Guru

“Gurur-Brahma Gurur-Vishnu
Gurur-Devo Maheshwara
Guru Saakshaat Param Brahma
Tasmui Shri Guruve Namah”

Translates into “The Guru is Brahma, the Guru is Vishnu, the Guru Deva is Maheswara (Shiva), the Guru is Verily the Para-Brahman (Supreme Brahman); Salutations to that Guru”. On this holy Guru Poornima Day, I intent to discuss with my dear friends about the significance of this day, what it really means and what one should do on this auspicious day. Vyasa was born on this full moon day. He completed the codification of the four Vedas on this day. He completed the writing of the eighteen Puranas on this day. Owing to the passage of time, Vyaasa Purnima came to be called Guru Purnima. The term guru means one who dispels the darkness of ignorance. Gu means one who is beyond attributes (gunas), ru implies one who is beyond forms (rupas). This refers only to God. That is why the guru is hailed as Brahma, Vishnu, or Siva. Only God is the true guru. All others are merely teachers, like the teachers of different subjects in a college. Guru is the one who reveals the Athmic Principle to the disciple.

The Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara are within us. This is the meaning of the three words Bhur, Bhuvah, Svaha in the Gayatri Mantra. Bhur means Bhu-loka (earth). The earth is made up of matter. Therefore human body, which is also made up of matter, is called Bhu-loka. This can be referred to as materialization. Bhuvah means life force (Prana). It is this life force that makes the body move. This is vibration. Svaha means wisdom. This is radiation. The Vedas declare, ‘Prajnanam Brahma’. This Prajnana is nothing but radiation. Human being is a combination of materialization, vibration and radiation. One doesn’t have to search for divinity outside and by simply turning the vision inward, one can find divinity.

“The Gita declares,’ Eeshwara dwells in the heart region of all beings (Eeshwaras-sarva-bhootaanaam Hrid-deshe Aq’uana Tishthati). Eeshwara therefore means the Lord of the heart. He illumines the heart of every being. This means the Divine Power of Eeshwara is present in every heart. The other name given to Eeshwara is the Lord of the Heart. It is from the heart that the mind has emerged. The mind corresponds to the Vishnu Principle. Vishnu means all-pervasive. The mind is equally all-pervasive. ‘Mano-moolam Idam Jagat’ (The mind is the basis of the cosmos). The mind pervades the entire universe. Hence, it signifies the Vishnu Principle. Brahma is traditionally described as arising from the navel of Vishnu. It is from the mind the speech has come. ‘Vaak’ is the embodiment of Brahma. Hence, Brahma has, among other names ‘Shabda Brahmamayee’ sound (Shabda) as Brahma.

Thus, Eeshwara, Vishnu and Brahma symbolize the heart, mind and faculty of speech. The combination of all the three represents the Atma. Hence, each of the three should be revered as the One Supreme Guru in three forms. In ‘Guru Brahma’, the Brahma referred to here is not the creator. It refers to ‘Vaak’. Guru Vishnu refers to the all-pervasive mind, which is present in all beings. This is the Vishnu Principle. ‘Guru-Devo Maheshwarah’ refers to the seat of the heart. ‘Guru Saakshaat Para-Brahma Tasmaii Shri Gurve Namah.’ This means that unity of speech, mind and heart represents the Supreme Atma, which should be revered as the Guru.”

The verse which speaks of the Guru as Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara (Shiva) is quoted often. But, the One has not broken into three, one part in charge of creation, another who fosters and maintains and the third dissolves and destroys. The Pranava Mantra AUM is the symbol of the One. It is composed of three sounds- A (as in Ascension), U (as in Unison) and M (as in eMancipation). Brahma is ‘A’, Vishnu ‘U’ and Shiva is ‘M’ and all three are indivisibly united in AUM.

Therefore, the best thing one can do on this auspicious day is to vow to inquire into the nature of the true Self and accept it as the divine principle. Recognizing divinity in one and revering that Atmic Principle is true Guru Poornima. There are three ways suggested by saints and they are to love and recite the name or worship the form, fill the heart with the name and form so that the formless inside will be revealed (Bhakthi Yoga) or synchronize thoughts, words and actions with love, inquire into Self and gain the true knowledge (Jnana Yoga) or saturate love, dedicate life for the welfare of the world and recognize the divinity resides in every life (Karma Yoga).

 

Dear Smt. Jayasala:

Thank you for your first and wonderful response. I have carefully reviewed the paragraph that emphasized the faith that makes the teachings stronger.

As long as one has the knowledge to differentiate who is a true Guru and eliminate following others who are not, the world will be a better place. I ask myself a question whether I am capable of judging who is a true Guru and who is not? I am an ordinary mortal who is seeking knowledge and most of the time, those who may not have the attributes of a true Guru comes with a package of oratory and strength in reciting and explaining scriptures with hidden agenda to promote their selfish desires. Sometimes, I apply the basic principle of watching whether they serve the humanity without amazing anything for themselves. The only criteria that satisfies me is when someone leads a life that they teach we should live.

Viswa

 

Dear Kamalji,

Thank you for your response. Academic knowledge is meaningless unless one leads an ideal and purposeful life. Similarly, reading scriptures is needed only for someone like me who is totally ignorant. If one could lead a good life without help of any scriptures, that person is superior than me without any question. Religion, Guru & Idol worship are only facilitators needed for those who are ignorant and blind to right living.

Gratitude to everyone who made the difference in one's life is an essential quality one should definitely possess. Unfortunately, some get it naturally while others take their help for granted and need good education and training to learn those principles through teachings.

In my view, the special day is to recall the teachings and unless one practices such teachings, recalling is meaningless. If one sees Christmas as a celebration and to get costly gifts, it is meaningless. It is a day a true Christian will celebrate with a determination to follow His teachings. Life changing events happen in a moment and similarly, one never knows when someone will be transformed. By deciding that one can do any day only dilutes things.

Viswa

 

Dear Akanksha,

Thank you for your wonderful feedback when I thought this post is dead and archived. You said it right. Only one who has all the qualities needed of Guru is God. Your explanation of expansion of God is exemplary! Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva worship each other to teach an important lesson to humanity that all are one.

It is true a Guru should evaluate a disciple whether he or she is capable of imparting knowledge about the Athmic Principle. Similarly, even a disciple should know which Guru can provide true knowledge. Rest are just teachers. A true Guru would never give up on a disciple until he gets true knowledge and would never expect anything in return. When Guru Kulam had such rigorous disciplines those days only to bring some essential character to the disciples like dropping of ego, complete surrender, service mindset, determination to seek knowledge, devotion, etc.

Viswa

 

Dear Vaidehi,

As always, thank you for reading all my snippets. The greatest Guru is our own pure consciousness and it won't let us go in a wrong direction. It is the mind that could become subservient listener to this great Guru or step aside and explore the world on its own ignoring the cautions of our own consciousness. Since every life has this key component, we are destined to look for light. If not in this life, probably in the next few lives. No one can escape realization of true Self.

I have written hundreds of snippets here and if you like I can highlight some I enjoyed writing the most. I have also written more than 200 blogs in a separate blog section before writing in the snippet section. It can be accessed by typing www.indusladies.com/forums/blogs/viswamitra.

Viswa