Hari OM I understand your question, Pradeep - and it is true we can take as our 'role model' a professor who inspired us - or a senior of the family. Totally valid. But what Gurudev was referring to here was a response to the question of 'false gurus' and how so many set themselves up as being such, but have personal gain at the root of their purpose. For example, there are several very well-known establishments in India, but some can be questioned in regards to their leadership. Swami Chinmayananda, although he benefitted by being 'spoiled' by his devotees, held no personal wealth whatsoever. His sole purpose was the spreading of the knowledge of Advaita as far and wide among all sections of society as he could.
Advaita is not mythological. It is a practical philosophy. To reach out to as wide an audience as possible who may not necessarily at first have the intellectual grasp for its high thinking, the means can be served by the use of the itihasa ("histories") texts such as Srimad Bhagavatam and Ramayana. The Gita, arising from the Mahabharata, has been Gurudev's most effective tool - many perceive it as mythological, but it contains the complete essence of how to live life and if taught from the perspective of Advaita (i.e. free from egoistic things such as anger, greed, and lust...) it can be discovered as highly logical.
... a lengthy response to your queries, but important to understand, that when one stands in the presence of a true mahatma, one finds one's questions somehow melt away... Until we meet such, then any and all who guide us well can most definitely be considered as guru. Pranaams, Yxx
He need not be religious, no? I means the inspiration and the guidance, need not always have a mythological setting, right?
ReplyDeleteHari OM
DeleteI understand your question, Pradeep - and it is true we can take as our 'role model' a professor who inspired us - or a senior of the family. Totally valid. But what Gurudev was referring to here was a response to the question of 'false gurus' and how so many set themselves up as being such, but have personal gain at the root of their purpose. For example, there are several very well-known establishments in India, but some can be questioned in regards to their leadership. Swami Chinmayananda, although he benefitted by being 'spoiled' by his devotees, held no personal wealth whatsoever. His sole purpose was the spreading of the knowledge of Advaita as far and wide among all sections of society as he could.
Advaita is not mythological. It is a practical philosophy. To reach out to as wide an audience as possible who may not necessarily at first have the intellectual grasp for its high thinking, the means can be served by the use of the itihasa ("histories") texts such as Srimad Bhagavatam and Ramayana. The Gita, arising from the Mahabharata, has been Gurudev's most effective tool - many perceive it as mythological, but it contains the complete essence of how to live life and if taught from the perspective of Advaita (i.e. free from egoistic things such as anger, greed, and lust...) it can be discovered as highly logical.
... a lengthy response to your queries, but important to understand, that when one stands in the presence of a true mahatma, one finds one's questions somehow melt away... Until we meet such, then any and all who guide us well can most definitely be considered as guru. Pranaams, Yxx