Remain a servant of Krsna, you’ll be happy. That is the business of the spiritual master. He gives the right information; therefore he is respected so much, because he does not cheat. “Yes, you can become master, even God you can become” — this is cheating. The real spiritual master says, “You can never become master. You are always servant.” And therefore he’s worshiped. He gives the right information. Therefore he is honored so, because he does not cheat.

The so-called spiritual master is cheating: “You take this mantra and give me some money and become God.” This cheating is going on. The spiritual master is to be worshiped. Why? Because he does not cheat. He gives the right information. That is his credit. Gurusu nara-mati [Padma Purana]. Therefore one should not take guru as ordinary human being. Ordinary human being, he’ll cheat you, or he’ll give some information, he’s cheating. But a guru, real guru, he’ll not cheat you. Therefore he should be worshiped as good…

God does not cheat you. Therefore guru should not be taken as ordinary human being. Gurusu nara-mati. “I see that he is like ordinary man. His son is calling him ‘father.’ His wife is…” That’s all right, but because he’s giving the right information, he is not ordinary human being. Therefore he should be worshiped as good as God. He does not cheat. That is the test of guru. He’ll never say that “You give me some bribe and you’ll become God by meditation, transcendental.” He’ll never say that. This is cheating. Why father is respected? Father is also a man, another man. Because he never cheats the son. Because he’s always wishing welfare of the son; he does not cheat, sincerely teaches him the reality.

(Srila Prabhupada — June 22, 1976, New Vrindavan)