“This time I have passed, what I have done for Krsna?” This is the character of advancement: “What I have done for Krsna? What I have done for my Guru Maharaja?” If in this way we lead our life, that is perfect. That is perfect. “Guru Maharaja has entrusted me with this business. How far I have done this?” that is perfect.
So if you don’t care for your Guru Maharaja, don’t care for Krsna and Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and you do whimsically what you like, that is not progress. That is a degradation. These are the formula: [Cc Madhya 23.32], [Cc Madhya 23.19]. The advanced devotee will feel like this: “How I shall live in a temple or in a place like Vrndavana and Mathura, ?” Priti means love — to live there, where Krsna’s devotee is there, Krsna is there, Krsna’s temple is there. Not in the railway station. Always hankering after “How I can chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra?” To scrutinize seeing whether I have wasted my time without Krsna consciousness. These things are the symptoms of an advanced devotee. You cannot say, “Oh, he’s advanced.” What he’s doing for Krsna? First of all think, “He’s advanced devotee; that is all right. But what is he doing for his guru? What is he doing for Krsna?” That is a test. If somebody is doing something whimsically, he is not an advanced devotee. He may speak all nonsense, but that is not advancement. You have to see practically: what he’s doing for Krsna, what is he’s doing for his spiritual master.[Cc Madhya 19.151].
[According to their karma, all living entities are wandering throughout the entire universe. Some of them are being elevated to the upper planetary systems, and some are going down into the lower planetary systems. Out of many millions of wandering living entities, one who is very fortunate gets an opportunity to associate with a bona fide spiritual master by the grace of Krsna. By the mercy of both Krsna and the spiritual master, such a person receives the seed of the creeper of devotional service.]
(Room Conversation – January 30, 1974, Tokyo)