8.3 - Guru Worship

The Kula Moolavatara Kalpa Sutra Teeka Gata Kulagama mentions six classes of Gurus in regular gradation. They are;
Preraka One who just starts the pupil
Suchaka One who indicates and carries further
Vachaka One who regularly teaches and coaches
Darscaka One who points out the way and goal to the pupil.
Sikshaka One who regularly teaches and guides the pupil fully. These five are preparations to go to the 6th.
Bodhaka one who is also called the Karana Guru, who thoroughly illumines the pupil and prepares him for Brahma Jnana and Moksha.
There are Gurus who are seen and others unseen; and there are Gurus who merely impart teachings and do not care for results. That is, they do not undertake any responsibility for the disciples.

There are others who give definite undertakings and carry out the same at all costs and if necessary life after life proceeding to seek the disciple in subsequent lives for the purpose. The best instance of such a Guru is Sri Sai Baba who undertook liability for H.S.Dixit, N.G.Chandorkar, Bandara Master and M.B. Rege and others.

Another classification is based on the powers and methods of the Guru. The Guru who teaches something secular or religious is merely called Guru. He who teaches about God or Sath is called SathGuru. He who uses all his siddhis and superior powers to carry the disciple right up to the goal is called Samartha SathGuru. Ramdas, Guru of Shivaji, and Sai Baba belong to the class of Samartha SathGurus. ParamaGuru is a Samartha SathGuru who looks after the entire welfare secular and spiritual of his disciple.
Diksha Guru who formally initiates the pupil and invests him with mantra, power.
Siksha Gurus, that is the usual Guru who teaches or trains a pupil.
Male Gurus usually prescribed in all Sastras for pupils to attain Moksha.
Female Gurus specially referred to in Tantra works to give mantra and training to pupils who aim at siddhis. The Sastras generally dissuade persons anxious to attain Moksha resort to female Gurus. In the case of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, the Bhairavi Lady Guru trained him in tantras. After that came the Nanga Avadhuta Guru who initiated him into concentration on Nirguna Brahman. Similarly in the case of Sri. P.R. Avaste, a lady Guru initiated him into Mantra that is Siva Panchakshari permutations and combinations Japa, which would result in seeing various gods and produce various powers. Later he came to Baba.
Kula Gurus – hereditary
Other Gurus
Deciples prefer the Kula Guru to begin with. When there is no benefit, then go to a competent Guru. Baba was not the Kula Guru of Nana Chandorkar, but his rinanubanda Guru and in a sense the Guru of his Destiny.
Baba was a siksha Guru to N.G.Chandorkar and Balakram Manker.
Gurus for all round training and teaching for example, Venkusa.
Gurus for some push or help (for example Sai Baba to Narayan Asram)
Gurus for some mantra, tantra, special vidya, yogabhyasa, and asana.
Gurus for Vydeeki profession and Vedic study.
Gurus for secular purposes only.

Gurus for inward working Dakshinamurthi method and Baba’s.
Gurus for Oral teaching mainly.
Gurus for Both.