Guru Cocept & Illumined Souls
Guru Cocept Sri Ramakrishna Says “Faith in the Guru’s word” one attains God by following Guru’s instruction step by step. It is like reaching objec by following the trail of a thread, this is the instruction given by Sri Ramakrishna - suprem teacher of word, without practice you will not attain God and peace and crushed your frightiening ego. It means then Guru occupies the cenral place on your spiritual unfoldment and final illumination. Guru is the way, through him you have to go, that means you have to practice what Guru’s says then is meant you following on his ways, not simply hearing what he says but doing what he says. Hearing must be translated into action and that translated into fruits. Every religion ceremony, every study, every prayer, every meditation, every ritualistic worship begins only after paying due respect to the Guru. So in spiritual path, spiritual aspirant mus seek a Guru. The famous Mundaka Upanishad says, peson if he has to come to Guru, he must have a some kind of preparation for that, he must aspire for Guru, How this aspiration comes? They are some people who gets lot of trouble in the world, lot of problem in the life, thay get into lot of conflicts, terrible restlessness, it is impossible for them to manage, they feels that they are losing control over things. It is the state of utter helpessness, kind of terrible crises, At that point the spiritual inclination may open up the way. The people like that- why you feel lost? Why you depressed? Don’t worry we will help you, come! So the spiritual inclination slowly opens up and naturally it followed. They should pay more attention to spiritual activity then other things. They should become a student, a humble disciple under Guru. He who is learned in the scriptures and who is well establishes in process of meditation. In Bhagavad Gita, LordKrishna begin his discourse only after Arjuna has surrender himself to his as a student, he appeal to Sri Krishna to teach him. Arjun was in terrible state of despondency, terrible confusion, and then surrender himself to Lord
Krishna. So once you approach to the Guru with sincere heart that is very important. It is not for making a show, it is not that you have to show that I am such and such disciple, so what? Is that matter? If you may be his disciple but if you don’t do practice, If you don’t sincerely try to remoe weakness from your heart, you remain as before, even though God’s grace available to you through the Guru, still you are not make use of it in account of rigid of your heart. Without Faith, humility, submission and veneration in your heart towards your Guru, There cannot be any growh of religion on you. It is based on total involvement, commitment and obligation to person. Guru and disciple were boud to each other forever. Guru takes the whole reponsibility of the disciple. His whole concerns is how to see that disciple, moves march onward on his spiritual path. Guru very much concern about disciple, even though disciples is careless and not concern about Guru. It is purest and sublime relationship. Communication between spiritual preceptorand disciple is very important. How can you develop the faith of the word of the Guru, unless you coimng touch with your Guru constantly, unless you are very sincere in heart and your aspiration is very strong? So there disciple not merly asked the question, but he serve the Guru, he worship the Guru. That is our great tradition. But all covention have a tremendous effect on the pershonality. The Guru in turn assume the responsilities of all around group and spiritual progress of the disciple. Lore Krishna say in Gita, know the truth by prostraing before Guru and by questioning and serving him. By this instruction Lord Krishna has set guide line for the Guru and disciple realationship. That relationship was very prominent in our ancient culture and tradtion. That is famous story of Aklavaya on Mahabharat; he was bery eager to learn archary so he wanted to practice it from Dronacharya, the great teacher of that time. Dronacharya did not allow him to become his disciple but Aklavay was so much aspiring to learn archery, he except Dronacharya as a Guru (mentally ) . Wha he did, he began to practice his archary before refuge and made a statue of his Guru, he became the master of archery, Dronachary came to him, he
withness it, he notice that even he can excel Arjun, But according to the traditional, the disciple should offer something to the Guru. He offer his thumb which is very important to suit the arrow, he offer it as a teacher’s fee to the Guru. It illustrate to what extend the institution of the Guru inspire faith and loyality in the heart of the people. Person may disobey anyone but never to ihis Guru. On the other words you never disobey the Guru. On the other words disobeying the Guru means you cutting off thread, you are cutting off the communication between Guru and disciple which should not be allow happen, whatever happened, you must be guard yourelf too. Maintain all reverence to the Guru then you will be the recipent to the divine grace of the Guru. According to the devotional tradition, Guru occupy the place next only to personal God. According to Avaita tradition the Guru concept is there everywhere. Guru is identify with the highest reality. A monk renoucing everything, he many not worship any deity but he permitted to worship his own Guru. Indeed devotion to Guru is what man chasity is for a women. That Guru is Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. He si supreme Brahman. This reverence to his spiritual preceptor has it root in the metaphysical docrine of the God and the soul. In the scripture recognize Gurus; First one is divine Guru, second one is inner Guru and third one human guru. First consider the divine Guru, according to hinduism God is not a cause of life and existence but he also source of all knowledge. Vedanta teaches the consciousness is self luminous and is the nature of Atman and object is known only the light of Atman fall upon it and illuminate it. What is through of external cognition is through also of internal cognition are spirtiual experiences. Since according to the school of vedanta that individual self is either a part of reflection of supreme brahman. All knowledge ultimately origninates in Brahman that is what Sri Ramakrishna says that Satichananda is the only Guru, The Yoga of Patanjali holds a different view of God. According to this shool, God is unique kind of purusha, he is omniscient, he is never restricted by ignorance or karma. Since he is not bound by time, he never losses his
omniscience and threfore he is premodical teach of mankind, although all knowledge within you may not get it from outside, still somebody is necessary to help you to understand your own knowledge that is why teacher (Guru) is necessary. The Guru helps you to go within and understand yourself. To help you this way then he must know himself, where did your Guru get that knowledge? It does have been learn from somebody, so there must be the chain of Gurus. Then whom you called first Guru? There will be hundred and thousand of Gurus but there should be primary one from which all knowledge come in the beginning. So the spreme Purusa or Ishvar is the Guru’s of the Guru. Swami Vivekananda explain his yogic concept in complete works, he says that is true all knowledge within ourselves but this has to be call forth another knowledge. Although the capacity to know is inside us, it must be called out and that calling out of knowledge can only be one the yogi manitain through another knowledge, dead animated matter never call out knowledge, it is the action of knowledge, that brings the knowledge. Knowing being must be with us to call forth what is in us. So those teacher who have experiences the truth are always necessary, no knowledge come without them, God is the teacher of the teacher. Because this teacher however they may great have been, god and angels are limited and bound by time but Supreme God is not. In Swatas Upanishad says “He were the beginning of the creation, projected brahman the creater and who reveal vedas to him, seeking libration. I take the refuge with effulgent one whose light turn intellect toward Atman.” This ideal later became became central in puranas and important tenants in hindu theology. Brahma is a creator. God is a creator of all creators.He is also the teacher of all teachers. During cosmic disolution, all the universe with their creater get resolve back into God, who alone that exist without second embodying all knowledge.When new kalpa about to begin, God first project Hiranyagarha (Brahma) and communicate knowledge to him, from him the great Rishi’s gain spiritual knowledge by practicing austerity. The spiritual knowledge is transmitted from generation to
generationby succession of illuminate teachers. In well-known verses popular to Advaita tradition, the source of knowledge of non- dualsim is trace from own Guru through Sankara although God himself.The prayer says, “I constantly salute supreme Lord Narayan, Brahma, Vashistha, his son Parasara hi son Vyasa , his son Suka, his disciple great Godpada, hid disciple Govinda who prime among yogi, his disciple Sri Sankracharya, his four disciple Padmapadam, Hastmalka, Totaka and Sursvara also my own reverent preceptor” We offer salutation to all this Guru this way. In another tradition in which God is regarded as Guru in another sense namely God as a Wok. Wok means the “word” all human knowledge is connected with sound symbol and without “word” thinking is impossible. Hindu tradition hold that words are different manifestation of one premedical word the wok, the first manifestation of utterance of divine wisdom. So the Guru concept has so much developed. More reverence, devotiona, steadfastness towards your Guru the more and more become closer to God. Sri Ramakrishna suggesting remarkable, the Guru occupy the central place in our spiritual unfoldment and final illumination. Incarnation play the roll of divine Guru. So Incarnation reestablish Dhrarma, by starting a new tradtion, he set forth Sampradaya. He give proper direction to spiritual aspirant. Sri Krishna tells Arjun that yoga was first taught by him to the sun god, sun god taught that yoga to Manu. First human being form him the knwoledge was handed down to prostrate by succession of tecacher and all the period of thim gradually got lost. So avatar starts a new spiritual tradition(sampradaya). He become a highest teacher that is why we offer the salution to Guru. We offer flower, uttering the name parmest Guru (the supreme teacher). It is in this sense Lord Krishna, Lord Rama, Lord Sankara, Sri Ramakrishna they all regared as the world teacher. They come not for the sake of selected group, No! this Carnation, they are concern about the spiritual welfare of the world. So They set seris of step to be follwed him would received the highest spiritual Knowledge would be free from all suffering in the world would attain liberation, so that is the purpose of divine
Guru, he trained abandoned of spiritual aspirant, he blessed them with spiritual knowledge in turn they should be able to transmit the spiritual knowledge to the people at large. Swami Vivekananda come to America, just to give spiritual knowledge, knowledge of Upanishad which is unkown to the people for first time. He open the eyes of the people. Look, why are you so miserabel? Why are you hopeless? You are not to be that way because you are potentially divine! Some reason you forgot that, now you have to get back to that orginal state. How to do that? Practice this way, you will get it. That is how Swami Vivekananda give the message. Swami Vivekananda concerns as a teacher of the world in modern time. Second kind of Guru is Inner Guru. Inclination, the more contact establish with this Guru, the better for us. Because spiritual life demand your one hundred percent practical life, to be frank with you, there is no question of fifty percent worldly life and fifty percent spiritual life. You can’t have spiritual unfoldment fully. You can’t sail in two boats, either sail in worldly boat or sit in spiritual boat. You can’t put one leg in one boat and another leg in another boat. So Guru plays very important roll in spiritual life. In Eternal comanion, Swami Brahmanandaji said there is greater Guru then your own mind. Purifying mind is very important, then it work like a Guru. So Sri Ramakrishna tells, you have to purifying yourmind by prayer, by contemplation then you will be able to have dirction from withing even in your daily duties. This inner Guru will guide you and will continue to help yoou until the goal reach. Even though the spiritual may come from the divine Guru or human Guru. It is ultimately the aspirant own mind that has to receive and assimiated. Asmilation is important. Ordinary mind know only physical object and sensational. Even this mind receive spiritual instruction, It can’t experience truth or reality. In order to know the spiritual truth, one needs a divine eye or inner eye. Swami Brahmanandaji say in Eternal Companion, behind the mind of you there is a subtle spiritual mind. Everyone has that spiritual mind. One is gross mind which operate in this world, which make you more and more miserable all the time! But there is
another subtle mind that is spiritual mind, How does it exist? It exist in seed form,so through the practice of japa, prayer, contemplation this spiritual mind is developed ( seed form), with this development, a new vision is opens up and aspirant realize it. Experience much spiritual truth. What it meant here is Buddhi or intellectual intuitive which lies dormant in most of the people is get awakened through purification and prayer. Lord Krishna called this awakened faculty as Satvik buddhi. In Bhagavad Gita ( chapter 18 verse 30 ) tell that which is distinguish action and inaction, what ought to be done and what ought not to be done, what is fear and what is not to be fear,what leads to bondage and what leads to liberation. That intellect is Satvic. We should develop Satvic mind, when this is awakened, well establish in Satvic mind then Satvic mind act as inner Guru and guide you in spiritual path. However, this awakening takes the long time until then aspirant has to be very conscious about working of his own mind. We should be aware of two danger involve in concept of inner Guru. One is confusion it with reason, reading and analysis or function of ordinary mind. Knwledge derives through, it need not always be true for reasoning when pracice by ignorant of impure mind can lead one astray. Second danger is to make one’s own uncounscious desire and fantasy for divine voice or command. It is so no easy to hear divine voice and awakening the inner Guru is usually not possible without intense practice of purification and prayer. Therefore the spiritual aspirant, it is safe during early stages to depend upon the guidance o external Guru, then one’s own impure mind, later stage mind become your inner Guru you can depend upon then. Third category is human Guru. Human Guru is the agent who awakened the inner Guru and bring about union of Jivatma with the Parmatma. Though there is a main work of Guru, he acutully perform several function in the life of aspirant. He is closely connected with the spiritual development of the disciple. The first funcion of Guru is to install aspirant about his spiritual idea and means to attaining it. In the path of devotion, this means helping aspirant to fix his mind on Istha-devata,
through technique of meditation which Guru himself had practice and tested on his own life. To the beginner spiritual life is wholly unknown territory and before he attempts to travel, he need the guidance of one who already travel it. So here what does Guru doing, he is not remove the darkness of ignorance about the path from the mind of the disciple, he also assure him that don’t worry, don’t loose hope, so Guru helps a lot the disciple. Guru means one who remove the darkness of ignorance is called Guru. Guru install faith in disciple, faith is not simple belief, it is orientation of the soul towards the ultimate goal. It is awakening of the soul from the sleep of ignorance. This orientation comes only when the mysical words assuring from the lips of a Guru touch and it influence the heart of the aspirant. The faith of a beginner in spiritual life is seldome, it is ebb and flow, the continuously of aspiration and practice is broken by period of slugginess, ejection, dryness and despair. The disciple is not well establish due to not close contact to his Guru. Those who maintain living contact with their Guru find a purial fountain of faith and aspiration constanly of flowing with them. The need of Guru present and guidance are invaluable. Many aspirant they are too inexperience to understand the working for their own mind and pitfall the path of striving, intense practice often relapse forces, which many aspirant may not know how to manipulate. To monkey with the hidden power of the mind an psychic high tention wire is as risky as playing with fire. One has to pay primary attntion to puryfying one own’s mind. Second function of Guru is to awakened the power of spiritual intution to his disciple. It is stated that the preceptor open the eyes of disciple blinded by ignorance, with applying the colorymn of knowledge. Spiritual preceptor open up the inner eye, the divine eye. This divine eye, the power of intution lying dormat in all people, that spiritual preceptor opens up. This inner eye cannot be open without spiritual power. Without quickening impluse as Swami Vivekananda call it (Cws- Voll 3 ).Now how does it Guru transmit the quickeing impluses to disciple? He does through process called Diksa or Initiation. In Tejobindu Upanishad tells that initiation is three types.
One is Anva, second one is Sakta and third is Sambhava. In Anava Guru communicate the mantra to the disciple, when her repeat it with faith and purify of mind, this lead to gradual unfoldment of his spiritual potential, so this called Anava. Second one called Sakta, here Guru transmit power directly by touch. Third is Sambhava, here Guru give the highest illumination, how; By mere wish or Sanklap Matra. According to Hindu scripture, evey one have a three kind of power,power of knoweldge, power of action, power of will. Three kind of initiation maintain, just now refer to transmittion of three power respectively. Your spiritual life start by the devotion to your Guru. Usually Guru doesn’t exercise this special of transmittion because he want aspirant to make little afford, that is why Sri Ramakrishna’s teaching is so powerful, you become throror with them. Then you will be understand all the problem and consulting. His teaching is not only theatrical but practical. His teaching powerful effect on life. Your devotion and faith to your Guru must be very formed. Not simply by talking but by showing by your action. You must be prove yourself a truly worthy disciple t your Guru. You must be right channel, So Guru’s grace flow threw it. Then you will be able to cross this oceab of samsara. Guru has mainly four funcion to perform. First is to instruct the disciple about his spiritual idea tha means of attaining it. In spiritual life everything should be definite, there should not be any confusion regarding ideal and Sri Ramakrishna set the Ideal and path has shown the way to meditate upon. Second function of the Guru is to awakened power of spiritual intution in the disciple. Everyone has that intution, because the divinty is already there in your heart, it can be awakened, so the Guru awakened the spiritual intution in the disciple, so the transmittion of the spiritual impulse or power threw a mantra is thus a second function of the Guru. Third function of the Guru is to remove the inherent defect in the character of disciple. How? By giving few austerity treatment. Sometime Guru will have to very strick inforcing discipline, you must be ready undertake any discipline, if you have to progress on spiritual path. The Guru has immense power to subdue the egoism of the disciple, so from this
point of view, you should know how is very important relationship between Guru and disciple. Relationship is pure, it is elavated and strong, the disciple should always remember that every movement of his life that he is under the strick guidance of the Guru. Guru says must be clearly followed up. The disciple looks upon all scolding and the punishment made up from him by his Guruas blessing and cherish them as treasurer throughout his life. Four function of the Guru is to connected disciple to spiritual tradition, what we called Sampradaya, the rely on Guru parampara. A spiritual tradition is stated by an Avatar or illuminator seer. Whose spiritual knowledge and power of preserve through succession of Gurus. The person receiving intutive from Guru, he get the share of the knowledge and power circulating in the co-operate mystical body. His own individual indever get a tremenous boost from the collective good will and aspiration. So it is very important to know about Guru concept. It is very sacred according to hindu tradition. The spiritual preceptor is a object of adoration and worship as much as diety is. In Swataswar Upanishad says spiritual truth only shine forth those high soul, once who have as much supreme devotion for the Guru as for God. The fundamental basis of this Guru concept is given Mundaka Upanishad, the knower of Brahman verily become Brahman itself. All illuminate Guru is for the disciple not only the symbol of Brahman but he is non different from the highest reality. Guru and disciple relationship is eternal one. Even after guru left his mortal body he continue to remain in his subtle body and guide the disciple. It is believe that once Guru has except the responsibility of the disciple, he can’t get liberation until disciple attatns it, he concern about spiritual growth for his disciple, he sacrifice everything for that, it is believe that sins of disciple goes to the Guru who had a suffer for that. So Guru suffer for the welfare of the disciple, Guru seek nothing from his disciple, he except his spiritual responsibilty, suffer for him out of compassion. Guru act as a channel for the flow of divine grace. All peope are not equally open to God, in many people the ego and sinful tendency of past often resistance to grace, which has threfore, find
the channel, holy illuminate soul. So when the disciple himself in dedicated service and develop his devotion to the Guru, he open his soul to the Guru. He receive divine grace by the blessing of the Guru, what have taken the years of struggle to attain that state the disciple get in short time by the blessing of his Guru. The aspirant feel eternally owe to his Guru, who save him from sorrw bondage and fear for ever and suffer for his sake, so it is attitude and believe of this kind handed down from generation that found the basis of the Guru concept, give it to sacred time on our spiritual tradition. What is important is that disciple should not loose the spiritual perceptive, if he loose is that, then his relationship with the Guru become an ordinary human one. In order to understand the real spiritual greatness of the Guru, the disciple must himself have some spiritual intution and this cannot be get without intense spiritual practice in the hope of getting spiritual progress by proxy, it make transmitted of spiritual truth has in able to maintain even the highest form of spiritual experience in living tradition through thousand of year. An individual level Guru concept can be great help to the beginner in spiritual life. Apart from the practical instruction tha the Guru gives, his personality give the neo fide, they much needed support to his soul. The love and intangible spiritual reality and unkown God is really difficult for the beginner. By loving a living spiritual personality, in whom are manifested some attribute in a choosen ideal, the disciple progress quickly in the path of devotion. So by surrounding his will to the will of Guru, by serving him and by undergoing sacrifice for his sake, disciple learn to practice true self, surrender to God.It is morever easier to concentrate upon a person flesh and blood was has been. So meditaion on Guru is a great help to concentration, on the path of knowlede the aspirant practically have no other support then the Guru. Sankracharya says the blessing of the Guru is not be paid back. There is not substitue for it on earth. That is how the traditional of Guru plays most important part in our spiritual life. By following what Guru says you pracising yoga so never neglect spiritual pracitce even for a day, be always conscious what
you are doing, what you are thinkin, what you are talking. Don’t give rise to terrible emoion. Don’t unnecessary engage yourself in defending what you have done good or bad, God take care of it. Try to be more humble, devoted and service and then you will see how you will become the recepient of Guru grace. Guru’s grace will inable to have illumination and you will get temendous peace in life.
Illumined souls Illumined souls are those whose consciousness has been lighted up by the self-effulgent light of Truth. An ordinary professor or scholar teaches out of his accumulated learning. Such a man’s scholarship is far greater than the man himself. That is to say, he may teach the loftiest truths, theoretically, without having made them a part of his own life and experience. A man of spiritual wisdom also teaches these truths, not theoretically, but out of his own experience. The expression of these truths in words cannot possibly correspond to the vastness of his inner knowledge, which is inexpressible, because it is transcendental. We must, however, clearly distinguish between mere theoretical knowledge and the knowledge which follows actual experience. Book-learning is often mistaken for the highest knowledge, but intellectual knowledge about the ultimate Reality is totally different from its direct Realization. When you go into the presence of one of these great beings, something very wonderful happens. His mere presence gives you, as it were, a super-sense which enables you to recognize the greatness which is in him. Our minds were lifted up and caught glimpses of his inner nature; He had the power to uplift a man without his even knowing it; and when that person left his presence he was bathed in love and purity. You felt you were in another world where there was not worry or grief, and where man was not man but divine. You were filled with a peculiar joy which could neither explain no Understand, He give his disciple full freedom. He rules from the Heart and not from the head. His aim to be dispels delusion, to clear the vision. An illumined soul knows the past and future of his disciples that is to be understood in a spiritual sense. A good teacher sees through the subtle body of his disciple and imparts his teaching according to the past and future impressions that are revealed to him in the depth of meditation. An enlightened soul does not use occult powers nor does he take recourse to astrology, for astrological calculations. It is not easy to give initiation. An illumined guru has to
perform special japa for their inner growth and spiritual welfare. The relationship between the Guru and disciple is established by God. The real Guru has to take the burden of his disciple. He works for them through silent prayer and meditation. The scriptures say that when an illumined teacher initiates a disciple it is Lord Himself who, having appeared in the Heart of the teacher, communicates power into the heart of the disciple the teacher is God Himself. Everyone does not have the same approach; there is difference in temperaments. Ordinary teaches may not understand all these things. Some prefer to think of God as having form, others as the Formless. One likes to meditate; let him do so; another prefers to his beads; that is his way. There are others who have to combine meditation and repetition of the name of the Lord or some such mystic formula. Spiritual progress will be very slow if you instruct everyone in the same way, casting all in the same mold. A realized soul has the power to mold the disciple’s mind; and in a few days he can turn his mind towards spirituality. The power of a mantra that has brought success to anyone irresistible when imparted to another, and particularly so when it comes through a Guru who is himself a realized soul. Enlightened souls experience the one undivided Existence. Then they know that the seeming multiplicity of the universe is God’s play. They know that the infinite God is born as an avatar for his own divine sport. Just as the sea, always full and steady, remains undisturbed by the entry of water from the rivers etc., similarly, although thoughts of desirable things may rise as a result of past tendencies in a man of realization, still his mind is not disturbed at all, just like the full unagitated sea. Having realized the absolute state of peace, he remains contented in his self. Is there death at any time to the sadgurus who are persons possessing the knowledge of the Absolute. They only cast away this physical sheath, but they are alive and are present always, in the subtle body, and do well to the devotees who resort to them. It is also possible to have a vision of them. What do ordinary people know about love? Only God can truly love, and only illumined souls are really able to transmit love. A knower of Brahman can give liberation; by the mere wish a knower of
Brahman can give you anything you want. Know for certain that his wish and God’s wish are the same. There is a special manifestation of God in a knower of Brahman. The man who realized God will never lack for anything. Whatever he needs will come to him. Who given up everything for the sake of the Lord and felt no other attraction but God, are honored and worshipped by the world. Nothing will ever be ruffling his mind (one who has realized his true self.) He may have to drudge under a hard taskmaster or he may be placed on a splendid throne, but he remains unmoved; because he knows that compared to that light, this sun is but flickering flame; compared to that Bliss these fleeting pleasures are as foolishness. The things of the world are as nothing to such a man; for he has found within himself an inexhaustible treasure, the treasure of eternal life, of infinite knowledge and unending bliss. Great souls, wherever they are, create a spiritual zone around them; and anybody coming within that zone realizes something like an electric current passing into him. It is a very strange phenomenon, impossible to explain, unless one has experienced it oneself this is wonderful play of energy, one’s power involuntarily acting on another.