How to Spot a Fake Guru

By G. L. Krishna

Sri Ramakrishna often cautioned about fake gurus. As we witness the sad spectacle of superstar gurus falling down, it is only natural to remember his picturesque description of fake gurus:

“People with little occult power gain such things as name and fame. Many of them want to follow the profession of a guru, gain people's recognition, and make disciples and devotees. Men say of such a guru: ‘Ah, he is having a wonderful time. How many people visit him! He has many disciples and followers. His house is overflowing with furniture and other things, People give him presents. He has such power that he can feed many people if he so desires’.”

“The profession of a guru is like that of a prostitute. It is the selling of oneself for the trifle of money, honour, and creature comforts. For such insignificant things it is not good to prostitute the body, mind and soul, the means by which one can attain God. A man said about a certain woman: ‘Ah! She is having a grand time now. She is so well off! She has rented a room and furnished it with a couch, a mat, pillows, and many other things. And how many people she controls! They are always visiting her.’ In other words, the woman has now become a prostitute. Therefore her happiness is unbounded! Formerly she was a maid-servant in a gentleman’s house; now she is a prostitute. She has ruined herself for a mere trifle.”

Here is a seven-point checklist on how to spot a fake guru: 

1.  Seeks name and fame; gets uncomfortable without constant attention. Runs a well-oiled PR office that publicizes visuals of politicians and film/sports celebrities revering him.

2.  Projects an image of always being happy and “cool.” Is overly concerned with his looks - uses hair dye, facials, etc.

3.  Plays to the gallery.

4.  Severely restricts access to his private spaces.

5.  Maintains bank accounts either in his own name or under a trust he fully controls.

6.  Claims - both suggestively and explicitly - that ancient scriptures contain advanced science.

7.  Is irritable toward scholarship, intelligence, and reason. 

Having seen how to spot a fake guru, it is perhaps appropriate to have a checklist on how to spot a genuine one as well. The best checklist on how to spot a genuine guru is provided by Sri Krishna himself in the Bhagavad Gita. An understanding of verses 54 to 72 in its second chapter would go a long way in identifying a genuine guru. May we all have the blessedness of recognising and revering such gurus!

Source of quotations: Tales and Parables of Sri Ramakrishna, which can be found at  https://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/parables/1_files/1-48.html