What It Truly Means to Be a Disciple: Agastya Maharishi’s Teachings on Shishya Bhaava
A tamil song by Agastya maharishi that emphasizes how a shishya is supposed to be
karmaddhyanatthaar shuddhipera kadavut krupaiyaalarutpera
marmmayogatthaal layampera maakgnaanathaal muktipera
dharmakaarunyatthaalarulun dayaaparaguruparadevanidam
sarvashishyabhaavamaai sadaavaayirukkum vidambukaveere
Essence of the Verse:
This is a deeply humble surrender at the feet of the Guru, who is portrayed not just as a spiritual master, but as a Paradeva, the ultimate deity who:
- Purifies the karmic seeker
- Grants grace through compassion
- Offers dissolution through secret yogic means
- Bestows moksha through supreme knowledge
- Is rooted in dharma and karuna
- And becomes the object of eternal devotion and disciplehood
The devotee seeks nothing but the eternal status of a disciple, ever surrendered, ever yearning to be with such a Guru.
How a shishya is supposed to be?
- The mind, speech, body, and Atma of the Guru should be regarded as that of the disciple. The disciple should cultivate complete non-difference (abheda) from the Guru in all respects.
- Anga Bhaava – The feeling or sentiment of bodily oneness. Whenever the disciple enjoys any form of comfort, pleasure, or well-being—whether related to the mind, speech, body, or soul—he must not retain it solely for himself. Instead, he must ensure that the Guru too experiences the same, by offering water, food, a place to rest, and respectful service, using appropriate items and means.
- Daana Bhaava – The sentiment or attitude of offering, giving, charity.
Whenever the Guru undertakes righteous and noble deeds in the world—be it spiritual service or acts of dharma, rooted in the vision of the Universal Self; the disciple must recognize such actions as sacred. If the disciple, through their own wealth, effort, resources, or support, enables or completes these deeds, they should mentally align with the Guru’s merit. They must contemplate and absorb the sanctity of that divine action as their own sacred offering. The true offering is not just about external charity, but about sharing in the Guru’s vision and dharmic mission. When the disciple selflessly participates in the Guru’s righteous activities, that merit becomes shared, and the disciple is spiritually uplifted. - Sat Bhaava – The noble, sincere, and pure inner attitude of the disciple. A true seeker, grounded in the knowledge of Shiva, must regard the Guru as the Supreme not just as a teacher, but as the very embodiment of the Divine. He must revere the Guru as father, mother, relative, and all forms of love and support. With this pure-hearted bhaava, the disciple should engage in regular worship, mantra chanting, meditation, devotional service, and personal offerings. It is through this sincere attitude that the disciple becomes fit to receive scriptural wisdom, deep contemplation, and the living experience of saadhana from the Guru.
- Maataa-Pitaa Bhaava – The attitude of seeing the Guru as one’s mother and father.
The disciple must regard the Guru as none other than their own mother and father. With this inner bhaava, one must attend to the Guru’s needs — offering support, nourishment, and protection — just as a devoted child would lovingly care for their aging parents. This expression of selfless service and heartfelt guardianship is not optional — it is an essential part of the path. - Putra-Putree Bhaava – The attitude of being a true son or daughter to the Guru. Just as a child inherits the essence of the parents, the disciple must approach the Guru with the heart of a true spiritual son or daughter. The subtle realizations, supreme discriminative wisdom, and lived experiences held by the Guru must not merely be heard; they must be internalized through direct instruction, engaged through personal effort, and realized through dedicated experience. This bhaava culminates not just in devotion, but in transformation.
- Sevaka – Sevaki bhaava – The attitude of Serving the Guru before he asks. This is essential because the Guru’s manifestation is vital for the transmission of spiritual wisdom. The Guru’s well-being allows that divine presence to remain strong and active for the benefit of disciples.
- Pati-Sati Bhaava – The attitude of devoted loyalty and faithfulness. Pati-Sati Bhaava embodies unwavering loyalty and fidelity, where the disciple’s every thought and action is aligned flawlessly with the Guru’s teachings and intentions. Such disciples do not merely follow the Guru superficially; rather, they live and breathe the Guru’s words and heart’s guidance as their own.
- Mantri-Mantrini Bhaava – The attitude of being a wise minister or trusted counselor to the Guru.
In this mode of discipleship, one assumes the bhaava (inner attitude) of a minister—a person of discernment, loyalty, and responsibility. The disciple must not remain passive in the Guru’s work. Rather, they are to actively engage with the Guru’s circle, understand its dynamics, and offer thoughtful, strategic counsel in the Guru’s presence. But true advisory is not just about speaking—it is about knowing when and how to act. With the Guru’s input, the disciple must use clear reasoning (yukti) and strategic insight to bring matters to completion—quietly, wisely, and in harmony with the Guru’s intention. - Thozha-Thozhi Bhaava – The attitude of being a friend to one’s Guru. With this Bhaava, the disciple must guard all the secrets of Sadhana and the disciple alone must practice all these in secrecy & ensure that the disciple gets all the spiritual experiences.
- Gururaaja-Gururaani Bhaava – This exalted bhaava invokes the royal responsibility a true disciple eventually assumes—to become a Guru in the Guru’s lineage. Here, the disciple is no mere seeker. They are prepared to inherit the totality of the Guru’s spiritual wealth: Profound wisdom, Metaphysical truths (tattva-gnana), Sadhana-related insights. And above all, direct experiential knowledge. Only after having received these treasures in full, the disciple, with the Guru’s direct command, steps into the sacred role of a guide. They must teach, initiate, bless, and enable others to realize Truth—just as the Guru did. This bhaava speaks of maturity, readiness, and sacred responsibility. A disciple who embodies this bhaava does not merely stay with the Guru—they prepare to carry the light forward, with the same grace, authority, and wisdom. Only such disciples—capable of becoming living extensions of the Guru—should remain close, walk beside, and eventually stand in the Guru’s stead.
The ideal disciple is not merely a recipient of wisdom but a sacred embodiment of surrender, service, and transformation. This vision of disciplehood is not passive devotion—it is a living fire of humility, purity, and unwavering dedication to the Guru.
To be a true shishya is to dissolve the boundaries of ego and embrace total non-difference (abheda) from the Guru—in body, speech, mind, and soul. Through a spectrum of refined bhaavas—from the devoted care of a child, the loyalty of a friend, the service of a minister, to the readiness of a future Guru—the disciple offers themselves entirely into the sacred hands of their Master.
This is not mere emotional closeness; it is a soul-level alignment with the Guru’s wisdom, mission, and presence. The disciple becomes a co-traveler, a co-creator, and ultimately a co-sharer of divine light—carrying the lineage forward, not by name, but by lived realization.
Such is the vision left for us by the ancient seers:
A disciple who seeks nothing but the eternal opportunity to be with, for, and of the Guru.
In a world increasingly focused on independence and self-definition, this path of divine dependence and ego-transcendence offers a rare jewel: the freedom that arises when one ceases to be separate, and becomes one with the source.
Without these lakshanas from the shishya, a shishya can never become an accomplished seekers in the path of spirituality. If a seeker is destined for the path, even without knowing these theories, he will be carrying all these attitudes with him. If he is not destined, even after reading so many theories – he cannot carry those.
Ultimately, it is the LOVE and this LOVE cannot be taught..
Love towards what he is seeking will be seen in the LOVE that he is carrying towards the one who is helping him attain what he seeks!
