Shabri, a humble tribal woman, lived in the forest ashram of her Guru, Sage Matang. As the sage neared the end of his life, she asked with childlike concern, “Gurudev, what will happen to me when you are gone?” Matang Rishi gently assured her, “Bhagavan Ram will come to bless you one day. Wait for Him.” Those words became her life’s purpose. Every day, she swept the pathway, gathered sweet berries, and adorned the hut with flowers—believing today might be the day.
And one day, He came. Shree Ram bypassed great sages and went straight to her hut; drawn by the fragrance of devotion her Guru had ignited. Such is the transformative power of a Guru. They don’t just teach—they awaken the seed of God-consciousness in our hearts and show us the path to make it bloom.
Saint Kabir beautifully expressed:
गुरु गोविंद दोऊ खड़े, काके लागूं पाय। बलिहारी गुरु आपने, गोविंद दियो बताय॥
“When both Guru and God stand before me, whose feet should I touch first? I bow first to my Guru, for he is the one who revealed God to me.”
A Treasure Rare to Find
According to Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya, three blessings are rare, granted only through the causeless grace of God. First, human birth—for only in this form can the soul strive for God-realization. Second, a deep spiritual hunger for God. Third, and most precious, is the association with a true Guru. We have all received the first. If you are reading this, you likely have the second. As for the third, Narad ji states in the Bhakti Sutras: Association with a true saint is exceedingly rare, hard to understand, and unfailing in its effect.
Why is it so rare?
Our senses, mind, and intellect are made of maya, the material energy. In contrast, God and His divine realm are beyond maya. So how can the material ever reach the Divine? On our own, it is impossible. This highlights the need for divine intervention. And that comes through the Guru.
A true Guru is not merely a teacher but a divine channel—revered as being non-different from God Himself. As Swami Vivekananda said, “An Acharya is one through whom the divine power flows.” Saints often say, “I do nothing—God is the doer.” When praised for composing the Ramcharitmanas, Tulsidas Ji said it was Shree Ram acting through him for the welfare of all. Such is the humility of a saint: so surrendered and pure that the divine will flows through them, unimpeded. And finding such a Guru is one of the greatest graces. It marks the beginning of spiritual awakening.
God resides in everyone’s heart, and when He sees we are ready, He not only brings us into contact with a genuine Guru but also bestows His grace and inspires deep faith in the Guru. That is why it is said: when the soul is ready, the Spiritual Master appears. Jagadguru Shree Kripaluji Maharaj has explained this sequence of spiritual quest beautifully:
हरि कृपा गुरु मिले, गोविंद राधे। गुरु कृपा हरि मिले, सब को बता दे॥ ~ Radha Govind Geet
“First, God will grace you and connect you with your Guru. Then the Guru will grace you and help you reach God.”
Footsteps on the Path
Across cultures, the role of a personal guide has always been revered. The Japanese say sensei—one who has gone before. The French speak of a tutor, the Italians of a maestro, and the Greeks of a mentor. The British used the word guide, someone who knows the path ahead. In Tibet, a lama imparts dharma. In Indian tradition, we revere the Guru—the spiritual teacher who dispels the darkness (gu) of ignorance and ushers us into the light (ru) of divine wisdom. Like a fire on a cold night, as we approach the Guru, the warmth of divine knowledge lights up our soul.
Our separation from God is not physical but born of ignorance carried over infinite lifetimes. Though we are souls, we think we are the body. Due to this misidentification, though our soul is eternal, we fear death. Although we will leave everything behind in the world one day, we think of our possessions to be permanent. While the soul yearns for divine bliss, we turn to material pleasures only to face sorrow and remain trapped in anger, greed, and other vices. This deep affliction of ignorance has troubled souls since eternity.
Sage Ved Vyas wrote:
अज्ञानम् एव अस्य हि मूल कारणम्।~ Śrīmad Bhāgavatam
“The root cause of suffering is ignorance.”
To overcome miseries and reach God, we need true knowledge. However, this knowledge cannot be grasped merely through intellectual understanding, because the intellect itself is clouded by ignorance. Consequently, it is beyond the intellect's inherent capacity to dispel its ignorance through its own reasoning power. Ved Vyas insightfully notes: The soul bound by ignorance cannot know the truth by its own effort.
The Vedic scriptures are a vast treasure trove of knowledge, but like God, they are divine in nature. Thus, they are beyond the grasp of the material intellect. Without guidance, their complexity can lead to confusion rather than clarity. The Mahabharat states: The scriptures are so many, each expounding on different principles. Even great scholars get baffled on reading them. The Chandogya Upanishad further echoes: Only through a Guru can you understand the Vedas. The scriptures urge us to seek a Guru, for only one who has seen the Truth can unveil it.
Can one attain God without a Spiritual Master?
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu answers clearly: Without the Guru’s grace, no amount of ritual—yog, yajna, jap, vrat, pooja will suffice. Prahlad Maharaj in the Srimad Bhagavatam echoes the same truth: Without bathing in the foot dust of a saint, one cannot touch the divine realm. That is why Guru Purnima, the appearance day of Bhagavan Ved Vyas—the original Guru—is so sacred. It reminds us of the immeasurable value of a Guru's presence.
Treating the Soul
The Buddha once told his disciples, “In your endless lifetimes, you have shed enough tears in suffering to fill the five oceans.” That is the cost of being trapped in the cycle of birth and death—a condition saints call bhav-rog, the disease of material existence.
The only true cure for this spiritual affliction is given by the Satguru, the divine physician (vaidya) of the soul. With His words as the prescription, faith as the foundation, and discipline as the dosage, the soul begins to heal.
Swami Vivekananda aptly said:
“You can convert every building into a school or hospital, but human misery will continue until character changes spiritually.”
Feeding the hungry or tending to the sick is noble. But unless we address the root cause—our spiritual ignorance—the disease of the soul remains. That is why true philanthropy is done by the Guru who uproots this suffering by awakening divine knowledge within us. Yet, the real benefit of this sacred relationship with the Guru is unlocked only when we surrender our intellect to His higher understanding. Just as a patient places full trust in a skilled doctor, the disciple must surrender to the Spiritual Master for the healing to take effect.
The Srimad Bhagavatam states:
तस्माद् गुरुम् प्रपद्येत जिज्ञासुः श्रेय उत्तमम्। “One who is desirous of knowing the Truth must surrender to a Guru.”
Surrender and Awaken
The Vedas recount an inspiring story of Rishi Gautam and his disciple Satyakama.
One day, the sage gathered his students and shared that the ashram cows were weak and needed to be taken to distant grasslands. Among them, only Satyakama stepped forward to offer his seva. Gautam Rishi instructed, “Take care of them as service to your Guru. When their number grows from 400 to 1000, return.” Satyakama served with such devotion, he did not even notice when the herd had multiplied. Pleased by his sincerity, Lord Indra appeared and said, “Your Guru’s command is fulfilled.” On the journey back, Indra revealed to him the knowledge of the Vedas. When Satyakama returned, Sage Gautam saw a divine glow on his face and remarked, “You have become a knower of Vedic truth.” This story beautifully illustrates that spiritual wisdom unfolds when one surrenders to the Guru’s will.
The Shwetashwata Upanishad states,
यस्य देवे परा भक्ति: यथा देवे तथा गुरौ।
तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्था: प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन:॥
“For those who have implicit and complete faith in God and their Guru, the purport of all the Vedic scriptures gets revealed in the heart by divine grace.”
Another heart-touching example comes from the life of Adi Shankaracharya.
Among his brilliant disciples was Sanandana—an illiterate devotee. He could not grasp scriptural knowledge but had firm faith and served with love. During discourses, he would simply gaze at Shankaracharya’s face, not understanding a word. One day, when Sanandana was not present for the discourse, Gurudev paused, waiting for him. Seeing this, the other disciples asked, “Gurudev, he does not even understand the teachings—what difference does his presence make?” Shankaracharya replied, “He listens with faith.” Then, with affection, he called out for Sanandana.
Sanandana, washing the Guru’s clothes on the far bank of the river, heard his name and rushed back. Such was the depth of his devotion that, lotus flowers bloomed beneath his feet, carrying him across the river. When he reached the Guru, Sanskrit verses of praise spontaneously poured from his mouth, astounding all. Since then, he came to be known as Padmapada—the one whose feet birthed lotuses and he became one of the major disciples of Adi Shankaracharya. The lesson is clear: even an ordinary intellect, when offered in complete surrender, becomes a channel for divine grace.
Just as we rely on an advocate in legal matters, so must we trust the Guru in spiritual ones, even if we don’t grasp every detail. When we follow the Guru’s guidance with faith and humility, it leads to spiritual growth. Only then does the soul awaken, and the scriptures, sadhana, and divine love reveal their deepest truths.
Conclusion
King Janak once asked his Guru, “How can I repay you for this priceless wisdom?” The Guru replied, “You cannot. What I have given is divine. All the riches of the world cannot equal it. If you must give back—pass it on. Share it with another thirsty soul.”
Indeed, no offering can match the Guru’s grace. The only worthy response is to live by His teachings, walk His path with faith, and become a lamp that lights another. We owe an eternal debt, not just for knowledge imparted, but for being lifted from lifetimes of ignorance. Like Shabri’s faith, Sanandana’s surrender, and Satyakama’s selfless service, may our lives echo the same spirit of devotion.
At His lotus feet, our journey began.
By His grace, it continues.
Call to Action
● Pause and listen to the bhajan “Mere Guruvar.” Let its sacred melody become your expression of love and surrender at the Guru’s lotus feet.
● Enrich your spiritual journey by reading Spiritual Secrets from Hinduism. This enlightening book will help deepen your understanding of the scriptural wisdom shared by Swami Mukundananda—guiding you towards lasting fulfilment and divine truth.
Resources
● Role of Guru l Jagadguru Shri Kripaluji Maharaj l Swami Mukundananda l Kirtan Pad Vyakhya Part1
● Do You REALLY Need a GURU? Swami Mukundananda | What Does BHAGAVAD GITA Says About Having a GURU?
● The Fastest Path to your Spiritual Enlightenment - Why do you need a Guru? | Swami Mukundananda
● God's Biggest Blessing to you is this - Conquering the 5 Defects of the Mind | Swami Mukundananda