Question & Answer sessions with HH Sri Datta Vijayananda Teertha Swamiji – 2015
Devotees Mistakes ~ Guru forgives and yet is Strict
Question :
Guru is an ocean of compassion. He forever strives to guide His devotees along the right path, often forgiving their mistakes. When some devotees take for granted His forgiving nature, and arrogantly keep repeating their mistakes, does it not cause inconvenience to others? How would such person realize their mistakes if they are always being forgiven?
Answer :
People like that will be punished when required. Sadguru is not naive. One of the names of Siva is ‘Sahamaanaha’ as in “Namassahamaanaaya”. Sadguru tolerates mistakes deliberately and indulgently, expecting that sooner or later we will mend our ways. It is because He is tolerant, we survive. If Maha Rudra were to pierce us with His trident for every mistake we commit, no one will remain alive. The day we are born, we will be killed. It does not happen like that.
Lalita Sahasranama says God shows mercy for no reason. He wants to uplift souls. He sees not just this lifetime, but also past and future lifetimes. He knows everything. Systematically he inflicts punishment as one deserves, to prevent misdeeds from recurring.
Only an ignorant person keeps repeating mistakes because Guru is forgiving. It shows that Guru’s grace has not been obtained fully or is being let go negligently. Once forgiven, it is best not to repeat a mistake.
Guru may repeatedly forgive also, as in the story where he rescues a scorpion from the lake. The moment he picked it up, it stung him. He shook his hand and it fell in the water. He rescued it again and it stung. Soon it exhausted all its venom and was unable to sting any more. It is the nature of Guru to remove all the poison from a disciple. No matter how many times a devotee stings him, Guru remains unhurt because he is Siva and is immune to poison. You may feel happy you have stung Guru, but he feels no pain. Until you become cleansed, he will keep trying to improve you.
Mother Goddess herself has assumed a ferocious form and killed demons like Mahishasura, Sumbha and Nisumbha. They are after all her own Creation. But to protect her divine children when they become seriously outnumbered, she had to destroy the evil doers. Guru also assumes the role of angry Siva when it is time to punish. To assume that Guru will always forgive, is wrong. Guru punishes when the time comes, and the ultimate result is the wellbeing of all.
Concerning Guru, it is wrong to expect things to happen our way. We may view a person as bad, and expect that Swamiji would punish him severely. But Swamiji may feel otherwise. He is the judge. You are only a lawyer. You may present your case. But you have to accept his judgment without question. When you don’t, you get questions like this.
It is a good question.
Jaya Guru Datta