Thank you for the article but can you please advise the restrictions as everybody lives differently what imapact of smoking, drinking, non- veg and other things do as you can't skip this in 1 day but is it required as many people live with in the environment where some of this is part of there own culture, my query sounds too dumb but I need to clarify with an authoritative personnel.

Thanks a lot for the reply. I believe that even devi rahasyam is only talking about having devata as guru only, though quite indirectly. Because even the shastra it concerns, are revealed by shiva only, and actually is only words of shiva.

Dear Vipul, the Dakshinamurti option is quite well-known even here on Manblunder. Ravi ji and Krishna and other team members of Manblunder have given a good writeup on how to approach Siva Dakshinamurti as one's guru and self initiate one's chosen mantra. The process they delineated on this site (you may check the self initiation page/tab on this site) has been derived from the Agama Rahasya text (with some simple changes) if I recall correctly. To the best of my recollection, the chapter on diksha in the Agama Rahasya contain the Dakshinamurti option. Maybe chapter 14 or something, if my recollection is accurate. I'll give you the exact verses when I get the chance to reread the text in the future. As regards the Meru Tantra, in the five volume Sanskrit with Hindi translation edition, I believe the Dakshinamurti path is discussed in Volume 1, in the chapters concerning qualifications of guru and sishyas. I'll update you with the exact verses when I reread the text at the next available opportunity. By the way, the Meru Tantra is quite detailed and good. It contains many astute observations on the issues relating to degeneration in the qualifications of gurus and shishyas, and failures in mantra siddhi in Kali Yuga and the current times. In fact, now that we're talking about it, I seem to remember that the Meru too speaks of the possibility of taking Sastra as one's guru, albeit in a negative manner. Now, I may be wrong in my recollection that the Meru disapproves of taking Sastra as Guru, perhaps it allows it grudgingly. But my overall impression was that the Meru does not approve of any deviations relating to diksha and guru. Hope this quick summary helps.

Let me make it clear - I'm in fact in favour of relaxation of the guru requirements, and do approve of radical alternatives such as taking Isvara himself as Guru or taking Sastra vak as Guru. This is because of the current desa, kala, patra and paristhithi conditions, which necessitate such radical moves, as opposed to mainstream or traditional ways. I'm looking for a strong sastric basis for these radical options, and when Krishna mentioned some references, I requested him for more citations. I want to clearly prove to dejected but sincere sadhakas today, by basing the argument on the sastras itself, that radical alternatives relating to guru and diksha are indeed provided in the sastras, and have been anticipated in the sastras themselves long ago. Krishna and I are on the same page when it comes to this matter. So also you and I, for your views too are not very different from mine. Trust you now know where I come from and what my position is. Thanks.

Chakravarti ji, can you please share the part of agam rahasyam or meru tantra which contains the dakshinamurthy pathway of initiation?

Namaste Chakravarti ji. Your point is valid too. I think the kind of disciple who can develop himself even from taking a scripture as guru is as rare as the text stating that also is. In essence, our own self is the true guru, and hence is the universe. It would be very very rare so you are right. But I believe if someone in this day, can take a mantra, have devotion towards it's deity, and chant it properly by following as much rules as possible(offcourse one rule regarding guru is already not followed), and sincerely does his sadhana with humble mind, and offcourse consistency, then I personally believe he will get success in it. It's really just hard to stay as consistent in such a situation. I myself have attempted such things, and I was never able to stay consistent, doubts would take over and I would leave the sadhana. But I believe only by grace, one can stay consistent and attempt this. I follow Kashmir Shaivism and our last guru, Swami Lakshmanjoo ji didn't initiate anyone formally as his successor and he told that the future followers of this system would initiate themselves(which i believe by parabhairav himself). Here I interpret that those who have grace will be guided automatically. And again as I said above already, in essence, if one doesn't have that anugraha, then it would not even be possible to even stay sincere in their sadhana. I have personally met such people who have had done sadhanas without having gurus, but they were sincere enough to engage hours of daily sadhana consistently for years, and I judge whether they were lying or not, by their great insights and understanding they have. Again not promoting or taking side of bypassing rules, offcourse guru is necessary, but my definition of guru is too wide. And I believe it depends upon individual spiritual maturity, that whether they can really follow that path without guru or not. One more scripture i came across, I forgot the name as I just read one specific part of it, it was about the 22 lettered dakshina kali mantra and mahadev there states that this mantra doesn't require any guru. I would find it again and tell u the name if you want. But that mantra does have powerful beejas and I guess still people wouldn't recommend it to others or chanting that without any guru. One more thing is the exaggeration on harms which can come to anyone without a guru. They generally are done as if all bad things will happen to the sadhak without guru only irrespective of the nature of sadhak himself. And yeah, I have even met individuals who had kind of side effects of it but that wasn't in a way directly damaging them or something, but you can say a kind of awakenings or spiritual states where they didn't have much understanding of what to do from that part. Guru i believe is the eternal omnipresent principle which is always there. While physical guru is a blessing, we surely do have numerous cases of many great people without guru and they did have many great achievements.

Dear Vipul, thanks for the precise citation. I found the reference as you indicated. Thanks for your kind help.

Dear Krishna, I could get the exact reference thanks to Vipul here. On the issue of sastra acting as guru in the absence of a proper guru, however, I think one reference in one text is not sufficient. A debater or sceptic may advance the argument that this might be a clear interpolation or a fabrication, for it goes against the grain of the central tenet of the mantra marga in all the Agamas and Tantras- the tenet that a live guru is mandatory. If the position of the Devi Rahasyam on this point is to be accepted, there must be other such or similar pronouncements in other texts as well. Unfortunately, I have drawn a blank on this issue, and my search has been fruitless. With the exception of the Dakshinamurti pathway for initiation as mentioned in the Agamas Rahasyam and the Meru Tantra, which again is not advocating the taking of sastra as Guru but is saying that one could take a devata (not a book or scripture) as our guru, I see no other tantra or agama or samhita text that says that sastra (book or scripture itself) may be taken as a guru (in the absence of a live guru). You mentioned in your comment that several scriptures take this position (of book as guru), and cited the Devi Rahasyam as one example of such a scripture. Kindly indicate what other scriptures you had in mind, so that seekers may get clarity.

The issue of taking a book itself as one's guru is a contentious one, for it is in direct opposition to the most fundamental rule of mantra sastra as elucidated in countless tantras - do not take mantras from books but received them from guru mukha. Taking mantras from books and practising them in the view of the Tantras is a most heinous sin and a direct offence against Siva himself. You yourself have advocated this line several times in your guidance to sadhakas on this site. As such, it is extremely disruptive to the traditional position, that is vehemently against book-dependence, to note the "lateral" position that one may take a scripture or a book (and not necessarily God) as one's guru (under certain circumstances). Hence my request for additional information and references. If it can be shown that the tantras themselves, and not just one tantra , anticipated the problems with finding proper gurus that we face today, we can confidently state that such fail safe mechanisms are also traditional, and not some fabrication. I trust you appreciate my position on this issue. Thanks.

Kashik, like to thank you for your recommendation. I hadn't heard before about Guru Gita, and now ordered one. Thanks again!