yamÄn abhÄ«kṣṇaá¹ seveta
niyamÄn mat-paraḥ kvacit
mad-abhijñaá¹ guruá¹ Å›Äntam
upÄsÄ«ta mad-Ätmakam
yamÄn - major regulative principles, such as not to kill; abhÄ«kṣṇam - always; seveta - one should observe; niyamÄn - minor regulations, such as cleansing the body; mat-paraḥ - one who is devoted to Me; kvacit - as far as possible; mat-abhijñam - one who knows Me as I am in My personal form; gurum - the spiritual master; Å›Äntam - peaceful; upÄsÄ«ta - one should serve; mat-Ätmakam - who is not different from Me.
The word yamÄn refers to major regulative injunctions necessary for preserving one’s purity. In the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all bona fide members must give up eating meat, fish and eggs, and they must also avoid intoxication, gambling and illicit sex. The word abhÄ«kṣṇam indicates that one cannot at any time perform such forbidden activities, even in difficult circumstances. The word niyamÄn refers to less obligatory injunctions, such as bathing three times daily. In certain difficult situations one may not bathe three times daily yet may still maintain one’s spiritual position. But if one engages in sinful, forbidden activities, even in difficult circumstances, there undoubtedly will be a spiritual falldown. Ultimately, as explained in UpadeÅ›Ämá¹›ta, mere adherence to rules and regulations cannot give one spiritual perfection. One must approach a bona fide spiritual master who is mad-abhijñam, or in full knowledge of the personal form of Godhead. The word mat (“Meâ€) negates the possibility of a bona fide spiritual master having an impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth. Furthermore, the guru must be in complete control of his senses; therefore he is called Å›Änta, or peaceful. Because of being completely surrendered to the mission of the Lord, such a spiritual master is mad-Ätmakam, or nondifferent from the Personality of Godhead.