Remember Who Is Guru

Mahanidhi Swami

Unfortunately, many disciples take their Gurus for granted and minimize their position or importance. Occasionally, disciples even fall prey to the saying “familiarity breeds contempt” which means by being too close to one, another may become casual, hateful or offensive.

Because forgetfulness is all pervasive in this age of Kali, everyone is subject to periods of laxity, complacency and forgetfulness in his/her relationship with their beloved, all-merciful Sri Guru.

By studying and praying to realize the teachings below, disciples will clarify, refine and renew their perception of their Gurus. Assimilating this shastric knowledge will help a disciple to always remember who the Guru is, what he/she represents, what Guru has given and is continuing to give, and what beautiful destination and human perfection Guruji is taking me to.

In Bhakti Sandarbha (anu.237) Sri Jiva Goswamipada quotes many shastras to describe the identity and position of the spiritual master, Sri Guru.

1. Sri Narada Muni said, “By various different means and practices one can conquer lust, anger, greed, fear, pride, attachment to sense gratification, anxiety, physical weakness and suffering, sleep, and the samsara bondage of three modes. However, ALL THESE CAN BE EASLIY AND QUICKLY CONQURED BY GURU BHAKTI. (Srimad Bhagavatam 7.15.25)
2. In Vamana Kalpa, Sri Brahmaji said,

yo mantraù sa Guruù sakshad, yo Guruù sa hariù svayam
Gurur yasya bhavet tushtas, tasya tuñöo hariù svayam

“The diksha mantra is identical to the Guru and the Guru is identical to Sri Hari Himself. There is no difference whatsoever between mantra, Guru and Hari. If Guru is satisfied then Sri Hari is automatically satisfied.”

3. “If Bhagavan Sri Krishna is angry, the Guru can save one. If Guru is angry, no one can save one. Therefore with all effort one should please the Guru.” (Hari Bhakti Vilasa 4.36)
4. Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “First one should worship Guru and then worship Me. Doing this brings all results and neglecting this brings failure.” (Hari Bhakti Vilasa 4.344)
5. Narada Pancharatra: “A Vaisnava is one who worships Sri Guru with body, mind and words.”
6. Bhagavan Sri Krishna said, “O Vipra Sudama! I, who am the Soul of all beings, am not as satisfied by puja and ritual worship, brahminical initiation, penances or self-discipline as I am by faithful service rendered to one’s Guru.” (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.80.34)

Sri Jiva Goswamipada tika:

“Here Bhagavan Sri Krishna says, ‘Without service to Sri Guru, all other actions are useless. Sri Guru is directly My form because I have entered into him and he is My best devotee.’”

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti tika:

Krishna said, “Therefore the Guru who teaches about Me is most worthy of being faithfully served.”

7. In Padma Purana, Sri Devahuti said:

bhaktir yatha harau me’sti tad variñtha gurau yadi
mamasti tena satyena sandarshayatu me harih

“If I have more devotion to Guru than Hari, then Sri Hari will give me His darshana through this truth.” [“tad variñtha” means Guru bhakti is more glorious than Hari bhakti.]

8. A very popular chant in India from Garga Samhita (4.1.13):

gurur brahma gurur visnur, guru devo maheshvarah
guruh sakshat param brahma, tasmai sri guruave namah

GURU IS DIRECTLY: Brahma, Visnu, Shiva, and Parambrahman. I offer respects to Guru.

THE GURU GITA:

The Guru Gita from Skanda Purana contains Shankara Mahadeva Shivaji’s perfect and uplifting lessons on the truth of Guru. Here is a sampling of some of the wonderfully inspiring and illuminating verses:

Sri Shivaji said, “O Parvati! One should meditate on his/her Guru at all times, just as a devoted wife thinks only of her husband. (30) “Gu” means darkness and “Ru” means the remover of the darkness i.e. ignorance. Thus the teacher who removes the darkness of ignorance is Guru. (34)

Those who are never serve Sri Guru will never be freed from the samsara chakra. (53) Without Guru’s infinite grace, one will not attain peace of mind even after studying millions of scriptures. (56) Whoever vilifies the Guru goes to hell and stays there as long as the sun and moon shine. (58)

One who speaks to the Guru in rude or insulting manner is born as a demon in a jungle or in a waterless region. (61) There is no happiness in Vedas and Shastras, not even in mantras and tantras. In this world, there is no happiness except in the Guru’s Grace. (89)

By the glory of Guru Diksha, all your actions bear fruit. By the attainment of a Guru one attains everything. One without a Guru is mere fool. (102)

To the person who has the Guru Mantra on his tongue, all acts become fruitful but not for others. By the power of initiation disciples attains success in all actions. (133)

Wherever the Guru lives all the devatas live too, and move about the Guru’s residence [kutir or ashram]. (135) O Devi, by the mere satisfaction of the Guru, all sacrifices, austerities, penances, and rites practiced in crores of births, in crores of Kalpas (world cycles), become fruitful. (149)

O Parvati, learning, wealth, strength, good fortune, all of these are of no use if one does not have the grace of the Guru. One falls down. (151)

One who has Guru bhakti, blessed is his father, mother, family and dynasty. (152) I repeat this thrice with force that there is nothing greater than the Guru. (154) O Parvati, one becomes free from the cycle of birth and death by pleasing the Guru. (157)

Guru bhakti is the greatest kind of pilgrimage, whereas all other yatras are worthless. All places of pilgrimage are present, O Devi, at the sacred holy feet of the Guru. (159)

Because they give different benefits, there are many types of Gurus, such as the Suchaka, Vachaka, Bodhaka, Vihita, and Karanakhya Gurus. The supreme Guru however is the PARAMA GURU—the expert in removing all types of doubts and the fear of birth and death. One gets a PARAMA GURU after acquiring heaps of punya over many births. If one has such a Guru, one will never be bound in Samsara and become liberated forever. By all means and efforts, one should serve the Parama Guru. (165-174)

By the devotion practiced towards the Guru, one attains liberation even without knowledge. For those who practice unflinching devotion to the Guru, no other sadhana is required. (212) Thus ends the Guru Gita spoken by Sri Shivaji to Srimati Parvati Devi.

Mahadeva Sri Shivaji ki jai!

Srila Prabhupada:

“Our life will be successful when we strictly follow Guru and Krishna. Guru means Krishna—Krishna means Guru. Not Mäyäväda [that Guru IS Krishna], but Guru means one who follows Krishna. So Guru is directly God, säkñäd-hari. Every shastra says the Guru is God, Krishna. Guru is servant-God and Krishna is master-God. When a person is accepted by both the Gods, then his life is success.” (folio 760731R1.NMR)

Nitya Guru smarana ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!