What is the meaning of making the aspirant to walk on the path of God?

[Shri Surya asked: Namaskaram Swami. If the incarnation is believed to be Guru, He guides by giving true spiritual knowledge. But, if He is believed to be incarnation of God, He will make the aspirant walk on the path of God (Swami ga nammina nadipistaanu – Telugu Bhakti Ganga). What is the meaning of making the aspirant to walk on the path of God?]

Swami replied:-

 If the aspirant takes the incarnation as goal and surrenders totally to the incarnation, God in the form of the incarnation will make the aspirant to walk in the correct path to reach the goal (goal is Himself).

 An aspirant who believes the incarnation as guide (Guru) is directed by the incarnation and for him the incarnation is only a guide.

 A patient approaching a doctor gets the prescription from the doctor and purchases the medicines to be used for recovery. This type of dealing is called ‘prescription dealing’ and the doctor is only a consultant to whom the aspirant gives fees in the form of Gurudakshina. Another type of aspirant believes the doctor completely through total surrender and admits himself into the clinic of the doctor so that the doctor will observe the patient all the times. The hospital charges will be more than the previous case. Here, the difference in sacrifice of fruit of work is also seen. The incarnation acting as guide and goal is called ‘Sadguru’. If the same incarnation or His sincere disciple acts as the guide to the aspirant, such guide is called ‘Guru’. In the case of Sadguru, the care of the doctor is very much and the recovery of the patient is without any risk. In the case of Guru, the patient has freedom and due to his activities of over-intelligence, he may not follow the prescription sincerely and may enter some risk. In the case of Sadguru, the aspirant has no freedom due to total surrender under constant observation of the doctor. Guru can act as guide only, whereas Sadguru acts as guide and goal.

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