You must accept a person as a guru only if he has the following symptoms: (1) a guru is detached from this world; (2) he knows the purports of the sastras and can clear all our doubts; (3) he has realized who Bhagavan is. If a person has all these qualities, then he should be accepted as a guru. By having this faith and engaging in bhajana, anartha-nivrtti—the removal of anarthas—will take place.
April 03, 2005 Delhi