Surrendering to a Guru-1
How can you fill a cup that's already full? Who can help you if you believe you've it figured out already?
Spiritual and religious texts expounding the Eastern thought are full of master-disciple stories of surrender and obedience. Many people who visit the ashram and many who write to me are inquisitive about the role of a guru on one's path, they ask me if it is necessary to surrender. Furthermore, a lot many admit having troubles in exercising complete surrender to any guru.
There are thousands of quotes in various texts that lay emphasis on the importance of having right guru. Is it truly that crucial? The answer is it depends on what are you after. If you simply need a teacher who can point you in the right direction based on scriptures and books, there is no dearth of such people. However, if you need someone who can demonstrate any bit of direct experience, someone in whose presence you feel safe, secure, loved, peaceful, you have little choice.
Guru-shishya, master-disciple, relationship has been around since time out of mind. Unfortunately, in this day and age, I see more exploitation than exploration. Majority of today's gurus are busy in worldly projects, they are selling merchandise, funding private hospitals that are run for profit, they are building ashrams everywhere they can, they are hoarding money, they are collecting profits, how close you can get to them often depends on how much money you have to offer. It pains my heart to see such fleecing and deterioration. Is there anything wrong with that? You decide.
If you meet someone who claims to be a God man, someone who is giving you the sacred diksha, initiation, without examining you, who is simply interested in what all you have to offer, who makes you feel unworthy, insignificant, who banks on your fears, I would say: abandon that person. He is a wolf in the guise of a sheep, a sinner in the garb of a saint. Never ever hesitate to ask questions. If the guru snaps at you, can he ever preach you eternal peace? If he is attached to his material things, is he the right one to teach detachment? If his negative emotions of anger, jealousy, hatred swell up like any other seeker, how will he ever get you to rise above them?
Before you exercise surrender or before you accept someone as your spiritual master, take your time, be critical. Who was Buddha's spiritual master? Mahavira's? No doubt Buddha, for example, studied and practised meditation, tantra, yoga and austerities under various masters, notably Alara Kalama. His own realization though came from treading his own path with utmost steadfastness.
You need not go looking for a guru, just stay sincere to your own path, to your practice of peace and love, of compassion and contentment; when you do that, the right guru will present himself out of nowhere. The providence arranges for it. Take my word for it. So is it necessary to surrender? And what if you cannot surrender?
Om Namah Shivay
Om Namah Shivay
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