The Significance of Guru's Teachings
(Guru ke Vachan ka Mahatva )
Shree Hari
Salvation is not attained by making someone a Guru, rather, by listening and imbibing in the words of the Guru, one attains salvation. Because factually Guru is the words (utterance), not the body -
Jo tu chela deha ko, deha kheh ki khan |
Jo tu chela sabad ko, sabad brahm kar maan ||
A Guru is not the body and the body is not the Guru - "na martyabudhyaasooyet" (Srimad Bhaagwat 11/17/27). Therefore a Guru never dies. If the Guru dies, how would the disciple attain salvation? The body has been called lowly -
Chiti jal paawak gagan sameeraa |
Pancha rachit ati adham sareeraa ||(Manas, Kishkindhaa. 11/2)
If someone's body made of bones and flesh is regarded as Guru, then it is lowly. It is like Kaalanemi. Therefore regarding the Guru as a body and a body as a Guru is a grave mistake. This is evident in an extra-ordinary manner in the life of Saint Ekanathaji. According to spiritual texts, first one goes for a pilgrimage, then he engages in worship and thereafter is endowed with wisdom. But it was just the other way round in the life of Ekanathaji. He was first enlightened, then he engaged in worship and then he was allowed to go on pilgrimage by his Guru. During his pilgrimage, a Brahman from his village Paithan went to his Guru in Devagarha and said, Maharaja, your disciple, Ekanatha's grand-parents are very old and keep on crying remembering him." Guruji was surprised that even after staying with him for so many years, Ekanatha never mentioned about his grand-parents. Then he gave a letter to the Brahamana to give it to Ekanatha , as the Guru was confident that just because he had told Ekanatha he would definitely come to Paithana. The Brahmana left with the letter. While Ekanathaji was wandering and reached paithan, he did not visit his grand-parents, and stayed outside the village. When the Brahmana saw Eknathji, he took Eknath's grandfather to meet him, Incidentally they met him on the way, the grandfather spoke affectionately and handed over the Guru's letter to him. Ekanathaji was overwhelmed. He spread a cloth on the floor, kept the letter on it, circled around it, prostrated down in front of it with respect. Inside the letter it was written, "Ekanatha, you stay there only". Ekanathaji sat there itself and didn't go anywhere for the rest of his life. His house was built right there. Satsang began out there. His grand-parents began to live with him. Thereafter, he never went to meet even his Guru. Think about it, is Guru the body or his words? When his Guruji's body passed away, he said "if the Guru dies and the disciple laments, what knowledge did he gain?" It means, the Guru never dies, he is immortal and the disciple never cries and laments.
From book "Is Salvation Not Possible without a Guru?" by Swami Ramsukhdasji
Ram Ram
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If in doubt regarding the translation, please read the original Hindi message by Swamiji.
FOR MESSAGE IN HINDI PLEASE VISIT Date : 31st August, 2012 ( Guru ke Vachan ka Mahatva ) http://www.satcharcha.blogspot.in
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(Guru ke Vachan ka Mahatva )
Shree Hari
Salvation is not attained by making someone a Guru, rather, by listening and imbibing in the words of the Guru, one attains salvation. Because factually Guru is the words (utterance), not the body -
Jo tu chela deha ko, deha kheh ki khan |
Jo tu chela sabad ko, sabad brahm kar maan ||
A Guru is not the body and the body is not the Guru - "na martyabudhyaasooyet" (Srimad Bhaagwat 11/17/27). Therefore a Guru never dies. If the Guru dies, how would the disciple attain salvation? The body has been called lowly -
Chiti jal paawak gagan sameeraa |
Pancha rachit ati adham sareeraa ||(Manas, Kishkindhaa. 11/2)
If someone's body made of bones and flesh is regarded as Guru, then it is lowly. It is like Kaalanemi. Therefore regarding the Guru as a body and a body as a Guru is a grave mistake. This is evident in an extra-ordinary manner in the life of Saint Ekanathaji. According to spiritual texts, first one goes for a pilgrimage, then he engages in worship and thereafter is endowed with wisdom. But it was just the other way round in the life of Ekanathaji. He was first enlightened, then he engaged in worship and then he was allowed to go on pilgrimage by his Guru. During his pilgrimage, a Brahman from his village Paithan went to his Guru in Devagarha and said, Maharaja, your disciple, Ekanatha's grand-parents are very old and keep on crying remembering him." Guruji was surprised that even after staying with him for so many years, Ekanatha never mentioned about his grand-parents. Then he gave a letter to the Brahamana to give it to Ekanatha , as the Guru was confident that just because he had told Ekanatha he would definitely come to Paithana. The Brahmana left with the letter. While Ekanathaji was wandering and reached paithan, he did not visit his grand-parents, and stayed outside the village. When the Brahmana saw Eknathji, he took Eknath's grandfather to meet him, Incidentally they met him on the way, the grandfather spoke affectionately and handed over the Guru's letter to him. Ekanathaji was overwhelmed. He spread a cloth on the floor, kept the letter on it, circled around it, prostrated down in front of it with respect. Inside the letter it was written, "Ekanatha, you stay there only". Ekanathaji sat there itself and didn't go anywhere for the rest of his life. His house was built right there. Satsang began out there. His grand-parents began to live with him. Thereafter, he never went to meet even his Guru. Think about it, is Guru the body or his words? When his Guruji's body passed away, he said "if the Guru dies and the disciple laments, what knowledge did he gain?" It means, the Guru never dies, he is immortal and the disciple never cries and laments.
From book "Is Salvation Not Possible without a Guru?" by Swami Ramsukhdasji
Ram Ram
*********************************************************
If in doubt regarding the translation, please read the original Hindi message by Swamiji.
FOR MESSAGE IN HINDI PLEASE VISIT Date : 31st August, 2012 ( Guru ke Vachan ka Mahatva ) http://www.satcharcha.blogspot.in
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