SB 11.17.29 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

शुश्रूषमाण आचार्यं सदोपासीत नीचवत् । यानशय्यासनस्थानैर्नातिदूरे कृताञ्जलि: ॥ २९ ॥

Verse text

śuśrūṣamāṇa ācāryaṁ sadopāsīta nīca-vat yāna-śayyāsana-sthānair nāti-dūre kṛtāṣjaliḥ

Synonyms

śuśrūṣamāṇaḥ — engaged in serving ; ācāryam — the bona fide spiritual master ; sadā — always ; upāsīta — one should worship ; nīca — vat — as a humble servant ; yāna — by humbly following behind the guru when he is walking ; śayyā — by taking rest with the spiritual master ; āsana — sitting near the guru to render service ; sthānaiḥ — by standing and humbly waiting upon the guru ; na — not ; ati — very ; dūre — far away ; kṛta — aṣjaliḥ — with folded hands .

Translation

While engaged in serving the spiritual master one should remain as a humble servant, and thus when the guru is walking the servant should humbly walk behind. When the guru lies down to sleep, the servant should also lie down nearby, and when the guru has awakened, the servant should sit near him, massaging his lotus feet and rendering other, similar services. When the guru is sitting down on his āsana, the servant should stand nearby with folded hands, awaiting the guru’s order. In this way one should always worship the spiritual master.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

With an attitude of service he should serve the guru, walking behind him when the guru walks, lying down nearby and alert when the guru sleeps, and standing with folded hands when the guru sits. He should follow behind the guru when the guru goes. When the guru sleeps he should lie down nearby while remaining alert. When the guru sits, he should remain in front of him with folded hands waiting for his order.