Chapter 2 - A Deeper Understanding - a podcast by Sai Babas Devotee Speaks

Chapter 2 - Gautam Sachdeva's Commentary
Guru-Disciple Relationship

The second chapter is the most important one, because it sets the tone for the Guru-disciple relationship and it also defines this relationship. You see Hemadpant has been most open and candid in admitting his resistance to the concept of having a Guru initially and in spite of that, he fell at Baba's feet. Now, there are various aspects here which are important. One is this resistance to the concept of a Guru. This should be explored a bit.

We have no resistance when we are born; our parents are looking after us and the Indian scriptures say that your parents are your first gurus because they raised you and they guide you. There after you go to school; your teachers are your gurus in that sense, as they teach you. Now, if during your formative years you have these kinds of gurus, then what about facing life's challenges, life's ups and downs, life's mysteries. Isn't it natural to want a guide? Who has walked the path and who can help make your journey, maybe not easier, but simpler? That is the Guru.

The Guru literally translates as the removal of ignorance. Another word for Guru is Light- the Light of Consciousness. It also translates as Spiritual Weight. There are various dimensions to this word 'Guru'. So, we are actually surrendering to all these dimensions of the word 'Guru'. The Guru is considered to be God in human form, but many of us are not willing to accept this, we still see a Guru as an individual. So, this chapter is very pertinent to people who have a Guru in their lives, Sadhguru being Sai Baba. This chapter is pertinent to people who look down upon the concept of a Guru as well as it is pertinent to people who are indifferent. You see, so, it is very important to understand that it is the disciple who sees himself or herself separate from the Guru. The Guru sees no separation. For the Guru, the Guru and disciple are one.

So what Hemadpant has shown to us is that no matter how much pride got in the way, which was depicted by him saying that he didn't need a Guru and what use is a Guru if He cannot change someone's destiny, no matter the level of pride, he still landed at Baba's feet. And this happens because of the Grace of the Guru. In spite of this resistance, he found himself there. This is the compassion of the Guru. Now we all need to understand from this that the Guru is a guiding light. When we approach a Guru with suspicion, apprehension, we are actually doing injustice to ourselves because the element of trust is missing. So Hemadpant is laying bare all these aspects in the Guru-disciple relationship, but we have to pick these up. You see, Sai Baba himself said that in your life, it will be tremendously beneficial to have a Guru. He himself has said that.

In our religious rituals, we have havan (sacred fire) and we offer coconut to the fire. That coconut represents the ego. When we bow down to a master, we are offering our ego at the feet of the Master. But some people resist bowing down, they feel 'Oh we should not give our power away to anyone. Who is this person? Why should we bow down before this person? We should only bow down before God or before Sai Baba for that matter.' All this is very arrogant thinking, where the understanding has not been perfected. Because if the Guru is God in human form, then you are bowing down to God.

So, friends, this chapter specifically shows that the relationship has to be built on surrender and trust. And Baba himself has said that, I cannot change the Prarabdha (destiny) of somebody, but yet He provides the cushion. So, if one is going through challenges in life, it is the Guru who keeps your boat afloat, that is the difference. That is a huge difference. You are able to get the strength, thanks to the Guru, to see yourself through to the other shore. So this aspect I wanted to cover, and I hope I have done justice to it in this brief time.

I would also like to add a couple of things here. In the story itself it is mentioned that Lord Ram had a Guru, Lord Krishna had a Guru. In fact even Gautam Buddha had two Gurus. So if such Great Beings had Gurus why must we ordinary people feel that 'Oh, we don't need a Guru.' So what Hemadpant has said is that everyone has to come under the Grace and umbrella of the Guru. And the beauty is that it is the Guru who is pulling us to Him, just as Sai Baba pulled Hemadpant in spite of all the resistance. So isn't it better if we are open from the start itself to receive the Grace? The other thing is when Baba gave Hemadpant, the name Hemadpant, He based it on someone else who was called Hemadpant, who was a writer. That vibration itself must have infused Hemadpant with those qualities which enabled him to bring out the book. This is the Master's Grace. So, that aspect has been, I feel a big reason for the Sai Satcharita to take shape thereafter because Hemadpant himself has now absorbed this new vibration, which enabled him as an aspiration to write down the words of the Master.

And lastly, one important point, you might have heard or read this line in this chapter,
only those who held in on spiritual progress are the true kith and kin. I'm going to repeat this- only those who help in one spiritual's progress are the true kith and kin. This is your spiritual family. These are your Guru bandhus. If you have friends whom you are sharing the journey with, if you have friends with whom you meet and have satsang, if you have friends you discuss spiritual concepts with, these are the friendships, relationships to treasure. What we do is we delegate these as secondary relationships, and our bum-chums from school and our close pals and all those relations, we keep going after for a large part of our lives. We don't create space and reverence for the sacred relationships. So here is a pointer which perhaps has got buried in this chapter, which I would like to throw some light on that in your own life. These spiritual bonds need to be nurtured and nourished.

After all, our life journey is a spiritual one. And we have to walk together on the path. So this chapter sets the foundation for us to keep our egos in check and offer ourselves totally, and be fully open to whatever comes across in the Satcharita, totally open to the Grace of Baba through the words in this book, and at the same time, totally open to the universe and what it brings to us from this point on. Then we are living the words of the Guru.

And reverence to the Guru is paramount. Even the way we bow down to Baba's photo or Moorti in our own altar or home or wherever, if it is mechanical, it is useless. But if it is imbued with respect and reverence, then it takes on a totally different significance. You see, so this act of bowing down, which many might feel I am mentioning again and again, is a very significant act. It cannot be taken lightly. In fact, there are people who do not bow down to their own Gurus. I have come across such people, they feel there's no need to, or they feel that the Guru doesn't care. But it is a very beautiful tradition in India, and also it is not just representing a tradition, but there's actually energy flowing from the Feet of the Guru. So when the disciple bows down, that energy is entering the disciples, and so there are many more esoteric and deeper meanings of this which I wouldn't want to get into. But we need to keep this in mind that where ever we find resistance- it is our resistance, it is our ego that is resisting and it has got nothing to do with the other. You would most certainly feel like bowing down to someone in your life who has really shed so much light on your journey. If you find yourself resisting this, then that is the ego which is playing up. So do look at your own lives. And do notice all these points of resistance and in that light of understanding, the ego gets laid bare and it is a beautiful opening of a beautiful journey one starts walking on.

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