The Role of the Guru

The true guru uplifts the disciple and puts him on the path of spiritual practice that destroys delusion. The disciple too has certain responsibilities. Here is what Swami says.

“Who then is the genuine guru? It is he who teaches the path of destroying moha or delusion. And who is the genuine sishya or disciple? It is he who seeks to control and conquer the outward fleeing mind.”

Githa Vahini, Chapter X

“As the cow takes her calf near when it sees it, so the guru will draw the sishya to his presence and give him the milk of grace. The sishya ought to be of sterling character; then, just as a clean piece of iron will be attracted by the magnet, he will receive the immediate attention of the teacher.”

“A guru is a spiritual preceptor. He transmits wisdom to his disciple. His duty ends here. it is the disciple’s duty to receive and respond to his master’s spiritual wisdom. He must put into practice what he has learnt. a guru is like a ‘guide-post’ on the highway. He shows the path to the disciple. A sign-post indicates the road to be followed but does not indicate anything about the ups and downs and the pitfalls and obstacles on the road. Similarly, a guru is only a guide. The disciple has to find for himself all the obstacles on the mountain path of spirituality. He must personally experience all the vicissitudes of the spiritual life.”

Summer Showers in Brindavan, 1979, pp. 67-68

“The guru need not always come in actual concrete form; he can prompt the higher impulses and urges through a friend or a book or an event which reveals the reality in a flash. After this awakening, the rest is mostly in the hands of the aspirant. The guru can at best, watch and guide.

Do not get agitated or lose heart. You will be guided, however far you may be geographically, I am as near you as you are near me. Be steady.”

My Beloved, p. 15

“The child has its tongue and the mother has hers. The mother keeps the child on her lap and pronounces the words so that the child may learn to speak. However busy the mother’s tongue may be, the child has to speak through its own tongue. The mother cannot speak for the child and save herself all the bother! The guru too, is like that. He can only repeat, remind, inspire, instruct, persuade, plead; the activity, the disciple must himself initiate. he must jump over the stile himself. No one can hoist him over it.”

My Baba and I, p. 98