How to Select a Guru?

Question: How to Select a Guru?

I wonder whom to make my spiritual master, as I have no perfect knowledge myself to test the person whether he is following the shastras (the scriptures) and his own spiritual master perfectly. I feel sometimes I should select my master fast. Please advise what is good for me whether to have patience and read thoroughly Prabhupada's books first and then select a master or something else? Basically I am not able to develop a faith in any of the Prabhupada's disciples who are living today and always feel that nobody is as good as Srila Prabhupada. Please forgive me if I appear arrogant.

Answer: See Who is Purely Representing Krishna and Srila Prabhupada

The original spiritual master is Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, because He is the source of all knowledge and is the supreme authority.

Right now you are feeling that you are lacking in perfect knowledge and cannot therefore discern who is a bona fide spiritual master. Therefore you should deeply absorb yourself in studying and following the teachings given by Srila Prabhupada in his books. In this way you will become nicely connected with the Supersoul, Lord Sri Krishna within your heart, who will then reveal to you who is your spiritual master.

Srila Prabhupada will always remain in a completely unique position as the Founder-Acharya of ISKCON and the pre-eminent acharya for the modern age. No one can ever take his position. So you simply must find a spiritual master who purely represents him and who can therefore perfectly connect you with him. Even though such a spiritual master is simply a tiny servant of Srila Prabhupada, by purely representing Srila Prabhupada that spiritual master can act as powerfully as Srila Prabhupada for delivering his disciples by the divine potency which Srila Prabhupada has invested in him.

I hope that you see how I am purely presenting and following the teachings of Srila Prabhupada so that you can put your faith in my instructions.