Sadhana Panchakam, Instruction 13

Translation and Commentary by Jayaram V

2.5. Approach a true and knowledgeable teacher

An aspirant who has developed a genuine distaste for worldly life and a deep curiosity to know the self needs proper knowledge and guidance to reach his goals. In ancient times, when knowledge was strictly limited to a few learned scholars and spiritual masters who kept it to themselves as the secret knowledge (gudha) and taught only to a select few, one had no alternative but to approach them, please them and win them over with obedience, sincerity and persistence. If the student came from a reputed background and showed promise, the teacher had an obligation to accept him. Otherwise, he could send him away or keep him waiting from a distance. Sometimes he would accept a student but would not teach him, until the student met with his expectations. During that period of probation, the student had to serve the master by working in his household as a servant.

Gurus are of different. You have secular teachers who excel in specific branches of worldly knowledge such as medicine, science, metallurgy, art, literature, etc., religious teachers who teach you the knowledge of the scriptures and methods of worship, and spiritual masters who guide you on the path of self-purification and liberation. Some teachers may excel in the knowledge of specific scriptures and specific methods or worship, but they may have no direct experience of self-absorption or oneness with the self. Whether they can be helpful to you or not depends upon your spiritual aims and what you want to learn. For teaching the knowledge of liberation, a teacher must be firmly established in the knowledge of Brahman (brahmanishta) and the knowledge of the scriptures (srotriya). Only he is qualified to be a true guru (sadvidvan)

Strictly speaking, in today’s world you do not easily find sadvidvans, who are self-realized, knowledgeable and have no ulterior agenda or self-interest. You may find teachers who possess good knowledge of the scriptures (srotriyas), but it is difficult to identify outwardly enlightened masters (brahmanishtas) from the pretentious ones. You cannot also be sure whether someone who claims himself to be a true teacher is trustworthy at all. His appearance and knowledge may fool you.

Even if you find one, you may not receive personal and direct attention or instruction from him since he may be surrounded by a circle of eager disciples who do not want others to reach him or earn his confidence. As a result, you may end up becoming a part of a large group or a congregation and may not be allowed to approach him or receive initiation from him. Sometimes, visiting celebrity gurus may also disturb your and shake your faith, if you find that their behavior is at odds with their teachings or their public image.

In these circumstances, the best alternative is to take refuge in the ancient and eternal wisdom which is preserved in our scriptures such as the Upanishads, the Bhagavadgita, the Brahmasutras, the tantras or the works. You can follow ancient masters such as Ashtavakra, Narada, Dattatreya or Shankara or the medieval and modern saints such as Chaitanya or Ramana or Ramakrishna Paramahansa. Their teachings still have the purity and force to transform you and purify you. Further, many teachers and spiritual masters of today follow their teachings only and quote from their works, repeating the same knowledge.

Therefore, whether you seek a true master, taking all the pain and risks, or study the scriptures on your own with firm faith, the result will be the same. In the end, whether you have a guru or not, you are the one who makes the difference. No guru can help you if you do not have the aspiration or the willingness to purify yourself, practice the methods and seek liberation. Knowledge and wisdom bloom in your consciousness to the extent you are willing to learn and improve and make necessary sacrifices.

God is the ultimate guru. If you have faith and devotion, solutions will come, and answers will reveal themselves. If you want to follow this path, you can choose your personal god as your guru, such as Shiva or Vishnu or Brahma or Shakti, according to your faith, and worship him as your guru. They are the original teachers and the source of all knowledge and wisdom which we find in our ancient scriptures. By approaching them in your thoughts and prayers, contemplating upon them and serving them with faith and devotion, you may make your mind more receptive to the knowledge they transmit through invisible channels.

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