“When the Shishya (Student) is ready, Guru (Master) appears,” says scriptures. At times we hope of having a Guru so that our spiritual journey will be easy to thread with his guidance and blessings. There is a need for a Guru who can clear our doubts on Universe, Reality, Truth, and so on. One may wonder why ignorance cannot be dispelled by just reading religious scriptures like the Bible or Quran or Guru Granth Sahib or Vedas or the Gita.
Swami Shivananda of The Divine Life Society has answered this question in the following quotation: “The scriptures are like a forest. There are unclear passages. These passages appear to be contradictory and may have obscure meanings, diverse connotation, and concealed explanations with cross-references. You are in need of a Guru who will explain to you the right meaning and remove doubts and ambiguities. Guru can place before you the essence of the scriptures.”
We have seen many who read the Vedas, the Gita and other scriptures for some years but still remain ignorant and restless. It can be from a Guru one can attain peace of mind and learn to unshackle from the chains of material bondage so that his concentration is on the path. Hence Guru occupies a prime place in spirituality.
However is it possible for a genuine Guru to appear if we are ready for spiritual initiation, is the question????
We are aware from media that there are so called Gurus who are robbing people of their money and trust. In a way it has become a very lucrative business as the Gurus are sure that we don’t ask any questions about their credibility. The main point for this to happen is either we are afraid or ignorant or have the belief that in the name of Dharma no one will cheat us. Hence there is confusion as to know if the Spiritual Guru whom we “follow” is capable of lifting us from this ocean called Samsara. This following therefore is a funny affair. Guru is not the one who has many followers.
In “Vivekachudamani” one of the greatest works of Sri Sri Shankara there is a description on the qualities of a Sadguru as follows:
Guru is one who is versed in the Scriptures, sinless, untouched by desire and a experiencer of Brahman par excellence, who has united himself with Brahman; who is calm, like fire that has consumed its fuel, who is a boundless reservoir of mercy that knows no reason, and a friend of all people.
To have a genuine spiritual Guru is a true requisite and an exceptionally rare lucky thing. If we are true seekers, we become intelligent and sharp enough in being under someone who is a Guru. We have to use both our sensibility and worldly wisdom to know if that Guru has an eminent conduct.
Always we have to remember that a Guru can guide us but to move towards the goal it has to be our own effort and no one can possibly do it for us. It is easy to say for example, the words of Guru like ‘I am not this Body’, but to realize and apply it in daily life is an unusual experience all together. It calls for a change in perception, a transformation in the way one looks at the world around him.
Guru Dattatreya proclaims that he had 24 Guru and names them as: 1. Earth, 2. Air, 3. Space, 4. Water, 5. Fire, 6. Moon, 7. Sun, 8. Dove, 9. Snake, 10. Moth, 11. Ocean, 12. Butterfly, 13. Fish, 14. Honeybee, 15. Deer, 16. Elephant, 17. Phyton, 18. Prostitute Pingla, 19. Eagle, 20. Child, 21. Young Girl, 22. Arrow maker, 23. Spider, 24. Wasp.
Guru Dattatreya goes on to explain what he had learnt from them. Sometimes a Guru can appear in a form of a friend, wife, book, experience, and so on.
The question is are we ready???
"गुरु पर ते नस तस्मै त्यं पुजयते गुरु" इस प्रक्रिया को गुरुका पूजन कहते है। इसका व्यावहारिक अर्थ अनुभवमें आ जाये तो जो सिर्फ अपनेही प्रयत्नोसे खुद कोही जाननेमें आता है जहा पर कोइ कीसे कहीभी मदद कर नही शक्ता खुदकी मदद खुदही को करनी पडती है। तब यह शरीर यद्ध्वा महप्नोती अच्युतकर मती ईश्वरका अर्थ और जीवन जीनेका मतलब जाननेमें और समझनेमे आता है सही मुल्योमें।
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