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Guru

Guru

गुरु, guru

Guru – an honorable person: father, uncle, elder relative and especially – teacher, mentor. In yoga – spiritual teacher.

Literal meaning of the word "guru" – heavy, weighty, i.e. endowed with knowledge, power and experience.

In many spiritual schools “guru” is the one who clears away ignorance and gives knowledge. There are different types of guru: shiksha-guru (gives upadeshas), diksha-guru (initiates into tradition) and so on.

Guru-vara – the day of guru, is the fourth day of the week, Thursday.

The magazine "Adesh" #3-4, extract from the article "Guru-tattva":

In Natha Tradition Gorakshanath and other Natha Yogis are considered to be the main Gurus. These nine nathas symbolize the achievement of realization by a human being or the embodiment of tattva (reality) of one or the other aspect of Absolute. In other words these creatures are the Deities who by means of the knowledge of yoga and practical realization became Mahasiddhas, the immortal form of yogis. These Nine Nathas are the example of whom, at the end, the practitioner of tantra yoga has to become.

Guru lives not for himself, but for God and Tradition. Everything he talks about is connected with the Tradition, everything he does is connected with the path of yoga. In the presence of such a yogi a disciple starts to think only about sadhana, even if Guru does not speak about it. The body is not the only thing this yogi represents; where the master is, there is God and Tradition.

"Siddha-siddhanta paddhati" says:

75-77. A man is not able to free himself from the terrible ocean of vikalpas. It is hardly passable due to worries, thoughts and the net created by the vasanas of matter. The one who remains in his nature, in non-manifestation, can instantly save [a man] with advice, a glance, a talk or contemplation. The saved [a disciple] then becomes embodied in his inner nature. Since Guru is identified with Ishta-devata and also with the sacred practice that he conveys (which leads to moksha), nothing can be higher or more precious in this world than Guru.



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