GURU & SATGURU

Question: Guruji, in Mahabharatha Arjuna takes his bow against his own Guru Dronacharya. Is it correct to do that? What is your opinion about it?

Guruji: Even if anyone does something wrong, can be a Guru because he is teaching you to do the right. In this case Dronacharya was a Guru but not a Satguru. Only Sri Krishna was the Satguru, only He was the Jagatguru. The one who only teaches an art or a skill, cannot be a Guru. For example, if your headmaster who taught you in your school, encroaches on your property, will you say, its ok he was my guru. He was only teaching you some art, or some theories. He did not teach you the Atma-gnayan (self knowledge)

You learnt driving from someone right? Then the one who taught you driving, also becomes your Guru. Tomorrow you find him involved with some underworld connection, would you say, Oh, no its ok he is my Guru!!

There is a vast difference between the west and the east. In the west we have linear thinking. Whereas in the east every thing is round about, golegol.. Here in South India, we do not go a full circle around a Shiva temple. We go semi circle and come back (laughter)!! ! That’s why in Sanskrit they say, “Gyanam ecchya Eshwaraha, Moksham Ecchya Janardana”. Which means You can get the knowledge by the grace of the Shiva, but you can get Moksha (liberation) only by the grace of Krishna!!

Also I tell you the Guru becomes happy to see the disciple combating him at the battlefield. And he would always bless the disciple to win over him. Similarly when Dronacharya saw Arjuna at the battlefield, he was happy. He was happy because he thought that finally his teachings are showing up! He feels successful as a teacher.

In the case of Dronacharya, he was tied up to his dharma. He was the appointed teacher of the princes of Hastinapura. He has eaten their food for so many long years. That’s why he was tied up with Duryodhana. Because they paid him for so many years! But seeing Arjuna he was happy. Someone worth was created by him he thought. he knows that Arjuna is in the right place.

But Arjuna was sad to be against Dronacharya, Bhishma and all the others at the battlefield. He was entangled. A satguru is both your friend and your well wisher. While Drona was only a teacher to Arjuna, who taught him an art, while Krishna was his Satguru, his Jagatguru. Then to destroy the entanglement in Arjuna, Krishna had to teach the Bhagwat geeta. Thanks to the entanglement of Arjuna also (laughter)! Because of the entanglement in Arjuna’s mind, the entire Bhagwat geeta happened.

Krishna says, Oh Arjuna! All the people you see are already dead! The history is already created! You just lift your bow and shoot. You will have done no sin since I am telling you to do it.

Then Krishna says, I am the only one in your life. There is no one else in your life. Dissolve in me. There is no you and me anyways. There is no difference in you and me. If you just do as I say, you will not be responsible for any sin. I am only one!!

Even then Arjuna was not ready to do what Krishna said! Then Krishna had to show Him is Vishal Swaroopa! He showed Arjuna that He is the beginning and the end of everything. He is the star, the sky… the entire creation is in Him!

Then Arjuna was shocked. He was taken aback. Then he says, “But Krishna, I thought you are my friend. I ate with you, I sang with you, I played with you, I slept with you. I thought you are like me!

Arjuna got frightened. He said, “You better come back to your original form.. I am not able to relate to you”.

He showed both the soft and the strict side of himself to Arjuna. That’s how we say opposite values are complementary.