The Guru Knows what's the best for the Devotee!

I was reading wisdom column on What Sri Sri said today and came across this piece. Couldn't help posting this. While reading this, I could relate to this instance and how whatever the Guru does for you is always right. Our life's car, with the Master being the driver, is the most secure one :)

Saint Mirabai had said that 'If only one knows how painful is the longing that comes with Divine love, then I would roam the streets telling people not to fall in love! '

Such is the pain of longing that comes with the intense devotion for the Divine. It is at this stage that one needs a Guru who can dissolve the difference between the devotee and the Divine. So when Mirabai finally met her Guru who gave her this knowledge, she was overwhelmed with joy and sang, 'Paayo ji maine Ram ratan dhan paayo' (O what bliss! I have found the mantra of Lord Rama, the most precious of all gems! ). Just see how wise and established is the Guru. He knew that Mirabai is in love with Lord Krishna and could not bear the intense and painful longing for Him that came with her devotion, so her Guru told her a very different thing altogether. He could see that she was overwhelmed with both devotion and the intense restlessness of separation from her Lord and so he gave her a mantra dedicated to Lord Rama instead.

 Lord Rama and Lord Krishna are as different from each other as the earth and the sky. Whatever Lord Rama did in His lifetime, Lord Krishna did the exact opposite of it all. Lord Rama was born at 12 in the afternoon, while Lord Krishna was born at the stroke of midnight. There was so much festivity and celebration at the eve of Lord Rama’s birth. But there was widespread fear at the time of Lord Krishna’s birth. Lord Rama was born in the royal palace, Lord Krishna was born in the royal prison. There were celebrations everywhere when Lord Rama was born. But when Lord Krishna was born, his father feared for His life and secretly took Him to Gokul in the dark night (to save the infant Krishna from being taken away by the evil Kamsa).

Lord Krishna

There is so much contrast and difference in their personalities. Lord Rama always remained as a disciple, He was never a Guru to anybody. Lord Krishna on the other hand was always a Guru to everyone around Him from the very beginning. At first Lord Krishna revealed His true divine form to Mother Yashoda and gave her the knowledge of who He really was. Then He became a Guru to His father also. When He went to Guru Sandipani for education, He became a Guru to him too, though he stayed as a student in his Gurukul during that time to fulfil his role.

It is said, 'Guru bina gati nahi' (Meaning: One cannot progress and evolve without a Guru). So to fulfil this saying from the scriptures, Lord Krishna went and lived as a disciple with Guru Sandipani, though He Himself was a Guru. His Guru was so elated to have Him as his disciple that he said, 'O Lord, I am so fortunate to get the chance to give knowledge to You, when you yourself are the Guru of the entire world. You are so kind to have given me a chance to be Your Guru and serve you'. Guru Sandipani never said these words but these were the intense feelings that arose in his heart for Lord Krishna.

Lord Rama 

Lord Rama was devoted to one wife only, and adhered to Dharma and the scriptures at all times regardless of what happened. Lord Rama would consider His father’s instructions as absolute and would never disobey. Lord Krishna on the other hand was naughty and never once listened to His father (laughter). If His father said go left, Lord Krishna would turn right. If His father asked Him to not go to Mathura, Lord Krishna would insist 'No father, I must go to Mathura'.

Mirabai’s Guru gave her the mantra for Lord Rama. Why? It is because a Guru alone knows how to bring balance to the life of the devotee.

She was so overwhelmed and carried away in her intense devotion that she could not find peace because of the longing that came with it. But her Guru knew what was needed, so he gave her the mantra and helped make her steady and established in devotion to the Divine. This is why Mirabai, a devotee of Lord Krishna sang the praise of Lord Rama, 'Paayo ji maine Ram ratan dhan paayo; Vastu anmol diyye mere Sadguru' (O what bliss! I have found the mantra of Lord Rama, the most precious of all gems! So priceless is the gift my Sadguru has bestowed upon me) .

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Swati