About Guru

The following is in response to a friend's question: Who is your Guru?

Sai Ram. I have many in the sense of learning from, but no one as far as receiving Mantra Deeksha is concerned. Lord Datttreya, Dakshnina Murthy, Siva, Vishnu, The Divine Mother Who goes by the names of Lalitha, Durga, Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi, Maha Saraswati etc., Sage Narada who taught me about Bhakti through His Narada Bhakti Sutras, Prahlada, the Epitome of Bhakti, Shirdi Sai Baba, Ramana Maharshi, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Paramahamsa Yogananda, Satya Sai Baba, Adi Shankara and Shankaracharya of Hampi etc. are some of my Gurus!

Albert Einstein and other scientists who taught me that matter and energy are one are among my Gurus. My Gurus include Cosmologists who taught that the whole universe arose from a singularity, a point, a zero! The Hindu scriptures which talk of dark matter and dark energy albeit in different terms and Lord Sri Krishna who taught Gita are some more who are my Gurus.

Shri Veda Vyasa, who gave us the Sri Vishnu Sahasra Nama Stotra, which goes on expanding the definition of God, Sri Adi Shankara whose Nirvana Shatkam negates all the concepts of God, thus both reaching the same conclusion not so surprisingly are my Gurus! Sri Guru Gita, a part of Skanda Purana, which extols the greatness of Guru, Sri Guru Charitra, and Sri Sai Satcharitra are the books that taught me, Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnuh Guru Devo Maheswarah...

My parents, and my teachers in my school and college life who taught me many lessons, my brothers and other relatives, my friends and those who were some what inimical to me, all of them taught me important lessons.

I am reminded of the reply given by Lord Dattatreya in Avadhuta form when asked similarly by king Yadu. Pl. see the following link for a full version of that.

http://www.swamij.com/twenty-four-gurus.htm

When the lamp is ready to be lit, a lamp, spark or a torch comes along and lights it. That lamp or that spark is the Guru. When the disciple is ready, the Guru appears because the Guru represents the Higher Self that is always inside the heart of the disciple!

A stray neutron is enough to start a nuclear reaction in a reactor or set off a nuclear bomb that is critical. A neutron source is used only so that the thing works when you want it. Similarly when we are ready, the Guru comes. When the door is open, the light and the air come in.

Thanks for reading this patiently. Your comments are welcome. Sai Ram.