GITA AND GURU TATTVA (GURU PRINCIPLE)
sadhaka
granthasya krshnasya krpa satam ca sarvatra sarveshu ca vidyamana
yavanna taanchraddadhate manusyas tavanna saakshaat kurute svabodham
Arjuna accompanied Lord Krishna every time and was a close friend of His but he preached him the gospel of the Gita only when the desire for salvation was aroused in him. So he asks “Pray, tell me definitely how I can attain the Supreme Good: (2/7). When this desire is aroused in him, he accepts the pupil-preceptor relationship and prays to the Lord, “Do instruct me who have taken refuge in You; I am your disciple” (2/7).
Thus Arjuna becomes His disciple in order to seek guidance, rather than to continue the preceptor-pupil tradition. Similarly the Lord as a preceptor does not observe any formality of initiation of the sacred text to Arjuna. The reason is that there is no need of establishing the preceptor-pupil relationship for spiritual progress. ‘Only a keen desire for salvation is a must. It is this burning desire which leads him to spiritual progress either by God’s grace or by saints’ discourses or by the study of the scriptures or by any other circumstances etc.
The Gita does not glorify external ceremonies and external changes as much as it g1orfies sentiments, discrimination Self-Realization, inquisitiveness and renunciation. If the Gita had glorified external ceremonies, outwardly changes and the formal initiation of the pupil by the preceptor, it would have not been honored by the followers of all sects and religions. It would have not been useful for the people of all religions and they would have not taken interest in its study, its teaching and would have not reflected upon it. Only the followers of the particular religion whose external ceremonies it discussed would have glorified it. But the gospel of the Gila is universal, for all human beings without any distinction of castes, creed and color etc.
In the Gita in the context of knowledge it is mentioned that a pupil should prostrate at the feet of his preceptor and should humbly question him (4/34) and render service to him (13/7). The reason is that the striver following the Discipline of Knowledge may have the pride ‘I am the Absolute’. So in order to warn him, it is mentioned that he must go to a God-Realized spiritual guide (preceptor). The pupil needs the preceptor only if he has no burning desire or he holds the opinion that he can’t realize the goal without a preceptor. If a striver has a burning desire to attain the goal, he can neither be satisfied in any circumstances without attaining the goal, nor get entangled in any religion nor be proud of any specialty in him. Thus a striver’s inquisitiveness (keen desire to know) is satisfied and he attains the goal by God’s grace.
It is not generally seen that all initiated pupils gain wisdom. So it is not necessary for one to engage in preceptor-pupil relationship. A striver having a burning desire gains wisdom from someone without a preceptor. For such a striver God sends great saints such as Sukhadevji etc. (as spiritual guide) to guide him in dream.
Without one’s own inquisitiveness and desire a striver can’t gain knowledge even by accepting the preceptor-pupil relationship. It is his inquisitiveness, faith and belief which enable him to retain that knowledge. The Lord declares, “A man full of faith attains knowledge” (4/39). It means that knowledge is gained by ones quest to know, deep longing (devotion), and not simply by making someone a Guru (getting formally initiated by a Guru). A pupil can derive benefit from a God-Realized preceptor only if he has faith and belief in him. Otherwise even God Himself can’t lead him to salvation. Lord Krishna Himself went to Duryodhana and preached him the sermon for peace-treaty but all in vain. So without faith in the Lord, Duryodhana could not derive any benefit out of the Lord’s sermon. So a striver’s own faith or belief leads him to salvation. Therefore the Lord in the Gita declares, “let a man raise himself by his own self’ (6/5)
In the Discipline of Knowledge in the Gita there is mention of the need of the preceptor but there is no mention in the Disciplines of Action and Devotion (bhaktiyog). The reason is that when a man because of certain incident or circumstance etc. realizes that selfishness does not serve any purpose, as it does not fill the void within, he also realizes that being selfish is not humanitarian, rather it is a beastly mentality, thereafter, he renounces his selfishness and desires. He starts rendering service to others without any interested motive and attains self-realization. The Lord Himself declares,” He through the prolonged practice of Karma yoga automatically sees the light of truth in the self in course of Time” (4/38).
There is an exceptional power which governs the entire creation. When a man has faith in that power, he starts following the spiritual path. God Himself dispels the darkness born of ignorance of such devotees (10/11) and He Himself delivers them from the ocean of worldly existence (12/7).
God is so singularly generous and compassionate that by His grace even a non-believer or an atheist can gain knowledge if he has a keen desire.
In fact ‘guru-tattva’ (guru principle) is not a person but an essence (guidance) which sheds light (guides us), helps us to gain knowledge and shows us the right path, lets us know our duty, and makes us realize our aim. That essence exists in the hearts of all human beings. That essence can be revealed by a person or by the scriptures etc. which should be regarded as a guru by us.
In fact God is the guru of the entire universe because all knowledge or enlightenment comes only from Him either directly or through a person (preceptor) or through the scriptures. He is the root of all. The Lord in the Gita declares, ” I am the prime cause ( source) in every respect of gods and the great seers (i.e. their creator, sustainer and preceptor )” (10/2). Arjuna while eulogizing the cosmic Form of God says, “You are the greatest of the great” (11/37); “The greatest preceptor” (11/43). So a striver need not go any where in search of a preceptor. He should start following the spiritual path by saluting Lord Krishna, the world-preceptor and by following the gospel of the Gita which contains divine words emanating from His lips. If He feels that’ a preceptor (spiritual guide) is necessary, He Himself will bring him face to face with a preceptor because He declares “I bring full security and personally attend to the needs of My devotees” (9/22).
Narayana ! Narayana ! Narayana !
From “Gita Darpan” in English, by Swami Ramsukhdasji.