I have resumed writing a commentary on the Chidakasha Gita of Paramhansa Nityananda, a most amazing spiritual document containing the teachings of one of the greatest siddhas in modern times and a master of the Nath Yogi tradition.

I would like to share with you a part of what I last wrote.

In one section of the Chidakasha Gita Nityanandaji says:

“It is impossible to describe Shivashakti (energy of Shiva). Only those who have experienced it can describe what it is. Without experience, it is impossible to describe what Shivashakti is. Men of book knowledge cannot describe it. But those who have the knowledge of the atman can describe it.”

Usually in contemporary writings “Shivashakti” means both the consciousness and energy of Shiva the Infinite, usually depicted as god and goddess together just as Lakshmi-Narayan, Sita-Rama and Radha-Krishna. But here Nityananda is speaking of the shakti or power of Shiva which is really Shiva in extension. Shivashakti is the totality of life and life forms. There is nothing outside its domain, but when the yogis use the term they mean the spiritual power whose interior action accomplishes the perfection of the yogi, changing him into a siddha.

Without the action of Shivashakti in our life there can be no evolution, no liberation. Even the idea of liberation cannot arise in the mind except through Shivashakti. Authentic spiritual consciousness and practice are manifestations of Shivashakti which has become awakened in the yogi. Shivashakti is the beginning, middle and end of the yogic process. Obviously only those who have attained siddhi have the capability of even explaining or describing it.

Teaching the Way

There is a very important principle implied here. A true siddha does not just act in an inexplicable or apparently supernatural way to the wonder of those around him. Rather he teaches and makes clear the path to perfect realization because his interest is in enabling his hearers to attain exactly what he has attained.

If we visit ashrams in India what we usually find is one person who is the jewel in the lotus, a giant being served and adulated by adoring pygmies who themselves never become anything. Miraculous things are related to prove the jewel’s worth, but none of the followers ever get anywhere.

The proof of a true guru–who is almost as rare as an avatar–is his imparting freely to those around him both awakening of consciousness and instruction in the yoga that bestows liberation. Swami Sivananda Saraswati was such a one. Many of his disciples became great enlightened beings. I met several myself.

Candles imparting Light

In the nineteenth century the proof of the enlightened status of Yogiraj Shyama Charan Lahiri Mahasaya was the number of disciples who became siddhas themselves. Just as a candle can light other candles, so a true guru does the same spiritually.

One time Dr. Lewis, the first American disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, went to visit his guru in California. He arrived in the evening at the hermitage in Encinitas and Yogananda cooked dinner for him. He ate the food and talked with the master, then went to his room. But his mind was flying so high in the sky of consciousness that he could not sleep, and meditated throughout the whole night. When he told Yoganandaji about it the next day, Yogananda nodded and said that when he had cooked the food he had been very absorbed in God. A true guru can impart consciousness even in such an unexpected way.

One time Sri Ramakrishna said to his disciple, Prasanna, the future Swami Vijnananda, “Let’s have a wrestling match.” Prasanna was very athletic and liked sports, including wrestling, so he agreed. Sri Ramakrishna stood against the wall of his room and Prasanna took hold of his wrists. Suddenly a tremendous wave of bliss rolled over and into him, and Sri Ramakrishna smiled and said: “You win!”

Swami Sivananda as an example

I urge you to obtain and carefully read Sivananda Yoga by Swami Venkateshananda whom I was privileged to meet and observe with awe. When we met the great master Sivananda had left the body six years previously. We were sitting together with several of Sivananda’s disciples, all of whom were worthy of the highest reverence. Naturally the subject of our conversation was our beloved Sivanandaji. We were united in heart and soul in the glory that was Sivananda Saraswati.

In Venkateshanandaji’s book he presents what a true guru is and does. The most important is the guru’s ability to communicate his consciousness to another. It may be only momentary or because of the disciple’s capacity lasting for a long time, even a lifetime. I do not mean that they were awed or felt love or anything like that. That would be Sivananda-centered. What Sivananda imparted was awareness of the Self. In his light he revealed the disciple’s light. This is not easy to understand, but it can certainly be experienced.

One of Sivananda’s unique characteristics was the fact that when you entered his presence you became deeply aware of yourself. Your mind became illuminated with Self-perception. Although Sivananda was glorious and for me God in flesh, yet I tell you that I never lost my self-awareness or became absorbed in him. Rather, I saw him with the eye of my eternal essence. Never for a moment did I lose self-awareness as happens with those I call “glitter gurus.” Rather, by means of my deepened perceptions I could comprehend that his greatness was beyond my comprehension!

There are many very pure and highly evolved people who in their sincere compassion for others are willing to take up the role of guru. But it does not work. On both sides, guru and disciple, sincerity may be undoubted, but the person thought to be guru cannot do what a true guru does easily: transference of consciousness and opening of atmic awareness. It is beyond high and low, inside and out, because the Self is beyond all these things.

Gurus true and false

This is why I warn people away from becoming a disciple of someone that is not really a guru, however holy and highly evolved they may be. Until you are there, you are not there. And to attempt to do for others what only a siddha can do is to harm both oneself and the erstwhile disciple.

An aspiring individual can have many teachers to his benefit, but he cheats himself if he connects with a guru that may work miracles and seem omniscient, but is not perfectly God-realized. In India and in their world tours you can find many fools and frauds that claim to be yogis, and also good souls that are not at fault. Having not had a true guru themselves, they do not realize that their present status prevents them right now from being a true guru themselves.

When my friend, Dr. Mukherji, met his guru, Swami Purnananda, a disciple of Mahavatar Babaji, he asked to become his disciple. “No,” said Purnananda, “you do not know me. First you must get to know me thoroughly. Then we can talk about initiation.” For three years Dr. Mukherhji spent at much time as possible at Purnanandaji’s ashram. Then he became his disciple–a true disciple of a true guru. I wish you could have met Dr. Mukherji. He lived in the highest consciousness, yet was so loving and approachable. His experiential knowledge of yoga practice and experience was vast. The hours we spent together with him generously sharing his bounty were among the most blessed and happy of my life.

A true guru does not just impress: he transforms. Then the aspirant is qualified to follow the path of Self-realization and the guru shows the way and the disciple attains everything, becoming himself what the guru was before him. And let me assure you that a true guru never “sells” himself and never lets his followers do so, either.

I apologize for this being so long, but the subject is so serious I could not write less. I have seen friends and acquaintances led astray and harmed, usually permanently, by being connected with someone who was no guru, however sincere both “guru” and disciple were.

Yours in the Light of the Spirit, the Atma Jyoti,

Abbot George Burke

(Swami Nirmalananda Giri)

• Who is God?
• Meditation
• The Yoga Life
• Saints and spiritual figures I have met.