Day: July 12, 2025

Swami ji said…

Man has always been drawn by the questions of his existence.
As he stumbles through life — navigating its various turns, surviving its storms, and occasionally pausing to celebrate fleeting victories — a subtle question persists:
“What is the meaning of it all?” He wonders that despite all the changes around him — he feels the same within — as if he is merely passing through a cycle of emotions and circumstances repeatedly, like the seasons of the year. No matter what he does — a new routine, new friends, new hobbies, new jobs — he does not feel any real change within. He remains the same — uncertain, restless, incomplete and discontent – as though waiting for something special to occur – something that will make him feel whole and at peace with himself. He knows that something is amiss — that deep within him he needs something, or someone, to explain to him what this ‘life’ is. To show him how to live ‘it’ in a way that is not clouded by doubt and fear.

It is at such moments, without any applause or fanfare, that a Guru enters one’s life.
Before the शिष्य — the disciple — even realises it, the Guru appears in his life — not necessarily in a physical form straightaway, but, perhaps through scriptures or books, dreams or an inner voice. Those blessed with a ‘self realised’ Guru will certainly confirm this. For it has always been this way. Krishna came into Arjun’s life much before Arjun declared himself to be Krishna’s disciple on the battlefield of ‘कुरुक्षेत्र’.

How and when a Guru enters a disciple’s life, is known only to the Guru —
as it is the Guru who comes of His own will, to guide and uplift His disciple – at the moment deemed fit by Him. Even a mother is unable to do this for her child. But, a Guru can – with His divine ways. Is His divine love for His devotee – then not greater than even a parent’s love? Is the love a Guru has for his disciples not, then, truly unparalleled?

A Guru is the dispeller of darkness from our lives — one who illuminates the mind with knowledge — ‘True knowledge’ – that helps us understand this world and shows us how to steer through it with awareness and grace. What He has realised through His own struggles and efforts, He grants us freely — out of love, without hesitation, without any strings attached.

In today’s world, we are hesitant to even listen to a stranger on the street — let alone engage in conversation.
Yet a Guru listens to His disciple’s struggles — physical and emotional — with a smile on His face, and then offers not just empathy, but , real solutions – the concrete results of which are visible to them within a short span of time.
The divine love that He nurses for His ‘bhakts’ – makes Him smile in His devotees happiness and ‘feel’ their grief in their moments of sorrow – when He provides them with all the inner strength needed by them – to stand firm in turbulent waters.

Who in this world is more magnanimous than a ‘saccha sant’ ? Who is as selfless, as compassionate, as giving – as a Guru? And, yet , despite having a self – realised ‘guru’ in our lives, we — the disciples — so easily forget His importance – once He sheds His physical being. The mind, distracted by everything around it, keeps pushing the Guru , as if , ‘out’ of our awareness. It instead fixates on certain people, prioritises fleeting relationships, immerses itself in projects, ambitions, or , worldly pleasures.
It always finds a reason to postpone remembrance, to delay surrender, to neglect gratitude. Until trouble strikes.

It is only when circumstances become challenging once again — when difficulties confront us — that the ‘spiritual’ element in us – awakens once again. We remember the Guru — our true guide , our best friend — and run back to His shelter, hoping He will once again hand-pick us out of the storm. Desperately, we wait for His grace to shield us, guide us, and rescue us — as He always has in the past — and He in His loving , unassuming manner continues to do so – whether we devotees are still devoted to Him or not. A devotee might leave His Guru, but, a Guru stands by His devotee – as once He makes him His – He never deserts him.