The Guru is veritably the Kalpavriksha (the wish granting tree). His spiritual vibrations, selfless love, compassion, knowledge of the universal laws, wisdom, lack of ego and pride attract disciples the way bees are pulled to a garden of sweet scented flowers. Whatever is lacking in the average man is found in fulsome measure in the Guru. He stands apart as an extraordinary being whose very presence grants peace beyond measure. People flock around him seeking to fulfill their varied and endless demands. Through his blessings and grace, the Guru grants his disciples wealth, health, home, power, name, fame, family, children, knowledge, wisdom and finally self realization. Over the years, it is seen that there is progress in the lives of most of the disciples and improvement in their status, wealth, knowledge and spiritual progress.
Yet there are some disciples who show no significant improvement in their spiritual progress though many of their material needs are fulfilled by the Guru. The Guru is all wise, all knowing and all giving. Then how come there is such lack of progress in some disciples, even those who are very close to the Guru?
There are two sides to this equation: the competence of the Guru and the qualities of the disciple. We have already said that the Guru is knowledge, wise and all giving. Then the results depend on the disciple. The Guru has numerous disciples. Each disciple comes to him with his own personal agenda. The Guru helps the disciple to fulfil his desires. There are some disciples who come to the Guru with sole focus on their material desires. They have intense desire for wealth, power, name, fame, sexual desires, progeny and properties. They follow the Guru around and do the practices solely for sake of fulfilment of desires. When one desire is fulfilled, another stands in its place and when that is fulfilled, multiple desires take its place. In their quest for self gratification, their anger, lust, jealousy, hatred, attachment and ego take on massive proportions. Instead of self improvement, we can see steady spiritual deterioration in them. When the Guru chastises them for their unacceptable behaviour or lowly qualities, they fume and do not correct themselves. When the main objects of desires are obtained, and they are unable to take the reprimands of the Guru, they leave the Guru. But before they do that, they defame the Guru, cheat him, spread rumours about him so that others do not come near the Guru and the Guru is cut off from his disciples and is left alone. They make their getaway and ensure that there is no chase. The all knowing Guru merely smiles and moves on, for he has no ego, pride, hatred, attachment or feelings of vengeance.
The Guru is always aware of the shortcomings of his disciples and also the needs and urges. He fulfils the demands of the disciples in hope that having got all their desires, the disciples will move forward in the path of knowledge and wisdom. Unfortunately it does not work out that way. The relationship here between the Guru and such disciples is like that of the sandalwood tree and the serpent. The sandalwood tree is cool and fragrant and it attracts the serpent which it entwines itself around the branches of the tree. The serpent spends a lifetime entwined around the sandalwood tree. But it does not lose it poisonous nature and the tree does not lose its nature of sweet fragrance. Both of them neither give up their nature nor take of the qualities of the other.
Unless the disciples give up their lower beastly nature and overcomes the qualities of anger, lust, greed, attachment, jealousy and pride – even if they spend their entire lifetime with the Guru, there will be no change in them. At no point of time does Guru or God force their will on others. The disciples are given a choice of decision; it is up to them to take the right decision. They have been given intelligence and the power of discrimination. They take their decisions knowingly and have to face the consequences. Yet the loving Guru always gives such erring disciples the second, third and the hundredth chance to change and move forward and upwards in the path of life towards the Light.
