Has chatgpt eliminated the need for a guru?

Question: Has chatgpt eliminated the need for a guru?

Answer: The fact is that the guru has already been superfluous for a long time. First, translations of key books in the Caitanya tradition are all online. People basically study these books on their own. So in effect, everyone is acting as their own guru anyway. Then they relentlessly debate with others to prove their points of view.

Further, disciples, today, are not interested in approaching a guru for knowledge. They seek out a guru for psychological comfort. They go for validating their emotions, and for feeling ‘good’.

In my opinion, the guru-sisya parampara that existed for passing on knowledge in the parampara is mostly extinct. It has been replaced by a) self-study books, and b) a psychological comfort industry. The guru’s role is more like one’s comforting friend than a revered teacher. Going to a psychiatrist carries a stigma, still, while going to one’s guru is enjoined by sastra. The guru smiles and writes soothing emails and everyone gets along happily! The majority of disciples are looking for mental comfort and peace.

A traditional guru’s primary function is to teach sastra. So where is the need for the guru?

Question: Not everyone is like that. There are disciples who look for knowledge.

Answer: A vanishingly small fraction of people actually want knowledge. This class of people do not approach the guru for comfort, but for knowledge. They try to implement what they learn in their lives. But when they do acquire knowledge, they become derided for their study and knowledge. Maharajji was criticized a lot for studying. Babaji has been heavily criticized. A learned person is not respected today for knowledge, rather, they are the object of jealousy and dismissed as ‘theoretically learned’.

People with charisma and a gift for talk are valued in society. A simple survey of popular modern gurus will suffice to see this. How many gurus know Sanskrit? How many truly know or care about sastra? Sastra is seen as purely theoretical, and not of value in the real world.

Even those who, in the past, genuinely searched for knowledge, will increasingly turn to chatgpt and find their answers. So those who look for knowledge from a teacher will shrink even more in number.

Question: Is that a bad thing? If one can get proper knowledge, does the source matter?

Answer: The essence of bhakti is to serve. One cannot serve chatgpt. Service is to be rendered to the guru. Without the guru, the jnana parampara may appear like its continuing but it will not lead to vijnana – experience. In essence, without the guru, the parampara of bhakti comes to an end.

Question: Isn’t study a type of service?

Answer: Service to whom? To oneself? You may say it is service to Bhagavan, but whether an action is service or not depends on the motive of the person, and not the action itself. Self-study is self-service, not service to Bhagavan.

Further, who will certify the reliability of answers given by chatgpt?