The need for a Guru

When two contrary views are expressed one by a Proclaimed Guru, exchanging Wisdom for compensation and the other from the Reluctant Guru, who expected no compensation yet ever succeeded against being proclaimed a World Guru. Between the two stood one who claimed not to have any Guru, never presented himself as Guru yet could not prevent others accepting him as the legendary Dakshniamurti who taught in silence.   

Guru is one who removes ignorance about one’s own potentiality. Some claiming to be Guru provide information drawn from scriptures. But that makes one possessed of information, which is not substitute to becoming wise. Internet which is a great source of information but one who is a service provider cannot be a Guru. Others make the seeker competent and qualified to become wise of the information provided. But no Guru can make on wise of Wisdom.

Mother is said to be a great Guru. What role does a mother play in child’s physical, psychological, moral and spiritual evolution?  Little observation of a Mother bird after it lays its egg would be great revelation.  It gives the warmth it needs and protects from alien perils. Once the chick comes out the egg, it provides first bits of worms thereafter pieces of flesh. The Mother bird knows of the vast Space high above and spread far beyond, having flown earlier far and wide. The Mother bird knows that the chick would have wings to fly, intrinsic skill to fly though not so strong now for the chick to fly.

Therefore, in the beginning the Mother bird gives nourishment to make the chick strong with powerful wings.  Once the chick grows to be a bird,  the Mother bird shows the chick, now grown strong and bold, the vast Space in which she had been flying with gay abandon, describing the great places visited and the pleasures of flying with breeze  blowing through the wings. The chick now grown strong and bold becomes conscious of the strength of its wings, sees the vast Space spread high above and far beyond. It takes the first leap with hesitation and falls, hesitates and attempts again only to become sad and disappointed.

From a distance the Mother bird looks with interest and concern. She knows the great Space high above and spread far beyond, knows the pleasures in flying with breeze blowing through the wings.  She knows now that chick has grown strong and bold and can fly likewise in the great Space high above and spread far beyond. Mother bird takes the chick to the precipice of the great mountain, points out to chick the wings now grown strong and powerful and, therefore, shows the vast Space spread high above and far beyond. Even as the chick sees the vast Space with awe and wonder, the Mother bird gives a nudge and then slowly and gently a push to that chick now grown strong and bold. The chick thus pushed in the Space looks surprised, hesitates, stumbles desperately flapping its wings involuntarily and before it knows what is happening, spreads its wings wide soaring high above in the Space and some times diving down in the valley below. 

Then the Mother bird turns back satisfied leaving the chick now grown strong, bold and confident to charter its own course. It is not known whether the Mother bird waited for the chick to return to offer thanks and gratitude, nor does one know whether the chick ever came back to the Mother bird to thank and express gratitude. That is the difference between a Proclaimed Guru, exchanging Wisdom for compensation and the Reluctant Guru, who expected no compensation yet ever succeeded against being proclaimed a World Guru. Ramana Maharshi said that it is necessary to have Guru but he need not be human Guru but could as well be the Self within transcending human limitations.  On the speaker depends to realize the stage where he stands, whether he needs an informer, a communicator or a Guru transcending human limitations, or whether one needs Guru or not.

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