Significance of Guru in Indian Culture
A guru is a highly revered figure in the Indian culture and is regarded equivalent to God. The Indian saint and poet, Kabir had once said that if his Guru and God came in front of him, he would greet the guru first as he is the one who showed him the path to God.
Guru means dispeller of darkness as the root word gu means darkness and ru means ‘that which dispels’. As per Bhagavad Gita, a true God-illuminated guru is one, who in his achievement of self-mastery, has understood his identity with the omnipresent spirit. In Rigveda, Guru has been described as the source and inspirer of the knowledge of Self, the essence of reality, for the one who seeks.
In the Upanishads, a guru is described as someone who helps attain self-knowledge. As per the Taittriya Upanishad, a guru is one who urges a student to struggle, discover and experience the Truth. In Hinduism, a guru is a personal spiritual teacher or guide. In Hinduism, a guru is defined as a teacher rendering knowledge of a certain skill, as also a counselor and friend who serves as a guide, and someone who helps the seeker attain self-realization. According to the Hindu religion, one of the ways to achieve liberation (moksha) and perfection is with the guidance of a guru.
The concepts of Guru and gurukulam date back to the 1st millenium BCE, and owing to this tradition, knowledge could be transmitted across generations. The guru-shishya tradition has helped in creating, preserving and transmitting knowledge in various fields ranging from art and music to religion and philosophy. The relationship between a guru and his disciple is considered as one of the most sacred and pure ones. In the Indian culture, a guru and his/her disciples are known to have a very deep and special bond, where a guru always wishes well for his disciples and the disciples have immense respect and gratitude for their gurus and are happy to forever stay indebted to them.
Why is a guru important in our life?
A guru gives meaning to life and transforms our lives by guiding our spiritual progress. Through his/her words, actions and living, he imparts knowledge and wisdom to his students and serves as a mentor in their spiritual journey. A true guru has the power to remove impurities from the pupils’ minds and take them from confusion to clarity. A guru banishes the darkness of ignorance from the students’ minds and helps them attain enlightenment or spiritual awakening.
According to Sadhguru, the role of a guru is to give clarity and help an individual develop spiritually. He says – “A Guru creates his personality in such a way that people don’t know whether to love it or to hate it…This is not a human being. Either he is a devil or he must be Divine.” He further emphasizes – To take someone from one dimension of experience to another, you need a device of higher intensity and energy. That device is what we call a Guru. More on Guru quotes by Sadhguru.
Paramhansa Yogananda says that a true guru is not an ordinary spiritual teacher but someone who has attained complete union with the Infinite spirit and is hence qualified to lead others towards that goal. When a seeker sincerely studies and applies his guru’s teachings, he understands the purpose of his life and his link with God. A guru can be considered a messenger of God, who blesses his students with knowledge that helps them unite with the universal consciousness.
According to Sri Sri, a guru is someone who guides you into wisdom and knowledge and kindles the life force in you. The best way to usher peace into your life is to be close to the guru through sadhana, satsang, reflection and devotion, and that guru is a reflection of your own true nature and a guide who leads you back to your true self. He says that everyone has an element of guru. Knowingly or unknowingly, if you have served someone unconditionally, you have played the role of a guru. Guru, according to Sri Sri is light and wisdom, two factors essential in human life. When there is something that you cannot handle, the guru is your savior. When there is a strong desire in your mind, guru is your guide. A real guru, with his unconditional love, stands by his disciples, always.
Is a guru necessary or why should we have a guru, if you ask, the answer is simple. The mentorship of a guru is necessary to achieve personal growth and success, in the sense that a true guru helps you transform yourself to be your own better version. A guru’s guidance helps you understand your strengths and enhances them. His criticism helps you know your weaknesses so you can work on them. He serves as the constant in your life that you can always rely on, the companion with whom you can speak your heart out, and the torchbearer who illuminates your path.
A guru can be regarded as an intermediatory between the seeker and the God, or a manifestation of God himself, who has appeared on Earth to guide you. A guru removes all obstacles on your path to self-realization. He acts as a catalyst in your spiritual growth. He teaches you the ways to develop inner strength, find peace, and stay unmoved during tough times. A guru is a source of inspiration, knowledge and bliss. He shapes your personality and transforms your life in profound ways.
In many religions and cultures, especially the Indian culture and Hinduism, a lot of importance has been laid on the concept of gurus. In Hinduism, parents are considered as the first and the greatest gurus, and for a child, his parents are equivalent to God. Teachers who help you in any aspect of education any time in life, are regarded as gurus. Spiritual masters or enlightened people who enhance your understanding of the self and walk you on the spiritual path are revered as gurus. Nature is seen as the ultimate guru, as from it, you learn many important lessons like overcoming barriers, achieving growth, being peaceful amid chaos, being generous and showering unconditional love on every being. Thus, you can see that guru is a very multi-faceted idea and is definitely not limited to any particular individual or profession. Any person or thing that lets you see a different dimension of yourself or the world and drives a positive change within you is your guru. Guru Poornima is a day to express gratitude to all your gurus and experience their blissful presence around you or within you.