(This article is an English translation of the author's original Kannada write-up)

Acharyopasana is devotion-filled service rendered to the Guru who is capable of imparting the means for attaining Moksha, the ultimate goal of human life. Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada has elucidated this in His commentary on Gita: मोक्ष सधनोपदेष्टुः आचार्यस्य शुश्रूशादि प्र्ययोगेण सेवनं आचर्योपदेशं. GBh 13.7)

In most cultures, teachers are accorded greater respect for their knowledge. However, it is only in India that the Guru is considered equivalent to God and worshipped with utmost devotion.

Knowledge that bestows Moksha cannot be obtained merely by reading scriptures like a newspaper. One obtains it by approaching the Guru, spending time, following and observing Him patiently until you’re found to be a worthy disciple. It is something that’s earned by pleasing the Guru with one’s dedication, devotion, and character; as such, there are very few who succeed in this path.

How a seeker must approach the Guru (who is also referred to as Acharya or Tattvajnani), is pregnant in the following mantra from Mundakopanishat (1.2.12): तद्विज्ञानार्थं स गुरुमेवाभिगच्छेत्. The term अभिगच्छेत् (as opposed to गच्छेत्) is used precisely to indicate that one must approach the Guru with earnest devotion. Expertise in scriptural knowledge does not grant the license for one to independently attain the highest knowledge. The usage of गुरुमेव is to emphasize that the Guru’s role is indispensable for a seeker to progress on the spiritual path.  The conduct of an ideal seeker towards Guru is presented in Bhagavad Gita too [1]: a disciple prostrates or surrenders to the Guru (प्रणिपातेन), serves Him with devotion, and learns from Him through enquiring (परिप्रश्नेन) into bondage, liberation, means for liberation, ignorance, and knowledge. Saint Purandaradasa thus declared, “there is no liberation unless one completely surrenders to the Guru”.

Service to the Guru is not merely assisting Him in day-to-day affairs; it is rather a worship with unshakeable faith that He is not different from God. How long must a disciple serve the Guru? A thirsty man drinks water until his thirst is completely quenched; and a disciple serves the Guru until the ultimate knowledge is attained.

Why is the Guru or Acharya accorded such respect? What is so special about Him? When pondered over, one understands that it is so because the Guru is not only an embodiment of scriptural knowledge (श्रोत्रियं) but also established in the Truth (ब्रह्मनिष्ठम्). Scriptures mandate that a Guru must be endowed with both qualities.

The Guru and disciple seek each other. As ardently as a disciple seeks the refuge of a competent Guru, He is in search of a worthy disciple too [2]. The knowledge to be attained being esoteric, it can’t be grasped by the gross mind. However, when a disciple serves the Guru who is endowed with the highest knowledge, he earns the latter’s grace and enjoys the supreme bliss. A mature disciple revels in bliss at the utterance of Guru’s words.

A Guru is immensely pleased when He encounters a disciple of high caliber; He finds fulfillment in adopting a disciple who is capable of propagating His knowledge. A Guru subjects the disciple through harsh tests, but His delight knows no bounds when the disciple passes through unscathed. One can find such a disciple in Kathopanishat in the form of Nachiketa, who passes all hurdles to receive the highest knowledge, much to the delight of Yama [3, 4]

The principal obstacle in the path for a seeker is his/her ego. Until this ego is effaced, the seeker fails to even understand the scriptures at the intellectual level, let alone attaining the direct experience. The only way of weakening ego is to develop humility. Serving the Guru is one of the most potent ways of taming the ego. Like a well digger who continues digging until he finds the source of water, a seeker grows in maturity serving the Guru and finally attains the treasure of knowledge which destroys bondage, liberating him/her forever [5].

There is no time-limit for Acharyopasana. A seeker dedicates himself/herself to it, until Guru’s grace is obtained— it may take some days, many months, few years, or an entire life. Learning from mistakes, a seeker matures and progresses on the path with patience and persistence. The four-fold prerequisites for knowledge-seeking needs to be acquired by a disciple. These are— i) Discrimination between the eternal and ephemeral (विवेक); ii) Detachment towards objects of enjoyment (in this world and other worlds) (वैराग्य); iii) the six virtues of withdrawal of mind (शम), restraint in senses and action (दम), cessation of action (उपरति), forbearance (तितिक्षा), conviction in scriptures and Guru’s words (श्रद्धा), establishment in peace (समाधान); and iv) intense desire for liberation (मुमुक्षुत्व). These are sine qua non for liberation [6]. A seeker need not demand Guru’s grace; it’s a natural consequence of his/her spiritual maturity.

It is said that the Guru must be worshipped as God incarnate. Such a disciple becomes a perfect receptacle for Guru’s grace. Like Earth absorbing every drop of water when it rains in summer, Guru’s words penetrate into the disciple’s being— subtler aspects of teaching left unsaid by the Guru are also comprehended. Didn’t Ekalavya surpass even Arjuna in archery through intense devotion to Guru Dronacharya? [7]

Guru leads and the disciple follows; there is no fear of losing way. Just as the idol in a temple is enlivened by the priest’s purity and devotion (प्रतिमायाम् याति सान्निध्यं अर्चकस्य तपोबलात्), a disciple is munificently blessed by the sight, contact, words, and service of Guru who represents the Supreme. When the disciple attains Moksha through Guru’s teaching, they both dissolve in each other.

A Guru does not impart anything new to the disciple. He merely manifests the potential inherent in His disciple, akin to a bird teaching how to fly to its chick. He removes the veil of ignorance, enabling the disciple to recognize the ever-present Truth. The disciple exclaims, “Alas, how could I miss what’s so evident! I now discovered my Self through Guru’s infinite grace!”; and with inner contentment surrenders his whole to the Guru. This, indeed, is the culmination of Acharyopasana.

A disciple must thoroughly evaluate the Guru before surrendering to Him. Innocent seekers can be misled by charlatans masquerading as Gurus. Charming the gullible with their eloquence, these imposters indulge in deceit to earn riches. A true Guru, who frees the disciple from inner restlessness and grants eternal peace, is rare to find.  However, a sincere seeker can distinguish real Gurus from imposters with intuition. Like the season of Spring spreading joy and celebration around, a Guru by His mere presence sprinkles the nectar of knowledge onto the minds of His disciples [8]. An ardent disciple recognizes his Guru like a calf finding its mother in the herd [9].

A Guru or Acharya bears no specific external sign. He can’t be judged by age, attire, religious marks, or ornaments. He could be stout like Govindavallabha Pant or of a short-build like Sri Lal Bahadur Shastri, young like Sage Sanaka and others or of ripe age like Bakadalbha Maharshi, a Brahmin like Yajnavalkya or a Shudra like Raikva; He is not bound by any limitations.

A disciple who approaches the Guru must be honest and sincere in intentions, speech, and actions. Casting off the pride over worldly knowledge, he/she must seek to learn from the Guru with humility and patience— as Narada Muni conducted Himself with Sri Sanatkumara in Chandogyopanishat. With faith and devotion, he/she must worship the Guru to earn the ultimate knowledge that grants Moksha. This is the essence of Acharyopasana.

Dr. S Nagaraju is a noted Sanskrit scholar. He has widely published scholarly works on Veda and Vedanta in Sanskrit and Kannada. In his scholastic career spanning several decades, he has earned numerous titles such as Vedasevabhushana, Vidyavaaridhi, Vedantharathna, Vedashree, Pravachana Simha, and Sadhakarathna.

 

References

[1] तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया। उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिनः।।Bhagavadgita 4.34।।

[2] आमायन्तु ब्रह्मचारिणः स्वाहा । विमाऽऽयन्तु ब्रह्मचारिणः स्वाहा । प्रमाऽऽयन्तु ब्रह्मचारिणः स्वाहा । दमायन्तु ब्रह्मचारिणः स्वाहा । शमायन्तु ब्रह्मचारिणः स्वाहा ।। Taittiriyopanishat-Sheekshavalli-3 ।।

[3] “विद्याभीप्सिनं नचिकेतसं मन्ये न त्वा कामा बहवोऽलोलुपन्त” Kathopanishat 1-2-4

[4] “त्वादृङ नो भूयान्नचिकेतः प्रष्टा” Kathopanishat 1-2-9

[5] यथा खनन खनित्रेण नरो वार्यधिगच्छति । तथा  गुरुगतं  विद्यां शुश्रूषुरधिगच्छति ।। Subhashita

[6] साधनान्यत्र चत्वारि कथितानि मनीषिभिः। येषु सत्स्वेव सन्निष्ठा यदभावे न सिद्ध्यति॥ Vivekachudamani 18 ॥

[7] यस्य देवे परा भक्तिर्यथा देवे तथा गुरौ। तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मन इति॥ Svetasvataropanishat 6.22

[8] “शान्ता महान्तो निवसन्ति सन्तो वसन्तवल्लोकहितं चरन्तः” Vivekachudamani 39

[9] “यथा  कामधेनु  सहस्रेषु  वत्सोविन्दति  मातरम्” Panchatantra

Image Credits: AyvmMedia via Wikimedia Commons

Tags :

• Hindu Philosophy65

• Share on Social Media

• Follow us on Social Media