Swapan: Swamiji, namaskar… I am from Bangladesh. My question is that – what is Gurubad in hinduism, Is Dikksha from gurudev mandatory in human life? What does veda says? I shall be grateful if you kindly answer my question. Namaskar.
Swami Ram Swarup: Namskarji. Guruwad means that a person has to make a guru, from whom he takes name of God which is called Deeksha.
But vedas differ from it according to Vedas a person is educated by learned acharya of Vedas and Ashtang Yoga to maintain Brahmacharya and to follow some hard rules of spiritualism. The disciple thus listens to Vedas does name jaap of God i.e., Om and does practice of Ashtang Yog while discharging all his moral duties under the guidance of his learned acharya. Deeksha is compulsory, please. In this regard, I paste my article below:-
Deeksha
Nowadays mostly the saints and the people are not studying the eternal knowledge of God given in the shape of our Vedas. It has resulted to spread false meanings of divine Vedic words/mantras. So is the case of Divine word, “DEEKSHA”. Mostly everybody says that if name of God, whatever it may be (i.e., may be against the Vedas), is told by any Guru to his disciple then it means the disciple has been given DEEKSHA, which is actually against the Vedas. Now let’s see the Yajurved mantra 19/30, “VRATEN DEEKSHAAM AAPNOTI”, VRATEN = to adopt Brahmacharya and true speech etc.,
DEEKSHAAM = Brahmacharya, the education/knowledge from Vedas, good education, AAPNOTI = are obtained.
So the meaning of DEEKSHA is clear that DEEKSHA is obtained by adopting Brahmacharya and observing truth, by speech, listening, holding in heart, etc.
DEEKSHA i.e., the education of Brahmacharya and knowledge from Vedas/yoga philosophy etc., is obtained from an Acharya (learned of Vedas) by following the path of VRAT (VRATEN), i.e., to adopt Brahmacharya and true speech etc., as mentioned above.
Atharvaved mantra 19/43/1 also throws light on the pious word DEEKSHA as under-:
DEEKSHA = to observe Vedic rules, Brahmacharya, good education. The idea of whole mantra is O God! please take ME TO THE PIOUS Place Where Yogi, who has realized God and knows Vedas philosophy, resides, adopting DEEKSHA (as stated above) and TAPSA SAH = along with Tap, i.e., study of Vedas, control on five perceptions, five sense organs, and mind.
Idea: if an aspirant will reach the above quoted place of a Yogi/brahmagyani, definitely he will realize God and get salvation. When people will be able to understand the said truth of the immortal Vedas then automatically they shall be beware of false prophets. The problem is only that the Bharatvarsh who was VISHWAGURU on the basis of Vedic culture, has lost the knowledge of Vedas and hence illusion.
My blessings to you.
Ajay: Swamiji, please refer this website (details provided).
Swami Ram Swarup: Site is good as the link contains positive references to our eternal Vedas knowledge by different foreign icons.
Sanjay Kumar: Animals aur birds ko palna achcha hai bura?
Swami Ram Swarup: Jo animals manushya jaati ke liye labhdayak hain jaise bakri (Goat) cow, buffalo, horse, camel, ox etc., unhein palna chahiye.
