Question: When and how does a devotee feel the necessity of a spiritual master?
Answer by Romapada Swami: In the purport to the verse where Arjuna accepts Krishna as His spiritual master (Bg. 2.7), Srila Prabhupada describes how in this material world, there is perplexity in every step and this behooves one to approach a spiritual master. Arjuna was in total despair and confusion about his duty and what is best for him. Similarly, by arrangement, the conditioned soul repeatedly finds himself/herself in the midst of perplexities, bewilderment, and despondency. Srila Prabhupada also explains the culmination of all these repeated fleeting problems is the insurmountable problems of repeated birth and death. When one wants to find the ultimate solution to all these problems and wants to inquire into the subject of the Absolute Truth, when one wants guidance in knowing and achieving the goal of life — then one needs to seek a spiritual master.
