Guru Bhakti | Devotion to Guru

Guru Shishya in Vedic Times

Intense devotion to one’s guru and faithful adherence to his teachings are the most essential qualifications of true discipleship. It is this Shraddha, faith, and Gurubhakti, devotion to guru, that bring about rapid spiritual progress and fruition of one’s Sadhana.

A disciple without devotion to his guru is like a flower without fragrance, a well without water, a cow without milk or a body without life.

A true aspirant rejoices in the practice of guru bhakti yoga. Without taking recourse to this yoga one cannot practise the other yogas. Whatever may be acquired by asceticism, renunciation, charity, auspicious acts or by other yogas, all these are speedily acquired by practising guru bhakti yoga. It is the magic wand in the hands of the disciple to cross the ocean of samsara.

Guru Bhakthi is very important in this Kali Yuga for avoiding commitment of sins. Or otherwise it is impossible for us to live in this world without committing sins. Guru bhakti will make possible all that is impossible; the unattainable can be attained by guru bhakti. However, this treasure is not acquired in a day. Guru bhakti is not a system that can be taught by lectures or correspondence courses.

The disciple has to cultivate it gradually and painstakingly. He must increase it day by day. It develops through constant and earnest prayer in the secret chamber of the heart. The student should live under a preceptor for many years and lead a rigorous life of austerity, discipline, celibacy and deep meditation. He must make himself perfectly blind to the human aspects of the guru. Then he will develop true guru bhakti.

Written by R HARISHANKAR