Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu
by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī | 180,912 words
The English translation of the Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu verse 1.2.97; a medieval era Sanskrit book, written by Rupa Goswami (fl. 15th century) which represents a devotional (bhakti) masterpiece. In this work Goswami describes the nature and different forms of pure love (rasa) as well as various other topics on Vaishnavism and devotion.
Verse 1.2.97
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation:
१ - तत्र गुरुपादाश्रयो, यथा एकादशे(११.३.२१) —
तस्माद् गुरुं प्रपद्येत जिज्ञासुः श्रेय उत्तमम् ।
शाब्दे परे च निष्णातं ब्रह्मण्य् उपशमाश्रयम् ॥१.२.९७॥1 - tatra gurupādāśrayo, yathā ekādaśe(11.3.21) —
tasmād guruṃ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam |
śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṃ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam ||1.2.97||
English translation
Taking shelter of the lotus feet of the guru, from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.3.21:
“Therefore any person who seriously desires real happiness must seek a bona fide spiritual master and take shelter of him by initiation. The qualification of the bona fide guru is that he has realized the conclusions of the scriptures by deliberation and is able to convince others of these conclusions. Such great personalities, who have taken shelter of the Supreme Godhead, leaving aside all material considerations, should be understood to be bona fide spiritual masters.”