Spiritually Laid Back

Just what is wrong with big time gurus ? Is it just a lust for power (which also implies money, sex, having a nice piece of whoever comes along, whenever you want it, for free, your right in fact). Or is there some serious pathology linked with it … such as NPD (Narcissist Personality Disorder).

Here’s what wikipedia gives as the criteria for judgment:

At least five of the following are necessary for a diagnosis (as with many DSM diagnoses, they must form a pervasive pattern; for example, a person who shows these criteria only in one or two relationships or situations would not properly be diagnosed with NPD):

1. has a grandiose sense of self-importance
2. is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
3. believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by other special people
4. requires excessive admiration
5. strong sense of entitlement
6. takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
7. lacks empathy
8. is often envious or believes others are envious of him or her
9. arrogant affect

 Now lets pick any one guru of the many floating around … okay let’s take Kracki the whackie, VK, self declared God, Kalki Bhagavan, etc and check him out point for point. Let’s test drive the bugger.

 MATCHING DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA of NPD with VK (aka Kalki aka Kracki)

1. has a grandiose sense of self-importance - Give him 10 on 10 for this. Thinks he is GOD, the saviour, higher than the Buddha, Ramana, Christ and ALL others. The only liberator etc, etc. Incarnation of "Delusions of Grandeur".
2. is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love - Full marks here too. Wants to take over the world. Has a temple being built for himself so he can be immortalized forever.
3. believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by other special people - You bet your stinky butt. No one fits this bill better than "Kalki Bhagavan" does. Calls himself God and everything else. Claims on video that he comes from a cosmic conscious whereas all the others come from "some sort of planetary consciousness". To understand him you have to undergo his Mukti Deeksha (brainwashing, paid ofcourse) first. (Guess what, we still don’t understand the old fart)
4. requires excessive admiration - that’s an underrstatement, requires devotion and worship by all, after all that follows if you have declared yourself to be The God.
5. strong sense of entitlement - Yup, he is entitled to everyone’s money, belongings and life
6. takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends - check. takes advantage, take everything in fact
7. lacks empathy - check again. Doesn;t care for followers once they have done him service and spread his crack
8. is often envious or believes others are envious of him or her - well, very envious of Buddha and Ramana, and does all he can to run down truly enlightened people
9. arrogant affect - see previous points.

Now check your Guru out.

See also Guru Phenomenon and How Some Gurus operate.