varna is a material consideration; that prestige simply depends on the caste status of the one who is judging the spiritual master's caste. External factors such as caste have hardly any bearing on spiritual realization. Necessity demands that one must find a spiritual master who is bona fide and qualified; if he happens to belong to a higher varna, so much the better. A householder should look for a spiritual master from one of the higher varnas; if he finds one who is qualified then he may not look for one from a lower varna. It must be noted well, though, that in looking for a ‘high class’ spiritual master, one should not choose an un- qualified person simply for the prestige of having a spiritual master from a higher varna.

A renunciant must have a renounced guru

"If for some reason a householder leaves home to embrace the life of a renunciant, and has still not been able to satisfy his spiritual yearnings, he naturally requires a saintly spiritual master. For such a renunciant, a spiritual master in the renounced order is best. By his spiritual guidance and initiation, the renunciant will very quickly relish the ecstasy of chanting the holy name.

The material body is valuable only when the infinitely valuable person is present within the body.
Siddhaswarupanda

"A householder devotee may suddenly feel the burden of family life affecting his spiritual quest. Though he leaves home, he heed not give up his previous spiritual master. A householder is advised to seek the shelter of a householder spiritual master if he is qualified and pure. If a householder spiritual master is not available, he may take initiation from a qualified renunciant guru. In any case, his spiritual master must be qualified. Under his guru's spiritual instructions, the neophyte begins devotional life and is gradually elevated to experience transcendental loving emotions in the service of the lord. He develops distaste for material life and then becomes a renunciant. Such developments are the natural course of things. Once he is in the renounced order, he is obliged to have a spiritual master who is a renunciant. He must be instructed in the life of renunciation from a renounced spiritual master, and accept from him the vesa or clothes of a mendicant.