The Importance of Guru in our lives
People are born on this earth. Some are successful, some are not. Some are rich, some are not. Similarities and dis-similarities are always there, but broadly classified, the lifecycle of every person born, is the same. Think of it : We all are born, grow up with good / bad education, start working, grow old and die. Further broken in a day’s schedule : We get up in the morning, go to work, eat during the day and sleep at night. The only differences are that the timings of day and night may differ for different people OR, that some people may be earning more than the others in a day’s work, they may be having more worldly amenities at home, but the lifecycle or the structure remains same.
In short, during our entire lives, broadly, we either, sleep, eat or work. What else do we do in life ? This gives rise to another important question – Why are we born at all ? OR What is the purpose of our life.
Let us try to comprehend this eternal and most important question of our lives. Elders say that GOD lives within us. How ? and Why ? — The lifeline of the Human life is the “Atma” (The Soul). The God above us is the “Param – Atma” (Parmatma – The Ultimate Soul – GOD). “Atma” is a part of “Parmatma”. That is, every soul born in this world, is a PART of the Ultimate soul or GOD. Since our lifeline, our soul is a part of GOD, We are a part of GOD and GOD resides within us.
Once we know who we are, the answer to this eternal question becomes simple. Our aim of being born in this life is to merge back into the powers, from where we came. “Atma ka Parmatma se milan” (The merging of our soul back into the source – The Eternal or Ultimate soul.) This is better known as “Moksh”. When the soul is finally freed from this cycle of birth and death.
People are repeatedly born in the world, either to repay for their sins OR to enjoy the rewards of their Good deeds. “Moksh” cannot be achieved until the balance of the good and bad deeds of the soul is nil. Then, is there no way to rid oneself of this eternal cycle of birth and death ?
There is. This is the Importance of The Guru in our lives. Guru is the only source by which we can achieve this most difficult, yet the only task of our soul. In one of his dohas, Kabir has said :
Yeh Tan Vish ki Belri, Guru Amrit ki Khaan,
Shish kate aur Guru mile, to bhi sasta jaan.
Our body is like a plant of poison and Guru is a mine of Nectar. Even if the life is sacrificed to reach the Guru, the deal comes at a cheap price. Because, once we reach the Guru and submit our self to Him, the course that our soul will now take, will be defined by our Guru. “Guru Bina Gati Nahin”. Without The Guru, we cannot achieve our ultimate aim.
Gurudev – The source of eternal energy and all inspiration !!
And Our Gurudev is the epitome of generosity. He is there to give everyone anything that the person comes seeking for, all He asks for is faith and goodness. Be good to everyone, walk on the path shown by Gurudev, and anybody can experience the presence of Gurudev in their lives.
Guru Kumhaar Shishya kumbh hai, Garhi Garhi kade khot,
andar haath sahaar de, baahar bahe chot.
Guru is like a Potter and we are like the clay mounted on His wheel. Just as the Potter hits the clay on the outside and digs the extra clay and impurities to give it shape from the inside, Guru may be harsh on His children from the outside, but from inside, He loves them and makes them pure.
Such was the love and affection showered by GURUJI that anyone who came into contact with him, carried the feeling that GURUJI belonged to him and loved him the most. GURUJI used to say, “our path is clear and the shortest shortcut to salvation is – practice ‘japa’ (inward recitation of mantras), ‘nishkaam sewa’ (rendering selfless service to people) and ‘dhyaan’ (meditation).