Informative

Signs of a True Guru

Gurur Brahma, Gurur Vishnu, Gurur Devo Maheshwara 

 Gurur Sakshat Para Brahma, Tasmaye Shree Guruve Namah

His Holiness Shri Chamunda Swamiji chants this specific Mantra, before each of his live videos. 

Meaning, Guru is Brahma (Lord of Creation), Guru is Vishnu (Patron of the world), Guru is the Maheshwara (Destroyer of the worlds), Guru is Parbrahma (the supreme reality). I bow to that Guru who leads me on the path of light.

On this endless circle of death and rebirth, our only hope is finding a Guru, who can take us on the path of liberation, guiding us to merge with the universal consciousness, escaping this endless wheel of Maya.  

As every relationship is based on mutual respect and truth, the most sacred of all, is the relationship between a Guru and his disciple. However, this relation renders useless if the Guru is not what he seems to be.

Even though the word Guru is used often generously as a generic translation of the word teacher, there is a fundamental difference between the two. The teacher is an expert in a certain subject and makes us learn about the objects and processes of the material world. But, the Guru teaches us the different techniques to explore the reality of inner being, thus, completely changing our life. Guru dispels darkness from us, and takes us to the true path of salvation.

His Holiness Chamunda Swamiji says that the people are lucky to have found their Guru. When you Google word Guru, approximately 7,75,00,000 results get displayed on one search engine. It becomes very difficult and even emotionally overwhelming for a spiritual seeker who wants to find a Guru.

However, there are few basic signs that you can identify in a genuine guru.

1. Selflessness: Real Guru won’t be interested in Gurudom, in increasing their followers, in having fancy titles, or acquiring properties in the name of Ashrams, worldwide. Real Guru will never waste his intellect on materialistic gains.

2. Money: Even though money is necessary for a value to the service provided, a Guru must not give extra attention to the rich and completely ignore his poor disciples. At the same time, a complete renunciation from worldly attachment is not the only sign of his excellence in spirituality. A real Guru stays in one place, yet lives a detached life.

3. Magic Tricks: The only reason someone displays miraculous powers is, to make more and more people impressed, and hoping to add numbers to the followers. Real Guru makes miracles happen within his true seekers, instead of showing off or gathering attention.

4. Promise: Following a Guru who promises to get rid of all of your problems is like investing your money in a ‘Get rich quick scheme’. Spirituality is a tedious path, where you have to walk alone, all by yourself, realizing your true nature. If someone is promising you to awake your Kundalini, to make you an expert in Yoga, or to make you see the Matrix, is a big red flag. Instead, a true Guru will make you work for it, taking your qualities, upbringing, life experiences, inclination, and individual exigency in mind.

5. Internal Compass: A Guru should not exploit his disciples to meet his personal goals. You should trust your intuitions while looking for a guru. There must be a divine quality and sense of integrity in a guru, which will give you a feeling of you are being with someone religious, pious, trustworthy, and spiritual. You should feel peaceful near your Guru.

You can take these pointers as a starting point to help yourself distinguish between greedy “teachers” and genuine vehicles of Spirit that contribute toward our cumulative progression.

Even after checking all these qualities, one cannot guarantee to miss a real Guru. In the realm of spirituality, the best philosopher’s stone is your gut feeling. Whatever happens, keep on moving, taking every experience as a lesson. If you are honest and true in your quest of searching for a genuine Guru, the divine will bring him to you.

Knowing yourself, righteous Karma, common sense, and being honest about your expectations will work as a shield, saving you from all the fake Gurus out there. 

 We hope this blog helped you understand the concept of choosing a Guru better and how you can use this knowledge to maximize happiness in your life. Love and blessings from Swami Ji. 

– Team CSJ.