The Hindu : Miscellaneous / Religion : Need for guidance

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Friday, Jul 01, 2005

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

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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