What Does (Guru's) Darshan Do to Us?

Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, "Little is know of the guru's grace or the power of darsana in Western culture. Darsana (more popularly darshan) is a Sanskrit word meaning "vision, seeing or perception". But in its mystical usage, it is more than that. Darshan is also the feeling of the emotions of a holy person, the intellect, the spiritual qualities that he has attained and, most importantly, the sakti, the power, that has changed him and is there constantly to change others.

"...Darshan, in the true meaning of all mystical, complex and most esoteric word, conveys all of this. The concept of darshan goes beyond the devotee's seeing of the guru. It also embraces the guru's seeing of the devotee.... when you are in the presence of the guru...his seeing of you, and therefore knowing you and your karmas, another grace. So, darshan is a two-edged sword, a two-way street. it is a process of seeing and being seen. The devotee is seeing and in that instance drawing forth the blessings of the satguru, the swami or the sadhu... Both happen within the moment, and that moment, like a vision, grows stronger as the years go by, not like imagination, which fades away. It is an ever-grwoing spiritual experience.

"...The darshan from a guru who has realised the Self can clear the subconscious mind of a devotee in minutes, alleviating all reaction to past actions and alter his perspective from an outer to an inner one. Darshan is the emanating rays from the depth of an enlightened soul's being. these rays pervade the room in which he is, penetrating the aura of the devotees and enliving the kundalini, the white, fiery, vapor-like substance that is actually the heat of the physical body in its natural state.

"...whenever the cloud of despair covers the soul of a devotee, the darshan of a guru is sought. Whenever it becomes difficult to meditate, his grace is hoped for ato lift the veil of delusion and release awareness from the darker areas of mind to soar within.

"Darshan is the vibration that emanates from the illumined soul as a result of his inner attainment, be he a yogi, pandit, swami, a guru or a rishi. Usually, the yogi, swami, saint or sage attracts his following not so much by what he says as by the darshan he radiates.... A great soul is always giving darshan.

"..Darshan coming froma  great soul helps them in (our) evolution, changes patterns in (our) life by cleaning up areas of (our) subconscious mind that (we) could not possibly have done for (ourselves).... If the (great soul's) darshan is strong enough...by its power, the kundalini force can be stimulated... this is called the grace of the guru."

(pgs. 720-723, Merging with Siva)