All the scriptures hail Guru as the one who can take a sincere disciple to the Lord.

“Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devoo maheswara..” – Vedas.

“If one person doesnot humble himself at the lotus feet of guru, for them the supreme lord will always be elusive” – Saint Avvaiyaar

“Without guru any effort towards divinity will always fail”

So for any spiritual practice getting a True Guru and remaining a good disciple is a must.

But In today’s world there are so many fake people who claim themselves to be gurus. These fake Gurus only cheat people and lead them in incorrect way. In this scenario how does one find a true Guru? Saints, Siddhars and Gnanis have given us ways to find a fake guru in their divine songs.

In this article we shall see those divine songs which tells us about the Fake Gurus and ways to get a Good Guru. The commentary and explanations of these divine songs were collected from the books written by Gnana Sarguru Tiru SivaSelvaraj Ayya.

Before knowing about Good Guru it is important to identify Fake and False Gurus.

How to find Identify a Fake Guru:

1. A fake guru is one who owns acres of land and construct great buildings in the name of ashram.
2. A fake guru is one who owns millions of money.
3. A fake guru is one who has lust towards girls and women.
4. A fake guru is one who never teaches moral and never ask his disciples to shun eating egg, meat and fish (Non-Veg) Food. In face he tells you can eat anything and still attain Gnanam/Lord.
5. A fake guru is one who teaches one to close his eyes.

All the saints advice us to leave the 3 desires of Land, Gold and Women and have devotion towards the Supreme Lord. They also advice to lead a virtuous life with great moral and eat only Pure Vegetarian Food. But in today’s world the so called Gurus with lust towards land, Gold and women are constructing huge ashrams , accumulating huge wealth and are indulging in illegal and immoral life. They are fooling people by preaching “You do what ever you like but just join in my ashram and that is enough”. Instead of preaching people to shun non-veg eating they tell “you can eat any food and just doing the sadhanas (Yoga’s) that is thought in my ashram is enough.”

The above said people are definitely not Gurus. Guru is not one who ask you to close your eyes but Guru is one who will open your eyes.

People who take above said persons as Gurus will never be reformed or will definitely fall down from their spiritual position.

Below is the divine song from Siddhar Tirumoolar which warns people about the fake gurus and the result of follwoing them.

“Kurutinai Neekum Guruvinai Kollaar
Kurutinai Neekkaa Guruvinai Kolvaar
Kurudum Kurudum Kurut-taatam Aadik
Kurudum Kurudum Kuli Vilumaarae” – TiruManthiram Song 1680

[One who doesnot take a Guru Who can remove Blindness
Will Take as Guru Who can’t remove blindness
Blind and Blind will do Blind Dance and
Blind and Blind will fall in the Pit]

Explanation:
Humans have taken their present birth due to their past Karmas. Many of these people who are blind due to ignorance will not know about the SarGuru who will open their blind eyes. The screen of Karma is covering our eyes and making us blind to the divinity present within us. We have to get a Gnana SarGuru who will move this Karmic screen in our eyes, stimulates the divine light in our eyes and makes us to feel and realize the divine light present in our eyes.

But many people beleive in the fake gurus and lose their wealth , honor, chastity and diginity to them. A Person following a so called Guru who does not know the fact that his eyes are blind will be ruined. A True Guru is one who will open our eyes. A True Gnana SarGuru will Show us that there is a karmic hindrance or cover in our eyes and teaches us Penance (Tapas) as the way to remove this karmic layer. First Guru is one who ask us to open our two external eyes and asks us to do meditation by keeping our eyelids open.

By the Grace of this True Gnana Sarguru we get the way to kindle the divine light present in our eyes. Doing penance in this way by Kindling the divine light in our eyes will first open our external eyes and only then the third eye will open.

We have to get such a Gnana SarGuru. One who does not know about this blindness in the eyes is not a Guru. He is no way connected to the Gnanam (Divine Wisdom). A person who takes such a Guru is definitely blind as the Guru himself doesnot know the blindness of the eyes. In such a Case how does a disciple will know the truth?! Can this blind Guru and the blind disciple who has taken this blind Guru go anywhere?! How does one know the Way if he does not know about the greatness of Eye and Divine Light in the eyes? The State of these blind Guru and blind Disciple will be like the story of blind persons describing the Elephant. A blind person without knowing the ups and down on the road will fall in the pit, similarly this blind guru leading a blind disciple without knowing the truth, without knowing the truth in us , without knowing the divine light in our eyes will finally fall in the pit of GraveYard.

The great Siddhar Agasthiyar also condemns person doing Penance with eyes closed as ignorant fools.

How or who will get a True Guru?

In the below Tirumanthiram Song Tirumoolar tells when one gets a True Guru:

“Sivanai Valipattaar Ennilaath Thevar
Avanai Valipattng kaamaaru Onrilaai
Avanai Valipattng kaamaaru Kaatum
Guruvai Valipadir Kudalumaamea” – Tirumanthiram Song 2119

Lord Siva is worshipped by many celestials (Devas). Similarly the Lord is prayed in many forms and many names by millions of people. Saint Tirumoolar says that these things were of no use. These are all path of devotion (Bhakthi).

Similarly by doing Japam, raising and praying holy sacrificial fire there is no benefits. These are all called “Path of Karma”.

Also doing Pranayama, Kundali Yoga, Hatha Yoga and Vaasi Yoga there is no benefits or use. These are called “Path of Yoga”.

If one does follow any of the above said path with his heart and soul do you know what he will get? By Path of Bhakthi, Karma and Yoga you can never know the Supreme Lord. At the most you will get some small spiritual powers and can do some miracles. But they are of no use.

Saint Thayumaanavar confirms what has been said by Saint Tirumoolar in his divine Song:
“Moorthi Thalam Theertham Muraiyaaga Aadinavarku Vaarthai Solla Oru SarGuru Vaaykum Paraparamae” meaning that one who has properly completed Moorthi (Worshipping Lord in Materialistic Form), Thalam (Visiting Holy Places), Theertham (Bathing in holy Sacred Waters) will get a SarGuru who will tell him about the Divinity.

For a true bhaktha, true Karmi, true Yogi the Supreme Lord at the appropriate time will show him a qualified Gnana Sarguru and through him by the way of Upadesam and Deekshai will make him to do Penance (Tavam) and make him spiritually qualified and then will take them over.

Without Guru no one can ever reach the Supreme Lord. A person with deep devotion (bhakthi) will first be tested by the Supreme Lord making him spiritually qualified and then shows him to a Guru. Only then the Supreme Lord bestowes the Gnanam (divine wisdom) to him. In order to make one understand the importance of Guru Lord Krishna and Lord Rama heard teachings from so many Gurus and lead a life as an example to us.

“Do not attempt to see the divinity without a Guru Showing it” and “Without Guru all the Efforts are in Vain“. One who completely surrenders to a Guru thinking everything is Guru will be delivered.

“One who does not humble in the lotus feet of Guru, for them the Supreme Lord will always be elusive” told by great women Saint Avvaiyaar. One who worships with humbleness to a Guru will become a good disciple.

Besides one should eat only pure vegetarian food. One should never have any bad habits. One should have devotion towards the Supreme Lord. Only such good souls will get Good Sarguru. By the Sarguru such good souls will know about the Truth which is our eyes and also know about the divine light of our eyes through Guru Upadesam. These good souls they will get divine feel and consciousness in their eyes through Deekshai and they will do penance by constantly being in this divine consciousness of the eyes. Only these people will attain Gnanam.

Do you know who is a True Guru?

A Guru is one who is appointed by a Guru. A Guru can have 1000s of capable disciples but not all are Gurus. A Guru chooses a true disciple and makes him as a Guru. No one else can become Guru. Only such a Guru with the grace of his Guru will attain true Gnanam. Only if you get Upadesam and Deekshai with humbleness from such a true Guru you can also get Gnanam.

The great Saint TiruArutPrakasa Vallalar Ramalinga Swamigal in his divine work “ManuMurai Kanda Vaasagam” tells about the great sins which one should not commit. These below verses indicate the greatness of Guru :-

“Did i feel shy to Worship a Guru”, ” Did i forget to give Guru Kaanikai(offering)”. Not only this he advices all people as

“Through a Qualified Sarguru open the lock in the center of your eye” in TiruArutpa. Gnanam is got through the grace and way of Guru. Gnanam will be expressed through the way of Guru’s Eyes.

So catch hold of Guru. First is human Guru. Then comes Sukshama Guru. Guru is within you. To reach and realize him catch hold and surrender to a Gnana Sarguru Outside. Gnana Sarguru is one who gives grace with the grace of a Gnani.

Few Things We should keep in our Mind:

“In India there is no dearth of Gurus but it is very rare to see and get a true disciple.” – Swami Vivekananda. Before searching for a good guru try to acquire humbleness and qualities of true sishya (disciple). Live a virtuous, moral and disciplined life. Only those who eat Vegetarian food are eligible to get the grace of the Supreme Lord. So with devotion and humbleness worship and pray to the Supreme Lord to show you a good Guru.

It is enough if you get any Guru. If the disciple is true with moral and virtuousness it is sufficient. Let Guru be of any kind. He is still a Guru Only. If the disciple is True, the Supreme Lord as Aadi Guru DakshinaMurthy will show and take the disciple to a true guru and deliver him. The faith and truthfulness of a disciple is what the Supreme Lord looks for and Aadhi Guru DakshinaMurthy ensures that this true disciple is led to a good guru even if a disciple seeks a false guru mistakenly. Aadhi Guru DakshinaMurthy is ocean of compassion and Grace and is the Form of Gnanam.

TiruChitrambalam.