68
The Guru and the Disciple
wife. Similarly, these weak gurus control their disciples. They make
their disciples’ lives miserable with their rebukes of ‘You cannot
do anything.’ If this is what you do as a guru, why do you declare
yourself as a ‘great guru’? Why do you needlessly rebuke your
disciples? The poor man has come to you because he is unhappy
and, on top of that, you are telling him off! At home, his wife tells
him off and here you tell him off. When does all this come to an
end?
A guru is someone who does not chastise his disciple. He
protects and supports his disciple. How can you call these gurus
of the Kaliyug, ‘gurus’? All day long, they keep pushing their
disciples around. That is not the way!
During the time of the Lord Mahavir, no one would have
said, ‘You will have to do this much,’ but today these gurus say
exactly that. And the disciples keep pleading, ‘Sahib, I can’t do
it, I can’t do anything.’ Hey you! You will turn into a stone if you
keep saying, ‘I can’t do anything.’ This is because you become
what you envision and say. You will become whatever you project
yourself to be. If you believe that you cannot do anything, then
will you not become like that? This is something people do not
understand; that is why everything continues without substance
(pol). Any guru who does not do anything for you is a burdensome
guru. For that matter, even when you go to a doctor, would you
not have to tell him, ‘I am ill and I don’t know what is wrong. You
make me well again.’ Should you not say this to even a doctor?
Questioner: Yes, I should.
Dadashri: That is why the guru must do it for you. He will
teach you everything. Then he will tell you to read, but he will
teach you everything. When can these poor working people with
wives, children and jobs get anything done? The guru, on the other
hand, has a lot of energy; he has infinite energy that lets him
accomplish everything. The guru should say, ‘You may lack the
understanding, but I am here. I am present here. Do not be afraid.