WHO IS A TRUE GURU and WHO IS A TRUE SEEKER----6

[Guest guest]

Hari OMWe are on the topic of 'who is a true sadhaka or seeker' and what are his essential qualifications, characteristics, attributes etc. etc,Unless the seeker has taken enough time to tune himself to the teacher, no amount of inquiring into or discussing with a guru will be of any avail. The essence of Master-seeker satsang lies in perfect rapport. Spirituality is not something we can start discussing and

arguing among ourselves to while away an idle hour. Spirituality is to be understood in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. It is an attempt at comprehending the deep experiences of the Guru expressed not so much through his words as perhaps, through the ring of sincerity that the words carry when they come from his heart throbbing with his own nishta. A seeker who approaches a Guru should, first of all, learn to love him,trust him and later on, through love-inspired acts of service(Sevaya), become receptive and establish an intimate rapport filled with reverence

and surrender (pranipatena). Such a relationship alone will yield results. Vedanta emphasizes or perhaps, overemphasizes the method of approaching the Guru.

 

These days, unfortunately, we find seekers who would call over the phone and enquire from the Master at the other end of the city about the goal of life, the path, the means and so on. Such a telephone-tution is no possible in spirituality. A seeker of a spiritual life has to approach the Master in an attitude of reverence and surrender.. Then alone can the Master acquaint the seeker with knowledge of the Self. Upasana or worship of the Guru or Master is not a mere servile attendance upon him with an attitude of disgust or disatisfaction. The Seeker, out of sheer love and reverence for the Guru, forgets himself and serves him at all times and in all possible ways; thereby the seeker is made to remember ,constantly, the glories and the noble qualities of the Master. This makes the seeker efficient to set himslf in unison with the Guru which is essential for the seeker if he is to really benefit by the Guru`s original ideas, and his own inner experience. When suggestive words of deep import are given out by a Guru in his moments of inspiration, the seeker at once understands the Master. It is for this reason , the scriptures insist on Guru Upasana, through which the disciple or seeker becomes capable of liberating himself from his limitations.

(to be continued)

G.Balasubramanian