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| Home > Articles > Guru-Shishya Parampara in Hatha Yoga
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| | Guru-Shishya Parampara in Hatha Yoga
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 Hatha yoga cannot be mastered by merely reading the texts. Nor can it be mastered by practicing regime without a proper guidance. This intricate and rich knowledge has to be conveyed by a "Teacher / Master" (Guru) to the "Disciple" (student). This pedagogical scenario has traditionally provided the setting for the transmission of ideas and practical techniques in India.
A close follower ship of the textual material of hatha-yoga and of Indian ideology is invaluable for acquiring a clear grasp of the doctrine and technical framework, upon which hatha praxis is based. However, the texts cannot paint the whole picture.
The all-important dimension of the whole learning happens to be the relation between teacher and student. i.e. a guru and his or her Shishya.
The literal meaning of the term when applied to the human tutor is that of `weightiness`, profundity and authority.` According to another literal figuration, a guru is characterised as being someone who dispels darkness (spiritual ignorance), replacing it with light (spiritual illumination), or at least assists in such a process to a degree, which is indispensable to the student.
The term conveys much more than that for it denotes Brahma itself. Guru is the Self, and it is also someone who has realised (`made real`) his or her identity as the Self.
Other than that a guru is anyone and anything that brings knowledge and enlightenment. It maybe a deity, or a teacher might be given the respect of a Deity. For a devoted disciple, to worship one is to worship the other.
For this reason it is not uncommon to come across in the writings of yogis hyperbolic eulogies such as the following:
"Guru is fire. Guru is Surya. Guru is the whole world. All places of pilgrimage in the entire universe reside in the sole of Guru`s lotus feet. Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, Parvati, Indra, all devas and all sacred rivers are eternally seated in the Guru`s body. Guru alone is Siva."
Though it is not explicitly stated whether it is the narrator`s human guru or the Absolute (Brahman) who is being lauded, the issue simply does not arise for the dedicated Shishya.
Hatha yoga is the discipline in which the coded texts are the mere framework that has to be fleshed out by a qualified yogi-guru in face-to-face lessons. The mere textual picture will doubtlessly remain incomplete. A person with higher attainment can surely guide the other person to enlightenment through his personal and more tangible guidance.
Hatha yoga Pradipika has explicitly laid down instructions for the physical environment in which the sadhaka (spiritual practitioner) ought to study and practise hatha-yoga. This is specified as a secluded dwelling known as a mathika and therein the yogin `should practise only yoga...in the way taught by his guru.
In ancient times, such ashrams conveyed the sole purpose of imparting knowledge to the young people.
So integral is the guru, not only to Indian spiritual practice but to Indian culture in general, that in India, almost everyone has a family guru who is regarded as a mentor and guide, who is part of the family. The guru is someone extremely knowledgeable whose advice will be requested when decisions are to be made, concerning not only explicitly spiritual matters, but apparently mundane issues as well.
Just as a guru is considered to be more than merely a teacher, his methods of instruction are also considered the ones surpassing the ordinary methods. The real power of the relationship between guru and Shishya is said to reside on a more subtle plane than that of ordinary oral or written communication. The presence of one`s guru itself is thought to facilitate accelerated spiritual development and transmission of information is believed to occur telepathically.
The Sanskrit term for a gathering of disciples to hear the words of their guru is satsanga, meaning `being in the presence of truth`, and closely allied to this is the concept of gurudarsana (`vision of the guru`), by which it is understood that spiritual upliftment may occur by one`s coming under the guru`s gaze. It is due to such beliefs that committed disciples are willing to undergo long periods of waiting and hardship simply to be near to their guru.
On the matter of telepathy, it is not an impossible a connection as long as the initiated Shishya maintains a high level of awareness. Then, the guru can communicate with him at any time and at any place, even after the guru has left his mortal body. Since the shedding of the physical body is not believed to impede guru-Shishya contact, such a relationship is more than of a mortal duration of a lifetime.
A true relationship of this kind is considered to be unbreakable; such is the strength and purity involved. By dedicating oneself to a guru, therefore, one simultaneously makes a connection with one`s parama-guru (the guru of one`s guru), and that guru`s guru, and so on, back to the primal guru, whose name will vary according to the particular tradition that the guru is part of.
In the most predominant Hatha-yoga beliefs, the primal guru is held to be Siva, also referred to as Adinatha or Adisvara (Primal Lord). Hence, in this tradition, texts will usually open with a dedication to Siva.
The mythological origin of the claim that Shiva is the originator of the discipline is rooted in the knowledge of the supreme reality.
Guru lineages provided in hatha texts are difficult to disentangle `the historical reality that may perhaps lie hidden under these traditions` from the skin of myth. However, the names given in list denote the line of didactic transmission `designate degrees of spirituality rather than flesh-and-blood personages`. The names of gurus, Siddhas or yogis listed in the hatha manuals do signify levels of spiritual attainment. But that does not necessarily imply that the lineage lacks any historical basis.
Finding One`s Guru:
The conquest of `finding one`s guru`, and of discriminating between authentic gurus and those that are false, is much dependent on "Intuition".
Its believed that when the awareness grows and the perception deepens through Satsariga and Sadhana (spiritual practice), you will spontaneously know the right path and the right guru. Such a `spontaneous` recognition must contain a large component of faith. This method creates a lot of doubts about the discernment. But it`s also stated that one is automatically guided to the guru who is meant for you... It is only when we live in the realm of intellect...that we are nagged by questions, doubts and fears.
The advice to listen more attentively to the intuitive voice of conscience may be appropriate for some, the danger of allowing oneself to be guided by blind faith may prompt other aspirants to look for more objective criteria by which to assess a prospective guru.
For that one has to look for the following mandatory qualities in a person or Guru:
Clarity of perception and knowledge
Regularity of spiritual practice.
Constancy in study (abhyasa).
Freedom from desire for the fruits of his actions
Purity and selflessness in what he does to guide his pupils in the true essence of knowledge.
On all of these points, the evaluation must remain subjective.
Swami Akhanananda favours the view that a guru should be rejected if he does not meet the Shishya`s requirements: `if you come to a Guru in order to ask for things of God, to achieve identity with God, if you tail to do it within a reasonable time in spite of your best efforts, then you have no option but to leave. `
Precisely what constitutes `a reasonable time` in which `to achieve identity with God` might seem to be vague. But the underlying statement is more than clear, that one should compromise with his high goal, at the same time should not make a hasty judgement regarding quality of Guru.
Once convinced that one`s guru has been found, then a relationship of the profoundest intensity is expected to develop, The basic notion behind all this being that of Atma-Samarpana, meaning `self-giving` or `self-surrender`.
On this point, Satyal Sangananda says that :
"Total surrender forms the core of the guru-disciple relationship. The disciple offers his or her limited self to the guru, completely merging the mind in him, and then receives it back in its fullness. This is the true concept of surrender... The life of every disciple should be dedicated towards the attainment of this goal."
The degree to which the Shishya is able to surrender his or her life to the guru will depend upon the worldly responsibilities carried by the Shishya. Someone who is committed to family life, and perhaps works in some line of business, will tend to be unable to display the same degree of devotion as someone who has taken the vow of a Sanyasi (someone who has declared his entire life dedicated to devotion to spiritual attainment.)
That is why different level of initiations is available for different disciples.
The `householder`, having obligations outside of his or her relationship with the guru, may become a karma-Samnyasi. He will be the one who engages in so-called `worldly` activities though his or her intention is aimed towards a spiritual goal. Rather than serving the guru directly, the karma-Sannyasin will tend to donate a proportion of his or her income to the guru, whether in the form of money, food or property, such an offering being termed Dakshina. It is largely by means of such gifts that gurus have been able to survive economically.
This automatically arise the question of possibility of Shishya`s vulnerability to exploitation by unscrupulous pseudo-gurus. Satyasangananda remarks that, if a disciple is exploited, the guru alone will incur the karmic repercussions and therefore the Shishya has nothing to worry about.
However, such declarations provide little reassurance to the seekers to higher light. It is not always feasible to use the doctrine of karma to suppress genuine feelings of injustice.
Therefore, it is perhaps wise for Shishyas to retain some sense of discernment until the ability and authenticity of the teacher have been estimated.
It is through this intense and intimate pedagogical relationship that Indian spiritual philosophy and practice have traditionally been passed on. The relationship is based on the authority of the guru. This authority deriving more from personal spiritual attainment than from skills in intellectual argument.
In India, the most highly respected of philosophers have tended to be gurus, sages and mystics. They were the icons that have combined ancient knowledge and profound wisdom with benevolent and virtuous deeds.
In Bhagavad Gita, The words of Krishna To Arjuna reflect this inbred significance of Gurus in attaining enlightenment:
"If you prostrate at their feet, render them service, and question them with an open and guileless heart, those wise seers of Truth will instruct you in that Knowledge."
It is very firmly within this setting of the guru-Shishya relationship that hatha-yoga is rooted.
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