The Rental Guru Heresy

“Everything that is manifested within this cosmic world is but the energy of the Supreme Lord. As fire emanating from one place diffuses its illumination and heat all around, so the Lord, although situated in one place in the spiritual world, manifests His different energies everywhere. Indeed, the whole cosmic creation is composed of different manifestations of His energy.” (Vishnu Purana, 1.22.52)

Download this episode (right click and save)

एक-देश-स्थितस्याग्नेर्
ज्योत्स्ना विस्तारिणी यथा
परस्य ब्रह्मणः शक्तिस्
तथेदम् अखिलं जगत्

eka-deśa-sthitasyāgner
jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathā
parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktis
tathedam akhilaṃ jagat

“Do you follow what goes on in these spiritual institutions? I am talking about the ones that are supposedly authorized, that claim to align with the Vedas. Maybe this is the byproduct of becoming too large, of carrying too much influence, of creating too large of an accompanying bureaucracy to manage affairs. But let me tell you, some of the nonsense that the followers blindly accept is too ridiculous for me to take seriously.

“Let me try to explain one particular farce, that is actually quite significant in its impact on succession, in how the institution will operate into the future. I will try by making a comparison to something a lot of us are familiar with. The rental car experience. You are travelling to a vacation destination for a few weeks. This might also be related to business; the distinction is not important.

“The way it typically works is that you make the reservation based on the class of vehicle. You get different rates due to the size and features of the car. You pick a certain rate, but the fine print states that you might receive another car. It all depends on what is available at the time of your arrival.

“When you go to pick up the car to rent, the company provides whatever is there in the lot. This is to make sure that business operates smoothly. The rental company is nice enough to take care of everything for you. They will replace your car if anything should happen to it. You are the customer, after all.

“Now, just imagine that if the car you wanted wasn’t available and the rental car company started harassing you about it. They keep asking when you will choose another car. They will give you a list of available vehicles, but it is up to you to make a choice. If you don’t act fast, you will lose access to the entire company. In other words, you will have nothing to drive during your trip.

“This is essentially what happens in these institutions now, with respect to choosing a spiritual master. You have all this enthusiasm from connecting with the culture. You either received a book, heard someone chanting a mantra, or are just generally curious. When you want to take things to the next level, to get more serious, the institution asks you to choose a guide from a preapproved list.

“It is like renting a guru, because should anything go wrong, you might lose access to the institution. And trust me, something will go wrong. So much has already gone wrong that there is no need to mention the sordid details. When your rental guru falls, you will not be able to worship the deity, attend programs, or publicly identify with the institution. That is, of course, until you pick another guru. The institution will offer little assistance in this regard. It is up to you. Hurry up. You surely don’t want to lose your standing amongst your peers, who still have their rental guru in good standing.

“How can this farce be allowed to continue? How are people tolerating this? How is anyone supposed to advance if they cannot create a meaningful, viable relationship with a teacher? That relationship is supposed to be sacred. The disciple takes the words, vani, of the spiritual master as their life and soul.”

It is indeed a farce, but what can actually be done to correct the situation? These are the impurities that enter the scene whenever money, power, and influence are at stake. Why would the leaders of the institution suddenly relinquish control over the vital issue of which members can accept followers? Especially when followers offer financial assistance and the leaders have no other means to support themselves.

Genuine saintly people are well aware of the potential for corruption. They foresee issues arising even within institutions that they personally established. They try to cut through the obstacles by reaching as many people as possible, with the valuable words of wisdom.

तद् विद्धि प्रणिपातेन
परिप्रश्नेन सेवया
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं
ज्ञानिनस् तत्त्व-दर्शिनः

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.34)

At the heart of the matter is instruction. This is what forms the relationship between guru and disciple. It is learning from a teacher. The instruction might be from offering direct service, in learning by example, or from hearing. Listening to the instruction and then proceeding to implement those teachings within everyday life.

We have the verse from Vishnu Purana which explains how God the person is all-pervading. The universe is something like His body. He is always an individual. He is always Supreme. He is simultaneously the source and also the extensions.

The comparison is to fire. It starts in one place, but then distributes its heat and light elsewhere. The extent of the distribution depends on the strength of the original fire and possibly mechanisms of transport. God is of a strength which is impossible to accurately quantify, Adhokshaja. He has the greatest mechanism for distribution since He can simply expand Himself, as He does through sitting in the heart of the living entity.

सर्वस्य चाहं हृदि सन्निविष्टो
मत्तः स्मृतिर् ज्ञानम् अपोहनं च
वेदैश् च सर्वैर् अहम् एव वेद्यो
वेदान्त-कृद् वेद-विद् एव चाहम्

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca
vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham

“I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas am I to be known; indeed I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 15.15)

Saintly people are similarly empowered due to their alignment with the Supreme Lord. They can deliver words of wisdom in a single place, at a single time. Through their potency, through their mercy extended in the form of their assistants, that wisdom can then spread all across the universe. This provides rescue even during dark times of institutional corruption and obstruction by hostile forces.

राजन् संस्मृत्य संस्मृत्य
संवादम् इमम् अद्भुतम्
केशवार्जुनयोः पुण्यं
हृष्यामि च मुहुर् मुहुः

rājan saṁsmṛtya saṁsmṛtya
saṁvādam imam adbhutam
keśavārjunayoḥ puṇyaṁ
hṛṣyāmi ca muhur muhuḥ

“O King, as I repeatedly recall this wondrous and holy dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna, I take pleasure, being thrilled at every moment.” (Sanjaya, Bhagavad-gita, 18.76)

Sanjaya was not at the scene when Bhagavad-gita was delivered to Arjuna. Sanjaya still feels a thrill in recalling that conversation. Blessed by Vyasadeva, the spiritual guide, Sanjaya had the ability to hear everything. And so we can take comfort in the mercy of the permanent guru to transport us to the imperishable realm, Vaikuntha, through their potency.

In Closing:

Back to the desk sent,
Time for another to rent.

Previously authorized though,
No longer affiliated so.

Hurry up and act fast,
Opportunity not to last.

Guru never in this way found,
Bond through sacred instruction sound.