- Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai
Divinity is our very nature, our true identity. The one who makes us realise the divinity which lies hidden within us is the true spiritual guide, the Sadguru. The word ‘Guru’ has a wonderful meaning. ‘Gu’ means darkness and ‘ru’ means to eliminate. The one who leads us from darkness to light is the Guru.
A Sadguru is a true friend, philosopher and guide to his devotees. He is the one who inspires the devotees to explore within, supports them in this endeavour as a true companion and helps them break the shackles of ignorance and slavery. He becomes the vision of the devotees who are blinded by ignorance, instead of being their walking stick. He does not become the crutch of the lame but imparts spiritual and moral strength to them to discover their own inner potential.
Satsang
The scientific principle of causality states that every effect is preceded by a cause. For any result to be produced there always has to be a cause behind it. Nothing happens without a cause. As a universal principle, water evaporates at 100 degrees Celsius and this holds true for all water particles at all places, at any given time. Be it India, Pakistan or Tibet - water still evaporates only at 100 degrees Celsius, neither at higher temperatures, nor lower, and this remains an unchallenged fact.
However, Carl Gustav Jung, with his principle of synchronicity, proved that certain effects could also be obtained without any perceptible cause. Certain effects have been obtained in the presence of a specific factor, which cannot be proved to be the cause, yet without which the result is not accomplished. It is not involved in the process, yet its presence is essential. During a dance performance, some people in the audience start tapping their feet to the rhythm. If all of them start dancing or tapping their feet, we can say that it is due to the principle of causality because under this logic, there are no exceptions. However, not everybody in the audience is influenced; only some are in-tune with the rhythm.This shows that the music was already there within them. It just needed an inspiration. The music within resounded in the presence of this external music. This phenomenon is ‘synchronicity’.
Once this principle of synchronicity is understood, it is easy to understand the meaning of ‘Self-realisation through the Sadguru’. It is true that without a Sadguru you can never experience the profound truth but the contribution of a Sadguru is like that of the dancer. He dances in the joy of his bliss and seeing him, you too are motivated to dance, you start swaying and tapping to the beat with him. The Sadguru dances in the pure joy of His consciousness, intoxicated with the bliss of enlightenment. This intoxication is contagious. The process of transmission of pure joy is called satsang.
Role of a Sadguru
Satsang is like a tavern (bar), where the Sadguru inspires in us the desire to experience exhilarating spiritual ecstasy. He motivates you such that every living moment of your life seeks that eternal bliss. He generates a storm which compels you to wake up from your slumber. The Sadguru frees you from your desires, your wants and your ego. The biggest obstacle in your life is your ego which manifests itself as, ‘I know’ and the Sadguru removes this block for you.
When you approach a Sadguru, he will not fill you with knowledge. On the contrary, he will empty you. You will have to lay down your ego at his altar. Going to a Sadguru means losing everything - your ego, your false notions, your drawbacks…leaving you with nothing more than your Self. And the day you are left with nothing but your Self,that is the day you will have achieved that which is worth achieving.
May all be fortunate enough to find a Sadguru.
May all surrender to him and attain his state of ecstasy.
May all awaken from the slumber of ignorance and experience eternal bliss.
