CONCEPT OF GURU AND SIGNIFICANCE OF GURU POURNIMA
(Sri Saileela July-August
1991)
-- L.Ganesh
Kumar
Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnu
Gurur Dcvo Mahesvarah
Gurur Saakshat Para Brahma
The above stuti
addressed lo Guru mentions 'salutations to the noble teacher Who is
Brahma, Vishnu and Lord Parmeshwara and Who is verily the supreme Brahman'. The
Guru is like Lord Brahma because he creates the character in children. The Guru
is like Lord Vishnu because he protects the good qualities in his students. The
Guru is like Lord Shiva because he destroys the bad habits and bad qualities of
his children.
Guru poumima is
observed as the day for honouring the Guru. The word 'Guru' is a Sanskrit word.
'Gu' means "darkness", 'ru' means "removal". So the word
'Guru' means the one who illumines the intelligence and removes ignorance that
is obstructing the full development ol his pupils. The word 'Guru' also has
another meaning 'Gu' means, "not limited by attributes" and 'ru' means,
"not affected by appearances". So the Guru is one who is free from
prejudice and treats all pupils with equal love.
Pournima refers
to the full moon with all his sixteen aspects being illuminated by the sun. In
man there arc sixteen black spots : the six enemies, viz., lust, anger, greed,
infactuation, pride and envy, the two gunas, Rajas and Tamas and the eight
types of conceit (mada) based on lineage and scholarship, wealth, youth,
beauty, position and penance. It is only when man gels rid of these sixteen
evil traits that he will be able to realise his oneness with the divine i.e.,
attain self-realisation. Only Guru enables man lo achieve this stale of fulness
(poomalva). In this universe Lord Dattatreya (i.e., Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva)
is the Guru for all.
In Mahabharat,
Lord Krishna, the preceptor of Bhagvad Gila, is also considered as Guru.
"Vasudeva Suthain Devam
Karnsa Chanuru Mardhanam
Devaki Paramanandani
Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum"
Lord Dattatreya
incarnated in the form of many saints from time to time such as
Adishankaracharya, Swami Akkalkot Maharaj, Swami Gajanan Maharaj, Sadguru Sai
Baba etc. to transform mankind and take mankind towards the path of self-realisation
thereby establishing dharma.
In Shri Sai
Sat-charila (of English version, page no. 10) Bhagwan Baba once gave a
beautiful discourse in the Masjid regarding the necessity of a Guru, saying
that a Guru was like a guide who will lake us to our destination (sell-realisation).
Bhagwan Baba
said, "The path through which one has to travel in life is like passing
through jungle were there are wolves, tigers and other wild animals in the form
of unending desires, ego and pride and huge mountains and deep ditches in the
form of anger, passion, jealousy etc. II we take a guide (i.e., Guru) with us
then there is no difficulty as he will lake us straight to our destination
(self-realisation) avoiding wolves, tiger's, mountains, ditches etc."
Lord Shiva
Himself accepted his son Subrahmanya as His Guru, when He learnt the meaning of
Pranava (Omkar) from him. Avatars like Rama and Krishna also submitted
themselves to their Gurus, Vasishtha and Sandipani respectively, for getting self-realisation
and that only virtues necessary for such progress are faith and patience. Sai
Baba also surrendered lo His Guru Venkusa lo open the gates of wisdom and for
attaining spiritual powers.
There are eight types of Gurus
(1) The BODHA GURU - Who explains the
rules and regulations given in the Shastras.
(2) The VEDA GURU - Who directs the minds
of his disciples (Shishyas) towards God.
(3) The PRITA
GURU - Who removes doubts and purifies the mind and heart.
(4) The NISHIDDHA GURU - Who teaches how
to discharge certain duties.
(5) The KAAMYA GURU - Who teaches the
performance of good deeds.
(6) The SUCHAKA GURU - Who teaches six
types of yoga.
(7) The VAKSHAKA GURU -- Who teaches the
principles of yoga.
(8) The KARANA
GURU -- Who is able to confer to ability to merge into the Eternal Absolute
(Brahma). Who can effect transformation of the human into divinity.
Sat Chit Anand
Sadguru Sai Baba is Karan Guru Who looks after the entire welfare (both
secular and spiritual) of His devotees. There is nobody in this world who is
greater than a Sadguru and blessed is he, who gets a Samartha Sadguru to guide
him. As Baba often said, "Our true Guru is God alone. He transcends all
gunas. He is beyond all forms. He is the only one Who can dispel the darkness
of ignorance and light the lamp of supreme wisdom." Baba always used to
utter "Allah Malik Hai". Baba's path is the easiest one. Constantly contemplating
at His lotus feet will take us to Him. Sadguru Sai Baba is Omniscient,
Omnipresent and Omnipotent and we can directly appeal to Him; cast our burdens
on Him and derive all benefits from Him. As Baba often says, "Why fear
when I am here." "Know that I am always with you, prompting you,
guiding you. Live always in that constant presence." Baba often underwent
and still undergoes great sufferings to save His devotees from dangers.
Complete
surrender at the lotus feet of our Sadguru Sai Baba will confer on us
liberation. There are three steps in Baba's Guru Marga. First is accepting our
Guru as God; second is Shraddha i.e., having complete faith in Baba; and third
is Saburi i.e., wailing patiently, that Baba is with us and He knows, what to
give to us and when. Let us pray to our Sat Chit Anand Sadguru Baba to open the
gates of wisdom and tear the veil of ignorance in us.
"Asato maa Sadgamaya
Tamaso maa Jyotir gamaya
Mrutyor maa Amrutam gamaya
Om Shantih! Shantin! Shantih!"
May Sai shower His grace on every body and brings peace and harmony in nation.