A Guru is of two types, based on his Sadhana or his Siddhi. A Sadhaka Guru gives diksha which is based on certain rituals. For this diksha, there are certain requirements like flowers, sandal, votive offerings, cloth, ghee etc. After taking diksha, the disciple follows the instructions of his Guru and does japa, homa and panchanga sadhana and thereby awakens his own mantra. Thus, he attains siddhi. A siddha, who is desirous of getting material results, gets the darshan of God by his sadhana and then he gains his desired objects like dharma, artha and kama.

But a Siddha Guru gives diksha which is based on jnana and does not require any other support. No offerings are required for such diksha. The Siddha Guru develops strength in the body of the disciple by touch, sight or even by thought. The disciple’s mantra is awakened in this way. A disciple, who has got Siddha Yoga from his Guru, does not have to do the panchanga sadhana. The complete upasana of any devata is called panchanga. According to mantrashastra, the panchanga of any devata consists of the mantra japa, sahasranama, the kavacha, the geeta and the hridaya.

His kundalini is awakened and she proceeds upwards, sometimes at snail’s pace and sometimes at a flying pace, to the sahasra kamal in his head and there she becomes one with Shiva. The sadhak then gains self-fulfillment and does not have to suffer from future births and deaths.

A person, by the light of the siddhi he gains, can discern whether or not he is progressing properly with his sadhana. If he does sadhana with determination, siddhi is bound to come. But the sadhaka should ignore such siddhis as being inconsequential and carry on his sadhana, staking his very life, if necessary. He is bound to gain direct darshan of his Ishta.

But if he becomes satisfied with the small powers that he develops such as gaining wealth or bringing people under control, then all his effort will be in vain. He will prolong his cycle of rebirth. If one tries to pose as Shiva before actually rising to Shivahood, he will only get the bite of the serpent and the poison will make him writhe in pain.