The need for a True Guru
We look for the true Guru because the true Guru brings us close to God and farther from worries. Guru Arjan Dev ji describes this in Sukhmani Sahib in the following lines:
ਪੂਰੇ ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸੁਨਿ ਉਪਦੇਸੁ ॥
पूरे गुर का सुनि उपदेसु ॥
Pūre gur kā sun upḏes.
Listen to the Teachings of the Perfect Guru;
ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਨਿਕਟਿ ਕਰਿ ਪੇਖੁ ॥
पारब्रहमु निकटि करि पेखु ॥
Pārbarahm nikat kar pekẖ.
see the Supreme Lord God near you.
ਸਾਸਿ ਸਾਸਿ ਸਿਮਰਹੁ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ॥
सासि सासि सिमरहु गोबिंद ॥
Sās sās simrahu gobinḏ.
With each and every breath, meditate in remembrance on the Lord of the Universe,
ਮਨ ਅੰਤਰ ਕੀ ਉਤਰੈ ਚਿੰਦ ॥
मन अंतर की उतरै चिंद ॥
Man anṯar kī uṯrai cẖinḏ.
and the anxiety within your mind shall depart.
What is Guru?
Before I share some of my readings in Gurbani about "pura guru" or complete or true guru, its good to know that the term "guru" is popularly hypothesized to be based on the syllables gu (गु) and ru (रु), which stand for "darkness" and "light", respectively. The guru, thereby, is seen as the one who "dispels the darkness of ignorance." This theory likely originated form the Advayataraka Upanishad, Verse 16:
गुशब्दस्त्वन्धकारः स्यात् रुशब्दस्तन्निरोधकः ।
अन्धकारनिरोधित्वात् गुरुरित्यभिधीयते ॥१६॥
The syllable gu means darkness, the syllable ru, he who dispels them,
Because of the power to dispel darkness, the guru is thus named.
Complete Person
Guru Nanak defines a complete person as the one who has absorbed good virtues. One who abandons wrongful deeds and becomes a slave of good virtues attains peace; that according to gurmat is "pura" or complete. Good virtues are ones that raise the value of oneness. In Raag Shri Raag, Guru Nanak says:
ਮੁੰਧੇ ਗੁਣ ਦਾਸੀ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
मुंधे गुण दासी सुखु होइ ॥
Munḏẖe guṇ ḏāsī sukẖ hoe.
O young bride, be a slave to virtue, and you shall find peace.
ਅਵਗਣ ਤਿਆਗਿ ਸਮਾਈਐ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਪੂਰਾ ਸੋਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
अवगण तिआगि समाईऐ गुरमति पूरा सोइ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Avgaṇ ṯiāg samāīai gurmaṯ pūrā soe. ||1|| rahāo.
Renouncing wrongful actions, following the Guru's Teachings, you shall be absorbed into the Perfect One. ||1||Pause||
Complete Guru
The complete Guru is beyond the complete person. Guru Amardas implies it's not enough to just be absorbed for the complete guru. It's important to show this path to others. The Complete Guru is one who is fully absorbed and shares the path of oneness through his words:
The need for Holy Company
Guru Arjan Dev further implies in the following Shabad in Raag Gauri that it is possible to become "complete" yourself by being in the company of the "complete". If oneness resides in your heart, you are complete and everything becomes complete:
ਗਉੜੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
गउड़ी महला ५ ॥
Gaoṛī mėhlā 5.
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
ਪੂਰਾ ਮਾਰਗੁ ਪੂਰਾ ਇਸਨਾਨੁ ॥
पूरा मारगु पूरा इसनानु ॥
Pūrā mārag pūrā isnān.
Perfect is the path; perfect is the cleansing bath.
ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਪੂਰਾ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਨਾਮੁ ॥੧॥
सभु किछु पूरा हिरदै नामु ॥१॥
Sabẖ kicẖẖ pūrā hirḏai nām. ||1||
Everything is perfect, if the Naam is in the heart. ||1||
ਪੂਰੀ ਰਹੀ ਜਾ ਪੂਰੈ ਰਾਖੀ ॥
पूरी रही जा पूरै राखी ॥
Pūrī rahī jā pūrai rākẖī.
One's honor remains perfect, when the Perfect Lord preserves it.
ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਕੀ ਸਰਣਿ ਜਨ ਤਾਕੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
पारब्रहम की सरणि जन ताकी ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Pārbarahm kī saraṇ jan ṯākī. ||1|| rahā▫o.
His servant takes to the Sanctuary of the Supreme Lord God. ||1||Pause||
ਪੂਰਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਪੂਰਾ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ॥
पूरा सुखु पूरा संतोखु ॥
Pūrā sukẖ pūrā sanṯokẖ.
Perfect is the peace; perfect is the contentment.
ਪੂਰਾ ਤਪੁ ਪੂਰਨ ਰਾਜੁ ਜੋਗੁ ॥੨॥
पूरा तपु पूरन राजु जोगु ॥२॥
Pūrā ṯap pūran rāj jog. ||2||
Perfect is the penance; perfect is the Raja Yoga, the Yoga of meditation and success. ||2||
ਹਰਿ ਕੈ ਮਾਰਗਿ ਪਤਿਤ ਪੁਨੀਤ ॥
हरि कै मारगि पतित पुनीत ॥
Har kai mārag paṯiṯ punīṯ.
On the Lord's Path, sinners are purified.
ਪੂਰੀ ਸੋਭਾ ਪੂਰਾ ਲੋਕੀਕ ॥੩॥
पूरी सोभा पूरा लोकीक ॥३॥
Pūrī sobẖā pūrā lokīk. ||3||
Perfect is their glory; perfect is their humanity. ||3||
ਕਰਣਹਾਰੁ ਸਦ ਵਸੈ ਹਦੂਰਾ ॥
करणहारु सद वसै हदूरा ॥
Karanhār saḏ vasai haḏūrā.
They dwell forever in the Presence of the Creator Lord.
ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਮੇਰਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਪੂਰਾ ॥੪॥੪੫॥੧੧੪॥
कहु नानक मेरा सतिगुरु पूरा ॥४॥४५॥११४॥
Kaho Nānak merā saṯgur pūrā. ||4||45||114||
Says Nanak, my True Guru is Perfect. ||4||45||114||
The Result: Samrath Guru - Shivpreet Singh
Magical things happen when the true guru, the pura guru, the samrath guru, places his hand on your head. As this shabad describes:
ਸਮਰਥ ਗੁਰੂ ਸਿਰਿ ਹਥੁ ਧਰ੍ਯ੍ਯਉ ॥
समरथ गुरू सिरि हथु धर्यउ ॥
Samrath gurū sir hath ḏẖar▫ya▫o.
The All-powerful Guru placed His hand upon my head.
ਗੁਰਿ ਕੀਨੀ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਦੀਅਉ ਜਿਸੁ ਦੇਖਿ ਚਰੰਨ ਅਘੰਨ ਹਰ੍ਯ੍ਯਉ ॥
गुरि कीनी क्रिपा हरि नामु दीअउ जिसु देखि चरंन अघंन हर्यउ ॥
Gur kīnī kirpā har nām ḏī▫a▫o jis ḏekẖ cẖarann agẖann har▫ya▫o.
The Guru was kind, and blessed me with the Lord's Name. Gazing upon His Feet, my sins were dispelled.
ਨਿਸਿ ਬਾਸੁਰ ਏਕ ਸਮਾਨ ਧਿਆਨ ਸੁ ਨਾਮ ਸੁਨੇ ਸੁਤੁ ਭਾਨ ਡਰ੍ਯ੍ਯਉ ॥
निसि बासुर एक समान धिआन सु नाम सुने सुतु भान डर्यउ ॥
Nis bāsur ek samān ḏẖi▫ān so nām sune suṯ bẖān dar▫ya▫o.
Night and day, the Guru meditates on the One Lord; hearing His Name, the Messenger of Death is scared away.
ਭਨਿ ਦਾਸ ਸੁ ਆਸ ਜਗਤ੍ਰ ਗੁਰੂ ਕੀ ਪਾਰਸੁ ਭੇਟਿ ਪਰਸੁ ਕਰ੍ਯ੍ਯਉ ॥
भनि दास सु आस जगत्र गुरू की पारसु भेटि परसु कर्यउ ॥
Bẖan ḏās so ās jagṯar gurū kī pāras bẖet paras kar▫ya▫o.
So speaks the Lord's slave: Guru Raam Daas placed His Faith in Guru Amar Daas, the Guru of the World; touching the Philosopher's Stone, He was transformed into the Philosopher's Stone.
ਰਾਮਦਾਸੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਹਰਿ ਸਤਿ ਕੀਯਉ ਸਮਰਥ ਗੁਰੂ ਸਿਰਿ ਹਥੁ ਧਰ੍ਯ੍ਯਉ ॥੭॥੧੧॥
रामदासु गुरू हरि सति कीयउ समरथ गुरू सिरि हथु धर्यउ ॥७॥११॥
Rāmḏās gurū har saṯ kī▫ya▫o samrath gurū sir hath ḏẖar▫ya▫o. ||7||11||
Guru Raam Daas recognized the Lord as True; the All-powerful Guru placed His hand upon His head. ||7||11||
More on True Guru
The following is an interesting take (and mostly synchronous with the teachings of Guru Nanak) on what a true Guru is ...
Are you tired of hearing about yoga teachers behaving in “less than yogic” ways?
The problem is as old as power itself, and is lived out in almost any religious, spiritual or political context you can imagine.
If you're looking for a guru or a spiritual teacher, you may want to have this checklist in hand before you commit your spiritual life to one:
1. True gurus don't expect anything in return.
They might take payment for their classes, they might take donations for their cause, but they will give you their best, regardless. Beware of teachers who demand great sacrifices (economic or otherwise) to be in their presence.
2. True gurus are not attached.
They are not attached to your getting any results, to you following them, or to you liking them. Therefore, they won't be angry or disappointed with you, regardless of your actions. Beware of controlling, demanding, forceful or manipulating impostors.
3. True gurus help you find your own way.
They may have a specific path to recommend, but fully acknowledge that there are many routes to enlightenment, and you should follow or even create the one that most suits you. Remember: the truth is ONE, the paths are many.
4. True gurus empower your own inner guru.
They will always help you see, understand and tap into your own power, grace, and beauty. When you've been with a true guru, your own light will shine brighter, and you'll believe more in yourself.
5. True gurus want your freedom and independence.
If they're the real deal, they will urge you to create a life that works well when they're not around. If they're a charlatan, they will want to make you feel lost and needy when not in their presence.
6. True gurus don't need to be affirmed by others.
They don’t need an entourage, nor a following. So forget about phonies who demand your dedication, offerings and allegiance to them and their cause, or who are constantly in need of new devotees. Remember, it’s not about them; it’s about you!
7. True gurus walk their talk.
It is easy to teach divine living, but very hard and rare to live divinely. Thus the true guru will teach by example, and will be non-materialistic, fair, grounded, peaceful, strong, generous, humble, and whatever else we would consider universally good.
8. True gurus are positive.
Beware of gurus who make people look and feel wrong, have causes against something rather than for something, and look for punishment rather than compassion.
9. True gurus look content.
This doesn’t mean that a guru may not experience sadness or grief. But seriously, can you imagine a guru who lives in a state of despair, depression, anger or anxiety?
10. True gurus live inside us all.
Many true masters have been their own gurus (the Buddha being just one example). No matter what anyone says, you don’t need ONE guru, because the real guru resides in every one of our hearts.
Singing oneness!
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