GURU SISHYA YOGA

[Ms Tercy Lonan]

5. GURU SISHYA YOGA
It is through developing proximity to Reality and then contact with Reality, that one
ultimately becomes Reality. It is only through sparsa (touch), it is only through contact, that a
philosopher’s stone is able to turn iron into gold. If you keep it a hair’s-breadth away, the iron will
forever remain iron. No matter how powerful the philosopher’s stone is, it cannot exercise its power
unless the base metal comes into actual contact with it.
This lets us into a great truth: It is in developing a living contact with a source of
transforming spiritual power that one becomes illumined, one becomes divine, one becomes
transformed. Thus, the way to derive maximum benefit from our guru is by connecting ourselves to
him. We do it through faith, sraddha. We do it through supreme devotion, parabhakti.
Is there an additional method of contacting the guru? Yes, and one that was constantly,
repeatedly reiterated by Gurudev. Gurudev said: “Obedience is better than reverence.” Devotion is
good. But what is the sign of devotion? What is the practical proof that you are really devoted to the
guru? It is to be sincerely, earnestly and seriously desirous of carrying out his instructions and
living according to his teachings.
To walk along the path that the guru has made for us and to go in the direction he has pointed
out is the sign of true love and devotion. That is bhakti. Bhakti also means seva. Bhakti means
serving the guru. And what is the greatest service that one can render to the guru? Try to be like him.
Try to do exactly what he has asked you to do. For this effects an even deeper contact and
connection. When you are living the teachings of the guru, you are in the deepest contact with the
guru, you are in the deepest state of yoga with the guru.

Guru sishya yoga is present in its highest and most intense form when the disciple makes
himself the very embodiment of the teachings of the guru, the very personification of the guru
upadesa (instructions), the guru ajna (orders) and the guru adesa (commands). That is why Sanjaya
was able to utter the concluding sloka of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita—yatra yogesvarah krishnao
yatra partho dhanur-dharah; tatra srir-vijayo bhutir-dhruva nitir-matir-mama (Wherever is
Krishna, the Lord of yoga, and Arjuna, the ideal disciple, there are prosperity, victory, happiness
and firm policy—such is my conviction). When the full carrying out of the ajna, upadesa and
adesa of the guru is present, everything is wonderful, everything is auspicious, everything is
blessed. It is certain fulfilment and victory. Everything is certain when this type of yoga between
the sishya and the guru is there.
This inner fact is a very important truth that is revealed in the Gita. For in the beginning,
Arjuna is the very contrary of a sishya. He says: “I will not fight.” At the outset, he even questions
the correctness of the guru’s teachings, because he is in a state of ignorance. He is in a state of
delusion. He is in a state of deep attachment, completely entangled by himself, in himself. He is a
slave of himself. He is entangled by his own emotions, his own sentiments, his own desires, his own
whims and fancies, his own attachment and bhranti (delusion). But very quickly he is made to
realise his folly. In the second chapter he says: “sishyas-te’ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam—I am
Your disciple. I have taken refuge in Thee. Please teach me. Please guide me. Please enlighten me.
Please lead me; otherwise I am lost.” Thus he appeals to the guru.
Now, there itself is the first transformation. Arjuna gives up his own self-assertive state of
saying “I am right,” and he is able to recognise his delusion. He does not rebel when it is pointed out
by the Master: “What has happened to you? What is this type of moha (delusion), this kasmalam
(dejection) in which you are caught? Are you not ashamed? Stand up! Stop this!” When he was
chastised, immediately it worked. He realised: “I am doing something very foolish, something
wrong.” And so he says: “I am sorry. I was not myself. I take shelter at Your feet. Please instruct
me.”
Thus, from then onwards, there is established this connection where he is eager to receive,
wants to be guided, wants to be taught and is willing to listen. And his earnestness and sincerity are
brought out by the questions he asks: “Please, this is not clear to me. You say this, You say that. I am
confused. Kindly, out of mercy, compassion, make this clearer to me.” He wants every doubt
cleared. He is a jijnasu (seeker of Truth). Right from the start he keeps on asking, and Krishna keeps
on giving.
So you must see that the Gita teachings commence when the guru sishya relationship has
been voluntarily undertaken and fully expressed: “I am Your disciple. I take shelter at Your feet.
Remove this delusion. Tell me what is good for me.” And at the culmination, when their samparka
(contact) becomes fruitful in absolute discipleship, we have the grand last verse. What is the fruit of
such discipleship, this type of yoga, guru sishya yoga, this inner connection between the seeking
soul and the illumining, liberating master? The glory of it is brought out in the last verse of the Gita.
If there is such obedience, if there is such oneness, samparka, then all auspiciousness and
blessedness, all plenty, prosperity and victory become assured.

Therefore, by the grace of the Lord and the blessings of Gurudev, we have been able to
ponder this important aspect of the guru sishya relationship. We see that the greater the samyoga
(contact), the greater is the illumination and benefit to the disciple and the greater is the ability of
the guru to go on sharing, giving and transfering—“Yes, whatever I have is yours. Come, take it.”
This is possible only if this samparka (contact) is there.
The great samparka is bhakti, parabhakti. A further samparka is constant living in the spirit
of the guru’s teachings, the constant carrying out of his instructions, fulfilling all his ajnas, making
oneself the embodiment of guru upadesa and guru adesa. This becomes the deepest connection,
heart connection, innermost connection between the sishya and the guru. The sishya becomes the
embodiment of the guru’s teachings. He strives earnestly and diligently to make himself the very
personification of guru upadesa and guru adesa. This is the greatest blessedness. This is the
essence of discipleship. What is sishyatva (disciplehood)? It is making oneself the very pratikam
(image) of the guru ajna, guru upadesa and guru adesa.