GURU’S PRINCIPLE 4: HAVE FAITH IN THE GURU
There are four principles as explained by Shri Ashutosh Maharaj Ji, that we must internalize and make part of our lives urgently. The first, second, and third principles were previously discussed. The fourth principle is discussed as follows.
This is the main principle. On this path of devotion, there is the fourth principle as well that we need to adopt. To protect ourselves from infection, the most effective method is to build immunity. What is the immunity of a disciple? The immunity of a disciple is faith in his Guru, complete submission before the feet of the Guru. Because one who has faith in the Guru will never falter in any situation. History is witness to this fact. But on this path of devotion where a disciple receives the holy company of the Guru, there, no accidents are seen. The Guru always stays with his disciples. Each of his actions is only to ensure the progress of his disciple. And when a disciple becomes aware that his guru is always eager to protect him when this belief gets deeply rooted in him, then nobody can distract him from the path of Guru’s devotion. No trick of his mind can adversely affect him, nothing can extinguish his devotion. Because one who has understood that whatever is happening in life is being done by his Guru, then he progresses on this path cheerfully.
Shri Ashutosh Maharaj Ji once said “He who thinks that whatever is happening to him is because of a particular person or situation, he then opens the ways to his downfall. But one who thinks that whatever is happening with him, nobody else can cause it, whatever good or bad is happening, his Gurudev is only doing it with him, he then fully ascertains his spiritual advancement”. His advancement definitely happens because the one who has faith in his Guru continuously progresses on the path. Guru’s faith and words become his support in every situation and take him out of each problem. Shri Ashutosh Maharaj Ji wants to make us like this, because when a disciple effaces his “self”, and the Guru is manifested within him, then the power of the supreme becomes his power. No storm, no adversity can baffle the mind of such a devotee. Instead, adversities succumb in front of him or break themselves into pieces by running into him.
By providing his powers to his disciple, the Guru makes him a courageous fighter and for such disciples, I am reminded of a poem by Ramdhari Singh Dinkar – “It is true when adversity comes, it jolts a coward, but the courageous don’t get troubled. They don’t lose patience for even a second. They embrace the hurdles, make way through thorns, and never does ‘uff” come out of their mouth. Whatever comes upon, they tolerate it. They continuously remain industrious. They move ahead and themselves engulf the adversity. Is there any such hurdle in this cosmos that can sustain in the path of a brave human? When humans exert force, even stones are compelled to become water”.