During my recent HTA fellowship course in Visakhapatnam, I had a simple yet profound realization.
After taking a bath, I stepped out and began searching for my spectacles. Being myopic (short-sightedness) with lenses of about -5, it was nearly impossible for me to locate them without wearing them first. Frustrated, I asked my wife to help.
As we both searched, I found myself saying,
"With weak eyes, we won't be able to find our own specs until someone with specs helps us."
In that very moment, a deeper truth hit me—the significance of a guru (teacher) in one’s journey.
This realization also instantaneously reminded me of the Bhagavad Gita.
Despite his knowledge and past experiences, Arjuna's vision was clouded by emotions and maya (illusion)—just like my getting blurred vision without spectacles. It was only when Lord Krishna, his divine guru, guided him that he gained clarity and insight.
Krishna says in the Gita (Chapter 4, Verse 34):
तद्विद्धि प्रणिपातेन परिप्रश्नेन सेवया | उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं ज्ञानिनस्तत्त्वदर्शिन: || 4.34||
"Approach a Guru with humility, ask questions with sincerity, and serve with devotion. The wise will impart knowledge unto you."
Just as I needed someone with good sight to help find my specs & thus my sight, we all living amidst overpowering maya, need a Guru to help us see beyond illusions, and guide us toward true wisdom.
A few key takeaways that I could make out of it:
1. Self-awareness is limited without guidance—just as a myopic person like me struggles to see clearly without glasses, we often struggle to perceive truth without the guidance of a guru.
2. Maya clouds our understanding—like Arjuna on the battlefield, our mind is often fogged by emotions, doubts, and illusions.
3. A Guru provides clarity—The role of a Guru is to illuminate the path, helping us see what we cannot on our own.
4. Seeking guidance is a sign of wisdom, not weakness—just as I sought help to find my glasses, we must seek a Guru to gain deeper understanding in life.
In the journey of knowledge and self-discovery, a Guru is like a pair of well-fitted spectacles—helping us see the world with clarity, focus, and wisdom.
