All saints prove it with their own life as an example. Saint Tukaram used to work in the fields and he considered his work as worship. Sant Namdev attained God sewing clothes. King Janaka was a realised master in the capacity of a King. The Guru is the mother, father, relative and friend. We must bow down to such a Guru. When we bow down, our fontanel or Brahmarandra touches the dust of Guru’s Lotus Feet. This will empower us to further understand the Guru Tattva or principles.
The Guru Principle that is consecrated within us is that Moha or attachment is samsara. Attachment to worldly objects gives rise to joys and sorrows. It is the root cause of bondage. The guru has infinite unconditional love. The Guru sees the soul or atma in everyone, and love oozes out of the Guru. The Guru has no distinction of yours and mine. He looks at everything with equanimity.
For ordinary people, samsara is everything. Guru has no moha therefore he doesn’t fall prey to the joy of company and no pain of separation viraha. The Guru is in everybody so He is never alone. He is already in union with us. But, man is always alone, because of the differentiation of yours and mine. He cannot behave in the same manner with everyone because of this. The Guru is in everybody--- so we see mata, pita, bandhu, sakha--- all in the Guru.
When our soul takes prominence in our life, it shines, it comes out of moha or attachment.
Then everybody starts looking like a friend. As humans, we go on mingling or socialising with people of the same level, so it is that much more difficult to transform ourselves.
Because, the moment we make an effort to change or transform ourselves we will have one of our relatives or friends circle to pull us back with their non-transformative thinking.
So, even simple steps towards attaining realisation seem like giant steps towards Nirvana.
Lord Shiva says, “Establish a Guru peetha at home, and automatically you will start moving towards a higher level of evolution.
You get a bird’s perspective on things. You will be able to look at your own behaviour previously and you will regret it. Remember, your soul has housed a human body. That means it is meant to evolve.”
We are swimming in Bhavasagara--- the ocean of our own emotions today. So, a thought in our mind induces a feeling, then this feeling induces another thought. Guru’s sannidhya or holy abode is the ship that takes us across this ocean. The bhavasagara or ocean of emotions is either a lake or a sea or an ocean according to our own depth of involvement in it. If you are in a small lake of worries, He is the bridge. His role is according to your perception.
Extract from ‘The Force of Nirvana’ by Shri Shri Nimishananda