The Nature Of Guru-Nityaguru

Sri Ramakrishna

oi-Staff

By Staff

Monday, March 23, 2009, 15:58

We should view 'Guru' as the symbol of the Nityaguru. Failing to directly think about the gods and goddesses we invoke them in images. While immersing the images of the gods and goddesses after worshipping we do not really abandon them. In the same way our relationship with the embodied Guru is severed when Guru dies or we die, but such severance is not possible with the Nityaguru. Puranas imagine that after death Guru takes us to appropriate Loka (plane). Following the logic of scriptures we find when Atman abandons its identity with any particular body it imagines a transformation of the body.

The transformed body does not have the least relationship with the body of the previous birth. The previous body is reduced to ashes, but the new body that takes shape following the previous samskaras which monitor the new birth and make the new body enjoy the accrued fruits of Karma of the previous birth and add to newer fruits of Karma of the new birth. Thus says Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (4.4.2) 'When it goes out, the vital force accompanies it; when the vital force goes out, all the organs accompany it. Then the self is endowed with particular consciousness, and afterwards passes on to the body that is brought to light by that consciousness. Meditation, work and previous impressions follow it.' Or, when an individual self leaves the body the vital forces and sense-organs follow it. Then the samskaras of the previous incarnation gain strength to indicate the nature of the newer birth that shall be.

Previous knowledge, accrued fruits of Karma and samskaras follow the new birth and rest with the newly begotten body. It is also said in the Gita (15.8-9) 'When the master (soul) acquires a body, he takes these from the one he leaves, even as the breeze carries odours from their seats, and attains (the new body). Presiding over the ears, the eyes, the organs of touch, taste and smell, and also the mind, he enjoys the sense-objects.'

As the newly begotten body enjoys the accrued fruits of Karma of previous births it also carries the fruits it earned following the path of sadhana taught by the Guru in previous births. Thus it can be said that Guru indeed leads his disciple to the right path. Otherwise the physical relationship (between the Guru and his disciple) cannot be maintained uninterruptedly. Also viewed from this subtle point of view a disciple is never detached from his Guru.

Let the Almighty God endow us with the right vision that we may drive away the narrowness and impurities of our mind and realize the Supreme Principle through our purified mind.

To Be Continued

About the author

Swami Bhuteshananda

Revered Maharaj was the twelfth President of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. The translation of the Bengali article that was published in the 6th Issue of 98th year of Udbodhan—Asada 1403 BS, on the occasion of Guru Purnima. Translator is Sri Dharitri Kumar Das Gupta.

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