HowToChooseYourSpiritualGuru?

by Jayaram V
According to Hindu tradition, a guru is an enlightened master,aperfectbeingwho
appearsamongpeople,outofunconditionallove,tohelpthemreturntotheirsource.
He is like a bodhisattva, who sets aside his own priorities for the welfare of the
world.Thosewhocomeintocontactwithanenlightenedmasteraredeemedripefor
salvation, because he gives them a unique opportunity to hasten their liberation
partlythroughtheireffortsandpartlythroughhisblessings.Atruemastercomesto
thisworldrarely.Hebecomesaguruafterprolongedpracticeoverseverallives.His
merepresenceintheworldelectrifiestheatmosphereandinspiresmillionsofpeople
to turn to spiritualism. Slowly but surely he transforms the people who come into
contactwithhimthroughhisteachingsandtechniques.Hinduismsurvivedoverthe
centuries because of the selfless service of several teacher traditions and ascetic
movements. They protected the tradition and preserved its practices through
carefullyguardedconventionsinwhichthemasterpassedontherightknowledgeto
a few chosen disciples who in turn continued the practice down the line. Without
their commitment and continued effort over these centuries, Hinduism would have
beenextinctbynow.
Thereissomuchcontroversysurroundingthetraditionofgurusthatwhenwehear
about a guru we dont know whether he or she is a really enlightened person, a
genuine master, a miracle worker, a charlatan, a magician or an imposter. The
problemiscomplicatedfurtherbytheactivitiesofafewcontroversialpeopleandthe

scandals erupting occasionally over the news channels about their alleged
misconduct and corrupt practices. Hindu society is now matured enough to
understand the risks involved in following spiritual masters blindly. The connection
betweenaspiritualguruandtheirdisciplesisemotional,personalandspiritual.Itis
based on trust, faith, innocence and the promise of liberation. In the following
sections we will try to explore the mystery and the aura associated with spiritual
mastersandtheirrelevanceandsignificanceinthespiritualprogressoftheworld.

Pros
Those who believe in their spiritual masters and follow them sincerely defend the
institutions of gurus. They speak positively about their life altering experiences,
miraculouseventsandtheirassociationwiththeirgurusandupholdtheirvalueand
importanceinthespiritualprogressofthemankind.Somewellknownargumentsput
forwardbytheminfavoroftheinstitutionofgurusarelistedbelow.
1. Gurus are dispellers of darkness. They play an important role in the spiritual
advancementofpeoplebyprovidingthemwithrightknowledgeandrightdirection.
2. Gurus have extraordinary powers. They can transform people through their
teachings,andsometimeswithamereglanceortouch.
3.GurusplayavitalroleinthecontinuationofHindutradition.Theyupholditstenets
andactasitsprotectorsandspokesmen.
4. An enlightened guru is God in human form. He has the permission fromGodto
speak and act on His behalf. He has no ego because his ego is filled with the
presenceofGod.ServinghimisthereforeequaltoservingGod.
5.Gurushavemiraculouspowers.Becausetheyhaveemptiedthemselves,theycan
easilyenterotherpeoplesconsciousnessandknowwhatishappeningthere.They
canreadotherpeoplesminds,travelastrallytoremoteplacesandhealthesickand
thedisabledwiththeirpowerfulthoughtsandvibrations.
6. It is said that a true spiritual master has the ability to neutralizetheilleffectsof
karma, transfer their spiritual energy to others or hasten a disciple's spiritual
progress.
7. Gurus often indulge in erratic, outrageous and abnormal behavior to discourage
people coming to them. One should never judge them on the basis of their
appearanceorbehavior.

Cons

Thosewhoareopposedtothegurusforreligiousorideologicalreasonsorwhohad
unpleasant experiences and encounters with them develop a deep distrust in the
veryinstitutionofgurusanddonotsupportthetradition.Theycitetheexamplesof
how gurus dupe gullible people and do irreparable damage to society and the
humanityinthenameofGodandreligion.Peoplewhoargueinthismannerarenot
necessarily atheistic or irreligious. They may be very religious people who do not
believeintheneedforgurusorintheinterventionofmiddlemenbetweenthemand
God.Someoftheargumentsputforwardbythosewhodonotbelieveinthetradition
ofgurusarelistedbelow.
1.Therearemanybogusguruswhodoimmenseharmtothepublicthrough fraud
anddeception.
2. The bogus gurus misuse their status and identity in society to collect money,
abusechildrenorexploitwomenpurelyforsexualactivity.
3.Thedeceptivegurusindulgeinselfpromotion,criminalactivitiesandantisocial
behavior.Casesofmurder,landgrabbingandaccountingfraudarenotuncommon
againstthem.
4.Somebecomegurusonaccountofheredity,familystatusorconnectionwiththe
originalguru.Oncetheysucceed,theymisusetheirpowerandposition.
5.Thereisnothingnewinwhatmostgurusteach.Theinformationisalreadytherein
thescriptures.Theyjustaddtheirpersonaltouchandabrandnameandpassiton
astheirown.
6. Many gurus encourage personality cult and blind following. They do not clarify
rumors and stories about their miraculous powers or clear people's doubt. They
deliberately distort their past achievements and allow people to engage in rumors
andgossiptolettheirpastremainamystery.
7. Many gurus seek wealth and political power to promote themselves and their
interests,showingunduefavorstoquestionablecharactersandgivingthemprivate
audience,whilethecommonpeoplearesimplywavedatandkeptatdistance.They
also take undue interest in people coming from abroad and travel frequently to
foreigncountriestoextendtheirpowerbaseandpromotetheirowninstitutions.
8. The movement initiated by the gurus usually degenerate after theirdeath.Their
followersquarrelamongthemselvesandstarttheirownmovements,eachclaiming
close proximity to the departed gurus. Such power struggle among the close
confidents of gurus shows lack of discretion and personal failure on their part in
choosingtheirdisciplesandtransformingthem.

Gurusandtheirsignificance

The spiritual gurus come in all sizes and shapes. There are some who are really
genuineandenlightenedandsomewhoarefalseandmischievous.Itisnoteasyto
distinguish one from another by their teachings or their appearance because
outwardly they follow the same traditions and speak more or less the same
language. With some training and preparation, it is not difficult for an intellectually
active person to pass himself or herself as a spiritual master. Therefore people
oughttobecarefulinselectingtheirspiritualmentors.Choosingawronggurucan
seriouslydiminishone'schancesofsalvation.HavingtrustinGodisalwayshelpful,
buttakingcertainprecautionsaboutone'sownspirituallifeisprudence,especiallyin
aworldwheretruthisnotwhatitseemstobe.Spiritualjourneyisfarmoreriskyand
arduousthancrossingtheHimalayas.Muchdependsuponwhomyouselectasyour
guruandwhatisyourequationwithhimorher.Thereisnoapparentadvantagein
goingtoacapableguruifheorsheistoobusytopayyouanyattention.Youshould
know what to look for and what to avoid in selecting your spiritual guru, using the
facultiesofreasonandcommonsenseandkeepingyouremotionsandyoursense
ofdependenceundercontrol.
Godcomestousinmanyforms,butHecomesespeciallyintheformofspiritually
enlightenedmasterstoshowustheway.Hespeakstousthroughthemtoaddress
ourneedforspiritualguidanceandinspiration.Whenyouareempty,Godfillsinthe
vacuum.Gurusaresuchbecausetheyareemptyinthemselvesandarefilledwith
the presence of God. In Kashmiri Saivism, a guru is considered to be the primary
source of liberation. Abhinavagupta, one of the chief proponents of the sect,
suggested that of the three means available for liberation, the grace of Siva in the
formofaspiritualguru(sambavopaya)wasthemosteffective.Heconsidereditto
be more important than the other two means, namely the use of spiritual energy
such as kundalini (saktopaya) and the use of egoistic effort (anavopaya) in the
serviceofGodsuchasservinggodlypeopleorreligiousinstitutionsordoingmenial
workinsideatemple.Thereisalsoawidespreadbeliefamongcertaintraditionsof
Hinduismthatgurushavetheabilitytotransfertheirspiritualenergy(shakti)totheir
followersandenlightentheminstantly,usingaspecialtechniquecalledshaktipatha.
TherearesomegurusinIndiawhoclaimtohavetheabilitytoawakenthekundalini
en masse in groups of people by holding a group meditation session or by gently
touchingthemeachontheforeheadortheback.Sincegurusenjoysuchhighregard
in our tradition, it is very easy for people to fall into the trap of bogus gurus.
Therefore, when we are looking for a guru, we have to make sure that we are
makingtherightdecisionandnotfallingintoaselfinducedtrap.

Theimportanceofdiscernment(buddhi)

Ourworldpresentstousacomplexandeverchangingreality,whereitisdifficultto
discern truth behind a facade of appearances. Just as there is falsehood lurking
behindtruth,therearefakegurus in the guise of genuine masters. Sometimes we
comeintotheirgripbecauseofourpreviouskarmas.Thefalsegurusinterferewith
ourspiritualprogress.Theycreateconfusioninourmindsandleadusastray.Inthis
world things are not what they appear to be and not what they are. The world is
created to cause distraction and so we cannot expect it to be different. With our
limitedknowledgeandfaculties,itisdifficulttoknowwhoiswho.Itisnotdifficultfor
charlatansandimpostorstoposeasvirtuousgurus,especiallywhenwehavesuch
stereotypic images of gurus and sadhus in our minds. Outwardly they all look the
same,exceptforminordifferencesin their appearance and demeanor such as the
color of their dress or the manner in which they grow their hair. The diversity of
Hinduism and its antiquity, coupled with the absence of a centralized religious
authority,provideampleopportunitiestothepretentiousandthedubiouspeopleto
pose as spiritual gurus, claiming connection with an ancient master or a forgotten
tradition.
Agurushouldbechosenwithcaution,justasyouwouldselectalawyer,doctoror
taxconsultant.Incaseofaguruyoumayhavetobeevenmorecarefulbecauseof
theconsequencesandtheirlastingeffect.Afakedoctormayendangeryourlifeor
health,butapretentiousguruwilldelayyoursalvationformanylivestocome.Many
lives are wasted by fake gurus, playing upon others' religious sentiments and
misleading them into total submission. Imagine spending your whole life with a
spiritual master only to realize in the end that all the while you were chasing a
mirage! Many who surrender to the whims of false gurus are destroyed forever.
Somepersistonthepathevenaftertheycometoknowaboutthem.Theyrefuseto
acknowledge truth even after seeing inconsistencies and disturbing signs in the
conductoftheirmasters.Asifpropelledbyfate,theywillinglyfollowaperilouspath
thatculminatesintheirselfdestruction.

Findingagenuineguruisvital
Salvationfollowsadifficultprocessofselftransformation.Itdemandsmanypersonal
sacrifices on the part of the aspirants, both physically and mentally to undergo a
vigorousselfcleansingprocesswithoutanyguaranteesandpromiseofsolace.Itis
ajourneythroughatreacherouscourseofunknownrisksanddestabilizingforces,in
which the path appears and disappears as you move forward, filled with snares of
distractionanddemonsofdeception,whichiswhyweneedaguruinthefirstplace.
Onlyagurucanshowusthewaythroughthedenseforestofdelusionandprotect
us from harm by taking responsibility for our lives and actions. He neutralizes our
karmaandsavesusfromevil.Afakegurudoestheopposite.Hethrowsustothe
demons of doubt and despair and leaves us to our fate. With his ignorance and

incompetence, he compounds our problems and leads us into the dark caverns of
ignoranceandintemperance.AccordingtoHindubeliefs,agurucomestousbythe
graceofGod,according to our preparation, readiness, aspiration, karma and faith.
Justastheaspirantsareeagertofindtheirgurus,thegurusarealsoeagertofind
theirfollowers.Theircomingtogetherissaidtobeaneventofgreatsignificancefor
both of them and also the world in general, as it happened in case of Sri
RamakrishnaandSwamiVivekananda,becausetheirassociationhasthepotential
toelevatetheentireearthconsciousnessbysuffusingitwithpowerfulvibrationsand
thepromiseofgreatprogress.

Thedifferencebetweenaguruandateacher
InancientIndiatherewasaclear
distinction between a spiritual
master (guru) and an ordinary
teacher (adhyapak). A guru
commanded more respect in
society than a teacher because
he selected students on merit
and assumed responsibility for
theirlivesforthedurationoftheir
stay with him. They lived in his
household, receiving knowledge
from him directly, mastering the
scriptures, while he took care of
them, without expecting or insisting any monetary benefit or rewards in return. He
taught them as he pleased, provided they stood up to his standards and
expectations. A teacher on the other hand, taught the students by charging them
money,withouttakingresponsibilityfortheirpersonalcare.Aguru,inancientIndia,
was not an ordinary person. He was an enlightened master, who lived in a forest,
while a teacher was a mere professional, who lived amidst people and helped his
students excel in their chosen fields of study. At the end of their education, it was
customaryforthestudentstorewardtheirguruswithagift(dakshina),withouttheir
asking, while the teacher received remuneration regularly for his services. The
teachersweremostlythisworldly,whiletheguruswereotherworldly.Theteachers
taught the way to live in the world and succeed, while the gurus helped their
studentstotranscendthemselvesandbecomeselfaware.Theteachersfocusedon
theknowledgeofrituals(karmakanda)whilethegurusontheknowledgeoftheSelf
(atmajnanam). As is evident from the Isa Upanishad, in ancient India both the
approachesweredeemednecessaryforthecontinuationofdharmaandeducation
of people. The lower knowledge helped people in their worldly pursuits, while the
higherknowledgeledthemtoliberation.

Over the centuries the traditional roles of both the gurus and teachers underwent
considerable change. The gurus now act more as spokesmen of dharma and
messengersoffaith,wieldingconsiderablepowerand authority,whiletheteachers
havebecomedegradedintomere working class with a limited role and diminished
prestige.Thegurusnowshownodiscomfortinacceptingmoneyanddonationsfrom
their followers and prefer to live amidst people rather than in the forests. This
developmenthasthepotentialtocorruptanddisrupttheveryinstitutionsandideals
they establish and promote. At the height of their popularity, some gurus become
embroiled in controversies and court cases because of the petty jalousies and
rivalriesamonghisownfollowers.Atthesametimeitalsogivesthemthefreedomto
translate their ideals and vision in the desired direction and establish viable
institutionstoservethepoorandtheneediersectionsofsociety.

SurrenderingtoGod
Youcaneitherletthingshappentoyouormakethingshappen.Oneisthewayof
thespiritandtheotheristhewayoftheworld.Inspiritualmatters,thefirstoneisthe
recommendedoption.Sochooseyourgurupassively,withfaithinGod,lightingup
theinteriorsof your heart and mind. Let him come to you through the will of God,
accordingtoyourdeepestaspiration.Ofteninoureagernessandoutofimpatience,
we try to regulate our lives. It may not always be the best course, since we have
manylimitations.
We solve our problems more effectively, when we seek the help of the higher
intelligence that resides in us. Place your trust in God and allow Him to introduce
youtoarightmaster.IfyoudonotbelieveinGod,seekthehelpofyourinnerself.If
youdonotbelieveiniteither,followyourdeepestandmostgenuineaspirationand
letitcreatetherightconditionsforyou.Inanycasewaitforamastertomanifestin
your life and help you reach the other shore. Until it happens, keep your faith and
aspiration alive, reading the scriptures, practicing yoga and meditation and
cultivatingvirtues.
Aguruwillnotbeinterestedinhelpingyou,unlessyouarereadyforthejourneyand
willing to make necessary sacrifices and adjustments in your life for your self
transformation.Soseekingtheguidanceandhelpofgurusmaynotbeagoodidea,
if you are not mentally and physically prepared for spiritual life. If material
spiritualism is what you are after, you should not blame anyone when you come
under the influence of a materialistic spiritual guru who is more interested in your
wealthandyourstatusthaninyourspiritualmerit.

Knowwhyyouneedaguru

Peopleseekgurusforvariousreasons,rangingfrompurelyselfishandmaterialistic
tohighlyspiritual.Youshouldcheckyourmotivesinseekingaguruandknowwhy
youneedhiminthefirstplace.Isitbecauseyouarelookingforamentalcrutchorto
fill a vacuum in your life? A guru is not a substitute for your parents, children or
spouse.Youshouldnotseekagurubecauseyouaretryingtofillsomeemptinessin
yourlife.Youshouldseekhimbecauseyouwanttobeliberatedandbecauseyou
want to escape from the consequences of your actions to find stability in yourself.
Youdoitbecauseyouwanttobefreefromallthedistractinganddisturbingevents
inyourlife.
Youshouldnotlookforaguruunlessyouareseekingliberation(moksha)orhavea
seriousaspirationforit.Aguruisnotareplacementforashrinkoralifecoach.You
willnotgotohimbecauseyouhaveproblemsinyourlifeandyouwanthimtouse
hispowerstoresolvethemforyou.Youshouldnotseekhishelpbecauseyouare
boredwithyourlifeandlookingforsomeexcitement.Agurumaydoallthisonhis
own, but it is not why people should seek a guru. Spiritual practice is a serious
endeavor.Itdemandsacertainstateofmindanduncompromisingdiscipline.Unless
youareseriousaboutit, you should remain confined to worldly activities, pursuing
theother three aims: religious duty (dharma), wealth (artha) and worldly pleasures
(kama).
Thereshouldbenoillusionsinyourmindaboutyourrelationshipwithyourguruand
what you can expect from him. A true guru is detached from the world. He is free
fromalldesires(vasanas)andlatentimpressions(samskaras).Heisnotinterested
inanyoneoranythinginparticular,becauseheisnotboundtotheworldoritsways.
InhisenlightenedmindhetreatseveryoneequallyasanaspectofGod.Otherwise
hewouldnotbequalifiedfortheresponsibilityofaguru.Truemastersmayattimes
showannoyanceanddeference,but they do so mostly to discipline their students.
An enlightened master has no personality of his own. It is replaced either by his
higherselforbythepresenceofGod.Althoughhelivesamidsttheworld,heisnot
partofit.
When you seek a guru, examine your own intentions and try to be honest with
yourself. There is nothing wrong with seeking your guru's help to resolve some
personalproblemsinyourlife.Peopledoitallthetime.Butitshouldnotbetheonly
reason why one should go to him. A guru is a dispeller of illusions, not their
perpetuator. He may help you in resolving some worldly matters, not because he
wantsyoutoremainthisworldlybutbecauseheknowsthathisinvolvementispart
ofthedivineplananditiscriticaltoyourlifeandfurtherprogressonthepath.Ifyou
arenotseriousaboutyourspirituallife,youwilleventuallybecomedisappointedwith
yourguruandleavehimorgotoanothermastertorepeatthesamestory.Weoften

hearstoriesaboutpeople,whoturnagainsttheirowngurusandbecometheirbitter
enemiesandtheworstcritics.Ithappensbecauseeitherthegurusaredishonestor
theirdisciplesaredeluded.

Aguruisnotasubstituteforvirtueandpurity
Spiritual life is not for those who are not willing to practice virtue and morality or
controltheirfickleminds.Youcannotbeinsincereandimpureinyourthoughtsand
actions and expect your guru to take care of the difficulties that arise because of
them. Spiritual practice demands a serious commitment on your part. There is a
reason why in the classical (ashtanga) yoga the rules and restrictions (yamas and
niyamas)comefirst,whilethepracticeoftranscendentalstates(samadhi)comesin
theend.Thereisalsoareasonwhydharma(religiousobservances)isplacedbefore
theotherthreeaimsofhumanlife(purusharthas).Virtueorrighteousconductisthe
foundation of spiritual life. Without it the doors of enlightenment remain shut. One
should cultivate the divine qualities and stay clear of the demonic qualities
mentionedintheBhagavadgita.
Many entertain the false notion that if you worship (pooja) the divinities and pay
them some respect, they would be highly pleased and help you in your spiritual
effort.Butitisnotsufficient.Withoutvirtuethegatesofenlightenmentdonotopen
foryou.Youmighthaveheardthatwithsimpledevotion(bhakti)onecanpleaseGod
andbecomeliberated.Itisafallaciousbelief.YoucanpracticetruedevotiontoGod
(iswarapranidhana)onlywhenyourheartandmindarefilledwiththeilluminationof
purity(sattva).Also,pleasedonotassumethatasaruleyourguruwilloverlookyour
impuritiesandtakecareofyoursinsbecausehehastakenparticularlikingforyou
and given you an approving look. Sometimes he may help people, for reasons
completelybeyondourgrasp.Buthewouldnotencourageanyonetostrayfromthe
path. A guru looks for people who are sincere and pure and who are willing to go
through the hardships to overcome their imperfections. He prefers them to the
millions,whoarecaughtinthewebofworldlypursuitsandgotoagurutoassuage
theirfearsandfeelingsofguilt.

KnowthedistinctionbetweenGodandguru
Godisthehighestguru,butthepersonofaguruisnotGod.Ifyoudontknowthe
distinction, very likely you will get involved with personality worship and begin to
venerate your guru as God incarnate. In Hinduism there is a clear distinction
between an incarnation and a manifestation of God. Every animate and inanimate
objectintheuniverseisamanifestation.Godispresentinthemastheinmostself,
inastateofdualityandpassivity.Anincarnationisdifferent.InanincarnationGodis
directly and actively involved. An incarnation is a dynamic and conscious

manifestation of God. We have only a few major incarnations and their number is
saidtobepredetermined.Weshouldnotthereforeequateaguruasanincarnation
ofGodandworshiphimassuch.
YoumayseeGodinyourguruandtreathimlikeone,butyoudosoonlyforspiritual
reasons.Atrulyenlightenedspiritualmasterhasnoegoornopersonalityofhisown.
Sinceheundergoesselfpurification,heletstheradianceandtheconsciousnessof
hisselfshinethroughhim.Whenanenlightenedmasterspeakstoyou,heletshis
awakened self communicate with you directly. Since his thoughts and actions are
notcoloredbyhisegoism,heletsthewisdom,theawesomepowerandbrillianceof
hisinmostselfshinethroughhim.Ifthereisareasonwhyweshouldequateaguru
withGoditisthis.Soyoumayworshiptheselfinthegurubecauseithasbecome
free,butnotthepersonalityoftheguru,orhisphysicalform,whichwillwitherand
fallawayeventually.Atelevisionoraradiosetisjustacommunicationtool.Youare
not going to worship it because it has delivered a very enlightening spiritual
message. So is the case with a guru. A guru brings you in contact with the
awakened self which is present in him. He allows the power of the self speak
throughhimandtouchallthosewhocomeintoitspresence.IntheBrihadaranyaka
Upanishad,YajnavalkyasaystohiswifeMaitreyiveryaptly,"Itisnotfortheloveofa
wife that wife is dear but for the love of the soul in wife that wife is dear." And he
extends the same concepts to several things. It as well applies to the spiritual
teacherswhomweloveandrespect.Weshouldrespectthemnotbecausetheyare
greatmastersbutbecauseofthethepresenceofawakenedsoulsinthem.

Findaguruwhocanguideyoupersonally
In the seventh chapter of the Bhagavadgita, LordKrishna describes four types of
peoplewhoworshiphim:meninpain,seekersofknowledge,seekersofwealthand
seekers of enlightenment. Of them he says the last kind, the men of wisdom are
dearest to him because they identify themselves with him and are forever
established in him. Lord Krishna does not demean the first three. He calls them
noble(udara),butconsidersthelastgroupofmenasthenoblest.Wecanusethe
same analogy to categorize the people who seek a guru. The first kind go to him
because they have some problem, an incurable disease, financial problems,
domesticdisputesorsomedisabilityandtheywanttheirgurutohelpthemwithhis
blessings,knowledge,advice,suggestionorsomesupernaturalability.Afewpeople
gotohimbecausetheyareinterestedingainingknowledge.Theyarecuriousabout
spiritual subjects and want to dabble with them intellectually, without being serius.
They approach him to listen to his discourses, read his books, talk to him about
some religious or spiritual matter, clarify their doubts or learn some techniques of
spiritualpracticesuch as yoga or ritual worship. People in the third category go to
him for some material gain. They want him to help them get a job, a coveted
position,successinsomeventure,victoryinelectionsorsimilargains.Finallythere

are those who go to him because they want him to guide them on the path of
liberation. The first three types of people come under the category of lay
practitionersandthelastonesunderthecategoryofadvancedpractitioners.
Ifyouapproachagurupurelyformaterialorpersonalgainsorresolvesomefamily
problem,itdoesntmatterwhetheryouseehimregularlyoronlyonceinawhile.In
theancienttimesthegurususedtoliveinsecludedplaces,awayfromthegeneral
public and guide a few people on the path of liberation. They were difficult to be
pleased and they took long time before they admitted new students into their
presence and imparted them the secret knowledge. They met worldly people
occasionally, but whenever they were approached for help by worthy people, they
helpedthemgenerously.Nowadaysmostofthegurusliveamidstsocietyandtravel
constantly organizing meetings, satsangs, initiation ceremonies and special yoga
classes. They are very busy travelling around the world and meeting people from
variousbackgrounds.Soformanywhowanttoseeksomepersonalgainorbenefit
out of their association with their gurus, it does notmatter,whethertheycanmeet
their gurus everyday or once in a while. They can either meet them in person, or
overphoneorthroughanemailtogettheanswerstheyseek.Butifyouseekaguru
forenlightenmentorliberationandifyouwanthimtoinitiateyouinapropermanner
intospirituallife,youhavetochooseyourgurucarefully,makingsurethatheorshe
is available to you on a regular basis and respond to you promptly. If you cannot
reach him or if he is inaccessible, you may have problems dealing with your
difficultiesonthepathandyoumaynotbeabletoseektheguidancewhenyouneed
it most. If you think your guru can communicate with you supernaturally or
clairvoyantlyacrosstheoceansandcontinents,firstcheckyourconvictionswithhim
before you delude yourself. It is also true that sometimes the gurus deliberately
ignoretheirmostsincerefollowerstoteachthemsomelessonsorremovethesense
of dependency and attachment. Whatever may be the nature of your relationship
withyourguru,youmusthaveunflinchingfaithinhim

Conclusion
InlinewiththeteachingsoftheBrihadaranyakaUpanishad,itisnotfortheloveofa
guruthataguruisdearbutfortheloveofselfintheguruthataguruisdear.Welive
inanuncertainworld.Ourlivesareunpredictable.Wehavelimitedabilitiesincoping
withtheproblemsofourlives.Soisthecasewithusingourperceptions,knowledge,
intelligence and discretion. We also live under many illusions about ourselves,
othersandtheworldingeneral.Wedonotknowclearlywhatweknowandwhatwe
cando.Weareamysterytoourselvesandothers.Underthesecircumstancesitis
prudenttoseekthewisdomofgurus,whoseemtohaveallanswerstoourproblems
and who can unravel the mysteries surrounding our existence. It is comforting to
know that we have people amidst us who can provide us with some wisdom and
direction in an uncertain world and watch our backs, while we are engaged in our

dailybattles.Weshouldnotmisuseourconnectionwiththemforselfishorworldly
reason. We should not try to seek their attention for egoistic satisfaction or drag
themintoourmaterialisticspiritualism.Theyareheretodisentangleusfromworldly
activitiesandprovideguidancetothosewhoareseriousabouttheirliberation.Ifyou
arenotseriousaboutit,youshouldbetterdosomethingelseandbehappywithyour
worldly pursuits. But if you are serious, you should better focus on their teachings
ratheronhowyoucangetclosertothemsothatyoucanshowofftotheworldhow
importantyouareorhowspiritualyouthinkyouare.Ifyouarenotcarefulandifyou
arenotserious,youregowillusetheveryspiritualismtopullyoudeeperanddeeper
intotheworldlylifeunderthepretextofspiritualizingyourlifeandyouractions.You
may escape from the world, but to escape from your own delusions you need the
guidanceofatrulyenlightenedspiritualmasterinwhosediscernmentthereisatrue
reflectionofGodseternalwisdom.