Need for Sadguru

The rise of Brahmajnana is the vanishing point of ignorance and ignorant deeds it circumscribes but on account of an infinitesimal residuum of prarabdha karma, the Brahmajnani’s links with the world continue for some time after the vital God-experience catapulting him into the state of Jeevanmukti.  In other words it can be said that the links cling to the Jeevanmukta (for a few days, months, years or decades) as a result of Brahma sankalpa or Parabrahma sankalpa.  The state of Jeevanmukti itself is one of the major dispensations and sankalpas of the Supreme Lord and the very Guru parampara and the magnificent fabric of Guru-shishya relationship is based and built on firm foundations, first empowering the Guru to raise the shishyas from the shackles of bondage and utilitarian or materialistic philosophies.

Only a Guru who has had experience of God, the Sadguru and who became one of the hands of his Sadguru, can guide the destinies and sadhanas of shishyas and ordinary mortals.  The best Guru is one who has attained the avastha or state of Jeevanmukti.  His presence is a benediction.  At the right time, he will be able to impart knowledge and initiation to enlightenment of the shishyas.  Physical presence of the Guru has a charm.  The Jeevanmukta Guru blessed by the Adi Gurus like Dakshinamurthy, Dattathreya, Veda Vyasa and Shankara is capable of engendering radiation sufficient to burn ignorance and the propensities of erroneous tendencies in a Shishya.  He radiates peace.  Lucky is the one who is exposed to the paratattva and the secret para-loka of the Jeevanmukta.

Steps to attainment:

Here are some of the secret steps to sadhana and for attainment of the state of Jeevanmukti:

• The foremost is the blessing of a Sadguru (as stated above of Jeevanmukta himself!)
• The disinterested pursuit of karma with absolute self-effacement i.e., without being conscious of the attachment as the doer.
• Righteous indulgence in order to attain Chittashuddhi or purification of the mind.
• Consciousness or commonsense about the need to discriminate between permanent and impermanent pursuits coupled with the intention to attain liberation but totally remaining unattached to concomitant fruits on the material plane.
• The practice of Sravana, Manana and Upasana as enjoined by the Sadguru.

Sadhana  coupled with the grace of the Sadguru should lead to Sakshatkara, the sine qua non for the onset of Jeevanmukta-avastha.

Prime quality in a Shishya:

About the many qualities expected of a shishya, the one of paramount importance is the unwavering faith and bhakti in his Sadguru.  The texts proclaim that the sadhaka attains fulfillment and peace only through Guru’s grace.  This indeed is also the essence of Shankara Siddhanta.  The great paradox of Guru-kaanika – a paradox to which the illustrious lives of Jeevanmuktas have given an eloquent expression and convincing explanation – is that the very concept of “kaanika” lies in the Sadguru getting satisfaction only from “the invisible Guru-kaanika” of the shishya’s thapas or thaponidhi by strict adherence to the Guru’s guidelines, which alone can lead one to God-experience and state of Jeevanmukti.