Hari-Bhakti-Vilaasa lists the following qualifications for a bona fide disciple:1) He should be devoted to the lotus feet of thespiritual master.2) He should be fully capable ofupholding the vows madeto the spiritual master.3) He should be engaged day and night in the Lord'sservice with body, mind and words.4) He should be desirous of knowing the AbsoluteTruth.5) He should be spotless in character, truthful,gentle and polite,pleasing in appearance and intelligent.6) He should show proper respect toelders, to initiated Vaisnavas and to the Lord; heshould observe silenceconcerning material subjects and should have controlof his senses.7) He should have no attraction for committingsinful activities.The bona fide disciple should not possess the following characteristics:1) He should not be lazy, dirty, sickly, continuallyafflicted orlamenting, angry, proud, lusty orcoveting material desires.2) He should notshow the enjoying mood; he should not indulge insinful activities such astaking meat, intoxication, gambling or illicit sex;3) He should not earn aliving by unjust means.4) He should not use vulgar or coarse language,should not be criticalof others, and should not be miserly, malicious,devious or envious; heshould not give pain to others or be addicted tocruel activities.5) He should not be ignorant,nor should he be proud of materiallearning.6) He should notindulge in non-Vaisnava philosophies7) He should not be addicted toover-eating.The following rules of etiquette should be observed by the bona fide disciple in relation to his spiritual master:1) He should fall down like an uprooted tree(dandavat) on seeing the guru. When the guruapproaches he should face himand when he leaves, heshould follow him.2) He should not leave the guru'spresence without askingpermission.3) He should not utter the guru's nameinattentively, but alwayswith respect. He should address him as om sri............Visnupada, and bowhis head and fold his hands in respect.4) He should not imitate the gait, activities or voiceof the guru.5) He should always hold the guru's wordsin great respect. Though he may bepunished by the guru, he should not take itunkindly.6) He should not bear tohear criticism of the guru, the scriptures or theLord, but should leave theplace immediately.7) He should not step on the guru's garland, bed,shoes, aasana, shadowor eating table.8) He should not spread his legsbefore the guru, nor shouldhe yawn, laugh or make disrespectful noises beforethe guru.9) He should notsit on an aasana or bed before the guru.10) He should not worship others in preference to theguru. He should not give diksaa, give scripturalexplanations or show superiority in front ofthe guru.11) He should not give orders to the guru, butobey him.12) He shouldtreat the guru's guru with similar respect and heshould treat the wife, sonand relatives of the guru as the guru, but he shouldnot clean the body ofthe son, take his remnants or wash his feet.
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