The incessant Guru-Shishya Parampara

Obeisance unto the incessant Guru Parampara,beginning from Lord Sri Sadashiva upto the present Acharya with Sri Shankaracharya in middle.

Importance of the Guru 

The Guru-Disciple tradition is a unique feature of our nation and culture. The Guru is the one who takes out ignorance from us.Our teachers are our Guru. That is why, ‘Teacher’s Day’ should be celebrated on the auspicious day of Gurupournima to offer gratitude at the feet of our teachers. First let us understand the meaning of the word ‘Guru’. ‘Gu’ means ‘darkness’ and ‘ru’ means ‘removal’.Guru is the one who removes the ignorance of disorder from our life and teaches us how to live a blissful life.

My Guru 

In our Indian tradition, a very high position has been accorded to the Guru. Without the grace of the Guru, no one can attain fulfilment of the purpose of life. We all desire Moksha, and the sole means to its attainment is Jnana (knowledge). The Veda says: “It is only by knowing the Supreme Brahman that one attains immortality. There is no other path”.

How can that knowledge be obtained by us? Can it be got by perusal of texts? No, this knowledge can be procured only from a Guru. In the Upanishads, we hear of holy ones going to Gurus who are well versed in the scriptures and established in the Supreme and making a request of the form, “O Guru! Please impart knowledge to me”. Even though the Rishis seeking knowledge may have been scholarly, it is certain that their acquisition of knowledge was solely dependent on their seeking it from a Guru. Only that knowledge which is obtained from the lotus mouth of the Guru is potent. Sans a Guru, no matter how many texts we may delve into, we cannot attain that knowledge. There is a hoary tradition everywhere which can be learnt only from the Guru.