# Liberation Through the Spiritual Master *One can achieve liberation from material existence only by approaching a spiritual master.* ← Back to [[wiki/compile/spiritual-master-disciple|The Spiritual Master and the Disciple]] --- ## The bound soul requires help from an unbound soul ![[bg/7/14#purport|the conditioned soul is tightly tied by the ropes of illusion]] —Bg. [[bg/7/14|7.14]] Purport --- ## One must approach a paramahaṁsa spiritual master ![[sb/5/5/10#purport|One has to accept a bona fide spiritual master]] —SB [[sb/5/5/10|5.5.10]] Purport --- ## No one can get free by personal attempts alone > The personified *Vedas* continued: "Our dear Lord, although great mystic *yogīs* may have full control over the elephant of the mind and the hurricane of the senses, unless they take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master, they fall victims to the material influence and never become successful in their attempts at self-realization. Such unguided persons are compared to merchants going to sea on a ship without a captain. By his personal attempts, therefore, no one can get free from the clutches of material nature. One has to accept a bona fide spiritual master and work according to his direction. Then it is possible to cross over the nescience of material conditions." —Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead --- ## Coming under the shelter of a guru ends the struggle ![[sb/5/14/41#purport|if by Kṛṣṇa's grace one is fortunate enough to come under the shelter of the guru]] —SB [[sb/5/14/41|5.14.41]] Purport --- ## Approaching a spiritual master is a necessity, not a fashion > Approaching a spiritual master is not just a fashion but is a necessity for one who is seriously conscious of the material miseries and who wants to be free of them. It is the duty of such a person to approach a spiritual master. In this regard, we should note similar circumstances in *Bhagavad-gītā.* When Arjuna was perplexed by so many problems involving whether to fight or not, he accepted Lord Kṛṣṇa as his spiritual master. —Teachings of Lord Caitanya --- ## The duty of a human being ![[sb/6/16/6#purport|the duty of a human being is to capture the opportunity to come in touch with Kṛṣṇa's representative]] —SB [[sb/6/16/6|6.16.6]] Purport --- ## The expert physician cures the material disease > Due to the conditioned soul's eternal attitude of separation from Kṛṣṇa, the spell of material energy awards him two kinds of bodily existence—the gross body consisting of five elements, and the subtle body consisting of mind, intelligence and ego. Being covered by these two bodies, the conditioned soul eternally suffers the pangs of material existence known as the threefold miseries... > > Diseased and conditioned, the living entity transmigrates throughout the universe... His disease can be cured only when he meets and follows the expert physician, the bona fide spiritual master. When the conditioned soul faithfully follows the instructions of a bona fide spiritual master, his material disease is cured, he is promoted to the liberated stage, and he again attains to the devotional service of Kṛṣṇa and goes back home, back to Kṛṣṇa. —Teachings of Lord Caitanya --- ## The captain of the boat crossing material existence ![[sb/3/15/24#purport|The human form of life is desired even by Brahmājī...the spiritual master is considered to be the most able captain]] —SB [[sb/3/15/24|3.15.24]] Purport --- ## A person who surrenders to the spiritual master is saved by Kṛṣṇa ![[sb/4/21/27#purport|A person who surrenders unto...the spiritual master, is saved by Kṛṣṇa]] —SB [[sb/4/21/27|4.21.27]] Purport --- ## No liberation without association of a bona fide spiritual master ![[sb/3/31/43#purport|Unless one gets the opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of the Lord, there is no possibility of one's liberation]] —SB [[sb/3/31/43|3.31.43]] Purport --- ## The spiritual master extinguishes the blazing fire ![[sb/3/21/17#purport|The raging forest fire can be extinguished only when there is a constant downpour of water from a cloud. The cloud is compared to the mercy of the spiritual master.]] —SB [[sb/3/21/17|3.21.17]] Purport --- ## Without the mercy of saintly persons, liberation is not possible ![[sb/3/32/38#purport|Unless the living entity receives the mercy of the saintly persons, the spiritual master or Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible for him to get out of the darkness]] —SB [[sb/3/32/38|3.32.38]] Purport --- ## Properly initiated, one becomes freed from material conceptions > The Lord's service is the only means by which one can become detached from material activities. A person properly initiated by a bona fide spiritual master and engaged in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare gradually becomes freed from the conception of "I" and "mine" and becomes attached to the Lord's transcendental loving service. —Teachings of Lord Caitanya --- ## By faithful service to the spiritual master, one transcends the modes ![[sb/7/15/25#purport|if one engages in the service of the spiritual master with faith and devotion...one can conquer the influence of the modes of nature]] —SB [[sb/7/15/25|7.15.25]] Purport --- ## A saintly spiritual master restores original Kṛṣṇa consciousness ![[sb/4/26/12#purport|When a man comes into good consciousness and accepts a saintly person as a spiritual master...one becomes detached from a materialistic way of life]] —SB [[sb/4/26/12|4.26.12]] Purport --- ## By following instructions with faith, one is liberated from māyā ![[sb/3/33/10#purport|if one has unflinching faith in the instruction of the bona fide spiritual master and follows the rules and regulations, he is sure to be liberated]] —SB [[sb/3/33/10|3.33.10]] Purport --- ## The only self-purifying process ![[sb/3/6/34#purport|it is necessary that they purify themselves under the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master]] —SB [[sb/3/6/34|3.6.34]] Purport --- ## Knowledge and detachment follow ![[sb/2/9/37#purport|By following the instructions of the bona fide spiritual master in conjunction with the principles of revealed scriptures, the student will rise to the plane of complete knowledge]] —SB [[sb/2/9/37|2.9.37]] Purport