Guru - the captain of the boat

Human body is considered as boat. A boat that can help one cross bhava-sagar – a sea of samsara. However they warn that crossing this sea is not easy. This sea of samsara is filled with all kinds of creatures, feelings, desires that create delusion and hence drag one from the path of crossing this sea. They also caution that if one drowns in this sea without reaching the other shore or without ensuring that one gets a boat again, it can take indefinite time to get
again an opportunity i.e. human body to cross this sea.

That is where Guru can help. Whether one wants to have joyful experience of samsara or whether one wants to renounce samsara, both can get guidance from Guru. They say Guru can safely escort his disciples through bhava-sagar to the final destination and that is merging with God.

To benefit from Guru and cross this sea of samsara Shri Saibaba has given us a very valuable mantra and that is – shraddha (faith) and saburi (patience). One should have faith in instructions of Guru and then patience to get results. This mantra is even important than mantras in Vedas as without this mantra all those mantras in Vedas cannot be grasped.

Indian culture highly talks about necessity of Guru. They say one should not remain without a Guru. Remaining without Guru is like travelling in a boat that does not have any direction whatsoever.

One need not go far in search of Guru. What one needs is knowledge that one is caught in bhava-sagar and then strong desire to cross this bhava-sagar. This strong desire is enough to attract Guru. In fact why go far? The pinnacle of great sentences in Indian culture is maatrudevo-bhava and pitrudevo-bhava – i.e. revere mother and father as God. Remembering and connecting to God is really a state of mind than state of body. Everybody has mother and father. Can anybody even come into this world without mother and father? But not everybody considers mother and father as God. Those who consider are immensely benefited. It is with blessings of mother and father that one gets in contact with Guru who then can escort one easily through this samsara.

It is not important whether one’s own Guru is famous or not. There may be many Gurus in the world who have achieved fame. But the crux of messages from all scriptures is that one should have strong faith only in one’s own Guru and nowhere else; and follow his instructions with utmost devotion. In fact it is really the undivided faith of disciple in his/her own Guru that brings the results and helps acquire blessings of Guru which then help in achieving one and only goal of human life and that is merging with God. But it is very difficult to find examples of such disciples. And that is why it is very easy to get deluded and lose faith in Guru and Indian culture. It is really the parents who can set good examples in front of their children by acting as per Guru’s instructions.

Indian calendar is filled with auspicious days that bring people of all ages together in joyous mood to remember one of the important aspects of Indian culture. Gurupournima is one of such auspicious days which is meant to remember one of the important aspects of Indian culture and that is remembering and paying homage to Guru.

Wish you all a very happy and joyous Gurupournima. May this Gurupournima (July 22) bring you all and your family members most auspicious gains.