Guru Mahatmya
गुरु गोविंद दोनों खड़े.. का को लागू पाय
बलिहारी गुरुदेव की, मोहे गोविंद दियो बताय।।
Saint Kabir here very wisely notified the devotees the importance of Guru in devotee’s life. It is said that if even Narayana turned his back to us and leave our side, the Guru brought back him in our life with his power, but if Guru turned his back, no one in the three worlds could save us.
The importance of Guru is not something that can be condensed in the words because words and language has its own limit, while Guru is beyond any limit the mind or intellect can perceive. He can be only understood by the pious, innocent heart and true devotion.
The Guru – Shishya parampara, the master- disciple lineage is as old as the universe and it is said that when the disciple is wholeheartedly ready to accept the master in his system, his or her fated, destined master will be appeared in front of them. It is more like finding and meeting the soul mate because no other word could justify the bonding between the master and his disciple.
There are many rituals found in almost all countries and all scriptures There
are many rituals found in almost all countries and all scriptures throughout the world to accept the disciple by master, but the common foundation amongst them all is creating the special and significant bond by master with their each disciple or apprentice. The bond that always reminds both them that they are entangled in to it for eternity and none could cross it out unless they decide to part their ways willingly. There are many fabulous stories time travelled to us since millennia that narrated the most beautiful relation between master and disciple, and how they take care of each other amidst the chaos and worsts of life. In Indian Vedic scripture one beautiful shloka or the couplet explains the ever important and everlasting relationship of GuruShishya Paprampara.
ॐ सह नाववतु। सह नौ भुनक्तु। सह वीर्यं करवावहै।
तेजस्वि नावधीतमस्तु। मा विद्विषावहै।
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः।।
“O God, protect we both the student and the teacher, nourish we both the student and the teacher, may we both work with energy and strength. O God, give us the ability to acquire knowledge and sharpen our intellect and give us strength so that we do not envy each other.”
This above said mantra very beautifully explains how the Master and Disciple both need to look after each other, take care of each other and never be jealous with each other’s progress. Usually the master needed to take care of innocent or ignorant disciple and lead him/ her toward the path of divinity, but sometime the master also needs care of the disciple to come out from his own bondages. Although such incidents are rare and many times such were meticulously designed by the master to assess the sincerity and loyalty of disciple for him. Below mentioned beautiful Stotra – the verses explain which attributes and characteristics of a capable master could be…..
“गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुर्गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः ।
गुरुर्देवो परं ब्रह्म तस्मै श्रीगुरुवे नमः ॥१॥
अखण्डमण्डलाकारं व्याप्तं येन चराचरम् ।
तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥२॥
अज्ञानतिमिरान्धस्य ज्ञानाञ्जनशलाकया ।
चक्षुरुन्मीलितं येनं तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥३॥
स्थावरं जंगमं व्यापकं येन कृत्स्नं चराचरम् ।
तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥४॥
चिद्रूपेण परिव्याप्तं त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम् ।
तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥५॥
सर्वश्रुतिशिरोरत्नसमुद्भासितमूर्तये ।
वेदान्तम्बूजसूर्याय तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥६॥
चैतन्यः शाश्वतः शांतो व्योमतीतोनिरञ्जनः ।
बिन्दूनादकलातीतस्तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥७॥
अनेकजन्मसम्प्राप्त्रे कर्मबन्धनविदाहिने ।
आत्मज्ञानाग्निदानेन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥९॥
शोषणं भव-सिन्धोश्च प्रपन्नं सारसम्पदः ।
यस्य पादोडकं सम्यक तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥१०॥
न गुरोरधिकं तत्वं न गुरोरधिकं तपः ।
तत्वज्ञानात परं नास्ति तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥११॥
मन्नाथः श्रीजगन्नाथो मद्गुरुः श्रीजगद्गुरुः ।
मदात्मा सर्वभूतात्मा तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥१२॥
गुरुरादिर्नादिश्च गुरुः परमदैवतम् ।
गुरोः परतरं नास्ति तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥१३॥“
