Gurus in Contemporary Hindu Practice

Abstract

Gurus as authoritative teachers have long played important roles in Hindu traditions, but in an increasingly globalized world these roles have taken some new turns. Modern transport and communications have let some gurus gain very large followings in India and abroad, which necessarily affects their relationships with individual disciples. Even while adapting to new situations, however, most still draw on specific religious traditions, which give them distinct identities and differentiate the teachings and practices they offer. Although they all tend to use a language of truth and knowledge to refer to spiritual reality, the quality of the reality to which each points seems to vary, coloured by different experiences of divine love and power. The guru’s often powerful presence, moreover, may be given different roles in any practical techniques they offer. This chapter examines three contemporary traditions of practice that highlight the figure of the guru in different ways.