Guru—Disciple : 20.

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Part-20.

So it is not easy.

I am not saying anything derogatory about us or the Guru, but this thing is extremely sacred and extremely difficult.

Otherwise millions of people would be claiming to be disciples of Gurus and all of them would have attained enlightenment.

So service is necessary in order that the heart may literally reflect the Guru’s teachings, so that from there on you are one.

It is the most sacred and beautiful relationship.

There is no relationship, you are one.

In oneness there is no relationship.

Oneness is not called a relationship, and only when that oneness has taken place does the other person become a Guru, not until then.



In the famous eleventh chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna sees the cosmic form of Krishna and himself.

A moment before, Krishna was standing in front of him as a human person, and suddenly he had become a cosmic being.

In that cosmic being he says: "I see myself also. I see you, I see myself standing on the battlefield and I see all these people. All beings in the universe are seen in your body, including me."

Only when that vision is had does the teacher become a Guru, or anyone become a Guru.



Does service stop at that point?

No. Does devotion stop at that point?

No. Because then your eyes are open.

You are looking at this person in front of you and suddenly you realise that your own self-limitation has not completely gone.

You had a glimpse of this truth and therefore the Guru is there, but you are not completely free.

It is then that perhaps some teaching, some verbal communication may be useful, at the point where you have had a glimpse and therefore he has become a Guru and you are a disciple.

But the illusion has not completely gone.

You need some more instruction, verbal and non-verbal.

Then this relationship continues....

END.

Next : APPROACHING THE GURU


Sri Swami Venkatesananda
To be continued  ....

Sri Swami Venkatesananda with his Guru Swami Sivananda

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