Padma Purana explains (1.17.20): Vishnu who resides in everyone's heart is guru of whole world. He is the only teacher and no one else can teach anyone.
krsnam vande jagad-guru - Krishna is the guru of whole world.
Guru means teacher. Krishna is the universal teacher and He gives us knowledge from within. It is Krishna, the universal teacher, who sends us teachers to teach about external world and spiritual concepts. Even to understand simple mathematical concepts teacher is needed. Similarly, understanding spiritual concepts and intricacies of mind and self requires external teacher. The external teachers are arranged by Krishna Himself. Krishna uses many teachers starting with birth giving mother and father. But ultimate teacher is Krishna Himself.
As a blind man, being unable to see, accepts another blind man as his leader, people who do not know the goal of life accept someone as a guru who is a rascal and a fool. But we are interested in self-realization. Therefore we accept You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as our spiritual master, for You are able to see in all directions and are omniscient like the sun. (SB 8.25.50)
The God gives protection to everyone who surrenders to Him in fear of death. He is actual shelter of everyone. I therefore surrender unto Him. (SB 8.2.33)
Krishna without discrimination gives shelter and guides everyone who comes to Him for protection and guidance. Gajendra did not know who is God. He worshiped Krishna within and Krishna came to save him. So, real surrender is to surrender to Krishna Himself. When we surrender to Krishna, He sends us teachers. They can come in any form. The spiritual teacher teaches everyone to surrender to Krishna. False guru asks disciples to surrender to Himself. Even Srila Prabhupada is clear about it. He says in purport of SB 8.2.33 :: "It is the guru's business to instruct his disciple to surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead if he wants relief from the material clutches. This is the symptom of the guru." If Prabhupada teaches his followers to surrender to him instead of the universal guru Krishna, then even he is not true guru. What I can conclude is that Prabhupada did not instruct his followers to surrender to Him but instructed them to surrender to Krishna within. But he is misrepresented by his followers who do not understand the true teachings.
Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. (BG 9.34, BG 18.65)
Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. (BG 18.66)
Krishna asks us to take shelter of Him and surrender unto Him. Gurus teach us how to surrender to Him. But Krishna is our center and not the guru. Krishna does not ask us to surrender to Guru. Let us all surrender to God who is source of everything and who is source of our knowledge.
