What for a Guru is needed? Is it reaching God or God- reallisation? Is that the highest? The AKtho Upanishad says: Unless somebody else point out to one, there is no other way of finding it. The realization of Self or God is so very subtle a matter that no amount of trouble in various directions such as study and running up to meet people will alone suffice. Study, Tirtha Yatra, Dana other Punya works, Ishta and Poorti, will not themselves show God, but will help one to a purer state of mind from which we can get the proper Guru and finally Realization of God. In the Puranas and Itihasas, we notice that a Guru is able to achieve not only the above but everything else. Baba’s marga is called the Guru Marga. In it, the Guru provides everything, including food, safety, and protection, to the sishya. That is the present counterpart of the ancient Guru sishsya system for every study. In ancient times, all knowledge was one. All training was one. Any knowledge was called Veda, including Mathematics, Astronomy, Prose and Grammar. Therefore for any and every learning, teaching was the regular course. Every boy must go to Gurukulam. There he was expected to live with his Guru for 12 years as a part of his household and rendered even menial services and was treated as a member of the family. He reaped a rich reward in having not only his food and clothing and shelter provided for him but also in the attention paid to every other item of his welfare. Consequently the Guru and his wife loved the pupil as their child and the pupil loved the Guru and revered his Guru’s wife as his mother.

Why do we need a Guru? The object of seeking a Guru may be secular, temporal or spiritual. For secular matters, people take very great care to select appropriate Gurus to achieve the highest results. The issue is more often raised in spiritual matters. People are of the opinion that there is no clear reason to approach a religious Guru. The reason is especially one’s own pride and one’s disinclination to part with goods as dakshina to the Guru. Solution is easy or more easier when one clarifies the position in one’s own mind as to what a Guru is needed for what and what a Guru can do. Now the main question is whether spiritual Guru is needed. One might note what there is as authority and next as precedent, and then finally come to one’s own reasoning and try to decide the question. So far as the aim or object is concerned, aim with the highest spiritual benefit, i.e., to reach God or realizing God. But to decide what the goal is, a Guru’s help is very essential. Due to poorva karma, our nature and tendencies are mostly concealed and not realized or controlled. They are so confused and find it difficult to decide what it is that they want and what is really good for them to aim at. In such cases, even to clarify the issue and to make a man clearly see what is best, a Guru’s aid is often useful and absolutely necessary.

8.10 - Guru Worship

Namdev sat at a dinner along with his caste men who were all full of Achara. When the leaves had been spread and covered with dishes, a dog ran up to Namdev, grabbed a roti from his leaf and ran away. Every one cried out, “polluted, polluted.” Then, Namdev lifted up a cup of ghee or butter from his leaf and ran after the dog saying “Vittal, Vittal, if you are taking only dried bread, it will choke your throat; take this ghee along with it.” People were laughing at the madness of Namdev who wanted to give extra feeding to a dog that polluted his plate and prevented him frm taking dinner. But the dog suddenly assumed the form of Vittal and told him, ‘Now that you have served under a Guru, you are able to realize Me in a dog and other forms’. This is an excellent way of full realization of God in all forms, which, according to the Gita, is the only knowledge of God. Only a Guru can teach this.