Guru-Bhakti YogaHis teaching on the Guru
GURU AND DISCIPLE
Greatness of Guru
l. The eye that sees not the beauty of the Guru’s Lotus-Feet is really blind.
2. The ear that hears not the glory of the Guru’s Leela is really deaf.
3. Life without a Guru is death.
4. There is no treasure like the wealth of Guru’s grace.
5. There is no safe boat like Satsanga of Guru to cross the ocean of Samsara.
6. There is no friend like the spiritual teacher.
7. There is no abode like Guru’s Lotus-Feet.
8. Remember the Guru at all times.
Devotion to Guru
9. Worship the Guru with the flowers of faith and devotion.
10. Satsanga with the Guru is the first pillar in the temple of Self-realisation.
11. Grace of God takes the form of Guru.
12. To see the Guru is to see God.
13. Blind is the man who has not seen the divine Master.
14. There is but one religion, the religion of devotion and love to Guru.
15. Devotion to Holy preceptor arises when you have no worldly hope.
16. The company of spiritual teacher will simplify your struggle.
17. Rest in Guru and do the right.
18. Have faith in your Guru’s grace and do your duty.
19. Disobedience to Guru is digging your own grave.
20. A Satguru is a continuous blessing for a disciple.
21. The heart of a Jagad Guru is a shrine of beauty.
Service to Guru
22. Goal of life is Service to Guru.
23. Every unpleasant incident in life is a test of your trust in Guru.
24. Disciple considers the actions; Guru weighs the intentions and motives.
25. Doubt in the Guru’s action is the greatest sin.
26. Never try to appear before your Guru what you are not.
27. Obedience is the law of life for a disciple.
28. Don’t miss any opportunity to serve your Divine Teacher.
29. Be sincere and earnest when you serve your Divine Preceptor.
30. To love Guru is to serve Guru.
31. To live is to serve the Divine Master.
32. Obedience to Guru is better than reverence.
33. Obedience to preceptor is better than sacrifice.
34. Adapt, adjust, accommodate with your Guru under all circumstances.
35. Don’t talk much before your preceptor.
36. Pure love to Guru is true obedience to Guru.
37. Give the best things to your teacher first.
Qualifications of a Disciple
38. Disciple must be free from envy, jealousy, pride, without attachment, firmly devoted to Guru, free from impatience and intent upon knowing the truth.
39. Disciple should not find fault with his own Guru.
40. Disciple should not indulge in unnecessary or idle talks before his Guru.
41. The preceptor should be regarded as the main or lower piece of the two pieces of wood (Arani) used for kindling the sacred fire, and the pupil the upper one; instruction is the piece (middle portion) that connects them and knowledge is the union that brings happiness.
42. The pure wisdom which is thus acquired from the Guru removes the Maya or delusion.
43. He, who through the favour of the Guru knows that the one Lord has become many through Maya, knows the truth and understands Vedas.
44. With the axe of knowledge sharpened by the one-pointed devotion acquired by the service and worship of the Guru do thou calmly and steadily cut asunder the tree of Samsara.
45. The preceptor is at the helm of life-boat and God is the favourable wind that drives that.
46. When a man becomes disgusted with the world and is endowed with dispassion, when he is able to reflect what his preceptor has taught him, his mind abandons its evil disposition by virtue of the repeated exercises in meditation.
47. The purity of the Mantra arises, properly knowing it from the preceptor.
Principles of Discipleship
48. As man is under the beginningless ignorance; he cannot have Self-realisation without the preceptor. He who knows Brahman only can import the knowledge of Brahman.
49. A wise man should worship only with undying devotion knowing the Guru to be one with the Lord and Atman.
50. Disciple should have sincere devotion to his Guru and to the Lord.
51. The disciple should serve his Guru obediently, attentively and sincerely and learn the Bhagavata Dharma or duties of the devotees of a Lord from him.
52. Disciple should serve the Guru as his God, which is a sure way of pleasing the Lord of Universe and becoming fit for His grace.
53. Disciple should practise non-attachment and keep company with his Divine Master.
54. Disciple should first obtain the Grace of his preceptor and follow the path pointed out by him.
55. A disciple should dwell in the house of the preceptor with control over the senses and study the scriptures.
56. The disciple should eat the food, rich or poor, good or bad, more or little, which comes from the Guru’s holy hand.
Meditation on Guru
57. Meditation of the Guru’s Lotus-Feet is the only way for attaining immortality and eternal bliss.
58. Those who do not concentrate on the Lotus-Feet of Guru are slayers of Atman. They are in fact living corpses and miserable wretches. They are very poor people.
59. The wise cut asunder the knot of egoism by that sharp sword of constant meditation on the Lotus-Feet of Guru.
60. Meditation on the Lotus-Feet of Guru is the master-key for opening the realms of eternal bliss.
61. Meditation on Guru is the only real royal road to the ultimate reality.
62. Meditation on Guru kills all pains, sorrows and sufferings.
63. Meditation on Guru destroys all cause of sorrow and grief.
64. Meditation on Guru gives vision of your Ishta Devata.
65. Meditation on Guru is a balloon that helps the disciple to soar high into the realm of eternal bliss, everlasting peace and perennial joy.
66. Meditation on Guru is the royal road to attain Godhead.
67. Meditation on Guru is the Grand Trunk Road which takes the disciple direct to the destination of divine consciousness.
68. Meditation on Guru is the mystic ladder which takes the disciple from earth to heaven.
69. Without meditation on the Lotus-Feet of Guru there is no spiritual progress of a disciple.
70. Regular meditation on preceptor opens the avenues of intuitional knowledge, makes the mind calm and steady and awakens the inner consciousness.
Conquest of Happiness
71. All doubts are cleared by themselves when the disciple meditates on the Lotus-Feet of his Guru.
72. Nothing can disturb the disciple’s mind when he is under the protection of his Guru.
73. If you withdraw the mind and objects and fix it on the Lotus-Feet of your preceptor through constant meditation, all pains will come to an end.
74. Meditation on Guru is the only way which can destroy all human miseries. There is no other way.
75. The disciple who cannot fix his mind on the Lotus-Feet of his Guru, cannot have the knowledge of the Self.
76. He who does not practise any meditation, on Guru, cannot possess peace of mind.
77. If you want to get rid of the troubles and afflictions of this Samsara you must practise meditation on the Lotus-Feet of your Guru.
78. Meditation on Guru is the pathway to Divinity. It is the royal road to Kingdom of Brahman.
Need for Guru’s Grace
79. Without the help of Guru one cannot attain the knowledge of the Self.
80. Without the Grace of Guru one cannot grow into the Divine State.
81. Without Guru’s Grace the disciple cannot lead the Divine Life.
82. Without Guru’s Grace you cannot liberate yourself from the trammels of mind and attain Immortality.
83. It you do not practise meditation on the form of your Guru, the supreme splendour and fadeless glory of Atman will remain hidden from you.
84. Tear the veils that cover the soul by practising regular, systematic meditation on the form of your Guru.
85. Meditation on the form of Guru is a powerful tonic for all diseases.
86. Meditation on Guru opens the door of the mind to intuitive knowledge and many powers.
87. Meditation on Guru will remove all the miseries of life.
Way to Peace and Strength
88. Real peace and Ananda manifest only when you meditate on the form of your preceptor.
89. Meditation on the spiritual teacher gives lot of spiritual strength, peace, new vigour and vitality.
90. Meditation on the Holy Teacher develops strong and pure thoughts.
91. The mind-wandering will gradually cease through regular contemplation on the form of Guru.
92. Meditation on the preceptor will remove all obstacles in the spiritual path.
93. Meditation on Guru will remove irritability and will also augment the peace of mind considerably.
94. Brahma Muhurta is the most favourable time for meditation on the Lotus-Feet of the Divine Master.
95. As soon as you get up from the bed do Japa of Guru Mantra. This is very, very important.
96. Solitude and intense contemplation on the Lotus-Feet of Guru are the two important requisites for Self-realisation.
Preliminaries for Meditation
97. For the purpose of meditation on Guru everything is to be rendered Sattvic. The place, the food, the clothes, the company, the books, etc., must be Sattvic.
98. Meditation on Guru should not be given up under any circumstances.
99. Leading a virtuous life is not by itself sufficient for God-realisation. Constant deep meditation on Guru is absolutely necessary.
100. If you want to get rid of pains and afflictions of Samsara, you must practise deep meditation on the form of your Guru.
101. Meditation on Guru prepares for the integral experience or direct intuitive knowledge.
102. The disciple need not bother about his bodily wants, food, cloth, shelter, etc. Everything is provided for him by the Grace of Guru.
103. Meditation on Guru is the only valuable asset for a disciple.
104. God will guide the aspirants through the form of Guru.
105. One has to serve the Guru, and do all the things that the Guru commands him to do without grudging, without using his own intellect.
106. When the Guru orders a certain thing to be done the disciple should obey implicitly.
107. Such an obedience to Guru is necessary. This is the spirit of Nishkama Karma, (Karma done not for the pleasure of the person doing it) but because it is the holy command of the preceptor. Then only the impurities of the mind–Kama, Krodha, Lobha–are destroyed.
108. The disciple who is equipped with the fourfold means is fit to sit before the Brahma-Nishtha Guru who is no other than God, to hear the Maha Vakyas from him.