Guru

By Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

“Acharya Devo Bhava,” state our scriptures. Treat the guru as god. “Teacher” is a very weak, inadequate substitute in English for the Sanskrit word “Guru”. “Guhate Ruhyate Iti Guru,” it is said. One, who dispels the darkness of ignorance is the true guru. A guru is like a lamp that illumines our path to self-discovery. A guru serves to instruct and inspire. He is a companion, a friend, a mentor all rolled into one. A guru leads one to God, to one’s own self. Listen to Bhagawan as He speaks of the guru and the sweetness in a guru-shishya relationship.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sri Sathya Sai Sadhana Trust, Publications Division
• Release date: Oct 24, 2013
• ISBN: 9789350691434

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Sri Sathya Sai Baba was born as Sathyanarayana Raju on November 23rd, 1926 in the village of Puttaparthi, in the state of Andhra Pradesh in South India. Even as a child, His spiritual inclination and contemplative nature set Him apart from other children of His age, and He was known as 'Guru' and "Brahmajnani' among His peers and others in the village. On October 20th, 1940, He made the historic declaration of His Avatarhood and the world at large learnt of this divine phenomenon. Today, millions of devotees worship Him as an 'Avatar' and an incarnation of the Sai Baba of Shirdi.Revealing the purpose of His Advent, Sai Baba has said that He has come to re-establish the rhythm of righteousness in the world and repair the ancient highway to God, which over the years has systematically deteriorated.Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is an integral manifestation who combines two very significant roles. Firstly, He is a great spiritual Master, famed for His simple and sweet exposition of the greatest and most intricate of spiritual truths which form the fundamental teachings of all the religions of the world. His formula for man to lead a meaningful life is the five-fold path of Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi, Prema, and Ahimsa. Love for God, fear of sin and morality in society - these are His prescriptions for our ailing world.Secondly, He is an inexhaustible reservoir of pure love. His numerous service projects, be it free hospitals, free schools and colleges, free drinking water supply or free housing projects, all stand testimony to His selfless love and compassion for the needy and less privileged. True to His declaration - "My Life is My Message", He has inspired and continues to inspire millions of His devotees worldwide by His personal example to live the ideal that service to man is service to God.Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is a beacon of hope in the world. A devotee said, "Bhagawan Baba is nothing but Love walking on two feet."

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Foreword

"Acharya Devo Bhava, state our scriptures. Treat the guru as god. Teacher is a very weak, inadequate substitute in English for the Sanskrit word Guru. Guhate Ruhyate Iti Guru," it is said. One, who dispels the darkness of ignorance is the true guru. A guru is like a lamp that illumines our path to self-discovery. A guru serves to instruct and inspire. He is a companion, a friend, a mentor all rolled into one. A guru leads one to God, to one’s own self. Listen to Bhagawan as He speaks of the guru and the sweetness in a guru-shishya relationship.

1

Manasa Bhajare

When I was at Uravakonda, studying in the High School, you know I came away one day and threw away My books and declared that I have My work waiting for Me. The Telugu Pundit (scholar) described the incident of that evening to you all in his speech. Well, that day, when I came out publicly as Sai Baba, that first song I taught the gathering in the garden, to which I went, from the Telugu Pundit’s house was:

"Manasa bhajare Guru charanam

Dustara bhava sagara taranam"

I called on all those suffering in the endless round of birth and death to worship the feet of the Guru (spiritual preceptor), the Guru that was announcing Himself, Who had come again for taking upon Himself the burden of those, who find refuge in Him. That was the first Message of Mine to Humanity. Manasa bhajare, worship in the mind!