[Advaita-l] Guru lakshaNa and Sishya lakshaNa

[Dr. Yadu Moharir]

gaa{ii}triima.ntraachaa ichaaruu. saa.nge to saachaara kuLaguru .
parii dnyaane.nviNa pailapaaru. paavijeta naahii.n .. 8..
##Meaning – A priest who teaches us the gaayatrii is also a guru (kulaguru) but he does not teach the process of knowledge so as to enable one cannot cross the sa.msaara-saagara. Therefore, that priest is not the sdaguru. ##
 
jo brahmadnyaana upadesii. adnyaana{a}.ndhaare.n nirasii .
jiivaatmayaa.n paramaatmayaa.nsii. aikyataa karii .. 9..
##Meaning – (sadguru laxaNa)  Sadguru is the one who advices / elaborates on the knowledge about brahmana.  He dispels the darkness of ignorance and helps unite jiivaatmaa with parmaatmaa. (Note: This is one of the primary fundamental gurulaxaNa, as we will see in further elaborations about knowledgeable guru, Ramdas Swami explicitly denounce them as well if they exhibit gimmicks & trickery.) ##
 
vighaDale deva aaNii bhakta. jiivashivapaNe.n dvaita .
tayaa devabhaktaa.n yekaa.nta\-. karii, to sad{}guru .. 10..
##Meaning – deva and bhakta happen to be in the state of viyoga (apart from each other).  Jiiva on one side and shiva on the other side this results in a distinct “davita”.  Saduguru is one who introduces these two to one another and helps unite them.##
 
bhavavyaaghre.n ghaaluuni uDii. govatsaasa taDaatoDii .
kelii, dekhoni siighra soDii. to sad{}guru jaaNaavaa .. 11..
##Meaning – Sadguru is one who saves the calf from the jaws of a tiger that was going result in the separation of cow and  a calf just out of compassion.  This is a very meaningful illustration.  Cor is Ishvara, the calf is the jiiva and the tiger represents ashaashvata samsaara.  Normally, jiiva should be eternally along with iishvara.  But due to ignorance (avidyaa) jiiva gets entangled with maayaa that results in ashaashvata smasaara.  Sadguru frees the jiiva from the encroachment of avidyaa. ##
 
praaNii maayaajaaLii.n paDile.n. sa.nsaaraduHkhe.n duHkhavale.n .
aise.n jeNe.n mukta kele.n. to sad{}guru jaaNaavaa .. 12..
##Meaning – jiiva get trapped in the net of mayaa.  This leads to sorrow of prapa~nca and their  mind tarnished and they get hurt.  One who saves them from this is a “sadguru”.  Due to dehabuddhi (mamatva) one gets engrossed and trapped in the mundane activities.  It then impossible to find the way out and that is the precise activity a sadguru accomplishes.##
 
Dr. Yadu                                   to be continued .......... 4