In Hari-bhakti-vilasa, verse 2.147, Srila Sanatan Goswami quotes
Sammohana-tantra:
gopayed devatam istam gopayed gurum atmanah
gopayec ca nijam mantram gopayen nija-malikam
One should hide one's ista-deva, one should hide one's guru, one should hide
one's mantra, and one should hide one's japa-mala.
Wise persons keep their valuables in a confidential place. Similarly, an
intelligent sadhaka does not advertise his or her guru, nor do they
broadcast themselves as disciples of their guru. Considering themselves as
low, fallen, and unfit to be considered disciples, sincere devotees do not
want to advertise who their guru is.
Srila Thakur Bhaktivinode has described that there are two types of
disciples, the antarmukha-sisyas and the bahirmukha-sisyas. Antarmukha
literally means "inward-facing". It refers to someone who is introspective.
Bahirmukha literally means "outward-facing", and refers to someone who is
absorbed in external things.
Antarmukha-sisyas are desirous of bringing pleasure to their guru. Their
focus is on following the guru's instructions. The antarmukha-sisyas
practice gopayed gurum atmanah. They keep their guru and their relationship
with him confidential. An antarmukha-sisya is not interested in advertising
himself as a disciple of his guru, but prefers to follow the guru's
instructions. His meditation is to try to understand what will please his
guru. The antarmukha-sisya is anartha-mukta-avastha, he is free from
anarthas. His vision of guru is known as sevya-darsana. He sees that guru
should be served and pleased.
Bahirmukha-sisyas are disciples who practice the opposite of gopayed gurum
atmanah. They are absorbed in advertising their guru and in making a show of
themselves as being big or intimate disciples. Such a disciple is also known
as guru-giri, or one who makes a business out of guru and one's relationship
with guru. They are not absorbed in the inner intention of guru. Srila
Bhaktivinode Thakur has described persons who act on such an external
platform as dharmadhvajis ("religion flag-wavers"), meaning those who make a
hypocritical or pretentious show of religiosity.
Following the logic of atmavan manyate jagat (everyone thinks like I do),
the bahirmukha-sisyas consider that their guru thinks like they do. Because
they are motivated by the desires for fame and adoration they think that
their guru also wants such things. The bahirmukha-sisyas are
anartha-yukta-avastha, they have anarthas, material desires, in their
hearts. Because of those anarthas they only see guru in terms of their own
pleasure. This vision is known as bhogya-darsana. They think that making a
big show of devotion will impress their guru and enable them to come close
to their guru. Their idea of guru-bhakti is to loudly proclaim to the world,
amar guru jagad-guru - "My guru is the best or the only one and any other
guru is lesser." They think that such publicizing will please their guru.
For some devotees, pushing their guru is an easy way to avoid facing the
reality of their own lack of advancement. They want respect, and they think
it is easier for them to get it by broadcasting themselves as a disciple of
a great personality than for themselves to manifest the qualities of a
vaisnava. However, this kind of cheating mentality will never attract the
attention of saintly persons. They are not impressed with whom we have taken
initiation or instructions from. Rather, they want to see what is our own
level of realization.
Since such neophytes equate the showing of respect to themselves with the
showing of respect to their guru, when they become chastised or fail to
receive the honor and recognition they want, they accuse the devotees, "You
have offended my guru!" In this way, Kali, the personification of this age
of quarrel and hypocrisy, is able to enter the movement of Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu and cause dissension, distracting them from their real business
of chanting and distributing the holy names.
So Srila Sanatan Goswami's instruction gopayed gurum atmanah - "One should
hide one's guru" - is advising devotees to go deeper in their relationship
with guru by basing that relationship on following the instructions about
service and bhajan that their guru has given.
*Thanks & Best Regards
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