18 Jun 2020 HYN Himalayan Yoga Academy
GU- Darkness and RU- Destroyer or Lightness (Guru)
Destroyer of darkness is termed as “GURU,” derived from the Sanskrit words. It is termed as an expert, Teacher, or Master of certain skills, but in eastern traditions, this divine master is more than a teacher, i.e., in Sanskrit. It means one who dispels the darkness and moves towards the light; the spiritual guide who can help to understand and discover the potentialities. He or she is a realized one who can guide on to his/her spiritual destiny as mastery over life.
The concept of guru is found in the earliest Vedic texts of Hinduism. Guru and Gurukul were established traditions in the east during the 1st millennium BCE, and these helped compose and transmit the various Vedas, the Upanishads, texts of various schools of Hindu Philosophy, and post-Vedic shastras ranging from spiritual knowledge and various arts. These led to broad ranges of studies including Hindu Scriptures, Buddhist texts, grammar, philosophy, martial arts, music, painting, and spiritual knowledge. Above all, the guru’s significance to one’s life is spiritual awakening; only by the master’s grace can one realize the divine.
Furthermore, it is not limited to a persona. It exists within the “inner guru” and outside in any form; the source of knowledge. The outer master, the divine source of knowledge, can open one’s inner master that can lead to awakening of inner self; true self. That true self can then only realize the divine within and in the whole.
The verses below are reflective of above explanation of divine “GURU”
Dhyaana-Moolam Guru-Murti
Pooja-Moolam Guru-Padam |
Mantra-Moolam Guru-Vaakyam
Mokshya-Muulam Gurur-Kripaa ||
Which means:
The Root of Meditation is the Form of the Guru,
The Root of Worship is the Lotus feet of the Guru,
The Rootof Mantrais the Word of the Guru,
The Root of Liberation is the Grace of the Guru.
One can meditate on the master physical form or the subtle form, the master is the core guidance to meditation.
One who bows down to master, one who sees divine in master identifies master realizes divine, one in whose this word is glorified becomes the mantra; the power of word, speech, thought can be achieved and only by the grace of master one can liberate.
Divine or God is our ultimate master, and to realize the ultimate one needs the physical form of an awakened master who can open up our inner master/divine master with which we can be one with the divine.
The mantra below is reflective of above words
GururBrahma GururVishnu GururDevo Maheshwaraha
Guru Saakshaat ParaBrahma Tasmai Shri Gurave Namaha
Which means:
Master is the Creator (Brahma), He is the Preserver(Vishnu), He is Destroyer(Maheshwara)
Master is the absolute (singular) Lord himself, Salutations to that Sri Guru
Guru: Dispeller of Darkness (Gu=Darkness, Ru=Remover )
Brahma: Creator; Personification of Creating Quality of God
Vishnu: Preserver; Personification of Preserving quality of God
Deva: God
Maheshwara: Destroyer; Personificationof Destroying Quality of God
Saakshaat: Self/ Himself
ParaBrahma: He who is the highest Lord; Consciousness
Tasmai: To him/To such
Sri: Holy, splendorous
Namaha: Salutations
OM SHREE GURUDEV NAMAH!/I BOW DOWN TO GURU
“I bow down to my divine master and divine master within”
May masters grace is upon all of us.
By Erika Bam