In the absence of a Guru, do exactly what you intended to do after adopting one or considering one. The Supreme Power, Bhagavati, who has inspired you and whose grace has led you to read this book, will herself bring a Guru to you when the time is right. Until then, who in this universe can forbid a child from loving their mother, calling out to her, inviting her close, or asking something from her? And even if someone does, why would a true child ever heed such words?

In the absence of a Guru, you can engage in the practice of chanting the name of the deity or reciting their Stotras. You can also consider Lord Shiva as your Guru and undertake various Sadhanas. The only essential factor is that your feeling and faith towards the Guru must remain unshakable.

Thus, it is not at all necessary that a Guru be confined to a particular individual. If our mentality is narrow, we tend to worship the Guru only in a specific form or representation, thereby limiting our own expansion of knowledge. In reality, the form of the Guru is infinite and can manifest in any way. To comprehend this, we must reflect on the true purpose of a Guru.

The example of “Ekalavya” is proof that a Guru is not restricted to a particular person. When Ekalavya did not receive initiation from Guru Dronacharya, he crafted a statue of Dronacharya, considered it his Guru, and through his own hard work and dedication, mastered the art of warfare. This demonstrates that even without a physical Guru, if one has the right mindset and devotion, one can achieve success through heartfelt reverence for the Guru. Ekalavya proved that the Guru’s form and presence can manifest in any way; for Ekalavya, it was an idol, for you, it could be a book or a discourse.

The life of Lord Dattatreya also symbolizes the Guru’s infinite forms. Lord Dattatreya derived knowledge from various sources. He considered the wind, fire, water, earth, and even birds and animals as his Gurus. This illustrates that a Guru is not a particular person but can be a source of knowledge manifesting anywhere, in any form.

A wise person even learns from a dog, observing how to remain alert while resting. This too expands our understanding of the Guru’s glory. The dog, with its vigilant and cautious nature, teaches us the importance of maintaining alertness even while at rest. In this way, by considering Shiva as our Guru, we can learn something from every aspect of life. Accepting Shiva as the Guru intensifies and simplifies this process, provided we do not keep our minds narrow but embrace every experience with an open heart.

This establishes that if a physical Guru is not available, you can accept Lord Shiva as your Guru. By understanding Shiva’s knowledge and his greatness in the realm of Tantra and Mantras, we can acknowledge that it is Lord Shiva who has imparted teachings to all of us. Shiva is the source of all Tantras, Mantras, and Yantras, and his wisdom illuminates the various facets of our lives.

The Saptarishis (Seven Great Sages) are also considered Gurus, as they received their knowledge from Lord Shiva. Shiva is known as the Ādiguru (the primordial Guru) because he was the first to teach humanity the highest truths of life. His wisdom was not limited to this Earth alone but extended to the profound mysteries of the entire cosmos. – Guru Sadhana