The test of a pupil and the test of a guru..

 

The test of a pupil and the test of a guru..

ज्ञानेन क्रियया वापि गुरुः शिष्यं परीक्षयेत्।

संवस्तरं तदर्द्धम् वा तदर्द्धं वा प्रयत्नतः।

शिष्योऽपि लक्षणैरेतैः कुर्यात् गुरुपरीक्षणम्।

आनन्दाद्यैर्जपैः स्तोत्रैर्ध्यानहोमर्चनादिषु।

ज्ञानोपदेशसामर्थ्यं मंत्रशुद्धमपीश्वरम्।

बोधकत्वं च विज्ञाय शिष्यो भूयान्न चन्यथा॥

jñānena kriyayā vāpi guruḥ śiṣyaṁ parīkṣayet|

saṁvastaraṁ tadarddham vā tadarddhaṁ vā prayatnataḥ|

śiṣyo'pi lakṣaṇairetaiḥ kuryāt guruparīkṣaṇam|

ānandādyairjapaiḥ stotrairdhyānahomarcanādiṣu|

jñānopadeśasāmarthyaṁ maṁtraśuddhamapīśvaram|

bodhakatvaṁ ca vijñāya śiṣyo bhūyānna canyathā||

How should a Guru test the capacity and aptitude of a Shishya..?

How should a Shishya select his Guru?

These two questions have been answered clearlly in the standard text on mantras.. The mantramaharnava of khemaraja..

Regarding selection of a shishya or disciple

The test for selection of the Shishya should be the basic knowledge the disciple alreday possessees, the basic intelligence and the capacity to grasp and acquire further knowledge.. The Guru should also test the capacity of the disciple by observing his activities, conduct and character.. In suitable cases, such testing period can be one year, half of one year or at least quarter of a year..

The disciple should choose a guru after ascertaining the following traits.. and not otherwise..

The enthusiasm and dedication and efficiency exhibited by the Guru in Chanting, in conducting fire offerings, meditation, practical aspects of conduct of ceremonies like pooja, the capacity to convey the information and impart knowledge to the disciplte with ease, the clarity in pronunciation and diction. and also the signs of divine consent ..

if we ignore the aspects of mantram and its prayogams from the above discussion, we can easily discern the qualities of a Guru and an apt Shishya in almost any discipline of study..

For consideration of Gurus and Shishyas too