Question: In several verses of Caitanya caritamrita it is stated that the spiritual master is a manifestation of Krishna, and that because we due to our conditioned nature cannot see Krishna directly, He appears as the spiritual master and such master is non-different from Krishna (Cc Adi 1.58).
Is the spiritual master a jiva soul? If so, can a jiva be then a manifestation of Krishna and how does that work? Are all jivas manifestations of Krishna but at different levels?
Answer by Romapada Swami: Yes, the spiritual master is a jiva soul, fixed in anukula- bhakti unto Krishna.
In rare cases Krishna Himself or an incarnation of Krishna may become the spiritual master – e.g. Krishna Himself became the spiritual master for Arjuna or Lord Brahma, Lord Kapila for Devahuti, or Lord Nityananda for Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami. In general however the spiritual master is a living entity, whose association is being provided as an empowered representative of Krishna.
Since everything in existence is coming from Krishna, in a broad sense all jivas are also expansions of Krishna — a specific type of expansion, namely His separated parts and parcels, vibhinnamsa. They cannot be considered as manifestations of Krishna in the *same* sense as the spiritual master, however, due to the fact that the spiritual master explicitly directly represents Krishna in a particular capacity.
As an iron rod kept in fire acts just like fire, similarly although he is a jiva soul, the spiritual master manifests a particular potency of Krishna by his transparent delivery of Krishna’s message, being so empowered by the Lord. Again, in a broad sense, all jivas also derive their abilities and power from Krishna (‘the strength of the strong, the intelligence of the intelligent, the prowess of all powerful men’), but they do not ‘represent’ Krishna in the same direct and unique manner as does the spiritual master.
As we discussed recently (please see digest 258) the spiritual master is non-different from Krishna because he is extremely dear to Krishna (kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya). He has made his desires and interests completely one with Krishna, and Krishna invests such a dear devotee with His own potency to help guide the disciple. By the grace of the Supersoul, the bonafide spiritual master is empowered to enter into the heart of, or know the heart of, the disciple and understand them sufficiently to offer them competent guidance on the spiritual path. Even though an inquisitive soul is unable to communicate or hear the directions of the Supersoul, one can easily approach the spiritual master, submit perplexities before him and seek direction. In turn the spiritual master is able to offer us unambiguous and empowering instructions to take us out of material entanglement — in this way, the bonafide spiritual master, being so empowered by Krishna, is considered non-different from Krishna. The disciple should therefore be confident that the instructions received from such a bonafide spiritual master represents instructions or direction Krishna would provide were He to presonally instruct us.
Srila Vyasadeva expresses how this works in glorifying his own spiritual master Narada Muni: “My lord! Everything that is mysterious is known to you because you worship the creator and destroyer of the material world and the maintainer of the spiritual world, the original Personality of Godhead, who is transcendental to the three modes of material nature. Like the sun, Your Goodness can travel everywhere in the three worlds, and like the air you can penetrate the internal region of everyone. As such, you are as good as the all-pervasive Supersoul. Please, therefore, find out the deficiency in me, despite my being absorbed in transcendence under disciplinary regulations and vows.” (SB 1.5.6-7)
Thus, although he is a jiva soul, the spiritual master is to be worshiped and adored in exactly the same way as Krishna. Srila Prabhupada places everything in proper perspective in the following words: “…the spiritual master is not God, but is the confidential representative of God. The distinction is that between sevya-bhagavan (he who is worshiped) and sevaka-bhagavan (he who is the worshiper). The spiritual master is God, and Krishna is God, but Krishna is the worshipable God whereas the spiritual master is the worshiper God.” (Cf. Teachings of Queen Kunti)
