HH KKS: So Maharaja Pariksit was preparing to leave this world after he had been cursed to leave his body within seven days and in the midst of that…Sukadeva Goswami, a bona fide spiritual master appeared. Maharaja Pariksit could understand that this was the mercy of the Supreme Lord on him to send him such a devotee and he could understand that this was not by chance but somehow or other by the arrangement of the Lord…His authorized representative has now come.
It is said that prior to the appearance of Sukadeva Goswami the different sages who were assembled there on the banks of the Ganges are accompanying Maharaja Pariksit who was sitting down facing the north and fasting and waiting for death to appear. At that time different sages were arguing about what Maharaja Pariksit should do but no one could agree but as soon as Sukadeva Goswami appeared everyone accepted. He was an authority. So Sukadeva Goswami was not some proclaimed spiritual master by popular vote but Sukadeva Goswami was commanding genuine respect by his outstanding spiritual qualifications.
So in this way the spiritual master must be very dedicated to the teachings of Lord Krishna…….both in practice …he must be fully conversant with the conclusion of the scripture…he must follow these….he must teach them to others, assist them in following these teachings. So the definition of the Acharya is stated in the Vayu Purana. The Caitanya Caritamrita said.. ..(Bengali)…. which means that the spiritual master is the form of Krishna. This is the proof of the scripture…. this is revealed in so many scriptures..that the spiritual master is the direct representative of Krishna. And it is said…Sanskrit…it is in this form of the spiritual master that Krishna is delivering a disciple . once one accepts the spiritual master Krishna accepts one’s service through that spiritual master ….and in this way actually one is obliged in that relationship. One can not just say simply that it does not work. One must make it work by devotional service…. because service offered to Krishna outside that relationship is not very pleasing to Krishna and doesn’t have much potency to attract Krishna.