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With the rise of persons seeking knowledge in Vedanta and darshana shastras, the reverence for the Guru became still more intensified; for adhyatmik upliftment depended entirely upon his proper guidance.<ref name=":0" />

With the rise of persons seeking knowledge in Vedanta and darshana shastras, the reverence for the Guru became still more intensified; for adhyatmik upliftment depended entirely upon his proper guidance.<ref name=":0" />

The Bhagavata Purana (Skandha 7, Adhyaya 15) says that guru (the spiritual master) should be considered verily the Supreme Being as he gives transcendental knowledge for enlightenment. Consequently, for one who maintains the material conception that the spiritual master is an ordinary human being, everything becomes useless. His enlightenment, Vedic studies and knowledge are like the bathing of an elephant (which besmears itself with dust immediately after the bath).<ref>Ganesh Vasudeo Tagare, The Bhagavata Purana (Part III), Ancient Indian Tradition & Mythology (Volume 9), Edited by J.L.Shastri, New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, P.no.[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.150116/page/n115/mode/2up 985-996].</ref><ref>A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam (Seventh Canto), [http://prabhupadabooks.com/pdf/SB7.3.pdf Part 3-Chapters 10-15], 1976: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.</ref><blockquote>यस्य साक्षाद्भगवति ज्ञानदीपप्रदे गुरौ | मर्त्यासद्धीः श्रुतं तस्य सर्वं कुञ्जरशौचवत् ||२६||<ref>Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 7, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AD/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%AB Adhyaya 15].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''yasya sākṣādbhagavati jñānadīpapradē gurau | martyāsaddhīḥ śrutaṁ tasya sarvaṁ kuñjaraśaucavat ||26||''</blockquote>

The Bhagavata Purana (Skandha 7, Adhyaya 15) says that guru (the spiritual master) should be considered verily the Supreme Being as he gives transcendental knowledge for enlightenment. Consequently, for one who maintains the material conception that the spiritual master is an ordinary human being, everything becomes useless. His enlightenment, Vedic studies and knowledge are like the bathing of an elephant (which besmears itself with dust immediately after the bath).<ref name=":6">Ganesh Vasudeo Tagare, The Bhagavata Purana (Part III), Ancient Indian Tradition & Mythology (Volume 9), Edited by J.L.Shastri, New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, P.no.[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.150116/page/n115/mode/2up 985-996].</ref><ref>A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Srimad Bhagavatam (Seventh Canto), [http://prabhupadabooks.com/pdf/SB7.3.pdf Part 3-Chapters 10-15], 1976: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.</ref> Because, the guru (spiritual preceptor) whom people regard as merely a human being, is directly the Almighty, Supreme Ruler of both Prakrti and Purusha whose feet are sought after by masters of Yoga.<ref name=":6" /><blockquote>यस्य साक्षाद्भगवति ज्ञानदीपप्रदे गुरौ | मर्त्यासद्धीः श्रुतं तस्य सर्वं कुञ्जरशौचवत् ||२६||</blockquote><blockquote>एष वै भगवान्साक्षात्प्रधानपुरुषेश्वरः | योगेश्वरैर्विमृग्याङ्घ्रिर्लोको यं मन्यते नरम् ||२७||<ref>Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 7, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AD/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%AB Adhyaya 15].</ref></blockquote><blockquote>''yasya sākṣādbhagavati jñānadīpapradē gurau | martyāsaddhīḥ śrutaṁ tasya sarvaṁ kuñjaraśaucavat ||26||''</blockquote><blockquote>''ēṣa vai bhagavānsākṣātpradhānapuruṣēśvaraḥ | yōgēśvarairvimr̥gyāṅghrirlōkō yaṁ manyatē naram ||27||''</blockquote>

== बहुविधा गुरवः ॥ Types of Gurus ==

== बहुविधा गुरवः ॥ Types of Gurus ==