Guru and Sadguru - renderings from 'Diksha'

Guru and Sadguru-written by Pt. Gopinath Kaviraj and Hindi translation by Vishvanath Mujharjee.

 Guru is provider of real knowledge. But this knowledge is also of two kind, one is evident(प्रत्यक्ष) and other is in-evident(परोक्ष). In the realm of spirituality two words are oft repeated, one is Guru(गुरु) and other is Sadguru(सदगुरु). In general point of view, both are same i.e. when we say Guru, we must understand it as Sadguru only because a Sadguru can never be Asadguru(असदगुरु). If complete truth represents form of unfragmented truth, then person by whose grace such truth is provided to the disciple is known as Sadguru. The fragmented part of the unfragmented(अखण्ड) truth(सत्य) though is not different from it, but still at the level of intellect one has to understand it a little differently. Those who sermonize this part of truth, are known as Guru or Khand Guru(खण्ड गुरु). 

Whole creation is created by Maya or illusion. Impure creation is from impure maya and Pure creation manifests, which though is not creation but still counted as one, from pure maya. At the base of impure creation is attachment and at the base of pure creation is Vidya or knowledge represented by Shakti and Anand or bliss. Vishudh Atmaswaroop (विशुद्ध आत्मस्वरूप) which is beyond the manifested creation but it still abounds in it everywhere. This alone is complete truth. Its imagined fragmented form is experienced as attachment in the impure world and as shakti and anand in pure world. To achieve the purest form of Atma one has to transcend both impure and pure creation. After this when Shakti develops fully, then the ignorance of difference between atma (individual soul) and Parmatama (cosmic soul) will wither away and ONENESS  will be experienced. 

Freedom from pain is the first thing to be provided by guru to disciple. In the mayic creation, due to his understanding of himself as different from the source and thinking himself as the doer, a jeev is performing karmas and experiencing their fruits again and again in the cycles of birth and death. Above us the divine realm (देव लोक) and below the real of tiryak (तिर्यक), in between a jeev keeps on moving all the time due to his misunderstanding. Till the conscious atma will not realize itself, it will keep on moving in the above cycle. Those who by their grace provide knowledge by which one gets free of above ignorance are known as Guru. This is  knowledge is known as Vivek or discrimination. The purest form of this discrimination established one in the realm  form of Atma. This is known as Kaivalya or mukti. But this is not the ultimate goal of spiritual life. After getting free of pains of mayic creation also one can not attain freedom or mukti. Because even after establishment in Kaivalya, Maheshwar tattva is not achieved by atma. For that the power of Shakti inside has to attain its full potential, till that happens Shiv will remain Shav but when that is attained then the difference between Shiv and Shakti disappears and oneness is seen. At this moment Jeev, Shiv and Shakti all three appear as one, this alone is complete form of Atma. One who helps attain THIS state is known as SADGURU.........Om!