shastry

Nothing. It just means everything is not correct. He is so pleased with you that that he wanted to tell you that everything is not correct, instead of directly troubling you. Thank him with your favorite prayer. And for correcting, just offer a prayer in nearby temple or chant your favorite name of the God 108 times and ask his/her forgiveness for any wrong-doings of the past (you don't need to know them). Then offer another coconut in any temple nearby. One of the Adi Sankaracharya's blessing for us, as far I remember, loosely translates to: All that I have done, by hands, legs, by words, body and actions, by ears, eyes and emotions, those I am aware of unaware of, O God, please forgive. Forgive not because I ask, but because you are so kind. karacharanakritamvaa vaakkaayajamkarmajamvaa sravananayanajamvaa maanasamvaaparadham| vihitamavihitamvaa sarvametatkshamasva shivashiva karunaabdhe sree mahadeva shambho||

Jerry I am happy that you are interested in understanding and following the Dharmam. Some or most of the following you might already be aware of, still I am putting them for others use as well. Unlike the regular usage of the term guru in English, here a guru is actually a teacher. A teacher or a navigator who shows you the path. Where to, a better way of life or a better life itself. Let me give a very simple view: as Balwant said, Hinduism is not a religion, it's a path of life or more appropriately 'it's the best path for a life'. A guru, according to elders(who walked already) in this way, can be one of: 1. Suchaka Guru: Teaches worldly knowledge. Best example is a school teacher. 2. Vacahaka Guru: As far I remember, teaches basics of life - physical, philosophical & spiritual. 3. Bodhaka Guru: Same as Vachaka Guru, but you may consult him day to day to confirm what to practice and what not to. 4. Parama Guru: A guru whom the whole world can consult or follow. Sounds like Pope for Christianity, though differs a lot. 5. Nishiddha Guru: Whom should not be followed. Out of them, someone might have suggested that you might need a Bodhaka Guru, to learn the path to higher levels of consciousness. At every point, anyways, you are on your own. A guru is more like a compass. What you will learn depends on how much you develop yourself. It is said that a Guru should not assess the follower before accepting him/her. He (and she) should only assess their ability to understand higher level knowledge, before teaching it, at every step; much like exams at the end of every semester in the school. This should help you choose the correct Guru. I can take you through most of the basics. Later, I can point you to the best Guru for further development. Let me know if you need my help.