One day, Srila Rasikanada Goswami, who was also known as Rasika Murari, was meditating in a solitary place, anxious to find a spiritual master who could give him sufficient spiritual direction. When he had entered into a very deep meditation when he heard a disembodied voice say, “Murari, you need be anxious no longer. Your guru is Shyamananda and you will meet him very shortly. Take shelter of him and your life will be successful.” Upon hearing this divine message, Murari began chanting the name of Shyamananda on his beads with joyful enthusiasm. He spent the entire night crying out of his desire to meet his guru, until finally at the end of the night, he had a dream vision of Shyamananda Prabhu who said to him, “Don’t worry any longer, for you will meet me this very day.”At dawn, Rasika Murari was on the lookout for his guru when he saw the tall figure of Shyamananda as effulgent as the sun, approaching him. Surrounded by his disciples like Kiśora Das, he was dancing in a state of divine love while chanting the names of Nityananda and Chaitanya. Having waited anxiously for so long to be united with his guru, Rasika Murari immediately fell down at his feet. Śyāmānada affectionately lifted him up and embraced him. Then, after giving him the Radha-Krishna mantra, he offered him up to Chaitanya and Nityananda Prabhus. This whole story reveals how one can find one’s guru through sincere prayers. Rasikānanda Deva Goswami served his guru, fully committing himself in body, mind and soul. He was so dedicated that in a short time he was recognized as Shyamananda’s chief disciple. He became a very powerful preacher and an initiating guru. It is said that a good disciple becomes a good teacher. Here this is proven. A spiritual master may have innumerable disciples who call him their guru, but they are disciples only in name. Only a true disciple who has dedicated himself completely to his spiritual master is imbued with all the powers of the guru. With the spiritual powers invested in him by his guru, Rasikānanda was able to convert many criminals, atheists, Muslims, and other fallen spirit souls to the path of devotion, bestowing the jewel of prema upon them all.
by His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami Thakur;an excerpt from The Associates of Caitanya