THE Guru is the religious teacher
and spiritual guide to whose direction orthodox Hindus of all divisions of
worshippers submit themselves. There is in reality but one Guru. The word
GURU has many meanings in literature.The
ordinary human Guru is but the manifestation on the phenomenal plane of the
Ādināthā Mahā-kāla, the Supreme Guru abiding in Kailāsa.He it is who enters
into and speaks with the voice of the earthly Guru at the time of giving mantra. Guru is the
root (mūla) of dikṣha (initiation).
Dikṣha is the root of mantra. Mantra is the root of Devatā; and Devatāis the
root of siddhi. The Munda-mālā-Tantra says that mantra is born of Guru and
Devatāof mantra, so that the Guru occupies the position of a grandfather to the
Iṣ ṭa-devatā. It is the Guru who initiates and
helps, and the relationship between him and the disciple (śiṣ ya) continues
until The perfect sādhāka who is entitled to the knowledge of all Śāstras is he
who is pure-minded, whose senses are controlled (jitendriyah), who is ever
engaged in doing good to all beings, free from false notions , the attainment
of monistic siddhi.
This knowledge is not like a
discrete academic subject that you can learn simply by reading a textbook. It is a complete
unfoldment and the teacher-student connection is necessary
in order to make the knowledge work
for the student. It is similar to a relationship with a
therapist in which trust and a
certain amount of time are necessary.The guru is more like a
super-therapist. He must re-orient
the student overa period of time, directly or indirectly, so the
student sees through ingrained
self-beliefs. But what makes the
extraordinary difference is that
the guruis also the one who opens up
your heart and gives you aninsight about yourself, a self
that is totally acceptable. There is
no other relationship that will do that.Guru is father, mother, and Brahman.
Guru, it is said, can save from the wrath of Śiva but none can save from the
wrath of the Guru. Attached to this greatness there is however, responsibility;
for the sins of the disciple recoil upon him.
the final definition OF guru: maha
vakya-upadesha-karta, the one who teachesthe statement revealing the identityof the individual and the Lord, the whole.
The guru is a human being. When the
guru is praised, however, gurur brahma gurur
vishnu gurur devo maheshwara, “The
guru is Brahma, the guru is Vishu, the guru is shiva,” the
human element is not taken into
account.
