The Need For A Guru
For a beginner in the spiritual path, a Guru is necessary. To light a
candle, you need a burning candled Even so, an illumined soul alone can
enlighten another soul.
Some do meditation for some years independently. Later on, they actually
feel the necessity for a Guru. They come across some obstacles in the way.
They do not know how to obviate these impediments or stumbling blocks. Then
they begin to search for a Master.
Only the man who has already been to Badrinath will be able to tell you the
road leading to it. In the case of the spiritual path, it is still more
difficult to find your way. The mind will mislead you very often. The Guru
will be able to remove pitfalls and obstacles, and lead you along the right
path. He will tell you: “This road leads you to Moksha; this one leads to
bondage.” Without this guidance, you might want to go to Badrinath, but find
yourself in Delhi!
The scriptures are like a forest. There are ambiguous passages. There are
passages that are apparently contradictory and others that have esoteric
meanings, diverse significance and hidden explanations. There are cross
references. You are in need of a Guru or Preceptor who will explain to you
the right meaning, who will remove doubts and ambiguities, who will place
before you the essence of the teachings.
A Guru is absolutely necessary for every aspirant in the spiritual path. It
is only the Guru who will find out your defects. The nature of egoism is
such that you will not be able to find out your own defects. Just as a man
cannot see his back, so also he cannot see his own errors. He must live
under a Guru for the eradication of his evil qualities and defects.
The aspirant who is under the guidance of a Master or Guru is safe from
being led astray. Satsanga or association with the Guru is an armour and
fortress to guard you against all temptations and unfavourable forces of the
material world.
Cases of those who had attained perfection without study under any Guru
should not be cited as authoritative against the necessity for a Guru; for,
such great men are the anomalies of spiritual life, and not the common
normality. They come into existence as spiritual masters as a result of the
intense service, study and meditation practised in previous births. They had
already studied under the Guru. The present birth is only its continuative
spiritual effect. Hence, the importance of the Guru is not lessened thereby.
Some teachers mislead their aspirants. They say to all: “Think for yourself.
Do not surrender yourself to any Guru.” When one says, “Do not follow any
Gurus,” he intends to be the listeners’ Guru himself. Do not approach such
pseudo-Gurus. Do not hear their lectures.
All great ones had their teachers. All the sages, saints, prophets, world
teachers, incarnations, great men have had their own Gurus, however great
they might have been. Svetaketu learnt the nature of Truth from Uddalaka,
Maitreyi from Yajnavalkya, Bhrigu from Varuna, Narada from Sanatkumara,
Nachiketas from Yama, Indra from Prajapati; and several others humbly went
to wise ones, observed strict Brahmacharya, practised rigorous discipline,
and learnt Brahma-Vidya from them.
Lord Krishna sat at the feet of His Guru Sandipani. Lord Rama had Guru
Vasishtha who gave Him Upadesa. Lord Jesus sought John to be baptised by him
on the banks of the river Jordan. Even Devas have Brihaspati as their Guru.
Even the greatest among the divine beings sat at the feet of Guru
Dakshinamurti.
A neophyte must have a personal Guru first. He cannot have God as Guru to
begin with. He must have a pure mind. He must have ethical perfection. He
must be intensely virtuous. He must be above body-consciousness. Then alone
can he have God as Guru.
Jaisairam.
subhasrini
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!
Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.