Advantage of Guru: Reach for the Rays Of Truth Within - About Guru  

By SANJEEVANI TAMASKAR  

Advantage of Guru: Reach for the Rays Of Truth Within - About Guru  

Reams have been written on the guru-shishya relationship and the importance of venerating the teacher as one who shows the way to not just learning and knowledge, but to eventual liberation.

Still, very few recognise the importance of seeking out a guru whom they can look to for guidance. When the master is a self-realised soul, he imparts right knowledge as he has seen the truth. So a realised guru imparts gyana or true knowledge and teaches how to raise one's consciousness beyond material and physical boundaries, to attain real peace of mind, self-knowledge, eternal bliss and cultivate love for all beings. An ideal guru would impart true knowledge free from speculation.

Guru is not God but God is guru because the guru leads the disciple from darkness to light. God encompasses both light and darkness; He is formless, omnipotent, immovable, and immortal. The guru is a glass of water from the ocean called God. An ideal guru-shishya relationship would be one of friendship and the student should feel free to question his teacher. Both are united by unconditional love, in a relationship that transcends the physical, mental, emotional and the intellectual involvement. Such a relationship has the capacity to weather any storm.

Surya Swami who advocates Surya Yoga says that on full moon day, poornima , the nature of the moon can affect the mind. The mind in turn controls the senses. The unity of body-mind-spirit is affected by light. When sunlight is able to enter and activate the 24 tatwa s (elements) in the body, that is enlightenment.

As we know, even the Moon depends on Surya (Sun) for light. Poornima acquires significance on account of this. So we can safely say that the Sun is guru and sunlight is true knowledge - the wisdom which dispels ignorance.

Sound and light are closely connected to our body. Light activates chakra s from top to bottom; sound activates them from bottom upwards. Sound has its limits - it needs a medium to be heard - whereas light is infinite with the Sun as its ultimate source, at least, for this planet.

Surya Swami asks us to question ourselves: "Who am I?" Begin the inward journey. When you explore the world within, you will be surprised to find the truth in yourself. We are prevented from knowing this reality, because Maya (illusion) stands between reality and us. We have the wisdom but are unaware of it. Once you embark on the journey inward, you will become aware of the real master within - the inner Sun who is a thousand times brighter than the external one. When you seek the Divine, you will begin to feel its presence.

Surya Swami says that schools are "no-knowledge' factories where teaching and learning by rote has become the norm. He further states that there are three types of teachers: You learn from people you meet in life; you learn from experiences and relationships and third, the guru is a teacher who takes disciples back to godhead by removing ignorance.

Since you are the centre of your universe, you should tune yourself to the music within and strike the right chords to achieve eternal harmony. To put it in e-language, the guru will facilitate the linking of the individual computers to the one large computer - through the 'Innernet'. This becomes easy once you rouse yourself to become more aware and receptive to the divine truth. Once you have the quality of wakefulness, you will become Surya - your Self will become luminous, capable of showing the light to others.

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See also: Advantage of Guru, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)