Blessings of Shri Guru Awakens Devotion
A devotee won’t be able to acquire divine knowledge without the blessings and compassion of the Sadguru, as he is the savior of the devotee in every life.The Guru is the manifested (embodied) deity of a devotee from many lives. A true devotee offers both his devotion and all his actions to Shri Guru, as Guru is the very basis of devotion. To attract the devotee towards him, Shri Guru awakens the feeling of devotion in his heart.
Devotion won’t awaken in the heart without the kindness of the Guru nor can one have knowledge or capability to practice righteousness.
Without the permeation of “Guru Shakti” (divine powers of the Guru), neither sinful proclivities of the devotee deplete nor can he undertake any ethical practice. Once Shri Guru takes a devotee in his stride, sinful propensities (of the devotee) gradually reduce, and he develops a clear conscience while differentiating between the real and unreal objects of life.
As quoted in Shri Guru Bhagavat:
ଗୁରୁ ଶକ୍ତିର ସଂଚାରରେ | ଦିବ୍ୟ ଭାବ ଜାଗେ ମନରେ ||
ଭାବନା ହୁଏ ପ୍ରେମମୟ | କର୍ମ ହୁଅଇ ପୁଣ୍ୟମୟ ||
Guru shaktira sanchaarare | Dibya bhaaba jaage manare ||
Bhaaabanaa hue premamaya | Karma huaee punyamaya ||
Verse 7, Page 68, Shri Guru Bhagavat, Vol. 2
When the power of the Guru percolates the inner self of the devotee, noble thoughts awaken in his mind. His thoughts become full of love and his actions become pious. When he concentrates on the Guru, he becomes oblivious of himself. Forgetting his sleep and food he takes refuge at the lotus feet of Shri Guru.
Source: Shri Guru Bhagavat Prashnottari (compiled by Shri Sai International School, Bhubaneswar in Odia language)