Satguru
Encyclopedia
Satguru does not merely mean true guru
. The term is distinguished from other forms of gurus, such as musical instructors, scriptural teachers, parents, and so on. The satguru is a title given specifically only to an enlightened rishi
/sant
whose life's purpose is to guide initiated shishya
along the spiritual path, the summation of which is the realization of the Self
through realization of the God
, who is omnipresent.
A Satguru has some special characteristics that are not found in any other types of Spiritual Guru.
) himself.
In one of Kabir
's songs the satguru is described as the real sadhu
:
Vasistha
, Rama
's guru, was the satguru in the Treta yuga
. Swami Shankar Purushottam Tirtha quotes the Yoga Vasistha
:
According to Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, a Hindu satguru is always a sannyasin
, an unmarried renunciate, but not all writers include this stricture. Tukaram
, a Hindu satguru, is known to have had a family, and Moinuddin Chishti
also had children. Satguru Kabir had a son, Kamal, who was very devout.
In Sant Mat
and Advait Mat
, the living Satguru is considered the path to God-realization.
Meher Baba
equated worship of the Satguru with worship of God: "Consciously or unconsciously, directly or indirectly, each and every creature, each and every human being — in one form or the other — strives to assert individuality. But when eventually man consciously experiences that he is Infinite, Eternal and Indivisible, then he is fully conscious of his individuality as God, and as such experiences Infinite Knowledge, Infinite Power and Infinite Bliss. Thus Man becomes God, and is recognized as a Perfect Master
, Sadguru, or Kutub
. To worship this Man is to worship God."
Guru
A guru is one who is regarded as having great knowledge, wisdom, and authority in a certain area, and who uses it to guide others . Other forms of manifestation of this principle can include parents, school teachers, non-human objects and even one's own intellectual discipline, if the...
. The term is distinguished from other forms of gurus, such as musical instructors, scriptural teachers, parents, and so on. The satguru is a title given specifically only to an enlightened rishi
Rishi
Rishi denotes the composers of Vedic hymns. However, according to post-Vedic tradition, the rishi is a "seer" to whom the Vedas were "originally revealed" through states of higher consciousness. The rishis were prominent when Vedic Hinduism took shape, as far back as some three thousand years...
/sant
Sant
Sant is an Indian term derived from a Sanskrit verb that means both "to be good" and "to be real". From the fifteenth century the term has often referred to those who sing the name of God and worship Him, particularly the bhakti poets of Marathi...
whose life's purpose is to guide initiated shishya
Guru-shishya tradition
The guru-shishya tradition, lineage, or parampara, denotes a succession of teachers and disciples in traditional Indian culture and religions such as Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism. It is the tradition of spiritual relationship and mentoring where teachings are transmitted from a guru...
along the spiritual path, the summation of which is the realization of the Self
Self (spirituality)
Religious views on the self vary widely. The self is a complex and core subject in many forms of spirituality. Two types of self are commonly considered - the self that is the ego, also called the learned, superficial self of mind and body, "false self", an egoic creation, and the Self which is...
through realization of the God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, who is omnipresent.
A Satguru has some special characteristics that are not found in any other types of Spiritual Guru.
Types of Satguru
There are 4 types of Satguru- Nitya Anadi Satguru - He is the Eternal Satguru and has been addressed as Sukrit Deo, Atri, Jyoti, Aj and Sanatan in the Vedas. He has also been mentioned in the Upanishads as Amanava Purusha (Superhuman being). He can take a human form at his will.
- Swayamsiddha Satguru
- Abhayassiddha Satguru
- Parampara Satguru
Ancient and traditional sources
The recommendation says that the first and the foremost qualification of the True Master (Satguru) is that he must have known the True Lord (GodGod
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
) himself.
In one of Kabir
Kabir
Kabīr was a mystic poet and saint of India, whose writings have greatly influenced the Bhakti movement...
's songs the satguru is described as the real sadhu
Sadhu
In Hinduism, sādhu denotes an ascetic, wandering monk. Although the vast majority of sādhus are yogīs, not all yogīs are sādhus. The sādhu is solely dedicated to achieving mokṣa , the fourth and final aśrama , through meditation and contemplation of brahman...
:
He is the real Sadhu, who can reveal the form of the Formless to the vision of these eyes;
Who teaches the simple way of attaining Him, that is other than rites or ceremonies;
Who does not make you close the doors, and hold the breath, and renounce the world;
Who makes you perceive the Supreme Spirit wherever the mind attaches itself;
Who teaches you to be still in the midst of all your activities.
Ever immersed in bliss, having no fear in his mind, he keeps the spirit of union in the midst of all enjoyments.
The infinite dwelling of the Infinite Being is everywhere: in earth, water, sky, and air;
Firm as the thunderbolt, the seat of the seeker is established above the void.
He who is within is without: I see Him and none else.
Vasistha
Vasistha
Vashist in the seventh, i.e the present Manvantara, and the Rajpurohit / Rajguru of the Suryavansha or Solar Dynasty. He was the mānasaputra of Brahma. He had in his possession the divine cow Kamadhenu, and Nandini her child, who could grant anything to their owners...
, Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
's guru, was the satguru in the Treta yuga
Treta Yuga
Treta Yuga is the second out of four yugas, or ages of mankind, in the religion of Hinduism, and follows the Satya Yuga of perfect morality and precedes the Dvapara Yuga. The most famous events in this yuga were Lord Vishnu's fifth, sixth and seventh incarnations as Vamana, Parashurama and...
. Swami Shankar Purushottam Tirtha quotes the Yoga Vasistha
Yoga Vasistha
Yoga Vasistha is a Hindu spiritual text traditionally attributed to Valmiki. It recounts a discourse of the sage Vasistha to a young Prince Rama, during a period when the latter is in a dejected state...
:
A real preceptor is one who can produce blissful sensation in the body of the disciple by their sight, touch, or instructions.
According to Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, a Hindu satguru is always a sannyasin
Sannyasa
Sannyasa is the order of life of the renouncer within the Hindu scheme of āśramas, or life stages. It is considered the topmost and final stage of the ashram systems and is traditionally taken by men or women at or beyond the age of fifty years old or by young monks who wish to renounce worldly...
, an unmarried renunciate, but not all writers include this stricture. Tukaram
Tukaram
Sant Tukaram was a prominent Varkari Sant and spiritual poet during a Bhakti movement in India.Sant Tukaram was born and lived most of his life in Dehu, a town close to Pune in Mahārāshtra, India. He was born to a couple with the family name "More", the descendent of the Mourya Clan with first...
, a Hindu satguru, is known to have had a family, and Moinuddin Chishti
Moinuddin Chishti
Sultan-ul-Hind, Moinuddin Chishti was born in 1141 and died in 1230 CE. Also known as Gharīb Nawāz "Benefactor of the Poor" , he is the most famous Sufi saint of the Chishti Order of the Indian Subcontinent. He introduced and established the order in South Asia...
also had children. Satguru Kabir had a son, Kamal, who was very devout.
In Sant Mat
Sant Mat
Sant Mat was a loosely associated group of teachers that became prominent in the northern part of the Indian sub-continent from about the 13th century...
and Advait Mat
Advait Mat
Advait Mat was a cluster of movements in northern India which perceive themselves to be originating from Totapuri in the 18th century.- See also :* Totapuri* Anandpuri Ji* Advaitanand Ji* Swarupanand* Hans Ji Maharaj* Prem Rawat* Divine Light Mission...
, the living Satguru is considered the path to God-realization.
Meher Baba
Meher Baba
Meher Baba , , born Merwan Sheriar Irani, was an Indian mystic and spiritual master who declared publicly in 1954 that he was the Avatar of the age....
equated worship of the Satguru with worship of God: "Consciously or unconsciously, directly or indirectly, each and every creature, each and every human being — in one form or the other — strives to assert individuality. But when eventually man consciously experiences that he is Infinite, Eternal and Indivisible, then he is fully conscious of his individuality as God, and as such experiences Infinite Knowledge, Infinite Power and Infinite Bliss. Thus Man becomes God, and is recognized as a Perfect Master
Perfect Master (Meher Baba)
Perfect Master is the English translation that the Indian spiritual master Meher Baba began to use in his writing as early as 1925 to the denote the Eastern sense of a sadguru or a qutub...
, Sadguru, or Kutub
Qutb
Qutb, Qutub, Kutb, or Kutub , literally means 'axis', 'pivot' or 'pole'. Qutb can refer to celestial movements and used as an astronomical term or a spiritual symbol. In Sufism, a Qutb or Kutb is the perfect human being, al-insān al-kāmil, who leads the saintly hierarchy...
. To worship this Man is to worship God."
See also
- Appayya SwamigaluAppayya SwamigaluSadguru Appayya Swamigalu was born as Palanganda Appaiah, the son of a Kodava paddy farmer in Kodagu in 1885. Appayya did his schooling in English and Kannada in Central High School, Mercara. Later he joined the Government Service under the Raj...
- Bodhinatha VeylanswamiBodhinatha VeylanswamiSatguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami , a Hindu monk, is the head of Kauai's Hindu Monastery and publisher of Hinduism Today magazine...
- Ghasidas
- RavidasGuru RavidasGuru Ravidas was a North Indian Sant mystic of the bhakti movement who was active in the 15th century CE. Venerated in the region of Uttar Pradesh as well as the Indian state of Maharashtra, his devotional songs and verses made a lasting impact upon the bhakti movement...
- Ravidassia Religion