ON GURUS

The world has a number of spiritual persons and godmen and teachers! It has become very difficult to decide who is the real or true teacher. Many mutts have been established and the person lives a life of ostentation surrounded by his chelas. Of late there is a spurt in the rise of these godmen whose actions and behavior have come under suspicion! We have seen how those who called themselves godmen like Ram Rahim of Dera establishment, and many others like him have brought disrepute to the very name of spiritual teachers! Innocent but gullible individuals have been taken in and cheated! Immoral and illegal activities have been  carried on by these persons to the detriment of society and the nation! The word Guru, or Teacher, a very sacred name, has been polluted beyond repair! Modern Gurus wield much money power and have contacts with politicians! It is sad to see such teachers who misguided and mislead people. Our ancient Guru like Vasishta, Vamadeva, Viswamitra, had established a wonderful tradition of real spiritual yearning for their disciples! Where is it now? It is KaliYuga and accordingly all morals, values, thought and culture have degenerated!

A teacher is one who is illuminated ‘ by the light of true knowledge.’ One who has tasted snow can say what it is. Similarly one who has realized himself and experienced God and considered himself as His servant, friend and lover is eligible to be a teacher! Most of the teachers of the present do not qualify for the post! A realized man does not talk much. It is ‘ empty vessels that make a loud noise’. Great sages like Narada and Sukadev and others came down out of mercy and love for mankind! According to Sri Ramakrishna there are two types of perfect men or teachers. The first kind attain Truth, become silent, enjoy it all by themselves not bothering about others! The second variety attain Truth but do not find pleasure in keeping it to themselves. They cry out in a trumpet voice to all to share and enjoy the Truth! Sri Ramanujacharya was exactly of this nature. When his guru gave him the mantra and bade him  keep it a secret, Ramanuja could not keep quiet. He stood on the temple tower and gave the mantra to all the crowd so that they could get salvation!

A pure and perfect man attracts the attention of others by his conduct and character! When the  flower is full blown, the bees come of their own accord drawn by the sweet fragrance! Ants too crowd round places where sweets are kept. No one need invite the be or the ant! A teacher who has realized himself shall be a success wherever he goes and teaches. Wherever fire and light exist, moths come and fall into it. Likewise people come seeking the real teacher. A true teacher is a worshipper of God all the time. He is, forever, a seeker of emancipation from birth and death. Otherwise he cannot guide his disciples to liberate themselves from the eternal cycle of birth and death! Mere book learning, reading of the sastras, Vedas and others do not make a goo teacher or preacher! It is the bounden duty of the teacher to guide his disciples in the path of real knowledge for the emancipation of his soul! It is God who inspires the true teacher! The teacher is the mouthpiece of God himself!

“Matru Devo bhava”- mother is the first and foremost teacher followed by the father. The teacher in the school does the function of the parents of children in society. Mere teaching does not constitute a teacher. He should set an example to his disciples. The word ‘acharya’ doesn't denote the ordinary teacher. It is applicable to  the person who actually practices what he teaches! That is how the great Sankara, Ramanuja, and Madhva were called ‘ acharyas! Guru is the destroyer of darkness or ignorance which in Vedantic parlance is called ‘avidya.’  It is through him that illumination or  knowledge arrives. This knowledge is not bookishness but the eternal knowledge of the Soul by realizing which no other mundane scholarship is essential! By creating interest and inspiration for this knowledge the Guru is the Creator Brahma'; As the knowledge thus provided protects the disciple throughout his life, Guru becomes Vishnu; and since sishya’s ignorance is totally obliterated and destroyed, Guru is Maheswara! Guru’s grace is absolutely essential for the student without which he can never prosper! Karna in the Mahabharata fell because of the curse of his own Guru Parasurama whom he cheated by lying that he was a brahmin! On the other hand Guru Dronacharya taught mighty astras to Arjuna that he did not teach his own son Aswathama!

Once a pregnant tigress jumped on a flock of sheep and in doing so gave birth to a cub! The tigress died soon. The young cub grew up in the company of the sheep. Along with the flock it also grazed and bleated like them. Days rolled on and it became a full grown tiger! Another tiger that chanced to attack the flock was shocked to see the sheep tiger in the flock! When it caught the sheep tiger it began to bleat in fear like the sheep! The tiger dragged the sheep tiger to a pond nearby and showed their reflection in the water! It told the sheep tiger that it is a real tiger, not sheep, as they both look alike. It forced a piece of flesh to the sheep tiger’s mouth. Despite this, the sheep tiger didn't eat the flesh and maintained that it is sheep! Soon the taste of flesh ignited its dormant instincts and it believed that it is a ferocious tiger and not the gentle sheep! Both the tigers disappeared into the forest! The attacking tiger is the Guru and the sheep tiger the disciple. It has lost its nature and individuality through association! The other tiger destroyed its ignorance by revealing its true nature and showing its figure in the reflection! Thus Guru’s grace destroys all fear. “The Guru will open your eyes and tell you who you are and what your real life is!”