Qualifications for a bona-fide disciple-Must Read!!!!

Posted by dinesh

|| Hare Kṛṣṇa ||

All Glories to Śrī Guru & Gaurānga!
All Glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!
Nitāi Gaura Premānande, HARI HARI BOL!

Patitānām Pāvanebhyo Vaiśṇavebhyo Namo Namaḥ!

Hari-Bhakti-Vilaasa lists the following qualifications for a bona fide disciple:

1) He should be devoted to the lotus feet of the spiritual master.

2) He should be fully capable of upholding the vows made to the spiritual master.

3) He should be engaged day and night in the Lord's service with body, mind and words.

4) He should be desirous of knowing the Absolute Truth.

5) He should be spotless in character, truthful,gentle and polite, pleasing in appearance and intelligent.

6) He should show proper respect to elders, to initiated Vaisnavas and to the Lord; he should observe silence concerning material subjects and should have control of his senses.

7) He should have no attraction for committing sinful activities.

The bona fide disciple should not possess the following characteristics:

1) He should not be lazy, dirty, sickly, continually afflicted or lamenting, angry, proud, lusty or coveting material desires.

2) He should not show the enjoying mood; he should not indulge in
sinful activities such as taking meat, intoxication, gambling or illicit sex;

3) He should not earn a living by unjust means.

4) He should not use vulgar or coarse language, should not be critical of others, and should not be miserly, malicious, devious or envious; he should not give pain to others or be addicted to cruel activities.

5) He should not be ignorant, nor should he be proud of material learning.

6) He should not indulge in non-Vaisnava philosophies

7) He should not be addicted to over-eating.

The following rules of etiquette should be observed by the bona fide disciple in relation to his spiritual master:

1) He should fall down like an uprooted tree (dandavat) on seeing the guru. When the guru approaches he should face him and when he leaves, he
should follow him.

2) He should not leave the guru's presence without asking permission.

3) He should not utter the guru's name inattentively, but always with respect. He should address him as om sri ............Visnupada, and bow his head and fold his hands in respect.

4) He should not imitate the gait, activities or voice of the guru.

5) He should always hold the guru's words in great respect. Though he may be
punished by the guru, he should not take it unkindly.

6) He should not bear to hear criticism of the guru, the scriptures or the
Lord, but should leave the place immediately.

7) He should not step on the guru's garland, bed, shoes, aasana, shadow
or eating table.

8) He should not spread his legs before the guru, nor should
he yawn, laugh or make disrespectful noises before the guru.

9) He should not sit on an aasana or bed before the guru.

10) He should not worship others in preference to the guru. He should not give diksaa, give scriptural explanations or show superiority in front of the guru.

11) He should not give orders to the guru, but obey him.

12) He should treat the guru's guru with similar respect and he should treat the wife, son and relatives of the guru as the guru, but he should not clean the body of the son, take his remnants or wash his feet.