Is a Guru absolutely necessary?

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Is a Guru Absolutely

Necessary? In spite of much prevalence of the

concept of a spiritual Guru, there is still a good deal of confusion,

misunderstanding, and skepticism in the public mind on this vital matter. Is a Guru absolutely necessary? Who is a

Satguru? How far can he help his Chela (disciple)? What are the duties of a

disciple? What is the meaning of Initiation (diksha)?

Want of clear-cut and definite answers to these and related questions often

impedes the spiritual progress of earnest aspirants. We explore the answers

to some of these questions here. THE

NEED FOR A GURU For a beginner in the spiritual path, a

Guru is necessary. To light a candle, you

need a burning candle. Even so, an illumined soul alone can enlighten another

soul. Some do meditation for some years independently. Later on,

they actually feel the necessity for a Guru. They come across some obstacles in

the way. They do not know how to obviate these impediments or stumbling blocks.

Then they begin to search for a Master. Only the man who has already been to

Badrinath will be able to tell you the road leading to it. In the case of the

spiritual path, it is still more difficult to find your way. The mind will

mislead you very often. The Guru will be able to remove pitfalls and obstacles,

and lead you along the right path. He will tell you: “This road leads you to

Moksha; this one leads to bondage.†Without this guidance, you might want to go

to Badrinath, but find yourself in Delhi ! Is there anyone greater than

Lord Rama & Krishna ? Even they took refuge in the

Guru. The Lord of the three worlds, Admits subjugation to the Guru. The Lord in his incarnations as Sri Rama

& Sri Krishna took refuge in the holy feet

of Self Realized Saints like Guru Vishwamitra, Sage Vasishtha & Sage Sandipani,

thus exemplifying the divine message of the Supreme Glory of the Guru, to whole

of humanity. Sant Kabirji has nicely explained the

need for a Guru in his own words: सहजो कारज संसार के, गà¥à¤°à¥ बिन होत नाहि |

हरि तो गà¥à¤°à¥ बिन

कà¥à¤¯à¤¾ मिले, समठले मन माहि || Translation: Even if you need to perform the ordinary chores of the world, you

need someone to guide you in the form of a Guru. O Mind! Then ponder, how can

one attain the Supreme Almighty Lord without a Guru? Guru Nanak Dev ji says: संत शरणि जो जनॠपड़े, सो जनॠउदà¥à¤§à¤°à¤£à¤¹à¤¾à¤° |

संत की निंदा नानका, बहà¥à¤° बहà¥à¤° अवतार || Translation: The one who seeks shelter under a saint crosses over the ocean of

samsara. One who slanders the

Saints, O Nanak, shall be

reincarnated over and over again. Swami Vivekananda used to say: “I have darshan of the Lord

in my Gurudev, Shri Ramakrishna Paramhansa.†The aspirant who is under the guidance

of a Master or Guru is safe from being led astray. Satsanga or association with

the Guru is an armour and fortress to guard you against all temptations and

unfavourable forces of the material world. Cases of those who had attained

perfection without study under any Guru should not be cited as authoritative

against the necessity for a Guru; for, such great men are the anomalies of

spiritual life, and not the common normality. They come into existence as

spiritual masters as a result of the intense service, study and meditation

practised in previous births. They had already studied under the Guru. The

present birth is only its continuative spiritual effect. Hence, the importance of the Guru

is not lessened thereby. To summarize, quoting the famous Adi

Shankaracharyaji: शरीरं सà¥à¤°à¥‚पं तथा वा कलतà¥à¤°à¤‚ यशशà¥à¤šà¤¾à¤°à¥ चितà¥à¤°à¤‚ धनं मेरà¥à¤¤à¥à¤²à¥à¤¯à¤‚ |

मनशà¥à¤šà¥‡à¤¨à¥à¤¨ लगà¥à¤¨à¤‚ गà¥à¤°à¥‹à¤°à¤‚घà¥à¤°à¤¿à¤ªà¤¦à¥à¤®à¥‡ ततः किं, ततः किं, ततः किं, ततः किं || "If

a person possesses a handsome, disease-free body, beautiful wife, obedient son,

& fame spread all over the world, but has not surrendered himself at the

holy feet of a Guru, then he has achieved nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing." ************************************************************************************************************************* In

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