One
of the most powerful elements in the Hindu frame work is the concept of
guru.To achieve spiritual progress without a guru is theoretically possible
but practically very difficult. In today's time where the materialism
has a very strong hold on an individual the guidance of a spiritual master
is highly recommended in order for an individual to attain self-realization.
In common language a guru is the one who gives us spiritual knowledge.
The word guru in Sanskrit is a combination
of two words gu
and ru.Gu
means the darkness and Ru means the
one who removes the darkness. Traditionally a
guru has the highest value and respect among all the human beings.
He is not worshiped as a God but he is highly respected, obeyed and listened.
Disciples seldom questioned the guru's word for he was taken as the embodiment
of wisdom and in a way the guru's words become the words of God. A true
guru never advertises nor does he look for his disciples It is the disciple
who has to search for a guru and guru tests his disciple severely before
making him his disciple ,the guru may reject him even if the guru rejects
him still the rejected disciple considers him as his guru for the whole
life. After the acceptance of the disciple a guru often, if not always
demolishes the ego of his disciple in order to rebuild him.
A
guru knows that one day my disciple may develop the ego
since he can learn things very quickly and easily what his guru teaches
and uses his brain quicker than his guru because he is young and energetic
and when this comes to his mind then he develops the ego which causes
his downfall. Certainly a guru will be very happy seeing his disciple
progressing and going high in the sky but certainly not on the cost of
ego. The importance of a guru can be understood by this that traditionally
it used to be the guru who would suggest and advise a certain job to his
disciple. because the disciple lives with his guru for 12 years hence
the guru knows the best of the ability of his disciples.(There was no
system of paying the fees to a guru .He would give them knowledge and
instead the disciples would go door to door to collect alms and cook for
the guru, and the guru and his disciples would live together in the depth
of silence ) At a certain point the guru gives his disciples sacred saying
(Mantra) that will guide him for the rest of his life.The relation of
a guru and the disciple is very pure. He sets an example to his disciples
of simple living and high thinking. The concept
of a guru is many thousands years old when they used to teach
their esoteric wisdom to few selected disciples because these esoteric
studies were not meant for the common people to learn. It might sound
very undemocratic in the modern age but we should not forget that the
spiritual knowledge was a source of much power that was to be exercised
for the betterment of the community hence it should have not gone to the
common people.