# The Absolute Necessity of Accepting a Spiritual Master The first principles of devotional service all involve establishing a relationship with a bona fide spiritual master. It is the duty of every human being to surrender to such a guru. --- ## The First Five Principles of Devotional Service **The first five basic principles of devotional service involve acceptance of a bona fide spiritual master:** [Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī] mentions the basic principles as follows: **(1) accepting the shelter of the lotus feet of a bona fide spiritual master, (2) becoming initiated by the spiritual master and learning how to discharge devotional service from him, (3) obeying the orders of the spiritual master with faith and devotion, (4) following in the footsteps of great *ācāryas* (teachers) under the direction of the spiritual master, (5) inquiring from the spiritual master how to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness...** —*The Nectar of Devotion* --- **The first five essential practices of devotional service involve establishing a relationship with a bona fide spiritual master:** ![[cc/madhya/22/115|one must accept a bona fide spiritual master...Accept initiation from him...Serve him...Receive instructions from the spiritual master and make inquiries in order to learn devotional service...Follow in the footsteps of the previous ācāryas]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/22/115|Madhya 22.115]] --- ## The Duty of Every Human Being **It is the duty of every human being to surrender to a bona fide spiritual master:** *Hari-bhakti-vilāsa* (2.10) quotes: > ato guruṁ praṇamyaivaṁ > sarva-svaṁ vinivedya ca > gṛhnīyād vaiṣṇavaṁ mantraṁ > dīkṣā-purvaṁ vidhānataḥ **"It is the duty of every human being to surrender to a bona fide spiritual master. Giving him everything—body, mind and intelligence—one must take a Vaiṣṇava initiation from him."** —Cc. [[cc/madhya/15/108|Madhya 15.108]] --- ## Worship of the Devotee **Better than worship of the Lord is worship of the Lord's devotee:** In the *Padma Purāṇa,* there is a nice statement praising the service of the Vaiṣṇavas or devotees. In that scripture Lord Śiva tells Pārvatī, **"My dear Pārvatī, there are different methods of worship, and out of all such methods the worship of the Supreme Person is considered to be the highest. But even higher than the worship of the Lord is the worship of the Lord's devotees."** —*The Nectar of Devotion* --- **[← Back to Spiritual Master and Disciple](wiki/compile/spiritual-master-disciple)**