Guru (गुरुः)

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Guru (Samskrit : गुरुः) means preceptor, one who imparts valuable life lessons to anyone who seeks knowledge. He is one who takes charge of immature children, moulds them and makes them worthy useful citizens of the world. Thus such a preceptor was naturally held high in reverence. Gurus held an esteemed position in the society due to their Vidya or knowledge they possessed (Manyasthana).

The importance which in modern times is attached to the Institution, of study, was in ancient days attached to the teacher in India.

Introduction

Scholars agree that in the context of Guru and Shishya, the present days' definitions do not completely agree with the ancient texts. Vidya as in Adhyatma vidya or Paravidya is held in high reverence by the ancient seers (Mundakopanishad clearly explains it).

Etymology

गुकारस्त्वन्धकारस्स्यात् रुकारस्तन्निरोधक इति किल गुरुशब्दव्युत्पत्तिः ।

Shabdakalpadruma defines गुरुः as गृणाति उपदिशति वेदादिशास्त्राणिइन्द्रादिदेवेभ्यः इति । one who teaches, advises (used in the sense of explaining, pointing out, informing, command, prescibe) the vedas and shastras

Gurugita comprehensively summarizes the meaning of Guru. Said to be a part of Skanda Purana, Gurugita outlines the following aspects of a Guru.

गुकारश्चान्धकारो हि रुकारस्तेज उच्यते। अज्ञानग्रासकं ब्रह्म गुरुरेव न संशयः॥४४॥

गु-कारः stands for अन्धकारः (darkness in the form of Ajnana) and रु-कारः denotes तेजः (light in the form of Jnana). The one who dispels Ajnana by the light of Brahmajnana is a Guru, without any doubt.

गुकारो भवरोगः स्यात् रुकारस्तन्निरोधकृत्। भवरोगहरत्याच्च गुरुरित्यभिधीयते॥४५॥

गु-कारः stands for भवरोगः (worldly inflictions) and रु-कारः denotes भवरोगनिरोधकः (preventing worldly inflictions). One who removes the diseases of worldly attachments is called a Guru.

गुकारश्च गुणातीतो रूपातीतो रुकारकः। गुणरूपविहीनत्वात् गुरुरित्यभिधीयते॥४६॥

गु-कारः stands for गुणातीतः (one who is above the three gunas - satva, rajas and tamas) and रु-कारः denotes रूपातीतः (one who is formless). A Guru is so called because he is devoid of the gunas (three states) and form.

गुकारः प्रथमो वर्णो मायादिगुणभासकः। रुकारोऽस्ति परं ब्रह्म मायाभ्रान्तिविमोचनम्॥४७॥ (Guru. Gita.1.44-47)

गु-कारः the first varna is गुणभासकः (indicates Maya and other such qualities) and रु-कारः denotes परं ब्रह्म (the highest Brahman which dispels Maya and other delusions).

अत्रिनेत्रः शिवः साक्षात् द्विबाहुश्च हरिः स्मृतः। योऽचतुर्वदनो ब्रह्मा श्रीगुरुः कथितः प्रिये॥९२॥ (Guru. Gita.1.92)

Guru is none other than Shiva devoid of three eyes (Guru has two eyes), two shouldered Vishnu and Brahma devoid of four faces (heads).

Thus Mahesvara extols the greatness of a Guru in many ways to Uma.

Intellectual Father

While earthly parents are revered and one owes their physical birth to them, the Guru is revered and designated as the spiritual and intellectual father of the student. No education is complete without the help and guidance of the teacher. Different ancient texts describe the role of a teacher who is instrumental in the spiritual awakening and moral conditioning of an immature child.

Atharvaveda

आचार्य उपनयमानो ब्रह्मचारिणं कृणुते गर्भमन्तः । तं रात्रीस्तिस्र उदरे बिभर्ति तं जातं द्रष्टुमभिसंयन्ति देवाः ॥३॥ (Atha. Veda. 11.7.3)

Acharya bears the Brahmachari (one who is undergoing the Upanayana samskara) in his womb (of jnanasharira) for three nights. The devatas come down to see him (support him) just as he emerges from the womb (Adhyatmaka janma).

Here the night is indicative of Ajnana, state of darkness devoid of knowledge. It also represents the kinds of darkness signified by lack of concepts (thoughts), enquiry (examination) and content (subject matter), and incapability which are removed by the teacher.

Manusmrti

Manu extols the greatness of a preceptor and lays down the role of an acharya as the spiritual father of a student.

तत्र यद्ब्रह्मजन्मास्य मौञ्जीबन्धनचिह्नितम् । तत्रास्य माता सावित्री पिता त्वाचार्य उच्यते । । २.१७० । ।

वेदप्रदानादाचार्यं पितरं परिचक्षते । २.१७१ । । (Manu. Smrt. 2.170-171)

Shruti lays down that for a dvija, the mother gives him the first birth and by Upanayana samskara he gets his second birth, by the Agnistoma and other yajnadikshas he takes the third birth. Of these three births, in the brahmajnama obtained after upanayana, mother is Savitri and Gayatri and acharya is said to be the father. Gautama Dharmasutras also emphasize that the Acharya is the person from whom one receives second birth (at Upanayana) or instruction in the Veda.

तद्द्वितीयं जन्म ॥ तद् यस्मात् स आचार्यः ॥ वेदानुवचनाच् च ॥ (Gaut. Dharm. Sutr. 1.1.8-10)

यिक्तियुक्तं वचो ग्राह्यं न ग्राह्यं गुरुगौरवत् । सर्वशास्त्ररहस्यं तद् याज्ञवल्क्येन भाषितम् ॥ याज्ञवल्क्यशिक्षा , 232

Qualities of a Guru

Skanda purana describes the Gurugita as given by Uma Maheshvara Samvada.

ज्ञानं स्वानुभवः शान्तिर्वैराग्यं वक्तृता धृतिः। षड्गुणैश्वर्ययुक्तो हि भगवान् श्रीगुरुः प्रिये॥१७२॥ (Guru. Gita.2.172)

Kinds of Gurus

suchaka, vachaka, bodhaka, nishiddhaguru, vihitaguru, karanaguru, paramaguru, mahaguru,

Gurugita slokas 160 to 171

subhashita pustakabhandagaram, samanya neetulu 257 sloka, 159 page