Narada

Narada is known to be mesmerized by Hari. Yet, he was once given a smaller seat as compared to the other Gods in an assembly. He asked his father, Bramha as to why was he given a lower seat today. Bramha laughed and replied, “O Narada, you are a great devotee of Narayana, but you have never had a Guru; no Guru Mantra. Hence, your seat is so low.”

Narada vowed that the first face he sees at dawn will be accepted as his Guru. In the early morning he opened the door and saw an old fisherman with a net on his shoulder and the pole of the net in his hand. Immediately, Narada ran to him and touched his feet asking for initiation. The fisherman was taken aback. He said, “Narad Rishi, you are a great devotee of Narayana; I am only a low caste fisherman. How can I initiate you? I myself have no initiation. What mantra do I give you?”

Narada replied, “Give me your mind Guruji!” Whatever word the Guru speaks, if there is complete faith in that word, then that word is verily the best mantra. Here, the catch is that the mantra has to be given, blind repetition can be disastrous! The fisherman thought to himself and then said, "But I don’t know anything else. I just throw the nets at the pond, swinging them around my head, singing, ‘Hari Bol, Hari Bol!’ This is what we fishermen sing when we throw the nets to catch fish." Narada Rishi said calmly, "Okay, give me that very one," and he leaned forward to receive the mantra. Then the fisherman said, "Hari Bol! Hari Bol! Hari Bol!" He said it three times and then left. Narada bowed to his Guru.

During the next assembly, Narada was given a higher seat as he had received Deeksha. The Gods urged Narada to show them who his Guru was. Narada went to the fisherman and got him to the assembly. The Gods were astonished as Narada lay in Shastang Pranam. Guru Pranam is Shastang Pranam. All the Gods bowed down to Narada’s Guru. As they bowed, they realized that the fisherman was no longer a fisherman. It was Shankar! And the net was Maya’s illusion. It showed that Maya is the tool used by Shiva. We shall be free when the “I’ ceases to be. That “I” is the weaving of the illusionary net.

Guru is the one who lacks ignorance. When the disciple is ripe he/she can give the Guru the best Gurudakshina. "There are gurus by the thousands, but a real disciple is rare." The biggest Gurudakshina is waking up to the truth the Guru has given.