Spiritual Insight through Spiritual Guide: The Hindu Perspective

Abstract

   The human quest for spirituality has ever been there since the world was created. People have sought to know the eternal and experience the enlightenment. Humans have ever longed to dissolve with the divine. This spiritual goal has been achieved around the world. The spiritual guides have ever helped seekers achieve their goal. The mystics guided through the sacred texts and their writings. The four major eras of the Vedic, the classical, the Bhakti and the modern period have acknowledged that the Guru-Shishya Parampara is the foundation of spiritual knowledge. When the seekers are initiated by their master, form a bond and meditate incessantly with love, it is with the grace of their master that they are able to experience the Eternal Reality. By obeying the instructions of the master, the disciple can grow spiritually. Hinduism is grounded in the religious, moral and spiritual thoughts of saints of different eras. Their thoughts all together have been similar on the spiritual principles. Hindus have always accepted the idea of turning to a spiritual master or guru for getting guidance in every aspect of life. From the very ancient times, the sages sought the guidance of a perfect spiritual master for God Realisation. The Hindu philosophy explains that we can escape from human predicament and attain salvation only with the help of a guru. Only an illuminated soul can enlighten the other one. This paper deals with the Hindu perspective which advocates the need of a spiritual guide for getting spiritual insight and eternal liberation.

Key words: Disciple, Eternal, Hinduism, Liberation, Master, Philosophy.