Page 49 - Wisdom Unfurled

Unfortunately, today, the selection of the proper guide is much neglected, although every religious-minded Hindu believes that it is incumbent upon him to have a guru in order to satisfy his craving for spiritual benefit. Generally people select anyone for the purpose without any regard to his capabilities or worth. They are induced to do so mostly by persuasion or by miracles displayed by those so-called gurus to attract the ignorant masses. Disciple hunters are not wanting. They are as numerous as the leaves of a tree. For most of them, gurudom is a very profitable job which can secure enormous income which they cannot otherwise earn. Besides, they command highest respect and personal service from their disciples. The ignorant masses thus fall a ready prey to these self-seeking professionals. A petty miracle or an ordinary display of something charming is enough to attract hundreds of these silly sheep to the fold of their gurudom. A simple threat of a curse upon one who happens to displease them, may bring thousands to abject submission. Not only this, but in order to ensure monopoly of their profession they declare that none but one belonging to the privileged class has the right of being a guru, whether he may be a sannyasin or a householder. They claim to be world-teachers of religion by right of birth irrespective of their capabilities and worth. Sannyasins too, you will find these days in multitudes, posing as mahatmas and professing to be jagat gurus –teachers of the world. Is it not a pity to find such professional imposters, who are a shame to the nation and religion, roaming about with complete impunity to cheat and defraud ignorant people, in order to serve their own selfish ends?
It is high time for the masses to open their eyes and see what havoc has been wrought by such persons. Gurudom as the monopoly of a privileged class is an absurdity, propagated by the professional gurus to safeguard their personal interests. The popularly believed principle that a disciple can never break off the sacred connection with his guru under any circumstances, is also a cunning device adopted by those false gurus to make their position safe and secure, and is nothing but a fraud. The practice of ‘initiating’ a disciple has been much abused by most of the modern professionals, who do not understand its real significance. Their only function as a guru is to breathe a few ‘mystical’ words into the ears of the disciple at the time of ‘initiation’ and tell him to follow certain ceremonial practices by way of worship. Their duty to the disciple ends there and nothing more is done by them for the betterment of the disciple except giving him their darshan every year and realising their annual toll and tribute from him. Really a disciple should formally be ‘initiated’ only when true faith exists in him and Divine love takes prime root in his heart. Initiation signifies that the disciple’s link has been connected with the Supreme Power. In that case spiritual force begins to flow to the disciple automatically according to the absorbing capacity he develops in himself. It