Guru-Shishya Parampara is the abundant living reservoir of traditional wisdom of the timeless art and science of yoga, one of the greatest treasures of our Indian culture. This unbroken lineage passed on the undiluted teachings from master to disciple, who then became a master to his disciples, thus safeguarding the wisdom of the lineage for generations to come.
As Param Pujya Swamiji, Yogamaharishi Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri Guru Maharaj would say, “The real Guru enables their disciple to manifest their potential, thus becoming a guru themselves. The goal is to empower them and NOT to keep them limited and disempowered as a disciple forever.”
In this regard I wish to share a beautiful editorial by Param Pujya Ammaji, Yogacharini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani, who brought out YOGA LIFE, the International Monthly of Yoga Jivana Satsangha (ICYER at Ananda Ashram, Pondicherry) for more than 50 years.
It is said, “When the student is ready, the guru appears.” I have subscribed to this for decades because it happened to me. I must have been ready, for my guru appeared, and I was not even looking for him.
As I grow older and wiser, however, I would like to extend that idea a bit further, to read, “When the student is ready, the guru chooses him/her.”
I now feel at this stage in my evolution that the student cannot choose his/her guru. He/she must be chosen by the Guru. And gurus can be pretty fussy choosers!
To my knowledge, Param Pujya Swamiji Gitananda Giriji chose only six students in his lifetime. These Chelas had emptied themselves enough so that his immense power and knowledge could enter that space. Most of those who came to Swamiji were so full of themselves; there was no room for the Guru. Swamiji often observed wryly, “I love everyone, but I like only a few.”
Like attracts like. When two thieves meet on a road, they recognize each other without question. The guru will be attracted to a student in whom he perceives the possibility of guru-hood. It is then the Guru makes his choice. Thousands of people worldwide claim to be students, disciples, or chelas of Swamiji. He did not choose them. They chose him.
In that choice there was some benefit, some wisdom, some knowledge, some technical skill flowed from the area of greater concentration (Swamiji—Guru) to the area of lesser concentration (Student—Chela). Whatever little space was not occupied by the ego-self could be filled.
But the real oneness of spirit that a true guru yearns for occurs only amongst equals. The spiritual current flows both ways in a union that transcends all dualities.
The guru recognizes another guru when they meet on the road. The choice is mutual; they understand instantly; the oneness is immediate. The guru knows that the knowledge-wisdom that is his legacy from his own guru is safe and may be passed to the next generation. One is always enough.
Just one such Chela in a lifetime is enough assurance that the light will not be extinguished, that the container is strong enough to hold the flame.
The guru chooses; two souls meet and know they are “one.”
Purity, fidelity, and clarity of purpose were maintained by such a seamless transmission based on value, trust, love, and reverence. The disciple had to first earn the trust of the guru and prove to be worthy of the teachings before they imparted the timeless wisdom with heartfelt blessings. These on the side of the disciple were received with gratitude and transmitted to the next generation in a similar manner. Utopian ideals and a spirit of altruism were the cardinal principles guiding the uninterrupted transmission of universal wisdom.
This was the traditional system through which the highest quality of teaching was sustained. This was the strict quality control mechanism that ensured the highest understanding and practical applications of yoga were neither diluted nor became a degenerate business model.
The Guru-Shishya relationship is a “one-to-one” relationship that encompasses every human relationship under the sun. This is based on an intimate, dynamic, and experiential connection that ignites, sustains, and drives one’s Yoga Sadhana towards fruition. It is based on a sense of freedom and individual choice rather than dogma and bondage.
The Guru never holds on to the Shishya nor lets them hold on to them. The Shishya is not meant to be a replica of the Guru. They are helped to become the “best” that they can be. This is true freedom. This is true growth. This is true love.
Without such a relationship, can true spiritual growth manifest?
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Yogacharya Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani, Editor
Director ISCM and Professor Yoga Therapy, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Pondicherry, India.
