The Hindu : Miscellaneous / Religion : Role of the preceptor

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 24, 2004

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Role of the preceptor

CHENNAI, NOV. 24. There are many doubts that plague a devotee, and like a professor who by explaining the finer nuances of a verse is able to bring both clarity and joy to a student, the role of a preceptor is indispensable to one's spiritual quest. It is said that there are two kinds of liberation that people can aim for: jivan and videha, the first attainable in the present state of life, and the other which comes only after death. Not everyone is capable of undertaking various penances or adopting austere practices of a high order. Yet such a person's spiritual yearnings may be no less than those who can. Can such a person then aspire for `videha mukthi?

In her discourse Sri Gnanananda Sarasvathi said one does not need to be highly qualified or well-versed, but should have the basic qualification of a pure mind which alone can lead one towards God. If a person is lost in the attractions of the world, then such a man cannot expect to have spiritual experiences. Although it may appear to be a losing battle, one should not feel disheartened. It is possible for all aspirants to extricate themselves from the self-imposed quagmire of materialism through self-discipline. Whatever deficiencies there may be in an aspirant, true love of God can help surmount such limitations. No one can leave unpaid the dues outstanding from one's bad deeds in the past birth. However, one can give a fair accounting in this life by indulging in a fair amount of self-analysis. To introspect on one's actions with detachment is never an easy task for anyone, but one ought to persist all the same. It is imperative to analyse oneself without fear or favour, just as easily as we tend to point fingers unhesitatingly at others. Introspection helps control one's wayward nature; without that one cannot progress spiritually even if the yearning is present within.

True love of God will help cleanse a person's mind, making it purer; and in this endeavour, the role of a preceptor becomes imperative. Except in the case of manifestations and great souls who do not require a human guru, all need the guidance of an acharya, just as a child needs a teacher even in kindergarten. Like Dattatreya, who had twenty-four gurus, different preceptors address different needs, but all with the common goal of experiencing God.

When does such a thing happen, some may wonder. If there is true yearning for God, and when the disciple is ready after honest soul-searching, the right guidance will come.

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