FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.18.39

तावत् परिचरेद् भक्त: श्रद्धावाननसूयक: । यावद् ब्रह्म विजानीयान्मामेव गुरुमाद‍ृत: ॥ ३९ ॥
tāvat paricared bhaktaḥ
[taavat parichared bhaktah]
śraddhāvān anasūyakaḥ
[shraddhaavaan anasooyakah]
yāvad brahma vijānīyān
[yaavad brahma vijaaneeyaan]
mām eva gurum ādṛtaḥ
[maam eva gurum aadritah]
tāvat — that long paricaret — should serve bhaktaḥ — the devotee śraddhā-vān — with great faith anasūyakaḥ — being without envy yāvat — until brahma — spiritual knowledge vijānīyāt — he clearly realizes mām — Me eva — indeed gurum — the spiritual master ādṛtaḥ — with great respect.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tāvat paricared bhaktaḥ
tāvat
that long
paricaret
should serve
bhaktaḥ
the devotee
śraddhāvān anasūyakaḥ
śraddhā-vān
with great faith
anasūyakaḥ
being without envy
yāvat
until
yāvad brahma vijānīyān
brahma
spiritual knowledge
vijānīyāt
he clearly realizes
mām eva gurum ādṛtaḥ
mām
Me
eva
indeed
gurum
the spiritual master
ādṛtaḥ
with great respect.
Until a devotee has clearly realized spiritual knowledge, he should continue with great faith and respect and without envy to render personal service to the guru, who is nondifferent from Me.

As stated by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura in his Gurv-aṣṭaka prayers, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ: one receives the mercy of the Supreme Lord through the mercy of the bona fide spiritual master. A devotee who has been blessed by his guru with spiritual knowledge becomes qualified to directly engage in the mission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Prabhupāda always emphasized that service to the spiritual master in separation, pushing on the mission of the guru, is the highest form of devotional service. The word paricaret in this verse indicates waiting upon one’s master by rendering personal service. In other words, one who has not clearly realized the teachings of his spiritual master should remain very close to the guru to avoid falling down into illusion, but one who has acquired realized knowledge by the mercy of his spiritual master may expand the spiritual master’s mission by traveling around the world to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Until a devotee has clearly realized Brahman, he should continue with great faith and respect, and without envy, to render personal service to the guru, who is nondifferent from me. The guru is my form.
Until knowledge is clearly realized, render service to the guru with faith and without envy — the guru is non-different from the Lord. Service is the long bridge.
Reflection Questions
  • Where does envy creep into my relationship with teachers?
  • What would non-envious service look like?
📝 My note

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