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whatever direction they move, a new path is created. Such people do not need any guidance from a guru. But for those sadhaks whose wisdom is not yet awakened, and who are unacquainted with any system of sadhana and dare not traverse an unknown path, the guidance of a capable guru is essential.
The importance of the guru is recognized in all spheres. Even to learn some little craft, one needs an instructor. And the great craft of meditation cannot be learnt without the supervision of a teacher. Meditation is wholly an internal process. The secrets thereof are available, not through books, but through direct experience. Book-knowledge can give us information about the whole world, but the knowledge of oneself cannot be gained through books. To know oneself, one has to seek the guidance of a guru. The guru is experienced. He himself practises meditation and acquires experience which he distributes among the inquiring sadhaks, thereby adding to his own knowledge. With the help of the guru, the difficult path of sadhana becomes easily accessible. A Rajasthani poet has given expression to this very fact in a couplet :
I walked and walked for ages, yet knew not where
I was; Then met a guru, and lo! my goal seemed not far
off!
As far as knowledge of material things is concerned, some people may behave indifferently towards their teacher. They may feel that what they are seeking could be got from other sources as well. But inner knowledge, which only a guru can impart, cannot be gained through any other means. To obtain inner knowledge, a sadhak looks up to his guru for support, and he, therefore, obeys the guru implicitly with perfect humility and dedication.
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