Why YOU need a Guru

Universal Philosophy and Religion wishes you an auspicious Guru Purnima 2020!

In the Indian tradition, there is a day set aside every year specifically for remembering and paying respect to the Guru (Guru Purnima: Day of the Guru).  This day is also called Vyasa Purnima, as it marks the birthday of Veda Vyasa as well.  On this day, Nārāyaṇa or Shiva as the Adi Guru (1st teacher) began the transmission of “Yoga” to the Rishis, who later taught it to their disciples.  This sacred tradition continues to this day.  I am a product of this sacred Guru Shishya Parampara (teacher-student tradition), which is thousands of years old.  

     

गुकारस्त्वन्धकारोवै रुकारस्तन्निवर्तकः। अन्धकारनिरोधित्वात् गुरुरित्यभिधीयते॥

gukārastvandhakārovai rukārastannivartakaḥ| andhakāranirodhitvāt gururityabhidhīyate||

The word Guru is a combination of two syllables; Gu and Ru.  Gu means “darkness” and Ru means “removal” of that darkness. The person who dispels one’s darkness and leads one to light is called a Guru.  Darkness symbolizes the ignorance or wrong notions and conclusions in one’s head.  Light symbolizes that knowledge which removes one’s ignorance.  The knowledge I’m referring to is Self-knowledge.  Only the person who gives someone self-knowledge, by removing the ignorance of one’s self, is to be called a Guru.

Today, the word Guru is commonly used in everyday language for many other reasons.  There are words like Stock Guru, Cooking Guru, Martial Arts Guru, Yoga Guru, and many other titles different from its original meaning and importance.  However, the original use of the word Guru represents a spiritual tradition that transfers knowledge from teachers to students, but with an important variant.  The knowledge that the authentic Guru passes down to the Shishya (student) was not originated or discovered by him or her.  The knowledge that the authentic Guru transmits came from his Guru; he received it from his Guru, who received it from her Guru, who received it from her Guru, and so on, until finally we get to the “original Guru.”  You may ask, “Who is the first Guru?”  The answer is; the first Guru is the first existing being.  That first being had no teacher and therefore can only be the Avatar or manifestation of the original being while still existing as the supreme being unchanged.  The original Guru I'm referring to is infinity or satyamSatyam is that which exists in the same way in all three periods of time (past, present, and future); trikAla abadhitam satyam.  

In the Indian tradition, the first Guru is referred to as Shiva, Nārāyaṇa, or Saraswati; the one who originally taught this spiritual knowledge.  The knowledge that I’m referring to is not something that a teacher came up with recently based on his or her life experience.  The knowledge I’m speaking of has been tested over centuries of time and still stands in its full glory unshakeable, in spite of the fallibility of the philosophies and dogmas that come and go.  

This teaching, however, is not illogical, irrational, nor unreasonable.  It is not based on beliefs that cannot be proven to be factual.   In other words, “Guru” means a whole lot more than just a teacher who is an expert at something.  The word Guru is a special word with a very special meaning, and should not be taken lightly. 

There are some who say, “I don’t need a Guru, I can learn on my own.”  It is true that one can learn on their own.  However, they won't arrive at the same conclusion from the teaching I'm speaking of.  People do learn many things about spirituality from various sources. I'm not suggesting not learning from different sources.  On the way, people might learn from various teachers, speakers, coaches, books, Google, YouTube, etc.  This is like acquiring many bricks and that pile of bricks sits in the front yard.  It looks unsightly as it is laid out in a haphazard manner and is not arranged in any order.  It requires the arrival of a skillful bricklayer to put them in order and produce a beautiful structure which is meaningful and purposeful.  In a similar manner, the Guru puts all the various information and practices you've gathered into its proper place and perspective.  The Guru takes all of your learning and experiences and refines you (the student) into a beautiful and purposeful spiritual being.  Just as a skillful sculptor brings about the beautiful and meaningful end result through a sculpture, from what previously looked like a plain piece of stone, the Guru shapes and refines the Shishya into a beautifully refined spiritual being.  Only a Guru can do that.  We wish you a happy, peaceful, and auspicious Guru Purnima. 

Om ShantiH ShantiH ShantiH.

-Sri Rajaji

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