Recently on my visit to the Amba hospital, I saw this quote from the spiritual gyani that started this Dada Bhagwan foundation movement,

When you work for the world, your work will get done just like that, and then you will feel astonished. For us if someone works, then their responsibility falls on us, and we HAVE to take them to moksha.

I have volunteered often at Isha Foundation, and had many fights with them. But over time I have realised that as long as our heart is clear and we are working for the Guru with integrity, he will inevitably give back to us in a much bigger way. It may not necessarily be through the organizational set up. But in terms of grace, inner strength and many other ways, he takes care of us.

At least that is what I have seen in my life, and in the lives of many people around me. Their relation with the Guru’s organization may go different ways. But the Guru takes care of them and this becomes obvious to them in different ways at different times. There may be much trouble and upheaval in their life. But he comes through in a very deep way. And that is why we stick around. Otherwise, why would we.

So, this quote from Dada, brought a smile to my face. I think of it as the ultimate integrity. At the end of all my fights and difference of opinions with the spiritual organization, lies the ultimate integrity – that the Guru’s impact goes beyond all this.

The spiritual organizations may have many restrictions and limitations, but the Guru bears the ultimate integrity. And that can be a tough thing for us because taking us to moksha may not be an easy nor a pleasant path (for us!).

There are many such examples. The Buddhist monk, Milerepa who was made to work insanely hard by his Guru until he dropped wrong notions from his mind. Krishna who keeps teaching lessons and playing tricks on people around him, so they learn the right lessons.

Mahavir Swami deliberately sent his devoted disciple Gautam swami away the day before he took Nirvana. This put Gautam swami through a great turmoil within himself – that the Guru didn’t even care this much for him? And from there came his enlightenment.

So after all the inner upheavals and doubts and fights, when some trust and faith happens in the Guru and His Ultimate Integrity…. then maybe we can hope for a smoother ride, for a while. 😉

Blind Faith in the Guru

Simply believing the holy man, spiritual Guru will take us to moksha can also be foolhardy,

1. cause he may be fake / misusing the power
2. we may simply not develop the necessary intensity due to past karmic baggage
3. the expectation of “moksha” from the guru sullies our offerings to him…

As long as our intentions and inner situation were right (because karma is largely about the bhaav or volition),

1. the genuine guru will anyway help us along the way
2. even if it was a fake guru, let us take it in our stride and understand that life taught us some lesson…

The key thing is that we need to develop the faith in the Guru over time – because we see such happenings in our life. We need to see the impact of it in this life. And not simply believe this matter because “it is written somewhere” … or because it makes us feel good… or because “I will see benefit in the next life”.

Rather, we can understand how life works. If we meet a real gyaani/Guru, then anyway they will want to take us to moksha irrespective of whether we work for them. But if we do end up working with / for them… then their involvement can become that much deeper & impactful within us. Plus, our work may benefit the world in ways beyond our own limited understanding.