While the effect of past actions will have to be borne by us, their consequences can be considerably reduced by living in the presence of the living master.
It is therefore critical to search for guidance from such a master. Coming under the influence of such a master is the most precious gift of grace that can accrue to an individual in his or her lifetime.
As Sadguru Murali Krishna expresses it, “Life is slippery. A grip from God is essential. God should be with us in everything we do. Yearn to do that. Spiritual energy is never lost. To create it, surrender to God. All material pleasures — wealth, luxury, prosperity, power — result in pain because they are finite. So never pray for material pleasures. Use all your possessions with a feeling that it ought to be returned.”
The relationship between the Guru or Master and the sishya or disciple is the most sacred relationship in the universe.
Sadguru Murali Krishna has a unique approach to explaining the significance of the Guru and the nature of the Vedas, “The child’s duty is towards the mother, while the sishya’s (disciple) duty is towards the guru. The mother is always watching the child irrespective of where the child is.
"Similarly, the Guru is always looking over the disciple, irrespective of whether the student is close by or far away. It is however also up to the child to stay close to the mother. Similarly the student should always stick to the Guru, just like the sunflower is always focused towards the sun.”
If the biological mother is responsible for giving us the gift of life, the Guru gives us spiritual rebirth.
The intensity of the search determines the kind of Guru you attract.
The two are different but for all that, no less valuable, “There is a fundamental difference between the milk (food) given by the mother and the master.
"The milk that the Guru gives is in the form of knowledge and strengthens our sense of discrimination while mother’s milk provides strength, love and compassion”.
The use of the term ‘knowledge’ here implies the answer to profound questions like, what is the purpose of life? Why do we meet certain people?
These are certain questions that one needs to introspect upon, “Absence of such knowledge is the root of sins like selfishness. Moksha or salvation can be obtained only if there is internal peace. This peace can only be obtained if one has adequate knowledge, is free from doubt, and that is only possible at the feet of the guru. Accordingly, knowledge is essential to attain moksha, and to attain this knowledge we need to understand the four Vedas. Understanding the Vedas is also essential to master the two vedangas (texts that were created to guide us in the understanding of the Vedas) of family life and work.” Our scriptures assert that the Self is located two inches to the right side of the heart. This is not a physical but subtle location.
The article has been taken from the book The Global Mission of Sadguru Sri Sharavana Baba