IMPORTANCE OF GURU IN OUR LIFE AND GURU PURNIMA
The full moon day of Ashadh, the fourth month of Hindu year is known as Vyasa?Purnima?because it is the birth anniversary of Sage Vyasa. It is to him we owe the Vedas, codified and handed down to us. Had he not reproduced the Vedas about 5000 years ago, we would have lost the teachings of the four Vedas which were revealed by Brahman to a few Rishis in the very beginning of the world.
He is therefore called Veda-Vyasa , the supreme?Guru?and his birth anniversary celebrated as?Guru?Purnima. The word “Guru” is used in three different sense:
1. Parent- the instiller of sanskaras (moral and cultural values).
2. Teacher- who teaches worldly knowledge.
3. Spiritual Master commonly referred as Guru- who gives us spiritual enlightenment.
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The word `Guru' is made up of two Sanskrit root words, namely, `gu' meaning darkness or ignorance, and `ru' meaning dispeller. Thus `Guru' means the dispeller of darkness of ignorance. In essence, a spiritual?Guru?is the perfect spiritual master, the ideal saint, the faultless guide with realized wisdom who dispels ignorance and liberates his disciples from the bondage born of mundane pleasures.
Although a?Guru?is necessary for every aspirant in the spiritual path, one must be extremely careful before accepting any preacher as his or her?Guru. These days there is a flood of fake Gurus. These self-proclaimed Gurus whisper a mantra into the ear and stretch their hand for money. Such people are not fit to be called Gurus.
Today there are many good disciples, but it is very difficult to find a true Guru.Swami Sivananda says, “If you find peace in the presence of a Mahatma (great soul), if you are inspired by his speeches, if he is able to clear your doubts, if he is free, from greed, anger, and lust, if he is selfless, loving, and I-less, you can take him as your?Guru. He who is able to clear your doubts, he who is sympathetic in your sadhana, he who does not disturb your beliefs but helps you on from where you are, he in whose very presence you feel spiritually elevated-he is your?Guru."