Question

How do you feel that role of ancient guru has changed in present society?which qualities of ancient guru would you like to adopt as a teacher?why?

Answer 1

The role of the guru has changed because the qualities of the shishya have changed in present society. Everything today is geared for mass production. People want to obtain everything with ease and quickness. Shankaracharya had to make a long journey before he could find his guru. Not so today.

The modern shishya is also stuck in his own mindset, unwilling to learn anything new if it means it will take him away from the comfort of his own expectations and ideas. A successful ‘guru’ today has to pander to his disciples, giving them they want to have, teaching them what they want to hear, rather than truly enlightening them. Everything is commercialized now, and about making big money or obtaining temporal power. I am not saying all gurus or all disciples are like that today, just the ones that I have seen or heard about.