On YouTube
What is real devotion to the Guru? || Acharya Prashant (2018)
Acharya Prashant
769 views
7 years ago
Surrender
Devotion
Guru
Kabir Saheb
Karma
Absolute
Ego
Refinement
Description

Acharya Prashant explains that surrender is not a superficial act of chanting or reciting names while ignoring one's duties. He uses the analogy of a servant who chants his master's name instead of following instructions to illustrate that true devotion is not about lip service but about alignment with the master's will. He clarifies that for a realized being like Kabir Saheb, all experiences become ordinary because they are rooted in the extraordinary. Surrender is not a cheap or easy escape; it requires being immersed in one's true self so that the ups and downs of life no longer disturb one's inner state. Real devotion to a guru is defined as being devoted to the best within oneself. Acharya Prashant advises being true to one's current convictions while remaining open to constant refinement, as the ego-driven mind can only perceive an approximate version of the truth. He emphasizes a dual approach: standing by one's current understanding while acknowledging it is not the absolute truth. This prevents stubbornness and allows for gradual, incremental progress. He warns against using the concept of the absolute as an excuse to avoid relative progress, noting that one must stretch their limited abilities to the fullest to live in fullness. Regarding action or karma, Acharya Prashant states that the quality of action depends on its source and intention. Actions arising from limitations only serve to preserve those limitations, leading to suffering. Conversely, actions inspired by the vastness of the heart do not seek future rewards or fruits. When one acts from this vastness, the action itself is sufficient, liberating the individual from the burden of the future and the accumulation of mental residue. This state of being allows one to live freely, settling all accounts in the present moment.