Page 18 - NAMAH-Oct-2023

Namah Vol. 31, Issue 3, 15th October 2023

the soul when it is ready to heed but in important to understand that not all are
the disciple this call is felt as an aspiration Gurus regardless of self-proclaim and
or an irresistible attraction towards the not all Gurus are the same, though they
Divine in one or several of His aspects. all come from the same Source. Each
The choice of the aspect towards which represents some aspect or the other
the disciple is drawn depends partly on of the Divine. There are Gurus who
his past evolution and partly on the point the way but do not walk with
ultimate destiny of the soul. The Divine is us. There are others who intervene from
Infinite but human consciousness dwells time to time, keeping a watch as we go
in the sense of the finite. It cannot at along, as a cowherd keeps a watch over
once conceive of the infinity of God and his cattle even while leaving them free to
needs limited aspects through which it is graze in the open ground. Some do not
drawn towards the One. It is this profound take any responsibility beyond showing
understanding that we see displayed in the the way and giving a teaching. Others
Sanaatana Dharma which accepts and caters take the responsibility and the burden
for a wide variety of approaches to the of the disciple, hold him through all his
Divine. Each aspect is often represented by struggles and stumbles and ensures that
a god through whom the seeker can climb he reaches the Supreme. Each shows us a
to the One. For what else are the gods but facet of the Divine, each point towards a
the many aspects of the One Divine. Each is door to the Beyond.
unique in a certain sense and enjoys a certain
degree of freedom in his action which yet The important thing to realise is that though the
derives its Knowledge and Power from the Divine is infinite, yogis seldom experience
One Infinite. Yet the seeker may remain tied the Divine in His totality, samagram mam.
to the charm and glory and greatness of one Our experience of the Divine is limited by
or another aspect for long. our faith and natural predilection towards
one or other aspect of the Divine. The aspect
To prevent this possibility of getting held back of the Divine we meet depends also on
or held within the ambit of a god originally our approach. The seeker after knowledge,
meant to climb through the stairway of the approaching through his mind, often
gods to the One Supreme, the Sanaatana finds himself in a vast Impersonal peace of
Dharma placed the Guru above all. We Immobility where knowledge rests in blissful
are well aware of the Guru Strotram Light. The sadhak who enters through the
that explicitly states that one has to doors of devotion and love finds his lover
see all the gods and even the Supreme waiting for him and even ready to carry
Para Brahman in the Guru. While in the him safe in arms of Love and Delight. The
Integral Yoga, the relation of the disciple worker and servant of God finds the Divine
with the Mother and Sri Aurobindo Master who rules over all creatures by His
is not confined to the traditional Guru sovereign Will. Each emphasises his own
and SSissya, yet Sri Aurobindo agrees with approach and way, thereby leading to cults
the importance given to the Guru in the and groups and sects each of which narrows
practice of Yoga. However, it is equally down to one approach in which the Guru

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