Author : Swami Chinmayananda Description : The guru and disciple relationship is unavoidable. Every great master has been under the guidance of a teacher. So it is not true when they say that a teacher is not necessary—that we can reach there just through books. But you have to understand very carefully. To say the guru is necessary does not mean that the guru will take the responsibility that you must meet a guru and thereafter the guru will carry you to the goal. The relationship between the teacher and the taught is exactly like the relationship of the gardener and the flowers on the bush. The gardener does not create the flowers from the soil and the manure; the flowers must themselves come from the bush. The poor garde¬ner can only tend its roots, water it, protect it, see that it has the correct amount of sunlight and shade-all these externals, "nursing," he can provide. But no mere gardener can guarantee the blossom; it can come only from the bush itself. Similarly, the teacher's job is to nurture the student the student must be nourished with the right thoughts. The student must be given a conducive and protective environment where he or she need not overstrain just to live. But the blossoming—the real fragrance and beauty of the personality—must come from within. There are some gurus who will say that they will carry you to the goal. Those are all "mule gurus." You can ride on them. But the true gurus only show you the way and encourage you to keep up... As the student advances and the mind becomes quiet and concentrated, its subtler powers come to manifest themselves—they are called siddhis. If you revel in the play of these psychic powers, you may never reach the Highest. Here, too, the guru is needed—to knock you down: "Why are you tarrying here? You may enjoy such fascinations in passing, but don't stay here and play with these toys, for you are still only playing with the mind, and you will never reach the Highest. Go forward!"... You ask, "How does one choose a guru?" It is not question of the disciple selecting the guru. No. He gravitates toward a guru, and he will find exactly the guru he needs for his mental development at this time. So choose whatever guru comes to you. But may you understand that the only guru is He, the Lord, who expresses in many forms.
As per my understanding we don't choose guru, its our previous life karma and guru who chooses us. Tnx
I see it as a relationship, much like a marriage. It is agreed to by both parties. The western notion of going out there and choosing a Guru (often without the Guru's knowledge or consent) is not the Hindu way. In the true Guru-devotee relationship, it's first name, direct communication with no intermediary. So the true Guru has a limited number of followers due to time constraints and the ability to know only so many people in close ways. But neither is is correct to say that the Guru does all the choosing. The devotee has to be available, go and 'look' around. What I'm saying is that you can't just sit around waiting fro the Guru to arrive at your doorstep. That's a bit like saying money will come to you without you going and getting a job. But if you do approach a Guru by signing up for lessons, physically, etc. He(she) has every right to decide you're not ready and tell you to go away.
I agree their has to be some urge but even this urge comes with guru's grace, Remember how Ramakrishna became guru of swami Vivekananda ? it was purely the intent of guru to show him path whereas swami Vivekananda was determined not to follow the path..rather he was in-between not quite sure about it thou. tnx
The beauty is that every situation between Guru and sishya is unique. Ramakrishan kwew Vivekenanda was ready.
Well its not just because his guru choose him but it might also be because of his previous life karma's How do u look into it then ?
I agree it can be previous life karma as well when you are choosing guru and something similar i saw in Upanishad ganga where guru reminds disciple his past as his student and as a result of it he again become spiritual person.
A great Yogi is anyone who has achieved the permanent state of enlightened bliss. A Guru is a great Yogi who can actually pass that state on to others. The word Guru is composed of two Sanskrit syllables. The first means “darkness,” the second means “light.” Out of the darkness and into the light. What passes from the master into the disciple
Guru is a fully realized spiritual teacher. While there are many people posing as gurus it is important to find a genuine guru. A genuine Guru is one: 1. who is a Goswami (The master of the senses), 2. who speaks and acts according to Shastra. 3. who has received transcendental knowledge from a guru in a disciplic succession, starting from the Supreme personality of Godhead