A devotee’s question: “If a sādhak (spiritual practitioner), sādhak means someone following this path of sādhana (spiritual practice), if a sādhak wants, can that sādhak do sādhana by themself without being under a prachārak (preacher)? What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing sādhana under a prachārak versus doing sādhana by myself, accepting Maharaj Ji as the Guru?”
Swami Nikhilanand Ji’s answer: So this is a very important point to clarify. Maharaj Ji is the only Guru in Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat. In our organization, forever there will only be one Guru - Shree Maharaj Ji.
Shree Maharaj Ji never established any sampradāya (spiritual lineage), meaning a lineage that He is Jagadguru and now when He’s going to disappear from the earth, then somebody else should take His place and carry on that lineage, so then people should get attached to that person. Maharaj Ji did not establish a sampradāya because He knew it wasn’t necessary. He decided to stay here with us, even though he’s not visible to us.
So we don’t need anybody else except Shree Maharaj Ji. We can look at the example being set by Maharaj Ji’s own Divine family, Maharaj Ji’s own Divine daughters, guru putrī (spiritual daughters of the Guru), our dear Divine Didis, our highly respected Didis who are part of Maharaj Ji’s Divine family, and are descended Divine Saints. Look how they are behaving in seva (service) to Shree Maharaj Ji. Even though they are 100% qualified to be a Guru, śhrotriya brahmaniṣṭh (scripturally learned and fully God-realized), yet they do not act as Gurus. They do not behave as Gurus, saying,
“Accept me as your Guru, and I will guide you.”
Even though they’re 100% qualified to do so, they also say, “Maharaj Ji is your Guru.”
So in our organization, only Maharaj Ji is the guru. We only need Maharaj Ji. So when Maharaj Ji’s own Divine family is setting such a precedent, then there’s no question of any prachārak being a guru or acting as a guru. Prachāraks have been delegated or appointed by Shree Maharaj Ji to do the sevā of spreading His teachings and promoting His mission. That’s our (Prachārak’s) sevā to do. We’re lucky to have that opportunity that Maharaj Ji gave us the chance to do some sevā, but no prachārak is meant to act as any Guru. So the language of this question; we should think about that statement, “being under a prachārak.” So no sādhak, no devotee is under any prachārak.
You’re directly connected to Maharaj Ji. That should be your attitude. Maybe you came to the path through a prachārak. Maybe Maharaj Ji arranged for that to happen, but your direct connection is with Shree Maharaj Ji. A prachārak can’t help you any more than any other devotee can help you.
Maharaj Ji can grace you. That’s it. That’s all you need.
