THE NEED FOR A GURU

Is a Guru necessary? Can’t one find his own way to God and God realization? 

The need for a guru is expressly mentioned in a discourse between God and his servant. When Namdev felt insulted while in the midst of many others, he ran to his Lord to put forth his sadness. Gora had termed Namdev as raw and unbaked earlier, hence having shamed him in the company of many others. This angered Namdev. Namdev and Lord Narayana had a very unique relationship. For Namdev the statue of Lord Narayana that he worshiped came to live. Sulking in front of his Lord, Namdev was disappointed further. To his disappointment, Lord Narayana agreed that what was said at the assembly of great beings of Pandharpur was true. He added that one who is not a disciple of a guru is always spoken of as unripe. Namdev was taken aback by his Lord's appraisal of him as unripe too. He broke down further.

Lord Narayana began to console him telling him that his heart and that of Namdev were one and that there was no duality between them. He requests Namdev to go to a guru, explaining that without the blessing of the guru the sense of duality between god and devotee will never come to an end.

Namdev questioned his Lord, "Why do I need a guru when I have you?" Lord Narayana replies that when he incarnated as Rama he too went to Vashista to gain knowledge on Advaita Vedanta and Yoga. He seeked explanation on the illusory nature of the manifest world and the principle of non-duality.

As Krishna he went to his guru Sandipani Muni.

Hence citing that everyone needs a guru, Lord Narayana further directs Namdev to Jnaneshwar's disciple, Vishoba Khecha to receive further instruction.

Namdev, depressed and saddened makes his way as directed by his Lord to the Shiva temple wherein resides Vishoba. Namdev was in for another surprise as he opened the doors to the temple. Vishoba was fast asleep with both his feet on the Shivalingam! Namdev was angered further for being sent to someone who has the least respect for God. Namdev takes to task Vishoba for insulting God. Vishoba wakes up and grins. He admits that he had made a mistake and request Namdev to help him. Vishoba puts forth his request, "I am so old I cannot move. Please pick up my feet and place them where Shiva is not." Namdev did as told. He picked up both the feet of Vishoba, moved them slightly away from the Shivalinga. As he placed Vishoba's feet on the ground there arose a Shivalinga from the ground. Namdev was taken aback. He then picked up Vishoba's feet again and moved them to yet another spot. Another Shivalingam sprung up from the ground. And so to his surprise wherever Namdev placed Vishoba's feet a Shivalingam materialized. Namdev was bewildered and astonished. Tears streamed down his cheeks. He kept holding on to Vishoba's feet.

Finally Vishoba spoke again, "My son please put down my feet". Namdev refused to let go of his feet. Namdev told him, "Where am I to place your feet for wherever I put them down there I see Shiva. You have made me realize that Shiva is everywhere. Namdev surrendered to his new found guru Vishoba. Vishoba placed his hand on Namdev's head and Namdev immediately went into a state of samadhi. Namdev saw in his heart Vishoba was indeed Lord Narayana, that his guru and his beloved Lord were one. He realized that there was no difference between God and himself. He realized that his Lord was beyond the idol and images in the temple and was now all pervasive. Namdev experienced Gods presence in all.

The above tale of Namdev is based from a story posted at http://www.siddhayoga.org/mahashivaratri/namdev-story

Another similar tale is told of a disciple and his guru. This tale has been posted numerous times on Siddha Heartbeat but its a tale worth telling again and again.

Once when Guru Namashivayar was fanning his master, he began to hit his side with his hands. The master asked his student what he was doing. Guru Namashivayar replied that he was putting off the fire that was engulfing the curtain at Chidambaram (temple). On another occasion the senior Namashivayar told his student to dispose off his vomit in a place where no one would step on it. Guru Namashivayar figuring that there was no safe place, drank his master's vomit. When he returned, his guru asked him where he disposed the vomit. Guru Namashivayar pointed to his stomach. When Guhai Namashivayar realized that his disciple Guru Namashivayar had himself attained a status at par with him, that of a guru, he had him leave Thiruvannamalai for Chidambaram. But the junior Namashivayar refused to budge. He instead pleaded to his master to reverse his directive, allow him to continue staying with him, having a daily darshan of him and serving him forever. Realizing that Guru Namasivaya was very much attached to the physical form of his, Guhai Namashivayar told him, "If the Lord there gives you darshan even as I do myself, stay there. If not, come back here." Only after hearing this from his guru, Guru Namashivayar agreed to leave for Chidambaram. True to his guru's words when Guru Namashivayar arrived at Chidambaram temple, he saw his master's form in the Shivalingam and remained at the temple henceforth.

Read further about these great masters at http://www.arunachalasamudra.org/gurunamasivaya.html