There is a real need for a Guru if we are undertaking a spiritual journey. But before embarking on a spiritual path, we must honestly determine whether we are ready and whether our need for a guru is genuine, as opposed to just an emotional outburst. Ask yourselves this question: “Am I committed, or am I just involved?” We do not need a guru if we do not want God. The complications in life are so great that the poor mind is unable to handle them. When we are moving blindly through the valley of life, stumbling in darkness, we need the help of someone who has eyes, who has been on the path, who has followed it to the end, and who can tell us the right way to go. Guru is not the body; Guru is light; and Guru is wisdom. Light and wisdom are essential in human life. By divine right, the title of guru is conferred only upon those exalted souls who, through their own Self-realization and oneness with God, are qualified to lead others from the darkness of ignorance to the everlasting light of truth. He is a humble prophet or messenger, invested with the duty of showing the true spiritual way to ordinary people. God sends the seeker indirect guidance at first, through books and lesser teachers. When the desire for Him is very strong, He sends the help of a Self-realized guru. There are many who are trying to lead others but who have no right to do so. No one can take you to God unless he himself has found God. The blind can't lead the blind. There is also a difference between a Guru and a spiritual teacher. A teacher is one who has some experience, who can guide you to a certain point, and who is perhaps capable of transmitting some spiritual power, but he would not be a guru. That does not mean that spiritual teachers are bad, but they must recognize their limitations. They must see that they do not have all the answers. There is a need to exercise some prudence to distinguish a true guru from a sea of self-styled leaders. The fake gurus are all over the place, and they can hide themselves very well. It is thus difficult to differentiate between a fly-by-night Baba and a truly evolved Guru. Each one of us is susceptible to exhibiting docile “cult-follower” behavior in the right/wrong circumstances. People believe that “it can never happen to them” because they want to believe they are stronger and better than the millions who have fallen victim to alleged cult mind control. Mind control is alive and well and in many varied forms across many countries. A so-called cult will generally target the most educated, active, and capable people it can find. Such beliefs as “others could be made to do that but not me” and “others could be swayed by speeches but not me” are dangerous. The ease with which this happens is important for both scientific understanding and real-world problems ranging from friends and family in cults to extremist movements. The research by Stanford University, reproduced here, very well proves the same. But there is a great deal we can do to stay safe, sane, and whole and to help the people we care about. Spiritual search is indeed the inborn divine right of every human being. Knowledge and education are the birthrights of every human being. Do whatever we want; spirituality is our inner force, which has a constant pull. This pull becomes very strong at times. So strong that man has no choice. But he will have to make the right decision. Finally, it is God alone who is the true Guru, acting through the agency of souls that are awake in Him and who appear as spiritual advisors, sometimes spiritual masters, for our spiritual ascension—call it spiritual help—once we are ready. This book can be referred to as a spiritual journey book, advising on how do you go on a spiritual journey and safeguarding against cults and extreme beliefs. God help you.

Silence Speaks is a collection of writings of Baba Hari Dass, 1971-1977, consisting of answers to questions from group gatherings, personal interviews, and personal letters to students.

The book is about awakening your inner wisdom, inner power, inner beauty and your inner Self. Living a fulfilling life is a skill that requires both practice and understanding. This book provides both. It can be used for inspiration, or as an instruction handbook. It contains several meditation and other practices for self improvement. It is a very comprehensive manual for Self realization. This book is must for any sincere for spiritual development. It can be read countless times for added insight. You may also enjoy reading this book if you really want to explore the full potential of your inner strength. It offers a very down-to-earth approach to understanding, in detail and simple language. For those who are truly interested to attain spiritual freedom and fulfillment in every sphere of life, this book is a practical and personal guidebook.

The Nārada-bhakti-sūtra, compiled by Sage Nārada, is a foundational text in the path of bhakti and Vaishnavism. As one of the Lord’s greatest devotees, Sage Narada stands as a role model and an expert guide to all aspiring devotees. In these bhakti sūtras, he has extracted the essence of devotion and presented it concisely in only 84 verses. Each sūtra is infused with the insight of one who truly lives bhakti to its fullest. Maximising the effect of this wisdom by His commentary, Paramahamsa Vishwananda has added the only missing ingredient: practical application. How can I actually live such elevated principles today? How do I walk this path in this present time and in my current circumstances?

The Impulse Behind The Study In Hand Was The Longing To Find Adequate Answers To Certain Vital Questions What Exactly Does Sikhism Stand For? Why Was It Originated And Developed By Guru Nanak And His Nine Successors? How Did It Strike Roots Among People? What Institutions And Structures The Gurus Evolved To Highlight And Escalate It? What Type Of Praxis Of Man And Society Gurus Visualized? How Was It Different From Contemporary Religious Systems Islam, Hinduism, Sahajyana, Buddhism, Nathism, Bhakti System Etc.? Was It A Synthesis Of Different Traits Of Different Religions? Was It A Syncretism Of Hindu And Muslim Cultures Or Was It An Independent System? Did Sikhism Purport To Design To Raise Itself On Premises Different From The Ones Which Formed The Foundations Of Hindu Or Other Societies? Was It Merely Reformist Movement Aiming At Certain Targets Within Time And Space Or A Distinct Spirito-Social Process To Urge The People To March Towards Integrated Development Both At Micro And Macro Levels? What Was The True Nature Of Supreme Reality As Conceived By The Gurus? How Is This Related With The Universe Including Man And How Does It Permeate, Pervade And Operate The Whole Universe? What Type Of Society Conforms To God S Will And How Was Its Consummation Possible? Which Models Of Polity And Social Edifice Were Recommended By The Gurus? Is Sikhism A Life-Affirming Dispensation Or Life-Negating Philosophy? Why Was Structural Bonding Of Religion And Politics Effected And Institutionalised? What Is The Place Of Sikhism In The Comity Of Religions And How It Is Relevant To Challenges Of The Present-Day World? Such Questions And A Lot More Being Vital And Crucial For The Understanding Of The Role Of Gurus And Their Dispensation, Have Been Fully Taken Cognizance Of In The Present Study.

Louis E. Fenech offers a compelling new examination of one of the only Persian compositions attributed to the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708): the Zafar-namah or 'Epistle of Victory.' Written as a masnavi, a Persian poem, this letter was originally sent to the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (d. 1707) rebuking his most unbecoming conduct. Incredibly, Guru Gobind Singh's letter is included today within the Sikh canon, one of only a very small handful of Persian-language texts granted the status of Sikh scripture. As such, its contents are sung on special Sikh occasions. Perhaps equally surprising is the fact that the letter appears in the tenth Guru's book or the Dasam Granth in the standard Gurmukhi script (in which Punjabi is written) but retains its original Persian language, a vernacular few Sikhs know. Drawing out the letter's direct and subtle references to the Iranian national epic, the Shah-namah, and to Shaikh Sa'di's thirteenth-century Bustan, Fenech demonstrates how this letter served as a form of Indo-Islamic verbal warfare, ensuring the tenth Guru's moral and symbolic victory over the legendary and powerful Mughal empire. Through analysis of the Zafar-namah, Fenech resurrects an essential and intiguing component of the Sikh tradition: its Islamicate aspect.

The twenty nine essays in this book are insightful and sympathetic analyses of various facets of Gandhi's multidimensional personality. They cover his formative years, his stuggle against racism and imperialism, his attitude to religion and the partiton of India, his public life, and the relevance of his political economic thought in the twenty-first century. This book will be of interest to political scientists, historians, followers of Gandhi, and an informed general audience.

This book briefly tells the stories of the lives of several of histories great Saints.

Sri Ramakrishna’s message was fundamentally a spiritual message to a world steeped in materialism. And who could be better equipped to interpret that message than his direct disciples who had been moulded by that Great Master into his own mould. This book comprises of articles by these great disciples of Sri Ramakrishna bringing out the true significance of religion and its practice. All those who truly thirst after religion and God will find in this book clear insights into spiritual life and practices. Published by Advaita Ashrama, a publication house of Ramakrishna Math, Belur Math, India.

An enlightening, accessible, and highly entertaining guide to the guru-disciple relationship, the heart of Tibetan Buddhism The humility and compassionate activity of the Dalai Lama is something many people can connect with, but how can one understand the stories about some other Buddhist teachers’ unorthodox behavior? The centrality of and reliance on a guru is one of most misunderstood elements of Tibetan Buddhism—and one that is most often veiled in mystery. Because the guru can and will use whatever means it takes to wake us up, this relationship may require us to drop our most deeply held beliefs and expectations. Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse addresses some of the most misunderstood aspects of this powerful relationship and gives practical advice on making the most of this precious opportunity for transformation. Through stories and classical examples, he shows how to walk the path with eyes wide open, with critical-thinking skills sharpened and equipped to analyze the guru, before taking the leap.