Sri Sri Ravishankar: Guru, God and Self are Synonymous  

By Sri Sri Ravishankar  

Sri Sri Ravishankar: Guru, God and Self are Synonymous  

Indian culture has always held the guru in high esteem. Having a master was not just considered a matter of pride, but it was mandatory to have a guru. Not having a master was looked down upon as being an orphan, being poor and a sign of misfortune. The word anatha in Sanskrit means one without a master. An acharya (teacher) gives shiksha, which means knowledge; Guru gives diksha, which means heightened awareness.

A guru does not simply stuff you with knowledge but he kindles life force in you. In the presence of the guru you become more alive. The pinnacle of intellect is awakened intelligence. The guru invokes not only intelligence but also the intellect in you. Knowledge may not invoke intelligence, but in intelligence, knowledge is inherent.

Whether you like it or not, the guru principle pervades your life. Your mother is your first guru and then from science to spirituality, from birth to death, guru principle permeates your life. There is a guru for every discipline - a religious guru (dharma), a family guru (kula), a rajguru (guru for the kingdom), a vidya guru (guru for a particular discipline) and a sat guru (spiritual guru).

In the Upanishads five signs of sat guru are mentioned. In the presence of the sat guru; Knowledge flourishes (Gyana raksha); Sorrow diminishes (Dukha kshaya); Joy wells up without any reason (Sukha aavirbhava); Abundance dawns (Samriddhi); All talents manifest (Sarva samvardhan).

Mind is connected with the moon and full moon is a symbol of completion and pinnacle of celebration. Among the 12-13 full moons in a year the vaishakha full moon is dedicated to Buddha (his birth and enlightenment), jyeshtha full moon to mother earth and the aashadha full moon is dedicated to the memory of masters. This is Guru-poornima. Gurupoornima is also called Vyasa Poornima. Vyasa is the embodiment of scriptural knowledge as well as experience. When a guru or acharya delivers a talk the seat is called Vyasa peetha. Vyasa is familiar with every avenue of existence, both material and spiritual. There is a saying Vyaso chishtam jagat sarwam that means there is nothing under the sun that Vyasa has not touched upon.

As no sanchita karma is left in an embodied guru, self shines through, which becomes very obvious in the presence of the guru. But all those qualities that you appreciate in a guru are also in your very nature. Being with the guru is like being with one's higher self. Guru, God and one's own self are synonymous. Often one recognises wisdom but sees a gap between wisdom and one's own life. The purpose of becoming a disciple is to bridge that gap. Being with a guru means spontaneous integration of life and wisdom. Respecting the guru simply means honouring your innermost nature.

Gurupoornima is the day when the disciple wakes up in his fullness and in the wakefulness he can't be but grateful. This gratitude is not of dwaita (you and me), but of advaita. It is not a river moving from somewhere to somewhere, but is the ocean moving within itself. So, gratefulness on Guru-poornima symbolises that fullness. The purpose of the Guru poornima celebration is to turn back and review and see in this last one year how much one has progressed in life.

For a seeker, Guru poornima is a day of significance. It is the day to review one's progress on the spiritual path and renew one's determination and focus on the goal. As the full moon rises and sets, tears of gratitude arise and repose into the vastness of one's own self.

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See also: Sri Sri Ravishankar, Spiritual Guidance, God and Religion, Peace on Earth, Peace of Mind, Love and Happiness, Life and Beyond, Body Mind and Soul)