Avadhuta - Chapter 2 verse 1

[Guest guest]

(translator - Swami Chetanananda)

 

Avadhuta said:

 

A guru may be young or an enjoyer of worldly pleasures; he may be illiterate

or a servant or a householder; but none of these should be taken into

consideration. Does one give up a gem dropped in the dirt?

 

(comments)

 

Guru - Gu means darkness or ignorance, ru means destroyer. He who destroys

ignorance is the guru.

 

Young - Spirituality cannot be measured by age alone. Children may be more

spiritually-minded than their parents.

 

Enjoyer of worldly pleasures - An illumined soul is not contaminated by

anything. Apparently he may be engaged in worldly pursuits due to

prarabdha,

or the momentum of his past action, but that does not affect his knowledge.

 

Illiterate - Illumination does not depend on the study of the scriptures.

 

Vivekananda Centre Site

http://www.btinternet.com/~vivekananda