Building a healthy, lasting relationship with your guru.

A guru represents Krishna and previous acaryas, a manifestation of Krishna's mercy. This lesson covers the position, role, and importance of the various types of gurus, and helps students understand the principles of parampara by contrast with fallacious understandings such as ritvikvada.

Students explore Srila Prabhupada's unique position as ISKCON's preeminent guru for present and future generations, and the role, position, and qualifications of gurus in ISKCON — including loyalty to Srila Prabhupada's teachings and the authority structure. Lessons on guru-padasraya and selecting a guru nurture the student's devotional relationship with Srila Prabhupada and their own diksa and siksa gurus, and prepare students for harinama-diksa by considering suitable motivation, timing, choice, and qualifications.

Covers the purpose and importance of strictly following initiation vows, common challenges and how to rectify a broken vow, and the standards for guru-puja and Vyasa-puja. Students reflect on balancing guru-seva with everyday duties according to varnasrama, and on appreciating both vapuh and vani-seva and how they relate to one another.

Addresses how disciples connect to Srila Prabhupada, the guru-parampara, and ISKCON beyond diksa; how to handle criticism or rumours about a guru, or a guru's spiritual difficulties; correct procedures for lodging complaints and understanding guru-tyaga; and appropriately presenting one's guru within Vaisnava society. The course closes by exploring cooperative relationships in ISKCON — being mindful of Srila Prabhupada as the unifying leader, and meeting the challenges of maintaining fellowship among disciples of different gurus.