The Need And Significance Of A Master (Contd)

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In the lower levels of education , one learns from many and one can even pass the examinations by mugging up, through study guides or even by guessing the correct answer in an objective examination. But no one can do his Ph.D. This way, especially if the University has any reputation worth its name. One of course need not bother about the institutions and the Gurus who dish out Ph.D degrees for money. They are the false Gurus. In this Kali Yuga, there are many false Gurus and getting misled by them is also a valuable lesson. The story of Jawahar Ali in Sri Sai Satcharitra is a good example of how a good disciple should treat even a false Guru, with respect. Thus served, the Guru also gets benefited and the Sishya of course advances very rapidly.

Sat Guru is like a good guide in a reputed college. He will be kind, loving and yet firm. He may appear to be harsh, or even dictatorial at times. But he knows the manifest and latent capabilities and the limitations of his student, even better than the student himself. So he tries to push his student to the limit so that the student finishes his work at the earliest and reaches the goal. He does it not for his own benefit but for the benefit of the student and the society.

Sri Guru Datta, Adi Shankara, Sri Sai are all Gurus of the highest order. They are demanding but they are like Nobel Lauretes! Every one can't get the privilege of being tutored by them. How many Arjunas are there who are fortunate enough to be taught the divine knowledge by God himself (Bhagawad Gita, given by Sri Krishna to Sri Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra in Maha Bharat)?

What after the student himself gets his Ph.D? Is it the end of the journey? No. One does post-doctoral research or continues with the guide on more advanced topics of research. He now helps the guide in guiding other research scholars. Eventually he himself becomes qualified to become a guide. But no student, however much he may have progressed will ever forget his guide, who helped him reach the position he has attained.

Sir Issac Newton is reported to have said,"I am a pigmy. I could see farther than the giants because I was standing on their shoulders." That shall be the attitude of a true student who has shed one's ego. A lamp once lit becomes capable of lighting other lamps. The definition of Guru is like a lamp, one who removes the darkness. So, the sishya becomes the Guru. And the Guru-Sishya parampara continues....

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