Talks Excerpt 430. Swamiji says: In the old days, there were more disciples and fewer gurus. Now there are no disciples and lots of gurus.

From Mother Radha’s notes, written at Swamiji’s feet.

The guru will not hurt you. He, like the sun, has no darkness. He only has love; compassion; saving power. So first go to the guru. But we think we know everything. Even after the guru teaches you, the ego comes up: ‘I did sadhana, I read books.’ This is the greatest mistake a disciple can make.

It is the grace of God which works through the guru.

If you manifest pride, you are not pride-less [ego free]. If you manifest selfishness, you are not selfless. If you manifest vices, you are not virtuous.

In the old days the disciples [chelas] went to live with the guru. There were more disciples and fewer gurus. Now there are no disciples and lots of gurus. (laughter)

You are only with the guru when you are full of dispassion [vairagya]; when you are fed up with the world. If you and I get tired of the conditions of the world we want to take our own lives, instead of turning to God.

The bygone disciples were well taught. They would not look for someone to give them wealth. They would carry dry wood, deep in the forest, walking with a stick, and go to the Guru for spiritual knowledge.

There is no need for talk between the disciple and the guru when the guru sees that the senses are under control, and that the disciple, by guru’s grace, has burnt up his desires for the pleasures of the world.

You cannot give the guru anything. Whatever you give the guru is because of your desire, it is low. It is his blessing that makes it high.

May Brahman be realised.

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These recordings or the excerpts from them, were made from the early 1970s onward, by Mother Radha, a close devotee of Swamiji’s and edited for uploading here by our gurubhai and her son, Brother Tim. Please be mindful that what Swamiji was saying may have been specific to an individual or a group of people with him, at the time.