If a Guru does not know that, he is not a Guru.
answers and beyonds
What is Diksha?
A formal initiation process is called Dhiksha. It may be done with a Mantra, or by sight, touch or by remembering (‘smarana’).
I am a Ram Bhakta. I have taken initiation from a master. But I am informed that a Vaishnava Bhakta should follow strictly one of the four prescribed ‘Sampradhayas’. Can I now take initiation from another Guru?
There is nothing wrong against taking multiple initiations. But that is not necessary. Though there are so many rules and regulations, God is above all of this. You stick to whatever you are right now and continue your practice. God will take care of you. He knows what best to give you and will do so at the opportune moment.
I love Krishna and everything to do with him. When I listen to some songs, I can visualize myself being there, but when it comes to accepting Guru or Godhead, I become critical and start to question. How do you explain this? Is there anything wrong in my thinking? This makes me wonder if I am sincere or not in my intention or love for Krishna.
There is nothing wrong in your approach. Don’t compel your mind to accept anything. Shower more and more love on Krishna. He will show you a true Guru by Himself.
I wish to know if we can choose the Guru or does God show us one.
Many people believe that only with the help of Guru can one attain God. It is actually the other way round – only with the help of God can one attain a real Guru.
We come from a Madhva family and we have always been considering Raghavendra Swami as our guru. Do we then need to take Diksha from another guru?
If you possess intense Bhakti, your Guru will come by himself (even if he does not physically exist) to you in your dreams and initiate you in your dreams or in your meditation. Otherwise, you can take initiation from a living Guru from the same lineage.
What should I do to get my Guru’s Grace?
Chant, Chant, Chant…
I feel very sorry for having spoken and behaved in a way that hurt my Guru. All our scriptures advocate that one should constantly work for earning the blessings of the Guru. What can I do to make my Guru happy?
Chant the Mahamantra.
How can I know that God or my Guru accepts my affection and blesses me? I used to chant MahaMantra when I keep silence. Nowadays whenever I maintain silence my mind automatically starts chanting the MahaMantra. It repeats by itself even if I don’t make an effort to chant. Why is it so?
That is the real symbol that you have received Guru and God’s grace. No other indicator is necessary.
I am so full of faults and impurities – lust greed, jealousy and so on. Sometimes, I am embarrassed to see that my Guru showers so much love and grace on me in spite of all my impurities!
The Guru sees only love. There are many people who are born in orthodox, pious families, take only vegetarian food; abstain from eating even onions, offer the food to the Lord every time they partake of it, perform regular prayers and good deeds, and always live in a divine atmosphere. Even such people are not able to overcome lust, jealousy, greed and so on. If that is the case, then what about the rest? So don’t think that your faults and impurities will keep you away from the Guru. He sees only your love and blinds himself to all other aspects.
Pure love has a wonderful magical power – it can soften the rough, convert impure to pure, dirty to clean poor to rich, fool to wise and eventually, man to God.
