Page 247 - Basic Writings of Sriramchandra

Reality at Dawn - The Guru
found in our Shastras. It is only an ingenuity on the part of these teachers of religion. I hold it to be the birth right of every man to break off from his Guru at any time if he finds that he had made a wrong selection or had misjudged the Guru’s capacity or worth. He is also free to seek another Guru if at any stage he finds that his Guru has not the capacity to take him beyond what he has already acquired. On the other hand a con-scientious Guru must himself, under the circumstances, direct his disciple to seek another, more advanced and better qualified, so that the disciple may not in any way suffer progress. This is the sacred duty of a true and selfless Guru. If, however, permission to break off, sought for by the disciple, is denied by the Guru on account of his selfish motives, the disciple is at liberty to break off from him at once and seek another. No moral or religious law ever forbids him from doing so.
A little advanced among the class of Gurus are considered to be those who teach and preach on the basis of their knowledge of the Shastras and other holy books. They have established orders and Ashrams where they enjoy a kingly position among their followers. They go out and address large audiences telling them what to do and what not to do and explaining to them problems concerning Maya, Jiva and Brahma. People flock to them in thousands to hear their sermons admiring their high ideas and extensive knowledge and regard them as great Mahatmas or saints. They ask them numerous intricate
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