Hindus-How will you recognise a true saint ie distinguish him from the numerous bogus guru's that are there

Question

in todays time?

DEAR JITENDRA THIS IS ONLY FOR YOU- A GURU CAN NOT AND MUST NOT BE JUDGED. THE QUESTION HERE IS HOW CAN WE RECOGNISE A TRUE SAINT-SIMPLE

Answer 1

Very difficult. But i think if we meditate and progress a little we will know just by seeing a good saint that he is real

His holy vibrations will fill you and you will know who he is.

jai mata di

Answer 2

The main thing is that a true saint is always a true saint from his birth, now we were not there when he was born though..lol,
he doesnt need to prove it coz his very presence can give us a clue to this very true fact. Like, when we hear of a saint we dont know if he is bogus or genuine, there r many people who can deliberately make us believe by their stories that so n so is great... but when we come face to face with a true saint, we really dont remember what others say be it good or bad, it is our own divine experience that is the proof coz of the effect of his divine Aura that he has through his Saadhana that obviously a bogus guru wont have..
:))

Answer 3

The very first clue is what you feel in their prescence. They have no egos and express pure love towards all. They do not waste time talking of worldly/materialistic things and speak only wise and loving words, nothing negative. You can see it in their eyes and what you feel when they touch or speak to you. Their actions speaks volumes. Are they walking the talk? How much care and love do they show for others.

Also the word "saint" is a whole lot different than a "True Master." Saints could be normal people just like you and me and became or almost became enlightened later on in their life or may not be enlightened at all and still considered a saint because of their works for humanity.

A True Master does not have a drop of ego. They were born a pure soul, born enlightened. They know all of the knowledge, wisdom and mysteries of the universe. They are not bound by time and distance.

So it really depends on what the individual is looking for. If the individual is looking for serious spiritual growth towards liberation, then a True Master is needed for that. One must study previous Masters, read about their life stories, their teachings and their accomplishments to get an idea of the main qualities of a Master. That way that individual can recognize a True Master when they meet one as opposed to following a lower guru that is not enlightened and still has ego. A person like that has limitations and cannot take you all the way to God. It's a waste of time. A True Master is the freeway towards God.

Education is the key here. It made all the difference for me. That is how I was able to recognize a True Master when I was looking for one to study under. It gave me absolutely no doubt to know that Mata Amritanandamayi was a True Master because my prior knowledge of the many Indian saints and sages which I had been reading about for many years allowed me to really see them with my eyes.

Even those who know nothing about spirituality and saints or Masters may not even recognize one walking past them because it takes an open heart and open mind to "see" them.

There was a story that Amma told Her devotees. One day a guru was travelling with his devotees. They all dressed a like with the same hair style and color of dress. They stopped in a field to have some tea. As they were all sitting around having tea, a man happened to walk by them. He ran straight for the guru and offered his pranams to him. The devotees were puzzled at how he was able to distinguish the guru from them as they all looked alike. Plus the guru wasn't even talking at all, just only drinking tea. So they asked the man how he was able to recognize their guru right away.

He explained that it was the way the guru held the cup as if it was his own child. He had such love emanating from him through his actions. A true saint/master will treat all living and nonliving beings with love as if they are children. I've seen this in Amma's actions the way she interacts with nonliving objects. She acts like a humble servant even to just a box.

I recommend reading "Swami Satchidananda", "Autobiography of a Yogi", "Mother Meera", "Ammachi A Biography of Mata Amritanandamayi", and "Surfing the Himalayas."

Answer 4

A true saint can empower others with the spark of a genuine love of God, not bogus love of God, but the real deal as in a hunger to know and love God above all else.

A real deal saint could care less if you love him or not, he or she just want you to love God without ANYTHING else in return.

I have to mention, that when we see a REALLY saintly person, he will appear to be INTENSELY compassionate.

And it will be very genuine.

That's actually the meaning of the Buddhist word for a saintly person... Bodhisattva.

That's a saints job, 24/7/365 with no days off... compassion for the suffering.

Answer 5

According to Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada in the book The Science of Self realization, he gives a wonderful explanation of a pure Guru and how not to be cheated by false gurus. A pure Guru never says he is God. He never says there is no God. He only says he is the servant of God. He or she only repeats what the previous acharayas have written. He never gives his own interpretation of the Scriptures. He or she only leads others to service to God. He or She is a transparent Vayamedia to God, meaning that they offer any worship that is given to them directly to God. (They don't accept the worship to themselves)Though we should give all worship to the Guru as the ambassador of the spiritual world and giver of God Consciousness, Guru then offers that worship to God. Guru never becomes God. God is always God. God never forgets Himself. A guru should immediately stop their disciples who proclaim that the guru is God. If the guru doesn't stop them then the guru is wanting to be put on a platform higher than they are.That type of guru should be rejected. Anyone who shows mystic powers like making gold appear or ashes or whatever to get follower is not a pure guru. A pure guru is in a pure unbroken disciplic lineage stemming all the way from the appearance of The Lord. Don't be cheated by false gurus. One should reject immediately a false guru other wise they will be cheated and loose the greatest opportunity of actual self realization.

Answer 6

I will recognize a saint from HIS loing aura...If HE is really a great saint then HE will be loving towards all religions...Because a SAINT has nothing to do with religion...HE is beyond religion...HE will love the people belonging to all religions...


bogus gurus are concentrating their own religion, and they want to spread their own religion..They are still in the grip of religion..They cannot digest the person belonging to other religions...

It is very easy to recognise a bogus guru...not difficult at all...

Answer 7

There is a verse in a book by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's close associate, called Upadeshamrita or The Nectar of Instruction.
The first verse says

"vaco vegam, manasah krodha vegam, jiva vegam, uddharopastha vegam, etan vegam jo vishaheta dhira, sarvam apimam prithivim sa sisyat."

It means that

1. The person who has full control over his speech, (never critisizes others or talks about mundane topics)
2. His mind is completely controled and absorbed in God.
3. He doesn't become angry, because of being personally insulted
4. He has full control of His tongue, never eating for selfish sense enjoyment or eating more than is required for the maintainance of the body
5. He does not over eat.
6. He has full control over his genitals.

All these must be accompanied by the quality of dhira or gentle peacefulness inspite of controling all his senses. He is never agitated.

This person is qualified to make diciples all over the whole world.

NO lusty persons
NO angry persons
NO disturbed persons
NO envious persons
NO greedy persons
NO persons who speak about topics other than Godly topics

etc etc.

There are (correct me if I am wrong now) 10 more verses explaining in depth, the nature of a pure lover of God, and how to benefit from their association.

Oh and yes this goes for "todays time"

Answer 8

Great question!

Who am I to judge but I would suggest looking out for somebody with these qualities:

Good knowledge and understanding of scriptures.
Control of senses and ego.
Calmness of mind.
Discriminates between the Real and unreal ( and hence has no material desires)
Communicates effectively through love.

I agree that the true answer may lie within yourself and your meditation may inform you.

Aum

Answer 9

Dear Aradhna

Sri Lalita Sahasranama 601-700

603) Sri Gurumurtih

— Of the Form of Guru.
— Leads devotee to Highest state of Liberation.

Sri Lalita Sahasranama
(Sri Lalita Sahasranama, C. S. Murthy, Assoc. Advertisers and Printers, 1989.)


"Satchidananda alone is the Guru. If a man in the form of a guru awakens spiritual consciousness in you, then know for certain that it is God the Absolute who has assumed that human form for your sake. The guru is like a companion who leads you by the hand. After realizing God, one loses the distinction between the guru and the disciple. The relationship between them remains as long as the disciple does not see God."

Sri Ramakrishna, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna
(Sri Ramakrishna, The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, 1958, p. 253.)



"Dakshinâmûrti, The Silent Guru Of Gurus
(by Adi Sankara).

vishvam darpanadrushyamânanagarîthulyam nijântargatam
pashyannâtmani mâyayâ bahirivodbhootam yathâ nidrayâ|
yah sâkshât kurutê prabôdhasamayê swâtmânamêvâdvayam
tasmai srî gurumûrtayê nama idam srî dakshinâmûrthayê ||

I offer my salutations to that beneficent Being who is incarnate as the Preceptor (Guru).
He, the Atman, appearing as the individual soul through the power of ignorance, sees (in the waking state) — as one does in sleep — the Universe,
Which in reality exists within himself, as something external, like a city seen reflected in a mirror.
But in his enlightened state he realises his own self, the one without a second.

yasyaiva sphuranam sadatmakamastakalpârthakam bhâsatê
sâkshât tatvamasîti vêdavachasâ yô bodhayatyâshritân |
yat sâkshât karanâdbhavênna punarâvrittirbhavâmbhônidhau
tasmai srî gurumûrtayê nama idam srî dakshinâmûrtayê ||

I offer my salutations to that beneficent Being who is incarnate as the Preceptor (Guru),
The light of whose absolute existence shines forth in the world of appearance,
Who imparts to the disciple the holy teaching 'That Thou Art',
Upon realising which the soul never again returns to the ocean of birth and death."

Answer 10

True Saint is always felt by closing eyes, and not by eyes open. If you stand before any true saint, when you close your eyes, you will feel close to him, you will feel his beautyful odour, you will see a sign of light in your closed eyes, like twinkling stars, clouds, or hearing of bell, flute, drums or cloud brusting, it all depends on you level of realising true saint. secondly you will hear these sounds from your right year only.
So you must beware of bogus gurus.

Answer 11

Well we can still learn something from bogus guru, too....

See if you can stay peaceful next to the guru,
and see if the so-called guru glorifies him/herself or glorifies God.
(I actually saw a fake guru who says he does not glorify himself, it took me years until be able to distinguish his teaching and his own life does not correspond - but I still could learn something from him. So, all is good~)

Fake guru is okay, but if you outgrow the fake guru you may be able to leave him/her any time! (Many people choose not to, since their ego as a member of that group grow, too, and that ego makes you stay. Then misery starts!)