Acharya Vaani
shrImadAnandatIrthArya mukhanissR^itaM
guNAdhikaM guruM prApya taddhInaM nApnuyAtkvacit |
viparyayastu kartavyaH sarvathA shubhamicChatA || A.V 3.3.28
It has been said that listening to the scriptures from a guru is essential for gaining knowledge. But do we need to listen to the same guru or can we go to a different guru by leaving the previous one? To this question some reply thus - as per the saying “gurumantraparityAgI rauravaM narakaM vrajet - one who leaves a guru or the chanting of a mantra to which he was initiated will go to the hell called raurava”, we come to know that one should never leave a guru. To this we reply, if that is the case, then the spiritual progress of the disciple is hindered. He will have no way to clear his doubts and gain knowledge. Therefore, those wishing to progress spiritually by way of clearing their doubts and misunderstandings can leave the former guru and learn from another if he is more qualified than the previous guru. But what about the statement which says that leaving a pervious guru will cause raurava naraka? The statement applies only to those who leave a superior guru and go to a lesser one. Therefore one should never leave a superior guru and go to a lesser one. Such persons will fall to the raurava naraka.
If leaving a lesser guru and going to a superior one is for the sake of spritual progress, then can one leave a superior guru if he is not giving spiritual instructions and go to a lesser guru who is willing to give spiritual instructions? Yes. One may do so as it will help in one’s spiritual development. But it was previously said that leaving a superior guru would result in raurava naraka. Now, it is being said that one may leave even a superior guru and go to a lesser one. Aren’t these two statements contradictory? No. What we said previously is that one should not leave a superior guru and go to a lesser one even if the superior guru is willing to give spiritual instructions. Here we are saying that one can leave a superior guru if he is not willing to give spiritual instructions. Therefore there is no contradiction.
