Guru - Spiritual Master
Vedas proclaim Guru (Devanagari: गुरु ISO15919: guru) is essential for spiritual growth of every jiva. Such a person should
- know all the scriptures and
- should have realized God.
Surrender to such a saint. Accept him as your spiritual master and serve him whole-heartedly.
They further warn to choose a genuine saint else the consequences will be dire.
Having a Guru is not fad or tradition. It is of utmost importance to choose a genuine saint for God-realization.
So, what role does a Guru play in the upliftment of a jiva?
Great question. The scriptures say that Shesh Naag cannot sing all the glories of Guru even though he has one thousand mouths.
Still, this question is so vital, that we will briefly describe a few major points described in the Vedic scriptures
Meaning of word Guru
The meaning of the word “Guru” is -
गुं रौतीति गुरु: ।
guṁ rautīti guru: ।
“The one who dispels the darkness of ignorance is the Guru.” Another similar definition is:
गिरति अज्ञानं इति गुरु: ।
girati ajñānaṁ iti guru: ।
“The one who chases away ignorance is the Guru.”
Role of Guru
A child cannot learn a b c's on their own. Someone has to teach the alphabets to the child. Spirituality is even more obscure subject. One definitely needs a Guru to take the first step towards God-realization.
The role of Guru in a devotee's life is described extensively in all the Vedic scriptures. Tulsidas Ji says,
गुरु बिनु भवनिधि तरइ न कोई। जौं विरंचि संकर सम होई ॥
सो विनु संत न काहू पाई ।
guru binu bhavanidhi tarai na koī। jauṁ viraṁci saṁkara sama hoī ॥
so vinu saṁta na kāhū pāī ।
This means, "Even those with the knowledge equivalent to that of creator Brahma and Lord Shankar cannot traverse the ocean of Maya without the grace of a Spiritual Master."
उत्तिष्ठत जाग्रत प्राप्य वरान्निबोधत । कठोपनिषद् १.३.१४
uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varānnibodhata । kaṭhopaniṣad 1.3.14
आचार्यवान् पुरुषो हि वेद । छान्दोग्योपनिषद्
ācāryavān puruṣo hi veda । chāndogyopaniṣa
These Vedic mantras emphatically assert the same: "It is impossible to know God without the help of a true Spiritual Master."
Vedas say choose a genuine saint. What are the criteria to know genuine from fake saints?
Criteria for choosing a Guru
It is imperative to discern genuine saints from all others. Vedas provide the discerning criteria.
तद्विज्ञानार्थं स गुरुमेवाभिगच्छेत् समित्पाणि: श्रोत्रियं ब्रह्मनिष्ठम् । मुंडकोपनिषद् १.२.१२
tadvijñānārthaṁ sa gurumevābhigacchet samitpāṇi: śrotriyaṁ brahmaniṣṭham । muṁḍakopaniṣad 1.2.12
"A true Spiritual master is shrotriya and brahmanishtha".
Shrotriya means one endowed with complete and meticulous knowledge of all the scriptures. Brahmanishtha means God realized.
The Bhagavad Gita and Shrimad Bhagavata both affirm the same in the following verses.
Mahaprabhu Chaitanya also said,
जेइ कृष्ण तत्त्ववेत्ता, सेइ गुरु हय ।
jei kr̥ṣṇa tattvavettā, sei guru haya ।
“The Guru is the one who has realized God.”
It is not enough for the saint to know the essence of scriptures. Additionally, Guru should have the ability to reveal the same practical and theoretical knowledge of God to you.
तस्माद् गुरुं प्रपद्येत जिज्ञासु: श्रेय उत्तमम् ।
शाब्दे परे च निष्णातं ब्रह्मण्युपशमाश्रयम् ॥ भागवत 11.3.21
tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsu: śreya uttamam ।śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇyupaśamāśrayam ॥
bhāgavata 11.3.21
"Surrender to one who has realized the essence of scriptures and can explain them to you".
तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया ।
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिन: ॥ भगवद् गीता ४.३४
tadviddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā ।upadekṣyanti te jñ ānaṁ jñāninastattvadarśina: ॥ bhagavad gītā 4.34
"Surrender to him, serve him and humbly ask questions. Such an enlightened saint will impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the Truth.".
Saint Narad imparted the same message to Prahlad while he was still in his mother's womb:
गुरुशुश्रूषया भक्त्या सर्वलब्धार्पणेन च ।
संगेन साधुभक्तानामीश्वराराधनेन च ॥ भा. ७.७.३०
guruśuśrūṣayā bhaktyā sarvalabdhārpaṇena ca ।saṁgena sādhubhaktānāmīśvarārādhanena ca ॥ bhā. 7.7.30
“Although there are many ways to realize God, yet the best and easiest way is selfless service and devotion to your Spiritual Master.”
In essence, true Guru who is endowed with the above qualities and has the ability to infuse true knowledge in the mind of a devotional and inquisitive soul. When jeev surrenders to a saint then very soon that sincere soul will realize God. As a result the jeev will attain mukti from sorrow and receive unlimited divine bliss.
Why are all scriptures pointing towards Guru? Can't the same benefit be received by surrendering to God?
Guru's importance supersedes God's
God instructs jeev to pay greater importance to Guru means uphold Guru higher than God.
This is the reason, why Aditi said to Lord Krishna,
भक्तिर्यथा हरौ मेऽस्ति, तद्वरिष्ठा गुरौ यदि ।
ममास्ति तेन सत्येन, संदर्शयतु मे हरि: ॥ पद्म पुराण
bhaktiryathā harau me'sti, tadvariṣṭhā gurau yadi ।
mamāsti tena satyena, saṁdarśayatu me hari: ॥
padma purāṇa
“If I am more devoted to my Guru than to You, then please show me Your beautiful divine form.”
The Bhagavata states,
प्रथमं सद्गुरुं वन्दे, श्रीकृष्णं तदनन्तरम् ।
गुरु: पापात्मनां त्राता, श्रीकृष्णस्त्वमलात्मनाम् ॥
prathamaṁ sadguruṁ vande, śrīkr̥ṣṇaṁ tadanantaram ।
guru: pāpātmanāṁ trātā, śrīkr̥ṣṇastvamalātmanām ॥
"Let us adore our beloved Guru first, and then pay our respects to Lord Krishna."
In Bhagavata Lord Krishna described to Uddhava the authentic way to implement true dharma,
आचार्यं मां विजानीयान्नावमन्येत कर्हिचित् ।
न मर्त्य बुद्ध्याऽ सूयेत सर्व देवमयो गुरु: ॥ भा. 1.17.27
ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyānnāvamanyeta karhicit ।na martya buddhyā' sūyeta sarva devamayo guru: ॥
bhā. 1.17.27
"Consider your Guru to be My personified form. Do not insult him at any cost nor should the Guru be considered an ordinary being. He is the embodiment of all the forms of God."
Lord Krishna is instructing jiva to uphold Guru higher than Himself because Guru loves those whose minds are divine. Whereas, Guru uplifts fallen souls like us. Since, God says you cannot be attained Me without grace of Guru so make your Guru is more important to you than Me.
You can read a complete description of the philosophy of who is a true Guru in Prem Ras Siddhant by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj.
LEARN MORE