𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬

𝐀 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐮𝐬.

𝐇𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐛 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐬,

𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐝,

𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬

𝐚𝐧𝐝

𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐩𝐮𝐭

𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬..

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧

𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬

𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐢𝐧

𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬..

𝐒𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐝 𝐁𝐡𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐦 𝟏𝟏.𝟕.𝟑𝟑-𝟑𝟓 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝟐𝟒 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬..

𝐀 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞

𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐫 perhaps  𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐆𝐨𝐝..

The flow of ocean of Gurus

It is teachers day...

The birthday of the philosopher president of India...an erudite scholar and teacher the Revered Dr. S. Radhakrishnan..

The flow of ocean of Gurus start with

Lord Shiva the Dakshinamoorthy

and the

adorable aacharya of Gita Sri Krishna

and

the greatest guru who ever held human form Srimad Sankaracharya

and

continues for ever and ever

and

it includes all of you my dear friends..

My humble pranams to you all

𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐮

𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐮 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞.

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐚 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚..

𝐖𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐮 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐮𝐬.

𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐁𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐚

Status of the Guru..

 

Status of the Guru..

Age is not essentially a yardstick for guru-shishya relationship..

Just think of the the young guru sitting under the peepul tree in silence and the aged disciples sitting in front of him.. 

The silence of the Guru gets communicated to the disciples as explanation for everything and the disciples are relieved from all doubts.

chitram vata tarormooley vridha shishyaaH gurur yuvaa, guroshtu mounam vyakyaanam shisyaastu chchinna samasayaaH..

चित्रं वततरोर्मूले वृद्ध शिष्याः गुरुर्युवा गुरोस्तु मौनं व्याख्यानं शिष्यास्तु च्छिन्न संशयाः

this would tell everything..

In fact such a situation is said to have arisen in the life of Kalidasa.. 

 He married the princess before whom  he was presented by deceit  through the nasty tricks of some failed lovers of hers who ensured that the princess got married to the doubly distilled idiot. 

 When she came to know of the trick and the misfortune that had befallen her because of that, she advised the unlettered cowherd that was her husband to approach Mother Kali, and when the Divine mother, in Her infinite mercy, gave him enlightenment, the first thing he remembered was that his wife had assumed  the role of his guru who guided him to divinity.. 

He could not treat her as a wife anymore..

To avoid such situations, in our tradition, all factors including age, relationship etc., were considered  very seriously before accepting the guru-shishya relationship..

Getting a very bad and undeserving guru can be considered only as the result of sins we would have incurred in this life and earlier lives.. Mahaapaapashakthi.. 

What to do?

But once we have chosen the  the guru, we cannot brand the reverse learning process as taboo or impossible and cannot  treat the guru irreverently. Anyhow  our old social norms over the years  viewed such reversals in age or education  as odd. 

In the long history of a society like ours the rules sometimes tend to get biased, sometimes straitjacketed even, and grain and chaff get mixed up. 

 We have to use our good sense, and avoid the chaff.

Moreover, any action taken in good faith should not be considered  as sinful..

 The principle shaastraaya cha sukhaaya cha (शास्त्राय च सुखाय च ) always worked. Whoever or whatever is the guru, he has to be accorded great respect .

Learning under a pratiloma ( lesser in age, status etc ) Guru was not envisaged in our Varna based rigid system. I can cite an example. You might have heard of Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri, the scholar and author of Narayaneeyam.. He was a man of loose morals up to a particular stage in his life and good sense was driven home on him by one Achyutha Pisharodi, a great astrologer and scholar. Melpathur wanted to study vedas too but insisted that he should get the training  from Achyutha pisharodi, who was ineligible to learn or teach vedas.. 

However  on Bhattathiris insistence one scholar rendered Vedas to Pisharody and Pisharody in turn taught Bhattathiri.. 

Consequently sin overtook Pisharody and he was afflicted with Vataroga.. 

Bhattathiri is said to have taken over the disease and by worshipping Guruvayurappan through Narayaneeyam got relief for himself form Vatarogam. 

Here apart from the Bhakti line, the lesson is that an ineligible person teaching someone does not deprive the former of his status as a guru, but only deposits durithams to his own account. 

 By the same logic, Vidya, whether spiritual or temporal is accepted by us from someone, we have to accept him as our guru.. 

Definitely Einstein and Newton are our gurus just as Vyasa and Shankara.. 

I believe so.. 

Views and opinions can vary..

My teachers and trainers are for me Gods personified

अधिगम्य गुरोर्ज्ञानं छात्रेभ्यो वितरन्ति ये।

विद्यावात्सल्यनिधयः शिक्षकाः मम दैवतम्॥

adhigamya gurorjñānaṁ chātrebhyo vitaranti ye |

vidyā vātsalya nidhayaḥ śikṣakāḥ mama daivatam||

My teachers and trainers are for me Gods personified. They have acquired knowledge and erudition from great Gurus, preceptors and their own eminent teachers. And they, having become treasurehouses of knowledge and unconditional love for the students, are imparting such knowledge to their pupils.

One would become a good teacher or trainer only if he had acquired knowledge from a great teacher. And by their erudition, and deep affection for the students, and through unconditional commitment to their profession, become divine beings in human forms.

Gurubhyo NamH

അധിഗമ്യ ഗുരോർജ്ഞാനം ഛാത്രേഭ്യോ വിതരന്തി യേ ।

വിദ്യാവാത്സല്യനിധയഃ ശിക്ഷകാഃ മമ ദൈവതം॥

എന്‍റെ അധ്യാപകരും ശിക്ഷകരും എനിക്ക് ദൈവങ്ങളാണ്.

അവർ മഹാന്മാരായ ഗുരുക്കളിൽ നിന്നും അവരുടെ അധ്യാപകരിൽ നിന്നും ഏറെ ശ്രദ്ധയോടെ അറിവും ജ്ഞാനവും നേടിയെടുക്കുന്നു. സ്വയം അറിവിന്‍റെയും സ്നേഹത്തിന്‍റെയും നിധികൾ ആയി മാറുന്നു.. ആ അറിവും സ്നേഹവും ശിഷ്യരിലേക്ക് കലവറയില്ലാതെ പകര്‍ന്നു കൊടുക്കുന്നു.

അതെ, ഒരാൾ നല്ല അദ്ധ്യാപകനോ ശിക്ഷകനോ ആവണമെങ്കിൽ അയാൾക്ക് ഒരു നല്ല ഗുരുവിൽ നിന്ന് ശിക്ഷണം ലഭിച്ചിരിക്കണം. അത്തരം അദ്ധ്യാപകർ സ്വന്തം അറിവും ജ്ഞാനവും കൊണ്ടും, തന്റെ ശിഷ്യർക്കായി മനസ്സിൽ കരുതിയിരിക്കുന്ന പരിധിയില്ലാത്ത സ്നേഹവും കരുതലും പുറത്തെടുത്തും, സ്വന്തം തൊഴിലിനോടുള്ള ആഴമേറിയ പ്രതിബദ്ധത കൊണ്ടും, ഈ ഭൂമിയിൽ നടന്നു നീങ്ങുന്ന ദൈവങ്ങളായി മാറുന്നു.

ഗുരുഭ്യോ നമഃ.

how grateful I am that he shaped my career and my work ethics !.. Sree Gurubyo namaH.

In 1977, I joined my department (the Indian Incometax) as a boy of 22 years.

My boss was at that time 56 years, a brahmin, a man with greatest integrity, but possessing a very nasty temper..

I was a novice and I did not know anything about Incometax, because personally I had no sources of income either for myself or my family. And I was a student of physics.

Everyday, I would present myself before my boss, and he would show all his anger, use some "endearing" words, and hand over some accounts to me for preparing notes. My mind would be blank.. I would approach him every half an hour with some doubt.. and he would tell all the "good words", but would explain to me the technicalities, and he was an excellent taxman, an excellent role model and a great guru.. l became a reasonably good taxman simply because of this great man

And me and my friend steno would sit outside the boss's cabin and since we had nothing else to criticize about him, we would be passing jokes about the boss's change in postures

In retrospect ,afte50 years,I remember with utter gratitudehow great my first boss was , and how grateful I am that he shaped my career and my work ethics !.. Sree Gurubyo namaH..

𝐆𝐮𝐫𝐮 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭.. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡.. 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫

 

𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚.  And 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐤𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞..

 𝐌𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚...𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐧𝐚𝐧 𝐍𝐚𝐢𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐇𝐎𝐃 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐤𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐁𝐒𝐂 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫..

 𝐇𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐤𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 of Exams 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 (𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐫 area 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧.. in 1973.) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐲  𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞whole of  𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐰𝐡𝐨, 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐤𝐫𝐢𝐭  𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫.

𝐇𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐞..

 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐚𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐈 𝐛a𝐝e 𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐤𝐫𝐢𝐭 D𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬,

"ഇനി താന്‍ സംസ്കൃതം പഠിക്കില്ല അല്ലെ? "𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭  𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐤𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 ?

 𝐘𝐞𝐬, 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐤𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞.

 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝..𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐤𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐰.

 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫. 𝐈 𝐦𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐦.. 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲..

𝐈 𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐱𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, Indian Revenue Service , 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞 𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 ..

𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐤𝐫𝐢𝐭,𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞..

𝐒𝐫𝐢 𝐆𝐮𝐫𝐮𝐛𝐡𝐲𝐨 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐇

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬  𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞..

𝐈 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐳𝐞, 𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐞, 𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 .𝐈 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞  𝐬𝐨𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐝  𝐬𝐨 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧.

𝐁𝐮𝐭  𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲  𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐮𝐬,  𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨  𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.. 𝐨𝐫  𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫  𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬  𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧  𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡  𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐮𝐬..

𝐆𝐮𝐫𝐮 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭..  𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡.. 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐬  𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 ..

𝐕𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐢 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐩𝐞

"𝐕𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐢 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐩𝐞 𝐛𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐛𝐡𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐦

𝐒𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐣𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦 𝐣𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭

𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐡𝐮𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐦 𝐝𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐢 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐦

𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐡𝐤𝐡𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐦 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐦𝐢

𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐯𝐫𝐝𝐝𝐡𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐲𝐚 𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐮𝐫𝐲𝐮𝐯𝐚

𝐆𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐯𝐲𝐚𝐤𝐡𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐲𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐮 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐡

𝐍𝐢𝐝𝐡𝐚𝐲𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐯𝐝𝐢𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦 𝐛𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐣𝐞 𝐛𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐦

𝐆𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦 𝐝𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐡"

𝐈 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐢, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐥 (𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐚) 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡

𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐚 𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐮𝐥(𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐚) 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐫𝐮 𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐫𝐮 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐝..

𝐈 𝐛𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐚𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐢 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐬, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞..

The qualities of a Guru.. as per Kulaarnava Tantra...

The qualities of a Guru..

as per Kulaarnava Tantra...

श्रीगुरुः परमेशानि शुद्धवेशो मनोहरः

सर्वलक्षणसम्पन्नो सर्वावयवशोभितः।

अग्रगण्यो गभीरश्च पात्रापात्रविशेषवित्

नित्यनैमित्तिके कार्ये रतः कर्मण्यनिन्दिते।

यदृछालाभसन्तुष्टः गुणदोषविभेदकः

इत्यादि लक्षणोपेतः श्रीगुरुः कथितः प्रिये।

अत्रिनेत्रः शिवः साक्षात् अचतुर्बाहुरच्युतः

अचतुर्वदनो ब्रःमा श्रीगुरुह् कथितःप्रिये

कुळार्णवतन्त्रे॥।

śrīguruḥ parameśāni śuddhaveśo manoharaḥ

sarvalakṣaṇasampanno sarvāvayavaśobhitaḥ|

agragaṇyo gabhīraśca pātrāpātraviśeṣavit

nityanaimittike kārye rataḥ karmaṇyanindite|

yadṛchālābhasantuṣṭaḥ guṇadoṣavibhedakaḥ

ityādi lakṣaṇopetaḥ śrīguruḥ kathitaḥ priye |

atrinetraḥ śivaḥ sākṣāt acaturbāhuracyutaḥ

acaturvadano braḥmā śrīguruh kathitaḥpriye

kuḻārṇavatantre|||

Kulaarnava tantra is a treatise on worship of deities.. of Hinduism especially Shakta and Shaiva modes.. The definition of Guru fount in that text would appear to deal with the minimum qualifications of a Guru in any mode of life..

Lord Shiva is making this statement to Devi Uma in a conversation

The revered guru

Should be wearing clean clothes and should be living in very clean abode

He should be attractive to the seekers who approach him

He should be endowed with all the great and noble signs prescribed by sciences for a human being

He should be active and dexterous in all his limbs

He should be having the force of personality to be considered as a person to be respected with top most consideration in any assembly

He should have a very forceful carriage and personality.. should carry elegance with him

He should have the discretion to know the deserving and undeserving subjects and objects that comes by his way

He should be engaged in karmas ( Srauta.. smarta.. vedic and procedural) which are prescribe and should be following such karmas in a manner which is faultless and about which no person could find fault.

He should be a person who is not avaricious of gains from teaching and professing knowledge but should be satisfied with whatever benefits that come by his way incidental to his exercised of the avocation of a preceptor

And

He should be having complete and crystal clear perception about what is good and what is bad..

Further, the greatness of the revered Guru is extolled as follows..

A Guru is as great as Shiva.. but he is not just having three eyes.

A Guru is as great as Vishnu.. but he is not just having four hands

A Guru is as great as Brahma but he is not jut having four heads.

Let us introspect..

How much qualified are we.. and our Gurus..?

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easwara.. guru.. atma.

easwara.. guru.. atma.. these three are the manifestation of the same phenomenon.. Lord Dakshinamurthy.. 

ईश्वरो गुरुरात्मेति मूर्तिभेद विभागिने व्योमवत व्याप्त केशाय दक्षिणामूर्तये नमः..

Do not say Guru is different from teacher..

That argument is silly.. and touted by people who hold extreme views and try to establish elitism for some sannyasi or priest or the bearded ochre or white clad guru.. Such difference is not there.. Every thing that enriches us with some knowledge is guru.. and a human being as a teacher is eminently a guru..

I am recording this because I have seen the suprecilious claim of difference between guru and teacher too many times..

The test of a pupil and the test of a guru..

 

The test of a pupil and the test of a guru..

ज्ञानेन क्रियया वापि गुरुः शिष्यं परीक्षयेत्।

संवस्तरं तदर्द्धम् वा तदर्द्धं वा प्रयत्नतः।

शिष्योऽपि लक्षणैरेतैः कुर्यात् गुरुपरीक्षणम्।

आनन्दाद्यैर्जपैः स्तोत्रैर्ध्यानहोमर्चनादिषु।

ज्ञानोपदेशसामर्थ्यं मंत्रशुद्धमपीश्वरम्।

बोधकत्वं च विज्ञाय शिष्यो भूयान्न चन्यथा॥

jñānena kriyayā vāpi guruḥ śiṣyaṁ parīkṣayet|

saṁvastaraṁ tadarddham vā tadarddhaṁ vā prayatnataḥ|

śiṣyo'pi lakṣaṇairetaiḥ kuryāt guruparīkṣaṇam|

ānandādyairjapaiḥ stotrairdhyānahomarcanādiṣu|

jñānopadeśasāmarthyaṁ maṁtraśuddhamapīśvaram|

bodhakatvaṁ ca vijñāya śiṣyo bhūyānna canyathā||

How should a Guru test the capacity and aptitude of a Shishya..?

How should a Shishya select his Guru?

These two questions have been answered clearlly in the standard text on mantras.. The mantramaharnava of khemaraja..

Regarding selection of a shishya or disciple

The test for selection of the Shishya should be the basic knowledge the disciple alreday possessees, the basic intelligence and the capacity to grasp and acquire further knowledge.. The Guru should also test the capacity of the disciple by observing his activities, conduct and character.. In suitable cases, such testing period can be one year, half of one year or at least quarter of a year..

The disciple should choose a guru after ascertaining the following traits.. and not otherwise..

The enthusiasm and dedication and efficiency exhibited by the Guru in Chanting, in conducting fire offerings, meditation, practical aspects of conduct of ceremonies like pooja, the capacity to convey the information and impart knowledge to the disciplte with ease, the clarity in pronunciation and diction. and also the signs of divine consent ..

if we ignore the aspects of mantram and its prayogams from the above discussion, we can easily discern the qualities of a Guru and an apt Shishya in almost any discipline of study..

For consideration of Gurus and Shishyas too

Some quotes about the value of Guru

Some quotes about the value of Guru
गु शब्दस्त्वन्धकारः स्यात् रुशब्दस्तन्निरोधकः।
अन्धकारनिरोधत्वाद् गुरुरित्यभिधियते॥
द्वयोपनिषद्॥
gu śabdastvandhakāraḥ syāt ruśabdastannirodhakaḥ|
andhakāranirodhatvād gururityabhidhiyate||
dvayopaniṣad||
The letter Gu denotes darkness and the letter Ru denotes removal of Gu the darkness.. Therefore the one who removes the darkness of ignorance is called Guru..
From dvayopanishad
गुकारस्त्वन्धकारः स्यात् रुकारस्तेज उच्यते।
अज्ञानग्रासकं ब्रह्म गुरुरेव न संशयः
स्कान्दपुराणे गुरुगीतायाम्॥
gukārastvandhakāraḥ syāt rukārasteja ucyate|
ajñānagrāsakaṁ brahma gurureva na saṁśayaḥ
skāndapurāṇe gurugītāyām||
The letter Gu denotes darkness.. The letter Ru reveals brightness… There is no doubt about the fact that the Supreme being who just drives away darkness and gives brilliance to everything is the Guru.
From Gurugeetha in Skaanda puranam
ध्यानमूलं गुरोर्मूर्तिः पूजामूलं गुरोः पदं।
मन्त्रमूलं गुरोर्वाक्यं मोक्षमूलं गुरोः कृपा।
स्कान्दपुराणे गुरुगीतायाम्॥
dhyānamūlaṁ gurormūrtiḥ pūjāmūlam guroḥ padaṁ|
mantramūlaṁ gurorvākyaṁ mokṣamūlaṁ guroḥ kṛpā|
skāndapurāṇe gurugītāyām||
The object to be meditated upon is the form of the Guru. The object to be worshipped is the pair of feet of the Guru. The mantras to be chanted are the words uttered by the Guru.. And the mercy of the Guru alone can lead us to freedom, moksham from ignorance..
Guru geetha.. Skandapuranam
दुर्लभो विषयत्यागो दुर्लभं तत्त्वदर्शनम्।
दुर्लभा सहजावस्था सद्गुरोः करुणां विना॥
महोपनिषद्॥ ४-७७
durlabho viṣayatyāgo durlabhaṁ tattvadarśanam|
durlabhā sahajāvasthā sadguroḥ karuṇāṁ vinā||
mahopaniṣad|| 4-77
It is impossible to give up the bad habits of the world without the mercy and guidance of the great Guru
It is impossible to acquire great knowledge and insights into philosophy without the mercy of the great Guru
It is impossible to lead a wholesome life without the guidance and mercy of the great Guru.
Mahopanishad..
गुरुवक्त्रे स्थिता विद्या गुर्भक्त्या तु लभ्यते।
स्कान्दपुराणे गुरुगीतायाम्॥
guruvaktre sthitā vidyā gurbhaktyā tu labhyate|
skāndapurāṇe gurugītāyām||
The knowledge which resides in the mouth of the Guru can come to us only through our utter devotion to the Guru.
Gurugeetha.. Skaanda puranam.
एकैकमप्यक्षरम् यस्तु गुरुः शिष्यं निवेदयेत्।
पृथिव्या नास्ति तद् द्रव्यम् यद् दत्वा चानृणी भवेत्॥
सुभाषितम्॥
ekaikamapyakṣaram yastu guruḥ śiṣyaṁ nivedayet|
pṛthivyā nāsti tad dravyam yad datvā cānṛṇī bhavet||
subhāṣitam||
There is not enough wealth in this whole earth which can be given to the Guru to save us the debt we owe to the guru, for even a single word or syllable is imparted to us by way of education..
Subhashitam

A silent revolution indeed . A revolution in silence

A silent revolution indeed . A revolution in silence

चित्रं वटतरोर्मूले वृद्धशिष्याः गुरुर्युवा।

गुरोस्तु मौनं व्याख्यानं शिष्यास्तु च्छिन्नसम्शयाः॥

citraṁ vaṭatarormūle vṛddhaśiṣyāḥ gururyuvā|

gurostu maunaṁ vyākhyānaṁ śiṣyāstu cchinnasamśayāḥ||

The young Dakshnaamurthi, the incarnation of Shiva is sitting under a peepul tree in absolute silence with chinmudra on his right hand . The disciples sitting around him are all old and wizened rishis. The guru just indicates the mudra and the clouded minds of the disciples are cured of all doubts.

In silence He speaks.. Silence is His speech, explanation and gloss and commentary too. Yes, words can convey very little.. but silence is having a limitless spectral band. Silence can speak endlessly.

The wizened old disciples are physically aged.. Aged In time knowledge and experience too. But the Lord is ageless, without beginning or end. A fellow who does not have a beginning is ever young.

The old disciples, Sanatjumaras etc had their minds mired in doubts when they presented themselves before the Lord in utter silence. The silence continues. The doubts get cleared in that silence. Darkness is shattered. anihilated The enlightened old and aged disciples bask in the shine if knowledge.

But the agelessly young Lord Dakshinamoothy remains young and bright for ever.

Pranams on guru poornima

व्यासाय विष्णुरूपाय व्यासरूपाय विष्णवे। 

नमो वै ब्रह्मनिधये वासिष्ठाय नमो नमः॥ 

व्यासं वसिष्ठनप्तारं शक्तेः पौत्रमकल्मषम्। 

पराशरात्मजं वन्दे शुकतातं तपोनिधिम्॥ 

शङ्करं शङ्कराचार्यं केशवं बादरायणम्। 

सूत्रभाष्यकृतौ वन्दे भगवन्तौ पुनः पुनः॥ 

vyāsāya viṣṇurūpāya vyāsarūpāya viṣṇave| 

namo vai brahmanidhaye vāsiṣṭhāya namo namaḥ|| 

vyāsaṁ vasiṣṭhanaptāraṁ śakteḥ pautramakalmaṣam| 

parāśarātmajaṁ vande śukatātaṁ taponidhim|| 

śaṅkaraṁ śaṅkarācāryaṁ keśavaṁ bādarāyaṇam| 

sūtrabhāṣyakṛtau vande bhagavantau punaḥ punaḥ|| 

Pranams to Bhagavan Vyasa who is just Lord Vishnu Himself in different form, and Lord Vishnu is none other than Vyasa Himself.. 

Pranams unto Him who is born in the clan of Vasishta, 

Pranams to Vyasa who is the treasurehouse of supreme knowledge, supreme knowledge of Vedas.

Pranams to Vyasa, the great grandson of Sage Vasishta 

Pranams to Vyasa, the grandson of Sage Shakthi 

Pranams to Vyasa, the son of great Sage and lawmaker, Parashara 

Pranams to Vyasa, the father of Shuka 

Pranams to Vyasa, the treasurehouse of penance and austerity 

Pranams to Shankaracharya, who is none other than Lord Shiva the Shankara

Pranams to Sage Vyasa, the Badarayana, who is none other than Keshava, the Vishnu

Pranams to the two, Vyasa, who gave us Brahmasootram and Shankara who commented upon the Sutram and revealed the truth to the world. 

വ്യാസായ വിഷ്ണുരൂപായ വ്യാസരൂപായ വിഷ്ണവേ। 

നമോ വൈ ബ്രഹ്മനിധയേ വാസിഷ്ഠായ നമോ നമഃ॥ 

വ്യാസം വസിഷ്ഠനപ്താരം ശക്തേഃ പൌത്രമകല്മഷം। 

പരാശരാത്മജം വന്ദേ ശുകതാതം തപോനിധിം॥ 

ശങ്കരം ശങ്കരാചാര്യം കേശവം ബാദരായണം। 

സൂത്രഭാഷ്യകൃതൌ വന്ദേ ഭഗവന്തൌ പുനഃ പുനഃ॥ 

മഹര്‍ഷി രൂപം പൂണ്ട, രൂപം കൊണ്ട് മാത്രം സാക്ഷാല്‍ നാരായണനില്‍ നിന്ന് വ്യത്യസ്ഥനായ, ഭഗവാന്‍ നാരായണന്‍ തന്നേയായ വ്യാസന് പ്രണാമം

ഉല്‍കൃഷ്ടമായ വസിഷ്ഠകുലത്തില്‍ പിറന്ന ആ ഋഷിവര്യന്നു പ്രണാമംവേദങ്ങളുടെ അന്തഃസത്ത തന്നില്‍ നിധിയെന്ന പോലെ കാത്തുസൂക്ഷിക്കുന്ന ആ മഹദ്വ്യക്തിക്ക് പ്രണാമം 

വസിഷ്ഠന്‍റെ പ്രപൌത്രനായ , ശക്തിയുടെ പുത്രനായ, പരാശരന്‍റെ പുത്രനായ, ശുകന്‍റെ പിതാവായ, തപസ്സ് ഒരു നിധിയായി തന്നില്‍ത്തന്നെ സൂക്ഷിച്ചു വച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന വ്യാസഭാഗവാന് പ്രണാമം.

ശങ്കരാചാര്യരുടെ രൂപത്തില്‍ അവതരിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു സാക്ഷാല്‍ ശിവശങ്കരന്‍ 

ബാദരായണന്‍ എന്ന വ്യാസന്‍ കേശവനായ വിഷ്ണു അല്ലാതെ മറ്റാരുമല്ല.

ബ്രഹ്മ സൂത്രം രചിച്ച വ്യാസഭാഗവാനും ബ്രഹ്മസൂത്രത്തിന്‍റെ ഭാഷ്യം രചിച്ചു ലോകത്തിന്‍റെ കണ്ണ് തുറപ്പിച്ച ശങ്കര ഭഗവത്പാദര്‍ക്കും വീണ്ടും വീണ്ടും പ്രണാമങ്ങള്‍

Gurus and Preceptors according to Indian Traditions..

Gurus and Preceptors according to Indian Traditions..

A dear friend was raising an issue as to who is a guru and whether the teacher of today was the Guru of Indian traditions..

I came across the definition of various types of Acharyas in Yajnvalkyasmriti and the list of Gurus as defined by Devala, the great author of Dharmasastras attributed to Him

स गुरुः यः क्रिया कृत्वा वेदमस्मै प्रयच्छति

उपनीय ददद्वेदमाचार्यः स उदाहृतः॥ ३४

एकदेशमुपाद्याय ऋत्विग्यज्ञकृदुच्यते

एते मान्या यथापूर्वमेभ्यो माता गरीयसी॥३५

याज्ञवल्क्यस्मृत्याम् ब्रह्मचारिप्रकरेणे

sa gururyaḥ kriyā kṛtvā vedamasmai prayacchati

upanīya dadadvedamācāryaḥ sa udāhṛtaḥ|| 34

ekadeśamupādyāya ṛtvigyajñakṛducyate

ete mānyā yathāpūrvamebhyo mātā garīyasī||35

yājñavalkyasmṛtyām brahmacāriprakareṇe

He is the guru who conducts or presides over all the Samskaras starting from Garbhadaanam to Upanayanam and also imparts Vedas to the Brahmachari..

The preceptor who conducts or presides over Upnayanam alone and teaches Vedas is called Aacharya..

A preceptor who imparts some parts of vedas, in a summary way,just to suit the occasion is called Upadhyaaya..

and the preceptor who presides over oblations to fire alone is called Ritvig..

These preceptors are to be respected in the order, Guru, Acharya, Upadhyaaya and Ritvig..

================

But one's own mother is the greatest Guru and she gets precedence over all the four preceptors above..

==================

(From Brahmachariprakaranam of Yajnavalkyasmriti.. in fact this Smriti and its Mitakshari commentary form the basis for Hindu Law even in modern times..)

Sage Garga was the Guru for Krishna and Sage Vasishta was the guru for Rama.. they ensured that they presided over all the Samskaras of the respective incarnations..

According the the respected Dharmashastrakara Devala

उपाध्यायः पिता ज्येष्ठो भ्राता चैव महीपतिः मातुलः श्वशुरस्त्राता मातमहपितमहौ॥ ------- पित्तृव्यश्च पुंस्येते गुरवः स्मृताः। माता मातमही गुर्वी पितुर्मातुश्च सोदरा॥ श्वश्रूः पितमही ज्येष्टा धात्री च गुरवः स्त्रियः॥ देवलः

upādhyāyaḥ pitā jyeṣṭho bhrātā caiva mahīpatiḥ mātulaḥ śvaśurastrātā mātamahapitamahau|| -------- pittṛvyaśca puṁsyete guravaḥ smṛtāḥ| mātā mātamahī gurvī piturmātuśca sodarā|| śvaśrūḥ pitamahī jyeṣṭā dhātrī ca guravaḥ striyaḥ|| devalaḥ

the following are equal to Gurus among men

Upadhyaaya,(the family priest usually)

Father,

Elder brother,

the King,

the Maternal Uncle,

Father in law,

one who has taken care of us as a foster parent or one who has saved us from dangers,

the maternal and paternal grandfather,

father's brother

the following are gurus among women

mother,

mother's mother,

Guru's wife,

sisters of father and mother,

mother in law,

father's mother,

elder sister,

and the woman who was engaged to breastfeed the person when he was a child.

Sachidananda Shivabhinava Nrisimha Bharathi SwaminaH of Sringeri

सच्चिदानन्दशिवाभिनव्य नृसिंहभारत्यभिधान्यतीन्द्रान् ।

विद्यानिधीन् मन्त्रनिधीन् सदात्मनिष्ठान् भजे मानव शंभुरूपान् ॥

विद्यानिधीन् The treasurehouse of great knowledge

मन्त्रनिधीन् repository of great mantras

सदात्मनिष्ठान् absolutely steadfast in the pursuit of Atmajnaana and the rules of dharma

मानव शंभुरूपान् Lord Shankara or Shambu himself appearing as a man सच्छिदानन्द शिवाभिनव नृसिंह भारत्यभिधान known by the hallowed name Sachidananda Shivabhinava Nrisimha Bharathi

यतीन्द्रान् भजे I worship the foremost among the great Yatis or Sannyasins.

I offer my prnams and worship the great Yativarya famously known by the name Sachidananda Shivabhinava Nrisimha Bharathi ( Swaminah)

who is himself a treasurehouse of great knowledge and erudition,

who is the repository of many mahamantras,

who is steadfast in the pursuit of Atmajnaana and in strict establishment of Dharma,

who is Lord Shankara the Sahmbu who has incarnated in human form.

Sri Gurubhyo NamaH Sri Gurubhyo NamaH Sri Gurubhyo NamaH

that merciful Guru Shankara...

जन्मानेकशतैः सदादरयुजा भक्त्या समाराधितो

भक्तैर्वैदिकलक्षणेन विधिना सन्तुष्ट ईशः स्वयम्‌ ।

साक्षात्‌ श्रीगुरुरूपमेत्य कृपया दृग्गोचरः सन्‌ प्रभुः

तत्त्वं साधु विबोध्य तारयति तान्‌ संसारदुःखार्णवात्‌॥

janmānekaśataiḥ sadādarayujā bhaktyā samārādhito

bhaktairvaidikalakṣaṇena vidhinā santuṣṭa īśaḥ svayam |

sākṣāt śrīgururūpametya kṛpayā dṛggocaraḥ san prabhuḥ

tattvaṁ sādhu vibodhya tārayati tān saṁsāraduḥkhārṇavāt ||

Dear Devotee Please understand clearly that Lord Eaasha.. Shankara himself has manifested on this earth, clearly visible to our eyes, taking the form of Sri Guru ( Shankara Acharya)

He has taken this incarnation because many devotees have worshiped him with loyalty for many hundreds of lives…

and these devotees have offered their poojas and worship through duly ordained paths prescribed in the Vedas..

Therefore, the Lord is immensely pleased by that devotion.

That Lord Shankara who has manifested himself as Sri Guru in this world, is enabling the devotees to overcome the unfathomable ocean of worldly woes through His intense Grace.

Sri Gurubhyo NamaH..

This is the introductory Prayer in Gurvashtakam..

ജന്മാനേകശതൈഃ സദാദരയുജാ ഭക്ത്യാ സമാരാധിതോ

ഭക്തൈര്‍വൈദികലക്ഷണേന വിധിനാ സന്തുഷ്ട ഈശഃ സ്വയം ।

സാക്ഷാത്‌ ശ്രീഗുരുരൂപമേത്യ കൃപയാ ദൃഗ്ഗോചരഃ സന്‍ പ്രഭുഃ

തത്ത്വം സാധു വിബോധ്യ താരയതി താന്‍ സംസാരദുഃഖാര്‍ണ്ണവാത്‌॥

നൂറുകണക്കിന് ജന്മങ്ങള്‍ സദാചാരം നിറഞ്ഞ ഭക്തിയോടെ വേദങ്ങള്‍ കാട്ടിയ വഴിയില്‍ ഭക്തന്മാര്‍ ആരാധിച്ചപ്പോള്‍ അതില്‍ അത്യധികം സന്തുഷ്ടനായി ഭഗവാന്‍ ശിവന്‍ നമ്മോടുള്ള കരുണകൊണ്ടു നമുക്ക് കണ്ണില്‍ കാണാന്‍ പറ്റുന്ന ഗുരുവിന്റെ രൂപത്തില്‍ പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു. ( ആചാര്യ ശങ്കരഭാഗവത് പാദരേയാണ് ഇവിടെ ഉദ്ദേശിക്കുന്നത്.. പക്ഷെ നമ്മുടെ എല്ലാ സദ്ഗുരുക്കന്മാരും സദാശിവരൂപികള്‍ തന്നെയാണ്)

ആ ഗുരുവിന്റെ സാന്നിധ്യവും അനുഗ്രഹവും മനസ്സിലാക്കിയാല്‍ അത് നമ്മെ സംസാര ദുഃഖം എന്ന കടലിലൂടെ സഞ്ചരിച്ചു മറുകരയെത്തുവാന്‍ യോഗ്യരാക്കും

വന്ദേ ഗുരുപരമ്പരാം

Humble Homage to the Aacharayaals..

Humble Homage to the Aacharayaals..

न कर्मणा न प्रजया धनेन त्यागेनेके अम्रुतत्त्वमानशुः 

परेण नाकं निहितं गुहायां विब्राजदेतद्यतयो विशन्ति 

Na karmanaa na prajayaa dhanena tyageneke amrutattwamaanashuH

Parena naakam nihitam guhaayaam vibhraajatedatyatayo vishanti..

XII-14:Mahanarayanopanisat.. tittariya samhita Krishnayajurvedam...

Not by work, not by progeny, not by wealth, they have attained Immortality. Some have attained Immortality by renunciation. 

That which the hermits attain is laid beyond the heaven; yet it shines brilliantly in the (purified) heart.

वेदान्तविज्ञान विनिश्चितार्थाः सन्न्यसयोगाद्यतयः शुद्धसत्वाः।

ते ब्रह्मलोके तु परान्तकाले परामृतात् परिमुच्यन्ति सर्वे॥

दह्रम् विपापं वरवेश्मभूतं यत्पुन्डरीकम् पुरमध्यसँस्थं।

तत्रापि दह्रे गगनं विशोकं तस्मिन् यदन्तस्तदुपासितव्यं॥

यो वेदादौ स्वरः प्रोक्तो वेदान्ते च प्रतिष्ठितः।

तस्य प्रकृतिलीनस्य यः परः स महेश्वरः॥

vedāntavijñāna viniscitārthāḥ sannyasayogādyatayaḥ śuddhasatvāḥ|

te brahmaloke tu parāntakāle parāmṛtāt parimucyanti sarve||

dahram viapāpaṁ varaveśmabhūtaṁ yatpunḍarīkam puramadhyasasthaṁ|

tatrāpi dahre gaganaṁ viśokaṁ tasmin yadantastadupāsitavyaṁ||

yo vedādau svaraḥ prokto vedānte ca pratiṣṭhitaḥ|

tasya prakṛtilīnasya yaḥ paraḥ sa maheśvaraḥ||

श्री महानारायणोपनिषत् द्वादशोऽनुवाकः १५-१६-१७

śrī mahānārāyaṇopaniṣat dvādaśo'nuvākaḥ XII- 15-16-17

Having attained the Immortality consisting of identification with the Supreme, all those aspirants who strive for self-control, who have rigourously arrived at the conclusion taught by vedanta through direct knowledge, and who have attained purity of mind through the practice of the discipline of yoga and steadfastness in the knowledge of brahman preceded by renunciation, get themselves released into the regions of Brahman at the dissolution of the body.

In the citadel of the body there is the small sinless and pure lotus of the heart which is the residence of the Supreme. Further in the interior of this small area there is the sorrowless ether.. That is to be meditated upon continuously.

He is the supreme Lord who transcends the syllable Om which is uttered at the commencement of recital of the Vedas, which is well established in the Upanishads and which is dissolved in the primal cause (prakriti) during contemplation

The above anuvakas in Mahanarayanopanishat, which is a part of advanced yajurvedic learning along with raittareeyopanishat, in three stanzas describe the way of renunciated people, the location of the Supreme Self in the anahata lotus at the heart of the living being and identifies the Brahman who is to be worshiped.

These three stanzas along with Na karamana Na prajaya dhanena..... is chanted wherever the great Aacharys who have renunciated everything and walk on this earth as living gods are present.