Hindu Article-Need for guidance

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Need for guidance

 

CHENNAI: : Saints are born in this world with the mission of enabling

laypeople to realise God. The life of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

shows that he guided both the monk and the householder, each

according to his predilection and capacity to adopt a particular path

to liberation. He advised his lay devotees that it was possible to

realise God through service and did not insist on renunciation,

whereas his monk disciples had to totally dedicate themselves to the

spiritual goal. When a young seeker who was following the path of

knowledge (Jnana yoga) sought his advice, he told him instead to

adopt the path of devotion.

 

In his discourse, Swami Gautamananda said only a Guru could discern

the predisposition of a spiritual aspirant and guide him along the

path most suitable for him. This is to facilitate easy progress and

similar to choosing a subject according to one's aptitude while

deciding about one's career. One can choose from the paths of

knowledge, devotion, action and Yoga according to one's proclivity

and no path is superior or inferior to the others.

 

It becomes apparent then that guidance is very important in spiritual

life. A seeker of liberation must keep in mind that unlike other

disciplines, spiritual knowledge will transform one's life totally.

The disciple cannot make demands on the Guru, who will teach only

when he is satisfied with his earnestness and that he has the ability

to grasp the teaching. In the Bhagavad Gita Lord Krishna has

exhorted, "With reverential salutations must you approach the wise

men, who have known the Truth. Serve them and question them

repeatedly with due respect until your doubts are clarified. These

wise men will impart the knowledge of this divine Truth to you."

 

It requires a lot of effort and hard work even to get ordinary

education. Then one can appreciate how much more perseverance is

necessary to attain Self-knowledge, which is capable of giving

lasting peace and bliss. So, spiritual life has its own rules and

regulations. It requires self-discipline and sustained endeavour to

succeed. An aspirant must constantly recall the fundamental truths

taught in the scriptures. The Lord has at the outset in the Gita

stated that the Self is deathless and eternal while only the body is

transitory.

 

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