According to Osho, the Shatyayani Upanishad’s praise of the Master (gurudeva paro dharmo, gurudeva para gatih) is not hero-worship but a hymn to discipleship: the Master is a compassionate device, a catalytic mirror enabling the disciple to surrender the illusory ego. Through love and trust, this surrender opens the door to the divine; without such a living device, liberation remains theoretical and the ego persists.
Like a friendly ladder, the Master helps you drop your pretend ‘me’ so you can meet what’s real.