True Service to the Guru
What after all, is the object of meditation, prayer, religious mortification, rules, sacrifices, etc. ? The attainment of God, or guru. If He Himself comes to you, where is the need for all the effort of sadhanas? Not only is all that not required but, if undertaken, it may only lead to pride of doership, which will actually injure the purpose. Now that you have submitted to guru, accept with gladness whatever happens, treating everything as his doing and will. See my hand in everything that happens, everything you do.
What do you think is real devotion to the guru? It does not consist only in bodily service, but, in implicit obedience to him. Of those who come to me, most have in their mind some worldly object --like financial betterment, a child, cure from illness, and so on. In effect, they come not to serve but to be served. You should come not for having a worldly desire fulfilled, but to seek the true fruition of human life. Occasionally I may grant a little of what a disciple desires, but it may be only like beguiling a child with candy to make it take a medicine.
That you ascribe omniscience to me is only superficial; if it were earnest, you would take care to do nothing underhand or sinful. Only he who has completely identified himself with me can really feel that I am truly omniscient. Surrendering yourself to the guru implies, nay, necessitates, that your mind completely merges with mine; if you achieve that you are in effect with me even if you are physically away, at a distance. I would like you to be free and frank with me, like a child with its mother. Open your heart to me. What trouble and expense you undergo to come here to meet me! And yet, when you return 'home', you go with empty hands; and it is this that pains me most. What you have really to pick up from me is love for God; and this is what you cannot obtain elsewhere.
True relief from the toils of prapancha can only come from nama-smarana. He who wants to meet me, be with me, must come with the utmost regard for nama; indeed, to love me is to love nama, and vice versa.
* * * * *
