Sometimes I ponder over the questions: “What is the reason for this fall? Which is the colour responsible for all this glamour? What creates excitement in human minds? Why do our eyes always turn hither and thither and make channels and ruts? What is all this, and who is responsible for this? Who created such environments — God or the individual himself? Who went on putting coverings on it?”

The answer I get is: God created us that we may attain freedom, the Real Freedom. But the events of time turned the course in altogether a different way. Our mind drifted from the original freedom and ran towards the senses. We also got such pleasure which encouraged this. Those who were inclined towards senses got merged in them. Even if they got out of it, they created only those things which encouraged and gratified their senses, and they could not rise above those things. They came across such men who told them such things which they liked also, because of their support to the centre they had created for themselves. How did it happen? It was due to the contact with those people who took pleasure in the senses but pretended to see above towards the sky. They are our Mahatmas. You and I wish that people should abandon the centre they have created. But they will be ready to do so only when the centre they have formed is found in the Divine Centre. These words may seem to be very harsh, but I am obliged to write that “the reins of the sheep are in the hands of the wolf, and the whole herd scattered away.” Now, brother, think of the types of gentlemen that are generally responsible for almost everything in our midst, and among whom we consider some to be Gurus. They are the following:—

(1) Guru Sifli — Guru of the lowest type;

(2) Guru Kitabi — Guru of books and knowledge;

(3) Guru Azli — Born Guru;

(4) Guru Fazli — Guru of the higher type;

(5) Guru Azli Fazli — a born Guru of the highest type;

Gurus of the lower type are those who tell us to worship ghosts and apparitions and who know some charms. Bookish gurus are those who, merely on the authority of books, tell others to practice. They are not concerned with the purpose of practices and the conditions under which they prove beneficial. Born gurus are those who go on prescribing practices so that men may attain perfection in a certain field, provided they are not caught up in the whirl; but if, perchance, they are entangled, it is beyond the power of such gurus to pull them out. I have used the word “Azli” for Gurus of the higher type who always enjoy the grace and kindness of God, and who are capable of utilising that grace for reforming others. There is still another type called “Azli-Fazli” which is very difficult to find. This Guru of the highest type has reached the supreme original condition and is always attached to the origin. Therefore, brother, it is such a Guru we have to search for, and if such a one is not available we should pull on with a Fazli Guru. There is room for every kind of suspicion in a bookish guru. It is quite possible that his conduct may not be good. But, in Fazli and Azli-Fazli Gurus this is not possible. People who have no mind to believe will never believe this even if you go on repeating this. In the words of Kabir: “Whom can I convince when the entire family is blind?”

About the Azli Guru (Guru by birth), though such a type of guru has the original condition free from ebbs and tides, he does not have the capacity to foment others from his inner condition. But a Fazli Guru can do this. He can transfer the grace of God into the abhyasi. There are two types of this. When grace flows involuntarily unto him, he transfers his share into others. He cannot do so prior to the flow of the grace. One who can consciously transfer the grace is capable of invoking the grace and transferring it whenever he wants. In our system each and every trainer is a conscious transmitter, the system of training itself being such. And what to say of Azli Fazli? He can do whatever he desires within the blink of an eye. Such saints are rarely seen.

Now, I will let you know the types of disciples also:

(a) Selfish;

(b) Fazli;

(c) Ahli;

(d) Devotee;

(e) Murad.

Selfish disciples are those who want to gain their own ends. Suppose a person comes to know that Shri X is a Mahatma and a devotee of God, he will immediately rush to him with the idea that he would get material benefit by that contact. Such persons who are concerned with worldly matters do not do any work. They join the Satsangh to achieve their selfish ends. They get things done by means of flattery. After that they will creep away. If their work is not done, then also they turn their back. They have nothing to do with love and attachment.

Fazli type are those who sit for meditation occasionally, if they are in a cheerful mood due to the pleasant atmosphere. They have no attachment of heart whatsoever. And Ahli are those in whom there are Sanskaras of higher type of worship, and who want to worship and want to continue it. Some among them may progress and reach the position of the devotee. Some, however, are such that they start from the very beginning with the condition of devotee, and a devotee is one who loves his Guru intensely. He always keeps himself internally connected with his Guru. Men of this type possess all those qualities that should be present in a disciple. From among these devotees, rarely one or two acquire the condition of a Murad. A ‘Murad' is one who has become the object of love of his Guru. In other words, the Guru's attention is always centered on him. He can also be called a beloved person and such people are rarely found. In these days ‘Murads' are seldom found and likewise Gurus also are rare. Revered Lalaji had written to me in one of his letters that in these days as many ‘Murids' are seen as the pores of the body, but ‘Murads' are very rare.

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GURU

Guru is the connecting link between man and God. He is the only power that can extricate us from the intricacies of the path. The need of a guru or master grows greater and greater as we go on advancing and securing higher stages.

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When the disciple completely merges himself in the guru, the latter becomes restless to take him further, especially when the disciple is unable to go further of his own accord.

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