How Do You Know If Your Teacher Or Guru Is Genuine And Is The Right Person To Follow?

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To get the right knowledge in any sphere of life, one always needs a good teacher or a Guru who is adequately equipped to impart that knowledge and thus take us from darkness to light in the subject.

A Guru-disciple relationship is one in which, after surrendering to the Guru, the disciple remains sincere to him for the rest of his life, and keeps increasing his humility towards his Guru so that he is able to abide by his instructions more and more correctly and thereby reach the decided goal in mind.

For us as disciples, Guru is a beacon of light so that we don’t get lost; a beacon of faith such that we never lose hope. Guru is a lighthouse with whose help we are able to navigate through the obstacles and safely reach the port (our final destination).

But how do we know if our teacher or Guru is genuinely the right person to follow?

1. The Guru ought to be an experienced guide. When the Guru walks ahead and shows us the way which we can confidently follow to get to our desired goal, then we know that he indeed is the right person to follow. Such teacher, in addition to defining the station, also tells us which train to take to reach that station. He is able to guide us at every step for he has traversed that path and has experienced the pitfalls and various crossroads that come that way. This becomes a very important criterion because if the guide himself is lost, following such a person would mean wandering round and round without arriving at the desired destination.

2. The true Guru ought to be a Loving One. One who has love and is beneficial to us is the right person to follow. When just the mere sight of someone spontaneously makes our body bow down in reverence, without any second thought travelling in our mind, then know that such a person who dissolved all our egos indeed is the right Guru.

3. The Guru ought to be One whose image does not leave your eyes. Param Pujya Dadashri says, “Where your heart rests; make that person your guru. Do not call him your Guru until your heart becomes completely still. ‘A Guru that does not leave your eyes’ means he is acceptable to your eyes in every way. His speech fits you; it is tailor-made for you, his conduct also fits. This is the kind of Guru you need! If Guru is such that he can dwell in your heart and you like everything he says, then you can become dependent on him. Thereafter you will be free from all suffering. A Guru is a very big phenomenon. With him, you should feel that you are at peace and that you have come home and your heart rests there. Just by looking at him, you forget the world, you become oblivious to the world; such a person can be made a Guru. Otherwise, the Guru loses his worth and importance.”

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4. The Guru ought to be such in whom your faith reposes naturally. Whoever the Guru may be, it is our faith that gives us the result. The stronger our faith, the greater the instant benefit. If one is required to keep faith in his teacher or Guru, know that he is not the right person. Faith must always come naturally. If as soon as we see or hear him, we develop instant faith in him absolutely effortlessly, then he is the right person to follow.

5. The Guru ought to be someone who holds your hand right upto the end. Of what use is a teacher who leaves you in the middle of the path? Guru takes us to the final destination. Therefore, one who tirelessly guides us through our journey and patiently stands besides us until we manage to reach our goal, is indeed the ideal person to follow.

6. The Guru ought to be the One towards whom you have an immense feeling of gratitude. Guru makes us see instant results, which makes us feel very grateful towards him. And when we feel grateful towards our Guru, we in turn see more results. That is a rule of the world. So for whom you are feeling a lot of deep gratitude, he is the Guru made for you!

7. Guru ought to be the One where you readily, without any hesitation, surrender your mind, speech and body. When we surrender, we attain everything of his. Just as we join two tanks with a pipe, then no matter how much water is in one tank, the other tank will bear the same level of water. That is the power of surrendering our mind speech and the body. After surrendering, like a child, we too do not have to do anything else. Guru looks after us in every situation that we get placed in. He inspires us, encourages us, guides us, warns us, protects us and ensures that we rise above all the difficulties that come our way and reach our ultimate destination.

8. It is best if the Guru is the Living One. We can progress even through someone who is currently not living. However if we find a living person, then our liberation will be instant. One whom we do not see directly will give us the benefit of progress. However, there is no liberation without meeting a living great human being.

9. Guru is One who gives you the right vision. And if he is a Satguru, he gives us the vision of the Self i.e. gives us Self-Realization. Sat means Aatma (the Soul, the Self). Hence, Guru who has attained the Soul and can make us attain that Soul is a Satguru! If you happen to meet a Satguru, you will never forget Him. He is the real person to follow!!!