Srila Prabhupada on

Guru-sadhu-sastra
Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya. One should accept a thing as
genuine by studying the words of saintly people, the spiritual master and the śāstra. The actual center is
the śāstra, the revealed scripture. If a spiritual master does not speak according to the revealed scripture,
he is not to be accepted. Similarly, if a saintly person does not speak according to the śāstra, he is not a
saintly person. The śāstra is the center for all. Unfortunately, at the present moment, people do not refer
to the śāstras; —(Cc 2.20.352, purport)

If the guru is not in his proper way according to śāstra... Guru means he must be abiding by the rules
and regulation of the śāstra. Sādhu-guru-śāstra. Sādhu means one who is obeying the rules and
regulation of śāstra. Śāstra must be the medium. Without śāstra nothing is acceptable. That is
spoken by Kṛṣṇa. Tasmād śāstra-vidhānoktaḥ. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ
[Bg. 16.23]. So nobody can transgress the rules and regulation of śāstra, and what to speak of a guru.
Guru is ācārya. Acinoti yaḥ śāstrāṇi. One who knows the rules and regulation of the śāstra and he teaches
his disciple according to the śāstra, he is called ācārya. —(SB 1.7.45-46, Vrindavan, Oct 5, 1976)

...stated by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, sādhu-śāstra-guru: one has to test all spiritual matters according to
the instructions of saintly persons, scriptures and the spiritual master. The spiritual master is one who
follows the instructions of his predecessors, namely the sādhus, or saintly persons. A bona fide spiritual
master does not mention anything not mentioned in the authorized scriptures. Ordinary people have to
follow the instructions of sādhu, śāstra and guru. Those statements made in the śāstras and those made by
the bona fide sādhu or guru cannot differ from one another. —(SB 4.16.1, purport)

Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura states that one has to ascertain the right path for his activities by following in the
footsteps of great saintly persons and books of knowledge under the guidance of a spiritual master (sādhu-
śāstra-guru-vākya). A saintly person is one who follows the Vedic injunctions, which are the orders of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. The word guru refers to one who gives proper direction under the
authority of the Vedic injunctions and according to the examples of the lives of great personalities.

—(SB 4.21.28-29, purport)

Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura advises, sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, hṛdaye kariyā aikya. The meaning of this
instruction is that one must consider the instructions of the sādhu, the revealed scriptures and the spiritual
master in order to understand the real purpose of spiritual life. Neither a sādhu (saintly person or Vaiṣṇava)
nor a bona fide spiritual master says anything that is beyond the scope of the sanction of the revealed
scriptures. Thus the statements of the revealed scriptures correspond to those of the bona fide spiritual
master and saintly persons. One must therefore act with reference to these three important sources of
understanding. —(Cc 1.7.48, purport)
In the scriptures we hear how one can come to this perfection: sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya, cittete kariyā
aikya. Spiritual realization can be perfected by following three parallel lines: sādhu (saintly persons who are
realized souls), śāstra (authoritative Vedic scriptures), and guru (the spiritual master). In the railway yard
you see two parallel tracks, and if they’re in order the railway carriages go very smoothly to their
destination. In Kṛṣṇa consciousness there are three parallel lines: association with saintly persons (sādhus),
faith in the scriptures (śāstra), and acceptance of a bona fide spiritual master (guru). If you place your
vehicle on these three parallel lines, it will go directly to Kṛṣṇa, without any disturbance.

...

And who is a guru, a spiritual master? He who follows and explains the scripture. The sādhu confirms the
scripture, and the spiritual master follows and explains the scripture. So sādhu, śāstra, and guru are always
in agreement. What is spoken in the scripture is accepted by saintly persons, and what is spoken in the
scripture is followed and explained by the spiritual master, and he explains only that. The via media is the
scripture, just as in the law court the via media is the law book. So the saintly persons, the scriptures, and
the spiritual master: when you follow these three parallel lines your life is successful.

—(Quest for Enlightenment, 4c)

“We can approach God by understanding a saintly person [sādhu], studying the Vedic scriptures [śāstra],
and following the instructions of the bona fide spiritual master [guru].” Sādhu, śāstra, and guru corroborate
one another. A sādhu is he who talks and acts in terms of the scriptures. And the guru is a sādhu who
personally teaches his disciples according to the scriptures. A guru cannot manufacture words that are
not in the scriptures. When we receive instructions from all three, we can progress perfectly in our
understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. —(Beyond Illusion and Doubt, 7)

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says the same thing. And we have to make it confirmed in three ways. What
we hear from the sādhus, we shall have to consult whether these things are spoken in the śāstras. And
whether the statements or śāstras are confirmed by guru, by the direct spiritual master. Sādhu-guru-śāstra-
vākya tinete kariyā aikya. A sādhu will speak nothing which is not stated in the śāstras.

—(Bg 7.1-2, Bombay Mar 28, 1971)

And sādhu means he gives quotation from śāstras, authorized śāstra He’s sādhu. Sādhu will not give
anything manufactured by him. No. He’s not sādhu. Sādhu means whatever he’ll speak, immediately he’ll
give evidence from the śāstra. Sādhu-śāstra-guru. And guru means who is following sādhu and śāstra. The
guru does not follow sādhu and śāstra, who does not follow Rūpa Gosvāmī, does not follow shastric
injunction... —(SB 1.2.7, Vrindavana, Oct 18, 1972)

Kṛṣṇa is saying. That is śāstra. Śāstra means what is said by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is
śāstra. And guru. Guru says the same thing. And sādhu says the same thing.

Sādhu-guru test means they do not change the words of Kṛṣṇa. —(SB 1.8.19, Mayapur, Sep 29, 1974)