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I am the Soul
301
It has been an old tradition in our country that whosoever awakens to the goal of the Self, would first of all search for a Sadguru. For the Indian psyche considers the importance of a Sadguru in the pursuit of the Self, as unsurpassable. There can be no progress without Sadguru. Several experienced saints in our country have spoken at length about the greatness of the Sadguru. As such, even a person who seems most ignorant does not remain without a Guru. He may not understand much, but certainly knows that -
गुरुदीपक गुरु चांदलो, गुरु मुज प्राण आधार;
ca ai 7 fahé, TA GT ATTUTER ... An able saint Kabir too has sung the greatness of the Guru. He firmly believed that not a step could be put forward without the Guru. Once the Guru shows the path and you begin to move on it, then you are through. Not only that, the attainment of the truth in the form of the principle of the Atma cannot be possible without a Guru. Kabir says -
सद् गुरु सत् का शब्द है, जाने सत् दिया बताय;
Hat Yai Thi ha a Wife HP... Sat is the absolute truth, the supreme principle. It is a formless principle. Its form is invisible. If there is any visible form to it, then it is the Sadguru. The Supreme Soul does not come down to show you the path of Sat. He introduces you to the Sadguru who is like his angel. If you hold on firmly to the Sat that is shown to you by the Sadguru, then you yourself take the form of Sat. Hence, go into the refuge of Sadguru. In Marathi philosophical literature too, these very feelings have been expressed more clearly -
अनाम्याये नाम कैसे घ्यावे? अरूप्याये रूप कैसे देखावे? हे चि जो सांगे स्पष्टभावे, तो चि सद् गुरु
The one who can tell us clearly the name of the Nameless Atma, the form of the Formless Atma, is a Sadguru. Srimadji too, has at many places sung the praises of Sadguru. In his poetry
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