Page 30 - Dawn of Reality an Exposition of REALITY AT DAWN of Sri Ramchandraji Maharaj

submission. I am sure, there is not the slightest suggestion to this effect found in our Shastras. It is only an ingenuity on the part of these teachers of religion. I hold it to be the birth right of every man to break off from his Guru at any time if he finds that he had made a wrong selection or had misjudged the Guru’s capacity or worth. He is also free to seek another Guru if at any stage he finds that his Guru has not the capacity to take him beyond what he has already acquired. On the other hand a con-scientious Guru must himself, under the circumstances, direct his disciple to seek another, more advanced and better qualified, so that the disciple may not in any way suffer progress. This is the sacred duty of a true and selfless Guru. If, however, permission to break off, sought for by the disciple, is denied by the Guru on account of his selfish motives, the disciple is at liberty to break off from him at once and seek another. No moral or religious law ever forbids him from doing so.
A little advanced among the class of Gurus are considered to be those who teach and preach on the basis of their knowledge of the Shastras and other holy books. They have established orders and Ashrams where they enjoy a kingly position among their followers. They go out and address large audiences telling them what to do and what not to do and explaining to them problems concerning Maya, Jiva and Brahma. People flock to them in thousands to hear their sermons admiring their high ideas and extensive knowledge and regard them as great Mahatmas or saints. They ask them numerous intricate questions and if they are able to answer them out of their stock of the knowledge of Shastras their greatness as Mahatma is established in their minds and they are induced to accept them as Gurus. But really they have, thus, put to test their learning and not the real worth. It must well be borne in mind that it is not learning or knowledge that makes a man perfect but it is only realization in the right sense that makes a true Yogi or saint. It is just possible that the man who has thus impressed you with his outward form, learning or eloquence, may be at the lowest level as regards practical attainments. Know-ledge, therefore, is no criterion of a true Mahatma or Yogi. Similarly the real test of a Mahatmaor Guru is not his miracles or his extraordinary ways and manners but only his practical attainments on the path of realization. The popular meaning of a Mahatma as a great individuality does not seem appealing to me. I would define a Mahatma as the most insignificant being or rather a neglected figure, beyond all feelings of greatness, pride or egoism, dwelling permanently in a state of complete self - negation. There are some who hold the view that knowledge being the preliminary stage of realization is essential and indispensable.
I do not agree with them on the ground that knowledge is only an achievement of brain whereas realization is the awakening of soul and hence far beyond its scope. In books on spiritual science we read much about the