If you are looking for a good business opportunity. There is no better business than the guru business. People will fall to you feet, feed you many varieties of dishes, drive you around, fly you first class, and give you plenty of money and properties. All you have to do is to fool people, take advantage of people, lie, and misguide people.

In Kali Yuga, the cheaters and liars will have more potency to get followers than those who are straight forward and truthful. This is because people will not ask questions, nor for proof and so they are easy target for deception. But eventually truth will triumph, because the cheaters and liars, and their followers will face death and the law of nature (Karma) will act on them at death. They will take birth on the hellish planets or in hellish situations on one of the earthly planets.

Everyone in the material world is fallible, this means everyone makes mistakes, nobody is perfect, nor does anyone have perfect knowledge in all fields of knowledge. 

“There are two classes of beings, the fallible and the infallible. In the material world every living entity is fallible, and in the spiritual world every living entity is called infallible.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 15.16)

Many gurus lack proper knowledge and understanding of Vedic teachings and practical material life knowledge, but still will speak on religious principles and fool people into thinking they are top level spiritual masters.

“Uncultured men will accept charity on behalf of the Lord and will earn their livelihood by making a show of austerity and wearing a mendicant’s dress. Those who know nothing about religion will mount a high seat and presume to speak on religious principles.” (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 12.3.38)”

Some examples of what cheating and lying gurus say to to followers or to get followers:

1.  “Krishna visits my home daily and I message Him”.  This claimer lives in Vrindavan and wants to go to USA. Who would leave their home if Krishna Himself visits them daily? This claimer is off course a liar.

2. “I see Radha Krishna Lila in the spiritual world and I enter it”. This claimer got rejected for USA visa. If one can enter the spiritual world, why they can’t enter USA? If one has visa to enter the spiritual world, why would they need visa to enter USA? This claimer is off course a liar.

3.  “I am God”. This is a common claim. One such claimer has many health problems. How can God have health problems? Such claimers are off course liars.

“If someone says they are God, ‘I shall kick them on their face'” (Swami Srila Prabhupada)

4. “Krishna sleeps on this bed and this tooth brush is used by Him etc..” This claimer ask for money all day from visitors in a cheating way. Why doesn’t he have faith in Krishna to maintain him without the need to cheat? Such claimer are off course liars.

5. “I have seen Krishna”. Such claimer are busy accumulating properties using money from their followers. Why not live a simple life, this is the Vedic teaching? Such claimers are off course liars.

6. Crying in front of people. This is emotional blackmail or using emotions to deceive people.  

Some examples of ignorance among gurus in their Vedic knowledge:

1. Gurus invite females for Kathas and visits to their ashrams and other locations which are far from their home. Many females travel alone to Vrindavan and other places, and their gurus are very well aware of this. It is a Vedic teaching that females cannot leave their home unless accompanied by their father, brother, husband, or son. There are two common sense reasons why females should not travel alone. They will get physically abused or become corrupted due to bad association. There are many cases of gurus  themselves raping and corrupting females.
2.  Some gurus have stated all religions preach vegetarianism. This is 100% false. Such gurus have never read the scriptures of various religions and are simply making things up and thus lying. One should not speak on a subject matter if they have not studied the subject properly.
3.  Some gurus will make statements on other religions, but they have never studied the scriptures of other religions, and thus they are simply lying.

“A woman’s nature has been particularly well studied by Kasyapa Muni. Women are self-interested by nature, and therefore they should be protected by all means so that their natural inclination to be too self-interested will not be manifested. Women need to be protected by men. A woman should be cared for by her father in her childhood, by her husband in her youth and by her grown sons in her old age. This is the injunction of Manu, who says that a woman should not be given independence at any stage.” (Swami Srila Prabhupada purport, Shrimad-Bhagavatam 6.18.42)

2.  Some gurus preach in an indirect way to break the marriage vows and thus marriages. They say things like “Real love is between Radha and Krishna only”. This is certainly true but one of the wedding vows is to love each other till death and thus love should also be between couples, otherwise the marriage vows are false and the institution of marriage is false.? Why did Lord Krishna Himself took the marriage vows in His marriage to Radha, did He do something that is false? Did he set a bad example for us to follow? Based on the Bhagavad-Gita (3.21-23), Lord Krishna sets examples for all to follow. Thus Lord Krishna getting married , taking and fulfilling the marriage vow of loving each other also applies to us.

Without love for each other, the feelings and bondage will be lost. This will lead to disloyalty, disobedience, carelessness, and the marriage will break up.

Stop cheaters and liars by standing up to them and not neglecting or ignoring them.

“According to social conventions, it is said that one can speak the truth only when it is palatable to others. But that is not truthfulness. The truth should be spoken in a straightforward way, so that others will understand actually what the facts are. If a man is a thief and if people are warned that he is a thief, that is truth. Although sometimes the truth is unpalatable, one should not refrain from speaking it. Truthfulness demands that the facts be presented as they are for the benefit of others. That is the definition of truth.” (Swami Srila Prabhupada purport, Bhagavad-Gita 10.4-5)

How to tell if a Guru is talking non-sense?

A genuine guru will be able to at once quote from scriptural authority to back up what they are saying. The cheaters and liars will not be able to support their statements from the authorized scriptures.

How to tell if a Guru is genuine?

A genuine guru will exhibit all the following qualities:

1. He will not ask for money.
2. He will be financially accountable, will keep proper records, and give the records to anyone.
3. He is friendly to all living beings, even to the animals (he does not kill them).
4. He can describe God and His pastimes.
5. He orders justice for all living beings.
6. He does not force anyone to follow him.
7. He is very humble, tolerant, forgiving, kind, and merciful to all.
8. He does not incite hatred towards any living being.
9. He is not envious nor jealous of anyone.
10. He wants every living entity to get liberation.
11. He loves everyone, whether they follow him or not.
12. He follows the scriptures and quotes from them.
13. He will strive to give knowledge where ever he goes, and also strive to take knowledge from others, because he can only give what he has acquired. Nobody is born with manifested knowledge, we have to acquire or manifest knowledge.
14. He eats simply. He will not ask for many varieties of dishes.
15. He travels simply. He will travel in economy class as an austerity for the mind, body, and the pockets of his followers (save their money).
16. He does not give any trouble to others.
17. He will give guidance based on the personal situation and not whimsically.
18. He will be educated in the subject matters he speaks on. 
19. He will clean his own mess.
20. He will  always be responsive by replying to questions and enquiries promptly.

Only if the guru is disabled or has health issues, he can be excused for some of the above.

 “The symptoms of a sadhu are that he is tolerant, merciful and friendly to all living entities. He has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime.” (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.21)

 “A sober person who can tolerate the urge to speak, the mind’s demands, the actions of anger and the urges of the tongue, belly and genitals is qualified to make disciples all over the world.”  (Nectar of Instruction, text 1)

 “The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O Uddhava, a saintly person is merciful and never injures others. Even if others are aggressive he is tolerant and forgiving toward all living entities.” (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 11.11.29) 

“The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Fearlessness; purification of one’s existence; cultivation of spiritual knowledge; charity; self-control; performance of sacrifice; study of the Vedas; austerity; simplicity; nonviolence; truthfulness; freedom from anger; renunciation; tranquillity; aversion to faultfinding; compassion for all living entities; freedom from covetousness; gentleness; modesty; steady determination; vigor; forgiveness; fortitude; cleanliness; and freedom from envy and from the passion for honor – these transcendental qualities, O son of Bharata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 16.1-3)

Genuine Gurus are Most Dear to Lord Krishna

Being a guru and preaching is the highest bhakti, but unfortunately many gurus preach to take advantage of people and use them for their own advancement and personal benefit.

“One who liberally disseminates this knowledge among My devotees is the bestower of the Absolute Truth, and to him I give My very own self.” (Lord Krishna, Shrimad-Bhagavatam Canto 11,  Chapter 29 (Bhakti Yoga), verse 26).

“For one who explains this supreme secret to the devotees, pure devotional service is guaranteed, and at the end he will come back to Me. There is no servant in this world more dear to Me than he, nor will there ever be one more dear.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-Gita 18.68-69)

It is 100% false to think that only those in saffron clothing or those dressed in saintly clothing are gurus. There are many genuine gurus who wear jeans and t-shirt. One can learn something good and beneficial even from the animals and trees. Thus the animals and trees are also gurus. For example the trees by their example, teach us to be tolerant, patient,  and merciful to all, because they try to give their fruits to everyone without any discrimination and in all weather situations. The dogs by their example, teach us loyalty and discipline. The dogs will allow anyone to enter the streets the dogs live on in the day time, but at night only the residents will be allowed to enter, because the night is when the thieves come. This is intelligence and discipline.

“O King, I have taken shelter of twenty-four gurus, who are the following: the earth, air, sky, water, fire, moon, sun, pigeon and python; the sea, moth, honeybee, elephant and honey thief; the deer, the fish, the prostitute Piṅgalā, the kurara bird and the child; and the young girl, arrow maker, serpent, spider and wasp. My dear King, by studying their activities I have learned the science of the self.” (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 11.7.33-35)

Anyone who knows the science of Krishna, is qualified to become a spiritual master. The Bhagavad-Gita is the science of Krishna. If one studies the Bhagavad-Gīta very scrutinizingly with all arguments and has developed the above mentioned qualities, he or she can become a spiritual master.

“Never mind whether he’s a brāhmaṇa or a śūdra or a sannyāsī or a householder. Never mind what he is. That doesn’t matter. If he knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, then he is the bona fide spiritual master. So here this Bhagavad-gītā is the science of Kṛṣṇa.” (Swami Srila Prabhupada)

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