself and then when you are so qualified then you can ask me, your spiritual master, that elevated question which you have no way of understanding at all in your present condition of life.
