Aseem: Saadar Pranam Swamiji, I met a very learned Yogi, he mentioned Guru is Satta (Seat) not body, and an like an interface between Us and God, though he said, it’s as difficult to explain as to what is light to a blind person, what did he mean…he also mentioned every human being has the same potential to reach the almighty (get liberated), but is a sleeping yogi until he becomes one…only by practice and thru a revered Guru he would reach the enlightened state. Request you to please explain this and what pat a normal person should take…can guru give / invoke these powers in a normal man.
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you.
According to Vedas, a guru is a Rishi-muni or a yogi who has studied Vedas, performed daily Yajyen/Agnihotra with ved mantras, has done name-jaap of God and has done hard practice of Ashtang Yog. As a result, had realized God.
In this connection, I paste my articles below:-
About Gurus
There is only one God who creates universe, nurses and destroys and again creates. Yajurveda mantra 31/7 and several other Ved mantras say that God has preached His worship in Vedas. But now a day’s most of the worships are against Vedas, as also said by Tulsidasji in his Ramayana couplet 99 (b). In the ancient times up to Mahabharat period too there were only Vedas to be adopted and worship in the form of prayer, Yajna and Ashtang yoga etc., was being practised. The ancient Rishis Munis used to give Vedas knowledge only. They lived in Gurukul in a very simple life holding unlimited knowledge of Vedas and yoga philosophy and by their Tapsya they used to give equal blessings to the world.
These Rishis Munis used to sit on one platform with whole hearted happiness. For example in Valmiki Ramayana when Rishi Vishwamitr went to King Dashrath to take Shri Ram to kill the demons to protect his holy Yajna. Then Dashrath immediately refused but Dashrath’s Guru Vasishth Muni interrupted, explained and gave order to king Dashrath to give Shri Ram to Rishi Vishwamitr. I am not giving the detailed story here. So what was the reason behind? The reason behind was only this, that Rishi Vishwamitr as well as Guru Vasishth both were philosophers of Vedas, Yajna and Yoga philosophy. So there was no friction within their hearts. A mother and father both, without any friction, love their newly born baby. So when all Rishis loved only one Almighty God, from whom Vedas are originated and again the Rishis loved Vedas, so no question of friction. The Rishis used to bless all people and even kings with the result everybody was happy at that time and everybody was rich with the blessings. Now it is reverse.
The so-called Gurus are rich and majority of the public are poor. In Hinduism too there are so many Devtas and thus the different types of worship. Now whatever one Guru says another one criticizes because ways are different and in reality the religion has been made profession by most of the so-called Gurus at present. When target is not true and good then how the above story of donating Shri Ram can be repeated and how all Gurus can sit on one platform. When the target is profession and not services of people through Vedas then it is impossible that so called Gurus can sit on one platform. The so-called Gurus can say at their own that their target is one but on ground it seems not to be a true. All the so-called Gurus have made their own several ashrams to command etc.
God has made universe and blessed us human body to do pious deeds only. He has not made any heaven or hell. All have to face the result of their deeds good or bad here only, even by taking rebirth. God has not only made universe but has also given knowledge of four Vedas.
There are four Vedas –
1. Rig Veda gives knowledge of science, matters of the universe like sun, moon, air, body etc., etc.
2. Yajurved gives knowledge of all the deeds and duties to be performed by men or women, students, leaders, king, agriculturist etc., etc., etc.
3. Samved gives knowledge how to worship God, who gives peace and long happy life etc. In this Ved, details of Yoga philosophy, qualities, Supreme deeds and nature of the God are also given.
4. Atharvaved gives details of God, medical science and details of medicine etc.
Actually in four Vedas there is unlimited knowledge. In his holy book Shatpath Brahmin Granth, Muni Yagyavalkya has quoted that there was Kashyap Rishi who studied Vedas deeply. In Vedas there is a rule that men or women can extend their lives up to 400 years and not more. In this connection Yajurved mantra 3/62 refers. So Kashyap Rishi after hundred years of age prayed to God that he was busy in study of Vedas therefore his life should be extended up to two hundred years. But on reaching two hundred years he again requested to extend it further to 3 hundred years because the Rishi had been experiencing unlimited peace and merriment while studying Vedas and going the deepest in every mantra. And O! When he reached at the age of three hundred years he prayed God that he (Rishi) is leaving body because the knowledge of the Vedas are eternal and unlimited. So such true examples of several ancient Rishis are there in our ancient holy books about immortal Vedas, which have been now overlooked due to false talks of arrogant of nowadays who have made business of religion. So swamis are those, who are not against eternal philosophy of Vedas and yoga given by God. And the swamis, who speak truth based on Vedas, do yoga practice, have control on their five senses and mind, always do pious deeds according to Vedas about well being of human beings etc., and such types of swamis never predict about any life. But give direct knowledge of four Vedas and yoga saying that do pious deeds, services to parents and old, daily worship, hard working towards a right path, listening of Vedas’ preach and discharging moral duties faithfully towards family and nation etc., make future bright and luck is in our own hands.
According to eternal knowledge of Vedas, the definition of a true Guru is not such which is being spread by the false saints, who are against the Vedas and yoga philosophy. One thing is clear that this universe has been created by God, He nurses and destroys and again creates. So the rules and regulation will have to be accepted of God’s preach in Vedas and not of man or woman. I think on this basis only, Tulsidasji has also stated in Doha 99 (b) of Uttrakand that in kaliyug men and women are not worshipping God in accordance with the Vedas’ true path but arrogant have made the path at their own accord i.e., self made. And hence the problem, because such type of religion has become profession too and no Guru or whosoever would like to sit on one platform with other Gurus. Being against the Vedas such Gurus are saying and establishing falsely that they are serving the people but actually they are serving their family and themselves.
When I was doing practice of hard Ashtang Yoga in a dense cave with my Guru ji then an incident occurred. By some reason I was asked by My Guru ji to go to a Baba in the jungle to give him Bhiksha. When first day I went there the young Baba met me with gun. I respectfully questioned the Baba that why was he having a gun being a sanyasi. He answered that there were five or six guava trees on which some monkeys came. So this gun is meant for instilling fear and to drive away the monkeys. I returned and told the story to my respected Guru ji. My Guru ji answered that whole of the day the Baba guarded the trees and when he would sit for meditation or remember the holy name of God then it was sure that in his meditation the picture of monkeys would be coming. I have quoted this fact in full (here not in full) in my spiritual books stating that this is a matter of some guava trees which disturbs the concentration then what to talk about those who have so many ashrams, built all over the country, even outside the country as well.
The spiritualism nowadays has become a business and it is no more a matter of God or service to the public. Nowadays there is flood of Gurus who are against the Vedas and this is a danger to the mankind, nation and world. This is clearly seen that the house has been burnt with its own burning lamp. There is no excuse from the God about any sin in the Vedas whereas self made path says like this. However, the Yajyen with Ved mantras purifies the mind and practice of yoga philosophy burns all the previous sins. And this is only possible when an aspirant, while in family life listens to the Vedas like Shri Ram, Mata Sita and previous ancient public, does Yajyen, learns yoga philosophy and practises thereof under the guidance of a Guru who knows Vedas and yoga philosophy. This is the method of eternal prayer.
One should pray God with a request that he must be attached with the eternal worship of God preached in Vedas to get the purest mind because the purest mind can only do the pious deeds and eternal worship. This prayer is according to Yajurved mantra 32/14 and Gayatri mantra. One can recite these two mantras also. But to our bad luck, most of the present Gurus, who are against Vedas say that they are true Gurus and everybody must accept them because Shri Ram and Shri Krishna also accepted Guru. But the ignorant people are not capable to understand this poisonous and false talk due to lack of knowledge of Vedas and Valmiki Ramayana. Because Shri Ram, Shri Krishna, king Dashrath, Harishchandra and several such dignitaries and their public of ancient time did accept the Rishis, Munis who knew Vedas and did hard practice of ashtang yoga. For example Shri Ram’s Guru was Vasishth Muni and Munis are those who have studied and consulted Vedas in deep and did yoga practice and so was the great Muni Vasishth. Shri Krishna’s Guru was Rishi Sandeepan.
Rishi in Vedas is, he who is mantradrishta i.e., after studying and hard practice of ashtang yoga he has realised God and has seen the Ved mantras in his heart and not in books. Both Rishis and Munis/yogis always preach based on Vedas. So, public as well as the Govt., must know about the eternal philosophy of Vedas and must ban the present saints or sadhus who are against the Vedas, spread false stories and cheat the public. These saints must not encash the name of pious Guru Vasishth and Sandeepan and others by saying that Shri Krishna and Shri Ram adopted Guru so everybody must accept these so called Gurus. Why don’t they say truth that they are illiterate being away from the Vedas. Guru Vasishth and Rishi Sandeepan and other ancient Rishis were literate having knowledge of four Vedas and yoga philosophy. And there is no comparison between those ancient Rishis, Munis/Yogis and present so-called Gurus.
In Atharvaved mantra 4/1/1 and 10/10/28 it is said that the Vedas emanate from God. Yoga shastra sutra 1/7 says Vedas are self proof. 31 chapter of Yajurveda and mandal 10 of Rigved clarify that the knowledge of Vedas is given at the beginning of creation in nonsexual creation. Shastra, Upnishad, Geeta and Ramayana have been written by Rishi Munis within five to six thousand years whereas Vedas are eternal. In this creation Vedas originated in the heart of four Rishis cited above about one Arab 96 crore 8 lakh 53 thousands one hundred and eleven years ago. Now the fundamental is this that until the knowledge is given by anybody, knowledge can not be gained. So who was the first Guru at the beginning of the earth when nonsexual creation was there?
Yoga shastra sutra 1/26 says, “SA ESHAH POORVESHAM API GURUHU KALENANVACHEDAT” in this sutra Rishi Patanjali says Sa Eshah= He i.e., God (because this sutra is connected with previous one), Poorvesham Api Guruhu= is Guru of the four ancient Rishis because God is away from Kalean i.e., death. It means in the said creation there was no Guru alive. So the God gave the knowledge of Vedas to the said four Rishis. After lapse of more than one arab 96 crore and 8 lakhs years i.e., upto Mahabharat period there were no shastras, Upnishads etc., and same were written by Rishis based on the knowledge of Four Vedas and this fact has clearly been mentioned by the Rishis in their shastras, Upnishads and Geeta etc. Geeta shlok 3/15 refers. And nobody asked any proof about the origin of Vedas because they (king and public) used to study only Vedas with whole heart and faith, Vedas being the knowledge direct from God. This knowledge is still originated in the heart of present Rishis like Vyas Muni, Atri Rishi etc., but nowadays people are against the Vedas due to false statements of several present Gurus.
Vedas being self proof, the proof from Vedas is considered first. thereafter six shastras, Upnishads, Geeta etc., the holy books written by mantradrishta Rishis based on the knowledge of Vedas. If Vedas would not have been there then no knowledge of shastra etc., could be written. Shri Gurubani too says, “VED ONKAAR NIRMAY” i.e., Vedas’ knowledge is direct from God. Four Vedas have emanated from God. No one can evaluate their importance. They are inestimable and eternal. (Mahalla 1 shabad 17). And in Samved mantras it has been clarified the knowledge of four Vedas is from Almighty God. I have mentioned some other references also in my Yoga lectures placed on www.vedmandir.com and request to see please.
Now come to shastra please. Sankhya shastra 5/48 says, “APAURUSHYA” i.e., Vedas are apaurushya i.e., no man has written the Vedas, it is of God. Manusmriti shlok 1/23, “AGNIVAAYURAVIBHAYSTU TRYAM BRAHM SANATANAM DUDOH
YAJSIDHYARTHAMRIGYAJUHU SAAMLAKSHNAM”
Meaning: Yajsidhartham = the God for Yajyen and to spread knowledge of all matters etc., gave the Vedas’ knowledge to Agni-Vayu-Ravibhya and from these Rishis the Brahma studied Rig, Yaju, Sam Vedas, dudohah = just like milking of cow, so here three names are mentioned because of gyan, karma and upasana, the three Vidya but the fourth veda Atharvaved originated in Angira Rishi, is automatically counted along with said three Vedas. But the Rigved mantra cited above already says about four Rishis and then no need of shastra, upnishad etc., Vedas being self-proof.
True Saints
In Shatpath Brahmin Granth 3/7/3/10, written by Yagyavalkya Muni it is said, “VIDWANS EV DEVAHA” i.e., he who is learned of Vedas, he is called Dev. Yajurveda mantra 40/3 says, “ASURYA NAAM TE LOKAHA ANDHEN TAMSA VRITAHA___”means on taking birth a child is called “Manushya” i.e., mankind. If he learns Vedas, does pious deeds and discharges his moral duties well, according to Vedas then he becomes Dev. Otherwise Asur i.e., devil (demon), one who kills the pure voice of soul and does sins. In Van Parv of Mahabharat Yaksh asked question to Yudhishthir, “KAH NASTIKAH” i.e., who is called atheist? Yudhishthir answers, he who is against Vedas and insults Vedas he is atheist (Manusmriti 2/11 also refers). So there are two kinds of men/women according to Yajurveda mantra quoted above. One, “DEV” and second “DEVIL”. So our birth is to become Dev.
Rig-Veda mantra 10/181/1 says that in the beginning of the creation, God always originates the knowledge of four Vedas in the heart of four Rishis, then the said four Rishis spread it further and until now the eternal knowledge of Vedas is being received traditionally. The names of those four Rishis are — Agni, Vayu, Aditya, Angira, as also mentioned in Rig Veda mantra 10/109/1 and Manusmriti shlok 1/23. This truth is also mentioned in Bhagwad Geeta wherein shlok 3/15 says that Vedas emanate from Almighty God and in shlok 13/4 Shri Krishna says that the knowledge of soul and body is very well mentioned in four Vedas and the Rishis have described the same by many methods. In Atharvaveda mantra 2/35/1& 4 it is preached that Rishis spread the knowledge of holy Yajyen to the people to mitigate their sorrows and Rishis are those, “MANTRADRISHTA ITI RISHIHI” i.e., those who have studied Vedas and Ashtang Yog practice and then realized Almighty God and seen Ved mantras in their heart, they are called Rishis. So the knowledge of the Vedas, as per Rig-Veda mantras quoted above, is given by God Himself to the Rishis and it is eternal truth and cannot be changed that is why in Yog shastra sutra, Rishi Patanjali says, “SA ESHAH PURVESAHM API GURUHU”. So, next to God is Rishi.
God did not give the knowledge to the present saints. In Vedas, the name of the learned are mentioned as Rishis, Muni, Vipra, Dwij, Agni etc., and not saints. To be next to God it is necessary to have full knowledge of Vedas and Ashtang yoga, as per the rules quoted above.
To know that what is true and what is false, proof is required. Yog shastra in sutra 1/7 says about four proofs out of which proof of Vedas to determine the truth is compulsory. However, if a present saint has learnt four Vedas, done ashtang yoga practice mentioned in Vedas and realized Vedas and God, then he is also next to God. If one declares his name Rishi or Brahamchari and does not know Vedas and yoga philosophy, then he is liar and cheating the public because in Shanti Parv of Mahabharat also Bhisham Pitamaha says to Yudhishthir that there are two kinds of Brahma (though God is one). First, “Shabda Brahma” i.e., knowledge of four Vedas, second “Par Brahma” the realization of formless God Who creates, nurses and destroys the universe. So he who does not know Brahma even Shabda Brahma – Vedas, then how can he write himself as brahmarishi? Naturally he is cheating the public because most of the public does not know about Vedas and the arrogant (the saints who are against Vedas) have spread false knowledge about Vedas, Yajyen and yoga philosophy.
That is why, Manusmriti 2/168 says that the saint/Guru/Dwij who does not know Vedas but studies false books, he, in his present life goes downwards i.e., experiences sorrows, sufferings etc, etc., with his followers, i.e., their followers also go down and experience the said difficulties etc., but nowadays it is also spread that God takes examination of a worshipper but such type of examinations have not been mentioned in Vedas. And Ramayana also says about such false saints – VARAN DHARAM NAHIN ASHRAMCHARI, SHRUTI VIRODH RAT SAB NAR NARI. Tulsidasji says that at present men and women here have become against the eternal knowledge of Vedas. Again Tulsidasji says in Uttarkand DWIJ SHRUTI BECHAK BHOOP PRAJSAN, KAU NAHIN MANAT NIGAM ANUSASAN, i.e., at present mostly the people do not accept the knowledge of Vedas, present saints ,Gurus have sold the Vedas i.e., they do not know the ABCD about the Vedas.
Again in Nirukta 7/3 it is said that he who studies complete knowledge of Vedas and holy books, puts the preachings thereof into action/conduct and there after preaches others, he is called a Rishi. It is a well-known fact that ancient Rishis used to live in a lonely place/jungle in Gurukuls/Ashram where the students used to get knowledge traditionally, the same process too was adopted by Shri Krishna, Sudama, Shri Ram and their subjects. It was the effect of Ved mantras on them and the effect of practising Ashtang yoga philosophy, that they used to lead simple way of life without any luxury etc. Whereas nowadays the current saints (against the Vedas) mostly live in bigger cities where way of earning is obtained. The Rishis used to bless the people according to Ved mantra to be the richest and having all comforts in the family etc., whereas now most of the present saints say that money will do nothing, family will do nothing, house will do nothing, cars and clothes will do nothing and they themselves take lot of money and enjoy luxuries.
The Rishis were free from illness/tension etc., Shwetashwataropnishad 2/12 and 13 says about this fact. So is it not clear that keeping the fact and proof of ved mantra and the said upnishad in mind, those are not rishi-muni etc., who are suffering from multifarious diseases, tension etc., and too lack the knowledge of four Vedas and Ashtang yoga philosophy mentioned in Vedas.
Study of Mahabharat, holy granth and Valmiki Ramayan reveals that usually the ancient Rishis, who lived in gurukul or in jungle used to go to the kingdom on invitation only. (Valmiki Ramayan Bal Kand sarg 7 also refers). So it is not fair to send disciples door to door to collect money and to arrange maximum gathering/crowd. The Rishis like Vyas Muni etc., used to go mostly on foot and alone to anywhere (Mahabharat says) but now the present saints/Gurus go in a fleet of cars/groups with body guards etc., etc.
The Rishis themselves had simple living without luxury etc., but with their blessings they made people the richest whereas most of the present saints have become the richest with all luxury, gathering money/donation etc., from even poor people. On the other hand mostly public has become poor, sick and worried.
In Brihadarannayakopnishad there is a debate (shastrarth) between Bal Brahamcharini Gargi and Rishi Yagyavalkya. This debate was organized by King Janak. The winner of debate was to be given 500 cows, gold-plated on horns. When Rishi Yagyavalkya ordered his disciples to take the cows then King Janak interrupted and requested the Rishi that these cows are meant for him who would win the debate with my supreme Acharya Gargi. King asked the Rishi whether he (Rishi) is Brahmarishi. Yagyavalkya Rishi answered, O! King there was shortage of milk in my Gurukul to my students and that is why I wanted to take the cows. But if you want to ask something I am ready. There was a debate and Rishi won and got cows. This story tells that all Rishis used to ask for donation when they needed on the contrary the present saints even having become multimillionaires through donation, ask for more money.
In Upnishad king Janshruti met Rishi Rakya in lonely place sitting on sand under the shadow of Bullock cart. Whereas present saints meet people sitting on highly decorated and valuable throne. Rishi Jadbharat was sitting alone in a jungle on the earth. When he was asked to carry the palanquin (palki) putting one side on his shoulder, he immediately became ready without any pride and walked on foot. This cannot be repeated.
There are numerous examples of the ancient Rishis who were Tapsvi, lovers of truth, who are adorable.
