GURU Purnima every year is observed in the month of Ashad (July) as a respect to your GURU or the teacher. Unfortunately the festival got diluted by India when 5th September was announced as a teacher’s day and now that day has over shadowed as a ritual and government celebrations.
I personally feel there was no need of another day when we Guru Purnima was already observed in the country as the most sacred teacher’s day. We also have lost our own Valentine’s Day “Basant Panchami” and have started observing 14th February as the Valentine’s Day]. In this article we will try to understand the real meaning of the word GURU. Make sure this Guru Purnima you make it a point and go to your Guru or all teachers and wish them a happy Guru Purnima day.”
Gurur Brahmaa Gurur Vishnuh Gurur Devo Maheshvarah
Gurur Saakshaat Parabrahma Tasmai Shree Gurave Namah.
Meaning: Know the Guru. He is Brahma. He is Vishnu. He is also Shiva. Know Him to be the Supreme Brahman, and offer thy adorations unto that peerless Guru. (To learn about all aspects of living: creativity, doing and winding up; we need consultation from a teacher, who can help us differentiate between good and bad, teach us our purpose of life, our dharma the things which hold us together).
The teacher in Sanskrit, Bangla, Gurmukhi, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism is called as a Guru. In Western words the original meaning of guru has been extended to cover anyone who acquires followers. In a further metaphorical extension, guru is used to refer to a person who has authority because of his or her perceived knowledge or skills in a domain of expertise.
When the Guru teaches about the true self or ‘atma’ he or she is called as the spiritual Guru. Based on a long line of philosophical understanding as to the importance of knowledge, the guru is seen in these religions as a sacred conduit, or a way to self-realization. The Guru removes the fundamental ignorance, which hides the knowledge of this truth form us and takes us from darkness to the light.
It was Kabir who gave the real importance to the word Guru. He wrote: “Guru Govind Dono Khade, Kisko Lagu Pai, Balihari Gurudevki Jisne Govind Diyo Batai”
If the Guru and the Almighty God appears before you, to whom would you bow first? Saints have said, “Without a Satguru’s blessings you wouldn’t even recognize God.” Therefore, one must bow to the Satguru first.
Guru also refers in Sanskrit to Brihaspati, a Hindu figure analogous to the Roman planet/god Jupiter. In Vedic astrology, Guru or Brihaspati is believed to exert teaching influences. Indeed, in many Indian languages such as Hindi, the occidental Thursday is called either Brihaspativaar or Guruvaar.
Sikhism is derived from the Sanskrit word shishya, or disciple. The core beliefs of Sikhism are of belief in one God and in the teachings of the Ten Gurus, enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book.
Guru Purnima is one sacred festival dedicated to Gurus. It is the day when we honour Sage Vyasa, who gave mankind the precious gem of Saguna worship (worship of God with Form) and the hope and assurance that Manava (man) can become Madhava (God), that Nara can become Narayana, that Jeeva can become Brahman or rather that Jeeva (individual soul) is Brahman (Universal soul).
Guru can be any one in our life. The first Guru is the Parents who bring us in this world and guide and make us independent by giving a basic knowledge of life – help us to walk, talk, eat, dress etc.
The second Guru is a teacher at school where we learn the art of communication and specialise in the topics of our choice.
The third Guru is called a Dharma Guru / Satguru or the Spiritual Guru – who would give the basic knowledge of life, our true self, takes us from the paradigm of physical well being to spiritual well being, religion, Dharma, and God and show the way to the salvation of the soul.
The fifth the final guru as described by Dr Deepak Chopra is “you” yourself. He says the word GURU means G – U- R- U (God: You are you). Learning the knowledge about self is the main purpose of life and once one shifts one’s consciousness in understanding the soul, it (soul) teaches you everything about life. The soul within one is the best teacher in life. Learning to take conscious based decisions and being in touch with ones consciousness through Pranayama and meditation are some of the ways of being in touch with the inner Guru. Sole is defined as the unified field of information and energy with infinite possibilities. In terms of healing also, meditation and Pranayama are known to be effective preventive remedies for most disorders. Lord Dattatreya, an Incarnation of the Trinity, an Avadhuta (an ascetic who always remains naked), in Avadhuta Gita says, “The Self alone is my Guru.” Yet, I have learnt wisdom from twenty-four other individuals and objects. So they, too, are also my Gurus.” “The names of my twenty-four Gurus are earth, water, fire, sky, moon, sun, pigeon, python, ocean, moth, honey-gatherers (black bee), bees, elephant, deer, fish, the dancing-girl Pingala, raven, child, maiden,serpent, arrow-maker, spider and beetle.
