摘要：AbstractSrimad Rajacandra who lived only for thirty-three years attained spiritual heights even while performing the duties of a householder. He gave importance to the inner spiritual development and stressed the need of spiritual teacher (sadguru) and the path of devotion (Bhakti) for such inner spiritual development. Srimad laid very much importance on Sadguru. According to him the teacher who is sanctimonious and enlightened and has self-experience is like God himself and devotion to him is devotion to God. Hence the individual who has found such a teacher should totally surrender to him and obey all his commands. The study of scriptures also should be done under the guidance of such a teacher; otherwise a person is likely to be misguided. An aspirant who aims at attaining liberation has to follow right knowledge, faith and conduct. Rajacandra says that spiritual knowledge consists in realizing with the help of the preaching of pious teacher, (a) that soul is different from body (b) that it has the inherent quality of knowledge and (c) that it is indestructible. Here what he tries to clarify is that in the process of acquiring right knowledge a teacher plays an important and significant role.Pañca Parmeṣṭhīs, namely theArihanta(Liberated but Embodied being),Siddha(Completely Liberated being),Ācārya(mendicant leader),Upādhyāya(an intellectually gifted renouncer),Sādhu(renouncer). Traditionally these categories alone designated the worship-worthy beings. They are the once to be venerated and worshipped. Srimad emphasized guru who necessarily may not be an ascetic but would be any lay follower who has attained the spiritual heights living a life of householder and emphasized that this person is a real ego less person who would help others in traversing the path of liberation. This contest with the traditional concept ofPañca Parmeṣṭhīs, wherein none other than them would be eligible for worship. His criteria of total submission to Sadguru, who is a living person, and through his grace one would definitely untie all knots and go ahead with his spiritual journey.
