We need a teacher for everything in life, starting from learning the alphabets to solving complex integral calculus in Mathematics. When we were babies, our parents taught us how to walk, talk, behave, eat, etc. When we become young, our friends become our teachers and we learn many things from them. At a later stage, even our spouse and our children and grandchildren might become our teachers at certain aspects of life and help us grow. We never know who can become our guru and ends up giving us lessons.!
Spiritual Journey is way more Complicated!
Similarly, in order to start the spiritual life, we need someone to guide us and finally help us to reach our end goal, i.e., liberation. We have taken birth millions of times in the past and might take another million in the future, but still not get liberated, due to the huge collection of pending karma and our mental patterns called samskaras. Hence, something very powerful is required to help us break these mental patterns known as the samskaras and burn away all piles of karma from our subtle bodies. If you have read the earlier article “Importance of Sadguru Deeksha“, then you are aware of all the wonders that generally happens after coming under the shelter of Sadguru. This article is just an extension of the earlier one, for those who are starting to think about their spiritual journey. Certain things might be a bit overwhelming there for newcomers. The spiritual journey is way more complicated than anything else, containing complex theories and practices that one might even think of in his worst nightmares. There are lakhs of scriptures written from the past by our saints, classic texts like Gita, Bhagavat, yogic texts, tantra texts, various Puranas, Upanishads, Vedanta, Bhakti Granthas, etc. Hence, it will take births only to compile, understand, and come to a common conclusion of the shastras; and still, one might fail to do so. In tantra, it is mentioned there are 7 main ways of living in a sadhana like – Vedachar, Vaishnavachar, Shaivachar, Dakshinachar, Vamachar, Siddhantachar, and Kaulachar, based on three classes namely Pashu Bhav, Veer Bhav, and Divya Bhav. Now, followers of these classes fight among each other trying to establish one over the other. Similarly, there are fights and conflicts across Shaivas, Vaishnavs, and Shaktas. Similarly, various sampradayas of Vaishnav Marg also fight with each other, failing to conclude the highest goal. Hence, we can see chaos everywhere. Forget about fighting with followers of other religions; various groups within the Sanatan Dharma fight with each other, weakening the roots of Dharma.
What if I just pray to God?
Yes, you are right! This is the first and foremost thing one should do while starting the spiritual journey. He should chant his name or mantra, which is generally prescribed for the common mass and does not require any initiation from a guru. As mentioned in the previous article, in Kali Yuga, most mantras are kept dormant by Shiva and awaken only when activated by a guru with Kundalini Shakti. But there are a few which are given to the common mass to gather enough punya, such that one day they come into the direct shelter of a Sadguru. Getting under a Sadguru is the most difficult and rarest thing in the universe. Getting human life itself is an impossible event; further thinking about spirituality is also very rare, and then also starting to do something very dedicatedly, and finally coming under a Sadguru. It is said that one has to gather enough spiritual credits from previous births to get under a Sadguru. When the devotee of God is sincere enough and his heart is striving to get his darshan, then the all-merciful God sends his closest devotee, who is as equal as him, as the Sadguru. Then the devotee finds himself greatly successful and attains a significant milestone after coming under the shelter of the Sadguru. Since just praying to God won’t result in final liberation by oneself, as per the rule book or spiritual constitution or shastras of God, he sends a Sadguru to the devotee. God gives so much authority to this Sadguru that the control of the Sadguru over his disciple becomes more than that of God. This is the rule of the Sadguru. If God wants to liberate the disciple but the guru denies, then no one in the three worlds has the power and authority to liberate this soul. And if the Sadguru is merciful to the disciple, then there is no power in this world that can harm the disciple. Actually, the bhakta yogi who gets Samadhi Siddhi, unites himself completely with the Para Brahman in Nirvikalpa Samadhi, becoming eligible to become a Sadguru. In such cases, by the method of knowledge, there is no difference between Guru and God. And in the way of Bhakti Marg, you can say God himself acts as the guru through these siddha persons. In all ways of perception, a guru is a must!
Sadhana under Sadguru
We have talked a lot about Sadguru. Now let’s understand what actually happens when one comes under a Sadguru. How different is the sadhana now when he is initiated, versus earlier? In short, Sadguru Sadhana is nothing but Kundalini Kriya Yoga. When the Sadguru initiates, the Kundalini Shakti awakens and reaches till the Manipura Chakra. But then after some time, she goes back down to the Mooladhara Chakra. When the disciple starts the kriya as shown by the guru, the Kundalini gets activated again and then starts rising. Gradually, as the rate of sadhana progresses, she crosses the three knots of liberation, namely Brahma Granthi at the Manipura Chakra, Vishnu Granthi at the Vishuddhi Chakra, and Rudra Granthi at the Ajna Chakra, and finally reaches Sahasrara. When she reaches the Ajna Chakra, Khechari Siddhi occurs, and then a state of faintness arises, and the sadhak finds himself in Savikalpa Samadhi. Finally, by the grace of the guru, he attains Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Normal kriyas don’t find much connection with Kundalini Shakti, hence spiritual experiences don’t start unfolding. No doubt, they do gain spiritual credits or punya, which helps them get better wealth, a better afterlife, etc., but the door to liberation is always closed. They also get devotion towards God, but the devotion fully blossoms into transcendental symptoms only when he is under a Sadguru. Now there are various methods of Sadhana even under Sadguru, namely Jnana Marg, Prem Marg, Tantra Marg, etc. All of them, no doubt, give liberation, but the level of ananda is different in all of them. In short, we can say that as per the sadhana, the nature of the Kundalini Shakti changes from being very aggressive to very blissful to very knowledge-providing. As sadhana progresses, the follower of Prem Marg will be amazed to find the Jnana Marg experiences in his journey followed by that of Tantra Marg. This happens to all kinds of sadhak, irrespective of their initial path. The guru knows the best which path is initially suitable for the disciple, and he gives him sadhana accordingly, but later on, all paths merge. This is the uniqueness of Sadguru Sadhana. The Sadguru brings out the best human from his disciple, and such disciples become a blessing for Mother Earth. Such devoted disciples not only liberate themselves but also liberate 21 generations of them, 7 on the father’s side, 7 on the mother’s side, and 7 on the in-law’s side.
Sadguru is the expert of spiritual science
As discussed earlier, the spiritual science is very complex and consists of many branches. The Sadguru is the expert who not only knows the conclusion of all shastras but also contains the practical realization of all shastras within him. He might not perform kriyas in Tantra Marg like Pancha Mundi Asana, Shava Sadhana, Chakra Sadhana, etc., but the result of all such sadhana is within him. For example, Mounibaba forbade him to do Pancha Mundi sadhana and other tantric kriyas, but still, he achieved the result of all by doing his Yogic Sadhana. When he visited the Pancha Mundi Asana of Mounibaba once in Dakshineshwar, he found himself supremely blessed when the kriya of the divine mother started within him as per the result of Pancha Mundi Sadhana. Mother Kali gave vision to Gurudas many times, both inside and outside. When we are under a Sadguru, we are under the most liberal and most secular sect. Mounibaba’s dadguru Sri Bijoy Krishna Goswami says that the sadhaka eventually gets results from all sorts of sadhana that exist in the world, and more than this with the attainment of Pancham Purusarth or Prema Bhakti. Bhakti is like a touchstone that converts everything to gold (metaphorically). Hence, we should feel blessed to be under a Sadguru.
Guru vs Sadguru
There are various sadhanas mentioned in Sanatan Dharma that must require a guru. But not necessarily will such a guru become a Sadguru. Mounibaba says that one whose Kundalini has awakened and one who has attained Samadhi Siddhi are eligible to become a Sadguru. God can directly work through them to liberate the disciple, and at such a stage, there remains no difference between God and Guru. The guru only authorizes such a person to become a Sadguru and accept disciples in his lineage. Someone might have mantra siddhi of a particular devata, but not necessarily can he liberate any person, since he himself might not be liberated. The path of the Sadguru is that of the Brahma Marg. Those who know Brahman are only eligible to become Sadguru and can liberate others. The one who knows Brahman becomes the Brahman himself. It’s very rare to find such a Brahmavid Sadguru in this current time. But the true Sadguru doesn’t stop here and continues to give more to the disciple than what he has expected before. The Sadguru finally initiates him into the path of Yugal Bhajan, or loving devotional service to Radha and Krishna in the path as shown by Gourango Mahaprabhu, the incarnation of Kali Yuga 500 years back. Then the bliss of the devotee is beyond all levels, and it keeps on increasing. Our marg is Bhakti Marg only, but we do yoga in order to get practical realizations soon and quickly reach the transcendental platform of Brahman.
Siksha Guru vs Diskha Guru
There might be a siddha Mahapurush or a Sadguru, but he might act as your Siksha Guru. The Diksha Guru is always one, but the Siksha Guru may be many. We can learn anything from anyone; then what to say about learning from a siddha Mahatma who is also a Sadguru. Though Guru tattva is one and the same, all gurus are the same, but still, the adhara or platform from where you are getting spiritual energy becomes your Sadguru. Even so, the guru’s guru is not your direct guru, and shakti comes only from your guru to you, no matter how powerful your dadaguru is. You can’t jump the hierarchy and go one level beyond. God’s energy descends from the Adi Guru to your guru to you, transcending all gurus in the lineage. Hence a guru parampara is very important. All authorized guru parampara generates from God only; hence God is the supreme most Guru – “Krishnam Vande Jagad Gurum.” Again, as per the rule of God, you must need initiation from a human guru. Even initiation in a dream from a very powerful saint won’t be considered valid for sadguru initiation, even if it awakens your Kundalini Shakti. The last door at Rudra Granthi in Ajna Chakra will open only when your physical guru allows.
Sadguru removes all Samskaras
Samskaras are nothing but the thought patterns that we have accumulated over lifetimes. Let’s say when you see a dog, what thought comes to your mind is a samskara. How do you react when your father says something? How do you react when someone appreciates you, etc.? These mental patterns create the karma of covering our bodies (4 subtle and 1 physical) over our soul and manifest the external world around us. When all karma is over, we get liberated from these five bodies (Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vijnanamaya, Anandamaya Koshas) and reach our soul at Savikalpa Samadhi and then finally at the supersoul level in Nirvikalpa Samadhi. The Sakar form of the God is manifested at the ParaBrahman level. The Para Brahman or supersoul is the impersonal formless aspect which pervades everything. But the same Para Brahman manifests as the God in forms such as Radha Krishna, Kali, Durga, Shiva, Lakshmi Narayan, Sita Ram, etc. And there are spiritual worlds in the sky of Para Brahman namely eternal Kailash, Vaikuntha, Vrindavan, etc. Now based on the taste of the sadhak and the path given by the guru, the disciple reaches the spiritual abode in any of these worlds after attaining Nirvikalpa Samadhi. But the followers of Nirvishesha Brahman or Jnana Marg will only find solace to stay united with the Para Brahman always. But he might also come down, since the dissolution of the soul didn’t happen there, just the association is changed. Actually, nothing much can be explained properly about such states since this is completely under the umbrella of one’s realization. The more vivid one’s realization is, the better he becomes. The spiritual world is infinitely huge to explore everything, and Krishna also confirms in Gita that even he is not completely aware of all of his limitless opulence.
Hence we must always aspire to be in the guru’s association, which washes away all our sins, burns all subtle samskaras, endows us with all good knowledge, and gives the ultimate devotion to God.
Real Swarup of Guru
Though a Guru might seem like an ordinary human being to someone, only the intimate disciple is aware of the real swarup of Guru, which is infinite and is in complete union with Para Brahman. Externally, he acts as a devotee, but internally he has complete knowledge of God (don’t confuse here with the ahankar of God). Krishna says in Gita that all devotees of mine are better, but the best are those who fully know transcendental knowledge, and there is no difference between me and such mahatma. Such mahatmas are always in “Nitya-yukta” with God (as in Gita, “Nitya-Yukta Upasate”), and they worship him in full devotion. Hence a guru is the best bhakta of God, as well as the best jnani of God.
Jay Guru!