Guru Purnima 2023: Who Is A True Guru? How To Find A True Spiritual Guru?

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The word Guru in Sanskrit means the 'dispeller of darkness'. Who is a true guru? Let's find out the marks of a true spiritual Guru with the guidance of the great masters, this Guru Purnima.

Characteristics of a true Guru in the words of great masters

A true Guru is the one who leads one from darkness to light. A true spiritual Guru leads one out of the birth and death cycle and bestows liberation. In order to identify a true Guru, let us follow the light thrown by the great masters on the qualities of an ideal Guru.

Ramana Maharshi

In 'Upadesa Manjari' (Bouquet of spiritual instructions), Ramana Maharshi talks about the characteristics of a true Guru. He sheds some light, which serves as pointers for us to identify a real master. "Steady abidance in the Self, looking at all with an equal eye, unshakeable courage at all times, in all places and circumstances, etc," said the master.

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa

In the words of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, "Guru alone is Satchidananda. It is only He who will preach." He further goes on to clarify that all those who try to preach cannot be true gurus. It will only be like the blind leading the blind. "Preaching to mankind is very difficult.

It is when God manifests and commissions, only then it is possible." He says, "You must have the direct commandment of God, else it would be asserting 'I teach mankind'. Self assertion is the offspring of ignorance. Out of ignorance one feels, 'I am the doer.' One becomes a Jivanmukta if one can but realise that God is the sole Actor (in the world system) and that I am a mere instrument in His hands."

"Again, there are people who think a particular thought (hallucination) and believe it to be God's commandment. Such an idea is quite a mistaken one. He verily appears before you and talks. It is then that you receive the commandment. What a weight then that instruction carries! A mountain is moved by it. Mere lecturing! People will listen for a few days and later they forget. They do not act according to that instruction."

Swami Vivekananda

"A real Guru is one who is born from time to time as a repository of spiritual force which he transmits to future generations through successive links of Guru and Shishya (disciple)," says Swami Vivekananda.

Paramahamsa Yogananda

Paramahamsa Yogananda states, "a true God-illumined guru is one who, in his attainment of self-mastery, has realised his identity with the omnipresent Spirit. Such a one is uniquely qualified to lead the seeker on his or her inward journey toward divine realisation."

How to find a true spiritual Guru?

When the disciple is ready the Guru himself appears. There is a popular story from the life of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. Sri Ramakrishna used to wander about in the streets carrying a lantern during the day time. People used to wonder about the master's strange behaviour of carrying a lantern in the broad daylight.

When asked, Sri Ramakrishna used to say that he was looking for something. One day he met Swami Vivekananda during his strolls. As soon as Swami Vivekananda greeted him, Sri Ramakrishna puffed off the flame of the lantern. When Swami Vivekananda asked him the reason for doing so, Sri Ramakrishna smilingly replied that he had found that which he was looking for. Needless to say that Swami Vivekananda was the most prominent amongst the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna.

To sum up, let's consider the reassuring words of Sri Ramana Maharshi, "If you go on working with the light available, you will meet your Master, as he himself will be seeking you."