The Embodiment of Kåñëa’s Mercy

Both çikñä-guru and dékñä-guru are representative of Kåñëa, and their kåpä, mercy is unlimited. There is no difference between çikñä-guru and dékñä-guru.

yadyapi ämära guru—caitanyera däsa tathäpi jäniye ämi täìhära prakäça (Caitanya-caritämåta, Ädi-lélä 1.44)

Though my guru is a servant of Caitanya, still I know he is His manifestation, täìhära prakäça. This is tattva. Therefore we say that Çré Gurudeva is krsna-kåpä-çré-mürti, the embodiment of kåñëa-kåpä. If kåñëa-kåpä assumes a body and appears, that is çréguru. If someone develops guru-bhakti, then he gets Kåñëa. In the Svetäçvatara Upaniñad (6.23) is stated:

yasya deve parä bhaktir yathä deve tathä gurau tasyaite kathitä hy arthä prakäçante mahätmanaù

There is no difference between guru-bhakti and krsna-bhakti. Yasya deve parä bhaktir yathä deve tathä gurau, one who has