It's not that the spiritual master is just an authority; he's our well wisher and because he's our well wisher, he has no other interest than to see that we are doing well. When the spiritual master finds some nice quality in the disciple, he's immediately pleased- immediately!

When the spiritual master is upset with us, then it's time to learn!

The most pleasing service to the spiritual master is when we give Krsna consciousness to others.

To be a disciple is considered to be a difficult thing because you first of all have to commit your life and you change your whole life. It's a big thing because throughout our life we accept the orders of the spiritual master: "What is it that you would like me to do?"- give up our independence. A real disciple asks what the spiritual master wants me to. Not a dramatic moment of surrender. The spiritual master can see immediately if you're serious.

There's no limit to what can be offered to the representative of Krsna.

In spiritual life the role of the guru is essential; and if one really wants to go back to Godhead, one must become a surrendered disciple.

It makes us see that, "I'm getting so excited about so many things but actually here is someone who is much broader, who has such greater thoughts than mine. Actually, I'm making too much of my own problems in life." Just being before a spiritual master has this kind of sobering effect, where we suddenly get an influence of his mood and we look at our life and think that, "Why am I actually making an issue of things?" And we see his commitment to Krsna, that he goes through so many up's and down's but somehow or other he remains fixed on Krsna. We ourselves, the slightest little obstruction, we are wavering in our determination in devotional service. So in this way the relationship with the spiritual master gives us strength. But still, in the beginning, the relationship with the spiritual master matures, it becomes one of friendship and when it goes very deep, it becomes one of love. In that stage of fear one is afraid to say anything- not good. We must actually take shelter, we must tell the spiritual master what is happening to us and the more we do so, the more he will be able to help us. We should understand that he is our well wisher, our friend, our ever well wisher- the spiritual master's position. So why should we be afraid when of the spiritual master when he's acting as our well-wisher? Because he can see right through you? He may, but he will help us.

The whole argument that, "if I go speak to my spiritual master I will disappoint him," is weak. The spiritual master knows, he expects the worse, he's wise and he knows that this is the age of Kali where nobody is following anything, where people are simply acting out behind the curtains, the secrets are hidden. When you tell of some failures in spiritual life, he's not surprised; he knows that we have contaminations. But we cant go on doing nonsense; we have to give up our lower nature.