Swamiji repeatedly states that every devotee should avail of blessings from the Guru in the form of darshana, sparshana and sambhashana. What are these?

_Darshan_a - It means seeing. Here it means seeing the Guru regularly- having Guru darshan. Any method in which you see Swamiji can be called ‘darshana’. For instance, when seeing the photo of any God or idols such as Ganapati, Devi, Datta etc. whether in puja room or at any other place, one should have the firm belief that he is having Guru darshan.

Sparshana means touch. Here, it must be understood clearly that merely sitting physically in His presence amounts to sparshana. Sitting in the hall wherein He is seated.

Sambhashana- As blessings are passed through speech, listening to Swamiji’s bhajans, speeches or hearing His voice is sambhashana. True sambhashana means discussing face-to-face and clarifying spiritual doubts.

Discussing your personal problems is not sambhashana.

Bhaktimala Jan 1986