What the Sadguru Does for the Disciple
What does the guru do in reality? He asks you to wipe the dust off the face of the mirror, to cleanse the mind; he makes us aware of our misconceptions and mistakes. If a man dreams that he is drowning in a tank, he shouts for help; he becomes quiet when he is woken. The guru wakes us up from our painful dream of ignorance and makes us aware of the Reality.
Only he can be said to have truly found a sadguru who feels that he has reached the end of his quest and that there is nothing more to be achieved. A man in good worldly circumstances may feel there is nothing more to be desired, but there is no real respite for a mind which continues to hover over and hanker after one worldly thing and another.
The guru, after all, is what the disciple thinks of him. If the disciple approaches him in unreserved surrender, he takes the disciple under his unreserved guidance and protection. The guru is, indeed, the divine name Incarnate. True sadhana consists in obeying him implicitly, literally.
No saint lives in the body for all time. What is important about a saint is his yearning for God. Many people do meet a saint, but derive no benefit because they fail to understand the importance of association with him. Duty performed selflessly leads eventually to complete annihilation of all expectation. The sadguru indicates to us what our duty is.
You may own a motor car, but, if it is without a proper driver, it may run into trouble. Even a simple bullock cart cannot be driven by a raw novice, even if he owns it. Man conducts his worldly affairs without proper guidance, and lands himself into trouble. If you place the sadguru at the helm, he steers you safely, clear of all obstructions. All you have to do is to keep yourself constantly absorbed in consciousness of God, and rest carefree with trust in the sadguru; then you will be protected by him from danger. You will come to realise that whatever you are destined to get will automatically come -- no more, no less; and this will eventually destroy all desire to have or not to have. Thereby you will realise that everything happens by divine will and dispensation. This will give you complete contentment. But all this can only happen if you are pure at heart.
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