Table of Contents

1. Introduction to the path of Guru’s grace

2. Definition of Path of Guru’s Grace

3. Importance of the path of Guru’s grace

3.1 Time to progress

3.2 Progressing beyond a certain level

4. How does Guru's grace function

5. Spiritual practice according to the Path of Guru's grace

In order to better understand this article, please do study – Who is a Guru?

1. Introduction to the path of Guru’s grace

While there are many generic paths to God, the Path of The Guru’s Grace (Gurukrupaayoga) is most important from the point of view of achieving the ultimate in spiritual evolution. In every aspect of life it is best if we have a guide or a teacher to understand, learn and progress. Making spiritual progress too is no exception to this Universal rule and it is only by the grace of the eternal Guru Principle (the Teaching Principle of God) acting through a Guru in human form that a student makes rapid spiritual progress.

No matter what spiritual path we are on, if we try and do it on our own, we can reach only up to a particular spiritual level. Beyond this, the Guru’s grace is an absolute necessity to take us to the next level.



2. Definition of Path of Guru’s Grace

The word krupaa has been derived from the Sanskrit word ‘krup’ which means to be compassionate. Krupaa denotes compassion, initiation or a blessing. Accordingly Gurukrupaayoga is the spiritual path where through the Guru’s grace the embodied soul is united with God.



3. Importance of the path of Guru’s grace

3.1 Time to progress

The most important advantage of following the path of the Guru’s grace is the time taken to grow spiritually. By serving a Guru’s mission of spreading Spirituality a seeker acquire His grace and makes rapid spiritual progress. While there is no worldly comparison that can compare to acquiring a Guru’s grace the following example helps in understanding the spirit of the previous sentence. Imagine a student who is poor but by sheer hard work catches the eye of a billionaire who then gives him a scholarship to a top university and takes care of his future career prospects. Just a student would be saved from years of making a slow climb up the corporate ladder so also a seeker of God who earns the grace of a Guru bypasses years of spiritual practice in any other spiritual path.

With spiritual practice through any other path, one makes progress on an average at the rate of 0.25% per year. If one undertakes spiritual practice as advised by the Guru then one can make progress of up to 2-3 % annually. If a disciple is able to acquire the grace of the Guru, then spiritual progress of even 5-8% per year is possible.

3.2 Progressing beyond a certain level

There is a well known saying in Sanskrit: ‘Gurukrupaa he kevalam shishyaparamangalam’. It means that only by the grace of the Guru can the disciple attain his ultimate benefaction that is spiritual progress.

It is impossible to reach the level of a Saint (i.e. the 70% spiritual level) and dissolve one’s mind and intellect unless one has the grace of a Guru.

No matter what spiritual path one follows, other than the Path of Guru’s Grace (Gurukrupâyoga) no path can purify the mental, causal and supracausal bodies 100%. Consequently none of these paths have the capacity to make one attain the Final Liberation (Moksha).

Other spiritual paths such as Path of Action, Path of Knowledge and Path of Devotion are significant in a seeker’s life only till one is blessed by a Guru. Thereafter since the disciple undertakes only the spiritual practice as advised by the Guru, only the path of Guru’s grace remains. All Paths to God finally culminate in a seeker acquiring the grace of a Guru to finally merge into God.



4. How does Guru’s grace function

The Guru’s grace can function through 2 mechanisms:

Resolve (Sankalpa): Only when a Guru makes a resolve ‘May this disciple progress spiritually’ does the disciple make real spiritual progress. This itself is termed as the Guru’s grace (Gurukrupaa). Even a mere thought like ‘May it occur’ in the mind of the Guru is sufficient for the occurrence of an event. Nothing else is required. However, this is possible only in the case of a Saint whose spiritual level exceeds 80%. Sankalp for Gurus at the spiritual level of 70% is mostly limited to worldly help for their disciples.

Presence (Astitva): Mere presence, proximity or company of the Guru is sufficient for a disciple’s spiritual practice and progress to occur automatically. A good example to illustrate this is the Sun which awakens everyone and makes the flowers bloom, when it rises. This happens simply with its existence. The sun does not ask anyone to wake up or the flowers to bloom. The mission of a Guru of a spiritual level of more than 90% is of this nature.



5. Spiritual practice according to the Path of Guru’s grace

SSRF recommends the Path of the Guru’s grace to make rapid spiritual progress in this lifetime itself and to take advantage of the current times that are very conducive for spiritual growth.

The Path of the Guru’s Grace comprises of the following 8 practices




We have provided more detailed information on this on our spiritual practice page.



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