Guru is a Sanskrit word equivalent to ‘teacher’ in English. It also means a master of one or many subjects/arts. E.g., if somebody has mastered yoga, they would be called a yoga guru. Ramdev Baba and Ayyangar are famous yoga gurus.
Meaning of the Word Guru:
The word guru is comprised of two words, viz. ‘Gu’ and ‘Ru.’ ‘Gu’ means ‘the darkness’ and the ‘ru’ means ‘the remover.’ Therefore, the word guru means “the person who removes the darkness from one’s life.” The word ‘Guruji’ refers to the male teacher, as the word sir is used in English. ‘Ji’ is added to the word guru to show respect.
In Sanskrit and other Indian languages, the word ‘Ji’ is added after the name or surname of a person to show respect. Female spiritual teachers are mainly referred to as Gurumaa or Gurumauli. Some forms of the word guru are also used as names of Hindu gods. E.g., Lord Dattatreya is also referred to as Sadguru or Gurudev. It is also used for the leader of a group. Books are also sometimes called gurus as they teach us many things. Hence, it is clear that it is used for non-living things also.
Mother Nature teaches us many things; she is also called a guru. A guru can be anybody. Your mother, father, school teachers, friends, etc., can also be your gurus. There can be more than one guru in a person’s life, but there cannot be more than one spiritual guru. If you want to accept another person as your spiritual guru, you must leave discipleship of the previous one with his/her permission. Lord Dattatreya is considered the biggest of all gurus.
Importance of the Teacher in Hindu Culture:
In Hindu culture, the word guru has a deeper meaning than just a teacher. A guru is considered next to God and is highly respected. Those who disrespect him are considered uncivilized. Hindus believe that a person’s life is incomplete without a guru. It is tough to attain salvation without his guidance. The guru’s wife, daughter, and son are treated like a mother, sister, and brother, respectively, by his disciples. A true guru not only imparts knowledge to the disciples but also protects and guides them in their lives. Hence, his disciples also call him Gurudev (teacher god).
The following Sanskrit Shloka underlines the importance of teacher in Hindu culture:
गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णू गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरा |
गुरुर साक्षात परब्रह्म, तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः ||
Gurur Brahma, Gurur Vishnu, Gururdevo Maheshwara |
Gurur Sakshaat Parbrahma, Tasmai Shree Gurave Namah ||
The meaning of this mantra is”
Guru is Brahma
Guru is Vishnu
Guru is Lord Shiva
My salutations to him who is the Supreme Soul himself |
Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh are the three most important deities of Hindus. A teacher is considered equivalent to them. Hence, you can understand the importance of a teacher through this Shloka.
The spiritual teachers are frequently referred to as Sadguru or Jagadguru. The word Sadguru means “Good Teacher”, and the word Jagadguru means “the teacher of the world.”
In ancient India, the Gurukul system was practiced for education, and the students had to go to the teacher’s home to acquire knowledge. The homes of the teachers were referred to as Ashramas. The fees for the education, called Gurudakshina, used to be paid at the end of the completion. The teachers in ancient times were selfless and knowledgeable. They used to impart knowledge to the students as their duty, mainly, instead of craving wealth.
Students also had great respect for teachers at that time. A story from the Mahabharata would explain this.
Dronacharya was the teacher of the Kauravas and the Pandavas, who were princes of Hastinapur. Eklavya was an aboriginal boy. Eklavya was refused education by Dronacharya as he was not from the royal family. Then, Eklavya made a statue of Dronacharya and practiced archery and other arts before it. Soon, he pioneered many arts independently, but was best at archery.
After completing his curriculum, he went to Dronacharya and offered him Gurudakshina. Dronacharya refused it as he did not teach him. Then, Eklavya told him the story about his statue and practice. Dronacharya asked him to display his archery skills and was amazed by it. Eklavya was equivalent to his best student, Arjuna.
Therefore, shrewd Dronacharya asked the thumb of his right hand as Gurudakshina so that Eklavya could not compete with his best student, Arjuna. Eklavya understood the cunningness of Dronacharya, but immediately gave the thumb of his right hand to Dronacharya. Thus, he freed himself from the debt of Guru Dakshina. But this did not affect Eklavya as much as Dronacharya had thought, and Eklavya still managed to be one of the best archers of his time.
The moral of the story is that students were ready to sacrifice anything for their teachers.
September 5th of every year is celebrated as Teacher’s Day in India. All educational institutions remain closed on this day. Students greet and gift their teachers on this day. They show respect to the teachers by touching their feet.
Guru-Shishya Parampara:
Guru-Shishya Parampara (Teacher-Disciple Tradition) is one of the important aspects of Hinduism. Many important Hindu scriptures, like the Bhagavad-Gita, the Vedas, etc., were preserved this way. Lord Krishna was the guru of Arjuna. Therefore, he told him the Bhagavad-Gita to clear his doubts about war and life.
Some famous Teacher-Disciple duos in Hindu culture:
1. Krishna-Arjuna.
2. Sandipani-Krishna.
3. Vasishtha-Rama.
4. Dronacharya-Arjuna.
5. Dattatreya-Navnath.
These days, you can find a spiritual teacher at every corner of India. Most of them use their powers to earn money and fame. It isn’t easy to find a genuine guru these days. Those who are really good prefer to stay away from the crowd. But this is the reality of the 21st century, and we have to accept it. If you want knowledge, you have to pay the fees, too. Otherwise, you must travel to the Himalayas to find a guru.
If you think of spiritual progress, you must find a good teacher and follow them. There are many Ashramas in India and abroad where you can find a good guru to guide you on your spiritual path. In India, it is said that when the right time comes, you will definitely find your guru.
The word guru is used in many Bollywood and Hollywood films. A few years back, a Hindi film named ‘Guru’ starring Mithun Chakravarti was released. The film ‘Love Guru’ created controversy in Hollywood for some time.