GURU DEIVATHIN KURAL
The sloka starting with 'गुरुर ब्रह्मा' is very famous alright, but
there is an equally good one by Thiru Moolar in Tamil, which is just the
thing for melting one's heart in devotion and adulation for the Guru: -
"theLivu guruvin thirumeni kaaNdal
"தெளிவு குருவின் திருமேனி காண்டல்
(Clarity it is - to see the personage of the preceptor.)
theLivu guruvin thirunãmam cheppal
தெளிவு குருவின் திருநாமம் செப்பல்
(Clarity it is – to take his name.)
theLivu guru uru sindittal dãne"
தெளிவு குரு உரு சிந்தித்தல் தானே".
(Clarity it is – to meditate on his form.) Having said some such sloka on
Guru, one can start ones prayers or PãrãyaNam. Here also a word of
caution. Some slokas are very powerful such as Lalitha Sahasranãma,
Lalitha Trisati and Thiru Murugãrruppadai. It is better if they are
received through a Guru or some such elder who is known to lead a pious
life. It is good to do so three times, for him to say and for you to
repeat or at least once. The idea is that a Mantra or some such sloka
received 'guru mukamãga' – 'குரு முகமாக', is much more powerful and
effective. In the case of Lalitha Trisati, one of the 'Moola Mantra-s' of
AmbãL should be formally ('kramamãga' – 'க்ரமமாக') obtained as an Upadesa
from a Guru before learning to chant that Sloka.
2. Even Slokas with Mantra Shakti, if we are ordered by a
Mahatma to chant, such an order itself can be taken as Upadesa and obeyed.
Point I am making is that everyone can and should chant most of the slokas
on their own and they are meant for such common chanting only, to enable
the masses to get acquainted with those slokas and thereby become
devotionally oriented. Similarly in each household we could have a Pooja
after a Guru Dhyãna as a simple procedure. The Sãstry or Purohit, who
takes care of the family in conduct of religious functions, could be the
Guru to start the Panchãyatana Pooja in your households. Even simple
chanting of slokas, it is preferable to have someone as a Guru to initiate
the process, as most of them do have some Mantra in them. To feel that 'He
is the Guru and we are the disciples', that attitude is important so as to
obviate the feeling, that, 'I am doing a Pooja' or 'Do you know that I have
been doing that Pooja for 25 years?'
3. I am having two opposing thoughts. On the one hand I look at
the primary importance given to the Guru in our Sãstrãs when related to the
scant courtesy shown to elders in the present day world, I wish to
emphasise the 'Guru is needed and essential'. On the other hand I do not
want to deprive the common man an opportunity to be inculcating Bhakti,
just because he could not find a suitable Guru, that in the bargain they
will not chant even the simple slokas, and not do any pooja or stotra
PãrãyaNam! So I am tending to compromise as much as possible! Normally,
people in such positions as me, as the Head of Dharma Peeta-s, should not
be compromising on matters of Sãstrã at all. Because if Heads of such
institutions start compromising, then people further down the channel or
Heads of other such organizations will continue doing the same, so that
there will be nobody observing or following the rule of the law whatsoever
as given in the Sãstrãs. So, as far as possible, we are supposed to be
strict in the application of Rule of the Law as far as the Sãstrãs are
concerned. That is how I am persevering about which many may be feeling
bad that I am not very practical! May be many are sad or even annoyed that
I am too conservative. They may be feeling, "What is this Swãmiyar! Not
understanding the plight we are in, not understanding the changed
circumstances of life today, he is just talking about some eerie past!"
Whereas I am in the state of an ant running between either ends of a piece
of wood, both of which are burning as the Tamil adage says, 'iru thalaik
koLLi erumbu pol' – 'இரு தலைக் கொள்ளி எறும்பு போல்'!
5. My view is like this. Anyhow depending on present conditions
people will do some compromises on their own. Why should I make it
official? May be when conditions permit, they will return to doing things
as required in the Sãstrãs. But my giving them licence to go against the
Sãstrãs may prove to be deleterious in the long run in that, they are
likely to have a convenient excuse, "PeriyavãL himself has approved!" If
some of them are thinking of returning to the ways of Sãstrãs, I would
prove to be the one to give them licence not to do so! So, I am running
the risk of being called 'too conservative'! It is alright. So, I am
saying a few things keeping the changed present day circumstances in mind.
Then I am also insisting on a few things as inviolable as per the
requirements of the Sãstrãs.
6. In the Sãstrãs themselves there is one proviso as 'ãpad kãla
dharma' – 'आपद काल धर्म', that is, relaxation in rules that one is
permitted in the times of peril. These days are known as Kali Yuga in
which the whole world has been deeply submerged in blatant materialism.
These times can be taken as really dangerous periods for Dharma and the
partial relaxations that I have suggested as 'आपद काल धर्म' licences.
Ashtotras and Sata Namãvalis can be learnt and chanted or done with Archana
on one's own. But, some of them if starting with 'Bija Akshara' Mantras
they should be learnt and started with Guru's permission only. Anyhow
whatever it is the value of chanting and PãrãyaNam is more if done through
the aegis of a Guru. In times of trouble and when one is unwell, some
strict rules may be relaxed. But once clear of such 'ãpad kãla' periods,
it is prudent to go back to the old way as per Sãstrãs. You might have
heard of something known as 'ãpad Sannyãsa'. When a person knows that his
death is imminent, he may feel that is better that before his mortal coil
drops off, he should take Sannyãsa. At such moments he may do so on his
own. But, after some time if he is still alive, it would be better that he
approaches a suitable Guru and take Sannyãsa in a formal manner. So, I
hope that I have made myself clear on this issue of when to and when not to
relax the rules of the Sãstrãs.
7. Anyhow, there is one medicine for this Kali Yuga especially,
the sweet medicine of Nãma PãrãyaNam and Bhajan. These things can be done
quite informally. Nãma PãrãyaNam of 'Siva, Rama, Govinda, Narayana' and
such can be done without the PraNava Mantra, at any time. Even in this it
is preferable to do a small Dhyãna and think of your Guru, before you
commence. That itself will instil Vinaya on the one side and also work as
a tonic. Of course even in the case of simple Nãma PãrãyaNam, it is best
to start doing so at least the first time through verbal initiation by some
elder who is known to be all the time chanting those divine names. That is
why even Bible debars taking the name of God in vain! Anyhow, you do not
have to postpone taking God's name because of this embargo. The embargo is
against 'taking God's Name in vain and not against taking God's name with
love and Shraddha'!
Guru for Public at Large – If Not a Personal Guru
8. All the people should think of God constantly. For this
there should be more prayers, Bhajans, PãrãyaNam, and Pooja and such
activities should all the time be increasing. At the same time PaNivu and
Adakkam as a quality in people should be imbibed for one to be able to
conquer one's own ego and pride. That does not mean that one should be
lacking in self-confidence. It is the conceit that has to be won over.
For that you need a Guru to whom with genuine respect we should be
devoted. For this all the lakhs and crores of the populations of the
world need to have a Guru. To cultivate each and every individual like
that, will there be people to hold that position and status as a Guru?
That too, in the present day world, when it has become the in-thing to
accept any 'Tom, Dick and Harry' as leaders and idols if there is enough
following (like in face-book or twitter) and question the credentials if
anybody is known as a religious Guru; even if there are worthy Gurus, to
know such worth and approach them with humility, how is it all to happen?
It is still a million dollar question as to whether all the millions will
find a suitable Guru to have the intimate relationship with, as it is
supposed to be between a Sishya and Guru, I wonder!
9. At the same time, we also note that, all the people of the
world believe in someone or the other, as a Great Mahatma, a saintly man or
some such thing. Though this period in history has got a sobriquet as the
'era of distrust and disbelief', if a cinema actor can have millions of
followers, everyone who calls himself a Guru has enormous following.
People in hordes collect around the so called God-Men of this world in
countless numbers. Though they do collect around in such masses not all of
them are truly believed and followed! While it is also true that many of
them are truly great and many of their followers do sincerely follow them
in word and spirit! Those saintly persons do advice their followers the
value of making one's own life divine and how to make one's life
religiously effective. Though initially people go to them for solving
their problems or to get their wants and desire fulfilled, as time passes
there is noticeable and substantial good in such an arrangement as they do
try and follow the Upadesa practically in their lives. It is here that
Mahatma becomes their Guru and their followers their disciples.
10. If the followers are many those Gurus cannot have individual
relationship with all of the followers. But they generally give Upadesa to
the masses. If the devotees decide to follow the Upadesa in letter and
spirit, they become the followers automatically in the true sense. They
may not get individual 'Mantra Upadesa', but he says in the loud-speaker
and the whole lot of them repeat the Mantra and that is as good as each one
getting a Guru of his own and getting 'Guru Mukha' Upadesam. You see I am
here in Kãmakoti Peetam as Jagat Guru and there are others like me in the
other such Peetams established by our ÃchãryãL with the same title as the
Jagat Guru. But do we separately and individually give Upadesa to each and
every man? It just cannot be done. What we do is to generally tell you
all about what our ÃchãryãL has spoken about divinity and how to conduct
oneself in this life that gets conveyed to the other people of the world
through the Newspaper / Magazines / Television and other such media. So,
many people of the world are considering us as the Guru and themselves as
our followers.
11. Thus a 'Mahatma' should be approached as one's Guru and
whatever we do in terms of Bhajan or PãrãyaNam, should be done after paying
our respects to that Guru and all the Gurus of the world. Thyagaraja
SwamigaL paid his respects to – 'entaro mahãnubhãvulu', meaning 'many great
people of great experience' and I am saying 'எவரோ மஹானுபாவுலு', as to
whosoever he may be of the past present and future would-be greats, we
should pay our regards to them also before we start our Pooja or Bhajan.
12 Smãrthãs who follow Sri Sankara Bhagawat PãdãL take the Sri Vidya
lineage and mention the line of Gurus in chronological order in which the
name of the first Guru is VishNu, which is absolutely correct. Then in
Vishnu Sahasranãma it is said, 'gurur gurutamo dhãma: satya
satyaparãkrama:' – 'गुरुर गुरुतमो धाम: सत्य सत्यपराक्रम:' – meaning that
'he is the foremost Guru who is the goal himself, truly righteous and very
powerful'! While giving the Bhashyam for this word Guru, our ÃchãryãL
says that as he teaches all Vidyas, he is 'Gurutama:' and as he is the
progenitor for all lives, he is the foremost Guru, 'the Gurutama'. From
this you can understand that Guru is the giver of life and those who know
the Sanskrit literature will be aware that one's father has this Guru
title.
13 Father is Guru
113. There is a famous saying 'Mãtã Pitã Guru Deivam' – 'माता पिता
गुरु दैवं', in almost all Indian languages, as all of them do the important
job of a Guru, of putting the child on the right path. When the child is
small the Mother ever so kindly teaches the child to some extent. Then the
Father does the teaching a little more strictly than the Mother up to about
7 or 8 years of age till he hands over to a Guru after Upanayanam. So, the
father who has this role to play is also referred as a Guru. In fact
instead of looking for meaning of every letter of the word, Guru per se
means the elder or the big man. As the head of the family also, he is the
Guru.
Guru is Father
14. If father is Guru, the reverse is also true. In Dharma Sãstrãs five
people have been said to be fit enough to be considered as the Father. The
sloka says, 'janeeta cha upaneeta cha yascha vidyãm prayachchati |
annadhãtã bhayatrãtã panchaite pitra: smruta:' – 'जनीता च उपनीता च यश्च
विध्यां प्रयच्छति | अन्नधाता भयत्राता पंञ्चैते पितर: स्मृता: ||' The
bio-logical father is the first. Then the one who gives the Brhma Upadesa,
while giving the child the PooNool is also a father. If two sons are given
the PooNool on the same day, if the real father gives Brhma Upadesa to one
and father's elder or younger brother does it for the other child.
Whosoever he is, he is also a father. In earlier times, as per Sãstrãs if
the father has not attained to Siddhi by regular chanting of the Gayatri
mantra himself, he used to get the 'Brhma Upadesam' for the son done by
some such person who has attained to Brhma Gnãna by chanting the Gayatri
mantra. So, the one imparting the Brhma Upadesa to the child is at the
status of father for the child. Thus there are two persons in that
position so far. Next is the one from whom the child learns any part of
Vidya that is, in arts or crafts too – 'yasya vidyaam prayachchati' –
simply the person from whom we learn anything. That amounts to three of
them so far. Next is the 'Anna Dhãtã' – the one who provides us the food.
Anybody who gives us food is also at the position of a Father. May be your
boss or any organization to which you belong or even the cook in the Mess
or canteen! That is the fourth. The fifth one is 'Bhaya trãtã' – the one
who removes your fear! The Guru instils the knowledge in the student that
makes the student courageous and fearless. These five are in the same
position of a father. So, the Guru is the father in certain respects and
the father is the Guru by the same logic. There can be one doubt arising
here. Father is the sire who gives life to the son. But the Guru is the
cause of removal of our involvement in this worldly life as it is said –
'guru charaNãmbhuja nirbhara bhakta: samsãrad chirad bhãva mukta:' – 'गुरु
चरणांभुज निर्भर भक्त: संसाराद् चिराद भव मुक्त:' in Bhaja Govindam. So
then, 'how can they be considered as equal', can be the doubt or
question. The answer lies in the fact that if father begets the son in to
this relative world, the Guru begets you in to the world of spirituality!
(Now relate this analysis in the previous four paragraphs, to the questions
we contended at the end of the last issue of Deivathin Kural and see as to
why and how the Guru comes down to the level of the disciple to put him
wise.)
15. In the way of Vedic practices the Brahmins were known as
'dvi-janmabhoo: or iru-pirappãLar' – 'द्विजन्मभू: or இரு-பிறப்பாளர் ',
meaning the 'twice-born'. In fact first you were born in a house-hold as a
child of your parents and then with Upanayanam you went to live with your
Guru in his house-hold and the Guru was virtually your father. Similarly
the bird is supposed to be twice-born, first as the egg and then re-born
when the shell of the egg is broken. Similar to the mother bird sitting
over the eggs for hatching, the Guru hatches the disciple by his Anugraha
and enables him to get the wings to fly to total awareness of his own
reality, by breaking through his shell of pride and prejudice.
16. This principle is inherent even in the student being called the
pupil in the English language without their being aware of it. Butter-fly
and similar life forms can also be considered to be twice-born as they are
first born as crawlers and then metamorphose into flyers. In fact they
could be thought of as four times born! First it is born in to this world
from the mother's body as the eggs, then the second stage happens when it
is born as a worm, then it becomes a pupa with a self-created cocoon. That
is the time it is known as the pupa. (Don't we see human beings often lost
to the world in their own cocoons?) Then is the breaking out of the cocoon
when the inner being manifests as a flyer. It is here that Guru has a role
to play at least in the life-change from pupa to wasp or butter-fly and
pupil to a well-rounded personality!
17. At times I wonder if the English people once upon a time were
also having our Vedic traditions and then there could have been a gap when
the traditions were forgotten and the Guru – Sishya tradition did not
continue possibly. Are we not doing the same in copying the west for all
things nowadays and forgetting our own traditions? There are too many
words between Sanskrit and English which seem to have evolved from similar
origins and are almost synonymous. Well it is a different area of interest
altogether but worth looking into. But the point I am making is this.
Butter-fly and similar life forms can also be considered to be twice-born
as they are first born as crawlers and then metamorphose into flyers. In
fact they could be thought of as four times born! Possibly we are tying up
the second and fourth stage into two, from the student being a crawler to a
flyer with the sky as the limit!
18. What mother and father give us is the first Janma when the body
is the most important asset, and we think that this body is what we are!
Then at the time of Upanayanam is the second birth when our eyes are opened
to certain other perspectives. Then we learn some and progress some, which
is the crawler stage. Then we go into our own cocoon of self-created
compulsions. Then we are aided by the Guru to break out of the darkness of
ignorance into total freedom of Ãtma Gnãna
19. The Guru who does the 'Brhma Upadesam' at the time of Upanayanam
is not the Guru who gives you the Brhma Gnãnam. Some people may attain to
that stage of Brhma Gnãna with one mention of the Gayatri Mantra and some
may so reach even without that. But as we know, exceptions only prove the
rule! He points out the way for mental clarity through spiritual, ritual
and socially responsible Karma and mental equilibrium and integrity through
devotion. When the person so directed stands firmly on his principles and
way, he matures through Karma and clears all his accounts in terms of
paying off his indebtedness to Divine beings, Rishis and Ancestors. This
maturing may take less or more time depending on the individual's past
Samskãra. Somewhere along the way Brhma Gnãna just happens, without any
predictability about it! When all the accounts are cleared, scores
settled, the student is ripe enough and the Chitta Aikãgrata is perfect, at
this stage another Guru comes on the way for the final leap. He will give
Sannyãsa and Upadesa to this student of life. By the power of that
Upadesa, by his power to give Anugraha the disciple launches himself for
the final leap (or lap around the stadium), when he ensures a severance of
the cycle of life and death and becomes one with the Para Brahman, the
final return to the source!
K RAJARAM IRS 11725
On Thu, 10 Jul 2025 at 19:36, Jambunathan Iyer <[email protected]>
wrote:
> *Today 10th July 2025 is the Guru Pournima Day*.
>
> Guru Poornima is being celebrated as a mark of respecting the Guru for
> their service done for the Society and Students. Hope nobody will have a
> different opinion of I am telling that Rooted in India’s learning
> traditions; the Guru Pornima Day is a reminder of the role educators i.e.
> Guru play in shaping both minds and values.
>
> From the various teaching given to me by the Current days Gurus from my
> Childhood and my readings in my Journey of Life I consider all who teach
> you or bring you some way to live life is our Guru.
>
> Further From philosophy to statecraft, ancient Indian gurus laid the
> foundation for holistic education, learning traditions, and played the
> major role of shaping both minds and values of the Shishyas to learn all
> the above and apply in their life.
>
> and it is now the currents days Students to remember Few ancient gurus who
> lit the torch of Indian education to the society which are very important.
>
> The ancient Guru & their teachings the influential Gurus whose teachings
> continue to guide learning in classrooms and beyond and it is the duty of
> the students of these days to implement the same in Our current Living for
> better future.
>
> Now having Learned a through My Teachers in my school , College, in Living
> period of 70 Years I am expecting the Young people also to remember the
> teaching of their Teachers, Advisers and Guru mars of modern days apart
> from the few Ancients Gurus which I felt had done a great service to the
> society and on this Holy Guru Pournima Day, I wish to share below my
> understanding of Who is the Real Guru??
>
> 1. They don’t seek followers – But their presence attracts Naturally and
> automatically the sincere seekers
>
> 2. They don’t promise *Magic* – they guide you to maturity and inner
> strength.
>
> 3. They don’t enslave you to *belief* They always encourage and make you
> to have the experience by act of direct experience.
>
> 4. They don’t inflate their identity Instead they point you back to the
> Self.
>
> 5. They are not necessarily famous nor to be instead they are always
> transformative.
>
> 6. Always Remember the Guru is not a personality; He is a presence.
>
> 7. When the student is truly ready, the Guru may appear externally, it is
> not, so he always will reveal the inner one.
>
>
> *N Jambunathan , Chennai " What you get by achieving your goals is not as
> important as what you become by achieving your goals. If you want to live a
> happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things "*
>
>
>
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