All the vices, which are so hard to give up by one’s own endeavours can easily be conquered by serving a guru. In this way, a practicing devotee can attain perfection and thus become blessed and fulfilled.
tat prasādo hi sva sva nānā pratīkāra dustyajānārtha hānau parama bhagavat prasāda siddhau ca mūlam
(Bhakti Sandarbhaḥ – 237 anuḥ):
“The cause of perfection, which consists of God’s grace, is based on the satisfaction of the guru. By serving him different kinds of mischief, which are otherwise hard to give up, disappear.”
There are many kinds of anarthas (vices), such as offenses, which are very powerful and they hinder the progressive devotee from advancing towards the attainment of prema.
Śrīla Ṭhākura Mahāśaya sings:
antarāya nāhi yāy; ei se parama bhaya
“My greatest fear is that these obstacles won’t disappear”.
In Śrīmad Bhāgavata it is seen that there is a particular way to give up each specific vice, but there is only one way to give up all these vices at once:
Devotion to the lotus feet of Śrī Guru.
asaṅkalpāj jayet kāmaṁ krodhaṁ kāma vivarjanāt
arthānarthekṣayā lobhaṁ bhayaṁ tattvāvamarśanāt
ānvīkṣikyā śoka mohau dambhaṁ mahad upāsayā
yogāntarāyān maunena hiṁsām kāmādy anīhayā
kṛpayā bhūtajaṁ duḥkhaṁ daivaṁ jahyāt samādhinā
ātmajaṁ yoga-vīryeṇa nidrāṁ sattva niṣevayā
rajas tamaś ca sattvena sattvam copaśamena ca
etat sarvaṁ gurau bhaktyā puruṣo hyañjasā jayet
(Śrīmad Bhāgavata 7.15.22-25)
Śrī Nārada told King Yudhiṣṭhira:
“To give up lust one must give up one’s determination to enjoy. To give up anger one must give up lust and to give up greed one must see the evil of money. Fear can be given up by considering the truth. Lamentation and illusion can be given up by considering what is material and what is spiritual (rational thinking). Pride can be given up by serving a great soul and obstacles in yoga-practice (which serves the purpose of fixing the mind) can be overcome by perfecting a vow of silence. Violence is conquered by giving up endeavours for sense-gratification. Suffering caused by other living entities can be mitigated by developing the quality of compassion. Suffering caused by the elements can be mitigated by entering into samādhi (psycho-religious trance) and suffering caused by the own body and mind can be mitigated by practicing the eight-fold path of mystic yoga (aṣṭāṅga-yoga).
When the mode of goodness increases, sleep is conquered along with the modes of passion and indolence, and by controlling the senses the mode of goodness is transcended. But all these vices and obstacles together can be conquered simply by being devoted to the guru.”
Śrī Rādhākuṇḍa Mahānta Paṇḍita Śrī Ananta Dās Bābājī Mahārāja
Amrita-Tarangini 