Thread by @poonamdut

Without accepting someone as a guru, can we gain spiritual enlightenment simply by reading scriptures or listening to lectures?
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Sant Namadev, a great saint of Maharashtra, used to have a direct contact with God (Vitthala). God spoke with him face to face. But one day, he was deeply disappointed.
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At the behest of Jnaneshwara, Gora Kumbhar, a potter and a senior saint of his times, tested the maturity of knowledge in a bunch of holy men including Namadev. He tapped their heads like a potter taps a baked clay pot to see if it’s fully done.
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He declared that while the rest of them were ‘fully baked’ Namadev was ‘half-baked.’ Feeling insulted by this Namadev rushed to God Vitthal & asked the reason for being so admonished. To his surprise the God said that Namadev was indeed half baked because he had no loving Guru.

Namadev asked God for his Guru, searched & became a disciple of Visoba Khechar.

Now, why would someone who was already speaking with God, need a living Guru? My Guru Sri Sitaramdas Omkarnath answers this question in Jai Jai Ram Krishna Hari, a classic drama he wrote on Namdev.

He says while having vision of God (Ishta Darshan) is indeed a great accomplishment & fulfilment of a seeker’s life, its not the pinnacle of achievement. Even after being able to see God or receive His commands, there’s still a higher state to be achieved.
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Its only when one sees God (Ishta) in the entire world, in everything that there is, that the journey is concluded. And this universal, sarvabhuta/ yatra tatra sarvatra vision of God which is His true nature is revealed only with the Guru's grace.
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person once asked Swami Chinmayananda “Do I need a Guru? Why cannot I learn everything from a book?”

Swamiji answered “Why don’t you ask your book that question?”
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Scriptures indeed guide& show us the way, but for their words to commune with our souls we need a Guru's grace. No point arguing that reading scriptures could fulfil the need of a living Guru because scriptures repeatedly emphasise that a living Guru is a must.
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No wonder Arjuna says to Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita (2:7) शिष्यस्तेऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम् śhiṣhyaste ’haṁ śhādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam. I am your disciple, and am surrendered to you. Please instruct me for certain what is best for me.

Credit: Raj Supe
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