Devanagari: चेला ISO15919: cēlā

Disciple.

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It is synonymous with the term shishya (Devanagari: शिष्य ISO 15919: śiṣya). Genuine Saints do not mechanically "make" disciples. Instead, they freely impart divine knowledge. The jiva (soul) then follows these teachings and performs sadhana to purify the mind. Eventually, the Guru transforms the aspirant's mind to become divine and infuses it with the power of divine love. It is only at this stage that the jiva truly becomes a chela. In present times, impostor gurus often whisper a mantra into a person's ear and immediately designate them a chela. This practice is not approved by the Vedas.

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Identify the Saints and Expose the Pretenders

REFERENCE

Guru Mantra - The Guru and the Disciple, Ch. 1