Helplessness of the Guru

The following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

Acharya Prashant: In some sense, it is very cruel to be a Teacher, absolute helplessness one experiences, one feels like asking, “Why does one have to inflict daily wounds, rather carnage upon himself?”

You know what is it to be a Teacher, to know everything and have power over very little, you can see but you cannot act on the other’s behalf? The admission and the action has to come from the other and it is very cruel, to know, to see, and yet not have the power to translate the seeing into action.

You can tell someone, “Kid, this is the path of destruction, leave it!” But you cannot forcefully pick the kid up and take her away. You see these things happening in front of you all the time, and can’t stop them, you can’t stop them because fellows have to live their own lives, you cannot live on their behalf, you cannot get into their mind, their body and soul, and start living as if you are them, you cannot give them an ideal script.

Isn’t it a bizarre thought?

To live on somebody’s behalf, life cannot be outsourced. The coach cannot play on behalf of the player. It is extremely frustrating.

I was six years old, my sister Pragya was three, and my younger brother was being born, mother was in…