When a person starts devotional practice he comes across some problems and he consults the Guru how to resolve them. The Guru resolve the problems and the devotee then proceeds further with the support of his spiritual knowledge. Besides, when he is in the process of surrendering to the Guru and has to some extent done so, the Guru keeps him under his supervision to check whether he is on the right lines or not. The Guru is always guiding him to behave in a particular way depending on the situation and thus checks him from proceeding towards a downfall. He cautions him in person and through letters whenever he is about to commit mistakes. If still he does not listen and insists on going his way, then his downfall is certain. He is so kind that despite his being completely engrossed in the Supreme Bliss, he is constantly watching and pointing out our shortcomings to us. And if we object to it and ask him not to advise us the way he wants to, we will be committing a grave spiritual transgression.
If the guru scolds you, you should feel happy thinking that the Guru considers you to be close to him and is concerned about you. But there will not be many who think like that. They becomes upset. They like their self-respect so much that they do not take the Guru's scolding in right spirit. They start thinking negatively. They are upset because the Guru scolded them in public. Had he done it when nobody was around, it would not upset them so much. They know that they are afflicted with vices of kaam (desires), krodha (anger), lobha (avarice), moha (attachment) and ignorance and yet they are not prepared to listen to any adverse comment from the Guru. Just think how painful an exercise it would be for a Guru to contantly think about his disciples and yet find even the experienced sadhakas committing this mistake. But the Guru does not leave them. All the time he thinks how he can shower his gace on them.
We have been repeatedly committing mistakes and he finds out what wrong we have done and yet he is always ready to shower his grace. Always in a big way. How Gracious He Is!! Elsewhere, if a servant is caught committing theft, his master would never forgive him and immediately throw him out even if he had always been very honest. But the Guru is so magnanimous that even though he has caught a disciple committing mistakes umpteen number of times, if that disciple comes to him and sincerely asks for forgiveness and wants to surrender to him, the Saints embraces him again. The Guru continues to bestow his grace on the devotee when he is in the process of performing devotional practice. Apart from that, he does it so secretly and would not disclose even to that disciple who is the recipient of his grace. But it depends on the degree of his surrender.
The graciousness of a Saint cannot be fathomed fully either by God or by the Guru himself, not to say of an ordinary human being who does not stand anywhere. Of course, in some special cases the guru can extend some help, but he does not do it openly. He does it secretly for his dear one and would not disclose it to anybody even in his dream. He stickes to this principle. He maintains a private file which cannot be made public. But to say anything about his grace is like taking out a drop from an ocean.
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