Can’t we pray to God directly? Why do we need a Guru as an Intermediary between God and us?

One day Krishna Prasanna Bhattacharya, a disciple of Sree Sree Thakur Anukulchandra asked the latter a very intriguing question,”Can we not pray to God directly? Why do we need a Guru as an intermediary between God and us?”

Sree Sree Thakur Anukulchandra replied,”What is my relationship with God without that man? When we think of poetry, we remember Rabindranath Tagore. Poetry has been embodied in Rabindranath. When we think of kindness, we remember a kind person. Kindness is embodied in a kind person. We understand kindness through a kind man. When we think of God, don’t we need a man, in whom Godhood has been embodied? Don’t we need a man through whom we can understand God?”

Human mind has its limitations. It cannot conceive anything abstract. Suppose you asked me how I go to office everyday and in response I said, “by vehicle”, you won’t be happy with my answer. Your curious mind would want to know the type, model etc. of the vehicle so that you can visualize it. If you have to visualize ‘vehicle’ as something, you will have let your imagination run wild. But you would instantly visualize it, if I say that I came by a Toyota Etios Car. This example proves that man cannot visualize and conceptualize anything abstract. We all know that God is infinite and formless. He transcends shape, form, size, time and nature. So how can human mind conceive God who is infinite and has no form and shape? Don’t we need to see God in a form which is not infinite and astract?

Some people argue that they have never seen God so they cannot accept the existence of God. Well, the fact that God is not visible to the naked eyes doesn’t mean that He doesn’t exist. We cannot see water vapour but it doesn’t mean that water vapour doesn’t exist. When the water vapour condenses, it becomes water and it becomes visible. We can see, touch and feel water because it has a definite form and shape. When the water evaporates and becomes water vapour again. It again becomes invisible. We can visualize water and ice. But it is hard for us to visualize water vapour. It is possible for us to visualize anything which is in gross form. It is hard for us to visualize anything in abstract or subtle form. We have the same experience with God as well. It is hard for us to visualize the infinite form of God but it is possible for us to visualize God in his condescend form. In other words, we can visualize and conceptualize God only when he is condensed into human form. And God in human form is called Guru or the Living Ideal.

We can neither see nor feel the formless infinite God. We can neither speak to him nor ask him questions. The infinite God neither gives us solutions to our problems nor does he stop us from making mistakes. Nobel Laurate, Alexis Carrel believes that we need a personal God (in human form) whom we can reach out to whenever required. We need a personal God whom we can talk to and ask our questions. Such a personal God can give solutions to our problems and answers to our questions. He is the one who can show us the path and give us instructions and commands to move on the path. Alexis Carrel says,” Man will never enthusiastically obey the laws of rational conduct unless he considers the laws of life as the commands of a personal God.”

Now it is clear that in order to comprehend and realize God, we need a Human Being in whom Godly qualities have been embodied and manifested. Such a Human Being is none other than our Guru or Living Ideal. Without such a Human Being, God realization is not possible.

But human curiosity has no end. One more question pops up here: If God is infinite, how can he come inside a human being whose size and shape is so miniscule? Let's talk about it in our next edition.

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