Guru Descends To Help Us Ascend

Have you heard how an eaglet learns to fly? The mother eagle takes the eaglet to the highest point beyond the eaglet's comfort zone, and then she releases it. As the eaglet falls, the mother swoops down and picks it up again. She does this repeatedly, until the eaglet spreads its wings and gracefully soars high.

Similarly, when we embark on the spiritual path, every time we begin to plummet due to our internal enemies - lust, anger, greed, envy, pride, etc. - a true guru comes down to our level, to awaken our soul and help us rise. In Treta yug, to transform Ratnakar into Valmiki Maharishi, Narad Devarishi allowed Ratnakar to tie him up to a tree.

Valmiki Maharishi himself was a compassionate guru. Several disciples resided in his Äshram. One night, some objects were stolen in the Äshram, and all the disciples knew who the thief was. They went to Valmiki Maharishi and complained. After listening to them, Valmiki Maharishi assured them that he would talk to the disciple who stole the objects. A few days passed by, and another theft happened. Upset with it, the disciples approached Valmiki Maharishi again and requested, "Guru ji, please send the thief away, or else we may have to leave this Äshram."

Valmiki Maharishi assembled all his disciples and said, "My dear children, you all are very attentive disciples; you have learnt and realized what is good for you. Therefore, if you leave this Äshram now, you can still find a place in another Äshram and continue your learning. Where as, the disciple who stole has not yet learned the difference between good and bad. As his guru, I have to teach him that, so I cannot send him away. Hence, I am willing to let all of you go for his sake." Moved by his guru's empathetic words, the disciple who committed the theft prostrated in front of Valmiki Maharishi and with tears welling up in his eyes promised him that he would never steal in his life. He kept his promise and went on to become one of the best disciples of Valmiki Maharishi.

Such is the kindness of a true guru. On our own, we cannot dispel the ignorance that has separated us from God. Although we desire to, we cannot get rid off the impurities of our heart. Until we attain heart-purity, we cannot attain God. Therefore, our only savior is a God-realized guru. That is why Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj elucidated:

guru patitana so kara pyÄr, hari nirmala jana ko yÄr |

yaha antara sujana vichÄr, guru mahimÄ aparampÄr ||

"The guru loves destitute souls; God loves the pure-hearted ones.

O good people, think about this difference. The guru's glory knows no limits."