One must read this article if ones, who have realized the Truth, will teach you. (4.34) you are looking for a . Discusses four types of The one who gives the knowledge of a subject matter, he becomes our guru for that subject. The in details: the real guru duty of a guru is to bring a disciple (chela) close (SadGuru), the fake guru, the to and help one establish a relationship with god, not establish a permanent relationship with universal guru (ParamGuru), the guru. We have so many ties of family and a guru (subject matter relationships such as mother, father, brother etc. and there is no need to have one more tie of expert, teacher). relationship.

Read a summary of Gurudev's daily evening A person is not called father, unless he lectures has produced a son, similarly, one has no right to be called a guru unless guru’s disciple has IS MUKTI POSSIBLE WITHOUT A GURU? acquired Self-knowledge. To give Self- knowledge is the only job of a guru. It is said By Swami Ramsukh Das ji Maharaj of Gita Press, that if god and guru both are standing, whom Gorakhpur should a person bow first. One should naturally bow first to guru who brought the disciple close (Abbreviated by IGS) to god. But if a guru did not bring god, then guru has no right to be called guru. The real guru is NOTE: You will not be able to read the Sanskrit the one whose only aim is the spiritual welfare of verses unless you his chela and a real chela is the one who has () for his guru. How can a chela download and install our free develop love for his guru before chela getting Devanagari font(s) or read in PDF anything substantial from a guru other than just a ? There has to be a real guru and obedient People generally don’t understand me disciple for the success of guru-disciple (Ramsukh Das); therefore, they misunderstand relationship. A chela comes to a guru for a my views on Guru. I am not against a real guru. purpose of getting something, and if he does not Without a guru (teacher) no knowledge is ever get anything other than what is written in the possible, then how can anybody be against guru? books, the chela cannot develop love for the I am against false gurus or the so called guru. Guruvaad, the guru cult. Nobody can describe the importance of a guru, but these days real It may be very difficult to find a real guru or a gurus are hard to find and there is an abundant of real chela in this age. A guru should never desire false gurus. Lord Krishna, the Jagad-guru, to have many chelas just to run and support Himself said: guru’s Ashram. A guru who has desire to obtain money from chelas to run his organization t=d< iv=i3 p=>i[=p==t=en= p=irp=>xn=en= s=ev=y== + becomes a slave to money or a slave to his rich chela. One who has desires --- desire to make Wp=deZy=ònt= t=e N=n=] N=in=n=s=< t=Tv=dix=*n=/ ++àå++ money, have chelas, build Ashram, to get fame -- - cannot save himself let alone to save the chela. Acquire the transcendental knowledge from a Self-realized master by humble reverence, by A person who expects anything from you sincere inquiry, and by service. The empowered --- including money, respect, obedience --- 2 cannot be your guru, but your chela only! A real people towards himself. They pray to god for does not need anything from anybody and the welfare of all: does not want to become a guru. His only desire is the welfare of all, LokaSangrah. He works for s=v=e* B=v=nt=u s=uiK=n=/ s=v=e* s=nt=u in=r=m=y==/+ the welfare of all. A real guru does not want his chela to him, but worship Him only. A s=v=e* B=7=i[= p=xy=nt=u m== k:ixc=d< du/K=B==gB=v=et=< ++ real guru does not want one to obey him, but obey the scriptures. A guru, who gives you his In ancient time there were not too many true pictures to worship daily, is a false guru. One , at the present there are very few. Thus our should worship nobody, but the Supreme Being. chance of finding a true guru, a real saint is very A real saint or guru does not give his picture slim. At present it has become a profession to even in his books. What good a picture in any become a guru. These days guru and chela both book does to anybody? How many chelas do you are greedy and both get drowned like they are know who have a guru and have realized the sitting in a boat made of stone. A chela goes to a Self? One cannot see any difference among the guru who is famous so that he can boast when people who have a guru and those who don’t. someone asks who your guru is. Most chelas go to a guru to get some spiritual guidance. To Until one has the capability to save the expect something from a guru is not a fault. chela, one should never be a guru, because if a Actually, mukti, Self-knowledge and Self- guru cannot save his chela, guru incurs sin for realization is not under the control of a sure. The guru who lets chela wash his feet, eat guru. From where the first guru (Brahmaa ji) got the leftover from the guru’s dinner plate, worship his knowledge is the real guru. He is the his/her picture is certainly leading towards his Supreme Being, Krishnam vande Jagad-gurum. own as well as chela’s downfall. Such gurus Gita verses10.10-11 say this very beautifully: neither help the chela nor let the chela go elsewhere to another guru. It’s like going to a t=e{==] s=t=t=y=ukt==n==] B=j=t==] p=>Iit=p=Uv=*k:m=< + dd=im= shop, paying the money, but not getting the b=ui3y==eg=] t=] y=en= m==m=< Wp=y==ònt= t=e ++âî.âî++ goods. If one becomes a guru, then he must help chela realize the Self, otherwise one has no right to be a guru. t=e{==m=< Av==n=uk:mp==q=*m=< ahm=< aN=n=j=] t=m=/ + n==x=y==my=< a=tm=B==v=sq==e N=n=dIp=en= B==sv=t== g=urv==e b=hv=/ s=int= ix={y=iv=T==p=h=rk:/ + ++âî.ââ++ t=m=ek:] duD=*B=] m=ny=e ix{y=ÅT==p=h=rk:m=< ++ I give knowledge and understanding of This verse from Guru-Gita says that there are metaphysical science (Vivek) --- to those who many gurus who take away the money from the are ever united with Me and lovingly adore Me -- chela, but very few who removes the darkness of - by which they come to Me. (10.10) I, who ignorance from the chela. Even the most quoted dwell within their inner psyche as , verse from guru gita (gurur brahmaa, gurur destroy the darkness born of ignorance by the …..) is misinterpreted to let chela worship shining lamp of transcendental knowledge as an the guru like . This verse actually means act of for them. (10.11) that a real guru does the job of Brahmaa, Vishnu and by shaping up, nurturing and Guru is not the physical body or a just a destroying the ignorance of the chela. person, but it is the guru . What a beautiful verse to understand Guru-tattva. Thus self effort A true saint’s only intention is the and love of god, Bhakti, are mostly needed to spiritual welfare of people and not to attract attain god, and not a human guru. 3

THE ROLE OF VIVEK AND SATSANG and sincere chela both are needed. Both are very hard to find these days. Most people are looking In Vedantic philosophy Vivek is power of the for a guru from whom one can buy a ticket to intellect that distinguishes between the visible heaven or Self-realization. It does not work that world and the invisible . I always advise way. Dattatreya had twenty four gurus, and none people to go to a satsang and use the power of of them were personal. One who depends on intellect and discrimination, vivek, instead of others for Mukti can never be liberated. In getting trapped by a human guru. Collect the reality, we are neither liberated by a guru or God, nectar of knowledge from wherever you get like but by one’s own sincere effort. Mother does not a bee as mentioned in the Guru Gita: feed if child is not hungry and cries for it. One must have hunger for knowledge and liberation. m=Q=uD=ubQ==e y=q== B=&Vj=et=< + N=n=D=ubQ=st=q== ix={y==e g=ur=eg=u*v=*nt=r] v=>j=et=< ++ GOD IS THE GURU OF ALL

A disciple desiring the nectar of knowledge It is very difficult to find a real guru these should be like a bee going from one guru to days, but if one takes God and Gita as their guru, another. He should stay with one guru as long he there is no difficulty. There is no greater well gets the nectar and leave as soon as he does not wisher than God. God giver anything if one get any nectar from that guru. Most modern sincerely asks for it. Whatever you find in a saint gurus would not like, from the bottom of their or a guru also comes from God. For example, heart, to loose a chela. Some seekers do go from sweetness in the sweet-meat comes from sugar flower to flower to collect the nectar and and light in the moon comes from the sun. distribute to others. There is no sure way to a guru, I advise not to establish one more therefore my advice is not to have one. relationship of guru-chela. There are already too Scriptures say that a fallen guru must be many human relationships, establish relationship abandoned. A woman should not take initiation, with God only. God has given us the tool or the her husband is her guru. If you have lost in guru in the form of Vivek by which one can a guru, leave him, but do not talk bad about him. understand the real and unreal, what to do and I urge women not to establish any connection what not to do. If one is unable to use vivek or with a samnyasi or a guru. I have heard many has a dilemma like Arjun had, one should horror stories of gurus who have wrong regularly go to satsang and have the doubts relationship with a guru. A man (guru or saint) cleared. Tulasidas said: one cannot have vivek should never allow a woman to touch his feet or without Satsang. Real saints do not take chelas, he should never touch a woman. Manu says: but people are benefited by Satsang with such saints. m==F== sv=sF== duihF== v== n= iv=iv=kt==s=n==e B=v=et=< + b=D=v==in=in7y=g=>=m==e iv=8=]s=m=ip= k:{=*it= ++ THE ROLE OF CHELA A man should never be alone even with his Just as no expert farmer can grow mother, sister, or daughter, because are anything if land is not fertile, no guru can help if very strong and attract even a wise man towards one is not very sincere in Sadhana and ready to objects. receive Self-knowledge. If chela is very sincere and serious, he can achieve what he wants As regards Dr. Prasad's question, without any help from a human guru. The story Gurudev (Swami Ramsukh Das ji) said of Ekalavya in can be cited as an that using verses from the Koran or example. A Self-realized guru and a very serious is not wrong. The object (bhaav) 4 of the Gita is universal. The Gita can human form to realise Him. It is very fortunate to be learnt and studied by persons of all be born as a human as this is the only birth in . Our goal is to get the Gita to which you can attain God. The human form has as many people as possible. Using been eulogised not because of the body but quotes from other scriptures gives because of the intellect. The intellect makes you them an open mind approach and they different from others. Even the Devtas are bereft will also be attracted to the Gita. There of this opportunity because they are indulged in heavenly pleasures. The animals too, lack is nothing wrong in this. intellect and are engaged in pleasures for their

body. Thus we must use our intelligence to gain The importance is of the Gita: lectures of Swami God. The body is for the world.The body along Ramsukh Das ji FOLLOWING ARE THE with other worldly things like money etc.should PRAVACHAN/lecture SUMMARIES FROM be used for selfless service to the society. There HIS HOLINESS: Give what belongs to the are three parts to our body. We do world back to the world. through the 'kaaran sharir', chintan through It will stay here. It is for the world. 'sukshma sharir' and work with 'sthool sharir'. While for us, there is repose. We must depend only on God. By doing so we

are using are intellect to its best. In Bhakti Yog

there is Parmatma - ashray (dependence on God) Shree Hari: Bhadrapad Shukla Shashti, Vikram In Gyan Yog there is Sva - ashray (dependence Samvat 2061, Somvar 20th September, 2004, on self) In Yog there is Dharm - ashray Monday This body is not mine and I am God's I (dependence on duty) In Gyan yog, as soon as am not the body, it is not mine and it is not for you realize that you must give up something, you me. The body is a part of nature. The body is not are giving importance to the of that. for you, it is not you and it is not yours. Accept But in Bhakti, It is very simple because you that 'I' am not the body. There is never any consider everything as God. In Gyan and Karma change in 'I'. What binds us is accepting the NOT Yog the mind is important whereas in Bhakti as IS. God IS and the world is NOT. The Self IS Yog, the Self is important. You have to do and the body is NOT. No education or is nothing to attain God - you must stay in rest. But needed for this. You have to surrender yourself to get to that stage, you have to do the worldly to God. There is nothing else but God - only actions of , meditation, fasts etc. A sadhak Vasudev. There never was, is or can never be will realize that he is above these worldly anything other than God. Thus you should have attachments and dependence. He is dependent dependence on God only. There is nothing else only on God as dependence on family, money, like this. It is the best and the easiest means of society will lead you no where. Make your body . When you surrender to Him, you do agile and hard working to serve others. Accept not become the surrendered - He makes you a God with a truthful heart. Pray to Him. If you part of Him. It could not be better. will not be able to stay without Him, He too

cannot stay without you. Ram Ram Summary of The body has never stayed with any one, it is not the morning pravachan of Swami Ramsukhdasji staying, it will not stay and it can never stay. I on Bhadrapad Shukla 6, 2061, (20th September, am not the body - I am the Self, which is God. 2004) at 5.20 a.m. at Gita Bhawan, Rishikesh, The Self and God are one. All His qualities are India, where Swamiji is now residing. Ram Ram our qualities. As Goswami Tulsidasji has said - For the full pravachan in Hindi please visit The is a particle of the Divinity, immortal, www.swamiramsukhdasji.org P.S: Please pass conscious, untainted and blissful by nature. But on this message to whomever you think would if you accept yourself as the body then the benefit from the same. Email your qualities of nature would be yours - the exact comments/questions to: opposite of the above. God has given you this 5 [email protected] / boat through the turbulent waters of this [email protected] world. People discover the truth by their own efforts. Krishnamurti said: "The precepts of NOTES BY THE IGS: Truth are essentially an individual process." Just as the complete spectrum of sunlight is Various techniques used by gurus to collect not visible to human eye without a prism, money: similarly, we cannot see the light of Brahm without the grace of Guru, God, and Gita. (Note: These are worthwhile charities, but has little to do with leading one to Mukti) Personally, we feel that anybody who does not share the knowledge fully is not helping either his own spiritual progress, the 1. Use of a building project as an progress of the society, or the followers. The instrument 2. Dollar a day program Eastern gurus should learn the art of sharing 3. life/family membership from the West. The material progress of the 4. donate a room in the ashram world is mostly due to the sharing of scientific 5. bhoomidaan yajna and technological knowledge of the West. Any 6. yearly visit and house call body who meets the minimum requirements 7. piggy bank in your house can learn anything in the universities in the hrw is={y= Q=n= s==ek: n= hrw*, s==e g=ur G==er n=rk: m=hu}| p=rw USA. The fees are affordable and the requirements not very difficult to meet. This This verse from says that a is not the case with the so called spiritual guru who takes money from his/her chela masters writers have come across. Most, if not without leading chela to self-knowledge all, Indian spiritual masters (that this writer goes to hell for sure. has met in USA or in India) are very miserly. They are really not serving the people, or ALL ABOUT GURUS their disciples. I this article promotes the concept of true sharing of spiritual wealth by by the possessors of the wealth for the upliftment of the humanity. Lord Krishna has Dr. Ramananda Prasad, condemned all those who do not help others American/International Gita Society, Fremont, with a selfless motive in the true of California, USA selfless service, or Nishkaam Karm Yog.

The contact of great who have The prohibit the sale of God in realized the truth is very helpful. Reading any form. It says: O mighty Lord of countless scriptures, giving , and doing wealth, I will not sell thee for any price Saadhanaa alone may not give God- (Rigved 8.01.05). The role of a guru is that of realization. A God-realized soul can awaken a guide and a giver, and not of a taker. Before and kindle another soul. But, no guru can give accepting a human guru, one must first have a secret formula for Self-realization without — or develop — full faith in the guru, and His grace. It is said that human birth, faith in leave the human frailties of gurus out of God, and the help of a sadguru come only by consideration; take the pearls of and His grace. The Vedas say: The one who knows throw away the oyster shells. If this is not the land, gives direction to the one who does possible to do, it should be remembered that not know, and asks for it (Rigved 9.70.09). the word guru also means the light of Jnaan, One has to complete the journey with his or the true metaphysical knowledge, that dispels her own efforts. One has to row his or her ignorance and delusion, and the light comes — automatically — from Par-Brahm, the 6 internal Param guru, when one’s mind is A real guru is the giver. He never asks purified by sincere Saadhanaa, Sevaa, and any money or a fee from a disciple, because he Surrender (Gita 4.38). One must follow the depends on God only. A real guru would not scripture with faith, especially in this age ask anything from a disciple for personal or when it is very difficult to find a sadguru. even for organizational gain. However, a disciple is obliged to do the best he or she can There are four categories of gurus: a to help the cause of the guru if one has really false guru, guru, Sadguru, and Param guru. benefited from the services and wants to In this age too many false gurus are coming to promote it for the benefits of others. The aim teach (or give a mantra) for a price. These of the American Gita Society (AGS) is to false gurus are the merchants of mantra. They guide and serve people without a fee. All our take money from disciples to fulfill their services are absolutely free. Sage personal material needs without giving the Yaajnavalkya and his father also believed that Taartamya-vidyaa, or Brahm-jnaan, the true one should not accept any fee from a people knowledge of Brahm. Saint Tulasidaas said without giving him or her full instruction and that a guru who takes money (or any form of (Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad Sevaa from the disciples and does not remove 4.01.02) of Aksharaateet or Par-Brahm, their ignorance of goes to hell Akshar or Brahm, and Kshar or Naaraayan, (Tulasi Raamaayan 7.98.04) ). Jesus also said: and His various expansions such as: Param- Watch out for false prophets; they come to Shiva, Paramaatmaa, Avyakt, Gaayatri, you looking like sheep on the outside, but they Durgaa, Kaali, Brahmaa, Vishnu, Mahesh, are really like wild wolves on the inside Purush, Maayaa, Prakriti, and Jeev together (Matthew 7.15). with their functional relationships with the one and the only One Supreme Person, God. A guru is the one who should impart This was the beautiful Vedic tradition that true knowledge and complete understanding has been completely lost in Kaliyug due to the of Sat and Asat. The most common meaning conflict of personal and organizational of the word guru is the subject matter expert, interests of modern gurus. a teacher or the guide. Thus any human being who imparts you any knowledge, spiritual or Our own Atmaa inside all of us is the material, becomes your guru for that Param guru. Outside teachers only help us in knowledge. Rishi Dattaatreya had twenty- the beginning of the spiritual journey. Our four gurus, both human as well as non- own mind, when purified by Nishkaama , such as: Earth, water, fire, sky, air, Karm, , meditation, Jap, Kirtan (the sun, moon, as well as some birds, beasts, and congregational chanting of holy names), and insects, because, he learned lessons from their scriptural study, becomes the best channel lives. and guide for the flow of divine knowledge (See also Gita 4.38, and 13.22). The Divine A Sadguru is a Self-realized master Person within all of us is the Param guru, and mentioned in Gita 4.34. A Sadguru helps the one must learn how to tune in with Him. It is devotee maintain God-consciousness all the said that there is no greater guru than one’s time by his or her own spiritual power. When own mind. A pure mind becomes a spiritual Antah-karan, the subtle senses such as the guide and the inner divine guru leading to a mind and intellect, is purified; Supreme Lord Sadguru, and Self-realization. This is Krishna, the Param guru, reflects Himself in expressed by the common saying that the the Chitt of a devotee, and sends a guru, or a guru comes to a person when one is ready. Sadguru to him or her. The word guru also means vast, and is used to describe Brahm or Paramaatmaa, the Param guru and the internal guide. 7

The wise spiritual teacher disapproves We read in the media, both in India the idea of blind personal service, or the guru and the US, about holy-men, swamis, and cult, which is so common in India, and is gurus getting involved in immoral and being imported abroad. A Self-realized criminal activities. This suggests that all master says that God only is the only guru, saffron clad may not be holy. In fact, in India and all are His disciples. A disciple should be many smugglers, thieves and robbers disguise like a bee seeking honey from flowers. If the themselves in a saffron robe. In USA there are bee does not get honey from one flower, it many phony gurus and sants who work for immediately goes to another flower and stays money, name, and fame to satisfy their at that flower as long as it gets the nectar. worldly material desires. Many of these false Idolization and blind worship of a human gurus do not understand the Vedic scriptures, guru become stumbling block in the spiritual and start their own brand of to the progress of both the disciple and the guru and extent that they declare themselves as bring downfall of Hinduism. Bhagavaan (God) or some other name. They distort the meaning of the scriptures and One must follow a scripture of his or quote scripture written by some unknown her choice with firm faith, especially in this false guru that says: (human) guru is , age when it is difficult to find a true guru. Vishnu and Shiva, all in one. Surrender Adherence to the high teachings of the everything to me. These gurus do not know scriptures will ward off all evil and bring that we can evoke the potential energy of about goodness. If a bridge is built, even an cosmic forces by contemplating on . ant can easily cross the river, no matter how Such gurus will neither fight when Hinduism big a river is. Similarly, the scripture is the is attacked nor preach among the poor, sick, bridge to cross over the river of Samsaar. tribal, and Dalits in India or abroad.

The ignorance of true metaphysical In historical times there were many knowledge (Ajnaan) is humanity’s greatest gurus such as Vishwamitra, Vashishtha, Adi predicament and root cause of all evils in the Shankaracharya, Ramkrishna, Dayanand world today. There is only one God, and all Sarasavati, Vivekanand, Yoganand, Nanak creatures are His children, then it is childish Dev, Buddha, Mahatma Mahavir, Christ, to fight in the name of Father! In some Muhammad, etc. Even today there are many religions, however, only the members of one’s great souls who are spreading the true Vedic own sect are considered favorites of God, and knowledge. This article is NOT againt Gurus, others are considered infidels. The Vedas say: but only a warning to beware of. Let noble come to us from everywhere (Rigved 1.89.01). Different Do not think that anybody who wears religious teachings are but different a saffron or any other type of sectarian robe is expressions of the Supreme. They are to be naturally a Jnaani and a guru. Be very careful respected, not regarded as instruments of before you accept a guru and touch his or her division. The dignity and welfare of humanity feet. And remember the Indian saying: paani lie in the unity of races and religion. True piyo chhaan kar Guru chuno jaan kar (Drink knowledge of religion breaks down all water after filtering, and accept a guru only barriers, including the barriers between after completely knowing him or her). If you . Any religion, prophet, preacher, sant, have not yet found a true guru yet, wait and mulla, or prachaarak that creates the walls of remember what Guru Nanak said: The best of conflict and hatred among people in the name all efforts is to always remember and repeat of God is not a religion, but selfish politics in the name of God within the temple of your disguise. heart.

8

"Blind surrender to an authority (Guru) is an 3. To provide inspiration, help, emotional indulgence and illusory security and guidance in establishing Gita upon which the guru thrives." Study and Discussion (Satsang) Groups, and provide free Gita Remember the Sanskrit verse: correspondence course to the youth, students, busy executives and other Shri Krishnam Vande Jagad- interested persons. Gurum --- Bow down to the 4. To provide cooperation and Universal Guru, Lord financial support to persons and non- Krishna. profit organizations engaged in the study and propagation of the Vedic OM TAT SAT knowledge by arranging lectures, seminars, and short courses on The Aims and Objectives of AGS include the meditation, , and metaphysical following: sciences.

1. To publish the Bhagavad-Gita in 5. To break the barriers between faiths, and English and other languages and distribute it establish unity of races, religions, castes, and at a nominal subsidized cost, and put the Gita creeds through the immortal non-sectarian in libraries, hospitals, hotels, motels, and teachings of the Vedas, , Gita, other public places throughout the world, Ramayana, as well as other major world starting from India and the USA, similar to scriptures such as the , the what the American Bible Society has done for Bible, the Koran, etc.; and to promote the the Bible all over the world. Universal Brotherhood of Mankind.

2. To Spread the basic Non- sectarian Universal Teachings of Shrimad Bhagavad-Gita and other Vedic scriptures in an easy to understand language by establishing branches of the Society in other countries to be named as: International Gita Society (IGS).