Srila Prabhupada explains that if the spiritual master is honoured by his disciples just like God and if he is sitting on an elevated seat (Vyasasana) then people become envious. What can be done. It is etiquette that the bona fide spiritual master, who is a representative of God, is honoured in this way.

 

"Therefore having a bona fide spiritual master and serving him and pleasing him and getting his mercy is essential. Otherwise there can be no advancement in Krishna consciousness. And unless the spiritual master is a pure devotee of Krishna then he has no potency to give you Krishna. He is simply a cheating rascal.

 

So in fact above all the rules and regulations and offenses I have mentioned the most important thing, the essential thing, which is required if you want to come to the stage of purely chanting the Hare Krishna mantra is you must have a bona fide spiritual master who is a pure devotee of Krishna. Without having a bona fide spiritual master you can chant Hare Krishna forever but you will not be able to advance because Krishna does not reveal Himself in this way. He only reveals Himself to those devotees who surrender to and serve and please His pure devotees." (Srila Prabhupada letter to his London disciples, July, 1969)

 

How to recognise such a pure devotee and bona fide spiritual master? One has to carefully study Srila Prabhupada's writings in this regard. Subhananda Prabhu has compiled all relevant quotes in his book Spiritual Master and Disciple. There is no cheap way or shortcut in this nor can one take the word of others for it. Not even an ecclesiastical body can give us reassurance or guarantees. One has to personally study all of these quotes carefully if one does not want to be cheated. The responsibility is fully and squarely on us.