Guru Purnima thoughts

                        

Guru Purnima (Full moon night) of Guru, Ved Vyas, the day of his birth was on the 5^th July, 2020 as per Hindu astrological calender. Ved Vyas was the great Saint who wrote religious scriptures describing various human activities during his times. In his honour and remembrance, Guru Purnima is celebrated to remember all our Gurus (teachers) who have shown us path of righteousness, knowledge and content.

                                            

                    (Photo credit: internet)

On this occasion of Guru Purnima and taking an inspiration from writeup of Shri Pankaj Wanjare 9890578583 in Marathi; this is my understanding of the subject of Guru Purnima.

So, in complete contradiction of this trend of worship of Guru (teacher) on this occasion, there is also other opinion that examines this issue.

म्हाया कोणी गुरु नाही, अन मले कोणी चेला नाही-संत तुकडोजी महाराज

“I do not have any teacher nor I have any student”, so spoke the Marathi saint, Tukdoji Maharaj, many years ago in the mid-20th Century. Why did he express himself so? Was he expressing himself against Guru-Shishya parampara (teacher-student tradition)? Was it not anti-traditional thought to so do?

Choosing a student who will blindly follow his teacher so that student attains the repute as his teacher is enshrined in our religious scriptures. Often, to realise God’s or heavenly bliss, one is required to surrender himself to the God, believing that he is saviour. And God is reflection to be found in his teacher. Is Guru Purnima perpetuating blind followers’ mentality?

Is this true of others? I mean other societies especially the western or of the developed countries? Probably not.

Information is considered knowledge. Information collection is education. This is largely true of our education. Generation of knowledge and its analysis and utility will push us ahead. Often we are told that our education system is rotting. Dr Dinesh Singh, ExVC of DU talks of Allahabad U, AMU, MSU Baroda and others and reputation that they had. These institutions have crumbled with inbreeding. Now, essential qualification is knowledge of language of the region or locality even if teaching subject is science and medium of instruction is English. This principle of exclusion keeps away outsiders. Another is social engineering needs that keep away others even within the locality. Inbreeding of students within its education institutions is common. Delhi school student gets into Delhi college. So is Mumbai...,  If we don’t care to give job to our students, who will give them jobs? This is most common justification for employment of our ‘own’ people.

With the kind of above social milieu, Do we or can we explore enough to create knowledge?  

And hence, it is said that teachers need to be torch bearers, showing path options and decision making is the job of student.

Often, our teachers (Gurus) believe in rituals, mystify them and perpetuate them. And this has come to pass as our Sanskriti (culture).

Be a path finder or a facilitator to be truly a teacher.

Considering the exploding knowledge and complexity, next question is:

Can anyone person fulfil this need? Where can you find a perfect Guru who possesses all these qualities. In the contemporary world, even Ram whom every Hindu worships, appears to be imperfect. Sometime back, I asked who would like to marry Ram if he is borne again. None said I. Ram was complete embodiment of values cherished during epic times. And so is case with our teachers in school, colleges and the Universities. And hence no one person can be your true teacher Guru. And hence reverence to any one single person called Guru should take a back seat.

 

Guru Brahma, Gurur Vishnu, Gurur Devo Maheshwarah

Guru Sakshat Para Brahma, Tasmai Shri Gurave Namaha

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Literary meaning of the above is “Guru is God Brahma (creator of world), Guru is Vishnu (operator of World), Guru is Mahesh (Shiva) (Destroyer of the worldly things). Guru is actually God. I bow myself to Guru”. Thus, Guru is everything to me. It is not possible. On the contrary, this is actually used to exploit by the modern day Guru to bring into submission the naive students.

Even, our religious scripture shows the exploitation by Gurus of their worthy disciples just because he is borne in the lower caste. Rama killed ‘Shambuka’ who intended to achieve salvation through bhakti (penance), just because Shambuka belonged to lower caste, Shudra, who are not supposed to learn literature.  Today Ram is revered as God. Being a God, anything against him is sin. And hence our introspection to discuss and debate values comes to full stop.

In the name of supremacy of Guru (teacher), there are instances wherein student sacrificed a lot, a lot more just because he belonged to lower caste. Eklavya, a worthy student who knowing that being of lower caste, will never get an opportunity to learn science of bow and arrow practiced it in front of statue of Guru ‘Dronacharya’ whom he worshipped in absentia. When Dronacharya learnt of this absentia disciple having acquired exemplary knowledge and practice of bow and arrow, he became afraid and jealous, that his own students may be defeated by Eklavya, should there be any war. And hence, he ensured that Eklavya will never be able to use bow and arrow by demanding thumb in return (offering to Guru) for having received knowledge.

So, be warry of anyone exploiting sentimentally. It is true that no one is perfect and hence, finding perfect Guru is as illusionary as allowing Guru to exploit the naïve student unethical.

Why not then look elsewhere. Books that I read are my Guru. Those whom I am in contact are my Guru as I learn something from them.

Many years ago while walking on the street, a beggar whom we ignored taught us a lesson of importance of visual contact that could have brought some cheers even if we did not pay any alm. He is our Guru teaching us human psychology.

One whom I meet, and he who leaves with something to ponder upon is my Guru.

These are my random thoughts.

Namaskar (Regards) to all my Gurus