Who is a Guru?

The word “guru” became popular with the rise of the Beatles in the late sixties. These days it is colloquially used to mean an ‘expert’ in an area of skill or knowledge. It is true that “guru” refers to a person who is an expert or knowledgeable but a real guru is much more than that.

In my dissertation on the teaching methods of Hindu gurus, I defined “guru” as “an enlightened teacher who taught their students how to also become enlightened through a variety of teaching methods.” The word “guru” is Sanskrit. It is a combination of two words”gu” meaning “darkness” and “ru” meaning “that which dispels.” Together “guru” means “one who dispels the darkness of ignorance” and guides students to the highest knowledge which is God is the One in us and everything.

The qualities and qualifications of a guru emerges from the ancient Vedic education tradition in India. Gurus were women and men. They could be an ascetic, a married householder or a king. They were grounded in Vedic knowledge and education and each of them personally experienced God-realization. Although this took many years for some, it is from this background that they were qualified to teach. They taught using systematic techniques and methods to guide their students to directly experience God. It is this spiritual experience that helped students to feel the presence of God in themselves and understand the Divine in all beings and all things.

The guru had to be a skilled teacher to orally transmit Vedic spiritual and academic knowledge. The guru also had to be knowledgeable on educational ideals, the psychological nature of each student, and the application of relevant teaching methods to suit the needs and development of each student. The guru had to be adept and versatile to lead students toward self-realization as well as participating in various community services.

The gurus taught all that they knew and experienced. They held nothing back. They understood that each student had individual differences and would each experience the Divine in a different way. Gurus were revered as spiritual teachers and respected as God. However, their main teaching to students at their initiation to being a student was that it was God within each person the real Guru and that was the real Guru to pray to. The powerful Gayatri Mantra is the students’ initiation prayer that is used even today.

Gurus were the link between God and the students and so had a special student-teacher relationship. They were highly respected, loved, and never forgotten in the lifetime of the students. Each guru had their own extraordinary and unique qualities. Conventionally, gurus were exemplars who represented the highest ideal of the Hindu education tradition. Over the centuries, this ancient system of spiritual education gradually changed to accommodate for modern educational philosophies.

The role of gurus now provide spiritual leadership to meet the needs of all who seek help. They continue the educational and spiritual work of their line of gurus. Correspondingly, their ashrams are now gathering and learning centers for spiritual development and participating in Hindu religious traditions, rites, rituals and ceremonies.