6 The Guru and the Disciple
enlightened spontaneously, but that is an exception. Otherwise, there is no gnan( knowledge) without a guru.
Questioner: It is said that Lord Rushabhdev destroyed his karmic bondage on his own, so does that mean that he did not need anyone?
Dadashri: But he had taken some help earlier on. He asked for help from a guru two or three lives before. No one has become free without enlisting help. There is a nimit even in this. It was the people during the time of Lord Rushabhdev who claimed that the Lord destroyed his karmic bondage on his own. However, it is not possible to do this on one’ s own – it has never happened that way before and it never will. That is why you will always need a nimit.
Questioner: Who were the gurus of Lord Mahavir?
Dadashri: Lord Mahavir had many gurus, but not in his last couple of lifetimes. It is not so easy to become spontaneously enlightened. Tirthankaras do not need a guru in their final life.
How long is a guru necessary?
Questioner: Eklavya( a student of Dronacharya who trained Arjun in archery but refused to train Eklavya) attained powers( siddhi) and became a master archer, even though he had no guru. So is it not possible?
Dadashri: The siddhis that Eklavya acquired were exceptional, but this is not always the rule. Every rule can have an exception; moreover, these exceptions are rare. However, because of the exception, we cannot accept the rule as a blanket rule. If a person does not have a guru in this life, then he would have definitely met one in his previous life!
Questioner: In Eklavya’ s case, he did not learn from Dronacharya guru, but instead he learnt in front of the guru’ s idol!