CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

 

GURUDEV

 

(The Astral or Self-Luminous Form of the Master)

 

 

THE TERM Dev is derived from the Sanskrit root Div

meaning "Light." The words Guru Dev are therefore used

to denote the astral or luminous form of the Master as

he appears in astral regions, after leaving the physical

plane to guide the spirit as it transcends the physical body.

 

Theosophical literature refers to the luster of Master

Souls in subtle and causal planes extending for miles

and miles. Tulsi Sahib likewise tells us that the nails of

the Guru's feet shine like Mani (a crest jewel in the head

of a toad that shines forth like a flashlight in darkness).

This astral light bestows vision to the third eye.

 

Blinding Light flashes forth from the nails of

the Master's Feet and illumines the very soul

of the devotee.

 

Maulana Rumi speaks of It:

 

As the Light of the Master dawns in the soul,

one gets to know the secrets of both worlds.

 

A real Guru is the true manifestation of God. He is, in

fact, Satguru or Master of Truth, and manifests in the

world the Light of Truth.

 

O Nanak! Guru is the Satguru; I would like

to touch the Feet of the Satguru.

 

The term Guru Dev, therefore, signifies the self-luminous

form of the Master, which is free from and far above

his physical body, and which the spirit actually perceives

with its inner subtle Light. When the spirit comes face

to face with the astral Master, all doubts vanish and its

labors get the crowning reward - the summum bonum

of life.

 

Guru Dev gives vision to the eyes. All doubts

become airy nothings and love's labor

receives its crowning glory.

 

Jesus Christ in the Gospel speaks thus:

 

If therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body

shall be full of light.

 

MATTHEW 6:22

 

Guru Arjan tells us that the Blessed Form of the Master

manifests itself in the forehead of a devotee.

 

The Blessed Form of the Master is in my forehead.

Whenever I peep within I see him there.

 

A Muslim Divine also speaks like this:

 

The image of the Beloved is in the mirror of

my very heart. I see him with just a little

turn of the head downward.

 

It is this astral or self-luminous form of the Master that

leads a spirit Godward. through various planes intervening

between the physical plane and Sat Lok or the Region of

Truth. There is no distinction between Guru and Guru Dev

and Satguru and God.

 

It is one and the same current of divine compassion

that assumes different names at different regions.

 

Following the law of similitude, the Divine Current as

It materializes on the physical plane for the benefit of the

aspirants is called Guru or Master, who by word of

mouth imparts the spiritual instructions as any other

teacher would do.

 

As the spirit of an aspirant leaves the body and is

ready for the journey in the astral or subtle planes, that

very Divine Current assumes a subtle form for the soul's

benefit and guidance.

 

This subtle form disengaged from the bodily form of

the Guru is termed Guru Dev. It is self-luminous and

lustrous with Light extending over miles and miles.

Satguru or the Master of Truth is the Power of Truth or

God that works through both Guru and Guru Dev. With

roots firmly embedded in Sat or Truth, he directly

derives his inspiration from the eternal and unchangeable

permanence, Sat, hence is known as Satguru.

 

Thus we see how the Sat Dhara or the current from

Sat flows down, creating regions upon regions far below,

ending with the physical plane.

 

It is this very current that also helps in taking the

jivas back home, and is differently known as Guru, Guru

Dev and Satguru, at different places, until the very roots

of Sat are reached, and here the spirit cries out in

wonder Wah-i-Guru, which means, "What a glory is thine,

O Guru!"

 

Indescribable and beyond comprehension! So we have

in Gurbani:

 

Guru Dev is Satguru, Par Brahm, and Parmeshwar.

O Nanak! a Salutation to Guru Dev is

Salutation to Hari or God.

 

This very Sat or Truth is at one with the Guru as he

works on the physical plane. Hence, it is said:

 

Blessed is the physical form of the Master, filled

as it is to the brim with full power from above.

 

The Greatness of the Master is indescribable

and beyond all comprehension, for he is Par

Brahm, Parmeshwar, beyond perception and

knowledge.

 

Guru Dev can neither be known nor measured.

By following the instructions one can penetrate

far into the mysteries of the past, the

present, and the future. It is through his

sheer Grace that one begins to know something

of the unknown and the unknowable.

 

In the physical, world he works and acts like a Guru or

Master; but when a jiva after some spiritual practice and

discipline is ready to leave the Pind or body and is about

to enter And (the subtle plane), the Guru comes to his

aid in subtle shining form as his Guru Dev. Here he

works as a connecting link between Guru and Satguru

for he takes over the charge of a spirit from the Guru

in the body, and leads her across to Satguru and Sat

Purush.

 

Guru Dev meets and greets the spirit as it crosses the

border lying between the physical and subtle regions by

passing through the stars, the sun and the moon, spoken

of in the Vedas as Devian and Pitrian Margs (Paths).

This astral form is exactly like the physical form of the

Master, but much more beautiful, luminous, and magnetic.

 

Maulana Rumi tells us:

 

Should you desire to see this refulgent Light,

turn homeward like Ibrahim. Pass through

the big star and the sky and the blue beyond.

Steadily walk over the sun and the moon,

and then you will find yourself in the

heavenly Presence.

 

Guru Nanak refers to this illuminated path, thus:

 

The Luminous Form of the Master is wondrously

enrapturing and enchanting. Only a Perfect

Master can manifest this to a spirit.

 

This lustrous form of the Master always accompanies a

spirit in the various planes, ending with Sach Khand

or the Home of Truth. When his luminous form descends

to the focus of the eyes, a devotee has nothing

more to strive for. Herein lies the devotion of the

devotee. Half his success has been achieved, and hereafter

the Master's astral form takes over the charge of the

spirit with full responsibility for leading it to the final

goal. Even the Saints also adore this form and derive

ecstatic delight from it.

 

The Blessed Feet of the Beloved Guru Dev are

worshiped by the Saints, the beloved of

God.

 

Khwaja Moeen-ud-Din Chisti also talks of the Luminous

Form of the Master:

 

O Master! The sun cannot stand the resplendence

of Thy Face.

The moon also has covered herself with clouds

to escape Thy Dazzling Light.

The sun having borrowed his brilliance from

the dust of Thy Feet has pitched his golden

pavilion on the blue sky. If a single ray of

Thy Face were to shoot forth into the sky,

the sun would in shame go behind a veil. In

the very Person of the Nabi (Prophet), the

Light of God has taken up a material form

just as the light of the sun does in the body

of the moon.

 

Maulana Rumi also refers to the lustrous form of his

Master thus:

 

What dost thou know of the King of Kings that

keeps me company?

Cast thou a glance within me and be not deceived

by my outer appearance.

 

St. John has similarly described in the Bible his experience

with the Luminous Form within:

 

I was in the Spirit ... and heard behind me a

great voice, as of a trumpet,...

And I turned to see the voice that spake with

me. And being turned, I saw ... one like

unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment

down to the foot, and girt about the paps

with a golden girdle.

His head and hairs were white like wool, as

white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame

of fire;

And his feet were like unto fine brass, as if they

burned in a furnace; and his voice as the

sound of many waters....

And his countenance was as the sun shineth

in his strength.

 

REVELATION 1:10, 12-16

 

After this I looked, and, behold, a door was

opened in heaven: and the first voice which

I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking

with me; which said, Come up hither, and I

will show thee things which must be hereafter.

 

REVELATION 4:1

 

In the Sar Bachan of Swami Ji Maharaj, we have a

similar reference:

 

Wondrous strange was the Form; No words

could this Glory write.

 

Hafiz, a mystical poet of great reknown, tells us:

 

Like the newborn moon the pure of sight may

see;

His Glory would not manifest to every eye.

 

The astral form of the Master Soul is unchangeable

and permanent. It is the form that guides aspirants to

their goal.

 

Guru Dev is in the beginning of creation. He is

in the beginning of each age and continues

from age to age. Through Guru Dev alone

can one reach Hari.

 

Guru Arjan speaks of Guru Dev:

 

Salutations to Guru Eternal (Har Rai)

Salutations to Guru of the Age (Sat Purush or

Ram Rai);

Salutations to Satguru (the manifestation of

Sat Purush); and

Salutations to Guru Dev (the Refulgent and

Self-Luminous Form of the Guru, the

connecting link between Guru and Satguru,

responsible for guiding and leading a spirit

through various planes).

 

Guru Dev is the greatest and highest manifestation of

Sat Purush. He is the controlling power of God and can

grant salvation. By devotion to him one gets all comfort.

 

Nothing but Sat is Guru Dev; false is all worship

apart from his.

 

Guru Arjan in his memorable words sings of the

greatness of Guru Dev thus:

 

Gurudeva is father; Gurudeva is mother; and

he is the Master and God Himself;

Gurudeva is a real friend; dispeller of dark

ignorance and breaker of all ties;

Gurudeva is the bestower of Naam, an

incantation of which chases away all evils;

Gurudeva is the embodiment of peace, truth

and intelligence, and truly a philosopher's

stone;

Gurudeva is a place of pilgrimage, fountain of

the Elixir of Life, and light of reason;

Gurudeva ordains everything, destroys sins and

purifies the sinners;

Gurudeva is ever eternal from the creation and

beginning of each age, and his Word has a

saving Grace;

Gurudeva is the greatest gift of God, which, if

granted, saves the worst sinners;

Gurudeva is Satguru, Par Brahm, and Parmeshwar.

Salutations to him, O Nanak.

 

Gurbani tells of the immense benefit that one enjoys on

meeting Guru Dev:

 

The five deadly sins-desire, anger, greed, infatuation,

and egoism - just vanish.

 

Myriads of Karmic impressions of countless ages are

destroyed. He pulls a jiva from body and mind

consciousness and ushers it into cosmic awareness, where

it no longer experiences the fires of the world in which

the entire humanity is trapped.

 

Even in the world all the soul's desires are fulfilled.

His course is soft and smooth thereafter, and receive

acclamations from every side.

 

In this Kali Yuga (Iron Age) of iniquity and darkness

Guru Dev serves as a beacon light on the storm sea of life,

and safely pilots sinners to the Heaven of peace and bliss.

A saved soul in its turn pulls along all who are near and

dear to it.

 

The manifestation of Guru Dev depends purely on the grace

of God and one's special merits in one's progress on the

spiritual path.