Guru yoga: The supreme refuge and sadhana

om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave namah

I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance, with the torchlight of knowledge.

Although I am most unqualified and unworthy to speak on the subject of Sri Guru Tattva, I will try my best to convey the importance, mood, and power of the worship and honour of Sri Gurudeva. Feeling most humbled by taking refuge at the lotus feet of Sri Guru and the sacred assembly of previous masters and acharyas, I take a straw between my teeth and beg forgiveness for my shortcomings and faults of practice and wrong views. May my Diksa Guru and Siksa gurus kindly bless me so that my mind body and words are in line with the highest reality and service.

Any sincere spiritualist must approach the truly realized and knowledgeable Guru to learn the meaning of the sastras and the correct practices for the realization of this profound teaching. Without such guidance, it is not possible to understand the multi-layered and profound philosophical and practical meaning of Dharma(spiritual practice). Without the guidance of Guru, one cannot receive the seed of devotion in the form of his teachings, mantras, and behaviour, which illuminate the path so the disciple may know how to progress.

iva nitya krishna das taha bhuli gela
aei doshe maya tare galay bandhila
(Chaitanya Charitamrita madhya 22/24)

krsna bhuli'sei jiva anadi-bahirmukha
ataeva maya tare deya samsara-duhkha
(Chaitanyacharitamrita, madhya - 20/117)

krsna-bahirmukha haya bhoga vancha kare
nikata-stha Maya tare japatiya dhare
pisachi paile jena matichanna hay
mayagrasta jiber hae se bhaba uday
ami nitya krishna dasa-ei katha bhule
mayar nafar haya china dina bule
kabhu raja, kabhu praja, kabhu bipra sudra
kabhu sukhi, kabhu dukhi, kabhu kita khyudra
kabhu swarge, kabhu martye, nanake ba kabhu
kabhu deva, kabhu daitya, kabhu dasa prabhu
(Prema Bibarta)

When the Jiva forgets that he is ever servant to Lord Sri Krishna & desires of earthly possessions he is caught by Maya for his fault. Forgetting Sri Krisna, the living entity has been attracted by the external features from time immemorial. Hence the illusory energy (Maya) punishes him with worldly miseries. Turning away his face from Krisna as he desires earthly enjoyments, he is immediately struck down by illusory energy (Maya) of Lord. The condition of a living entity (jiba) captured by illusory energy is the same as one who lost his head when confronted with a she demon. He forgets that he is subsurvient to Lord Krisna and moves about as a servant of illusory energy forever.

brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija
tate krishna bhaje kare gurur seban
mayajala chhute pay shrikrishnacharan
(Chaitanyacharitamrita, Madhya - 19/151 & 22/25)

Thus wandering through the entire universe, some fortunate soul gets the seed of bhaktilata (creeper) by the grace of Spiritual master and Sri Krishna. Then he worships Krishna under the guidance of Guru and frees himself from the illusory energy.

mukam karoti vacalam
pangum langhayate girim
yat-krpa tam aham vande
sri gurum dina tarinam
(Bhabartha Dipika)

I offer my respectful obeisances to the Spiritual Master whose grace turns a dumb into an eloquent speaker and enables the lame to cross mountains.

Sri Guru deva is the direct manifestation of Sri Nityananda rama, who is the direct avatar of Sri Balarama the first expansion of Krsna and the saviour of all fallen jivas. By taking shelter of Guru in full knowledge of his opulence and potency he will certainly take mercy on the pitiable condition of us kali yuga children and grant us the blessings to give up our attachment to material existence and immerse ourselves in the ocean of pure ecstatic love, in the form of Nama sankirtana. Gurudeva should be seen as simultaneously one and different from Sri Nityananda rama and consider him to be very to dear to the lord. Depending on one’s own cherished mood the internal form of Sri Gurudeva will be different but the general internal form of Gurudeva is as follows.

Daily one should meditate on the beautiful divine form of Sri Gurudeva as described in the tantras

“Krpa-marandanvita pada pankajam

Svetambaram gaura rucim sanatanam

Sandam sumalyabharanam gunalayam

Smarami sad bhaktam aham gurum harim”

I meditate upon Sri Hari who has assumed the form of Sri Guru. He has an eternal body filled with pure devotion and His lotus feet are full of the nectar of mercy. He has a golden complexion, wears pure white cloth and is adorned with a fragrant garland. He is the abode of all good qualities and the bestower of good fortune.

By connecting to Sri guru through his mantra allows the mind to be permeated by his potency and from within he will reveal higher and higher truths and the means of realization.

By connecting to Sri guru through the visualization of his mandala and form, the material body will be purified and pervaded by his potency.  The subtle channels, Pranas, and drops will be submerged in his vast potency which will allow the mind to rest peacefully on the proper object of meditation, Sri Harinama

By connecting to Sri guru by reflecting on his teachings and words and teaching these lessons to others one can actually know his heart and real essence.

It should be known that in this age the mercy of Guru is the only means of attaining any and all forms of spiritual advancement those who have not approached Sri Guru for refuge, instruction, and mercy will never be freed from the cycle of birth and death.

Those who wish to receive inspiration to worship Sri Guru should sincerely pray to Sri Krsna to send a suitable and bonafide Guru who will remove all doubts and conceptions and flood the sincere aspirant with pure devotion towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead: Sri Krsna
Guru is manifest in three ways, firstly as antaryami or the indwelling supreme self who guides the seeker from within as his conscious and heart
As the diksa guru who imparts knowledge in the form of spiritual initiation and mantra
and as the siksa guru who further gives instructions on the practice of bhakti yoga and helps dispell the doubts that may arise during the process of sadhana.  These three principles should be known to be the one and same Sri Gurudeva.

Sitting beneath the Banyan tree high atop the mountain

Parvati begged lord Shiva to reveal pure devotions fountain

Lord Shiva wept tears of mercy which fell to quench all those thirsty

The highest truth that could be taught to ensure his work was not for nought

The highest means to reveal the true essence of compassion and wisdom

“Gurudeva!” lord shiva yelled and began to dance in rapture

“Gurudeva!” Sri Krsna mercy to release one from Maya's capture

“Gurudeva” The highest refuge my eternal master

“Gurudeva” The friend of all from here till ever after!

I eternally pray that although I am filled with endless faults and may be bound to Maya's charms for births to come, May Sri guru deva keep me close to his heart and never forget this son. Keep me a place close to your feet and never let me stray.

Sri Gurudeva saranam gachami