Importance of Sri Sri Bhubneshwar Sadhu Thakur in one’s life (Part 1)

Yesterday and day before yesterday many cities celebrated the avirbhav-tithi of great saint of our Bishnupriya Manupuri community Sri Sri Bhubneshwar Sadhu Thakur on a grand scale. We are quite fortunate that a great soul like him taken birth in our community and thus glorified our community by his mere presence. We Bishnupriya Manipuris are quite fortunate in this matter, as we are first of all Gaudiya Vaisnav, the follower of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, over and above that, great Krishna bhakta came in our community - sri sri bhubneshwar sadhu Thakur. Chaitanya mahaprabhu says “bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra , janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra” (CC Adi 9.41) - Anyone who has taken birth on the holy land of Bhāratavarṣa, India," janma sārthaka kari, "should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people.

So we are so fortunate to have taken birth in holy land India and within that taken birth into gaudiya vaisnav Bishnupriya Manipuri community. So as a follower of Chaitanya mahaprabhu, we should not only imitate the mechanical life of western world, indeed should aim towards real aim of life which is not sense gratification or economic development but knowing oneself that we are not this body but soul, and on that principle re-establishing ones relationship with Lord and distributing the same knowledge to others (kara para- upakara). So what is the purpose of great soul taking birth to this earth, what should we get benefit from them?

It says that to make advancement in spiritual life, a bonafide guru (spiritual master) is very important who guide us in achieving our goal. So taking shelter of a bonafide spiritual master like Sri Sri Bhubneswar Sadhu Thakur, through his mercy we can also taste the nectar of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna and Srimati Radha Rani. Because of many incident which is happening now-a-days related to so called gurus, has spoiled the word-“guru”, people have very bad impression on this matter, which is true also. That’s is why bonafide spiritual master term has been used which are different from so called cheating gurus. Let us try to understand the following two questions- what is the need of a bonafide guru and who is a bonafide guru?

Why there is a need of a bonafide spiritual master?

i) There is actually no need of bonafide spiritual master unless one is serious about spiritual advancement. Because having a guru is not a fashion statement as we see now a days people keep guru out of fashion.

ii) To know any process, to learn anything we need a teacher to understand things clearly as we learnt in school and colleges. Similarly to understand the science of God, process of bhakti yoga we require a guru who make us understand this subject matter clearly as he is also a self realised soul on this matter. As when we try to understand this subject matter of spiritual science on our own endeavour there is every chance that we interpret in our own way and the original essence remain untouched. And this is what happening now a days everyone and anyone writing their own commentary on Bhagwat Gita interpreting the science in their own way. 

iii) Guru is an external manifestation of Supreme Lord Krishna who is within all living entities as a super soul. Those sincere soul who try to increase their devotion to Krishna, Krishna understanding their inclination send his servant to those sincere soul. Some people proclaim one do not need guru to approach Lord, indeed guru is hurdle on path. But this statement is wrong. So those who proclaim there is no need of guru to approach Lord, themselves make self contradictory statement by ending up as a guru themselves. Thus one require bonafide guru to understand real science.

iv) Lord Krishna, the supreme lord himself, the cause of all causes had a spiritual master Sandipani muni. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the incarnation of lord Krishna himself also had a spiritual master. The supreme lord, from whom everything emanates, fountainhead of all knowledge, why they also had spiritual master when they were on earth? To teach all living entity that to advance spiritually we need spiritual master who guide us.

v) Some excerpts from the scripture about importance of guru.

• It is mentioned in 7th canto Srimad Bhagwatam that only in human body which is considered as a valuable boat we can cross over the ocean of nescience, guru is the captain of the boat to guide the boat in plying across the ocean of nescience. The instruction of Kṛṣṇa is a favorable breeze. One must use all these facilities to cross over the ocean of nescience. Since the spiritual master is the captain, one must serve the spiritual master very sincerely so that by his mercy one will be able to get the mercy of the Supreme Lord.

• Lord Krishna tells in Bhagwat Gita, chapter 4 ‘’this supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost. That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend and can therefore understand the transcendental mystery of this science.” This verse signifies only through bonafide spiritual master in bonafide disciplic succession, the guru parampara, we can get the knowledge about supreme as it is without any addition or deletion whimsically.

• In verse 34-35 chapter 4 Bhagwat Gita, Lord says “Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth. Having obtained real knowledge from a self-realized soul, you will never fall again into such illusion, for by this knowledge you will see that all living beings are but part of the Supreme, or, in other words, that they are Mine”. This verse againconveys the importance of spiritual master, who actually is spiritual master and what should be the mood while approaching a spiritual master.

So great souls like SadhuThakur don’t appear just to get piece of appreciation from us that oh they are so devoted to the lord. They appear to show us path, to set an example and to give us mercy so that we also achieve the goal of life.