What about the fake gurus?

There is a whole bevy of fake ‘God-men’, in India and the world over, in the fancy dress of spiritual masters ,as it helps to fool the vulnerable! They run huge businesses and amass properties and money. Such self-styled ‘ gurus’ often pander to the sensuous demands of their disciples and suggest paths that are totally contrary to scriptural advice. False gurus attract false disciples. Cheaters usually attract the easy to be cheated! One doesn’t select a guru, rather one gravitates towards a guru who is the most suited to his present state of mental development. One can never be forced to become the disciple of any particular guru. Therefore there are fakes and quacks who exploit those who come to them voluntarily. There are teachers for every level of learner. Every teacher is not a teacher of elementary school! Just as a capable school teacher is incapable of teaching post graduate students, the elementary class students don’t search for a post graduate teacher. The student automatically gets attracted to the teacher that suits his needs best.

Why is it that despite so many great spiritual masters and prophets who come and go, there is still so much evil and suffering in the world ? Why doesn’t the world improve? Swami Chinmayanandaji answered this beautifully. He said, “Medical Science has progressed over time, hospitals are built, doctors are trained, yet is there no illness now in the world?... There is so much food in restaurants and stores, yet do not people starve and die?” Scientists, doctors and economists, no doubt contribute to the welfare of the world, but they have failed to make us reach a perfect ideal. Yet we shudder to think of the state of our world without the contributions of these dedicated souls. So also with spiritual masters.

Prarthana Saran, President Chinmaya Mission Delhi. Email: prarthnasaran@gmail.com