Importance of Guru
Having a teacher to guide us in any field is invaluable. This is true in Spirituality as well. A Guru is very different to a teacher or a preacher. He is a beacon of spiritual light in our world and teaches us, the universal spiritual principles that underlie all religions and cultures.
The word .Guru. is derived from the Sanskrit language and has a deep spiritual meaning.
Gu denotes the spiritual ignorance that most of mankind is in.
Ru represents the radiance of spiritual knowledge that dispels the spiritual ignorance.
In short, the Guru is the One who dispels the darkness of spiritual ignorance in man and bestows upon him spiritual experiences and spiritual knowledge.
GURU plays the pivotal role in reminding us the divinely advice, teaches us the art of living a balanced life with restraint and stability of mind. He is the one who brings about awareness that actions (karmas) performed under the influence of senses, give rise to sensuous pleasures and pains, which are transitory and fleeting. He guides you how to discipline and bring under control the five wild horses - 'kaam' (passion), 'krodha' (anger), 'lobh' (greed), 'moh' (emotional attachment) and 'ahankaar' (ego) and helps you to take the chariot of your life in the right direction of inner peace and tranquility. He brings about a realization in you that over-indulgence in sensuous objects give rise to TAMOGUNA and the end result is regret, remorse, sorrow and loss of peace. Like a Divine Father, he holds your little finger and conditions you to fearlessly travel from the illusionary material world, to the realms of spirituality so that you could be one with the Real One and realize the ultimate truth - i.e., God.
A Guru is beyond religions. He does not discriminate on the basis of culture, nationality or gender. He will never ask one to convert from his religion. He will lift the student to comprehend universal spiritual principles that underlie all religions. Whichever spiritual path or religion one follows, they all finally lead to the path of grace of the Guru.
The Guru is omniscient and is therefore able to take care of all his disciples even when he is not with Him physically.
