Types of Gurus:

The first is the Bhautik/laukik Guru. The one who says, ‘You have received Mantra diksha. Now you undertake pilgrimage. Live on bhiksha or if you stay at home, take so and so foods, and avoid so and so foods. Don’t take garlic, onions, don’t do this, don’t do that, take meals in such and such type of utensils, observe so and so rules in the matter of sleeping’ He gets all sorts of spiritual practices done from the disciple and finally imparts spiritual knowledge to him.

The second is the chandan Guru. Just as the sandalwood tree imparts its fragrance to the neighbouring trees, so also He ferries his disciples across the Great Illusion merely by His company. Such a Guru is called the sandalwood Guru. Chandan Guru does not preach but inculcates good traits in his us through His behaviour. Thinking of His fragrance, we too become capable of spreading fragrance in the society.

The third is Saiddhantik Guru. Supreme Self or Brahman is real; the body made up of eightfold Nature is unreal. Let the body made of elements of Nature abide by the laws of Nature. But remain established in your essential nature, Brahman. One who thus teaches his disciple to discriminate is Saiddhantik Guru.

The fourth is anugrahatmak guru: awarding the disciple with spiritual knowledge merely by His grace, Darshan, guidance is anugrahatmak Guru. He encourages his disciple when he does something good and when the disciple does something wrong, he finds as if the photo or idol of the Guru is displeased with him.

The fifth is the Paaras Guru. Just as Paaras turns iron, copper etc. into gold with a mere touch, so also this kind of Guru imparts bliss, peace, joy, and ability to the seeker, destroying vices of his mind, with his touch or touch of any objects touched by him.

The sixth is the kurma Guru. A female tortoise nurtures its little ones by its glance. Similarly, a Kurma Guru, wherever He is, uplifts the disciple with his grace transmitted through a glance. The disciple gets many types of divine experiences.

The seventh is the Chandrakant Guru. With the moonrise the water starts oozing from the chandrakant gem. Similarly, as soon as we have darshan of the Guru, the nectar of his Knowledge, compassion, bliss and joy starts oozing in our hearts. We are filled with joy thinking of the Guru and of his lilas, events, or devotional practices when we talk to others about them.

The eighth is the Darpan Guru. Just as one sees one’s reflection in the mirror the Guru imparts the experience of our innate greatness, Bliss, peace, joy, and we can see our virtues and vices clearly. Guru acts like a mirror. When we go near the Guru, we find the Guru’s being and that of ourselves to be one and the same, and very nice. That is beyond words.

The ninth is the chaayaanidhi Guru. A divine invisible mysterious bird called chhayanidhi flies in the sky. It is believed that the one on whome its shadow falls, becomes a king. The bird flies in the sky but is invisible to the eyes. Similarly, the Guru who chaperones the disciple in the shadow of His grace and grants him the kingdom of Self-Bliss is called a chhayanidhi Guru. One on whom the shadow (gracious glance) of such a Guru falls enjoys mastery in his respective field. Even kings bow before him. My Gurudev had this power and I was benefited by it.

The tenth is the 'nagnidhi Guru'. nagnidhi is a gem. It is believed that when any metal comes in contact with this gem, the former immediately turns to gold unlike the Paras which transforms only iron and copper into gold. There was a saint named Namdev. He was a disciple of Visoba khechar. A Vaishnava (devotee of Lord Vitthal) his wife was given a paras stone by her friend to keep for few days. But he threw it away. The wife's friend's husband got angry and said, "I had procured it from goddess Rukmini herself for eradication of the poverty. I had obtained it after severe penance. You threw it away. It was very precious. Now what will happen?" Namdev said, "Saahukaar! Please give me the stone you have in your hand." Namdev remembered his guru and lord Vitthal, touched the Stones to his forehead and instantly it turned into gold. The sadhu prostrated himself at his feet.

Now the saint’s forehead was neither a paras stone nor a nagnidhi gem. How can we describe the greatness of human mind? There are Gurus whose forehead becomes nagnidhi stone.

The eleventh is the kraunch Guru. Kraunch is a bird known as 'Heron' in English. The female heron leaves its young ones on the banks of the sea and flies far away to fetch food for them. During this search, time and again it turns its eyes skywards and thinks of its young ones. It is believed that no matter where the young birds are, this keeps them well-nourished. Similarly, the Guru established in chidakasha (Brahma in it's aspect as limitless Knowledge and ultimate consciousness) thinks of his disciples and bestows them with inner Bliss. The disciples, sitting at his place feel exhilarated. They start getting Self-Bliss and they can make out that 'Gurudev has remembered me, Guruji has remembered me'. It is a common experience shared by many who are true to their Guru.

The twelfth is the Suryakant Guru. When the rays of the sun touch the suryakant gem, a fire is kindled. Similarly those seekers upon whome His gaze falls, attain Jivanmukti (liberation while living). Such a Guru is called suryakant Guru.

When the Guru’s heart overflows with benevolence and bliss on looking at His disciple, it bestows supreme grace on the disciple. He would not like to leave the place. Guru starts radiating His innate Being, essential nature.

If you take a dip in holy waters, you will get only one benefit out of it, that is of your religious feeling. If you meet a saint, you will get four benefits: Dharma, artha, kama, Moksha. We offer respectful obeisance at the feet of such very forms of Brahman.

🙏 Om shri gurave namah 🙏

🙏 Namo Narasimha 🙏