Letter # 97: "Guru"

Lord Krishna says, “Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth.” BG 4.34.
How does one go about finding a “true spiritual master”?
A questioner asked Maharaj Nisargadatta the same question: “How can I make out whom to follow and whom to mistrust?”
Maharaj Nisargadatta answered, “Mistrust all, until you are convinced. The true Guru will never humiliate you, nor will he estrange you from yourself. He will constantly bring you back to the fact of your inherent perfection and encourage you to seek within. He knows you need nothing, not even him, and is never tired of reminding you. But the self-appointed Guru is more concerned with himself than with his disciples.” [I am That. P 422].
What is a Guru anyway? Wikipedia informs that the word comes from two syllables gu (ग) and ru (र) which stand for darkness and light, respectively The guru dispels the darkness, and in many religions finding a true guru is necessary for attaining self-realization.
The Psalmist seems frustrated by teachers when he sings: “I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on Your statutes.” [119:99].
Indeed, it can be hard to sort out the true living spiritual master from the many that come forward as authorities, teachers, and sages.
Perhaps all that is needed is spiritual community - known as "sat sang" in eastern traditions. The western traditions also refer to the idea of spiritual community. Matthew 18-20 speaks of the spontaneous appearance of the Teacher in even a small spiritual gathering: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
Guru Nanak also sings of the joy that arises from mingling with saintly company: “Sadh kai sang(i) na kab-hu dhavai. Sadh kai sang(i) sada sukh(u) pavai”, which means, “By association with the saints, one never wanders; by association with the sainst, true joy is embraced.” [SS Asht 7. P 75].

God Bless; Allah Hu Akbar; May The Forces Of The Universe Bring You Harmony; Hare Krishna; Radha-Swami; and Nanak Naam Chardi Kala Tere Bhane Sarbat Dha Bhalla.

I wish to express my gratitude for your comments, which inspire me to carry on writing. Please forgive my fallibilities in presenting this material. Also, feel free to send this message on to someone that you might think would like to receive it. If you do send it on, my only request of you is that you send it as it is, in its entirety, and to not alter or modify any of the text, references or authorship information. Thus you will help to give credit or liability to where they are properly due.
Jas Bhopal
Copyright© 2008
References: "The Holy Bible" Online version; "The Koran" as translated by SV Mir Ahmed Ali 2005 ISBN 0-9761870-0-0); "The Bhagavad Gita As it Is" as translated by Srila Prabhupada ISBN 0-89213-268-X; The Srimad Bhagavatum as translated by Srila Prabhupada ISBN0-89213-259-0; "I Am That. Talks With Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj” ISBN 0-89386-022-0; The Dhammapada ISBN-10:1-84483-344-5; The Sacred Sukhmani ISBN 81-7205-098-4; Wikipedia.