The Guru Within
The role of the guru has certainly been called into question during the last few years, and with good reason, but what if we think of the guru more symbolically as in the guru stotras (hymns) below, for example as the source of creation, sustenance, and dissolution, the all-encompassing totality? Or as the one who reveals the infinite nature of the universe, who restores sight of the true nature of reality to blinded eyes? Paradoxically, the word guru means “heavy” and yet, as the Advayatāraka Upaniṣad later defines, the guru is the dispeller (ru) of darkness (gu). They say our parents are our first gurus. Perhaps there is a way to see each person in our lives and larger world—family, friends, enemies, and so forth—as someone who can help shed light and provide a reflection of some kind if we allow them to, for ultimately the guru is within.
gurur brahmā gurur viṣṇuḥ gurur devo maheśvaraḥ |
guruḥ sakṣāt paraṃ brahma tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ ||
Translation:
The guru is Brahmā, the god of creation.
The guru is Viṣṇu, the god of preservation.
The guru is Śiva, the god of destruction.
The guru is clearly brahman, the Supreme Self.
A bow to that sacred guru.
guruḥ — teacher (masc. nom. sg.)
brahmā — Brahmā (masc. nom. sg.)
guruḥ — teacher (masc. nom. sg.)
viṣṇuḥ — Viṣṇu (masc. nom. sg.)
guruḥ — teacher (masc. nom. sg.)
devaḥ — god (masc. nom. sg.)
maheśvaraḥ — the great lord, Śiva (karmadhāraya compound, masc. nom. sg.)
guruḥ — teacher (masc. nom. sg.)
sākṣāt — clearly, before one’s eyes (indeclinable)
param — highest, supreme (neut. nom. sg.);
brahma — brahman, the Supreme Self (neut. nom. sg.)
tasmai — to him/that (pronoun, masc. dat. sg.);
śrī-gurave — to the sacred guru (karmadhāraya compound, masc. dat. sg.)
namaḥ —a bow, salutations (indeclinable)
akhaṇḍa-maṇḍalākāraṃ vyāptaṃ yena carācaram |
tatpadaṃ darśitaṃ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ ||
Translation:
By whom that state was revealed,
Which has the form of an unfragmented circle,
By which the whole universe—moving and unmoving—is pervaded,
A bow to that sacred guru.
akhaṇḍa-maṇḍalākāram — which has the form (ākāra) of an unfragmented (akhaṇḍa) circle (maṇḍala) (bahuvrīhi compound, neut. acc. sg.)
vyāptam — pervaded (past passive participle vi√āp, neut. acc. sg.)
yena — by whom (pronoun, masc. inst. sg.)
carācaram — the whole universe, “moving and unmoving” (samāhāra dvandva compound, neut. acc. sg.)
tat — that (pronoun, neut. acc. sg.)
padaṃ — state (neut. acc. sg.)
darśitam — revealed (caus. past passive participle √dṛś, neut. acc. sg.)
yena — by whom (pronoun, masc. inst. sg.)
tasmai — to him/that (pronoun, masc. dat. sg.)
śrī-gurave — to the sacred guru (karmadhāraya compound, masc. dat. sg.)
namaḥ — a bow, salutations (indeclinable)
ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā |
cakṣur unmīlitaṃ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ ||
Translation:
By whom the eye,
Of one who was blind because of the darkness of ignorance,
Was opened, with the collyrium pencil of knowledge,
A bow to that sacred guru.
ajñāna-timirāndhasya — of one who was blind (andha) because of the darkness (timira) of ignorance (ajñāna), (bahuvrīhi compound, masc. gen. sg.)
jñānāñjana-śalākayā — with the collyrium (añjana) pencil (śalākā) of knowledge (jñāna) (karmadhāraya compound, with a tatpuruṣa compound, fem. inst. sg.)
cakṣuḥ — eye (masc. acc. sg.)
unmīlitam— opened (past passive participle un√mīl, masc. acc. sg.)
yena — by whom (pronoun, masc. inst. sg.)
tasmai — to him/that (pronoun, masc. dat. sg.)
śrī-gurave — to the sacred guru (karmadhāraya compound, masc. dat. sg.)
namaḥ — a bow, salutations (indeclinable)
Thus, in times of darkness (and also of light), perhaps we can remember to look inward and embrace the guru within each of us, in order to gain clarity and perspective on the teachings that life brings us and the challenges we face.
