tathāpi jāniye āmi tāṅhāra prakāśa
yadyapi-even though; āmāra-my; guru-spiritual master; caitanyera-of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu; dāsa-the servitor; tathāpi-still; jāniye-know; āmi-I; tāṅhāra-of the Lord; prakāśa-direct manifestation.
Although I know that my spiritual master is a servitor of Śrī Caitanya, I know Him also as a plenary manifestation of the Lord.
Every living entity is eternally a servant of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya; therefore the spiritual master cannot be other than a servant of Lord Caitanya. The spiritual master's eternal occupation is to expand the service of the Lord by training disciples in a service attitude. A spiritual master never poses as the Supreme Lord Himself; he is considered a representative of the Lord. The revealed scriptures prohibit one's pretending to be God, but a bona fide spiritual master is a most faithful and confidential servant of the Lord and therefore deserves as much respect as Kṛṣṇa.