The Guru

Chongeswar

The Guru

(Quest for the Guru, signs that seeker has found the Right Guru, how to proceed from there on, in continuation of Seeker, Path and Guru)

How to find the guru? Sooner or later this question troubles the Seeker. Can a seeker find the guru? There is a saying "when Disciple is ready the Guru appears". It does not leave seeker any other choice other than to Groom himself for a Guru.

During ancient times, There was a great sage, Dattatreya. He had 24 gurus- Earth, water, fire, moon, sun, pigeon, python, Ocean, a honeybee, a moth, an elephant, a deer, a dancing girl, a child etc. and what important lesson he learned from them. (0). This could be the north star for a seeker, if a seeker is observational, receptive, curious and eager to learn then there is a Guru all around.Still sooner or later, a seeker will start his quest for the guru because Guru can shorten his learning curve and time to a spiritual goal. The intense Desire for liberation and the true Guru completes the equation.

*The Longest Journey is the journey inwards. Of him who has chosen his destiny who has a started upon his quest for the source of being.
Dog hammerskjold.*

If a seeker can zeroed on the path by Understanding each path and evaluating oneself. This saves a lot of trouble for the seeker as seeker must search for the Guru of that particular path. Else Seeker may come to know a Guru through books, teaching, wisdom, his disciples, fellow seekers or internet. Seeker steps into the world of Gurus, Yogis, sants, mahatmas and babas ; ashrams and Gurukuls. A seeker could easily get lost in the world of spirituality and waste few years. Of countless reasons possible, main reason could be - seeker may not know what does he want? or what is he seeking? ; Nature of a true guru- agnostic, modest ,unpretentious; seeker can get swayed by crowd, popular opinions, pomp and show or Pursuit of mystical experiences or plain and simple ignorance of majority ,even those who are trying to guide.

Let this blog be your companion in your search for the guru, the most important search of your life.

Let us address the elephant in the room first- "Money". What attracts the most people to the spirituality is peace , knowledge and wisdom - if it could have been bought or traded by money then most rich people would not have been so Miserable, superficial and fragile. Ironically, more often than not seeker is short of a money.
As money comes in a picture, gradually, very slowly and unknowingly, it pulls the process into an abyss of business, profit and numbers, claims and counter claims and corrupts the system. Money is not forbidden, it could be modest or affordable to keep the system/ashram running run or seeker should commit to any kind of voluntary service to the master.

In contrast (if fortunate), a seeker can come across a small ashram with no donation box, distributing small booklets, doing service or conducting bhandaras (people are even taking more home also). This can leave a seeker wondering, how do they manage this? Moreover,Why does the Guru come out in open? Out of compassion. to share his knowledge Wisdom and experience to pull out a few worthy and make few worthy of Grace, who are fed up with the cycle and desperately searching for a Guru or to simply serve . The guru-A Lighthouse.

Hierarchy. The Guru is expected to be surrounded by other seekers or common people but does the Seeker have access to the guru? If a Guru is surrounded by thousands or lakhs then how a seeker expect to address his doubts, questions, problems or learn the practice clearly? Does the Seeker need to cross the barrier of seven -eight layers of assistants or senior seekers to reach the guru.

त्वमेव माता च पिता त्वमेव । त्वमेव बन्धुश्च सखा त्वमेव ।
(You are mother and father too. You are brother and friend too)

None of these relationships are hierarchical in nature. Guru has been considered father, mother, brother and friend- all the rolled into one. In fact much closer and more personal. The best relationship one can have is with the guru. The Guru  your tuning fork.

Miracles and powers. Firstly, if it is a public display of powers then it is a very good reason to pay your respect and move on. Is your goal to become a magician, illusionist or quack? A true seeker should not fall in trap of endless game of powers, one after another, and get used by Common People or become a showman. Remember why you started.Secondly, a seeker may witness something privately that he could not believe his own senses. Then seeker need to ask a finer question- did I see it? Or was I made to see it? In the first case accept it as a possibility and do not forget your goal.

Seekers should not criticize the other Gurus or babas, the other paths or traditions. Do not digress and waste your energy in fault finding or finding loopholes in teachings. Seekers should not fall in trap of negativity and become self-proclaimed Guru Buster. People follow as per their needs, requirement and understanding. Everyone is on the path.

Seekers should not assume himself to be ready for the Guru or assume someone as a Guru. (Assumption kills). If seeker is sincere and earnest in search of a guru. Seeker will find a Guru whom he likes, makes sense to him and understands the approach of a Guru towards spiritual goal that aligns with his own understanding and path.Mostly,The True Guru seems to work under the auspices of their own Guru, great Gurus, Ma, Devi, Shakti or Shiva.

For most people attachment to prized possession, money, name, fame, power or hubris is overwhelming which falls flat and seems useless in front of the true Guru and to some this attachment is very subtle and veiled yet shatters like glass in presence of The Guru . a true seeker would have kept his inner Dattatreya alive inculcating qualities of a seeker and dropping impurities but still remains some impurity or attachment.(1). even for genuine seeker yet no matter how hard they tried to avoid "I, me or my", the last barrier remains ,which you (a seeker )would have considered your friend as it helped you in survival and help you to become a better seeker- intellect. In presence of the true Guru even this last barrier cracks and pave the way for Grace and surrender.

*The grace of the Guru is like an ocean. If one comes with a cup he will only get a cupful. It is no use complaining of the niggardliness of the ocean. The bigger the vessel the more one will be able to carry. It is entirely up to him. -Ramana Maharshi *

Seeker should make a strong resolution or determination to follow the path and the guru. Often, The Guru give whole credit to their own Guru, great Gurus, Ma, Devi, Shakti or Shiva. The Guru may advice mantra or practice too simple to accept (which may be even in public domain). Power is not in any mantra, yantra or practices, it is in the ___. The Guru simplifies the teachings and practices even then Neither doing sadhana nor getting the sadhana done is easy. Start small, slow and steady on the practice advised. Experience yourself and evaluate yourself.

How does the Seeker know that he found the suitable or right Guru? Seeker will experience that cobwebs of confusion, fear and attachments will start to clear away and pave the way to Clarity, peace and happiness. Seeker will see light at end of tunnel for the first time - his spiritual goal. Then seeker realises that how a gifted book, information or warning, few words of wisdom by A Common Man saved you going downhill or nudged you in right direction. Sense of gratitude and thankfulness fills the true seeker. still ,It may not be happily ever after because seeker may feel that he is being tested as circumstances and situations may change slowly or drastically or else seeker may get or take new responsibility beyond his capacity. Seeker should remain steadfast and take best course of action possible as per his intellect and situation. If the seeker is still in doubt then seeker can take guidance from the Guru or In better words, if seeker is sincere and earnest in his search and is about face responsibility and circumstances beyond his capacity ,Guru appears. More often than not seeker feels alone even amidst of His loved ones and friends. After meeting the Guru, seeker may wonder where have the pangs of loneliness gone? Seeker could feel the presence of his guru. Grace.

Just in case seeker could not find a suitable guru. This search would certainly expand his spiritual circle and enrich his experience and might have made him worthy seeker, had he remained focused on learnings or better, by keeping journal of learnings. And who knows, seeker may find Guru when he has lost all hopes somewhere near him in a simple man or on internet. Keep yearning for the Guru. The Guru-A master key.

अखंड-मंडलाकारं व्याप्तम येन चराचरम |
तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः||

Chongeshwar /चोंगेश्वर
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1.	Inner Dattatreya means essence and idea of receptivity and eager to learn. A true seeker should will also find out all 24 Gurus and what the Great Sage learnt from them (and try to inculcate few qualities). Then any naïve assumptions and questions regarding how many Gurus? Gender, appearance, dress, sect, caste of creed, nationality or vocation of Guru will fall flat and will not bother seeker. Such questions should not the true seeker.
	*The Guru  a guru meant for you. 
	
(This blog is dedicated to the Guru and Guru field, share with anyone who is in search of the Guru. Grace.- Chongeshwar)