THE CONCEPT OF GURU (SPIRITUAL GUIDE)

Nowdays lot of people are coming into the spiritual world very often and very soon they loose their interest and would return back to the material world. Such persons enter the religious world due to different reasons such as imitating each other in workplace/relatives/friends/place of living, due to the personal problems, mental stress/agony etc. but the failure to continue in this world happens due to lack of proper devotion towards God/scriptures, lack of knowledge about the concept of Guru and subsequently devotion towards Guru. Everybody knows the literal meaning of Guru as one who takes you from darkness to light or one who guides you towards salvation. In my opinion, when a baby takes birth in this world, the most important thing he needs is his parents who take his utmost care and just because of them only that small baby subsequently grows up properly. Similarly, when a person enters the spiritual world for the first time, he needs Guru who with utmost care guide him how to proceed properly in the spiritual world and just because of Guru’s proper guidance and care only that person achieves his goal easily. For people like us we definitely need Guru in a physical (sakar) form as it is very difficult to concentrate on formless (nirakar- Ref. Srimad Bhagvadgita 12th Chapter). It is much easier to achieve Guru Bhakti if your Guru is in a physical form otherwise for the nirakar form lot of pain and patience is required. According to Srimad Bhagavatham Lord Ram/Lord Krishna who were the Supreme God even they also had Guru in a physical form because Lord himself had told in Gita that for him there is no karma or there is no need to do any karma but still he takes birth like a normal human being among us just to show how to live an ideal life or what are the basic duties of life in all aspects whether it is worldly life or spiritual life. Then after the avtaars many big saints and devotees have taken birth in our country and they also had Guru in a physical form. One famous saint of Bengal used to say that Brahman is in everywhere but it is only Guru in whom Brahman is specially visible and without whom’s anugraham or mercy it is absolutely impossible to know or see the Brahman. Therefore it is not sufficient just to know the literal meaning of Guru as Guru is beyond that. In Guru-Gita, it is said that Dhyan Moolam Guru Murti (for meditation Guru’s Physical form), Puja Moolam Guru Padam (for worshipping Guru’s feet again in physical form), Mantra Moolam Gurum Vakyam (for mantra look out for your Guru’s instructions/words), Moksha Moolam Guru Kripa (for Salvation is only by Guru’s pure anugraham). When knowledge about Guru or Guru’s greatness is not known then how bhakti for Guru will arise? And if Guru Bhakti is not there then how one will succeed in the spiritual field. It is said that if Sri Krishna is angry on you only Guru can save you from his anger but if Guru is angry on you then nobody in this universe can save you. It is also said that while doing sadhana if anybody commits any mistake in doing rituals or chanting mantras properly, it is only Guru who can save you from the wrath of the respective Devtas. In Srimad Bhagvad Gita also when Arjuna surrendered to Lord Krishna and asked him to become his Guru as He is only JagatGuru, Lord Krishna then only gave knowledge about Gita and the result of it is known to everybody. If you think yourself in a thick dense forest on a darkest night and you could not see or find your way to get out it, Guru only shows you the way by giving a sharp torch light and helps you out. And the most important thing, you are not so competent to find your own Guru, it is only Guru who finds you. You can only pray from the deepest core of your heart to the Lord to help you and he certainly does by coming in the form of Guru. That is why it is said that Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara, Guru Sakshat Parabrahma, Tasmayesree Gurave Namah.