The Hindu : Miscellaneous / Religion : Importance of Guru bhakti

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Friday, Jun 11, 2004

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Importance of Guru bhakti

CHENNAI, JUNE 11 . Sri Ramakrishna once said that a holy man's heart is the drawing room of God. The sanctity of the Ganga river is derived from the belief that it flows from the feet of Lord Vishnu; likewise divine attributes are held to be manifest in holy men. They have reached this level after renouncing all possessions and after establishing in God consciousness personify purity at all levels. Hence, interactions with holy men have special significance for spiritual aspirants . Speaking on the importance of `guru bhakti, ' Swami Sundarananda said that association with holy men acts as a catalyst in spiritual matters. It activates the dormant faith, which, in turn, leads to a spontaneous belief in religious practices. Over a period of time, one reaches a state of loving devotion. The ways of realising the Supreme Being are manifold. The governing principle of a devotee is his Nature, and only with proper association will the undesirable elements and tendencies in him get eliminated.

Once there was an old king who trained his cat to serve him assiduously in his prayers. His minister said that the cat could be relied upon to serve him as long as it did not espy a rat. Events proved the king wrong and the minister right, and the former, realised that one's inherent nature has to be improved under proper tutelage.

Neither rash experiments nor mere physical adherence will help anyone gain liberation. A preceptor is not a magician. As Lord Krishna said, ``the rising sun is like an eye revealing all things around. Holy people by their devotional instructions, constitute the eye that reveals the truths of spiritual life. Verily the holy person is a deity, friend, soul and the Lord (to an aspirant). After listening to the discourse of such a personage, it is every individual's effort and application of knowledge so gained that will help one derive the desirable result.Such profound reasons are the cause of placing the Acharya at the top of the pyramid in the overall development of the mental capabilities of a person. The earnest prayer inculcated in us from schools days, equates the teacher to Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, the creator, preserver and destroyer in turn. The guru is Brahman itself (Supreme). And the guru is the solution provider for the oppressed (people caught in the trans-migratory cycle of birth and rebirth). He is the treasure trove of knowledge. No other exposition of the status accorded to the preceptor summarises the spiritual quest of seekers.

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