He is a proper guru to whom your mind is attuned. He should be endowed with tranquility, patience forgiveness and other virtues. He should be capable of attracting others even with his eyes just as a magnet attracts iron; he should have feelings of equality towards all. He who has these virtues is a true guru.
Guru Purnima is a festival traditionally observed to honour one’s preceptor, spiritual guru in particular, from whom the disciple has received mantra-initiation. According to the Hindu calendar, it is observed on Purnima, full moon day, in the month of Ashadh, June-July. On this day, the disciple remembers his guru with deep feelings of devotion and resolves to follow the path shown by him with utmost tenacity.
A good teacher is needed to help us get rid of our spiritual ignorance. We need to understand how to be attached only to the Supreme One. His feet are our refuge, and we must know how to reach His feet. One cannot get atma gnana by reading the scriptures. There will be a lot that will not yield its inner meaning to us. We can get the meanings of words with the aid of a dictionary. But the interpretation of the texts is what is important, and it is here that a guru becomes essential, pointed out Kidambi Narayanan, in a discourse.
A good guru is one who speaks the truth. But he doesn’t stop with that. He also motivates others to be truthful. He has control over his indriyas. His mind is always focused on the Supreme One. He is patient and calm. The Taittriya Upanishad lays down all these as qualities of a good guru. But it is not easy to find one who is knowledgeable and also has all these attributes. If one set about looking for such a perfect guru, one may spend a lifetime searching, and yet be disappointed.
Lord Krishna, in the Uddhava Gita, tells us that we need not go far to find a good guru. There are many all around us! He gives a list of gurus, whose examples are there for us to follow, and the Lord’s list includes such varied things as the earth, serpents, doves and so on. Animals, birds and the elements are all gurus, if we observe them and choose to follow their example, the Lord points out.
Lord Krishna came up with two Gitas. One was the famous Bhagavad Gita, which was what He preached to Arjuna. The other was the Uddhava Gita, which He preached to Uddhava. When the Lord’s avatara was about to end, Uddhava was overcome with grief. He did not want to live once the Lord’s avatara ended. So he asked the Lord to bless him with the knowledge of how to be detached. The Lord then pointed to various facets of Nature as being teachers and giving us valuable lessons. Lord Krishna simplified the task of seeking a guru. We do not have to go in search of the elements, because they are all around us. In His list, the Lord mentioned animals, birds and reptiles too as good gurus.
Qualities of Guru : A Guru has all the qualities that an ideal teacher possesses. The Guru’s real quality is Ātmānubhūti (Self-realisation). However, since that cannot be comprehended with the intellect, only some qualities, which can be understood with the intellect, are listed here.
1.Qualities of Guru – Dnyānī (Knowledgeable)
1 A. One experiencing self-realisation.
1 B. Omniscient
A so-called Saint asked His Holiness Dr. Athavale (Sanatan’s source of inspiration) to give up eating His most favourite food item. Therefore, for one year He stopped eating custard apples. When in September 1990, Baba (His Holiness Bhaktaraj Maharaj) visited Him, He thought to Himself “Giving up custard apples etc. are trivial matters. These matters are meaningless. However, I will eat custard apples only if Baba Himself tells me to”. The next day someone brought custard apples for Baba. Baba said to me, “You too have one”.
Experience of Guru’s omniscience – Realisation that the Guru understands everything through the subtle from the fact that, He replied all the questions of a devotee though He had not read the devotee’s letters : A devotee used to send letters to Baba. Baba would reply to his questions when he came to meet Him. Therefore, the devotee was under an impression that Baba had read his letters. Once, when Baba was staying in the Ashram at Indore, His Holiness Dr. Athavale came across all those letters. Surprisingly, the envelopes of the letters had not been opened. Then He realized that the Guru understands everything through the subtle.
2. Qualities of Guru – The yearning to impart spiritual knowledge to a disciple
The Guru earnestly wishes to generously impart to His disciple the spiritual knowledge He has obtained from His Guru and other Saints.
Shrī Gurumahārāj used to have long conversations with His devotees. Even this would exhaust Him. Hence, sometimes His disciples would request Shrī Gurumaharaj to speak less. Shrī Gurumaharaj would then give answers with such intense yearning that it would stun the speaker. He would say that the disciples of Shrī Ramkrushna Paramhansa would also tell Him not to speak excessively and that Ramkrushna would then respond, “If even one individual is emancipated by my talk, I will be happy no matter what the consequences with respect to my health are. It is really a punishment for me if I am prohibited from conversing with those who love me so much and travel great distances to meet me. If I do not speak to them, meet them, then how will I remain in good health ?”
3.Qualities of Guru – Teaching only that disciple who will obey
In Gurucharitra (Adhyāya 47, Ovī 14) it is said that, ‘One who follows devotedly something told just once, only to such individual will I preach and he should perform it with the same devotion’.
4. Qualities of Guru – Teaching step-by-step based on the spiritual level
When a child is just learning to talk it is taught to utter small words, when it is just learning to walk it is done gradually; similarly, the Guru teaches the disciple step-by-step.
4 A. Finally, a disciple has to surrender everything – body, mind and wealth to the Guru. Despite this being so, a seeker in the initial stage finds it difficult to even listen to such words. Hence, during the 1993 Gurupourṇimā celebrations in Goa, Baba said, “Just as one eats to heart’s content and then does not bother about the leftovers in a plate, a seeker too should enjoy worldly pleasures to the maximum and sacrifice as much as the leftovers, but then not think about it anymore.”
This is meant only for a seeker in the primary stage. Someone misinterpreted it and thought that Baba advises only sacrificing that little and not surrender everything.
5.Qualities of Guru – Examining the homework
If spiritual practice is not taking place appropriately, then just as a good teacher asks his students to do homework, corrects it, takes tests, etc., a Guru should be able to ask His disciples about it. Hence, some Gurus ask their disciples to write down God’s Name and check it regularly; while some Gurus tell seekers to speak about their thoughts and spiritual experiences with them.
6.Qualities of Guru – Teaching with a positive attitude
His Holiness Baba teaches with a positive attitude. He says, “Sing devotional songs, chant God’s Name, perform service etc.” He never preaches negative things such as ‘Do not drink alcohol, do not behave in this way etc.’
7. Qualities of Guru – Equality for all disciples
It is natural for a Guru’s love for a disciple to vary according to the disciple’s bhāv (Spiritual emotion) towards Him. This is akin to parent’s variable affection for their children. However, just as good parents do not display it, so is the case with the Guru.
Though the clouds shower rains equally everywhere, the water accumulates only in craters, while the raised mountains remain dry. Similarly, Saints do not discriminate. The bestowal of their grace on all is the same; however, the one with a pure antahkaraṇ who humbly surrenders to them gets deserving benefit in keeping with his faith.
8. Qualities of Guru – Protecting the disciple
If a disciple is desirous of Moksha (Final Liberation), then even if he commits mistakes, the Guru protects him. No matter how impulsive, stubborn, illiterate or incompetent the disciple may be, the real skill of the Guru lies in His taking care of that disciple. Even if a disciple is terribly annoyed with the Guru, the Guru Himself takes care of him. Once, a disciple of His Holiness Baba placed a pair of slippers on His photograph. Despite this, Baba did not get angry with him; instead, He continued to love him as before.
9.Qualities of Guru – Appreciating the disciple
A Guru expresses appreciation for His disciple off and on either in words or by bestowing him with spiritual experiences.
10. Qualities of Guru – The one without any expectationof receiving Gurudakshiṇā (An offering)
Due to detachment and dissolution of the Guru’s ego and attainment of all-pervasiveness by the Guru, He does not aspire to acquire anything.
Since a Guru gets free spiritual knowledge from His Guru, He imparts it to others free of charge.
Divine Knowledge being invaluable, the Guru does not even evaluate it.
Role of a Guru is extremely important in Self-realization. Kulārṇava Tantra discusses in detail about the qualities of a Guru. This is in the form of a conversation between Śiva and Śakti. First, Śiva enumerates the qualities of a disciple (śiṣya). Śiṣya is the one, who has the will, aptitude, perseverance, patience and faith to transform from the state of aniṣpanna (imperfection) to the state of niṣpanna (perfection). (aniṣpanne niṣpanna-śabdaḥ śiṣyaḥ).
There are several descriptions for a perfect disciple, which may not suit the present world. Following are the qualities of a disciple that a Guru needs to avoid in this hyperactive world. Those who are devoid of good qualities; disciple of another Guru; egoistic; unclean; laziness; cunning; divulging mantras given by Guru; finding fault with others; ungrateful; indecency of speech; untrue; traitor to his Guru; jealousy, shameless; getting angry and short tempered and unsteady mind are to be avoided as they can never get liberated, at least in this birth and for spiritual upliftment . Any effort spent on these disciples could only be a waste of time for a Guru.
After having spoken about the disciples who are to be avoided, Śiva speaks about qualities that are needed in a perfect disciple. They are enthusiasm in meditation; constant communication with Guru; following the mind of Guru; engaging in japa and meditation and aspiring for liberation.
Now Śiva speaks about the characteristics of a Guru. A Guru should be with a clean apparel; charming; knowledgeable; application of mantras; sweet looking; ease of access; capable of clarifying disciples’ doubts; always keeping his attention within; capable of instructions; knower of past, present and future; should have conquered desire, anger, greed, delusion, jealousy and pride; equal minded to Śiva and Viṣṇu; ever content; independent; dear to devotees; not selling mantra and yantra and without partiality.
Śiva also speaks about higher level of Guru-s and their qualities. He says that it is difficult to obtain a Guru who gives to the disciple, his own status in a moment without any ceremonies; difficult to obtain a Guru who goes on giving knowledge with facility and without strenuous practice. Many are the Gurus who are proficient in Vedas and Śāstra-s, but rare is a Guru who has realized the Self (Brahman). Many are the Gurus on the earth who give everything else other than the Light of the Self. Many are the Gurus who know petty mantras, but rare to find one who knows mantras handed down by Nigama (name of a deity into a liturgical formula, leading to the realization of the deity), Āgama (acquisition of knowledge through traditional doctrine) and Śāstra-s. Many are the Gurus who rob the disciples of their wealth; but rare is the Guru who removes the afflictions of the disciples.
Śiva further says that knower of Truth alone is the Real Guru, as knower of the Truth alone is liberated and he alone can make others liberate. Only the liberated can liberate others; how can un-liberated liberate others? Only those with knowledge can impart knowledge; only a boat can ferry the stones and definitely a stone cannot ferry another stone.
Śiva classified Gurus under six categories and they are Preraka (setting in motion, the process of liberation – making a disciple to enter the right spiritual path in the quickest possible time), Sūcaka (subtle conveyance – subtly conveying the ‘attributes’ of Brahman), Vācaka (expressing and declaring – declaring the omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotent Brahman in stagaes), Darśaka (pointing out; for example ‘tat tavam asi’ or you are That Brahman), Śikṣaka (teaching or instructing; imparting knowledge so that the disciple realizes that he is Brahman. Guru says ‘You are That’ and the disciple investigates, explores, analyses the teaching of Guru ‘You are That’ and the disciple after many interactions with the Guru realizes and affirms ‘I am That’ or ‘ahaṁ brahmāsi’) and the last one Bodhaka (awakening; in fact this the combination of the previous five).
Most importantly Śiva says that if one happens to get a Guru who does not fall in any of the above qualities, he can move to a learned Guru and this migration is not considered as a sin. Śiva draws the example of honeybee here. A true disciple is like a honey bee moving one flower to another flower seeking higher spiritual knowledge, goes from one guru to another Guru, who can impart highest spiritual knowledge.
Poor little bug on the wall,
No one to love him at all,
No one to tickle his toes,
No one to blow his nose,
Poor little bug on the wall.
