Why do we need a Guru? Explanation by Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj

After detaching the mind from the world, and before surrendering to God, there is need of a divine entity, without whom one cannot attain the Supreme goal.  That entity is a God-realized Saint or Guru.  It is the Guru, who decides which path is best for each devotee to surrender to God.  Again, it is he who dispels all doubts faced by the aspirant on the path.  Mere detachment is not enough to attain God.

The Bhagavad Gita states:
                                 tadviddhi praṇipātena paripraśhnena sevayā upadekṣhyanti te jñānaṁ 
                                                                   jñāninastattvadarśhinaḥ
Shree Krishna says to Arjun, "Learn the Truth by approaching a spiritual master.  Inquire from him with reverence and render service unto him.  Such an enlightened Saint can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the Truth.”

The Ramayan also says:
                                        guru binu bhava tarai na koī”; “guru binu hoī ki jñāna”
“Without the guidance of a Guru, one cannot cross over the ocean of material existence.”  Again it says, “Without the guidance of a Guru, one cannot attain the knowledge of God.”  Thus, the unanimous view of all scriptures is that we must surrender to a Guru in order to know the unknown entity called God.

Watch this video lecture by Shree Maharajji on the topic, "Who is a Guru" with 

English Subtitles:

Satsang - Explanation by Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj

 

You would be familiar with the word satsang.  Sat means "Saint" or "Divine Personality" and sang means "to associate".  If sat, the Saint, is genuine and our sang, association with him, is also genuine, then we will attain our ultimate goal of God-realization and divine bliss.  The Vedas state:

                                            tadvigyānārthaṁ sa gurumevābhigachchhet
                                   samitpāṇiḥ śhrotriyaṁ brahmaniṣhṭham (Mundakopanishad)

A true Saint is one who has complete knowledge of the scriptures, and also practical realization of God.  He should be able to impart to us the theoretical knowledge of the Vedas.  Furthermore, he should have attained divine vision of God.  He must possess the treasure of divine love bliss.  If someone has a cheque book but nothing in the bank, what can the cheque book achieve?  If one merely talks about God, without having surrendered to him and having attained divine love, then that talk will merely increase ones pride.

What do we mean by sang or association?  It can be of three kinds.  We possess three things: body, mind, and soul.  Amongst these three, what must we associate with God and the Saints?  Scriptures say that we must associate all three.  The surrender must be complete.  God says we must offer all that we have in our possession.  It is true that whatever we have is impure and dirty, but we must offer it anyway.  God does not expect us to offer him divine things from Golok.  He says, "Whatever you possess, offer it all to Me."  Of our three possessions, the mind is the most important.  This mind has two states: mind and intellect.  The advaitis (monists) mention four states, but that is not important.  In the Bhagavad Gita, Shree Krishna has himself mentioned only two states of the mind: 

                                                    mayyeva mana ādhatsva mayi buddhiṁ niveśhaya

"Arjun!  Offer your mind to me, and offer your intellect also to me."  Arjun thought, "The mind is one, then how is he is asking for two things?"  Shree Krishna said, "Yes!  Yes!  There is only one mind, but it has two states.  When it thinks, it is called the mind, and when it takes decisions, it is called the intellect."

Thus, it is mainly the mind and the intellect that must associate with the Saint.  And of these two, the intellect is more important.  The mind is a mere servant of the intellect.  It simply does what the intellect tells it to do.  You people say time and time again, "Oh!  My mind does not want to think of God.  My mind is telling me to sleep.  My mind is telling me to go away from here."  Granted the mind may be telling you to do all this, but you must learn to control it with the intellect that God has given you.

LOVE GOD FROM THE HEART

एक बात याद रखो बस, अन्तःकरण का सम्बन्ध भगवान से और गुरु से हो. केवल सिर को पैर पर रख देने से काम नहीं बनेगा,आरती कर लेने से काम नहीं बनेगा,दक्षिणा दे देने से काम नहीं बनेगा. ये सब हेल्पर है. तुम्हारे पास जो कुछ है दो,सब ठीक है. सर्व समर्पण करना है गुरु को ,भगवान को, लेकिन इतने मात्र से काम नही बनेगा. 'अनुराग' सबसे प्रमुख है ,अन्तःकरण से प्यार.

Remember one thing that the relation of your Heart should be with God and Guru. Only Bowing your head to Guru's Lotus Feet ,only Doing Aarti will not do the work ,only Giving Donation will not serve the purpose .They all are helpers. Whatever you have you should give as we have to dedicate everything to Guru and God, but doing this only will not serve our purpose of God Realization. The main thing is Love for God from your heart, Love from the Heart.