THIS VOLUME IS THE FIRST BOOK about the extraordinary character and sublime teachings of our most revered holy master, om visnupada paramahamsa parivrajakacarya astottara-sata Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, affectionately known as our beloved Srila Gurudeva. It is Srila Gurudeva's extraordinary mercy that he has revealed a glimpse of the spiritual world and awakened within us a taste for the supremely sweet pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna.
 
THIS VOLUME IS THE FIRST BOOK about the extraordinary character and sublime teachings of our most revered holy master, om visnupada paramahamsa parivrajakacarya astottara-sata Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja, affectionately known as our beloved Srila Gurudeva. It is Srila Gurudeva's extraordinary mercy that he has revealed a glimpse of the spiritual world and awakened within us a taste for the supremely sweet pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna.
 
Sripada 'Vidyalankara’ Madhava Maharaja is not writing just another book about some charismatic individual who is accepted by the general public as a guru. Nowadays the name guru has become quite fashionable. In the modern world we have financial gurus, management gurus, fashion gurus and so on, and it seems that any common man can be accepted as guru as long as he shows some expertise in his field. The approach of many so-called gurus may be of great appeal to the masses by making them feel good about the prospects of their material aspirations and the anticipated temporary pleasures of the mind and senses. One may receive some temporary upliftment from these self-styled gurus, but in the end, their encouragement for us to continuously chase after material happiness produces only a mental image of a possible future, but no ultimate satisfaction. That is because the material enjoyment they offer always ends in misery. This material enjoyment is just like a big fire; no matter how beautiful it is to look at, if you touch it, it will inevitably burn you and you will suffer tremendously. Similarly, harmful activities will make us suffer in the material world. People who are overpowered by the illusory material maya of Krsna feel happiness and suffering for many births under the influence of that illusory energy. Their happiness and sufferings are all the work of maya, meaning 'forgetfulness of Krsna', There are many persons in this world who may appear or claim to be guru, but a bona fide guru follows Sri Brahma, the original guru and grandfather of the universe. Krsna consciousness was propounded by Sri Brahma aeons ago when the creation was still in its infancy. Only a bona fide guru representing his guru and the Lord can give one the essential help to attain real freedom.
 
Guru is a Sanskrit word and its original and intended meanings are explained in the Vedic literatures. Gu means 'ignorance' and ru means 'dispeller', so a real guru is someone who is in a disciplic succession of gurus that dispells our ignorance. Those in a material conception of life will teach others that they can and will become happy here, thus increasing their ignorance and boosting their false ego of bodily identification. A real guru, on the other hand, gives eternal results by initiating us on the path that activates and reveals our true spiritual identity. He mercifully gives instructions, convincing us of the many perfect philosophical conclusions of bhakti. Serving him and submissively hearing from him frees us from the ignorance that has been ingrained within our hearts since time without beginning. It gradually but firmly establishes within us a deep love for Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, the divine Youthful Couple and the soul's function fully awakens. This is what a guru should give - our pristine intrinsic nature, our eternal dharma. That's what our Srila Gurudeva, the deliverer of the fallen, is giving to us.
 
Our eternal natural function, or dharma, is bhakti or devotional service. As one cannot separate heat from fire, so similarly, the service nature of the living entities cannot be taken away from them. We have to serve someone or something. We serve either Krsna or maya. Unfortunately, during this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the insincerity and hypocrisy is so widespread that those who have a desire to follow religion are oftentimes misled; consequently they are disheartened to pursue religion with strong determination or conviction.
 
All religions propagated in the world are either steps leading to bhakti or else distortions of it. This being a fact, we should focus on our own cultivation of devotion and not worry or criticize what others are doing. We should be favourable towards the followers of other religions and have no animosity towards them. All of us advance according to the time that is ripe for us. Any religion should be respected according to its proportionate degree of purity.
 
In order to pursue our particular path with great devotion, we have to understand that there are mixed, polluted and imaginary concepts of bhakti that are falsely presented in the name of pure bhakti. There are different categories. One group may have a slight semblance of bhakti or a mixed devotion (mixed with fruitive action or speculative knowledge, etc.). These are gradations of bhakti but only unalloyed devotion (suddha-bhakti) can give life's ultimate goal - the nectar of pure love (prema). Only that suddha-bhakti can bestow the highest results. Yet, on the path of bhakti, many try to give the impression that they are practicing pure bhakti, though in actuality they practice only a reflection or a shadow of devotion. It is important to know that whoever you follow, you will only be able to attain what they have, not more than that. Whatever level of consciousness one's guru attains, the followers. can advance up to that level, not higher than that. That is why the gift of the higher part, the transcendental realm, can only be obtained by the exclusive mercy of Srila Rupa Gosvami, the acarya of ujjvala-rasa, and his intimate associates. The original form of Bhagavan descended in this age as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to deliver all the living entities. Srila Rupa Gosvami, who is priya- svarupa, the very embodiment of everything dear to Him, is His foremost disciple in establishing the deepest wishes of His heart. Those who completely come under the guidance and care of the genuine followers of Srila Rupa Gosvami will attain realization and advance through each successive stage of krsna-prema.