References for a Guru-çiñya Mutual Examination Period

Hari-bhakti-viläsa—a section from thefirst viläsa

(translation by Gopéparäëadhana Prabhu)

Text 73 tayoù parékñä cänyonyam / ekäbdaà saha-väsataù

vyavahära-svabhävänu- / bhavenaiväbhijäyate

The two of them should live together and test one another for one year. This test is fulfilled by observing one another’s behavior and character.

atha parékñaëam

The mutual examining is described as follows.

mantra-muktävalyäm,

74 tayor vatsara-väsena / jïätänyonya-svabhävayoù

gurutä çiñyatä ceti / nänyathaiveti niçcayaù

In the Mantra-muktävalé: “By living together for one year they can ascertain from seeing each other’s nature whether they can act as guru and disciple. Indeed, there is no other way to determine this.”

çrutiç ca,

75 näsaàvatsara-väsine deyät

There is also the statement of çruti: “One should not give (the viñëu-mantra) to one who has not resided with one for a year.”

sära-saìgrahe ’pi,

76 sad-guruù sväçritaà çiñyaà / varñam ekaà parékñayet

77 räjïi cämätyajä doñäù / patné-päpaà sva-bhartari

tathä çiñyärjitaà päpaà / guruù präpnoti niçcitam

And in the Sära-saìgraha: “A proper guru should test for one year a disciple who has taken shelter of him. The faulty acts of a minister accrue to the king, and a wife’s sins fall on her husband. Similarly, a guru certainly obtains the sinful reactions accumulated by his disciple.”

krama-dépikäyäà tu,

78 santoñayed akuöilärdrataräntarätmä

taà svair dhanaiù sva-vapuñäpy anuküla-väëyä

abda-trayaà kamala-näbha-dhiyäti-dhéras

tuñöe vivakñatu guräv atha mantra-dékñäm

“The Krama-dépikä, however, says this: ‘Without deception and with a heart moist with affection, one should satisfy him with one’s own wealth, with the work of one’s body, and with favorable words. He should do this for three years, remaining sober and thinking of the guru as non-different from the lotus-naveled Supreme Lord. Then, when the guru is satisfied, he may speak the mantra in the initiation ceremony.’ ”