chela | चेला

Chela (Devanagari: चेला; ISO 15919: cēlā) means "disciple." It is synonymous with the term Shishya (Devanagari: शिष्य; ISO 15919: śiṣya).

Authentic saints do not mechanically "make" disciples. Instead, they freely impart divine knowledge. The jiva (soul) then follows these teachings and performs sadhana to purify the mind. Eventually, the Guru transforms the aspirant's mind to become divine and infuses it with the power of divine love. It is only at this stage that the jiva truly becomes a chela.

In present times, impostor gurus often whisper a mantra into a person's ear and immediately designate them a chela. This practice is not approved by the Vedas.

Further Reading and Reference

• Related Concepts: Identify the saints and expose the pretenders
• Reference: Guru Mantra - The Guru and the Disciple, Ch. 1