Before promoting oneself as an acharya and taking disciples,
a guru should give up lust and greed. Sri Ramakrishna explores the duties of
both Guru and disciple. These words of Sri Ramakrishna on Guru is from the
Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna.
Maya is nothing but the egotism of the embodied soul. This
maya, that is to say, the ego, is like a cloud. The sun cannot be seen on
account of a thin patch of cloud; when that disappears one sees the sun. If by
the grace of the guru one's ego vanishes, then one sees God. All the knots of
ignorance come undone in the twinkling of an eye, through the guru's grace. Do
you know what it is like? Suppose a room has been kept dark a thousand years.
The moment a man brings a light into it, the darkness vanishes. Not little by
little.
One needs faith – faith in the words of the guru, childlike
faith. One understands the scriptures better by hearing them from the lips of
the guru or of a holy man. Then one doesn't have to think about their
non-essential part. One attains God by following the guru's instructions step
by step. The guru is like a companion who leads you by the hand. It is like
reaching an object by following the trail of a thread. There can be no fear if
the guru's grace descends on one.
If a man in the form of a guru awakens spiritual
consciousness in you, then know for certain that it is God the Absolute who has
assumed that human form for your sake. When the disciple has the vision of the
Ishta, through the guru's grace, he finds the guru merging in Him.
Satchidananda alone is the guru.
Anyone and everyone cannot be a guru. It is not good to be a
guru by profession. One cannot be a teacher without a command from God. But it
won't do if a man only imagines that he has God's command. God does reveal
Himself to man and speak. Only then may one receive His command. How forceful
are the words of such a teacher! They can move mountains. But mere lectures? People
will listen to them for a few days and then forget them. They will never act
upon mere words.
A man who is himself ignorant starts out to teach others — like
the blind leading the blind! Instead of doing good, such teaching does harm.
After the realization of God one obtains an inner vision. Only then can one
diagnose a person's spiritual malady and give instruction. A huge timber floats
on the water and can carry animals as well. But a piece of worthless wood
sinks, if a man sits on it, and drowns him. Therefore, in every age God
incarnates Himself as the guru, to teach humanity.
Renunciation of the world is needful for those whom God
wants to be teachers of men. One who is an acharya should give up kamini-kanchana,
lust and greed. It is not enough for him to renounce only mentally; he should also
renounce outwardly. Only then will his teaching bear fruit.