Initiation, the Guru, and Personal Effort in Śrīvidyā

 

The first thing we’ve got to do is to get the initiation into Śrī Vidyā, without which it doesn’t make sense to practice Śrī Vidyā. Like it or not, the Guru is the essential evil; you have to go through that.

Because, you know, without paying the toll at the tollgate, you cannot enter the highway. The Guru is the tollgate through which you pass, you pay your dakṣiṇā, and enter the highway. A journey is your own. The Guru is there only to give an initial boost.

So:

5% of the job is done by the Guru at the beginning;

90% of the job is done by you on your journey; and

it kicks in again the last 5% of the job [done by the Guru].

The 10% is carried by the Guru and 90% is your own self-study.