Namaskar - July 2009

Dristi Guru
The Guru-Disciple
Relationship
Yogesvara Sarasvati
yoga began as a Gurudisciple
tradition
Yoga is a guru-disciple tradition. The
Hatha Yoga Pradipika, states in
chapter 1, verse 1: “Salutations to
the glorious primal (original) guru, Sri
Adinath, who instructed the knowledge of
hatha yoga which shines forth as a stairway
for those who wish to ascend to the highest
stage of yoga, raja yoga.”
In reading this verse a few things come to
mind. One, yoga began as a Guru-disciple
tradition, with Sri Adinath (also known as
Shiva) as the original preceptor. Thus, it
began so for good reason and it has been
passed down from guru to disciple in
unbroken succession since. This path is a
“stairway for those who wish to ascend to
the highest stage of yoga, raja yoga.” In
other words, yoga is for enlightenment.
This seems like it should be an obvious
point but considering the vast majority of
commercial and vanity yoga that dominates
the modern market the comment is begging
to made. Yoga being a vehicle for
enlightenment, one cannot traverse the
infinite array of obstacles on the path to
Self-realization without a competent guide
who has already been there and done that.
Furthermore, it is highly necessary to not
only have a Teacher on the path, but to also
have a Teacher that one can interact with
regularly. Without consistent feedback from
an enlightened source, only those with rarely
high capacity have the searing self-reflection
and unwavering commitment necessary to
penetrate the endless arising of egotistic
The Western mind is conditioned to be very
freaked out and put off by the whole guru thing
projections that cloud the True Nature of
our enlightened Mind. For the rest of us it
is most helpful to have someone who is
willing to get in our face in show us where
we are stuck.
But, how does one know that a Guru is
competent? It’s a good question. It seems
that many charlatans abound in the open
market of yoga these days, where esoteric
truths that were once kept secret within
lineage are now available in books and
weekend workshops. In deciding to walk
the path of enlightenment one is very
literally putting their sanity on the line.
There is no doubt that if one authentically
engages this path that one’s greatest fears
will have to met and resolved. Suffering the
path is optional, but pain is inevitable.
Thus, with my marbles at stake, I am going
with tradition when deciding to enter into
the guru-disciple relationship. Tried and true
lineages that date back thousands of years,
with all sorts of checks and balances in place
for authorizing competent lineage holders,
acharyas and gurus – this is the way to go.
On the other hand, the new-age eclectic selfproclaimed
guru might be highly realised and
transmitting very skilful teachings, but I’d
rather wait a few hundred years to see if
their “revelations” stand the test of time.
After all, why reinvent the wheel? There are
countless traditions that work.
The Western mind is conditioned to be very
freaked out and put off by the whole guru
thing. We are jaded and find it extremely
weird and difficult to “surrender” to
another human in the flesh. The faithful of
us find it much easier and safer to “give it all
over” to “God.” So, we get what we
bargain for: a distant god with all sorts of
pie-in-the-sky promises that motivate us to
be a bit better every day. It’s great. I’m all
for any motivation that makes us want to
be nicer, more loving, understanding,
generous, compassionate, etc. But, these
qualities can all be what some Buddhists
call “near enemies” - ego compassion looks
a lot like true compassion, but really it is
self serving and manipulative. From the
perspective of yoga-dharma even “kind”
deeds performed by ego are divisive and
bind us - and others - further in the karmic
matrix of suffering. But, please don’t get
me wrong: it is better to be a fully egoidentified
nice person than one who kicks
small puppies and spits on old ladies!
That all being said, it takes a guru to provide
the mirror of self-reflection for us to see for
ourselves what is actually in harmony with
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