[Advaita-l] Guru lakshaNa and Sishya lakshaNa

[Dr. Yadu Moharir]

GurulaxaNa (daasadodha 5.2)  Continued from ........ 1
 
Ramdas Swami begins with elaborating on “Who is not a sadguru !”
 
je karaamatii daakhavitii. tehi guru mhaNijetii .
para.ntu sad{}guru navhetii. moxadaate .. 1..
Meaning – Some folks (wannabe pretend Guru) who demonstrate through extraordinary demonstrations and call them as guru, but they are not the guru who will lead you towards “moxa”. 
 
sabhaamohana bhurarii.n cheTake.n. saabarama.ntra kauTaale.n aneke.n .
naanaa chamatkaara kautuke.n. asaMbhaavya saa.ngatii .. 2..
Meaning – Some capture the attention of large groups using black magic (cheTake), where as some utilize naatha saampradaayika “saabara matra & kauTaaLe” for presenting chamatkaara (out of ordinary events). 
 
saa.ngatii aushhadhiiprayoga. kaa.n suvarNadhaatuuchaa maarga .
dR^ishhTiba.ndhane.n laagavega. abhiLaashhaachaa .. 3..
Meaning – Some (wannabe guru’s), prescribe herbs and chemicals for removing ailments, some demonstrate their ability to change common metals by converting them to gold.  Where as some capture attention by suggesting procedures for fulfilling wishes instantly (tantra). 
 
Here Ramdas Swami acknowledges the acceptance of chamatkaara (by society), for getting instant fame that leads to becoming a self proclamation of being powerful “Guru”.  It is this “andha-shraddha” (blind faith) that is creatively exploited by these wannabe gurus’s.  The underlying principle that is documented here in this chapter is – “We cannot change that we cannot acknowledge”.
 
saahita sa.ngiita raagadnyaana. giita nR^itya taana maana .
naanaa vaadye.n sikavitii jana. tehi yeka guru .. 4..
Meaning – Folks who are knowledgable in literature, music, classical music, various nuances of singing, dancing …. etc are also a gurus of their faculties of art but are not the “sadguru”.
 
vidyaa sikavitii pa.nchaaxarii. taaDetoDe naanaaparii .
kaa.n poTa bhare jayaavarii. te vidyaa sikavitii .. 5..
Meaning – Some teach mantravidyaa, how to prepare charms (taaIta, ga.nDaa dore … etc) for overcoming specific obstacles in everyday life; some actually teach how to make this art as a professions as well.
 
jo yaatiichaa jo vyaapaara. sikavitii bharaavayaa udara .
tehi guru parii saachaara\-. sad{}guru navhetii .. 6..
Meaning – Just like traders/merchants from various professions teach their processional secrets to their successors / students, they are also guru but are not the “sadguru”.
 
aapalii maataa aaNii pitaa. tehi guruchi tatvataa.n .
parii pailaapaara paavavitaa. to sad{}guru vegaLaa .. 7..
Meaning – Our parents are also our guru in a way but the guru who can help us cross the sa.msaara-saagara are invariably different.  (Take home message from this ovi is that parents create attachments, whereas saadguru identifies and cultivates detachment.
 
Dr. Yadu
 
To be continued ......... 3