Kya Hai Sadhuta

Life is so short and the Himalayan task of coming out of the clutches of mind is so huge that one lifetime is not enough. The way is arduous and the guidance of the Guru is the only light on the path to wakefulness. Mind is so clever and cunning that it does not want to die; when we shine the torch of awareness on it, the shadows of mind start to melt away. Without that, however, we are just caught up in its traps - of sleep, of justifications and of excuses to stay stuck in negative mind-states.

This work needs strong commitment and sankalpa, a determined resolve on our part to want to come out of this darkness of ignorance. It needs dedication and regularity of practice on a priority basis. Sadhana cannot be approached casually. Hence the life of a seeker, a sadhak or spiritual aspirant has been encouraged by our scriptures as it is centered totally on waking up from the sleep of our illusions into the dawn of awakening. It is not to escape from the challenges of daily life but to come more in tune with our inner bliss, our very source. The presence, guidance and inspiration of the Guru is the catalyst which sparks the divinity within.

At the same time, the scriptures have never condemned the life of the average householder; in fact, many great rishis and sages were happily married, and had ashrams of their own too. So, there was a wonderful integration of family life and spiritual discipline, contributing to a flowering of both.

When a Guru leaves his or her body, then ideally, it is the most worthy student of the Guru, the one who embodies the Guru’s teachings who should be in charge of the ashram or institution. But sadly, that is rarely the case. Most of the time, it seems to be like an inheritance in which the progeny automatically inherits the wealth of the parent. This kind of tradition is harmful in the long run as the Guru’s teachings can never flourish and a kind of commercialization and spiritual consumerism happens. Today, in the name of spirituality there are many people who are exploiting the gullible public. Therefore, false sadhus and pseudo-gurus are certainly to be condemned but not the authentic tradition of the ‘sadhu’ way of life.