Importance of Guru in Life
The word “Guru”comes from the word ‘Gu’ means darkness and ‘Ru’ means, light. Guru is someone who radiates light of wisdom in the hearts filled with the darkness of ignorance. In the Upanishads, five signs of satguru (true guru) are mentioned. In the presence of the Sadguru; Knowledge flourishes (Gyana raksha); Sorrow diminishes (Dukha kshaya); Joy wells up without any reason (Sukha aavirbhava); Abundance dawns (Samriddhi); All talents manifest (Sarva samvardhan). When you find peace and tranquility and joy in the very presence of a person, you can know that he is a SADGURU and one of the form of Sadguru is “Sri Sainath of Shirdi”
As said by Sri Paramahanssji, “The blind cannot lead the blind”. Similarly, Only a master, one who knows God, may rightly teach others about Him. To regain one’s divinity one must have such a master or guru. He who faithfully follows a true guru becomes like him, for the guru helps to elevate the disciple to his own level of realization.”
Why we need Guru in our life?
In “Sai Satcharithra” significance of guru has been laid in ones life where it has been questioned that "Why should we lose our freedom and submit to others? When we have to do our duty, why a Guru is necessary? One must try his best and save himself. What can the Guru do to a man who does nothing but sleeps indolently?" One day one Sai devotee asked -"Baba, where to go?" Baba said, "High up." Then the man said, "How is the way?" Baba said, "There are many ways leading there; there is one way also from here (Shirdi). The way is difficult. There are tigers and wolves in the jungles on the way.”Kakasaheb (devotee) asked - "But Baba, what if we take a guide with us?" your destination, avoiding wolves, tigers and ditches etc. on the way. If there be no guide, there is the danger of your being lost in the jungles or falling into ditches." Mr. Dabholkar (devotee) was present on this occasion and he thought that this was the answer Baba gave to the question whether Guru was a necessity; and he thereupon took the hint that no discussion of the problem, whether man is free or bound, is of any use in spiritual matters, but that on the contrary real Paramartha is possible only as the result of the teachings of the Guru, as is illustrated in this chapter of the original work in the instances of great Avatars like Rama and Krishna, who had to submit themselves to their Gurus, Vasishtha and Sandipani respectively, for getting self realization and that the only virtues necessary for such progress are ‘Shraddha’ and other the ‘Saburi’ ( faith and patience).
As we can’t directly or immediately approach God On the path of perfection in spiritual life, it’s essential to receive guidance from a guru, a spiritual master on our own. We each have a direct relationship with God because we are His children, but realizing and acting in that direct relationship is possible after we’ve become pure, which is a process. A spiritual master selflessly trains and guides us in reviving our relationship with God, and is always willing to help in difficult times.
The Relationship between Guru and Disciple:
The relationship with the guru is based on the purest form of unconditional love. There is complete openness with the guru. The disciple should hold nothing back from the guru. This is why in the tradition, a student goes to the guru and offers a bundle of sticks to burn. The bundle symbolizes that everything the disciple has is offered unconditionally to the guru. Everything is offered to the guru so the guru can do the work of shaping the student spiritually. The disciple comes with full faith and entrusts his whole life to the guru. The guru takes that life and chops it and burns what is not necessary, and then carefully carves what remains into something sacred.
In this chopping and burning, the guru is merciless. The guru's job is not to hold hands with the disciple and wipe away tears, but to cut into pieces the disciple's ego and all that stands between the disciple and freedom. The guru does not allow dependence. If the disciple becomes too dependent on the guru, the guru pushes the disciple away, insisting on independence. It is a remarkable expression of the deepest love.
The truth is that the relationship of guru to disciple is “indescribable”. The relationship extends to the realm beyond the world, transcends death, and stretches far beyond the limited karmic bonds associated with family and friends. A mother and father help sustain the body of their child, and nurture and guide the child through the formative years of life to adulthood. While Guru sustains, nurtures, and guides a soul through lifetimes to ultimate liberation.
Contributed by: Jyoti Mishra
